Astraeus staggered, his vision blurring as a sudden wave of exhaustion crashed over him. The moment Inimrias completed the rewrite of reality, he felt something snap inside him—his very existence trembled as if the universe had demanded a price for what he had just done.
His breathing became ragged, his legs trembled, and before he could even process what was happening—
"Master, you have exhausted all of your magical energy and divine essence. Initiating forced shutdown of consciousness."
Inimrias' voice echoed in his mind, but he could barely register it.
His vision darkened, his body lost all strength, and the last thing he saw was Rangaisha's shocked and worried face reaching out to him before—
He collapsed.
A heavy silence fell over the room.
"Astraeus!" Rangaisha's voice shook with panic as she tried to grab him, but he was already unconscious.
Albis let out a sharp gasp, her heart tightening in worry.
Benimaru, still recovering from his emotions, immediately rushed forward, checking Astraeus' pulse. "He's alive… but his magicule reserves are completely drained," he muttered, his brows furrowed.
Rimuru narrowed his eyes, his expression shifting to concern. "Tch… I should've known this would happen. That was too much power to handle at once, especially with his evolution still incomplete."
Diablo sighed, folding his arms. "It's a miracle he even survived. Rewriting reality itself is something that even true gods don't do lightly."
Rangaisha's hands clenched into fists, guilt flashing across her face. "It's my fault… If I hadn't—"
"Don't," Rimuru cut in, his voice firm but gentle. "He made this choice on his own. He saved you because he wanted to, not because he had to."
Sylphiel, who had been quiet all this time, looked at Rimuru. "Then what do we do now?"
Rimuru sighed. "He needs rest. I'll have Ciel monitor him, but right now, he just needs time to recover."
Benimaru, still staring at Astraeus' unconscious form, nodded. "I'll have him moved to a proper room."
Diablo smirked. "I suppose I should personally keep an eye on him. After all, he's starting to interest me more and more."
And with that, Astraeus, the man who had challenged fate itself, was carried away to rest.
His journey was far from over.
But for now, he slept, unaware of the storm his actions would soon bring upon the world.
The days passed slowly in the aftermath of Astraeus' collapse. Time moved with an eerie calm as the world adjusted to the new reality that had been rewritten, a reality that had cost Astraeus more than anyone could comprehend.
In the chamber where Astraeus lay, still unconscious, the air crackled faintly with the residual magic of his intervention. It was as if the very walls of the room were infused with the remnants of his power, humming with the weight of what had been done.
Rangaisha stood by his side, her eyes fixed on him with a mixture of concern and guilt. She had never wanted this—never wanted him to go to such lengths for her. But now, as she watched him sleep, she knew it was too late to change the past. The damage had been done. The only thing left was the future.
The sound of soft footsteps broke her reverie. Rimuru entered the room, his expression unreadable as always. His eyes glanced briefly at Astraeus before settling on Rangaisha.
"He's still not awake?" Rimuru asked, his voice low.
Rangaisha shook her head. "No... Inimrias said his body needs time to recover from the strain. But… is it enough?"
Rimuru glanced at the unconscious Astraeus, then looked back at her. "Time will tell. He's a lot tougher than most people give him credit for. But the power he used... it's not something that can be undone easily."
Silence hung between them for a moment before Rangaisha spoke again, her voice soft. "What happens now? The reality has changed, but there are consequences, aren't there? You said there would be a price."
Rimuru's expression hardened. "There always is. Changing the very fabric of existence isn't something you do without drawing attention. Whether it's the gods, other beings, or the forces of fate, they won't just sit back and let this go unnoticed."
Benimaru, who had been silently observing from the doorway, stepped forward. "Rimuru's right. Astraeus may have altered the course of history, but now that the changes are in motion, there will be those who seek to control them—or worse, to erase them altogether."
"Who would do that?" Rangaisha demanded, her gaze sharp. "Who would dare to undo his sacrifice?"
"That's the question," Diablo said from the shadows, his voice as smooth as ever. "There are many who covet the power of gods. And Astraeus, despite his actions, is still seen as a potential threat to that power."
Rimuru crossed his arms, his tone more serious than usual. "We're already seeing the ripples. The boundaries between realms are weakening. What Astraeus did may have disrupted something deeper than we realize. Whatever happens next... we need to be ready."
Rangaisha clenched her fists, determination flashing in her eyes. "I won't let anyone take away what he's done. I won't let his sacrifice be in vain."
"Then we'll stand by him," Rimuru said, his voice steady. "All of us."
Days turned into weeks, and Astraeus' condition remained unchanged. His body was healing, but there were subtle signs that his connection to the world had been altered. Inimrias, ever diligent, monitored his recovery, keeping a close eye on the fluctuations in his mana and divine essence.
Meanwhile, the world outside had begun to stir. Whispers of Astraeus' actions—the rewriting of reality itself—had spread like wildfire. Forces both seen and unseen had begun to move, each with their own agenda, drawn to the storm he had created.
In the distance, within the dark corridors of a forgotten temple, an ancient being stirred from its slumber. Its eyes, once closed to the world, now flickered with an eerie light.
"The Balance... has shifted," it murmured, its voice reverberating like a distant thunderclap. "The one who dares to alter the flow of time and fate... will face the reckoning of eternity."
A hand, cold and ancient, reached out from the shadows, and the first steps toward the coming storm began.
(The End)