Heya everyone!
Here's the eighth chapter, hope you enjoy it!
DISCLAIMER: English is not my first language, so please be patient with me!
Arc 1
Chapter 8 — "Ainz Ooal Gown."
An unknown spherical projectile of incandescent light had crashed right in the center of the time research facility, its might comparable to that of a natural disaster. The wrath of a god given form.
Upon impact, parts of the secret installation crumbled to ruin. The very ground upon which the complex stood shattered, sending some of its sections tumbling down the dark chasm.
Many died instantly, either by being annihilated by the force of the impact, crushed by its debris or by falling down into the deepest parts of the abyss. Even more were rendered screaming to the top of their lungs, agonizing in pain or screeching in horror at the tragedy unfolding. Unfortunately for those survivors, it was only the prelude to their true despair. The herald of a catastrophe that was to come. Of a senseless massacre.
And surely enough, the perpetrators of this ignominy appeared. Three figures emerged. Among them, a werewolf of legendary proportions. The monstrosity stood far above two meters in height, bulging muscles all over its body, barely concealed by its thick fur. The other two were seemingly simple humans, a lady and a girl.
But not to be mistaken: all three of them were monsters of equal cruelty.
Upon setting foot within the facility, they started slaughtering anyone brave, foolish or unfortunate enough to enter their field of vision. Gutting them like pigs. Savoring their fears. Relishing in their wails of agony.
The bitter, acrid and metallic taste of blood soon permeated the very air as the grotesque path the monsters forged for themselves was littered with countless mutilated, burnt or, sometimes, partially eaten corpses. Some of their victims were left breathing —albeit barely—, suffering an intolerable torment they only wished would end, begging for the sweet release of death that would soon inevitably come.
Lupusregina progressed through the facility with disconcerting ease, tunneling her way through it. Completely unconcerned by the sturdy concrete walls in her path that she promptly destroyed with her might alone.
Her roars of madness echoed within the entire complex, along with the deafening sound of destruction that ensued and followed her everywhere. A more discreet, yet just as dangerous hum of electricity hanged in the air, ready to smite any soul that would wander astray. The enerving sound of insects flying and skittering around could also be heard if one successfully ignored all the surrounding chaos.
It was pandemonium. Utter violence and misery at every corner. The far reaches of the Cyorian mana-hole were in an uproar of unprecedented magnitude.
[. . .]
Finally, Lupusregina caught up on the subjects of her fury. Her sisters still lagging behind, further back but incoming.
She obliterated the last remaining wall between her and her targets. The maid found herself inside a big circular room. A beautiful and perfectly refined cube of black coloration stood in its middle. Though the craftsmanship was astounding, none of that mattered. It didn't even occur to her.
She immediately lunged at them. At the two human kids that had humiliated her and insulted her Lord. Those two unworthy of even the embrace of death, destined to an eternity of suffering.
But something was off.
They did not react. Neither defending themselves nor even acknowledge her presence. They were wholly unresponsive, one hand upon the weird artifact.
Lupusregina continued nonetheless.
She swung at the worst offender, Zorian Kazinski. Even as he was about to be mortally injured, the boy didn't react.
The blow connected. The long and infinitely sharp claws of Lupusregina brutally cleaved right through his chest, easily cutting the flesh and breaking the bones of his rib cage. She nastily eviscerated him, plunging deeply into his torso. When she pulled back her bloodied appendage, his innards were completely exposed to the outside world. If not for the healing magic at Lupusregina's disposal, the boy was sure to succumb to his wound in the next few minutes. A pool of blood began pouring from the gaping hole in his chest, a grotesque puddle forming on the ground.
But instead of following up and continuing her assault, the werewolf took a step back, puzzled.
Zorian had not reacted. His face was as peaceful as that of a baby, not having moved in the slightest in response to the mortal wound. He simply went limp, falling to the ground without a sound. The other, Zach Noveda, also showed no sign of response whatsoever.
Huh... ?
To say Lupusregina was deeply confused would be an understatement. Her features were hard to read due of her animalistic dispositions, but the way she cocked her head to the side was telling. She was so baffled by this turn of event that her prior tunnel vision brought upon by her booming rage — enhanced by [Blood Sacrifice] and the consequent blessing of the hunt — seemed to vanish.
The werewolf-maid stood there for a few seconds, waiting for anything to happen. For a trap to trigger, for a desperate last attempt, for a trickery of some kind. Anything. But only the background noises of massacre reached her.
She slowly walked over to the other kid: Zach Noveda. Lupusregina towered ominously over him, she could've ended his life right then and there, but instead she simply pushed him off slightly. The same way a cat would cause an object to fall from a table. There was almost no strength in her gesture, but the blond teenager fell to the ground nonetheless, not an ounce of resistance, not a single muscle trying to resist the push. He laid limp and unresponsive on the concrete floor, exactly like his friend —minus the mortal wound slowly draining his life.
For a second, she believed them dead. Lupusregina focused her senses on them. She sniffed the air in two quick succession.
Same scents... she realized. Probably not illusions nor artificial corpses.
She concentrated on her hearing, filtering out the outside chaos of her sisters. They were still breathing, she concluded. Their hearts still beat —though, Zorian's would soon stop.
"What... What is going on..." she muttered in a low growl.
The werewolf pondered deeply before feeling her sister, Narberal Gamma, approaching. There wasn't a single drop of blood on her — as she despised being soiled by the filthy blood of bugs. Her hands still sizzled periodically with blue lightning.
"Lupus. You did not kill them, right?" she asked flatly, an imperceptible tinge of worry about the state of the targets in her tone.
"No. This one is about to die, though," Lupusregina answered, pointing a claw at Zorian's corpse.
"Heal him, then," she ordered after a quick sigh of relief. "With that, we're finally done. Let's regroup and bring them back."
Lupusregina held one of her paw in the direction of Zorian, casting [Heal]. A gentle green aura enveloped him, his mortal wound reforming itself until not a trace of the prior injury remained. His erratic breathing returned to normal, and he simply laid there.
"What did you do to them?" the dark-haired maid asked out of curiosity.
Narberal thought it was rather odd that a final battle of some sort hadn't happened. Idiotically weak as they might be, those insects didn't seem like the sort to go down without a fight. And Lupusregina would've gladly given them one in order to repay the slight to her and their Lord's honors. Why had she finished them so quickly, Narberal wondered. Was her sister finally growing out of her problematic behavior?
But the answer she would get wasn't what she hoped for.
"Nothing," Lupusregina admitted.
"What do you mean?"
"They were like that when I found them. I ripped that scum's torso open, but he didn't react," she continued, striking Zorian's head with her foot. It wasn't meant to seriously damage him, simply to invoke some kind of reaction. It was clearly strong enough to jolt anyone fully awake. But nothing happened.
Narberal frowned. The targets needed to be conscious for them to be presented to their Lord, otherwise there was no point.
The both of them went on to try everything they could to wake them up from their inexplicable lethargy. But nothing worked.
Carefully damaging them an inch away from death, before healing them and repeating the process? Unsuccessful.
Jolting their nervous system with electricity until their every nerves were fried? Unsuccessful.
Lupusregina tried to [Charm] them, to no avail.
Minutes passed without results. A blood-stained Entoma arrived not long after, her appetite finally satiated. She joined the effort, but nothing changed. Nothing came out of their many attempts. No reaction whatsoever outside of unconscious nervous reflexes.
The site had grown deathly quiet.
In the distance, one last agonizing growl of pain echoed through the corridors. A death rattle that preceded the final moments of life. No other human were left alive within the facility — aside from the targets themselves.
The silence was heavy. Frustration ran high.
"What are we going to do?" Entoma asked, her tone unusually worried. "We can't bring them back like that."
"I'm sorry, it's all my fault," said Lupusregina in a low growl as she couldn't help but gaze downward toward the ground. "If I hadn't played around with them, it wouldn't have come down to this..." She buried her wolf-face inside her gigantic paws. "How will I face Ainz-sama? It's the second time I screw up because of my foolishness—"
"It was a team effort, Lupu-chan!" Entoma tried to comfort her sister. She gently rubbed the back of the werewolf. "And we didn't know the targets could fight back! Even then, we have their bodies. I am sure someone at home can do something about them."
Though her words were meant to be reassuring, it didn't ease the anxiety that their failure brought them. Returning now would essentially equal a partial success... and such an achievement meant nothing in their eyes. A fancier way to describe failure. And failure to bring about the wishes of their Lord was unacceptable. Despicable. One of the highest dishonor they could bring upon themselves.
The maid didn't fear what punishment awaited them. Their sole and only worry revolved around the disappointment their Lord would feel.
"It's no use trying to find excuses now," Narberal commented coldly. "We need to contact Lady Albedo—"
Before she could finish her sentence, all three of them noticed, or rather felt, the aura of lady Nigredo vanishing from the scene. It was as if a weightless veil had been lifted off from their shoulders. They instantly knew what it meant.
Nigredo's spell restricting teleportation and communication's magic had been retracted.
She wouldn't do this unless there was either an emergency or if she was ordered to do so. Surely, the former didn't apply. It only left the latter. And the only individuals with the authority to order her to do so numbered three. Two of them were the guardians in charge of overlooking the mission: Lady Albedo and Lady Aura. The third was none other than...
A [Gate] opened near them. And the third person appeared in all of his glory. Their Lord, master, the last Supreme Being that had kept close by their side until the very end. The Overlord of Death himself. Ainz Ooal Gown.
[A few minutes ago]
The master of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick walked leisurely through the empty corridors of the ninth floor. Though he appeared alone, countless invisible servants followed him in secrecy. He had long learned to ignore their presence.
It was a weird change of pace for the Overlord. He used to never found time for himself ; but nowadays, since the incident, not much needed his immediate attention.
It gave him time to think... to ponder how it had come to this... to ruminate about his ultimate failure.
He stopped upon the main stairway, looking at it intently. The place of their demise. Like so many times in the past two weeks, he started to reminisce.
In the past century, since Yggdrasil had ceased to exist, much had happened.
He had grown to become an adequate enough leader. At least by his own standards — his dear children unfortunately still viewed him as an unfathomable and all-powerful being, but he had come to accept that their fanaticism would never change, no matter what he would do. It was both comforting and a little sad.
He and the NPCs had navigated the numerous intricacies of the New World for decades.
They had created an eternal kingdom, one that would thrive for ten thousand years. There wasn't a single country left to subjugate. They had conquered, massacred, brought about catastrophes. But at the same time, they had birthed a utopia, a civilization that inspired hope, prosperity and innovation. For every life they had taken, a thousand more would never ever have to fear the innumerable tragedies of existence —no more famine, no more slavery, no more war, no more corruption, no more abject poverty. The unfairness of the world had been eradicated.
It was a new age —a golden age. Governed justly by an entity very much worthy of worship.
Everyone knew the tales. The legends. His unparalleled might. His great name had spread across the New World to all intelligent creatures. Across the land, the sky and the sea.
Ainz Ooal Gown had achieved his goal. He had become an eternal legend.
The story should've ended there. An immortal ruler protecting his domain for eternity, his children by his side. But fate had a twisted sense of humor.
There had been a single threat remaining. One that had unknowingly loomed over them since the very beginning. The same at the origin of the convergence of worlds, the source of the advent of the Gods: The Dragon Emperor.
Over years, battles after battles took place. Entire regions rendered asunder by the flames of war. A game of chess being played across the entire world. The Dragon Emperor's influence had been far-reaching ; his power rivaling that of the Guardians themselves. But most important of all, the first of the dragons had been smart enough to always avoid a direct confrontation.
In the end, the beast had been vanquished upon the very stairs of the ninth floor of Nazarick, where the Overlord now stood motionless in deep thought. Of course, the lizard hadn't fought his way there —another one of his numerous ploy. The battle had been swift, as expected against the combined might of the Tomb. But the bastard hadn't planned on coming back alive anyway. Upon death, his last wretched machination roared to life. The last remnants of his existence powering the ritual.
And so, the New World had been robbed —or liberated, some would say— from the Underground Tomb of Nazarick and its inhabitants. They had been banished to yet another world.
.
.
.
As the reminiscence of that overgrown lizard entered the Overlord's mind, he felt the anger resurging suddenly from the depth of his being. The atmosphere visibly tensed in anticipation of the soon-to-be carnage. But none came. Fortunately, his passive activated, bringing back the serenity of his mind.
He sighed.
"Sorry," he muttered weakly, launching a glance toward the ceiling where the invisible eight-edge assassins were shaking. They quickly regained their composure and excitedly nodded their heads, as if to say: 'no worries, Lord Ainz!'
Those outbursts are becoming more regular... He thought to himself. Sure, they were always nullified by his skill, but he felt like he might never get over this cold fury swirling inside him.
It had been a little over two weeks since they arrived into this world.
Apparently, the name of this one was 'Domagoj'. It was very different from both Yggdrasil and the New World: the technology here was far more advanced. Humans seemed to reign supreme, holding an uncontested stronghold over most of this world's lands. Furthermore, there wasn't a wide variety of monsters in general. Magical beast —as they were called here— were quite uncommon.
Also, Ainz had grown very interested about their magic system. While the New World had its own native systems —namely the martial arts and wild magic— they had been somewhat of a letdown to the Overlord. Martial Arts were very limited, hard to acquire, and ultimately too weak to be of any use to Ainz or the Guardians. Wild Magic on the other hand, while potent, was far too unstable and inefficient.
In contrast, this land's magic seemed very malleable — akin to Wild Magic in some way, but without the drawback of the usage of souls. If Nazarick could learn to shape mana in the same way those mages could, the possibilities would be infinite. They could create their own spells.
Of course, the investigation of this subject was still in its infancy. Ainz had yet to even formerly speak to a single mage of this world. It was not on their list of priorities right now.
First and foremost, the urgency was to ensure their safety. They didn't know what kind of dangers this world had in store for them. Hence, his children had begun the discovery process ; but such an enterprise takes time, especially under the covert of secrecy.
Of course, their main goal was to found a way home —to the New World.
Consequently, with no more kingly duties to attend to, the Overlord had a lot of free time. Reminiscent of his first days in the New World.
Frankly speaking, he was delighted by the opportunity to be alone once in a while. He had an excuse to escape. He wasn't specifically trying to flee from his obligations ; rather, under the current circumstances, the Overlord just couldn't handle the gazes of his dear children. Every time he looked at them, he couldn't help but feel the weight of his failure, the shame of their predicament. As their leader, it was Ainz's responsibility to shoulder this burden, even though they would repeat time and time again that it wasn't his fault. That the only one responsible for their situation was the Dragon Emperor.
But it was simply untrue, Ainz thought. If only he had taken action sooner. If only he had been smarter. If only he had taken down that shitty lizard faster. If he had found a way to...
The Overlord drowned himself into a world of ifs and maybes until his passive skill activated once again, this time voiding the shame he felt.
With another sigh, Ainz shook those thoughts out of his head. It was then that he received a [Message].
[My Lord, it is I, Nigredo,] she announced herself, her disembodied voice as humble as can be.
[Yes, what is it?] the Overlord asked.
[The retrieval mission you've ordered will soon be completed. As requested, the battle maids shall bring the two human kids before you, my Lord,] Nigredo continued. [There have been some complications, hence why they still haven't returned. But I thought you would appreciate an update nonetheless, Ainz-sama.]
Ah yes, I sent those three earlier, the Overlord recalled internally. I hope Entoma got along with... what was his name again? The one who likes spiders?
[Umu. Good work. Do you know when they are arrivi—] Ainz paused.
Huh? Complications ?
To the best of his recollection, it was the first time since arriving into this world that 'complications' had occurred. Moreover, such a term coming from one of his children's mouth was quite uncommon, not to say worrying.
[Complications? What kind of... complications?] Ainz inquired.
[Lupusregina was defeated in battle and—]
[WHAT?!] his deep voice suddenly exploded, both telepathically and around him. The power he kept in check surged from within. His surrounding chilled as anxiety and unease overran his senses. [What happened?! Is she safe?! Why wasn't I informed sooner?!]
Nigredo hesitated for a second, visibly flustered by her master's sudden inquiries and barely subdued rage.
[I... I am sorry my Lord, one of the target was stronger than expected. But it wasn't critical, so we decided not to—] she said in a hurry, narrowly keeping herself from weeping.
[Tell me where she is. Right now,] he ordered.
[. . .]
After quickly surveying the area described by Nigredo with his modified mirror of remote viewing, Ainz appeared through a [Gate] at the location of the battle-maids, deep within the dark abyss of Cyoria's Hole.
Upon arrival, he saw the three maids: Narberal Gamma, Entoma Zeta and Lupusregina Beta. At first glance, none of them seemed injured in the slightest. They were free of any blemishes —though, it was obvious that Entoma just had a feast, given the amount of blood dripping from her mask. Also, Lupusregina was in her true form, which was not an everyday occurrence.
Just to be sure, Ainz cast a silent [Life Essence] to further ease his worries. The Overlord felt a wave of relief wash over him as the spell confirmed that his children were unharmed.
"Ainz-sama!" all three of them exclaimed in a hurry as they knelt before their lord.
He knows we've failed... they thought. How disappointed must he be to come all the way down here and take time away from his busy schedule...
"My Lord, we're deeply sorry," Narberal said with regret in her voice. "We couldn't secure the target soon enough, and—"
"Ainz-sama! It's all my fault! I implore you to not punish my sisters!" Lupusregina suddenly cut off her dark-haired sibling. While she appeared the most menacing as she towered over the other maids, Lupusregina trembled to her core as she continued her plight. "I am a fool, Ainz-sama! The lowest of the low! I brought shame upon the Pleiades and Nazarick. Please, Ainz-sama, forgive me for being such a disappointment—"
"It was my call, Ainz-sama," Narberal coldly interrupted. "I was the one to allow Lupusregina to have her fun earlier in the night. If one is to be punished, it is me, my Lord."
"We've all underestimated the humans, Ainz-sama," Entoma added weakly. "All three of us should be punished, in my opinion."
"Both of you, stop!" Lupusregina shouted in a hurry. "You know it isn't true! I was the one defeated!"
They continued bickering. Ainz approached the three kneeling maids and slowly lifted his skeletal hand toward Lupusregina. She flinched, expecting her master to administer her punishment right away.
Yes, I deserve it... she thought, closing her eyes.
But none came. Instead, Lupusregina felt a gentle caress on her head. Upon realization, her eyes reopened wide. A warmth washed over her chest as her throat tightened and tears threatened to flow. She kept silent, accepting the infinite kindness of her Lord without a word. It's not fair... Ainz-sama is too kind... we don't deserve your generosity, she thought.
It was a somewhat amusing sight to witness. Even kneeling down, Lupusregina still dwarfed the others. To the point that Ainz needed to hold his arm above his shoulder to be able to reach the top of her head.
The tense atmosphere evaporated in the blink of an eye as their master continued to affectionately rub the overgrown pup.
"It's okay, Lupusregina. I'm not mad at you. You haven't disappointed me in the slightest," Ainz said in a kind and comforting voice. With his other hand, he reached toward Narberal and Entoma as well, mirroring the gesture. Narberal blushed faintly. "I'm not mad at any of you. I am the one to blame."
Ainz sighed. "I should've taken this more seriously... I am sorry."
It was a bitter-sweet realization for the Overlord. Since being banished from the New World, he had largely taken a backseat approach, letting his children take care of everything while he sulked away in shame.
No wonder Nigredo didn't inform me... Why would she? Why bother inform a manager who doesn't even involve himself ? I am the fool here...
He had yet to directly take part in any of the investigations of this world. So far, he had only been hearing reports and gone out occasionally to appease his boredom. What a leader he was...
The scare Lupusregina had given him had been a wake-up call. Long ago, he had promised to himself and to the memories of his friends that he would cherish their creations as if they were his own. Lead them, protect them and assure their happiness. And to do that, he needed to be strong — no, he needed to be the strongest. Anyone foolish enough to stand against Ainz Ooal Gown would pay the price.
The Overlord steeled himself, letting go of the self-doubt that had gnawed at his mind since the last battle against the Dragon Emperor.
"Y-You've done nothing wrong, Ainz-sama! You don't have to apologize to us," Lupusregina rushed to say. Her sentiment echoed by her sisters.
The Overlord let a chuckle escape his non-existent lips.
"I do need to apologize, Lupusregina. You've made me realized something very important that I had forgotten." he said. "So, thank you, all three of you. I am glad you're safe. You don't have to worry about anything. Let me handle the rest."
The comforting words of their master made them feel lighter than air. The three sisters looked at each-other briefly. A mixture of bewilderment, happiness and admiration for their master swirling in their gaze. His kindness truly knew no bounds, they thought. To forgive their failure so easily and take the blame upon himself to somewhat ease their worries...
Yet again, the Pleiades were reminded how noble their Lord truly was: a Supreme Being beyond their comprehension. The only one capable of leading their group. One whose wisdom was only matched his unparalleled power.
As if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, Lupusregina regained her joviality.
"Aiiinz-samaaa," she whined as she returned to her usual humanoid form. She launched herself at her Lord's waist, hugging him tightly. Unlike a moment ago, it was now Ainz that towered above her. "They bullied me! Those two kids bullied me, it's not fair! Please, let me get revenge, Ainz-sama! I promised Lord Mekongawa that I would! I want to... to!"
"It's alright, Lupusregina, it's alright," he said as he pat her head. "You three should return to Nazarick and wait for me. I'll bring them back."
"Thank you, Lord Ainz! Thank you! Thank you!" Lupusregina blurted, her face still buried in the robe of her master.
"My Lord, is it safe for you to continue alone? Those insects don't stand a chance, but wouldn't Lady Albedo object? Especially with—" Narberal asked, before being interrupted by her master.
"Ah, not to worry, Narberal. Before leaving Nazarick, I told Nigredo to contact Aura and ask her to rejoin me. She should arrive shortly, I imagine," Ainz answered. "In the meantime, why don't you recount the events of tonight in more detail? Did the enemy truly measure up to you three?"
After reporting every last details of their night to their Lord, the three maids exited the scene through a [Gate] — cast by Ainz — that brought them back to Nazarick.
As they passed the threshold of the swirling purple darkness, they were home. Or rather, at the entrance of their home, since direct teleportation within was barred from anyone coming from the outside.
Finally, they all thought. It'd been only a couple of hours at most since their departure, but they felt like days had passed.
Joy filled them as they walked inside the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. A sense of familiarity and security washed over them.
Lupusregina breathed in the pure air of the catacombs, relishing the taste. With renewed vigor, she shouted at the top of her lungs to whoever would hear her:
"LORD AINZ RUUUUUULES!" her voice echoed loudly. "He is so kind, and compassionate, and, and...! To think he would come all this way just to comfort us! By the Supreme Beings, how cool is that—"
Something struck the top of her head. It was Narberal.
"FOOL!" she shouted angrily. "Don't let our master's kind words make you forget about the mess we've just made. It doesn't change the fact that we failed. Not only did the targets escaped us multiple times, but we indicated to the whole city that we were there," she paused, before adding a few more words. "He gave us a second chance, we must not fail him next time... we can't..."
Lupusregina rubbed where her sister had just hit her, a pouting face adorned. She deflated a little, understanding perfectly well she deserved the scolding of her fellow battle-maid.
"Yes, you're right. I'm sorry, Nar-chan," the pretty red-headed girl admitted. But instead of keeping her mouth shut, she smirked. "But you can't deny that was pretty cool, right?!"
Narberal frowned her eyes. She scornfully watched Lupusregina, assessing her options. Do I kill her now, or after?
Entoma inadvertently let a cute chuckle escape, amused at the antics of her dear sisters.
"You're deep trouble, Lupus. Deep. Trouble. You and I need to have a long talk about your fun time while on the job," Narberal said with a tint of disdain, as if it was a threat.
Lupusregina gulped loudly. A drop of sweat rolled down her temple as she tried to awkwardly laugh it off.
"Lupu-chan fucked up" Entoma said snarkily, not without a tinge of pleasure at seeing the panicked face of her sister growing more and more worried by the second.
"E—Entoma-chan?" Lupusregina gasped, feeling shocked and betrayed. "I—I thought you said we were a team?! Right, Entoma-chan?! Right?! You and I, right?! A team!"
The masked Pleiades didn't respond, simply cocking her head to the side in silence.
"Just wait until Yuri-nee hears about this. Like I said. Deep. Trouble." Narberal said menacingly.
"Lupu-chan fucked up," the bug-maid repeated with glee.
From the confines of the crypts of the first floor of Nazarick, a wail of despair resonated all the way toward the surface as one werewolf realized she would soon have to face the consequences of her poor behavior.
Courage, pup. Courage.
After bidding goodbye to the three Pleiades, they disappeared into the darkness of his [Gate]. Ainz was left alone. He stood motionless inside the ruined time research facility.
"Aura should be here any minutes now," he noted to himself.
His stare settled on the two bodies laying limp on the ground. A blond teenager and a brown-haired one with round glasses. At some point, he was sure to have heard or read their names somewhere in a report, but he had long forgotten about them. He didn't think they would be of any significance.
The longer he watched them, the more he felt a cold anger brewing inside him. They were the ones that had brutalized Lupusregina. The thought of ending them right then and there did cross his mind, but he refrained himself for two reasons:
Firstly, he fundamentally agreed with Lupusregina. Like her, he felt that death would be too sweet of a punishment for their offense. Anyone harming Ainz Ooal Goal in any way shape or form would feel their wrath. And they would be no exception. Secondly, the Overlord had reconsidered his prior assessment about them. They might be far more valuable than what he first assumed. Ending their lives now would possibly rob their side of precious information.
To begin with, the motive behind this whole operation stemmed from an incident that had occurred a few days after their arrival into this world. Ainz's anti-divination protections had been partially broken by an unknown party. The offender mustn't have seen much given that his counter-spell had activated, and his deepest barriers were still intact, but it was still worrying enough to warrant a careful investigation. Especially because, at that time, not one denizen of the Tomb had even ventured outside. How did someone even learn about them, then? It was absurd.
And those two on the floor seemed connected to whoever did this... somehow. Their first lead on them dated back from just a few days ago, when Sebas and Lupusregina brought back a few prisoners. After probing their minds, it appeared that one of them —named Zenomir Olgai— learned about Ainz's name through them. And after the events of the night, it was obvious that they were highly abnormal. For starter, their threat level far exceeded any of the other mages of this world by a significance margin —at least the blond one. Moreover, they were always moving under the cover of anti-divination magic, meaning they surely had something to hide. Something huge. Something a normal couple of teenagers shouldn't be involved with. Simply speaking, under closer inspection, their behaviors and skills were just far too suspicious. They were anomalies. They knew something that Ainz didn't, that much was obvious.
While Ainz came to this realization, he started ruminating. How did they found out about us so early? They're most likely pawns, we'll need to be careful about potential retaliation. The enemy doesn't seem strong enough to directly attack us, though... no, they might just be bidding their time until they know more about us... that's what I would do. At least they don't have a divination network strong enough to spy on us, that's good.
Ainz now knew that, like in the New World, there existed hidden forces capable of contending against them in this realm. They needed to be cautious. The Overlord wouldn't repeat the mistakes of his early days in the New World ; the thought of the century old Shalltear's mind-control incident was still vivid in Ainz's memories. Never again, he promised himself.
He decided to shake those thoughts out of his mind.
The Overlord started inspecting his surrounding more thoroughly. There wasn't much aside from the two unresponsive humans and the artifact in the middle of the room. Hence, he approached the black cube.
On closer examination, Ainz had to admit that it was quite incredible. Even a neophyte like him could clearly see the outstanding level of craftsmanship required to birth such a marvelous piece of art.
Ainz walked along the side of the artifact, admiring the artistry on display. There were beautifully detailed lines carved everywhere on its surface, depicting a variety of shapes and symbols that flowed so well together that you could deduce a method to the madness. An order to the apparent chaos of the random assortment of forms and figures.
As he placed one hand on it, feeling the texture, the Overlord sensed something very peculiar coming from the cube. Some sort of power that... called to him? He couldn't really describe it, but he could clearly feel it.
Taken aback by the weird magical phenomenon, he casted [Appraisal Magic Item] on the cube. He then forgot to breath. His non-existent heart skipped a beat. If he had eyes, they would've opened wide in shock. In fact, the flames in his sockets disappeared. His mouth was agape.
It was at that time that a [Gate] opened near him, a cute and tiny individual setting foot upon the time research facility. The child lacked any sort of human ears, rather hers were pointy. She was an elf. Tanned and androgynous, the young one donned a magnificent uniform whose craftsmanship was otherworldly, as if sewed by a higher existence. Her heterochromia eyes were vibrant, eager to make her master proud. On her waist hanged a giant scroll colored red and gold. An aura of absolute power enveloped her, much like the Overlord, who's very existence bent the reality around him.
"Ainz-sama, I have arrived!" Aura Bella Fiora announced herself excitedly as she took a knee on the ground.
But the Overlord did not respond, fixated on the cube in front of him. He seemed frozen in place.
"Ainz-sama?" Aura repeated questioningly.
"... a world item..." he whispered low, in disbelief.
As information about the cube entered his mind, Ainz started to understand what might have happened to the lethargic humans at his feet, and what exactly was this artifact.
Then, as he registered the presence of Aura, his gaze drifted to the World Item on her back. The flames in his eyes danced anew as an idea slowly materialized in his mind.
Death incarnate invaded the void of the Guardian of the Threshold.
A subspace where only the Marked One were welcomed ; only those chosen by the system were granted unrestricted access. Yet, there stood an intruder.
A heavy silence settled as his fiery eyes gazed upon the mostly empty surrounding. The darkness around the Supreme Being trembled, as if his mere presence was too much to handle for this parallel dimension known as the control room.
The Guardian of the Threshold remained stuck in place. Its movements were erratic, as if it tried to initiate a decision only to abandon it just as fast. The cycle seemingly never ending. Akin to some sort of error, defect or limitation in how it was conceived. Like what had invaded its domain hadn't been accounted for nor even considered as a possibility.
SIGNIFICANT ANOMALY WITHIN THE ITERATION DETECTED — CALCULATION OF NEUTRALIZATION PATTERN — ER/ROR
SIG/NIFICANT ANO!MALY WITH°IN THE IT{ERATION D/#•T€CD — C0NTENG/ENCY PLAN!IFICATI* — ê/R0R
S!gN°FIC**T An0!?MàLY WîTH()\N ### IT~êR4TON?_ D/#•T€C()D —Em_[)rgeENCY RESET {###ctivVATED— ERôrRr~éR
ER/€ôr## — ER({||or — E###RR — ##### — #### — ##### — [ ]
.
.
~»€€&~#||###P4NA—X/^TH[{{[## — ##PANA{~PXETH{{ — ###[PANAXETH]###
After some time, like a machine robbed of its only source of power, the artificial being went limp as it stopped moving altogether. The contradiction and errors being too much for its computing capabilities.
The two time travelers hadn't moved an inch. But the reason behind their lack of movements was far from a difficulty to understand their situation like that of the Guardian. Instead, on the contrary, it was the perfect realization of who — or rather what stood before them.
"Ain Ol Gon—" Zorian had unconsciously muttered under his breath with a shaky tone, almost inaudible.
It would be hard to describe the feeling of dread currently swirling within them. It was so overwhelming that their very senses went awry. If they were still confined by the limit of their mortal flesh —as they were currently mere projection of their souls— the boys knew they wouldn't have handled it as well as they currently were. They might have fallen to their knees, gasping for air ; they might have puked under the stress ; they might have fainted from shock altogether. Who knows how the human body would realistically react to the presence of a god?
The emotion twisting the guts of the two teenagers was something they'd never felt before. Both Zach and Zorian had repeatedly contended against mortal threats greater than themselves during their time in the world of In-Between: Red Robe and his power to soul-kill, Quatach-Ichl the mightiest soul-mage in existence, or even Lupusregina and her sisters. But none of them had invoked this same, particular, raw sentiment. Rather than the comprehensible and inherent fear of death, it was the sudden realization of their own insignificance that brought them utter despair.
The manifestation of this being's aura was just that overwhelming. In front of an existence that couldn't be described as anything but a god, both of them understood the foolishness of their struggle.
The skeleton was like a shining beacon of light, enlightening the ants below. The difference between heaven and earth could hardly describe the entirety of the gap between them. It was an existence that their limited mortal mind just couldn't grasp. Not even an infinite amount of time would bring them closer to Him.
"Hmm... another one of those isolated places..." Death commented, his voice was deep and imposing, that of an immortal monarch. Fortunately, his tone and manner of speech seemed identical to their own language, which brought the boys some solace. "Their system is truly impressive."
'Their system'? Is he talking about the loop? Its mechanism? We are in the control room, after all... Zorian thought. Slowly, the mind-mage began to wake up from his prior state of shock and processed the words of the god in front of him.
After a few seconds, the skeleton noticed the other occupants of the place. He glared at them intently, his emotions hidden by the unmoving nature of his face.
Of course, he is aware of the time-loop, he is a god. Zorian noted as he continued to think as fast as his mind allowed him to. But how can he be there?! The connection between the material and the spiritual realms is cut.
The reason why Zach and Zorian had never tried to call upon the aid of the angels concerning the release of the Primordial was because it was simply impossible to so. Not only did the messengers of gods practically never meddled in the affair of the mortals, but the very connection between their worlds had been severed since the time-loop began.
Zorian gulped. Standing there in silence would do nothing for them, he thought. It might even be detrimental. Speaking had now become their only tool of survival. Hence, he armed himself with courage, fighting his instinct that compelled him not to interact with the incarnation of death itself.
"O God Above," Zorian spoke slowly and reverently, bowing deeply in absolute deference. "I take from your words that your esteemed-self is already aware of the time loop."
The skeleton did not answer. The red flames dancing within his eye sockets died down. His silence was confirmation enough on Zorian's book.
Zach widened his eyes as he realized what Zorian already had. The unassuming arch-mage voiced his suspicion, though he couldn't completely hide the hostility permeating his words.
"Are you the one stopping the reset?" he asked.
"Zach, mind your tone!" Zorian rushed to correct the impoliteness of his companion. " O Great God, please excuse his poor decorum—"
"I presume you are the humans named Zach Noveda and Zorian Kazinski?" he asked ominously, interrupting Zorian.
Hearing their names uttered by an almighty being sent shrill down their ethereal bodies. They nodded weakly.
"Good. I was searching for you. I have a lot of questions for you. But that can wait,"
A wave of bloodlust swept over the void world. While the being had yet to make the slightest of movement, the very darkness around him seem to retract in anticipation of the catastrophe that was to come.
Zach and Zorian froze yet again, feeling a thousand icy needles puncturing their skin. Every danger signals their instincts could muster triggered. Screaming at them to flee as far as possible. To do something. They foretold their imminent annihilation. But their bodies did not respond.
"Which one of you bullied my maid?"
If not for the abominable fear they felt, both time travelers would've been highly offended by the insinuation. Bullied?! If someone had been bullied, it was them! Attacked without explanation in the middle of the night! Played with like garbage! Nearly caught, tortured and killed! They only defended themselves, and barely so.
But they knew their explanations wouldn't matter to Him. The thought of trying to justify themselves had not even crossed their minds.
Zorian trembled like a leaf. He considered his choices. Would he throw Zach under the bus? The thought disgusted him, of course. He adored his friend, he valued their partnership. Zach might be the first true friend Zorian had ever made... but images of Kirielle flashed through his mind.
If there was a single, minuscule chance to come back alive from this and see his sister again... what else could he do but seize the opportunity?
As Zorian was about to open his mouth, Zach spoke up. His voice was shaky, he too trembled all over, but he stood tall in the face of absolute despair. His expression was determined. Was it bravery, or foolishness?
"I did."
Zorian watched him, mouth agape and repulsed by his own self-justified cowardice. The courage he thought had vanished from his soul returned.
"No, Zach! O God of Death, please hear us! The situation forced us to—"
Before he could continue, the imposing figure of the god appeared in front of them, one hand reaching for Zach.
He grabbed the unassuming arch-mage's throat. Zach gasped for air, which was more of a reflex than an inherent need to breath, since they weren't in their physical vessel.
At that moment, both of them truly felt the weight of their helplessness. Inside this void, this artificial dimension, neither of them could cast their magic. And even if they could, what would they do against a god?
A black aura surged from the skeletal hand, and Zach started screaming. A wail of pure agony surpassing even the cries they heard during the massacre of the time research facility.
"I was told multiple times that the destruction of one's soul is the most excruciating pain someone can feel. I guess this is true across worlds."
Soul destruction?! Zorian thought in a panic. Such a feat was theoretically impossible.
As Zach continued to scream, Zorian helplessly tried to come up with something, anything.
"Please! O Great God! Let us explain ourselves! Didn't you wish to speak to us?! Isn't that why you sent your maids after us?! You can't kill him!"
"There are two of you. Only one is necessary to answer my questions." he answered coldly, his words nearly drowning in the screams of Zach. "I understand your situation. I truly do. Your rational is without fault. Truthfully, I would've done the same."
"Then, why?! I thought gods were perfect beings! Free of the taints that stain the living, such as hypocrisy! Why would you—"
"I am no god, Mister Kazinski. And unfortunately for you, hypocrisy is a delicacy that the powerful can indulge in without fear of repercussions. At the end of the day, you've harmed one of my children, and that is all that matter to me."
Zorian greeted his teeth in anger as Zach's screams echoed in the void of the control room.
There must be something I can say that would move him! Think, Zorian, think! Zorian rattled his brain, but no matter how hard he tried, nothing came to him.
Suddenly, a deep and unnatural voice resounded throughout the featureless space. It was booming, resonant, with not a trace of humanity in it. An ancient and raw timbre that invoked a sense of unease.
"Stop."
The voice came from the Guardian. It suddenly started twitching and stuttering as if it was having some kind of seizure. Its head rolled around at impossible angles, rotating madly, his entire torso squirming and bulging as if something was trying to burst out of it.
And then, as the maddened doll finally calmed down, a multitude of eyes suddenly snapped open all over the Guardian's body, blinking rapidly for a few moments before focusing straight at the skeleton. Each one was different. Different sizes, different color, different internal structure. Some of them had multiple irises. Some of them glowed. Some of them were multifaceted, like those of an insect.
An aura of ancestral power, much like that of the incarnation of Death himself, surrounded the newly formed monstrous Guardian.
Sensing the appearance of someone of equal status, the skeleton ceased his assault on Zach's soul, the black aura of decay no longer emanating from his hand. The blond teenager went limp as his wails of agony stopped.
"Killing this one at this stage wouldn't be wise. But you already know that, don't you?" the amalgamation of eyes continued.
The skeleton remained silent for a few seconds, pondering.
"Who are you?" Death asked.
"I am called Panaxeth."
And so, the Primordial appeared.
Voilà!
Hope you liked it. Now things are getting interesting!
(Since I received multiple messages related to this, I'll clarify here: I don't intend to get rid of the reset mechanism. The reason why it doesn't work right now shall be explained in the next chapter)
It's all for tonight! See you next time! ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ