Chapter 117 : Forged In Agony

Scene 1 : The Trial of Persona

The void trembles as Persona lifts his hand, invoking an ancient power long forgotten.

Persona: "Persona Genesis."

Suddenly, 3,000 Persona Masks manifest in the sky, each radiating an immense aura. The Omni Voyagers, Ikari, and Aleph Tohu barely have time to react before the masks attack. Each one fights with abilities ranging from elemental destruction to conceptual manipulation.

Draco: "They're fast!"

Himothy: "And learning with every move."

MaxedInfinite: "We need to take them down now!"

The battle rages for what feels like eternity. Aleph Tohu's blade carves through dozens at a time, his movements precise. Ikari wields raw energy, destroying masks in bursts of unrelenting force. The Voyagers, seasoned warriors, adapt swiftly, using teamwork and strategy. Despite the overwhelming numbers, they stand victorious, breathing heavily as the last mask disintegrates.

Persona watches, nodding approvingly. Then, he raises his hand again. The air thickens, a sense of impending doom filling their bones.

Persona: "Now, we begin the real training."

Scene 2 : The Dimension of Agony

With a mere gesture, Persona activates Persona Judgement, opening a portal that swirls with pure suffering. Without hesitation, the warriors step through—only to be met with excruciating pain.

Every nerve in their bodies ignites with agony. The very air weighs down on them like an unmovable force. Time distorts, stretching infinitely. Aleph Tohu's eyes widen as he recognizes this torment.

Aleph Tohu: "I've felt this before... but never for this long."

500,000 years pass within the realm of suffering, their bodies and minds pushed to the absolute limit. In reality, only five hours tick by.

When the portal finally reopens, they collapse onto the ground of Persona's domain, gasping for breath.

Persona: "I have now trained your durability and strength beyond mortal comprehension."

His voice is void of sympathy, only cold reality. He gives them a ten-minute rest—nothing more.

Scene 3 : The Pantheon of Oblivion's Next Move

Meanwhile, deep within the void, the Pantheon of Oblivion convenes in their darkened citadel.

Erevos: "It is time we extend our rule."

Azorath: "Which verses shall fall next?"

They deliberate, considering the might of their enemies. Finally, they decide.

Erevos: "Azrael, you will take That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. Azorath, you will claim The Misfit of Demon King Academy."

Azrael (smirks) "Consider it done."

Azorath (laughs darkly) "Anos Voldigoad won't even see it coming."

Scene 4 : The Fall of Rimuru's verse

Azrael descends into That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, his presence alone distorting reality. Buildings collapse, the sky darkens, and the land trembles.

Benimaru, Diablo, Shion, and Rimuru himself appear, prepared to fight.

Rimuru: "Who are you? And what do you want?"

Azrael (smirks) "I am your end."

Before they can react, Azrael moves. He effortlessly dodges their attacks, weaving through their strongest abilities with eerie precision.

Azrael: "I control Time, Space, Reality, Causality, Concepts, Creation, Destruction and many more... My existence is beyond your comprehension. I come from The Written World, where reality is but a story."

[The Written World verse is an infinite structure of multiverses eacc one transcending the other.]

He extends a hand.

Azrael: "Surrender, or be erased."

Rimuru refuses, launching a final, desperate attack. But with a simple gaze, Azrael paralyzes them all. Then, his eyes glow.

Azrael: "Stare of Oblivion."

Rimuru and his allies scream as they begin to fade. Their durability and immortality mean nothing. Within moments, they are erased from existence. Azrael lets out a chilling laugh as he claims the verse.

Scene 4 : The Defeat of Anos Voldigoad

Azorath materializes in The Misfit of Demon King Academy, his presence an insult to Anos's dominion. The Demon King of Tyranny appears, unfazed.

Anos: "You dare challenge me?"

Azorath (smirks) "Surrender."

Anos only laughs, summoning Venuzdonoa, the sword that destroys all reason and logic. With a single swing, he aims to end the battle—but Azorath catches the blade with his bare hand.

Anos: "Impossible."

Before he can react, Azorath impales him with his own blade. Anos retaliates, stabbing Azorath—but the villain only chuckles.

Azorath: "My regeneration is infinite."

Then, he grips Anos' source and crushes it. Anos lets out a final roar of defiance before Azorath invokes Absolute Annihilation, erasing Anos from existence.

Misha, Lay, and the others attempt to fight, but their fates are sealed. One by one, they perish.

Azorath laughs as he claims dominion over the verse.

Scene 5 : Himothy's Awakening

Back in Persona's domain, the Omni Voyagers barely begin their next round of training when Himothy suddenly gasps and falls to his knees.

Draco: "What's wrong?!"

Himothy clutches his head, his Universal Perception unraveling an unspeakable truth.*

Himothy: "Rimuru... Anos... their verses... they're gone."

The realization sends a chill down everyone's spine. Their enemies are moving faster than they expected.

Persona steps forward, his expression grim.

Persona: "Then we have no time to waste."

[To Be Continued...]

Narrator: "A chapter wrought with despair and insurmountable odds—'Forged in Agony' explores the depths of suffering, strength, and the crushing weight of inevitability. Persona, a being whose power seems boundless, tests the very limits of his adversaries, pushing them to endure suffering beyond measure, and yet, it is but the beginning of a far grimmer journey. The destruction of entire universes, the eradication of titanic beings like Rimuru and Anos, paints a chilling picture of what's to come.

The Pantheon of Oblivion's movements are swift and unrelenting, their might too overwhelming for even the most powerful to resist. Azrael, a harbinger of destruction, turns the fabric of reality into his playground, while Azorath's unchecked power leaves even the tyrannical Anos Voldigoad at his mercy.

And yet, amid all this, there's a flicker of hope. Himothy, in the throes of his awakening, perceives the unspeakable truth—an omen of the devastation that lies ahead. The weight of their enemies' actions hangs heavy, yet the heroes still press on, despite the overwhelming forces they now face.

Will they stand against such monumental destruction? Or will they, too, be erased from the annals of existence, forgotten as mere fragment of a story already written?"