(MC POV)
… Or not.
I was fully expecting there to be a huge rush of power of some sort like the first time I touched it but nothing of that sort happened.
The ball of Origin simply melted and disappeared into my hand without much fanfare and that was it.
Hmm… I wonder why?
Eh? Because The End had been grooming me within that fake world to accept my role as Origin all this while, I could easily integrate with my powers without much effort?
How long did I even spend in there anyway?
…
A hundred billion earth years?! Seriously?! It didn't even feel that long!
Ugh… I did witness the birth and death of galaxies after all so that makes sense I guess. Or did she also speed up my perception of time in there?
Well, at least I didn't have to go through the pain of absorbing the rest of my Origin essence so I'm not going to complain much..
At least I do have the feeling of Origin within me now. I no longer need to go into that Star Power form anymore to use Origin since I have literally returned to being Origin.
Funny how Muon had thought I was merely a conduit for Origin energy when I am actually Origin itself.
Even with this, I'm still not a match for The End yet. Like she had mentioned, even if I do have the power but don't know how to use it, it's still useless.
That's why I'm using my omniscience right now to try and comprehend what exactly I could do with this power so I'll need to stall for time for a little while.
I turned back to face The End. It was a little eerie that I was looking at a feminine face of mine in this scenario, sort of looking at your own twin despite not having one.
"Is there really a need for you to do this?" I asked.
"Am I really not good enough for Master to give up everything else?" She returned the question back to me.
"You're mistaken. I'm just a pretty selfish person. I don't like being told I can only have one when I want all of them."
"Ara, ara? You don't need to lie, Master. I am not incompetent enough to not realise you place those mortals' happiness above your own. Please allow me to reset you and let you return to your perfect self~"
"Would it help if I said I don't want to?"
"Ufufufu~ It's obvious your mind is clouded by impurities. Worry not, Master, this student of yours will save you soon enough~"
She snapped her fingers and I felt her power extend over the space around us.
My body froze up again and I was unable to move.
Before, I had thought she had used some kind of restriction skill on me, but now I know she merely Ended my ability to move.
Though the process of my Origin comprehension was still not yet complete, I at least knew some things I could do against her.
Two can play at this game.
When something ends, something else can also begin.
Thus, all I had to do was to give myself the Origin of being able to move again to cancel her skill.
She reached out her hand and tried to End time and space around me, but I immediately created the concept of time and space again to negate her skill.
Exerting her will against the universe, she attempted to End all life within it but I was just a bit faster than her so I changed the origin of her End and made her End a single piece of asteroid somewhere in the universe instead.
Not wanting her to maintain the initiative, I tapped my foot once on the ground and created an empty universe around us. This universe is much smaller than our current one since I'm still adjusting to my new powers but it should be enough of a battleground for the two of us.
I immediately tried to enact laws around the new universe while countering her attempts at trying to End it.
Unfortunately, the difference in our proficiency is showing through as I had to devote all of my attention to countering her that I couldn't enact the law before she destroys them.
Using my omniscience, I recalled the billions of times I have trained and sparred with her, trying to find something that I can use to distract or at least slow her down.
Snapping my fingers, I created several galaxies and tossed it at her.
In response, she merely waved her hand and all the galaxies were wiped from existence in an instant.
Since that isn't enough…
"The End…" I called out to her suddenly.
Her attention was momentarily shifted away, just enough for me to enact the first law that would confine everything inside this universe to stay inside this universe until I say otherwise.
Now she can't affect the other universe with her powers.
"Ara, ara? For Master's voice to distract me like that… It seems like I still have much to learn."
I smiled at her but didn't answer, knowing that it was her attempt at doing the same to me.
She started dismantling the law I had created with renewed vigour. With that particular one in effect, she would have to End this universe first before she can End the other one, allowing me to stop focusing on keeping her powers trapped here and just simply dismantle or redirect them.
It's easier when you know exactly what her target was.
I created several more galaxies around me, constantly shifting her End target to the various planets and stars within the new galaxies instead of the enacted law.
Since a direct approach was blocked, she started manipulating causality to prevent me from redirecting her End targets.
Unfortunately for her, she was just a few seconds too late as my omniscience had comprehended on manipulating that as well, creating new futures and potentials to negate her causality manipulation.
With that, the tables have now turned on her as she was forced to End everything that I created, my speed at Creation far outstripping hers at Ending and allowing me to take the initiative.
She realised what I was trying to do and chose to target my powers at its roots, trying to put an End to my comprehension of my abilities.
I responded by creating even more Origins to my comprehension parallel to the first one.
Realising that my comprehension was reaching its final stages, she doubled her efforts by trying to End the history of where I regained my Origin.
Good thing I've already prepared for that beforehand and created parallel futures where I obtained it and made all the timelines converge upon this point.
Even if she tries to End all of them, I can simply create even more.
"Ara, ara? Even after all this time… I'm still being schooled by Master…" The End sighed, knowing her defeat was at hand.
Reaching full comprehension, I created the Origin of the End of her resistance, completely restraining her will to go against me.
I was a hundred percent Origin now and not even she can stop me with her full power.
She was my first Creation in this universe, after all.
"You gave up pretty easily," I pointed out, a little amused.
"Ufufufu~ I never said I was giving up, Master. I have waited so long for Master to return to me… If I have to wait another billion years, a trillion years or even a centillion years… Then so be it. Because once everything Ends, I will still be there to stand by Master's side. I have all that time to return Master to your perfect self. Master shall be mine and mine alone~"
I could tell that she was serious about what she said.
"Hmm… Does that mean you're not willing to share me with the other girls?"
"Ara? Why should I share Master with anyone else? I've been generous enough to let them stay with Master for so long. Now that I'm here, Master only needs to look at me and only me. Anyone else can just disappear."
Floating up to her, I grinned, "Oh, but I have something to offer to convince you to not let me go back to my past self and also to share me with them. This is something the past me would never do and only the current me would do for you. If you also agree to at least tolerate my disciples, then I'll keep doing this for you."
She tilted her head, "Ara? Whatever could that be, Master?"
"This."
I reached out my hand and started patting her head.
She looked confused by my actions before she suddenly gasped, squirmed and then started moaning with an expression of pure bliss.
"Ahhhh!! What is this?! This… This feeling of bliss! Ma… Master! I… Don't stop! Please don't stop! I want more! More! More!! This is the best!! I don't need anything else anymore, Master! I just need this!! I need it!! The love! This love you have!! Ahhhhhhnnn~~"
I… Was most definitely not expecting that reaction…
But hey, it works, right?
