Epic Of Caterpillar

Chapter 2917 - 2918: The Sea Of Emptiness

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The Sea of Emptiness.

A concentration of pure void. Liquified by the immense pressure of the thousands of universes that composed this Dimension.

It was said to be a place of no return. Touching it meant death. Not even the strongest Overseers or Constellations could escape if they fully submerged into their depths.

Right now, Kireina drifted in those deepest reaches of compressed, liquified void.

She saw countless gleaming stars; each one was a universe.

Abyssianʼs attack had been too powerful. It had flung her all the way here.

Half her body was gone. Her arms were missing except for one, which weakly clutched her sword. Its light was slowly fading.

Her eyes gazed upward. Her consciousness began to expand, drifting slowly…

”Why do I fight?”

The question rose again and again in her heart the longer she battled.

”Why do I live?”

She constantly questioned her own choices. Why persist when all life brings suffering?

”Why do I… bother?”

Kireina slowly closed her eyes, surrendering to the endless nothingness.

And that would have been the end of her story.

…

”You fight for those you love.”

”You live for those you love.”

”And you bother because you genuinely care.”

A voice echoed through her mind. A gleaming, eternal galaxy of pure chaos stared down at her from above the Sea of Emptiness.

Several stars at her side extended their hands toward her.

But they could not reach her. She was too far down.

It was over for her.

”Donʼt give up, Kireina.”

That voice—the voice of someone she loved—resonated through her soul and heart.

”We love you.”

She continued.

”Please… only you have the power to decide. After coming so far, will you really forget why you came this far to begin with?”

”…”

Kireina slowly opened her eyes.

BA-DUM!

Her heart…

BA-DUM!

…was evolving.

Every beat.

BA-DUM!

Every single beat.

BA-DUM!

…poured power through her body.

BA-DUM!

BA-DUM!

BA-DUM!

BA-DUM!

BA-DUM!

Her heartbeat faster and faster.

The Sea of Emptiness no longer felt terrifying.

”Ah… thatʼs right.”

For a moment, Kireina had forgotten why she fought so obsessively.

Beyond those she loved.

She was also doing it for herself.

But why?

Because she refused to let her life become meaningless.

Thus, two words reverberated through her mind.

Repentant Enlightenment.

The Sea of Emptiness gathered into her sword, fusing with it.

FLUOSH!

Kireina pointed her blade toward the high cosmos.

And swung.

SLASH!

A single slash was all it took.

BOOOMMM!!!

The Sea of Emptiness split open.

A feat never seen before!

Kireina slowly regenerated, rising higher and higher.

Her mind felt clearer than ever. Tears streamed down her face as the Sea of Emptiness responded to her will.

In that moment of Enlightenment—when she reinforced her ideals, determination, and goals—Kireina had ”tamed” this sea.

It resonated deeply with her as someone bound to Void, Chaos, and that Pillar of Light.

The Sea of Emptiness rose, flowing infinitely toward her.

Merging with her.

A long black dress of stars and void eternally flowed around her. Her hair turned dark purple and black. Her eyes gleamed with gold and red.

The Sea of Emptiness vanished.

And became one with Kireina!

”Kireina…!”

”Youʼre back!”

”Sister! Are you… okay?”

Before her stood Khaos—her mother—and her children, Kireinaʼs siblings: Chaos, Ervas, and Veronica. Also present were those who accompanied Chaos: Abyss and Kosmos.

The moment they saw her falling; they had fled the universe and found her.

Kireina smiled warmly.

”Thank you for coming after me…” she cried. ”I have something to do now… Someone I must defeat, and a catastrophe I must end.”

”I know. We all know it,” Chaos nodded. ”We can feel it. Let us go with you.”

”Are you sure?” Kireina asked.

”Yeah, thatʼs why we came with you to begin with!” Veronica nodded.

”We saved Khaos. Now itʼs time to face them—those targeting you,” Ervas said. ”Until we do, they will never stop coming after you, this universe, and anything beyond it.”

”As your mother, I have been absent this entire time. So please, let me finally do something for you, my dear child,” Khaos said.

”Okay,” Kireina nodded. ”Thank you.”

She gripped her sword tightly. Everyone around her transformed into stars within her black dress. Prepared to fly back toward her destiny.

RUMBLE!

A giant Universal Bubble approached her, resonating deeply.

This bubble contained a Universe Kireina had conquered—one now seeking its master.

”The Maxima Universe…”

Kireina extended her hand. The bubble touched her and merged.

FLASH!

With this immense, newfound power…

Kireina flew through space and time like a sword of pure darkness.

…

”Gaaaah?!”

Abyssian screamed in agony. Evan—incarnated as a legendary sword in this world—combined with Amiphossiaʼs powers, had split the weakened Chaos King in two.

His exposed wounds bled black miasma. He frantically tried to rejoin both halves!

But Lord Chaos emerged a second later.

”I donʼt know who you are, but you have my thanks!”

Lord Chaos roared. He compacted his form into a giant of chaos and began pummeling Abyssianʼs separated halves, keeping them apart.

”YOU DAMN ANOMALIES!”

The furious Chaos King screamed and struck back, channeling Space and Time within his Chaos Element to unleash devastating, reality-warping attacks.

Yet Lord Chaos contained and weakened them using his unique physiology and power.

In that moment, the King of Chaos and Lord Chaos stood on equal terms—battling to see who would prevail!

But Lord Chaos was not alone.

Amiphossia and Ryo rushed in. They channeled the power of the Kami merged with their Auras—Nanako, Kaguya, her siblings, and many more.

”Evan! Lend me your power!” Amiphossia called.

”At first I didnʼt know why I was turned into a sword in this strange world, but now I truly see—it was to become useful to you, Amiphossia!” Evan roared. ”Wield my Soul!”

”Yes, darling!” Amiphossia nodded with a confident smile.

”Sword Soul Heart!”

”Second Form – Celestial Strikes!”

SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!

A relentless barrage of slashes struck Abyssian from behind, worsening his wounds and driving him back further.

Lord Chaos kept him pinned and distracted, allowing Amiphossia and Evan to inflict massive damage to his body and soul.

Blindingly bright attacks burned through his skin, melted his flesh, and shattered his armor with ease.

Evanʼs power was the real deal.

Forged to vanquish Mikaboshi into the depths of Yomi, he was a Legendary Primordial Divine Sword designed specifically to slay Chaos Gods!

Ryo could not stand idle either. He channeled his powers—Sadako on his back—combining the Wheel of Fate, Buddhist Cultivation Practices, and his Heart Path Methods.

Sadako infused the Soul of the Great Demon King Shuten Doji into him. Ryo grew immensely stronger, larger, and more muscular than ever.

”Now go, my ancestor! We must vanquish that great evil no matter what!” Even now, Sadako refused to give up. ”We have to avenge everyone who died because of him!”

She blamed the Chaos King for being the same as Mikaboshi. Ryo could not question her—not now.

”Very well!”

His Aura surged. Demonic and Enlightened Divine Power fused, forming a radiant, blazing Yin-Yang Symbol.

He charged. His palms glowed with the symbol and smashed into Abyssianʼs body, shattering it with explosions erupting everywhere.

At the same time, his sister unleashed a storm of slashes. Evanʼs Heroic Sword Soul manifested many Sword Soul Clones, which she wielded alongside her other blades.

Kireinaʼs eldest daughter and eldest son formed an immensely deadly pair, as expected.

”Kuuuaaaaaaggghhh?! S-STOP! STOOOOP!”

Abyssian fell into despair. Attacked from every angle in a perfect pincer, he could only fight desperately for his life like never before.

He punched, kicked, summoned weapons, and twisted space and time.

Yet due to his severed connection to the Chaos Plane, his weakened state from Lord Chaos, and everything else…

He was struggling!

”We can do this!”

”We can!”

”Keep pushing, kids!”

Lord Chaos laughed heartily. He found these two young gods incredibly strong and talented! He already felt like recruiting them into his organization.

But there was no time for that.

All three pushed themselves to their absolute limits, holding back the strongest being of the Chaos Plane!

”YOU…! DONʼT KNOW…! ANYTHING…! ABOUT MEEEEEEEEE!”

Abyssian roared in fury. His Chaotic Heart exploded, unleashing a massive Spacetime Explosion.

Lord Chaos instantly wrapped his Dimensional Body around Amiphossia and Ryo, shielding them from the devastating blast.

BOOOMMM!!!

Everything around them was erased instantly.

The Chaos Kings nearby took the damage alongside those fighting them.

Half of Yomi vanished.

Floating in the void left by Abyssianʼs galaxy-destroying explosion remained everyone.

The Chaos Kings groaned, slowly beginning to move again.

And they quickly realized it.

”A-Abyssian?!”

”Guaaaack?!”

”S-Stop!”

”Stop!”

Giant tentacles ensnared them, dragging them one by one into a massive pulsating maw of countless teeth. They were devoured, feeding Abyssian—who had lost his connection to the Chaos Plane and desperately needed power to survive.

”I kept you around because you were nothing but energy reserves! Now fulfill your purpose and feed me!”

”Kuaaaaahhh!”

The last Chaos King screamed as he was pulled inside Abyssianʼs jaws, crushed to pieces, and swallowed.

BA-DUM!

BA-DUM!

BA-DUM!

His Chaos Heart—having expelled all its power to save him—began beating faster. Abyssian recovered completely, taking on an even more refined, lean, humanoid, and ”perfect” form.

”D-Damn it…!” Amaterasu groaned. Her fusion had shattered in the explosion. Tsukuyomi stood by her side, but every other god fused with her was too weak—floating unconsciously around her. ”T-Tsukuyomi! Save them…! Send them inside your inner realm!”

”Y-Yes!” Tsukuyomi hurriedly gathered as many of the exhausted, unconscious gods as he could while Amaterasu stared at the monstrosity growing larger and stronger than ever before.

Kireinaʼs wives awoke. Their giantess fusion form had protected them, shielding their lives with the power of their combined Heart Essence—but they were at their limit, barely able to move.

”R-Ryo!”

”Amiphossia!”

Zehe and Nesiphae flew toward their children, finding them safe and shielded by Lord Chaos—half of whose body was gone.

”Kghhh…! Hah… I-Iʼve seen better days… thatʼs… for sure…!”

”Sir!”

”You…! Saved us?!”

Ryo and Amiphossia gasped. Zehe and Nesiphae caught them and pulled them into tight hugs.

”Why?” Zehe asked.

”Why? I wonder the same…” Lord Chaos smiled bitterly, black blood dripping from his mouth. ”I donʼt know… maybe… I just… wanted to be a hero… like my little girl… Ngh…! I just… I donʼt know… hahah… maybe she has really influenced me.”

”My Lord!”

”No!”

”Agh, damn it!”

Suddenly Sakamoto, Mirabilis, Wasp, and Victor reached Lord Chaos. Seeing him in such a terrible state, they panicked.

They immediately began infusing their power into him, helping him recover slowly.

But without anyone wielding Chaos itself, the help was limited.

Zehe, Nesiphae, Amiphossia, and Ryo already knew who this man was.

He was Kireinaʼs father in this dimension.

Effectively, Amiphossia and Ryoʼs grandfather.

”Who is he?” Evan asked, glancing at him.

”I think heʼs Momʼs dad, in this world…” Amiphossia sighed.

”Letʼs help him,” Ryo nodded.

Both flew toward Lord Chaos and infused his body with Chaos Energy.

”H-Huh?”

The dying Lord Chaos looked at them. For a moment, within them… he saw his dear daughter.

”You… who… who are you?” he muttered.

”Itʼs a long story, and you may not even believe it,” Amiphossia said with a bitter smile.

”But weʼre your grandkids,” Ryo added brightly.

”…?!” Lord Chaosʼs face filled with shock beyond belief. ”G-Gran… Grandkids?”

RUMBLE!

But before this heartfelt moment could continue, Abyssian had fully recovered.

He spread his many arms wide. His Aura surged with Spacetime Chaos Energy.

Each particle transformed into a clone of himself.

”So this is the power of Obhedhrur, the Heart Path Method!”

He smiled viciously. Among the Chaos Kings he had devoured, Obhedhrur had been one.

With hundreds of Heart Avatars, he decided to ”harvest” everyone here to sustain himself.

”Now, itʼs time. I will devour you all!”

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