Chapter 24

A group of 4, two females and two males, three humans and a half-elf. Izuku wouldn't bother taking in their appearance to much. 'Great Sage.' Their magic wasn't anything special at all, he could take them out with a single hand, but he wouldn't be so disrespectful to those who made it this far. He took notice of the young man with the swords. 'That's right, I have Physical Attack Nullification, I keep forgetting.' He silently stated. 'It looks like they're done planning.' The young man stepped forward. He didn't look very threatening, but they probably thought that about him. "You're the leader of this group?"

"Yes, and I take it you're Ainz Ooal…uh."

"Ainz Ooal Gown, and no I'm not him." Izuku said. "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Izuku Tempest the leader of the Jura Forest Federation, the youngest of the Supreme Beings." He said. "Ainz Ooal Gown is my friend and senior."

"In that case, I'd like to apologize for any displeasure our intrusion may have caused you and Lord Ainz." He said. "If you might show us your mercy, I would gladly pay any price you ask." He was trying to bargain, it looks like they weren't going to underestimate him. "We have plenty of gold to offer."

"I have no need for foreign currency, but please tell me your names." He said not even needing to reach for his sword.

"I am, Hekkeran Termite and these are my comrades, Imina, Arche, and Roberdyck."

"Those are such nice names for intruders and thieves." Izuku said. "Now then, you invaded my friends home to satisfy your greed; that is unforgivable."

"Please, allow me to explain; there's a reason why—" Izuku put his hand up, silencing him.

"Don't bother lying, you'll only make it worse for yourself." He said. 'Activate Multi Layer Barrier.' Ranged and weak magic skills wouldn't be able to touch him.

"What if we were given permission to be in here?" this made Izuku pause for a second.

"Impossible, who could've given you permission aside from Ainz?" This was kind of funny how they were trying to buy time. "But, I'll listen to your little story just for the heck of it, so let's hear it." He couldn't help but chuckle a bit.

"It could only be one person, surely you must know him."

"Elaborate."

"He was a monster, a giant whose body were very shiny." The young man looked around a bit.

A shiny giant, then it must be that person, and what did he say to you?" Izuku asked.

"One thing first, I want you to promise that we'll be allowed to leave here in peace." Hekkeran said.

"Sure, if what you say is true, then I'll gladly let you leave here without a scratch; that's only if it's true." He said. "If not, well you can guess what I'm going to do to you." He glanced at Arche though she couldn't tell because of his mask. "Now, tell me exactly what he said to you."

"He said 'if you go the Great Tomb of Nazarick, give Ainz my regards." There it was, the lie that sealed their fate. Izuku was silent for a few moments before he began laughing.

"You know, for a second I actually had some hope that you really were telling the truth, but if course your story was a complete lie from the start!" he laughed, it really was hilarious at least for a few moments until his laughter ceased. That's when absolute anger took over, his aura burst out, and his mask fell to the ground. "Pieces of shit, every single one of you!" it spread throughout all of Nazarick while creating a shockwave. "How dare you lie to me, in the home of my dearest friends, that we built with our comrades, our family!" his aura was dark purple in color and filled with malice. Worse yet was that it had taken the form of the Storm Dragon Veldora. "Tracking your filthy mud through its sacred ground, then you have the audacity to give me hope with lies about a friend you've never even met!" he was beyond pissed off. "An insult to my memories of them, I kill you fucking humans!" Izuku wasn't a fan of cursing, but this time it was warranted.

The group of four were nearly blown back by the sheer power, but Izuku calmed himself and pulled it all back in before picking the mask up and putting it inside of his stomach. In the stands where they couldn't see, Ainz and a few of the other floor guardians had been watching. This is what a pissed off Supreme Being looked. 'They upset my father and insulted the other Supreme Beings; their crimes are pilling up more and more.'

'I can't say he's overreacting, I would be the same way if I were down there.' Ainz silently stated. 'They've sealed their fate.'

"Jeez, I think I might've sounded a little bit like Ainz." He said. "Anyway, I guess that's just how I feel about it, but I guess that I can't be that angry at you." He sighed. "This is life or death for you, plus I rarely ever get that upset."

'That was upset?!' Arche silently exclaimed.

'What the hell is he?!' Roberdyck asked.

"You would say anything to survive, so it's understandable." He sighed. "Still, I can't believe Ainz thought that it was a good idea purposely luring thieves into Nazarick like this, but he's honoring our agreement." He smiled. "He's resourceful as always, but no more talking." He was still smiling. "It's time for action." He drew his sword. "I'll go first if you don't mind!" he dashed forward, going for a downward strike that was barely dodged.

"Martial Art! Twin Blade Strike!" the attack didn't manage to piece the first layer barrier, it was too weak. Izuku kicked the young man away.

"Magic Arrow!"

"Lesser Dexterity!" Roberdyck and Arche exclaimed, hoping that their attacks would connect. The first barrier didn't even crack.

"He nullified it?!" Arche exclaimed. Izuku turned around and blocked countered Hekkeran's downward attack. The young man was never going to be able to slip by Magic Sense. Once more he kicked Hekkeran away, this time knocking out a tooth. Two arrows bounced off of the barrier.

"Oh, you have an archer." He said taking notice of the two magic casters once more.

"Flash!" a bright light failed to blind him.

"Lesser Strength!" another spell that couldn't touch him.

"And, here he comes…"

"Twin Blade Strike!" this time Izuku punched him in the gut, causing him to cough up a bit of blood. The four backed away while huddling together.

"You're melee combat isn't very impressive, but your coordination is pretty good so I'll say it's a 7/10." He said. "So, I will give you the respect that you don't deserve." He sheathed his sword. "Come at me!"

"Is he a magic caster?"

"No way, he's strong enough with a sword, right?" the half-elf sounded nervous.

"I pray that doesn't mean he's even stronger with magic." While he didn't have as many skills as Ainz did, he could be considered a very skilled magic caster.

"He's not, I didn't sense any magic power from him at all."

"Detection Magic, you used it when I had my mask on; try again now that it's off." He said. "You'll be surprised." Though she was hesitant she checked again only to instantly throw up much to her comrades shock. "Oh god, are you ok?!" Now he was freaked out. 'Why did she just throw up?'

'Detection Magic allowed her to see the vast amount of magicules that you contain, it likely that she's in shock.' Great Sage said. 'There is a 80% chance that there will be ling lasting mental damage such as nightmares and hallucinations.' Now he kind of felt bad.

"Run, we have to run away!" Arche exclaimed. "We'll die if we fight him, there—there something wrong with his power, I've never seen anything like it!" she began sobbing. "This has to be some kind of nightmare!" now he felt kind of bad for making her cry, granted it wasn't exactly his fault. Her comrade helped via the spell Lion Heart; this helped her regain her composure. "I'm serious, he could've killed us at any time with ease."

"Then why didn't—" Hekkeran's arm fell to the ground. "Ah—ahhh!" He screamed in pain much to their shock. Mere inches away from them was the slime. Pitch black tendrils leapt from Izuku's hand and wrapped around the young man before squeezing him to death. Blood pooled from the cocoon of dark energy. Imia held in her screams as she grabbed Arche when she and Roberdyck put distance between them and the enemy.

"Shit, he's fast!" Imia exclaimed. "Wait, where did ugh—" a bolt of black lightning hit her right arm causing her to falter and fall on her ass. "What was that?"

"He didn't even say the name of the spell, but that's impossible!" she gasped as a feeling if dread over came her. She turned around to see Izuku ready to strike her down with a fist that was engulfed in black flames. She backed away as fast as possible and just in time to avoid instant death. 'There are rules to this kind of thing, does his power allow him to bypass it?'

"You've made a huge mistake." Imia said gaining Izuku's attention. 'I have to stall him.'

"Mistake, please explain because I don't know what you're talking about." He turned to her. "What mistake did I make?"

"If we don't make it back to camp within a set time, the strongest man in the world will storm this place looking for us." She said not knowing that this wouldn't happen. 'Wait a second, Izuku, that's the name of the man who defeated the demon Jaldabaoth a while back.' Her eyes widened. 'Is this him?!'

"Lying is a bad habit to get rid of you know."

"We aren't lying!" Arche exclaimed. "Our ally is the adventurer, Momon and he's adamantite class." Izuku glanced to the stands where Ainz was.

"Momon?" He snapped his fingers. "He won't be coming to save you." The slime stated much to their shock. Roberdyck began whispering something to Arche, but Izuku's superior hearing allowed him to hear what Roberdyck was telling her. "Running away, go ahead and try; you will regret it." He said looking to his shadow. 'I know you're both in there.' He had ignored them until now, but now he could use their help.

"Just go, your sisters need you!"

"But—"

"Listen to Imina; we'll defeat Izuku and follow you soon." He was lying and she knew that. "We aren't that weak."

"When we catch up, you can buy us all a round of drinks." Arche wanted to have hope that she would see them again, she wanted to believe in this false hope when she returned to her sisters.

"Have faith in us." Faith and hope was all she had now, but it would soon be broken.

"If…if you don't come back, I'll never forgive you." She began tearing up. "Fly." She flew into the air and out of the Amphitheater with Izuku watching. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't let her get away.

"You look out for your own." He smiled. "That's excellent, it's a very redeeming quality."

"She's our comrade, after all."

"That's right, if your friends were in danger, wouldn't you do the same to protect them?"

"I would, I guess that's what we have in common." The smile never went away. "To lay down your lives for hers is the definition of sacrifice, thieves and liars you may be, but you're good people when it comes down to it." There it was, a small chance of hope at least for Arche.

"Please, we'll take responsibility for our crimes, but if your comrades taught you any compassion, then honor our sacrifice and spare our friends life." She begged. "That's all we ask." Izuku was silent for a few moments before looking to his shadow.

"Show yourselves." It only took a few seconds for Ranga to jump out of his masters shadow with Shalltear riding him. The two bowed to him. "Shalltear." The vampire looked up only to receive a kiss from the teen, she turned bright red. "That girl, show her despair, crush her hope, and then grant her mercy with a quick and painless death." He activated Thought Communication. 'Don't actually kill her, bring her back unharmed so that I can use her.'

"As you wish, Lord Izuku." She said before flying off. The teen didn't want to drag this fight on any longer, his choice had been made. There was only one way to atone for their crimes and that was with death.

"Now, then let's end this!" he charged forward.

With Arche & Shalltear

It was cute the way the blonde thief was fleeing for her life, thinking that she was going to get home to her family when her friends were likely already dead. Shalltear had already scared her once with a single look while standing on the side of a tree. Now she was giving chase once more, but not for long. Arche flew face first into wall at the end if the 6th Floor. "Is this a barrier?" Arche knocked on it a few times.

"It's more like a wall." Shalltear said prompting the girl to turn around. "It would seem that you have yet to understand the situation that you're in." She smiled. "What you see before you is the 6th floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick; in other words we're underground right now. Do you understand?"

"Underground…"

"That's right and now that you know this, will you still run and struggle?" She hoped that the human girl would.

"Is there any point?"

"Good question, but no." She said. "You should just accept your fate and surrender."

"Surrender." She gripped her staff and charged the vampire. "Don't fuck with me!" Shalltear grabbed the staff with ease and flicked it away.

"Nice try, but it's over for you and your friends." She brought Arche closer. "Well, for your friends at least, you don't get to die yet, not when Lord Izuku and I have yet to have our fun with you." She said. "You shall thank him for such a mercy, but for now…" her long tongue whipped out a slithered around Arche's neck and cheeks before going back in. "Salty." He crimson eyes glowed brightly. Arche began to cry as Shalltear transformed, and laughed like a mad woman.

With Izuku

"You did well." Ainz said looking down at the fallen theives. The woman's body was burned to a crisp while the man had a two gaping holes in his chest. "How do you feel?" he out his hand on Izuku's shoulder. "I shouldn't have asked you to do this." He wanted to see Izuku's skills, but this way was cruel and didn't really tell him anything. 'Regret and shame.' He looked at the bodies once more.

"It's fine, this is just the first time I've actually killed humans and it—it hurts as someone who used to be human, as someone who was murdered by a human." He looked down at his victims. "Wait a second, I think I have an idea." He said. "Altered memories."

"Spies." Ainz said. 'A reason to resurrect these people and use them for his own gain, and to calm his guilt.' He sighed. "Resurrection should be easy enough since the bodies aren't ruined beyond repair, it may take a day to rewrite their memories and make them absolutely loyal." He said. "And that girl?" he pointed to Shalltear who had come back with an unconscious Arche. "You want to spare her because her friends were willing to give up their lives for her?"

"She doesn't deserve it, but perhaps there is another punishment that I can subject her to." He snapped his fingers. "She has two sisters, they could be useful." He said. Izuku wouldn't actually hurt a child, he wasn't that cruel, but they could be useful.

The Next Day – Jura Forest Federation – Shalltear's Home

Arche woke up with a gasp, she quickly looked around in fear. When she didn't see the vampire named Shalltear, she let out a sigh of relief. But this didn't last when she saw that she was chained to a rather lavish bed in a room that looked fit for someone of high class. "You're awake." Her eyes widened in fear as she struggled desperately to break free. "I'd advise against that unless you want to—"

"Ahh!" she cried in pain, she'd dislocated her left shoulder. Shalltear casually fixed it.

"Now then, how shall I start, I have a variety of toys but sometimes I do love to get my hands dirty." She said. "Fear not, I won't be taking your chastity." Her smile became wide. "Lord Izuku will take it himself." Arche now sported a horrified expression at the thought of being touched by the monster who killed her friends.

"Do what it takes, lie to her even, but don't kill her."

"Aw, don't make that face, you get to be made a woman by the greatest man to ever grace this world; it's an honor really." She said. "Now then." She pulled out one of her toys. "Let's loosen up that other hole!" she lunged forward.

Chapter 24 End

AN: To clarify, at their current levels Izuku and Ainz are weaker than Veldora, and obviously weaker than Milim.