A/N) Okay, after having read through it, the pacing is kinda borked, but we'll see how it turns out.
For the record, I will be ducking down and reading the reviews less. This has been a hobby/for fun thing for me to do, and I'll be honest, I'm getting kinda stressed out. So, instead I'll just keep on writing. It might be a bit immature, to ignore good advice on how to be a better writer, but if I dedicate more time into this or put too much thought into it the story will be less "for fun" and more just "what I do now".
So for the sake of my sanity, I'll just keep on writing, brainless as ever. Feel free to leave critique, but know that I probably won't see it for a while. If it's something really urgent, or if you just wanna ask questions, DM me.
Speaking of which. The chapters will be slowing down a bit, as I've caught up with what I've written before-hand.
Chapter 4 - Scripture
Nigun Grid Luin stood frowning a good hundred feet away from the new arrivals. His scar had been aching all day, but things have finally been looking up. The ever elusive Warrior-Captain had finally arrived to save the day. A little late, Nigun might add, but he was here nonetheless.
Gazef Stronoff had carelessly bumbled right into an ambush, sold out by the nobles of his own kingdom, each eager for another slice of the ever lucrative pie of political influence. Had their foolishness not been so beneficial to the Theocracy Nigun may have gone on a tirade about the Kingdom's shortsighted leaders.
This has been a lousy year for the captain of the Sunlight Scripture. Having ran headlong into Blue Rose and getting permanently branded for carrying out the will of the Great Gods was humiliating enough. For such a thing to happen in front of demi-human spectators was enough to bring him to a boil.
So when the opportunity for redemption had presented itself, the captain obviously took it, even if some sacrifices had to be made. Even then, as a zealot from a family staunchly religious since three generations back, it would be a lie to say that he didn't enjoy the prospect of bringing cleansing fire to the non-believers.
Everything had indeed gone according to plan thus far. Burn down villages and ambush the Warrior-Captain when he arrives to intercept. With the interference of egotistical nobles the warrior would be left weakened, with no national treasures to his name.
Something did of course go awry, as they had a tendency to do. Which didn't sit well with Nigun's already waning patience.
With his arms crossed, the captain of the Sunlight Scripture impatiently tapped a robed bicep with his index and middle fingers. His cold blue eyes slowly swept over the figures that still had enough backbone or ignorance to defy his blessed squadron.
There was of course the band of warriors that accompanied Gazef Stronoff, the little lapdogs that they were, standing lined up and ready for battle behind the leading figures.
These were the aforementioned "unknown factors". It annoyed the captain of the Sunlight Scripture greatly, but didn't concern him much. The warmth on his back indicated that he was indeed flanked by the Principality of Observation. That alone was enough to grant him a sense of security.
So who are these buffoons? Adventurers? Mercenaries? Workers?
Three figures stood between the scripture and Gazef's band of soldiers. Obviously the Warrior-Captain himself, and two strange figures that Nigun did not recognise.
Standing in the front was a butler. Or at the very least someone who looked a lot like one. A sharply dressed old man with white hair and minimal wrinkles.A straight back and broad shoulders gave his frame a considerable presence, even next to the Warrior-Captain.
His stoic expression betrayed no hint of emotion. Concern, fear or otherwise. Despite outnumbering and overpowering Gazef's entourage Nigun couldn't help but feel somewhat pressured by the mere presence of the old man, nearly breaking out in cold sweat under his harsh stare.
He's dangerous. I don't know how dangerous, but it would be wise to target him with the angels before dealing with the expendables in the back.
The other figure on the other hand... Nigun felt nothing. Nothing at all.
At first that was a relief. To have an easy opponent one could target during a fight. It was very quickly replaced by apprehension and suspicion.
It was a seemingly normal young man who stood next to the Warrior-Captain and another potentially dangerous fighter. His calm serenity seemed to eclipse that of Gazef himself. The implication would be...
No. No. There's no way. The Warrior-Captain is among the strongest combatants in the Kingdom of Re-Estize. To assume that there are two others like him would be utterly ridiculous.
The captain of the Sunlight Scripture sneered at the crowd in front of him.
"Gazef Stronoff! Warrior-Captain! What a pleasure to finally meet a legend." He spoke in a mocking tone, "welcoming" the knight properly. Gazef scowled at the smug captain before delivering his own line.
"Hoh~. To who do I owe the pleasure?"
"That is unimportant, my friend. Though the same could be asked of those... People standing next to you. Who are they, hmmm?" Each word delivered by the man was dripping with sarcasm and an undeniable smugness that got under Ainz's skin somewhat.
Gazef opened his mouth to either retort or introduce his companions, but Ainz silenced him by dismissively waving his hand.
"I... Or rather we are Ainz Ooal Gown." Nigun snorted at the Supreme Being's introduction.
"Never heard of you." Sebas nearly popped a vein out of anger at the disrespect, but managed to keep it under wraps.
When I am using this name, I am representing ALL of my friends. To merely say "I" isn't entirely correct. I am Momonga. WE are Ainz Ooal Gown.
Actually... Is that too pompous? Ugh. Learning an entirely new speech-pattern is such a hassle. It'll be enough if I just introduce myself with a "we".
"I don't suppose that you, honored member of the Theocracy, are going to leave peacefully?" The spell-caster asked.
Nigun scratched his chin.
"That would indeed be naive. Say, 'Ainz Ooal Gown', is Gazef Stronoff paying you...? How much? I can double it." He put extra emphasis on the Supreme Being's name.
The Warrior-Captain looked towards the noble. He felt reasonably confident in the man's answer already, but it would be naive to take everything at face value. Ainz turning wouldn't be an impossibility, since he has shown to be at least somewhat incentivized by monetary gain.
And as expected, Ainz shook his head.
"I'm afraid I have to decline. After having already been hired, it would be quite shameful to switch sides at the mere mention of a greater reward."
Nigun laughed mockingly.
"How cute. A lapdog deluded by false honor!" Sebas' brows knitted together at the insult, much calmer than Cocytus would have been.
"Oh, but Ainz is honorable, Theocracy scum! He saved the innocent while your blighted crusade burns them to the ground!"
The scripture captain scoffed at Gazef.
"Hmpf. Had you laid down your lives I might have spared that village. But now...? Know that it is by your hubris that it'll burn far into the night. All you have given them is an added half-hour of false hope."
"Big mistake." The Warrior-Captain said with a gruff voice, no longer masking his impatience. Horses whinnied behind him, showing the riders' eagerness to fight. "You see, your little scripture was sent here to deal with me."
He rested a hand on Sebas' shoulder. "This man is far stronger than what I am." Nigun raised an eyebrow at the claim before starting to laugh.
"Ha! A meaningless bluff-!" He shook his head, and continued on in a mocking tone of voice. "Honestly, Warrior-Captain... When I expected a final desperate struggle I though you would be attempting something more clever rather than this... Ruse."
The two stared each other down in silence for a moment. The tension built like a fishing line being pulled taut, until...
"MEN, ATTACK! PRESS FORWARD AND DEFEAT THE ENEMY IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD KING RAMPOSA THE THIRD!"
"ANGELS, ADVANCE! BRING BE THE HEAD OF THAT WASTE OF SKIN! BRING DOWN THE OLD MAN FIRST!"
[Sebas. Cover for me. I wish to see how this "head-warrior" fights. It'll give us an estimate of the elites in this world.]
[Your wish is my command.]
I wonder... Will he cast spells? Use racial traits? Innate abilities and techniques? Or is it just pure skill with the sword?
A tide of cavalry riders clashed against a veritable wall of Archangel Flames. The front lines where the two met were a flurry of two kinds of blades. Those of steel carving glowing armor and those of light carving flesh. Nigun and the other scripture members just looked on, sometimes summoning backup.
The Warrior-Captain moved expertly, not slowing down or making any noticeable mistakes. He dodged a thrust, countering it by driving his sword deep into the throat-area of an angelic summon. Not wasting any time, the Warrior-Captain quickly pulled it out before decapitating another approaching foe.
Those are indeed Yggdrasil angels... Archangel Flames. Supposedly summoned by Yggdrasil magic as well. ...The magic the Six Great Gods introduced. So. NPCs that gained sentience, or Players...?
As the expert fighter churned through what seemed to be an infinite tide of angels Sebas was holding up much better. His master had requested him to hold back as to not expose their real power until the opportunity reveals itself.
That being said, Sebas didn't struggle at all. Casually dodging attacks and dealing killing blows with terrifying jabs and lethal uppercuts. As the angels disintegrated into motes of light the butler looked quite elegant indeed. There was no urgency whatsoever to keep the summons off his lord and to protect the human as well.
Just then Gazef unleashed his martial arts, [Flow Acceleration] and [Four-Fold Slash of Light]. Ainz's eyes widened. Had anybody been paying attention to him they would have seen eyes of violet and gold light up like the 4th of July.
Oooh... Now that's new. Nothing that I recognise from Yggdrasil proper. Thus far I was going to assume everything was the same, what with the angels.
Let's see what you can do.
The battle had escalated, with soldiers getting knocked off their horses our grievously wounded. Angels died, but they were quickly replaced. Pandemonium was a fine word to describe it, as bodies were tossed about like rag dolls by forces greater than melee combat would have allowed in the old world. Gazef and his men wouldn't hold out forever. Unless, of course...
"[Radial Heal]." The angel's voice was a whisper relative to the clash of metal and battle-cries.
Widen Magic won't be necessary in such close quarters.
Those who stood on death's door were brought back to full fighting force immediately, and others were fully revitalised.
"Ah, sir Ainz!" Gazef realised what had happened as cuts and bruises faded. Soon he felt as if he had downed the world's most potent stamina potion, allowing him to outlast anyone and everyone in combat.
The Supreme Being received multiple encouraging shouts and hollers before the soldiers all rallied to face the angel summons.
"That... He's a divine magic caster. Interesting." Momonga's little stunt had attracted some attention from Nigun.
Whereas Sebas has been culling the angels at a controlled rate, not making it immediately obvious that he was currently dominating the battlefield, resulting in Nigun glossing over the butler's terrifying power.
"How unfortunate... The Theocracy may have had a use for a man of your talents, were he not such a heathen." The scripture captain blabbed loud enough so that the divine caster would hear it.
Wow. Just insult me and be done with it. No need to be so coy.
"Fantastic work lord Ainz, we may win this yet!" Gazef shouted at the young noble.
"Maybe, but..." The Supreme Being could feel his face contorting into one of concern. Wasn't this a bit too easy? When he had gone out to save the village he had done so with gusto, feeling the wind in his sails with a great deal of confidence.
Now it had started to shift into the other extreme, with discomfort and paranoia.
Was this really all the Sunlight Scripture had to offer? A bunch of low-levelled Archangel Flames and a Principality of Observation?
Of course not! Ainz believed this to be a classic PK tactic. Send in a smaller group into what looks to be a trap or ambush, and then rout them with your full force. Classic strategy, if not a little obvious. Maybe the party that was sent in first was a bit weak, then again, so was everything in this world thus far. Punitto Moe would have been disappointed by such a rookie execution.
The reality was far more dull. The Sunlight Scripture had no backup. But the fallen angel didn't know that.
In other words... This is the sacrificial probe. Could there really be another party hiding somewhere, ready to catch us with our pants down? They could be surveying the situation, stepping in if necessary, and retreating if we have been deemed too dangerous to face head on.
If so, how are they watching this? The Eight Edge Assassins would have caught them had they been close enough. Are they teleporting shock troopers while scrying from a distance?
Ainz focused on the [Message] spell, this time directed at other recipients than Sebas.
[Are you the captain of the Eight Edge Assassins?]
A short delay ensued before a raspy voice began to echo inside the Supreme Being's head.
[Yes, oh Supreme ruler of divinity...!]
[No need for formalities. Have you found any traces of other combatants other than the ones I have been notified of?]
[None, my gracious master.]
None? Then teleportation might be the best possible answer for this little conundrum. Unless these goons are here to ascertain our strength and nothing else. Were Sebas and I even expected to be here? Maybe there is no ambush or trap lying in wait. Then again, better safe than sorry.
[Bring your troops closer to the field of battle, but remain hidden. I may need you to flank a new enemy if need be.]
[As you command, master.]
All of this had transpired over the course of ten seconds, with the Supreme Being utilizing his new speed to its fullest. Gazef still struggled against the angels as more summons descended. At this point, the band of warriors is once again holding on by a thread as Sebas feigned struggle.
Theocracy mages started to get more impatient and worried, slinging additional low-tier spells towards the warriors in an attempt to kill them faster.
Automatically Ainz cast another [Radial Heal] as his team instincts kicked in. The Warrior-Captain and Nigun both seemed to realise where the deciding factor in this battle lays.
"Oi! You lot! KILL THAT MAGE!" The leader of the scripture shouted at his subordinates, as a multitude of angels closed in on the Supreme Being.
"Rally together men! Protect lord Ainz lest we all fall!" The warriors all roared together in unison, revitalized by the healing spell.
Keeping his side alive was something the angel focused on doing, but it didn't take top-priority. It would be lovely if Gazef Stronoff- the rare specimen that piqued his collector's interests- made it out in one piece. The primary focus laid in preparing for possible reinforcements.
[Albedo.]
[LORD MOMONGA-!] a voice shouted in his head, nearly splitting it in two. He recognized it. A feminine voice that lacked the usual eloquence it was known for, being instead colored by fear and concern.
[- Are you okay?! Are you hurt my love? Is there something wrong? Please let me help! I shall personally see to it that Sebas is punished if you return with even a single hair misplac-]
Ainz felt a sting of guilt upon hearing "my love", silently apologizing to Tabula.
[I'm fine, Albedo. The enemy seem to be quite weak. They have yet to use a single spell above 4th-Tier.]
Technically I haven't seen a spell above 3rd-Tier, as this Principality of Observation seems to have been summoned beforehand.
[Eh...? So there's nothing wrong, my lord?]
[I'm expecting the enemy to send in reinforcements via teleportation. I'd like you to communicate with the Eight Edge Assassins and available servants to set up an ambush. They are nowhere nearby, so them teleporting in would be the most likely way of deployment.]
A short silence ensued.
[It shall be done, Momonga-sama. The lower-lifeforms will suffer and perish for standing against your Supreme will.]
[That reminds me, Albedo. You are not to harm anyone in the town hall, unless they seek to kill the locals. I have staked my name on protecting these humans, so to fail in doing so would be to smear the name of our guild and paint me as a liar.]
[... As you will it. How shall we proceed with the ambush, my love?]
Another swathe of angels flew towards the divine caster before being cut down by Gazef and a repressed Sebas.
"Why won't you just die?! DIE DIE DIE! A GODLESS HEATHEN NOT WORSHIPPING THE RIGHTEOUS SIX HAS NO RIGHT TO WIELD THEIR DIVINE POWER!" Nigun was screaming until he was red in the face.
The mages have grown more desperate, throwing out more spells and summoning more angels. Yet somehow, it seems as if the warrior band manages to keep up with it, even if just barely.
"[Radial Heal]." Another wave of green energy flows through the warriors, restoring their vim and vigor. This brought on another wave of cheers from the soldiers, as they fought for the sake of their captain and benefactor with renewed power.
Gazef smiled wryly, now relieved that Ainz had insisted on following along his servant into the field of battle. He had his doubts, of course. There was a chance that the mysterious caster was a spoilt noble with no actual experience which would serve to drag down the efficiency of Sebas and the rest of his band.
Never before has the Warrior-Captain been so happy to be wrong about someone. The noble had seemed good-natured, but that did not a good combatant make. As the power of [Radial Heal] recharged his batteries he knew it was a good choice to hire the man.
Incredible magic. He had always seen the noble's aversion to magic as foolish, and this was as much proof as the Warrior-Captain needed. [Cure Wounds] and [Greater Heal] were nice spells, but for an effect as strong if not stronger to be applied to an entire squad of warriors?
Ainz Ooal Gown was something truly special. If he and Sebas would serve the king alongside Gazef then the Kingdom may enter a new golden age.
"Hey, Gazef." The young man's voice broke through the din of the battlefield, somehow being louder and clearer than anything else despite all the noise. The head warrior wanted to answer, but the constant onslaught of angels and spells made it difficult.
"[Avatar of Divinity]." A spell that reserves a portion of the user's max MP to indefinitely buff a target until the effect is willingly cancelled.
Gazef didn't register those words at first. But as soon as Ainz had finished speaking something happened. It was as if a flashbang had gone off inside the Warrior-Captain's head. Before he had a chance to stumble forward he caught himself and kept on fighting.
Something had changed. Power, pure power flowed through his veins. Muscles roared as he tore through angels as if they were made of parchment. They were now slow. And he was much faster than they ever could be. There was a nearly indescribable force behind him now, it was as if the Sunlight Scripture couldn't hope to lay a hand on him.
The head warrior grinned. "Hey Ainz! This your doing?"
"Maybe. Just don't let the confidence get you killed."
Gazef proceeded to tear through the enemies with greater fervor than ever before. Soon they had managed to stem the flow of angels, as the warrior captain pressed onward towards the mages with a battle-cry. Seeing this, the scripture members frantically started chugging performance enhancing potions and casting spells.
"P-Principality of Observation! Attack him! Kill him!" The flustered captain screamed in an attempt to hinder the advancing warrior. The angel and Gazef engaged each other in combat, trading blows, blocking and dodging. Casters attempted to skew the battle in the favor of the scripture, but the advancing warrior band made it difficult.
Nigun's eyes nearly boggled out of his skull, watching the Warrior-Captain keeping up with his summon despite the circumstances.
This... How could this be?! It's that god forsaken caster! When we are done, I shall capture the bastard and bring him back to the Theocracy. I'm sure that he'll give in and see the light eventually. As a divine caster, a love for the Six must exist somewhere in there.
No matter. We have a last resort in case Principality of Observation proves too weak.
"[Six-Fold Slash of Light]!" Another strange technique Ainz wasn't familiar with. Once more his eyes lit up behind the mask, like indigo spots in the darkness.
Guess we are moving into the final phase.
Ainz once again redirected his attention to the [Message].
[Gather Shalltear, Cocytus, the Pleiades and a few powerful POPs. You are free to join in as well, but only if you engage at my command.]
[... Why can I not remain by your side, my love? I wish to protect you, to have you so close but out of reach is...]
Uwahhh-! I'm not made out of glass, mom!
[Remain hidden. If there are more enemies you'll flank them, that is the most effective way to protect me. Until then I want you to have some faith in Sebas' abilities. He is the protector of the ninth and tenth floors for a reason. Have I made myself clear?]
[Crystal clear, Momonga-sama.]
[Umu.]
With what sounded like a thunderclap, the Warrior-Captain and butler had worked together to put an end to the Principality of Observation. The peanut gallery of casters swore, throwing less than scathing insults towards Ainz, Sebas and Gazef.
Nigun seemed to shake, almost as if he would be knocked over by the wind. He drove a foot into the ground, stabilizing himself, now wearing a smile over his pale features.
"Hold them off! I shall proceed to summon the highest tier angel!" The mood seemed to turn.
"Shit..." The Warrior-Captain swore, having no idea what to expect, whereas Ainz had started to form theories.
This might prove dangerous. If it's a Seraph Empyrean or Seraph Aerosphere I may have to put some work in. With my innate resistance to holy damage killing it would be a cinch. But killing it AND limiting casualties at the same time may prove troublesome.
"Rejoice, Warrior-Captain! You have all been deemed WORTHY! OF A SECRET TREASURE OF THE THEOCRACY!" Nigun pulled out a spell-sealing crystal which began to ominously glow.
And there it is. Why don't you scream a bit louder? I'm sure some of the neighbouring kingdoms didn't hear about your hidden weapon.
That being said... Isn't that a spell sealing crystal? Aren't those really rare?
This could be bad. Either Sebas or I will have to reveal our hand. And Gazef cannot be here when we do.
He's loyal to the king. Any exceptional thing he sees us do will be reported back to the king. And by extension, the very same crowd of nobles who sold out to the Theocracy.
"Quick! ADVANCE! Bring him down before it is too late!" Gazef raised his sword and rallied his men for one final push, but they were fighting an uphill battle already. Not much more could be done at this stage.
The warriors attempted to advance towards the scripture captain, but were hindered by yet more summons and spells. Though the Theocracy was on the back-foot, with so many 3rd and 4th Tier casters they wouldn't lose before their trump-card had been activated.
Maybe if the Supreme Being stepped in, but part of Momonga was really curious as to what would come out of that crystal. How fascinating would it be if it was an entirely new type of angel?
[Sebas. Be prepared for something dangerous.]
[Of course, my lord.]
"Gazef." The warrior stopped dead in his track, turning to face the noble caster.
"Lord Ainz! What do we do?"
"We fight, me and Sebas. You and your men retreat back to the village." Stronoff stared wordlessly at the angel upon hearing this declaration.
"What...? No! It is our duty to serve as the king's swords! We can't just-"
"Have some faith, Warrior-Captain." With Ainz channelling the [Shepherd] passive subconsciously, the head warrior's determination seemed to crack a little.
The Supreme Being kept talking. "I have no doubts that Sebas and I are able to handle whatever may come out of that crystal. But I do doubt whether we will be able to keep the village out of harms way. You are needed in that front."
"Lord Ainz... I..." The angel felt his frustrations and impatience mount with the soldier's constant shilly-shallying.
"Besides. I am damn sick of casting [Radial Heal] all the goddamn time. It'll be easier keeping two people alive. We've got this. Just retreat."
I'd rather not have people witness what we are about to do. Besides, the captain might get sniffy about us keeping the scripture-members as prisoners instead of leaving them to the kingdom like we did the knights.
The warriors traded uncertain looks and murmurs, and Gazef seemed to ponder what to say next in order to convince the noble to let him tag along.
"Here, let me convince you- SEBAS! [Ki Burst]!" The air seemed to shift as all wind died down. An oppressive atmosphere had covered the field of battle. In one single swift moment a wave of energy rippled over the battlefield with the butler as its epicentre.
[... And help me convince them to leave as well.]
[Yes, my liege.]
Just like someone had flicked a switch all remaining summons had been blown away, leaving motes of light hanging in the air. Surprised gasps came from both sides of the battle, as soldiers and casters alike gawked at the butler who had exterminated all of their angels in one fell swoop. Gazef observed the manservant with wide eyes and gaping mouth.
"Impossible!"
"In one move?!"
"Mercy of the six be upon me-!"
The disbelief of the hostile casters was evident.
"Sir Sebas! That... Was amazing...! Why didn't you-?"
Sebas interrupted the Warrior-Captain's question. "It would be foolish to reveal every trick we have available the second the battle starts. Now that the Scripture is using their last resort, we will fight unabated. I cannot ensure that your men will make it out alive. So I insist that you allow my master and I to defeat the opposition."
Gazef's indecision lasted for less than half a second, yet it felt like much longer to Momonga. Whether it had been the fallen angel's increased cognitive speeds or the thrill of combat was unclear.
"Yes. I... WARRIORS! RETREAT! RETURN TO THE VILLAGE AND START SETTING UP BARRICADES!"
"But Captain... The fallen soldiers-!" A member of the band managed to stutter out.
"We will get them later. Right now we have to move! I have faith in sir Sebas' abilities. Do you have faith in your captain?"
It was obvious that not everybody had agreed to this decision, believing it to be cowardly to flee and leave their allies to fend for themselves. But ultimately, they were loyal to Gazef, making no protest.
"Well. I'm glad we reached a conclusion together." Momonga quipped. "[Mass Teleportation]."
"Wait, wha-" The Warrior-Captain didn't get to finish his protest before he and the rest of his squad disappeared in a flash of blue. The hostile casters just wordlessly stared at the impressive feat of magic, and even the scripture captain could feel his back run cold with sweat. But they weren't dissuaded. Not now. Not while they held the ultimate weapon.
"YES! RUN! WHEN THE ANGEL OF THE GODS STRIKES YOU DOWN, KNOW THAT YOU HAVE DIED LIKE A COWARD!" Nigun yelled at the grizzled warrior who was no longer anywhere nearby. This still served to bolster morale among his team of religious zealots.
Mages had thrown everything they had left at Sebas in a vain attempt to stave him off as the spell sealing crystal finally activated.
All right. Let's see what you've got. I'd expect the reinforcements to arrive after we have dealt with this.
The sun had already set a while ago, as the band of warriors had fought for their lives. After twilight had passed, darkness had settled like a heavy blanket. In less than a second that comfortable murk had been ripped away by blinding lights.
A massive figure of ivory and gold slowly descended, materialising before the very eyes of the fools who dared oppose the Sunlight Scripture. With magnificent white wings and armor the angel gave the aura of a creature none would dare mess with.
"Behold-! Magic of the Gods! The most powerful angel in existence, the DOMINION AUTHORITY!"
Nigun preached fervently, but to Ainz it sounded more like a WWE commentator hyping up a wrestler. The Scripture members cheered and hollered as the divine entity fully revealed itself. Some even went as far as to get down on their knees with hands clasped in prayers.
Ainz himself, however, found the situation rather confusing. Sebas just stood next to him, unfazed as ever. The Supreme Being tried and failed to maintain a neutral expression. Luckily his face was covered by a mask, or Nigun likely would have made a snide remark about him looking dumbfounded.
I... That's their last resort? He seems genuinely serious. Is an angel at the 7th-Tier really all that impressive?
...
Oh my God.
He is the backup.
The buffons attacking the village before was the probe. The trap to be sprung. I tripped the trap and didn't realize it until now. Am I really this slow in the head? I literally just discussed this with the Warrior-Captain.
Were my preparations in vain? This is a bit...
Aw crap. I was too cautious again, huh? And not cautious enough at the same time.
No. Maybe... Maybe it's a double whammy! There could still be someone watching, ready to interfere. Just... Stay calm. And don't let this dumb ass get on your nerves more than he already has.
"What's the matter...? Frozen in fear?" Nigun asked with an obnoxious voice.
"You should consider yourself lucky, traitor of the Gods. Indeed you lot have found yourselves worthy of being slaughtered by such a... Divine entity. The very same that brought down the Demon Gods of old. Created by the magic of the Gods themselves." He kept yammering on.
Demon Gods? More legendary figures of this world no doubt. Can't be too tough if they got crushed by this overgrown moth. Kinda insulting to be compared to something that weak, no?
more..."Traitor of the Gods... Traitor of the Gods you say?" The divine caster tilted his head after asking the question, resting a hand on his chin. "What prompted you to call me that, pray tell?"
It's a cooler nickname than any I received in Yggdrasil. "Momo-chan" is hardly a name befitting of the guild leader of Ainz Ooal Gown, a top PvP guild in the game.
The captain of the Sunlight Scripture seemed to turn a shade of crimson.
"You... You dare?! A divine magic caster! DEFYING THE WILL OF THEIR GODS! IT IS THE WILL OF THE SIX THAT THESE HEATHENS ARE DESTROYED FOR THE GOOD OF MANKIND!" The man practically shrieked, causing the angel to wonder how he hit some of those high notes.
"No need to yell. We aren't that far away from each other."
Nigun seemed to grow even redder, looking to be at his boiling point. Amused by the man's attempt at polymorphing into a tomato, Ainz decided to push the advantage and bait out an attack.
"Simmer down. You don't want to bring all the water in your body to a boil. I don't think a mere healing spell would be enough to fix that." The angel scratched the back of his hooded head, looking somewhat nonplussed.
"You... YOU! Why aren't you afraid?! Has the gravity of the situation not dawned on you yet?! Has the fear caused you to lose your wits?"
"... Not quite. I assure you, I am perfectly aware of the situation."
Speaking of which... Gazef should be far away enough for me to pound these wannabes into phlegm without being watched.
But first to confirm a theory.
"[Obscure Divination]." With those whispered words the sky shattered like glass. Someone had been watching, though Ainz's spell had broken the connection. With all the light and fanfare it seemed as if nobody but Ainz had noticed the divination being cancelled.
At the very least, nobody had made a comment, except for a few whispers about the heavens being pierced by the Dominion Authority's might. The obscuring light being given off by the angel may have had a hand in it.
Seems as if I was correct, somehow. Will the observers still be moving in? Probably not. I reckon they were just seeing how well the "backup" would do. Whoever was watching knew of the Sunlight Scripture, and was monitoring them. Maybe the Theocracy? Or another nosy country spying on their black-ops.
Are they watching me and Sebas to see how well we fight?
Not an uncommon strategy. My automatic anti-scrying abilities would cause a similar result, but only if I was close enough to whatever they were trying to scry on. In this case... Captain Crazy over there.
This tactic was used a fair bit in Yggdrasil. Wanted info on your enemies? Send in a familiar, summon or allied player and scry on them. Due to the divination technically not being focused on the intended target, passive preventative spells will be less effective than usual.
Nigun calmed down a bit, seeming to remember that he holds the upper hand. "What is the meaning of you remaining here, heathen? Are you trying so valiantly to protect that Warrior-Captain...? All of that, for a couple of coins. Disappointing."
"I've not spared Gazef Stronoff the fate of death." The divine caster said in an almost solemn tone of voice.
Since he wasn't fated to die in the first place. Not with me being here.
"Hmph. What's the matter? Admitting defeat before the face of absolute power? Finally coming to terms with how you are fated to die by my hands before I raze the rest of the village to the ground?" Mocking laughter came from the scripture members that weren't praying to the Dominion Authority.
"If you bend the knee and surrender yourself to us I might spare your life. I'm sure the cardinals would appreaciate another devout follower of the Six Great Gods." Nigun preached, gloating at the unimpressed Supreme Being. He seemed to have regained some calm after realising he still held the upper hand with Dominion Authority.
The butler clenched his fist behind his back, not attacking until his master has given permission. Momonga's sensitive ears picked up the sound of creaking leather as Sebas' grip tightened. It was quite evident that asking the Supreme Being to 'bend the knee' and worship false gods had set him off.
Ainz responded to the scripture captain's offer in a playful manner. "Sebas. Back off a bit." The well-dressed butler bowed and took a few steps back. Nigun raised an eyebrow upon seeing their peculiar behaviour, attempting to figure out just what this Ainz Ooal Gown's strategy was.
This unique crowd I have found myself before... I want to deal with them. After so much complaining and trash-talking it's only fair that I get to inflict some catharsis with my own hands. Oh how sweet it would be to show off. To bring down an entire [Pantheon] just to show them what a real high-tier angel looks like. But not yet.
I have not used a single summon since I got here. Since Yggdrasil became real. Who's to say how good my control over them really is? Will they prioritize killing the enemy above all else? Will they throw out a 10th-Tier spell without any consideration and wipe Carne Village off the map...? I need to start off with weaker summons. And if that's the case I may as well do it in a controlled environment.
I suppose I've fallen back on the traditional way of dealing with things. Whatever. There's a great deal of satisfaction that can be derived from personally taking care of business.
"Well. After seeing your little... Uh. 'Display', I am pretty unimpressed. So let's see what this mayfly can do."
"LIAR!"
"Heathen...!"
"Foolish caster, can't realise the power of the Six when it stares him in the face."
A slew of insults and remarks tumbled out of the coalition of casters that made up the Sunlight Scripture. Nigun himself seemed to go through all five stages of grief before settling on what could best be described as a cocktail of schadenfreude and sadistic joy.
"A pathetic final bluff, no better than a final whimper. Quite fitting of a man of your stature, 'Ainz'." The captain shook his head while Sebas fought back the urge to rip the man's head off.
"Are you prepared to meet your maker? I, Nigun Grid Luin, shall strike you down! DOMINION AUTHORITY! USE [HOLY SMITE]!"
The clouds adorning the night sky disappeared as a colossal beam of light split them apart. An enormous pillar of pure holy energy had struck the earth, scorching everything that came close. To the inhabitants of this world, this had been a feat on par with deities.
With the Supreme Being's own aura giving off its own defensive glow, the light emitted had grown even more intense, completely obscuring the vision of anybody staring directly at the attack. It would be no exaggeration to say that the blaze snuffed out the dark of night like the feeble flame of a candle in a hurricane.
Nigun looked on, laughing maniacally. Had he been able to see the fallen angel standing completely unfazed inside the beam he would not have been as jovial. [Holy Smite] would last several seconds. A short time for most, but a veritable eternity for the enhanced speeds of the overlord.
Of course, the attack got past [High Grade Magical Nullification III]. But Ainz's karma related skills prevented the attack from doing any notable damage.
Ainz frowned, though his face was still obscured by the mask.
These insects have been a thorn. Annoying, albeit not dangerous. But at the same time, the angel felt a certain level of discomfort gnawing at him. The aforementioned paranoia again, perhaps? He would not reveal any trump cards or even a smidgen of true power until he knows nobody is siphoning information from this little scuffle.
What he had learned was that even those that were considered "strong" in the world were quite pitiful by his standards. Hardly a bad thing. He would much rather his enemies be too weak rather than too strong. His hands subconsciously reached for the precious piece of jewellery wrapped around his right ring finger.
It was at that moment Ainz had something akin to an epiphany. To a human looking up at the sky, the sun and the moon would look to be equally big. Of course, the sun is far larger but also much further away. From where this supposed "scripture" stood the peaks of power were muddled.
The difference between a pathetic Dominion Authority or seraphs created by Super-Tier [Pantheon] would on first glance hardly matter when you are so shockingly weak.
The Supreme Being looked at his gloved hand. He could not see the ring through the glove, but felt its presence nonetheless. His initial paranoia was slowly escalating to a mix of dread and anticipation. How good would the people of this world be at gauging an item's true value?
[Ring of Momonga]. A World-Class Item.
When a World Item is equipped by a player they are rendered immune to other World Items. Of course, this can be somewhat difficult with items such as [Ouroboros], which allows the user to propose changes to the game directly to the developers.
If a major alteration is brought about, it is somewhat difficult for World Item holders to not be affected by fundamental changes to the game. As such, World Item holders are instead compensated with more World Items custom made for them.
That was the case for Ainz Ooal Gown, or Momonga as it were. There were 200 WCIs in the game, though this number did not factor in "personalized" WCIs such as the gaudy metal band Ainz was wearing this very moment. As a new WCI created by holding a WCI when another player used [Ouroboros], the [Ring of Momonga] was named after its user and can only be used by its original owner whose name it shares.
It was here. Together with Ainz. Together with the Tomb. Together with the NPCs.
The fallen angel lazily looked past the curtain of light at the Dominion Authority that hovered behind a smug-looking Nigun, the buffoon that fancied himself a defender of humanity.
A 7th-Tier spell. How pitifully endearing.
But this was in a way exactly what Ainz had feared. It was clearly a creature from Yggdrasil, created by a spell from Yggdrasil. Players had been here at some point, or failing that...
... Items from Yggdrasil have in one way or another ended up here, judging by the crystal. The unimpressed neutral expression on the Supreme Being's face grew into an unamused scowl.
This... Fascinating individual, Nigun, came here from the "Slane Theocracy". Sure, he may have called it a "secret treasure" of the Theocracy. But he isn't exactly the sharpest claymore in the armory. There's no way they gave away their trump card to this moron to kill one meagre warrior. No. They have items to spare. Possibly powerful individuals as well.
Whatever this overgrown firefly is worth to them they surely have more dangerous tricks up their sleeve. The possibility of them holding a World-Class Item cannot be ignored. This world is more dangerous than I had initially believed.
In Yggdrasil threats were obvious. Everything had a level. And even if they were tougher than you, they were simple A.I with predictable patterns and limited wrenches to throw in the works.
Players were a different story, but you always knew when you were encountering one. They were the only ones with WCIs. But not everything can be accounted for in this world. That little rule no longer applies.
A peasant child could have stumbled over [World Savior] or [Longinus], were they not in my possession.
Even if only the strong end up with all the World Items, the strong of this world are quite non-threatening. There's no telling who could royally fuck you up with some broken, unbalanced bullshit.
Ainz nearly broke down in nervous laughter at the absurd idea of a level 2 kid permanently killing a floor guardian with [Longinus].
... With that, the spell came to a close. [Holy Smite] had ended, allowing the divine light to fade from the world and darkness to settle once more. There was no cricket-song nor any rustling leaves. All that remained was an oppressive quiet.
The silence was deafening, as the unharmed figure of Ainz Ooal Gown emerged from the pillar of light none the worse for wear. Momonga seemed perfectly calm, though the same could not be said for his opponents.
Another paranoid cast of [Widen Maximize Magic - Obscure Divination] yielded nothing, allowing the overlord a breath of relief, knowing that nobody was spying on them.
Nigun stared at him with a slack jaw and eyes opened so wide that they were about to fall out of his skull. The captain's pose revealed that he had frozen halfway through what appeared to be a bout of maniacal laughter. Ainz nearly snickered when he realised that he could hear the captain's heart racing from where he was standing.
And now for what Ulbert likes to call "theatrical flair". Taunt them a bit. See how they react. If they still seem confident they likely have backup or more tricks. Someone was watching before, after all.
The Supreme Being performed an exaggerated act of dusting himself off and stretching as the crowd looked on in stunned silence.
"Hmm." The fallen angel gave the scripture a nonchalant shrug. "Not too shabby. I had expected not to feel it at all, but to reach the level of 'refreshing gust of wind' was quite commendable indeed. A little more and I'll consider stepping aside next time."
"Wha-what...?" Compared to the bombastic confidence the scripture captain previously had, his voice was now meek. "How did...? No. No no no no- NO! This has to be a TRICK!" His voice cracked as he pointed an accusatory finger towards the Supreme Being.
"YOU!" He glared at the angel in front of him before turning his head towards his compatriots. "HE'S TRYING TO FOOL US! HE WON'T DO IT ANOTHER TIME! AN ITEM! IT HAS TO BE! DOMINION AUTHORITY! SMITE HIM! SMITE HIM AGAIN!"
"Ah well. Fun while it lasted I suppose." Ainz pointed one of his open hands towards the Dominion Authority who was charging up another smite. "[Palm of Nirvana]."
The night erupted into celestial flames. Wispy nebulae of golden silk swirled over the field of battle like a sandstorm, bringing a calming light to the dry earth that had been quenched with blood. To the captain of the Sunlight Scripture however, the light was anything but calming.
Dominion Authority simply disintegrated, crumbling into divine dust and motes of light like a fortune cookie being crushed between two uncaring hands.
Had any of the mages in the Sunlight Scripture been a high enough level, they would have seen a giant hand of holy energy being launched towards their angel, crushing it like a slap would do to a mosquito.
7th-Tier trash dealt with by more 7th-Tier trash. [Palm of Nirvana] is rather useless for most builds, though it has a rather useful situational application. It becomes exponentially less effective when used against beings of divine natures or positive karma and vice versa. With my jobs, however...
Golden smoke had settled, allowing the gentle grip of nightfall to reclaim the now peaceful battlefield.
"One... Hit?"
"No! THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!"
"Demon-!"
"C-Captain-! Wh... What do we do?!"
"I- I don't know! FIGURE IT OUT YOURSELF!"
Though it wasn't outright said, all casters present briefly considered the possibility of the old demon gods having come back to conquer the world yet again.
Ainz was unconcerned, letting his gaze flit from figure to figure, closely inspecting each of the Scripture Members. Each and everyone of them seemed to be at their breaking points. Nigun was the easiest to read, being the only one not wearing a bizarre headpiece.
Part of me feels a bit disappointed. I had expected something to warp in to fight me. Guess I called out the Guardians for nothing?
AHHHHH! That's really going to negatively affect their opinion of me, right?
Whatever. Let's just be glad that nobody got hurt. Well. Except...
"Looks like you are about done." The Supreme Angel rubbed his palm against his robes in a mock attempt to dry it of the smeared Dominion Authority. He took a single step forward, and a few casters tumbled back onto their asses.
"HIIEEEH~!"
"M-monster-!"
Groans, shrieks and prayers spilled from the Sunlight Scripture like water out of a tap. Their captain was no better.
"W... Wait! Ainz- No! Lord Ainz O-Ooal Gown!" Nigun stammered, raising his arms in front of him as if to stave off the approach of the mighty angel. "Please spare us! No! ME! I alone will be enough! You can have everybody else!"
With those words, Ainz stopped dead in his tracks. Nigun took it as a sign that his feeble attempts at striking a deal was working, growing emboldened. Sebas seemed to have a better understanding of the situation, instead feeling tense as a result of his master's sudden stillness.
"C-Captain! You can't-"
"SILENCE! YOU VOWED TO SERVE THE THEOCRACY EVEN AT THE COST OF YOUR LIFE! As the Captain of the Sunlight Scripture, it is my duty to return home and report this incident!" Nigun barked at his subordinate before returning his attention to the angel and speaking again.
"Lord Ainz, through your infinite mercy, I believe it is in your best interes-"
"Enough." The masked noble uttered a single word, but that word was enough. His voice was calm, though the underlying wrath could not be understated. Like a wisp of suffocating smoke the Supreme Being's command was carried over to Nigun on icy winds of omen.
"Wha-"
"A leader so readily throwing away the lives of their subordinates and doing nothing but putting them down whenever they speak up... Should not be leading in the first place." His clear voice cut through Nigun's confused protest like a sharp blade.
...Greater love hath no one than this, to lay down ones life for ones friends. These words echoed in Momonga's head as he briefly thought about sharing this quote with Nigun. Then again, they hardly seem like friends... That is no excuse. Comrades in arms should value one another a little more than this.
Ainz gave a weary sigh, gently shaking his head. "No matter." He sighed, seeming more exasperated than before.
The casters all shared a terrified look, wanting to turn tail and run but knowing that they wouldn't get far. Momonga's mood seemed to grow heavier, as he began speaking with a veneer of false calm.
"How about a little lesson in celestiology? That angel of yours... What class was it?"
Silence ensued, with nobody wanting to answer and fall under the scrutiny of a nigh-omnipotent being.
"The correct answer would be 'Dominion' class. And the angel that was brought down by the Warrior-Captain... 'Principality' class."
"W-why are you telling us this...?" Nigun stammered, finally having mustered up the courage to speak up as his potentially last act of defiance.
"Perspective." Was the answer that came.
"H-huh?"
"When the gap between us is this great, it is difficult to put into perspective just how fucked you all are-!" Ainz replied in a chipper tone, allowing his wicked amusement to bleed into his voice. Despite sounding quite innocent, it was more than enough to send shivers down the scripture-captain's spine.
'More? There's MORE?!' Were the words that echoed inside Nigun's head.
"Dominion class angels occupy the upper echelons of the second sphere of angels. In a literal reality above that lies the first sphere, dominated by Cherubs, Thrones, God Hands and Seraphs."
During Ainz's monologue one scripture member's nerves were pushed past the breaking point, causing him to flee in terror. Sebas moved instantly with but a look from Momonga, closing the gap and immobilizing the fleeing caster. Dread occupied the hearts of the mages, knowing full well that they were at the mercy of a truly powerful monster.
"... And above even that... You find the rulers of the first sphere." The Supreme Being gestured dramatically as three pairs of majestic white wings burst from his back. The Sunlight Scripture stared at him incredulously, their gazes filled with a horrified curiosity.
"Y-you-! You're an angel?!" Such an obvious thing now that Ainz revealed it, though the shock only allowed Nigun to dumbly state the obvious. "Y-you should serve the SIX! What God-less..."
The visage was harrowing, yet they could not bring themselves to look away. A halo of pale gold, larger than the average person broke through the veil and reentered this plane of existence. Once again, celestial light bathed the battlefield.
Ainz Ooal Gown walked- nay- hovered towards the scripture, now seeming larger than life due to the reemergence of his angelic features. As an extra act of showmanship the Supreme Being had enabled [Despair Aura] to really hit the point home.
"I serve no one." His voice was calm. Nearly breathless. Yet all sound seemed to evaporate from the world as he spoke. It was the speech of one man, yet Nigun could shake the feeling that Ainz Ooal Gown was a choire of a thousand men speaking in unison.
Dread. Pure dread wriggled up and down the casters' spines as a voice as alluring as it was threatening painted a disturbingly detailed picture of their untimely demise. It was a sweet sirens song, almost forcefully calming the mind before the immensity and severety of the words he spoke truly set in.
"I am Ainz Ooal Gown." The angel had his arms stretched out as if to embrace a dear friend. The scripture captain could feel an icy wind pick up as perfect white feathers floated down like heavy snow.
The Fallen Angel had his three pairs of wings spread. Their wingspan in the eyes of the scripture were great enough to wrap around them and consume them whole.
"Once upon a time there were none foolish enough to disregard that name." Another caster snapped under pressure. Whatever madness had possessed him, it didn't make him particularly wise, as he fired a metal ball with a slingshot that was strapped to his wrist. His warcry was nothing more than a pathetic yelp.
Momonga simply caught it as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Then with a flick of the wrist threw it back with enough force to take the poor man's head clean off before anyone could so much as blink. He hovered forward, inching closer ever slowly, like an unstoppable force that would inevitably catch you.
A God closing the gap. Inch by agonizing inch.
The reactions of the casters were mixed. Some outright fainted, others soiled themselves. A few fell to their knees with their hands clasped in prayers. The truly foolish turned tail and ran, only to be brought down by a zealous butler. Most simply stood there. Staring at the incarnation of everything divine, fully having given up their worldview.
"I know your 'Gods'. I know what they were. I know that they would cower and whimper like you if they were here." [Despair Aura] strengthened even further, causing everybody present to panic. Yet the oppressive existence of a dark god had rooted them in place.
Nigun opened his mouth to refute the renegade angel, but could find neither the words nor the courage to speak.
It would seem that his pride is as hollow as his power.
"They were six deities. I have slaughtered thousands."
"You... Your country. Your comforting lie that you call a religion. Your saints. Your heroes. Your leaders. Your people. Your Gods." He paused, seeming to draw a shuddering breath. "They all live by virtue of my mercy, and are undone by my hand."
The Supreme One drew closer still. Despite being quite far apart, the casters could feel the angel's warm breath on their necks with every deceptively gentle word.
"I am Ainz Ooal Gown. Momonga. The leader of the 41 Supreme Beings. But to you... I will be nothing more than a humble judge." Nigun could feel the sadistic smile hidden behind the warped mask and shuddered involuntarily. Had the angel's face not been obscured the sheer energy emitted by his dark glee would have burned through the captain's skull.
"I have judged you, and I have found you wanting." Phantom funeral chimes were echoing in the distance, and they seemed oh so real.
"So come." His absolute presence drew closer in a now rapid pace. "Face penance, and be by my will entombed."
Nigun let out a bloodcurdling scream, but it did nothing to hinder the advance of a God at the end of his patience.
