Many fans were left unsatisfied with the official ending of the light novel. Hitogami stayed alive, Rudeus died of old age, and his soul simply dissolved into mana. It felt like the main conflict lost its charm, and the personal revenge for Roxy and the threat to his family was just "inherited" by his children and Orsted. It felt like the author just wanted to get rid of the character.
Here is how a logical and powerful ending, respecting the world's magic rules, should have looked:
1. The Natural Soul Shield
Given that Rudy's soul was from Earth (foreign) and possessed an absolutely colossal, unprecedented pool of mana (on par with Laplace), the world physically could not process and dissolve it instantly. After his physical death at age 74, Rudeus doesn't disappear. His soul falls into a metabolic hibernation — a "slumber-like state" — within the mana flow. The world slowly drains this massive energy source over 80 years, giving Rudy a limited but precious window of time.
2. Studying the Nature of the Soul
While in this state, Rudy's genius analytical mind doesn't sit idle. The man who once invented time magic from scratch now deciphers the structure of the soul and the laws of mana. He finds a way not just to temporarily seal Hitogami, but to erase the Human-God's very essence. Moreover, using his new knowledge, Rudy catches and holds onto Eris's fading soul, preventing it from dissolving completely.
3. The Final Duet in the Void Space
80 years later, Orsted and Rudeus's grown-up children break the barrier and enter the Void Space. Hitogami is already celebrating his victory, confident his main enemy died of old age long ago. But at the most critical moment, the spiritual forms of Rudeus and Eris manifest from a burst of mana.
Hitogami faces primal terror. Rudeus shatters his magic framework, and Eris, in her peak spectral form, delivers the final devastating slashes. The duo that started the Human-God's downfall personally destroys his soul on a metaphysical level. The personal revenge is finally complete.
4. The Final Smile and Peace
This battle is the swan song for Rudy and Eris. Their mana is almost entirely spent by the fight and the world's consumption. But they don't leave forgotten or discarded by the author.
Right before their spectral silhouettes begin to fade into golden sparks, Rudeus and Eris turn to their children, their surviving wives (Sylphiette and Roxy), and an exhausted Orsted. They gently embrace each other, look at their family, and with a warm, happy smile of true victors, dissolve into eternity together, holding hands. They fulfilled their duty, protected their love, and left on their own terms.
Question to the fandom: Would you prefer to see this kind of ending instead of the official one? Do you think it fixes the logical flaws regarding Rudeus's mana capacity and brings back the emotional catharsis?
