Authors note: Okay, apologies for how long it's been, I've ben focusing too much on boundary and this got pushed to the wayside. This chapter is rather short, but it was use a short chapter to set up this next mini arc and get it out faster, or do it longer and be another couple weeks at minimum till it came out. I figured you all had waited long enough.
So, the usual Review replies, and then onto the start o a mini arc, as we've already seen Ninya's training regime, so I doubt you want to see another bunch of chapter of training.
Review Replies!
PervySageChuck: Im honestly not sure if I'll have them meet. I'll have to think about it. And don't worry, Arisa will get her revenge!
Mario: Yeah, sorry, fast was not inthe cards. I'll be trying to get back to semi regular updates so the wait is not so severe again.
IZuikaku: Well she did attack them with her little helper once already, so she'll be popping up again for sure. after all, Ninya wants revenge!
MadDan90: Yes I figured some variety would be fun. and yes, Arisa has it bad, but she'll get her vengeance.
Detrametal: Damn, now I need to make use of that joke in the story at some point :\
Accelerator Chan: I actually had picked about three to four options for everyone new races and rolled D4 Dice to decide some of them at random. Anya and Arisa were just chosen though, as it was so perfect. Most of them won't have an evolution like Ninya's tails, they'll just get more conformable and grow into their new levels effectively.
Alassandro: Reflections of their past and parts of their characters make it both easier for me, and more interesting as they get to pick themselves apart. As for Ninya, she's gone through a lot, but it's also for her character growth as well, hehehe.
Imperial Warlord: Thanks, and sorry for the wait.
Gasizol : Maybe, but if Ainz wanted the guardians could take them all.
GreyscaleWriter: Yes, she is, and it will quickly start becoming clear to her that it will be an important choice.
Loki98065: Thanks, and sorry for the wait.
Akuma-Heika: Not everyone knows mythology though. Yes some figures appear in history related events, but some people give no care to it. You also need to remember that in Overlords human world it's the future, after at least one minor European war, and that the atmosphere is crap. it's entirely possible, such stories fell to the wayside over time. or he did recognize them he just wasn't sure how to respond. XD
RyuujiVantek : And here I is!
No1Gamer89: Yes, but they need to learn control, and find a way to hide their looks. Ninya has shapeshifting. Mind flayers do not.
Zandaino-Nova-Ari: Trust me, I know the myths, I'm just fiddling with them. Having a character that is literally the manifestation of cannibalizing would not be easy to control, so I utilized some of the alternate takes on it both for my own sanity and the plotline. Arisa's description is based on of Kenkou Cross's work, in her looks mainly because it was a bit more humanoid than the usual portrayal and I like the look. :3
Unipotato: They'll work because it's a sudden change and it'll take time for them to grow into them and become comfortable.
Varcisis: I do spellcheck my stuff once or sometimes twice. If I miss a small number its meh.
Lobisomen616 : I'm glad you approve. I enjoy screwing with people heads, so it is a possibility!
ABitterPill: Ainz can block his power output, as when he's using greater magic item, he's essentially a fighter. At least that's the logic I'm going with.
Hikigaya: Thank you.
Ulydace: The real reunion will be far more emotional. And I will admit to being sometimes off with Ainz's Emotional responses. its sometimes hard when you know that his emotions are supposed to be suppressed, but the suppression can still be broken at weird times.
Dany on Dec 5: I don't know what language that is, but as the story is written in English, please post reviews in English.
Guet on dec 23: I play D&D as a player and DM, I know how Mind flayers are. Her physical description is based off of Kenkou Cross's monster girl encyclopedia work. As for the money, for the same reason, you can use them without a problem as long as it's under fair use and you fiddle a bit. They appear in numerous games as well as Lovecraftian horror, so it's not that big of a deal. I have no intention of fanfiction making me money anyway.
Ilireanwri: Soon was not in the cards, but now is!
JadeTatsu: Pandora's is fun. Perhaps she won't, but it's good to aim high eh?
And Back into it we go!
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Sven leapt across the Coliseum over the heads of countless monsters, far faster than her thought possible, and crashed into the far wall with a heavy crack before dropping to the ground.
When Ainz Ooal Gown had said that they would learn of their abilities, everyone had expected being given free time to try to figure them out, or maybe getting additional school in about their abilities and races.
Instead they had been brought to the same arena facility that Ainz had shown Ninya training in, only to find it empty. Within seconds however that changed as Ainz summoned a veritable legion of skeletal warriors, and looked too them with a single order. "Survive."
There was no time for questions as the skeletons charged forward to attack.
That had been almost an hour before hand, and while Sven would like to say they were doing well to survive against an unending army of bones, the truth was that not everyone was fairing as well as others were.
Anya was managing the best out of everyone. Floating about she was dodging the skeletons blows, and countering them when she could. The spikes of ice that made up her feet were being used in kicking attacks, and after a couple minutes she had formed swords of ice that hovered just past her wrists.
Just a few moments ago she had managed to form a halberd solely made of ice and was signing it around with both her usual strength, and a surprising amount of finesse. It appeared that without a shield weighing her down, she could be suprisingl dexterous!
Kris was doing almost as well. She had no natural weapons, but she quickly took advantage of the wings she now had and had taken to the air. It was hit or miss, but she was swooping down and punching or kicking skeletons whenever the chance presented itself and more and more often her strikes were creating flashes of white light and black mist, both eating away at the skeletons until nothing left was there.
In comparison, Sven himself, Lowgen and Arisa, were not faring as well.
Lowgen had natural skills in unarmed combat, but the rage o battle was affecting him, and his body kept trying to transform and revert back without any control. The skeletons seemed unable to hurt him, but he was so busy trying to control his own thrashing body that he was barely taking any out intentionally.
Arisa was now a creature with great power over those with minds, but against the mindless dead her blasts of mind magic did nothing, and she had gone back to her regular combat magic, only to find her body was now resistant to casting it, making her casting slow, methodical, and often not as accurate as it had been before. She could move her body, but if she had to dodge an enemies attack her tentacle legs seemed to drop her to the ground or to the side, and only by rolling out of the way and having Kris of Anya assist had she avoided being seriously hurt.
And then there was Sven himself. He could walk normally, and control the wind to a minor degree. But every time he tried to attack someone with it, it either did not work well enough, or worked too well. When he tried to dodge, he either barely moved, or catapulted himself across the arena and into a wall like he had just done. And when he tried to attack with the winds, they either dissipated to quickly to be useful, or shot out with such power than he was sent backwards by his own attacks. He was used to fighting with swords and knives, not magic! Sven turned to see a skeleton raising a rusted hatchet above him and prepared to bolt to the side.
Only for the skeleton to abruptly fall to pieces and disintegrate.
Sven looked around and found that every skeleton had the same thing happening to them, and then noticed Ainz Ooal Gown standing a bony hand outstretched, power pulsing across it. In seconds every skeleton they had been having trouble with was gone and there was no sign they had ever existed beside their own tired and exhausted expressions.
"It seems that Ninya's capability of learning quickly was her own, and not an innate skill of adventurers as a whole. A pity," Ainz Said with a sigh that seemed out of place on a being of bone.
"How . . . are we . . . . . . Supposed . . . .to learn anything, when your trying to kill us!?" Anya exclaimed between breaths. It seemed even as an elemental, being out of breath was something that could happen.
"I put Ninya though the same thing," Ainz said simply. "She had to kill zombies with only her magic, without a wand or staff, and do so without being hit. As you are many, and a party, I had hoped that you would be able to work together while the danger prompted your bodies to become understood. It seems such a thing will not be so easy."
"As if it could be so easy! This cursed body keeps trying to change whenever enemies near me!" Lowgen angrily growled.
"And yet you resist allowing the change, when it is now your body's natural first response to danger," Ainz said with a shake of his head. "It seems this will require a firmer hand!"
"What does that mean?" Arisa asked after taking a deep breath, sounding almost annoyed that she did not already know the answer.
"It means, that by the time Ninya returns, I will have you all at least comfortable with your new existences, and that you will be making progress! Pleiades, come!"
In response to Ainz's command, Yuri, Entoma, Narbarel, CZ and Lupusregina all dropped own into the coliseum from the above spectator areas, landing with inhuman grace.
"Wait, what do you mean when Ninya returns?" Sven asked ignoring the maids, a few of which suddenly began glaring daggers at him.
"It means she is elsewhere on some, personal business. You will not be able to see her until she returns, so that you may focus on the training, the Pleiades and I shall give you!"
"Why do I get the feeling this is going to hurt, a lot," Kris asked nervously, her wings slowly spreading out, as if in preparation to fly away.
"Because it will," Ainz said grimly as he stepped forward, the maids following behind him in a perfect line. "You may all be strong compared to human adventurers due to the bonuses your new races have given you, but unless you know how to use your new abilities, even a copper plate could likely manage to wound you, and irons could likely kill you. The Pleiades are easily thrice your levels, and will be assisting me in teaching you. Worry, for while you will be able to barely injure them, if you mess up once we get to one on one combat training, they may accidentally kill you!"
All of them suddenly looked very worried until Ainz waved a hand and summoned a number of racks holding weapons of every shape and size.
"Now, let us begin!"
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Ninya sat sourly in the back of a wagon as it rolled and rumbled down the road as fast as the boxes of supplies it carried would allow it. The wagon was being driven by Pandora's Actor masquerading as Haiyou Sakura, and while the boxes of supplies gave Ninya little leg room or comfort, she honestly could not care less.
Her sister was awake!
For two months after reincarnating her friends she had been training. Training with Cocytus, Mare, Ainz, even with all the Pleiades that were in Nazarick and once with Albedo! Though that was more like a challenge to survive the Succubi's wrath. For two months she had been training, slowly but surely gaining more power, gaining more magic, getting better with her blade, stronger with her body, and even earning two more tails from her magical prowess, putting her total to four of the fluffy things!
And after two months that felt more like a blur than of time, two things happened. Everyone had finally awoken from their reincarnation, and her sister had woken up as well!
She had been in the middle of training when it had happened. Cocytus and his Lizardmen, groups of monsters, and Elementals summoned by Mar were her opponents. The fight itself had been a serious challenge as well. Not only were the elementals powerful, and the monsters quick, but the Lizardmen were intelligent, and she was given explicit order that she was not allowed to kill them, only render them unable to continue fighting. A fight where a third of the enemies could not be killed and the other two thirds were powerful and did not care who got hurt.
Eventually she had prevailed much to Cocytus's visible pride, though she was tired, nearly exhausted and unable to do much other than walk by the end of it. Cocytus and Mare gave her words of praise, while the lizardmen she had fought bowed to her skills, and even asked to fight her again in the future.
It was proof that she was finally getting somewhere, slowly but surely, creeping towards the power the guardians had. Though she willingly admitted to both Cocytus and Mare that she still had a long way to go, and was still leagues away from their prowess and capability. Still, it was proof that she was making progress, and as she was drinking some water to replenish herself and keep training, Sebas had messaged her. The message was short and simple. "Her sister has been awake for almost a month, but just recently has become comfortable with being alive and was again capable of rational thought and conversation.
The information made Ninya both happy and horrified. Happy that her sister was awake, and horrified that she had been in such a state.
Then it was Ainz who contacted her, stating that her friends were awake, but as they agreed she was not to see them yet. And that Sebas had also alerted him to Tsuare's condition. He gave her a choice, continue training, or be allowed a break to head to Re-Estize where Solution and Sebas were currently operating from to see her sister. With the additional point that Pandora's actor would accompany her there and that while there she would be required to help Sebas and Solution if they required it.
The answer was obvious, and within minutes she was waiting at a warp gate for Pandora's actor who arrived seconds later as Haiyou. Which led to her siting the back of a carriage with Pandora's actor driving as they rumbled across the dirt roads; heading further into the Re-Estize kingdom. The capitol itself almost eight days away from E-Rantel.
They had been traveling for two days already, and in three more would make it to E-Pespel, and from there, another four days to Re-Estize.
"Ugh, this can't go by fast enough. I could run faster than this!" Ninya groaned as she slouched in her seat and almost slipped off of it. She was shapeshifted to look human and Like Nia Sakura, but she had been doing so much training in her normal form and had gotten so used to having her tails, it felt weird without them brushing against her surroundings, without them waving around passively, without CZ and Entoma occasionally pouncing on and rubbing them!
"Patience Dear Sister!" Pandora's actor exclaimed from the driver seat with one hand. "While you no doubt could run fast, you would quickly tire, and Lady Solution and Sir Sebas require these supplies for their operations!"
Ninya groaned in reply. That was another thing that she had, rather disturbingly, gotten used to. Pandora's actor calling her his sister.
"Patience is a virtue, and as you have been training nonstop, it may be useful to reacquaint yourself with it," Pandora's actor stated, sounding strangely intelligent and sensible.
Ninya scowled for a moment before letting out a sigh. "I know. it's just that my sister is awake, and I want to see her and. . . . . . . And I don't know how she will react," Ninya admitted, suddenly worried and a bit fearful as realizations washed over her. "We haven't seen each other for years . . . and I'm not human now."
"I am sure that Fraulein Tsuare will recognize you! But perhaps you simply need to Clear your head, ya?"
" . . . What do you have in mind?" Ninya asked simply. As much as she hated it, two months of nothing but training with and being around all the denizens of Nazarick had made her far more calm around them. In some cases she even felt safe and comfortable in Nazarick, and the cases of her feeling nervous, afraid or simply uncomfortable around its denizens were becoming fewer and fewer. Many had even begun speaking to her almost like they spoke to each other. It was a strange feeling, but not wholly bad either.
"There appears to be some sort of Complication on the road ahead. Bandits possibly! If so, perhaps we shall slay them in the name of our Father?"
"We'll kill them if their bandits, but it could just be someone with a broken cart wheel," Ninya said as she twisted her body and looked ahead of the wagon over Pandora's actor's shoulder. further down the road was indeed a wagon against the roads edge and squinting slightly she noticed that there was a second wagon behind the first, that the first was actually a covered carriage, and that there were numerous people surrounding the carriage with weapons drawn. "Nope, its bandits," Ninya said almost angrily.
"Then we shall intervene and show these people our Fathers might!" Pandora's actor stated loudly as he pressed the horses on faster.
Ninya simply nodded as she stood up in the back of the wagon and quickly looked herself over, making sure her ears and tails were not popping out. She looked fine, as did Pandora's Actor, and the closer they got the more details she could see ahead of them about the situation.
The carriage seemed to be that of a noble, while the ruffians around it seemed at first glance to be garden variety thugs and bandits. at least until Ninya noticed that one of them was holding a staff that had a ball of lighting floating above it, and around him were bodies of the ones who likely had been charged with guarding the carriage.
"They have a Magic Caster," Ninya stated as she felt her heartbeat began to speed up. Her fingers began to feel warm, and here was a tingling down the back of her neck.
Was she . . . . Looking forward to the fight?
"Would you like for me to handle some of them?" Pandoras actor asked honestly as some of the bandits heads turned, noticing their approach.
"No . . . . I'll deal with them!" Nimya replied with a cold glare as Pandora's Actor began slowing the wagon, allowing her to jump off and rush toward the group all by herself.
"What's this? Some kind of Wannabe hero adventurer?" The bandit Magic Caster said as she pointed his staff at Ninya and let lose the ball of lightning. To his surprise Ninya simply caught the ball of magic with her bare hand and crushed it, making his eyes go wide. "Kill her! Kill her! Forget the carriage for now and kill her!"
All the bandits rushed toward her with weapons at the ready and glares and grins, looking ready to pounce on their prey once they had disarmed and broken her.
The smiles disappeared as Ninya drew her moon blade faster than their eyes could watch and bisected the first bandit at the waist, his torso flying through the air and sliding across the ground with a scream. The second died as Flame poured from the pommel of Ninya's blade, engulfing and turning him to cinders in seconds.
Those that remained were either filled with rage or fear, some breaking and trying to flee, while others charged her with vengeance as the only thing filling their thoughts.
One attacked Ninya with an axe, only for its shaft to be split and its head to slam into his knee. The second attacked with a sword, and while his form was good, Ninya's movements were quicker and his arm was separated from his shoulder. A wave of flame then burst forth from Ninya's blade, scorching all around her and leaving them open to her blade.
"Dam, by lighting and sky, by my power and-"
"Don't even try it!" Ninya interrupted the magic casters chanting as she suddenly dashed up to him and swing her blade up and separated his hand from his arm. Before he could even cry out in pain Ninya flipped her blade around and plunged it into the magic casters stomach.
"Gah- N-no way? a magic caster, that uses a blade so proficiently?!" he gasped out as Ninya held her blade in his stomach and began grinning?
"Burn!"
"Wha-" The caster tried to say, just before Flame erupted from Ninya's blade and poured both out of his wound and from his mouth as his insides lit aflame. The sounds of roaring flame doused any screams he might have uttered, and his body was ashes on the wind in mere seconds.
Ninya loked at their bodies, some still alive and slowly dying, while the other were dead or turned to ash and scowled.
It was pathetic. A single aimed strike took them out with so much ease, and she could have taken out the caster in one blow if she had wanted. If she had her tails out, they all could have died at once with a single spell! There was no challenge, no difficulty, no feeling of accomplishment. It was just pathetic!
Suddenly the door to the noble carriage opened and an old man and young woman, clearly a butler and the lady he served, stepped out, looking worried and happy at once. They, they are gone? You did this?" The noble lady asked as he looked at Ninya.
"AH! Dearest Sister Nia! It appears you have tidied up the rabble before I could assist thee!" Pandora's actor stated loudly as he walked over, his Looks as Haiyou blending perfectly besides Ninya's clothing.
Ninya turned to Pandora's actor, and recognizing what he was intending let out a sigh. "Yes brother, it is done."
"How Excellent! And who are these fine People I see before you?"
"We were about to become acquainted when you spoke up, brother," Ninya said as she turned back to the noble and her butler. "I apologize for the late introductions. I am Nia Sakura, and this is my elder brother, Haiyou Sakura." Both of them bowed at once, surprising the noble lady and even making her butler raise an eyebrow at them.
"I- I see. I am Lady Maria El Rasphodel, second daughter of the Rasphodel house of Re-Estize. This is my Butler, Arthur. Neither your names, nor clothing is familiar to me, where do you hail from?"
"We hail from the Empire of our Glorious father to the south, the Sakura Empire!" Haiyou declared instantly with a flourished bow, making Maria look at him strangely.
"I- I See. well, thank you for saving us, those bandits would have undoubtedly attempted to ransom me for money from my noble father, so you have my thanks!
"Tis of no consequence young lady! It is merely the will of our Glorious father!" Haiyou responded.
"Please, ignore my brother, he is boisterous, but our lands greatest blade master. Is your carriage capable of movement?" Ninya asked as she looked to it. One wheel was broken off an lying on the road beside it, but aside from that, nothing about it seemed too damaged.
The butler, Arthur, tuned and knelt down by the wagon for a moment before shaking his head. "It appears the Axle has been snapped, our carriage is going nowhere."
"I see," Maria said in annoyance as she turned to Nia and Haiyou. "May I ask where the two of you are heading?"
"We head to the capitol of this land, to meet with a Noble Merchant whom we are acquainted with," Nia Responded simply, her voice neutral and cool.
"How fortuitous. I apologize for requesting such a thing after you have once already saved us, but could we request a boon from you and accompany you to the capitol? I was returning from visiting family, and while the loss of a carriage could be considered an insult, I worry more for my father's worry of me and wish to return to him so he is sure I am safe. Could I request this of you?"
"Our wagon is but a simple one, with trade goods we are delivering to our acquaintance as part of an ongoing agreement," Haiyou began, Nia holding a hand up and continuing for him.
"it would not be comfortable, and we have only Cots for ourselves, but if you are willing to accept some Discomfort, you may come with us." Nia finished, hoping the lack of comfort would dissuade the noble.
"I thank you in the name of The Rasphodel family, Maria said with curtsy, seeming perfectly fine with a bit of discomfort.
"My lady, I must speak up against this," Arthur began. "It would not be proper for you to travel is such a wagon!"
"It would also be improper for us to simply wait to be beset upon by more bandits," Maria countered as she turned to her butler. "No, I would prefer discomfort, over making my Father worry!"
Arthur closed his eyes and nodded. "Very well my lady, if that is what you wish."
"It is," She said as she turned back to Haiyou and Nia. "Thank you for this, I am in your debt again."
Nia nodded and looked to her brother, "The wagon has room enough in it then? she nearly growled under breath."
"But of course dear sister of mine! The fashionable butler may sit with me at front, and there should of course be room for the young lady in the back with you if that is preferable!"
Nia nodded and began walking toward the wagons back as she spoke. "Very wel, then I shall make a bit of room then."
"Ah, if there is labour involved please, allow me. Tis the least I could do to repay." Arthur tried to say, just as Nia climbed into the wagon and lifted a box half her size with one arm, shocking him and Maria. "O-Oh my!"
After a few seconds Nia had moved a handful of boxes and thrown a rope around them to keep them down, then looked at the other three. "There . . . . Well, are we leaving or is there perhaps some reason we are waiting around here?"
"But of course dear /sister, Let us depart and continue our journey for the glory of our lord father!" Haiyou declared as he walked up to the wagons front and simply jumped up to the driving seat.
"My lady, I cannot help but think this is a bad idea," Arthur stated suddenly. "These people are too strange and clearly as powerful as high rank adventurers,"
"What better way to protect us then." Maria stated as she climbed into the back of the wagon with Arthurs help before he went around front. As soon as they both were seated the wagon began moving forward and was speeding down the road. "It will be a long ride I assume, would you like to talk?" Maria asked Nia after a few minutes, her tone hopeful and commanding, like she expected no refusal.
"Very well," Nia answered neutrally, seeming devoid of emotion.
"You stated your family name was Sakura, and that you come from an empire of the same name. I assume that means you are nobles?"
"I Am the First Son of our glorious father, the emperor of our lands, while my dear sister is the first daughter!" Haiyou declared loudly and proudly.
Maria's face lost bit of color. "Wait, are you saying you're a prince and princess?"
"We are indeed!" Haiyou again declared. it seemed he had no control over how loud his voice was.
"B-but then, if I may, why are you on a simple delivery trip? Is it not beneath you?" Arthur asked.
"Our father, and our culture, dictates that no one is above work as long as it is in service to the emperor. Additionally, this mission was given to us by our father, so there is nothing else to talk about." Nia stated, hoping to end the conversation. She hated nobles!
"I see. Then if I may continue, I have other questions!" Maria stated as she continued.
Nia inwardly groaned. Helping was the right thing to do, but now she was wishing she could simply behead the both of them and be done with it.
It was going to be a long ride to the capitol.