Eldritch

A second water angel.
While not having wings yet, the fact that her form consists of water is telling enough.
Also, does she wear glasses?
She looks like the prime example of an overly strict teacher.

"Don't 'hello' me! You're in trouble and you know it!" (Nimue)

Yeah, her attitude supports my notion.

"I'm not! Io didn't give any time limit for this task, and it's not like there's actually any punishment for failure." (V)

"There may not be. Aside from the fact that you'd be responsible for letting that over there run freely!" (N)

I feel slightly offended.

"My apologies. It wasn't meant in a demeaning way." (N)

Wha-

"Back to you! If I'd try to define the meaning of 'escalation' this right here would very likely end up being my prime example." (N)

"It's just a friendly contest!" (V)

"You activated your wings! Are you aware that it's a blaring alarm siren if a water angel actually goes that far? You went to level three, for Io's sake!" (N)

"Level three?" (I)

But she said four just before.
Ehm, why is she looking at me?
How is she looking at me?!
She, she can kinda tell my point of focus!

"Why did it appear like you were spreading misinformation? How were you spreading misinformation?! That shouldn't even be possible!" (N)

"I just shouted level four when I 'pulled out the wings'. No biggie about this." (V)

"Conceptual falsehoods are a thing. You couldn't possibly have overcome this." (N)

"I didn't! For me it was level four. Normal, eyes, avatar body, wings. Four on my count." (V)

"But you know that eyes and body don't really constitute for different levels, right? They are interchangeable and simultaneously applicable. So technically you were at level three." (N)

"It's just about the interpretation, but if I had said that the full body transformation is level two, anyone would have expected a level three. That would've taken the whole surprise out of it." (V)

I get her incredibly moronic reasoning on this.

"Still! You can't just make up this stuff! Details matter! A lying water angel is unthinkable!" (N)

"You're such a stuck-up." (V)

It looks like the new arrival is slowly developing an increasing headache.
Not like this could soothe me from the fact that there are now two of that sort in my realm.

"What even were you planning to achieve by this?" (N)

"She didn't want to sign. As I can't force her to do so, I just challenged her over this dispute. I mean, this obviously shouldn't be an erasure case." (V)

"You know what that is?" (N)

"Yeah, a level six devourer effect. Yet she's too nice to go into extremes. I'm not going to judge someone based on what they are. That's racist. Not like I even could cancel her. I don't know any purification techniques." (V)

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Should I be grateful that I'm apparently not marked for 'erasure'?

"You seriously tried to fight an outer god without having learned how to purify?! How exactly did you plan on dealing with their eternal growth?!" (N)

"I thought I could just bash them." (V)

"You-... You can't just bash corrupting growth. It's like mold. It's going to grow back straight away!" (N)

"Well, she isn't the hardiest mentally. I was sure I could get her to give up." (V)

"Sigh. It didn't look like this when I got here. Actually, I was pretty sure you were on the losing side." (N)

"Pah, I just didn't get serious yet, is all." (V)

"Which you honestly shouldn't! A water angel going all out means things are really going down the gutter. Just why can't you see that?!" (N)

They won't stop bickering with each other.
If it's like this, could I maybe just get lost?
Though, they're literally inside me.
Could I maybe abandon this whole space?
Decouple it like a train wagon?

"Hey, you! Don't you dare go running off now!" (N)

"Gulp" (I)

She can read my mind!

"Hey, Nimue, don't be so harsh to her. She's already a bit at her limits." (V)

The understatement of the century!

"She refused to abide by the accord. As such, she willingly becomes a threat to all of existence! Stop acting like there's a choice in the matter and get done with it!" (N)

"You know that cosmic contracts have to be agreed on by one's own volition and according to the subject's intentions. I can't just force her!" (V)

What's the point of it being voluntary if I'm left with no choice?

"You should stop playing around with her and make it clear that there's no choice in the matter. Creation itself can't afford to be lenient with existential threats. If you won't show her, I will." (N)

"Nimue, this was still my assignment. If you want to be so overly correct, then why don't you start by not disturbing the order of things in this regard?" (V)

I'm not even sure if Veo is taking my side or only wants her fun to last.

"Grrrr. Okay, I'll rein in. However, you will bring this to an end now, and I will at least support you to even the odds." (N)

"Okay, okay, geez. You're always so stiff about rules." (V)

Now there are two!
Do I even have a chance?
Is there even a point in fighting this?

"Ready for round two? The rules are still the same. As Nimue agreed to keep my end of the bargain, if you win against us both, we'll drop your case for the time being." (V)

"What? I never..." (N)

"Nimue, you won't brand me a liar, right? You agreed to let me do this my way. This includes keeping my word on a deal." (V)

"I can't believe you. Out of all the irresponsible things... But alright. She's not going to win anyway. However, I won't just act as if she wouldn't be out there if, against all odds, she wins." (N)

"Great! For you too, Iori! You know, Nimue is basically our office secretary. So if she 'forgets' something, it's unlikely to come up again if nobody shows special interest in it." (V)

"Don't put words into my mouth. The assignment came from Io personally. Even with her detached sense of time, it's only going to get covered up for a century, at most a millennium, before it comes up again. Also, at the first transgression, she'd be right back on top of the list." (N)

Wait.
A century doesn't sound too bad.

Though the 'transgressions' part could come back to bite me with how often I get caught up in stuff.
But... do I even stand a chance?
Can I defeat not just one, but two of that caliber?
Yet, on the other hand, maybe I can?

I was slowly starting to push back Veo at her highest.
The mere fact that I can quantify their strength means that with my eternal growth, I should be able to catch up to them.
As long as I can grow further in on them and tighten my web, it should be possible to push them again into a corner.

"Deal! If I win, you won't bother me anymore." (I)

I'm pretty sure that mind-reading is part of her repertoire.
I'm not even surprised anymore at this point.

"Just to clarify, that goes for us. I won't take responsibility for anyone else going after you, nor will I cover anything up. I'll simply stop pressing on this matter." (N)

So an indefinite on-hold notice.
Good enough for me if I consider the cosmic scales.

"Alrighty! Then let's see how you'll now fare! Whoever gives up first, loses!" (V)

"Okay." (I)

Not like anything changed from before.

"By the way, you can beat a water angel if you destroy their form several times in a row. It disrupts our thinking processes, and we have to reassemble first, which becomes more difficult the more thoroughly we get scattered, after which coming back to our senses takes a while without outside help." (V)

That's... helpful.

"Why would you tell her that!?!" (N)

Kinda my thoughts, to be honest.

"So it stays fair and exciting!" (V)

Well, she's full of herself, I'll give her that.
But it also motivates me extremely.
So I have an actual chance here.
I'll definitely give it my all now and keep myself free!
I could keep up before, so nothing changed.
Yet by now, I got a far better handle on how to use my powers to deal with them.

It might be a little underhanded, but I have already prepared an all-out onslaught for a decisive early strike.

"Fine, then we'll start it, now." (N)

My signal!
I open up portals for as many dimensions as I possibly can handle, letting through all of them stream the bringers of my will.
Tentacles, demons, simply walls, and masses of twisting flesh, teeth, and bones, all of this will now come down over them!

"Nimue?" (V)

"Yeah, yeah. Barrier up!" (N)

What?

Suddenly, from my new opponent, a field emerges.
First growing around her form, then streaming further and further.
All of my initial barrage that hits it promptly disperses into dust and water.
I panic a bit as it grows at an excessive speed, but as a silver lining, it starts to slow down at around a kilometer in diameter.

"Well, this should even the odds! Time for round two!" (V)

Shit...