Player 10,000 Year Later (Chainsaw Man / The Boys) Multiverse later

Without hesitation, Kang Woo extended his hand, activating Time Sovereignty: Time Stop. The chaotic void of the Dark Dimension seemed to freeze in place as a powerful ripple emanated from him. The three items—the Quincy Cross, the broken zanpakutō, and the motionless orange-haired figure—were now locked in a state of temporal suspension, unable to disappear or be affected by any external force.

Kang Woo's crimson eyes narrowed as he observed the scene. In his thoughts, a flicker of recognition surfaced. Looks like I was right when Uatu showed me this through his holographic vision. These belong to my old friend... Ichigo. The broken zanpakutō, unmistakably his. And this lifeless body? It's him, without a doubt. But this… Quincy Cross? That doesn't add up. Ichigo is a Shinigami, not a Quincy. And this zanpakutō—it's still the fake one, not the real manifestation of his power.

He knelt down, his fingers hovering just above the objects, as though hesitating to touch them. The immense power radiating from each item was palpable, even in the suspended state. Kang Woo's thoughts churned with possibilities. Should I devour these and absorb their power? Or… should I study them further?

Suddenly, his senses flared—an overwhelming presence was fast approaching. Kang Woo's expression twisted in irritation. Fucking space gas. Dormammu must have sensed my time manipulation. He gritted his teeth, realizing the implications. If I leave now, I'll lose this opportunity. The items might vanish or move again the moment Dormammu gets too close. His eyes narrowed. And I can't rely on Almighty here. The Dark Dimension exists outside of time, but my own time abilities still function. Let's see if that's enough.

Kang Woo exhaled deeply, activating Demon King Magic: Ruler, inverting all potential damage around him into fortification and healing. His aura surged, a faint dark glow encapsulating him as he layered the ability with Space Between Time, creating a small adaptive bubble that allowed him to manipulate the laws of time within the chaotic confines of the Dark Dimension. The bubble expanded, giving him just enough breathing room to act.

He reached out, gripping the Quincy Cross and the zanpakutō, their energy sparking against his touch. Without hesitation, he activated Authority of Predation and turned to Ichigo's lifeless body. The black, gaping maw of predation surged forward, swallowing the corpse in an instant.

But as soon as the process completed, Kang Woo froze. The items slipped from his hands as he fell to his knees, his crimson eyes widening in shock. Memories—not his own—flooded into his mind, a torrent of images and emotions crashing over him like a tidal wave. He clutched his head, overwhelmed, his breath ragged. It was as if fragments of Ichigo's essence had merged with him, blurring the lines between past and present, friend and foe.

Dormammu arrived, his immense presence blotting out what little light remained in the Dark Dimension. His towering form loomed over Kang Woo, his eyes glowing with curiosity rather than hostility. The ruler of the Dark Dimension tilted his head slightly, his voice echoing like a thunderclap. "What are you, mortal?"

Kang Woo knelt silently, his crimson eyes unfocused as the flood of foreign memories overtook him. The torrent of images sharpened, pulling him deeper into Ichigo's fragmented essence. As he pieced the fragments together, clarity emerged like a blade cutting through fog.

He saw Ichigo standing beside him during his earliest days in Hell, on the blood-soaked campaigns to conquer the infernal layers. Kang Woo had been raw, unrefined—a fledgling Demon King teetering on the edge of breaking. And Ichigo… he had been there. A spectral figure, unwavering and silent, always at his side.

But it wasn't truly him, Kang Woo realized, his mind racing. Ichigo wasn't real—not in the way I thought. He was a construct, a manifestation meant to guide me in my infancy as a ruler of Hell. When I no longer needed him, he disappeared. His purpose was fulfilled.

The weight of the revelation settled over Kang Woo like a shroud. His chest tightened as he delved deeper into Ichigo's memories, pulling at the threads of their connection. Another truth unveiled itself, raw and undeniable.

Ichigo… he wasn't just a companion. He was me.

An alternate self, a variant spun from the vast web of the multiverse, but also a predecessor—a reincarnation bound to the same cycle of existence Kang Woo now commanded. Like Kang Woo, Ichigo had wielded an array of powers: Quincy, Hollow, Fullbring, Shinigami. While Ichigo relied on the harmony of his abilities, Kang Woo forged his strength by devouring others and creating new powers from nothing.

Kang Woo knelt silently, his crimson eyes unfocused as the flood of foreign memories overtook him. The torrent of images sharpened, pulling him deeper into Ichigo's fragmented essence. As he pieced the fragments together, clarity emerged like a blade cutting through fog.

He saw Ichigo standing beside him during his earliest days in Hell, on the blood-soaked campaigns to conquer the infernal layers. Kang Woo had been raw, unrefined—a fledgling Demon King teetering on the edge of breaking. And Ichigo… he had been there. A spectral figure, unwavering and silent, always at his side.

But it wasn't truly him, Kang Woo realized, his mind racing. Ichigo wasn't real—not in the way I thought. He was a construct, a manifestation meant to guide me in my infancy as a ruler of Hell. When I no longer needed him, he disappeared. His purpose was fulfilled.

The real Ichigo, however, was long gone. His body lay lifeless, his soul extinguished. And yet, Kang Woo realized something even more profound: Ichigo is his alternate self, a variant spun from the vast web of the multiverse, but also a predecessor—a reincarnation bound to the same cycle of existence Kang Woo now commanded. Like Kang Woo, Ichigo had wielded an array of powers: Quincy, Hollow, Fullbring, Shinigami. While Ichigo relied on the harmony of his abilities, Kang Woo forged his strength by devouring others and creating new powers from nothing.

Kang Woo's thoughts drifted to the fragments of Ichigo's life. His birth. His struggles. His mother, Masaki Kurosaki. Through his Almighty ability, Kang Woo replayed her tragic end, vividly experiencing the moment Masaki was stripped of her Quincy powers by Yhwach's Auswählen, leaving her defenseless against the hollow that killed her.

Seeing it through Ichigo's eyes was… different. Watching it on a screen and feeling it happen are two completely different things, Kang Woo thought. Yet there was an emptiness within him. I thought I would feel sadness, but it's hollow… not like I used to feel. He clenched his fists as the realization sank in: another piece of his emotions was gone. His joy, already terminated. And now, his sorrow is on its way to be terminated .

As Kang Woo struggled to center himself, a shadow loomed, blotting out the already dim light of the Dark Dimension. Dormammu had arrived, his colossal form radiating dark energy that pulsed with malicious curiosity. His voice echoed like a storm, his words tinged with disdain.

Dormammu tilted his massive head, observing the kneeling figure with a mix of intrigue and arrogance. "You've come here to die. Unlike that Sorcerer Supreme, you don't even possess—"

Before Dormammu could finish, Kang Woo's demonic energy flared to its peak. The oppressive wave of power rippled through the dimension, distorting reality itself. The crimson glow of his eyes intensified, gleaming with unrelenting fury. He rose to his feet, the broken zanpakutō and Quincy Cross at his sides, his voice cutting through Dormammu's words like a blade.

"Space gas," Kang Woo growled, his tone low but filled with unyielding dominance. "Get out of my sight before I devour you."

Dormammu's immense form flickered as the oppressive weight of Kang Woo's aura pressed against the very fabric of the Dark Dimension. For the first time in eons, Dormammu hesitated. In his thoughts, primal instincts kicked in: This man… he could kill me in my own dimension.

But arrogance quickly reasserted itself. Dormammu let out a guttural roar, his voice reverberating across the void. "HRAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" With a surge of fury, a beam of pulsating purple energy erupted from his colossal mouth, hurtling toward Kang Woo with enough force to obliterate entire worlds.

The beam struck, engulfing Kang Woo in a blinding cascade of energy. For a moment, it seemed as though the Demon King had been consumed. But as the energy dissipated, Kang Woo stood there, unshaken. A thin trickle of blood ran down his hand—a small, almost laughable injury given the magnitude of Dormammu's attack.

Kang Woo glanced at the blood on his hand and smirked. In his thoughts, he assessed the situation: Demon King Magic: Ruler absorbed most of that magical energy blast. It shields me well enough. So why… why did I hesitate before? It's not as if I haven't faced worse. I've fought four Demon Princes of Hell simultaneously, along with their entire armies.

Realization dawned on him, and suddenly, Kang Woo began to laugh. It started as a low chuckle before erupting into a cacophony of madness. "HUAHAHAHAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Dormammu's massive form faltered, his glowing eyes narrowing as unease crept in. In his thoughts, the ruler of the Dark Dimension was rattled: He took my attack head-on… and he's laughing? What… what is this man?

Mephisto, observing from a safe distance and hidden from Dormammu's sight, felt a cold sweat drip down his face. In his thoughts, he cursed his situation: Damn that human. He consumed my son Blackheart here, and yet he's still standing. He's not just unafraid of Dormammu; he's mocking him in the one place where Dormammu's power is at its peak! What kind of monster is this?

Suddenly, without warning, one of Dormammu's massive fingers was severed. The clean cut sent the severed digit spiraling down into the void. Dormammu didn't scream in pain—he simply froze, his heavy breathing echoing through the dimension as he stared at the impossibility before him.

As the finger fell, it was engulfed by a black maw that appeared out of nowhere. The devouring darkness was unmistakable: Kang Woo. The Demon King had severed the finger and consumed it, his presence growing even more oppressive.

Kang Woo raised his crimson eyes, burning with a terrifying light, and sneered at Dormammu. In a voice dripping with disdain, he muttered to himself, "What an insipid part of me—this pathetic human side—telling me to fear because of a supposed power-level difference. How utterly ridiculous."

As Dormammu regenerated his severed finger, his voice thundered with frustration. "What is this illusion you've conjured, mortal? Is this some parlor trick to confuse me?"

Kang Woo stood still, his crimson eyes gleaming with terrifying intensity. The Chaos Excalibur was already in his grip—a single-edged katana-like blade with a half-circle at the top of its handle, adorned with four ethereal wings that radiated pure destruction. Without hesitation, Kang Woo slashed the air. The blade hummed with the chaotic essence of the King of Chaos, tearing through reality itself as it cleaved Dormammu's entire right arm clean off.

Dormammu's severed arm disintegrated into fragments of energy, but before they could vanish into the void, a black maw emerged, devouring the remnants with a sickening precision. The oppressive aura surrounding Kang Woo grew heavier, almost suffocating. He wore an expression of unhinged madness, a wide grin splitting his face. His voice, dripping with mockery, cut through the silence.

"Are you out of your mind, space gas? Asking questions while your enemy is right here?" His laugh was sharp and chilling, echoing through the Dark Dimension like a taunt to the very concept of fear.

Dormammu's incandescent eyes burned brighter with fury. "You dare!" he roared, bringing his remaining arm down in an enormous strike aimed to crush Kang Woo. The sheer force of the blow sent ripples tearing through the fabric of the dimension.

The attack landed with a deafening impact, but Kang Woo didn't budge. Instead, as Dormammu's colossal fist made contact, Kang Woo moved with surgical precision, slashing the wrist clean off. The severed hand plummeted into the void, only to be swallowed by the same black maw, further empowering Kang Woo.

Inside Kang Woo's mind, the sound of CLINK resonated—the completion of his adaptation. His own version of Mahoraga's ability, enhanced to adapt to even the reality-warping properties of the Dark Dimension, had fully activated. Kang Woo's essence now harmonized with the very fabric of the dimension, and the fragments of Dormammu's energy were no longer foreign—they were fuel.

A sudden realization washed over him, a surge of euphoria coursing through his veins. Kang Woo's level had ascended, reaching Level 140, on par with Dormammu's peak power.

Kang Woo tilted his head back, inhaling deeply as his body radiated with newfound strength. His voice carried a tone of exhilaration as he muttered, almost to himself, "Ahhh… Is this how it feels? Feels like I can tear anything apart.".

Dormammu remained silent, his colossal form looming as he executed his trump card—a move so drastic that even he hesitated to use it. His entire being expanded, his presence growing to encompass the entire Dark Dimension, becoming one with it. He sought to swallow everything, Kang Woo included, in a bid to end the fight decisively.

Mephisto, who had been watching from a distance, barely managed to escape, his face pale and his body battered, missing an arm and a leg. "I'm done with the Dark Dimension," he muttered, shaking his head. "That human is beyond reason. I'm going back to my hell realm." Without a second glance, Mephisto vanished into his fiery portal, leaving the chaotic battlefield behind.

Inside Dormammu's infinite form, Kang Woo stood amidst the swirling of the Dark Dimension itself. His crimson eyes gleamed as he took in the expanse around him, a slight smile tugging at his lips. "Ah, so this is the Dark Dimension in its true form… beyond time . A pocket universe the size of infinity itself."

He clenched his fists, feeling the oppressive energy pressing against him. He knew his next move would cost him. "I still have Ace In The Hole ," he muttered, his voice low and resolute. "But I've already lost joy. If I use this… sorrow will be next."

Kang Woo's voice dropped to a chilling whisper, echoing with a mix of fury and determination. "The reason my subordinates feared me at my peak wasn't just my power. It was because my emotions were stripped away. All that remained was the desire to stay on top, no matter the cost."

Raising his arms, Kang Woo declared, "Myriad Demon Palace: First Door, open."

His entire body began to shift and distort, liquefying into an inky black substance. This was the true manifestation of his Authority of Predation at its apex. His physical form dissolved into an abyssal mass, spreading like a living void, consuming everything in its path.

Meanwhile, Dormammu, now fully merged with the Dark Dimension, felt a sudden and overwhelming disturbance. His immense form trembled, and black blood began to ooze from within him. The feeling was alien to him—something was devouring him from the inside.

"What… what is this?" Dormammu gasped, his voice echoing through the dimension. His immense energy surged, attempting to purge the invader, but the black void was relentless, consuming without discrimination. In a desperate move, Dormammu severed half of his own existence and soul, detaching himself from the consuming force.

He watched in horror as the detached portion of his essence was devoured by the abyss.

A massive, otherworldly maw, black as the void itself, materialized within his form, swallowing everything in its reach.

Dormammu's voice quivered as he stared at the abomination consuming him. "Did this human… just devour half of the Dark Dimension itself?"