A Certain Saten Ruiko
Saten can feel it, the world deconstructing and vanishing altogether. An entire universe, the lives which had deterred from the original and gained their own individuality, those who were affected by the girl herself, all lost to the abyss. As the eye which supported it left their world, their world ceased to be. An entire plane of existence, flipped "off" like a light switch.
The perpetrator doesn't weep. Can't. Does her best not to think about it. Honestly, it isn't even that difficult. A rational and mentality took hold sometime after the death of Gotou Rize. Saten Ruiko is the one who gave that world life, so only she had the right to take it away. If she thought about the entire world as an accident, something that existed only to support Saten's return to the original, then the girl could excuse any atrocity. After all, the only one she has to answer to is herself, and as she's about to return to Kamijou Touma, she feels pretty damn good.
Oh how wrong she is.
At first Saten feels a stillness, an isolation. She is all that exists, empty and nothing surrounded in the infinite expanse. This is a loneliness incomprehensible by mortal minds, insignificant upon the scale that even existing is pointless. When suffered through this a normal human would be driven insane. But Saten, she finds it uninteresting. Her drive, the drive she possessed since the beginning which has only gained an near infinite momentum, all she can seek is to move "forward." In this void where even comprehension is irrelevant, she peers through the countless directions in search of this "forward." And she finds it. Her determination which had her crush an entire world underfoot has let her use it as a stepping stone, and she leaps "forward."
The moment she moves "forward," the entirety of nothingness changes.
Through Saten's comprehension, she's thrust through some kind of tunnel of light. It is nothing but white, a shade so bright it strains her eyes just to look at it, but she can tell it's a tunnel, cylinder in shape, and she's presently soaring through. Her velocity isn't something that can be measured simply through speed. No, she traverses not only on a three, but four or perhaps five dimensional plane. She is shifting back to the original world.
And then she stops.
It happened prematurely, Saten somehow knows. Even in this White on this path "Forward," something like a chain has wrapped around her. When she tries to push "forward," it pulls back. What this truly is, however, the girl doesn't have the slightest clue.
WHY DO YOU STAND BEFORE ME
This voice, no, it wouldn't qualify as a voice, emits from no specific place yet exists the same as an intangible theory like time or evolution. It comes from nowhere, from everywhere, and from Saten's very own lips. Such a thing, it's overwhelming. Unlike anything she's ever faced before, Saten immediately recognizes it's source. Anything would. Any human being would, any animal would, as well as any insect or even plant. It isn't something so pathetically otherworldly like an Angel, Magic God, or Human who seems as omnipotent as Aleister. No, it is in fact,
God
GIVEN YOUR OWN GARDEN YOU RAZE IT TO THE GROUND IN HOPES OF THAT YOU CANNOT POSSESS
Saten perceives this White, this entire whole, as He. It is in the White, the Speed she was traveling, and even Herself. God exists in all things, and there is simply no opposing Him.
WERE YOU TO ACCEPT AND LIVE WITHOUT YOU COULD HAVE REMAINED
Even if it were insane, nay, blasphemous, the Saten Ruiko who conquered an entire world to reach this point couldn't simply let this end. Focusing the power of the Right Eye-
-nothing happens, and she immediately realizes why. The offshoot world was supported by her Right Eye. Nay, the world was the Right Eye itself. With it consumed, she in essence cannibalized her own power. Saten's Right Eye is now nothing more than an eye. Right now, Saten Ruiko is but a human, and nothing else.
TO COME BEFORE ME AND INFECT WHAT I HAVE CRAFTED I CANNOT ALLOW
The powerless Saten Ruiko falls. Realizing the truth before it comes, she cannot even protest against God. She will never see Touma again. Everything she did, was pointless. That second world should have never existed. Saten, should never have existed.
DISAPPEAR
And as simple, as unceremoniously as that, Saten Ruiko vanishes as if she never was. In truth, she didn't. Her self, her love, her trials and tribulation, none of it ever truly existed. Saten Ruiko, her world, it was all an error; nothing more than a line drawn outside the margins to simply be erased. Once standing before God, only His will mattered. There was no standing against Him. Even such things as magic gods existed because He allowed them to. Simply, He is infallible.
And so, God returned to His seat of rest. God exists in all, both partaking in every single action undertaken within, and taking no direct action at the same time. Saten Ruiko was an anomaly, a being which existed outside of God.
Othinus, her actions in first creating that altered timeline where Touma and Saten fell in love, all of that happened underneath God's supervision and His blessing. However, an anomaly was born when that world was destroyed (when Othinus and Touma vanished from Saten's perspective). Saten Ruiko and the second world split off like twins in an embryo. Once that happened, just like with real twins, they could never be reunited. That Saten even tried was stupid. And even worse, had she succeeded, the repercussions would have been catastrophic. However, if they simply remained two separate worlds, two separate Saten Ruikos, then there was no problem. But she simply couldn't accept that place, and so she attempted to reunite. Once she returned to the original world and His side, He was able/forced to take action. Her infection was cut no different than a cancerous tumor.
And thus, Saten Ruiko's tale comes to a quiet and insignificant end. Truly, all those who even knew she once was has already been wiped from existence by her own hand. Only God recorded the actions of this foolish human, who in truth would not even measure up to a character in the massive text He has written. Saten Ruiko existed as nothing more than a typo. This is it. The end.
"Like I would let that happen!"
A pillar is born in the White, cascading, draining, and birthing color in this world outside of worlds. Nay, from this point it can only be called Heaven. A being stands within that pillar, conceptualizing this outer phase so it can be observed.
Heaven exists how many thinks it would, or maybe because it's such a firmly held belief that it is able to take this form. It is beauty incarnate. Built upon the sky, Heaven is a kingdom filled with lush gardens, shimmering pools, and marble structures. Those who exist within are the blessed, gowned in white with feathery wings, and beauty everlasting. These are His angels, a perfect reflection of this perfect world. To even catch a glimpse of Heaven would inspire a poet to write for a thousand years.
The one who stands before God is little other than Saten Ruiko. However, it is not the same Saten Ruiko who was before. Unlike the previous, this Saten Ruiko is dressed plainly different. She's in loose, dark robes, and a wide-brimmed hat. Very much does she appear like a witch in lore. Also, she still possesses a left eye, unlike the Saten Ruiko who has since vanished.
Saten pants heavily, leaning on the staff which was used to birth the pillar of light that revealed Heaven. She nearly appears to keel over on her own.
"I am Atlas 310, and like hell am I going to go down that easily!"
God "frowns." Truly is this an unexpected development, even for omniscience. Since the world split, He knew Saten would try and return. As much He could foresee, even over a world which He held no influence or could even observe. But that another Saten would appear, even God couldn't anticipate this.
Though she spoke tough, Atlas 310 can't so much as budge.
An angel approaches, speaking a language which was never meant to grace human ears. Not even could it even be called a "language" as it was heard as more of a melody. But even if humankind were not mean to ever know of this means of communication, it's plenty easy to estimate. The angel is going to attack Atlas 310.
Indeed, it would not take God to deal with this Saten Ruiko. He only did so as to not risk infecting His agents with this outsider. But truthfully, even this Saten who lifted the veil over Heaven can't stand against an angel.
God doesn't reply, yet the angel somehow takes this as affirmation. From the angel's hand is birthed a silver spear. The angel soars to the defenseless Atlas 310.
"Is that what angels really look like?" comes an even stranger voice, "I think your magic has given them a weird form."
The bladed tip of the weapon is caught by the simple hand of another. A woman has taken a position before the disabled Atlas 310, holding the otherworldly weapon as if it were nothing more than a toy. In high heels, she towers well above the immobile magician. All the girl can see are very shapely legs, a firm figure hidden by a large white lab coat, long black hair, and a very domineering presence.
Having the attack interrupted, and angel flaps a pace back. A sound like a screeching violin is emitted from the heavenly creature, clearly surprised and upset.
Carelessly, or perhaps irrelevantly as the attack of an angel did precisely nothing, this intruder turns and faces Atlas 310. To say the least, the magician is surprised. The woman is taller, prettier, and far the more mature than the spellcaster, but there is obviously something similar between the two. They could sisters, or even mother and daughter. If anything, they share the exact same blue eyes.
"Who are you?" Atlas 310 asks in disbelief.
Smirking, "Who else do you think? I am Kirihara Ruiko. A You who took a different Path."
That did little to alleviate Atlas 310's confusion, and Kirihara Ruiko speaks no further. Instead, she turns back to the gathering angels. If one wasn't enough, several more join the fray. In each of their hands silver weapons are formed. There are about 10 of them in total. In unison, they charge.
Click.
"Of course she isn't going to get it if you leave it at that," yet another intruder. "Even if you have a lover, you don't have very much love. Unlike myself "
Finally someone who isn't the same person, a busty blonde in a Tokiwadai uniform flamboyantly prances towards the duo. The angels who seemed so set on bloodletting, lay frozen in air. They can't so much as lift a finger to the girl.
Kirihara Ruiko only glances back, but Atlas 310 sees fit to question, "Shokuhou Misaki?"
Indeed does it appear to be the perpetrator behind the second day of the Daihaseisai incident, but there's a distinct difference. Her eyes are heterochromatic. Her Right Eye is blue.
"Not exactly," the telepath informs. "I did in fact take Saten Ruiko's Right Eye as my own, but it didn't quite have the affect I intended. To put it simply, Saten Ruiko took over, but Shokuhou Misaki is still here. To avoid confusion, just call us Mental Out. Nice to meet me "
Atlas 310 can't even allocate the mental energy to comprise a response.
Sighing, Kirihara Ruiko begins, "Since you seem to have bought us some time, Mental Out, I guess I could spell things out. You should know about parallel universes, since Othinus spelled it out to all of us."
Atlas 310 is uncertain, "Yes?"
Click.
Sighing again, "I can't believe we share the same root. Basically, for every instant, there is an infinite number of possibilities. You might understand them simply if I called them 'paths.' Well, normally parallel universes don't exist, but that is under the rule of God. When the world splintered off out of His influence, after Touma-kun and Othinus-san disappeared, the splintered world was no longer under the supervision of God. When our Right Eyes was still working, did you think we were merely seeing 'possibilities?' No, we were glimpsing into the infinite number of parallel universes."
Shocked, "You mean, there are an infinite number of Saten Ruiko's out there?"
"No," yet another voice, while rather deadpan, is added to the fray. This Saten Ruiko appears very much like a regular human, except for the green third eye in the middle of her forehead. "Don't you remember all the different 'paths' you saw? Saten Ruiko died in many of those. To be honest, I'm surprised any of us made it this far. And before you even ask, this is Othinus' original Right Eye she dumped into Mimir's Well. To avoid confusion, just call me Satori."
"Ew, creepy " Mental Out hugs Kirihara Ruiko in an attempt to comfort herself.
Just then, several hundred angels leap onto the small gathering of Saten Ruikos. Yet it appears only Atlas 310 is worried.
Lightning strikes as a storm overtakes Heaven. Instantly all angels are scattered by the awesome blast. Floating in air little different then the angels themselves, is a creature that appears just as divine. Less a person, it's more an entity. It's skin is florescent, charged with some kind of intense energy. It carries a feminine figure, with familiar proportions and long, similarly glowing hair. If there's anything truly distinct, or even human, about this entity, it's her blue eyes.
"And just who-"
"Level 6," Atlas 310 doesn't even get a chance to ask. This Saten Ruiko states and continues on her business.
After, a great tempest is born over their heads, scattering all the airborne angels away. Level 6 then takes to the air and begins aerial combat with the army. She visibly wields lightning bolts, fire, and ice spikes, as well as the invisible wind. Level 6 carries herself very well against the divine forces.
"It appears we're drawing out the big guns," Kirihara Ruiko remarks.
"I can't keep up with this anymore," Atlas 316 laments.
It's then that Satori comforts her, "Don't say that. If it weren't for you conceptualizing Heaven, none of us would be able to even step foot here. You're the linchpin of our retaliation."
The lowly magician's eyes start to go wide, "Do you really-"
"Geeze!" Kirihara Ruiko starts wrestling with her own hair. "Could you have at least exercised your brain power a little bit! Why do you think so many of us are protecting you? If you fall we won't stand a chance against God. Why are magicians such single-minded idiots?"
The Saten Ruiko who focused solely on magic in her own world, merely smiles. Atlas 310 barely concluded her tutelage under Stiyl Magnus before attempting the Windowless Building. She hadn't given a thought about what would happen after, let alone the actual existence of Heaven, but at least she was capable of putting up an effort against God unlike the first Human Saten Ruiko.
"Enough of this!" roars through Heaven.
Just then the sky turns red. A figure distinct from the other angels appears in the sky. It too, is an angel, that anyone could guess, but is vastly different from the nameless and generic who thus far have been treated like fodder. He's of short red hair, long, crystalline wings, and a flaming sword. Immediately do all the Saten Ruikos find him familiar. He resembles Flamma of the Right, but is obviously not him. If anyone would have the guess,
"Would that be the Archangel Michael?" Kirihara Ruiko ponders aloud.
Michael ignores Level 6 who seems too busy with the low choir angels and heads directly for the group gathered around Atlas 310. Even if the group hadn't spelled it out, the Archangel would have realized anyway. With the conceptualization of Heaven, divine beings are dragged down to the phase of mortals, able to be harmed through normal means. Normally it would take a grand-class spiritual item to even touch an angel, but with Atlas 310's magic, anyone can.
"Mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine mine!"
It started from a great distance away and rapidly grew closer. Before Michael could obliterate the small group, a figure flies and clashes with the Archangel's Flaming Sword.
"Mine," a Saten Ruiko, with an impossibly large grin on her face, contests with one of the most distinct weapons from scripture with only a baseball bat.
To say the least, even Kirihara Ruiko is stunned.
"Haaaaaa!" the one with the baseball bat lets loose a giant cheer and manages to push the Archangel back. There isn't trace urgency in her expression; only the lust for battle.
"I think I'll just go ahead and explain it for you," Mental Out sighs for some reason. "That's the Almighty Thor. Basically, she had Misaka Mikoto turned into a baseball bat."
""'Turned into a baseball bat?'""
Satori likewise appears disgusted, "Just be glad Othius didn't found GREMLIN in the splintered worlds. The members were still out there, but thankfully never organized without their leader. That Saten must have sought out Marian Slingener. I'd rather not go into detail what the process of turning a person into a weapon entails."
To think a person could turn into a mere object, and one of their best friends at that. But then again, there are several versions throughout the multiverses of the same person, gathered in the real world's Heaven. Stranger things have happened.
With the Almighty Thor battling one of God's best, the army of lesser angels held at bay by Level 6, the group gathered around Atlas 310 seem well protected, but there is an obvious hurdle that has yet to be addressed.
"I hate to be the barer of bad news," Atlas 310 seems to be the source of pessimism from all the Satens, "but our situation hasn't improved. We still don't have a way to deal with Him."
'Him,' obviously meaning God. Certainly, the number of Satens appearing from the wood works are keeping the agents of God busy, but God Himself remains an uncontested monument within Heaven. In fact, with Atlas 310's conceptualization of Heaven, God still remains an inconceivable White mass. He exists as a being of light; those who are wrecking such havoc on the holy plane still can't so much as even see Him, let alone contest Him in any way. In fact, practically everyone in the group believes He could end this in a instant were He to take direct action like He did against the first Human Saten.
"About that," Kirihara Ruiko observes, "it appears He's waiting to see how this plays out. Basically, God isn't the kind of guy who likes surprises."
"I would concur," Satori adds. "In His eyes, we are less than ants."
"That's all well and good and all," Atlas 310 still doesn't feel any better, "but do we have any kind of real plan?"
"How silly," Mental Out paces before the magician and pokes her in the cheek. "Of course we do "
Like Atlas 310, Kirihara Ruiko seems out of the loop. Apparently Satori and Mental Out are entirely on the same page.
"Perhaps it's finally time for me to make an appearance."
Yet another Saten enters the arena. This one, however, is more than a bit different than all the others. Like Kirihara Ruiko, this one appears older. Her skin is paler, hair a shade of silver, and has an expression frozen like a doll. She levitates, in something of a gown that apparently defies gravity. There is something eerie about this Saten, an unease of a different variety than Satori with three eyes. Still, this new Saten Ruiko appears human.
"Atlas 310, Kirihara Ruiko, I am the Chairman of the Board of Directors."
This immediately puts the pair on alert. The magician can't do much, but the woman who adopted the Kirihara name takes a combat stance.
"Are you, Aleister?"
Of course there would be confusion. A name repeated endlessly, and as the case with Human Saten, neither Kirihara Ruiko nor Atlas 310 never actually met the Big Bad who tirelessly sought their demise. To think the enemy was actually herself from a different universe, it's a hard pill to swallow.
"I am thrice Saten Ruiko, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, and the one you call Aleister. Yet, I am not 'Aleister.'"
This answered precisely zero questions.
"I am paradox," the Chairman of the Board of Directors continues. "I am a Saten Ruiko who not only opened the Windowless Building, but climbed to the very top." Turning to those in question, "That is also true for you two as well, is it not, Mental Out and Satori?"
Satori waves and Mental Out gives something of a salute.
Back to the two with question, "Had you two climbed the Windowless Building as well, you would have found me. However, as soon as you breached it's defenses, you were approached by that strange figure, Aiwass, right? And you took it's advice and immediately consumed your perspective worlds, right?"
Kirihara Ruiko and Atlas 310 look to each other and affirm.
"Had you journeyed to the top, you would have found me. But since you did not, the one who resided there was not me, but 'Aleister.'"
To little surprise, this went completely over Atlas 310's head, but Kirihara Ruiko had a thing or two to say about that.
"That's bullshit! What, are you Schrodinger's Cat or something? Basically, we can't tell the difference whether it was you or Aleister unless we went to the top of the Windowless Building? And then what? Say we did go up there and found you. In the end, you were still trying to kill us!"
Keeping the same even tone, "That is both correct, and incorrect. As stated, I am paradox."
Such an answer would never satisfy a Kirihara, yet, "Fine. Say that is true. How did you travel between universes? I've been studying the splintered worlds and Heaven for years! Lateral trips between worlds is impossible! If you were to attempt it, you would have to go through Heaven first!"
Finally Atlas 310 realizes it. Heaven existed between the original world and all the splintered worlds. They all run in parallel, yet only meet at the point they reach Heaven. If the Chairman of the Board of Directors is claiming to bypass Heaven, why not simply do so again and go straight to the original world?
"You are-" but the Chairman of the Board of Directors doesn't get a chance to finish.
A horn blows from on high. All those currently in discussion in the middle of a war zone turn their attention. Obviously it's the arrival of more angels, but these aren't the same as the plethora of before. Like Michael, they possess crystalline wings which span the length of the sky. There are eight of them, all possessing distinct holy weapons. There is a staff of lightning, spear of light, hammer of wind, whip of ivy, scythe of earth, floating greenish-white orbs, and a cloak of shadows.
"Hey hey hey," the Almighty Thor complains, "one of ya is bad enough, but I can't take all o' ya."
The Chairman of the Board of Directors kept the same placid expression, but it was obvious that even she is concerned. These eight archangels, their powers are simply beyond comprehension. Minus God Himself, this is the full might of Heaven.
"It appears even I will prove inadequate," the Chairman of the Board of Directors states. Extending a hand, something of a gateway opens, a bright glowing circle with a purple vortex swirling within, and something exits. It almost appears like a normal human girl, but she possesses the angelic halo and similar crystalline wings.
"Even if she's an artificial angel, she's more than a match for an archangel or two. But against these numbers..."
If this Saten is truly the Chairman of the Board of Directors, that meant this would indeed be Academy City's mightiest weapon. Atlas 310 can only imagine what kind of strength it possesses, but knows it can't stand against these eight archangels by itself.
The magician, herself still rooted to her staff to maintain conceptualization, looks around to the other combatants. So far, their major hitters seem to be Level 6, the Almighty Thor, and the Artificial Angel. Satori and Mental Out don't seem to be the fighting types, though Kirihara Ruiko does seem to be hiding something. As for the Chairman of the Board of Directors, just like the Aleister Atlas 310 dealt with in her own world, this one didn't seem the type to ever take direct action. Putting it mildly, she herself is helpless.
Suddenly red energy rains upon all of Heaven. It came from nowhere, utterly decimating the pristine beauty of the divine plane, and trashing all of the angels in the process. In but a moment, the entire army of Heaven is laid to waste.
Then, a golden bolt, streaks across the sky. It's path is jagged and abrupt; racing, turning, and direction seem random and impossible to predict. But one thing is certain, it's coming closer. It's true distance from them was impossible to determine, so they had no idea it's speed. But once it gets close, they realize; the distance it traveled, it wasn't just in kilometers or even hundreds of kilometers, but well into the thousands and maybe even millions of kilometers. Just in mere passing all the Satens are nearly destroyed, but Level 6 saw to protect the ones who weren't battle oriented, and Kirihara Ruiko moves to act as a shield for Atlas 310. That golden bolt, it heads directly for and crashes right into God, resulting in an explosion which could be the equivalent of hundreds, if not thousands of nuclear warheads.
Everything is lost in a blast of light from the resulting collision of energy. Those who can withstand just the aftereffects do so rather well. Deploying what can only be described as a shield, they divert the force of the blast away from those who would have surely been vaporized. There is naught to be done but weather the storm.
What could have been expected to last eons, is instead forcibly crushed. To describe, it's as if all of the destructive force is sucked, or absorbed, into a central location. It seems to fold back into itself at the point of the detonation.
When the smoke queerly clears, there stands two figures. Save for Mental Out, Satori, and the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the others heartbeats just about stop. The cause of the red storm, the golden bolt, it's someone who's warmly familiar. Even if this person could be considered the true, ultimate enemy; each and every Saten thinks of her as a friend.
"Othinus?"
Make no mistake, this is yet another Saten Ruiko. However, she wears the dark cape, wide-brimmed hat, and black, revealing clothing of the Magic God. She even wears the black and red eye patch each of the Satens possessed before the worlds were splintered. In her grasp is the golden spear Satens remember from the very end.
But Othinus can't so much as respond to their warm welcome. Before the Magic God is an angel, or at least what appears to be an angel. Even with such destructive power, Othinus could not reach God. No, she is blocked by what appears to be little different than a girl, little different than a child.
No, this couldn't possibly no mere child, despite how she may look. While a few might question who this could possibly be, even stranger is that a couple even recognize her. While only a rare few Satens even met this person through the infinite string of parallel worlds, they all at least know her name.
Sasha Kreutzev.
Sasha is a petite girl with flowing golden hair. Beauty akin to that of a fairy, at this moment she's the incarnation of God's judgment. Held in her hand might appear nothing more than a crowbar, but it's a clear match for Othinus' golden spear. What's more, Sasha possesses more than that singular object. Namely, she's also carried by wings and a halo over her head.
"Observation," Sasha speaks, "your level of violence is a concern."
Othinus struggles to retrieve the golden spear, but it doesn't so much as budge. Still, the Magic God doesn't seem all the concerned.
"We wouldn't need to be if you would just let us pass. All any of us want is to return home."
"Interjection. From our prospective, those splintered worlds would be your 'home.' Assumption. If you are referring to the world under the grace of My Lord, there are too many of you to let through. Explanation. You can't return to that world without destroying the original Saten Ruiko. Only one 'Saten Ruiko' can exist in the true, core world. Opinion. Wouldn't figuring out who goes through first between yourselves be prudent prior to an assault on heaven?"
To return to the original world, they would have to destroy the original Saten Ruiko? Atlas 310 never thought of that. The original world's Saten has lived her own life and is set on her own path. What gives Atlas 310, or any of the splintered Saten Ruikos the right to take that away?
"Do you really mean that?" Kirihara Ruiko steps up. "Would you really allow one of us through to the original world so we could be with Touma-kun?"
"Of course she doesn't," Othinus answers. "God has already decreed that none of us shall return, and His word is infallible. She's just trying to get us to turn on each other."
"Correction. I have spoken no lies. Only a one of you can take the place of 'Saten Ruiko.' By Law, two of the same existence cannot be present at the same time. Each new Saten Ruiko would have to erase the previous. So if all of you attempts to breach Heaven only the last one will survive.
"And I am trying to get you all to turn on each other."
"You aren't cute at all," sneers Othinus.
"Objectively speaking. You possess no hope either way. You shall not even reach Him, so this entire fight is pointless."
"Would you be so sure of that?" Othinus grins. "All the other angels already dashed into combat, and you appeared the moment I approached God. Would that make you the final line of defense? Are there any angels left?
Whatever hidden connotation was meant, Sasha picks up on it immediately. She moves to intercept some unknown force, but this time it's Othinus who pins her in place.
Each and every Saten Ruiko here represents a different "path" taken to reach Heaven. Atlas 310 trained under Styl Magnus and became a magician. The Almighty Thor sought out Marian Slingener to turn the #3 Level 5 Railgun into a literal weapon. Satori found Othinus' (original) eye at the bottom of Mimir's Well and took it into herself. Mental Out ripped out Saten Ruiko's eye in a fit of bitter jealousy and sought to return to the original world herself, only to be taken over by all the paths and weight of Saten's persona. Level 6 returned to Academy City's Power Curriculum Program and being an esper. The Chairman of the Board of Directors waged a war against Academy City itself, and won. And Othinus founded GREMLIN in the original's place, successfully crafting Gungir. All of these were a result of the paths the Human Saten Ruiko could have taken.
Othinus, possessing all of the original's power, was the only version of Saten Ruiko capable of laterally traversing the multiple universes. Doing so, she teamed up with the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Satori, and Mental Out to plot their assault on Heaven.
However, there existed an anomaly. Of the millions, no, infinite number of worlds, there was a single one different than all the others. In her search for allies, Othinus found this world which existed outside of the "paths." What existed there was truly one of a kind.
"Oryaaaaa!" a certain middle school girl runs pass the angels who are only now starting to collect themselves, pass Level 6 and Almighty Thor who are just below a Magic God in terms of strength, around the group huddled around the magician, and even pass the true Magic God. This girl's target is, of course, God.
"If there's a world where it's creator won't allow two people who love each other to be together, I'll shatter it!"
This girl approaches the "existence" known as God and strikes at it with her right hand. As it is a form without shape, mass, or even a contextual definition, somehow that right hand reaches it. Producing some kind of impact, the result is what sounds like breaking glass. And truly, for lack of an actual word that bares comprehension, the illusion surrounding God is broken.
Revealed is a domineering old man of long flowing robes and long white hair. This is not the true form of God, but something that can be comprehended. This image and form are taken from the mind of the one who struck it, just like Atlus 310's image of angels. This is the concept that a certain middle school girl thinks of when considering the image of "God."
This certain middle school girl, is Saten Ruiko. There's no other way to describe her. Dressed in her normal winter middle school uniform, normal body size, and two eyes; it's Saten Ruiko no matter what angle you looked at her from. If there is anything noteworthy about the middle school girl, it's the apparently normal but obviously not right hand.
"I don't believe it," Kirihara Ruiko curses in disbelief. "It's the Imagine Breaker."
God is sent reeling but just a step. A power that is said to be the root of the world, that can negate any spiritual or supernatural ability, against the Creator of All, a single step it can make Him yield.
"Enough!"
God's booming voice itself carries an overwhelming power. Imagine Breaker holds up her right hand to block it, but it does little to stop the absolute force. That hand retains form for only a few moments. Then bones break, fingers bend the wrong way, skin is torn, muscles rupture, until finally dissolving into an indistinguishable red mist. With that right hand destroyed, the Imagine Breakers suffers no different a fate. This Saten Ruiko is veritably ripped to pieces.
Such a gruesome end to the only one who could truly touch God gives Kirihara Ruiko reason to despair, but it's the one she's been protecting all this time who gives rise to hope.
Atlas 310 announces, "God, and all of Heaven, has been brought to the level of mortals! All of them are now vulnerable! Attack!"
The magician finally removes herself from leaning on her staff and attacks with magic. Several fireballs are born from the air and assault the recovering angels who are about ready to counter attack. Likewise Level 6 and the Almighty Thor reprise their roles as brawlers. Even the Chairman of the Board of Director's artificial angel returns to the fray. Othinus keeps to Sasha who likely could spoil their efforts all by herself.
Finally shown a glimmer of hope, Kirihara Ruiko can finally relinquish her role as bodyguard. She pulls on her own right arm with her left like she were cocking a shotgun.
But before she can move, a hand is placed on her shoulder. It's Mental Out, whose expression is far from hopeful.
"No, you can't go out there."
"You've realized, have you not?" Satori steps in. "We can't win. I've seen it."
Kirihara Ruiko didn't really question it because there was so much more that demanded her attention, but now she thinks herself as stupid for not realizing it sooner.
"You, you haven't lost the ability to see 'paths,' have you?"
Satori shakes her head, "Not 'paths.' 'Paths' don't exist in Heaven as there aren't alternate versions of it. That is why we all have lost that power. No, my third eye, the original Othinus' eye lets me see the true future. Only in that regard is it different. The future can be changed, but our defeat can not."
"We've been keeping in telepathic contact the whole time," Mental Out confesses. "The two of us have been relaying instructions to the combatants so they could even hope to fight against the angels. But defeating God, it's impossible."
"And you've been keeping me out of it?" Kirihara Ruiko realizes.
"Both you and Atlas 310. Honestly, you two, and the Human Saten Ruiko, were outside Othinus and our plans. We prepared as best we could, but we truly wouldn't know our chances until Satori was brought into Heaven. This right now, is the best we could hope to muster."
Just then, a scream echoes across the battlefield. Atlas 310 is ripped limb from limb through God's effort. Kirihara Ruiko extends a hand as if to save her, but even had they been side-by-side there was nothing she could have done.
"Don't lose focus," Mental Out scolds, "we don't have a lot of time."
"The moment we arrived here," Satori continues, "I knew Othinus' plan would fail. But there were more resources at our disposal than we anticipated. You were here You are the only one who can turn this around."
The Almightly Thor's bat shatters, and rendered is a scream from Misaka Mikoto. Moments afterwards Thor's skewered by hundreds of swords.
"You need to initiate APOCOLYPSE."
The mention of the program makes Kirihara Ruiko's eyes go wide. A hand subconsciously reaches for her chest.
"You bastards. You've been peeking into my mind, haven't you?"
"It was necessary," Mental Out makes no apologies.
"Then if I did, you know what will happen!"
"Your life-"
"-It's not just about my life! If I start APOCOLYPSE, not only Heaven, but the original world will be destroyed too! Basically, I'd rather die and fall into nonexistence than let that happen!"
Level 6 is dissected. Her lower half fizzles into light, but the upper continues to fight. Gradually she's cut down even further, until she completely vanishes.
"We don't have-"
But Mental Out's words are cut short with the appearance of Archangel Michael. His flaming sword raised high, he's ready to decimate the trio seemingly ignorant of the carnage around them. With the strike that razed Babylon, those three would undoubtedly be rendered to ash.
A beam of light pierces through Michael's chest. It extended from Kirihara Ruiko's left hand, or what used to be her left hand. It's been, disassembled. It it's place, extending from the woman's arm, are mechanical components in the shape one would assume is a kind of gun or laser. Obviously Kirihara Ruiko's left hand was prosthetic, but the components used to make the weapon are even larger than the limb was originally. Michael falls to the ground and to a knee, but he doesn't seem out of the fight yet. A second beam burrowing through his forehead fixes that. Afterwards, the contraption folds into Kirihara Ruiko's left arm and her hand returns.
"You were saying?" the woman who transformed her body into a weapon actually has very little interest in what is about to be said.
"You can't be the one to go back," Satori tells her. "We need you to activate APOCOLYPES and be destroyed in the process. Only then can we win."
Growing ever the more agitated, "89% of my body is cybernetic. I spent the last 10 years getting stronger, marrying into some demented family, killing said family, and destroying and configuring my body into the perfect anti-angel, no, anti-Heaven weapon all so I could return to the original world and reunite with Kamijou Touma. Basically, what's to stop me from killing you and burning my way through while God's still distracted?"
The remaining archangels spear each of their individual weapons into the Chairman of the Board of Director's artificial angel, and it only grins.
"Nothing is stopping you," Satori confesses. "In fact, you do. You kill myself, Mental Out, the Chairman of the Board of Directors and her artificial angel, as well as Othinus. That's precisely what we want you to do."
Then what in the hell does she mean? If Kirihara Ruiko kills all the other Satens, but doesn't reach the other side herself, then who is left? But the oldest of the group didn't only "grow stronger" over the years. The family she married into is a family of scientists, and she too studied her ass off. There wasn't a subject taboo, experiment too unethical, or act too horrendous she wouldn't perform to become the most dangerous creature in all of existence. Thus she was stronger, smarter, and more ruthless than every other Saten here, combined. In the infinite number of alternate worlds, there wasn't a one more vile, or intelligent, than Kirihara Ruiko. So she realized in little time precisely what they're planning.
A tear escapes from her firmly restricted emotions, "Oh, I see. That's what you guys are planning."
Realizing they've been understood, both Mental Out and Satori smile, "Yes."
Brushing the tear away with an artificial finger, "You really are a nasty bunch, aren't you? Then again, in the end, we're all he same person."
Both the others nod.
Turning from them, "Alright! Let's do this!"
Marching directly towards Othinus, Sasha, and God who seem to be locked into a stalemate for at least the moment,
"Listen up Heaven! My name is Kirihara- no, Saten Ruiko! I am nothing more than a girl," (Who are you calling a girl? Mental Out yells from behind) "who fell in love with Kamijou Touma! If you want the measure the strength of human love, then here I am!"
A large group detracts from the bloody battle with the artificial angel and target the one who's singled herself out. But before they can approach, the skin underneath Saten's clothes shines brightly, blindingly. In a flash, hundreds of thousands of figures appear in the sky. They are inverted crosses.
The angels find themselves attracted to them like magnets. They are pulled, connected, and are imprisoned. Only Sasha and God are completely immune, but the other archangels can apparently struggle themselves loose.
But before they can, Saten leans forward. From her back, something seems to be growing. It rips through her white blouse, revealing some kind of mechanized turtle shell. From the shell, ports open and dozens of her previous arm cannons extend. At once they fire, beams of light shred the helpless angels. There are three salvos, utterly devastating the forces of Heaven. The beams of light don't seem to have been specifically aimed, as there are many survivors and some seem to have been missed completely, but overall the damage dealt is catastrophic.
Before the steam can even finish rising, the shell contracts and once again forms the woman's back. Once done, she continues her march towards God with corpses and massive amounts of blood raining around her.
"Saten Ruiko has been pitied, kicked down, slaughtered, and yet we continue to march forward! I have suffered intolerable justice, marrying a man I didn't love, and had 89% of my own body destroyed! But I have also murdered, committed regicide, and ate every single one of my friends!"
Stopping well short of her destination, Saten rips off the rest of her shirt and reveals her bare body. It should have been obvious, but prior to this point she at least appeared human. But her chest, Saten didn't bother cosmetically altering or hiding her inhumanity. There are computers, processors, armor plating, and hundreds of other components no one other scientist in the any world would be able to identify. Also, over her heart, there is a clear capsule embedded into her armor plating. Her hand comes to rest just above it.
"There was one opponent I faced I was completely unprepared for. It wasn't that he was strong, he died rather effortlessly on my part, but he left a nasty parting gift. It was Academy City's #2, Dark Matter. His power, attached, itself to me. And it went out of control. Basically, I ate nearly all of Academy City. In the end, I managed to gain control of myself, but I couldn't control the power or even completely remove it from myself. So it was all I could do to seal it away. But now, I can use that kind of indiscriminate carnage."
Saten's hand grasps the capsule, and crushes it.
"Welcome, APOCOLYPES."
A black mass, a darkness, engulfs the one who was once Kirihara Ruiko. It is nothing but a color, the polar opposite of the one attributed to Heaven. It spreads and grows as naturally as would sunlight on an average morning. First reached are the two who were most previously departed. Satori and Mental Out are unceremoniously devoured, lost in the darkness without even leaving a trace behind. It only continues from there.
The angels who survived the turtle shell barrage take to the air, but the darkness isn't limited only to the ground. It leaps and follows them, swallowing everything from angels, space, and Heaven itself. From this point, it's utter pandemonium.
"What have you done?" Sasha accuses Othinus, the supreme angel's face contorting in horror.
Seeing this, Othinus finally becomes satisfied. She finally disengages the sole angel who rivaled Heaven itself. The darkness turns upon the pair just the same as it did everything else. Sasha attempts to flee, but the Magic God doesn't even bother. She does, however, remove her black and red eye patch. The article of clothing is caught, lost to the breeze. Then darkness swallows her.
Dark Matter, if it could even be called that anymore, is swallowing everything. It's reach spans indefinitely. Those who try to break free could not. Those who keep their distance are reached. Those who attempt to fight are proved futile. Soon, even Sasha is cought in it's grasp. Desperately she struggles, and for a time nearly manages to break away, but the darkness proved absolute, and swallowed her as well.
All that remains is God. The darkness, almost seemed afraid to approach Him. From where the darkness spread, He was much closer than most. It seemed to save Him for last, to devour all of Heaven before completely devouring All. And it's true. God stands as the last bastion to not only humanity, but all of creation. Were he to be devoured, next would be Earth. It would then spread to the entire Solar system, Milky Way galaxy, and then the entire Universe. And then there would be nothing.
So here stands God alone against the darkness, with Othinus' red and black eye patch caught on the breeze. His angels gone, his Heaven destroyed, all the result of a single love. Should He have simply let Saten return to the original world and fulfill her simple wish? Was the sacrifice of all He created worth the risk? Was He wrong?
No, He was not.
With but a wave of His hand, the darkness recedes. But the darkness proves resilient, and again encroaches to swallow Him whole. Since touched by the Imagine Breaker, God's power has lessened considerably. If put to number, God now possesses somewhere around 1/1,000,000,000,000th his original power.
Yet this is still several million times enough.
"Begone."
This time, with effort, he seeks to banish all of the darkness. And He does. In but an instant, all of APOCOLYPES is overturn. The last card of Saten Ruiko, the existence that challenged Heaven, is destroyed. Her existence, as well as all of he fractured worlds, have finally been erased.
"I win," whispers from behind, surprising even God.
A hand is placed on His back. A figure managed to sneak up on Him the moment He focused not on all, but on one. Overturning APOCOLYPES required effort, and that was His one and only moment of weakness, perhaps the only time in the history of everything. And it is this exact moment Saten Ruiko planned for.
If it could be any other, Saten Ruiko stands behind God, placing a hand upon His back. But this Saten Ruiko, it's an impossible existence. It's the Human Saten Ruiko, the one with the green and blue eye patch covering her left eye. The one supposedly destroyed in the very beginning.
It was Othinus' doing. APOCOLYPES might have been the greatest destructive force the splintered worlds possessed, but Othinus was it's greatest magician. Truly, she was the closet form of omnipotence to God. Certainly she fell well short, but still possessed more than enough power to resurrect a single human girl. Thus she did, and Othinus kept Saten hidden within her hollow right eye. In the Magic God's final moments, she released the girl into her discarded red and black eye patch. The moment God was distracted, Saten took action.
By placing a hand on His back, Saten is actually touching God. By appearances it might not seem so significant, but it's truly a monumental feat. Those touched by God have been granted miracles, turned into saints, and otherwise received tremendous powers. Except in those cases, God chose precisely how much of Himself to give. In the case of the opposite, however, Godhood Itself is granted. To be clear, a Magic God doesn't even come close to measuring up.
But Saten Ruiko is just a mere human girl. That much power couldn't possibly be contained within her. After but a few seconds, that power starts to destroy her. She knew this would happen, that to touch God would seal her own fate, and she smiles.
"Somehow, I think I always felt it would end this way," Saten calmly speaks as her body is disintegrating.
God does not even need to take action to remove the final trace of this blasphemous human girl.
"I think all of me did. We all had a wish we knew couldn't be granted," yet her smile doesn't fade. "But at the same time, we had one we did."
Before Saten completely vanishes, her image flickers. God can sense it, He can sense all, that His power had just been used by her. It's the result of the tremendous trial she overcame. This is what it was all for.
And then she is gone. This time, truly, the alternate versions of Saten Ruiko from the splintered worlds ceased to be. The possibilities of those worlds might have spiraled into infinity, but only those 10 individuals were able to actually step foot into Heaven. With them gone, no threat would ever again challenge Him. It's over.
And what of the damage? Saten Ruiko truly managed to render Heaven asunder and destroy all of his angels. How would God recover after such a catastrophe?
With but a wave of His hand. With only that the marble planes and his winged subjects are reborn. In little further time did the damage to Himself by the Imagine Breaker also recover, and thus all of the divine returned to incomprehensible light. This is truly all it took to completely recover.
That brief struggle was proven irrelevant before God, and then it ended.
And then...