CHAPTER 8-EXPERIMENTAL CLASHES: PART 1
Deep within the Great Tomb of Nazarick, a skeletal figure of bleach-white marble color, pensively sat on a magnificent throne that incorporated an obsidian-colored, crystalline material in its construction. It was enormous, as the back was high enough to touch the ceiling above, where it was situated in a throne room that was as equally gigantic. It was lit with magical light shining down from above from gold chandeliers whose resplendence beggared belief, with crystals that covered nearly every spectrum of the rainbow.
The skeletal figure itself was dressed in luxurious and powerful magical robes whose value was equal to that of a nation in and of itself. Its eye-sockets burned brightly with flaming red dots that were akin to two red suns. This produced a scrutinizing gaze, that had a world-class beauty with a pair black wings at her waist, trembling in both fear and delight at her master's incomparable power as she bowed at his side.
This was the Overlord of Death and Supreme Master of Nazarick, Ainz Ooal Gown, with his Guardian Overseer, Albedo. He rested his skeletal face on his ringed, bony hand as he listened tentatively to her report.
"... And Cocytus' forces are about to engage the lizardmen as we speak, Ainz-sama."
"Umu... very good, Albedo. Now then, what have Nigredo and the [Shadow Demons] reported on the situation in E-Rantel?" The Overlord calmly asked.
For a split second Albedo hesitated to respond, and even this seemed a grave offense in her mind as she looked upon the marble white face of her beloved master. She sensed no hostility as he curiously tilted his head slightly, and this only seemed to ease her heart as she dutifully replied in a honey-like voice...
"Unfortunately, they have found no trace of this one called, 'Madara'.~ Even after they had widened their search to the surrounding areas they found nothing. It appears that he has left the area entirely. I had my sister attempt to search for his whereabouts, but astonishingly, she's had no success as of yet."
Ainz paused over hearing this news, and if he had to be honest, it did not please him in the slightest. His right index finger lightly tapped his temple as he sank into thought...
'Eh... This isn't good... The Shadow Demons not being able to find him I could accept, but for Nigredo being unable to is really troubling. She's a lvl-95 magic caster that specializes in divination and information gathering type magic. I even delayed the operation for the lizardman villages over this. If she can't find him... then this is a huge blunder! Damn it! Is he a Player? Is he the one that brainwashed Shalltear? I need to know if it is him, and if he's not, whether he's a threat...'
Anger and hatred, thick and cloying, slowly bubbled up from the pits of his mind, and simmered just below the threshold of his emotion suppression passive. As it slowly came down, it was replaced with anxiety and frustration at his mistake. As if sensing her love's displeasure, Albedo deeply bowed as she spoke in an apologetic tone.
"My deepest apologies, Ainz-sama!~"
Her fervent apologies brought Ainz from his stewing as he glanced at her from the corners of his eyes.
'Eh? Huh? What is she apologizing for? It was my mistake... Aaaah.~ She must think I'm angry at her or something. Can't really blame her. I've been yelled at by managers back in my old world for things that weren't even my fault. No. If I'm going to be a good boss, then I can't use them as scapegoats. Especially for this...'
With that in mind, Ainz gently lifted his right hand and calmly spoke in an attempt to allay Albedo's fears.
"It's fine, Albedo. There's no need to apologize. You and your sister simply followed my instructions, and did your best. If there is any fault here, then it lies with me."
"B-But Ainz-sama...!"
"Albedo! I said it's fine. This turn of events simply serves to validate my previous concerns about this man called, 'Madara'." Ainz said firmly to convince the apologetic NPC.
"Ah, as expected of Ainz-sama!~ Such kindness and wisdom... I, Albedo, greatly thank my lord for his mercy upon my unworthy self and sister..." Albedo said almost a little too excitedly for Ainz's tastes, as he performed a fake cough to clear his own unease before speaking.
"A-Ahem! I only speak the truth Albedo, but enough about that. After our operation with the lizardmen is complete, I want a likeness of that man circulated to everyone from Nazarick. Make sure that Sebas and Solution in the capital receive this as well. If anyone finds him, he is to be watched, but not confronted. I want information gathered on him first, before anything else is done."
Albedo ceased her reverie so quickly that it would have unsettled the average individual. Especially since it was replaced with a hard, focused countenance that would have sent a few chills down a man's spine. Her eyes and voice possessed an equally hard edge as she spoke in a silky-smooth, yet steely voice.
"I understand, Ainz-sama. The possibility exists for this man to be the one to have brainwashed Shalltear, correct?"
"Umu. That can't be assumed right now. He could have had something to do with it, but then again he might not. Either way, he's someone of interest. Understand, Albedo?"
A flash of comprehension flashed in the Guardian Overseer's eye, as her expression slowly melted into her usual gentle smile, and then bowed to her master.
"Understood, Ainz-sama.~"
"Umu. Good then." Ainz plainly said as he sank into thought.
'Whether he's the one that brainwashed Shalltear or not, to be able to evade Nigredo's detection is not an easy thing. Ah! I was so worried about making another mistake, I went and made another one! Keh! I'll worry about it later! For now, I need to focus on Cocytus' mission...'
"Um, Ainz-sama?~ If there is nothing else, I will ensure everything is set for when this operation has completed." Albedo's soft, coquettish voice chimed in, bringing Ainz back from his musings.
"Hm. That's fine Albedo."
"And do not worry, Ainz-sama.~ I will return to your side with all due haste." Albedo said with a lightly flirtatious tone.
"Uh, um. Right." Ainz replied, with barely hidden uncertainty.
As Albedo gracefully exited the throne room, Ainz fell back into his thoughts...
'Eeeh...~ Even though I'm undead, Albedo makes me nervous sometimes. Ah~ah. I wish I had never tampered with her settings. I couldn't possibly take advantage of the children of my friends like that...'
Meanwhile, as Ainz continued with his inner regrets, Albedo was in contact with her sister Nigredo via [Message]. Her voice and expression once again taking on a serious edge as she spoke.
[How are your efforts, elder sister? Any progress?]
[I am sorry my sister, Albedo. There hasn't been any change. So far, all my efforts have yielded no results.]
Albedo clenched her teeth as she barely held back her displeasure. Although her master was not blaming either herself or her sister Nigredo, the fact that something that was clearly worrying him was not being addressed incensed her. How could her sister's efforts not be yielding any results?! This was both confusing and infuriating for her as she spoke again with a displeased tone.
[Explain sister. Our creator blessed you with the best information and tracking magic in all of Nazarick, so how is that possible?]
[It is... difficult to explain sister. A force I have never encountered before seems to be both disrupting and confusing my magic. Whenever I try to locate this being that Ainz-sama and Narberal described to me, it is like he is nowhere, and yet everywhere at the same time. Forgive me sister, but I cannot explain it better than that.] Nigredo says in a forlorn and apologetic tone over the [Message] link.
This news confused and angered Albedo greatly. By all accounts, this world that they found themselves in was seemingly a pathetic and weak one. No power should be able to resist her sister's efforts. Of course, that was before Shalltear was brainwashed by a [World Class Item], and everyone, their master included, had to be more cautious now.
It was her master's caution towards things, combined with those events that tempered Albedo's boiling anger and confusion, as she calmly spoke again.
[I understand. It cannot be helped then. Continue your efforts sister, and let me know if there are any changes. This is an important concern for Ainz-sama, and I will not let it pass.]
[...!]
There was a moment of silence between the two NPCs, before Nigredo spoke in a tone of insight and comprehension.
[I understand, sister. I will continue to do my best.]
[Thank you, elder sister.]
With that, Albedo ended the [Message] link, and continued on to her duties, so that she may return to her "beloved" as soon as possible.
...
Unbeknownst to any of them, Madara had left E-Rantel mere moments before any of their efforts to try to find him even began. Furthermore, he had access to high-leveled concealment items and spell scrolls from YGGDRASIL, thanks to the treasures kept by the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord's defeat and brief enslavement of a Player. Combined with his own concealment jutsu wards from his world, and his compound was now more or less impossible to find with normal means. Even those from Nazarick.
Even his clones, which now wandered the new world, were equipped with such wards and items, as a result of the information that the Dragon Lord had shared with Madara. Simply put, Ainz's own cautious nature worked against him, which allowed Madara time to put these defenses together. Each unaware that was the case.
Within the chamber that Madara used for his tests, he sat cross-legged in a lotus style, with his hands cupped in his lap, and himself seemingly in a meditative state as his eyes remained closed. He was currently dressed in his newest gear, and his expression was calm as he kept his breathing measured, as his thoughts then took shape during his meditations...
'A powerful force is continually trying to find me and this location. Hmph. As expected, but entirely fruitless. Though this could be a hindrance if allowed to continue...'
Madara's thoughts are broken as he senses another presence in the chamber with him. As he opens his eyes, he sees the bowing form of the Elder Lich Lottus standing before him, as he speaks with a tone of respect and reverence.
"Pardon the intrusion, milord. You wanted me to inform you when the time came..."
"Hm. Very well, Lottus."
Madara asked for no further clarification as he seemed to understand the meaning right away. With a simple mental command, a hawk summon that had been released hours before began flying in circular patterns. While its size was typical for a normal hawk, its appearance was not, as its body sported several black "piercings", and its eyes had the ripple pattern common to that of the [Rinnegan].
It flew dozens of miles around the area known as the "Great Lake", which was located in the northern part of the Great Forest of Tob. This area extended to the southern end of the Azerlisia Mountain range. The Great Lake encompassed an enormous area, having a width of approximately 12.43 miles (20 km), and had a shape like that of a ladle, or an inverted calabash.
The lake was divided into two halves, or parts. The upper and the lower lake. The upper lake was relatively deep, and as a result, large creatures tended to settle there. This was in contrast to the the lower lake portion, which was inhabited by smaller creatures. The southern end of the lower lake was a large region where the "wetlands" and the lake itself seemingly blended into each other. It was here that 5 tribes of lizardmen settled, with their villages located over muddy lands.
Madara's clones and summons had spent the better part of a month covertly watching and studying the lizardmen tribes. Before then, Madara only had basic information about them, but as time went on, he grew to know them quite well, and found their rustic, primitive way of life to be quite amusing. The lizardmen were non-hostile unless provoked, and typically kept to themselves, with their primary diet consisting of fish, despite being omnivorous.
With their primitive technology and society, they were a threat to no one. Save maybe each other, should food shortages strike their areas. So it came as a bit of a surprise when 8 days ago, wraith-like beings descended upon each of the 5 remaining tribes, and delivered a proclamation of their doom. Despite the ominous warnings, Madara was impressed by the speed of which the tribes responded, and banded together to fight.
Still, there were a few things that struck Madara as odd in the beginning. First, why give warning to a race that will be stamped out in the end? Despite the undead wraiths' words, Madara remained unconvinced that it was simply a matter of wanting to watch the lizardmen struggle pointlessly. Furthermore, why warn them at all? A simultaneous sneak attack would have ensured their destruction.
Second, why give a numbered order to each village's downfall? If a warning is going to be given, keep things as vague as possible to sow fear and confusion. So when your forces arrive, the defenders would have suffered hours upon days of emotional and mental stress to wear them down before the fighting even starts. With the way things were handled, it was practically inviting them to band together, with information and time on their side to mount a semi-adequate defense.
After watching things unfold through the shared vision of the [Rinnegan] between his clones, his summons, and himself over the course of those 8 days, it did not take long for Madara to formulate ideas as to the purpose. Still, this seemed an excellent time and opportunity to watch things unfold, gather information from the shadows, and run tests of his own. Including the long distance control of his summons.
'It has now begun...' Madara thought to himself as he focused his will through his nearby clones, and through them, into his hawk summon.
Normal hawks had excellent vision, but thanks to the enhancements granted to the summon via the Animal Path of the [Rinnegan], it could watch events unfold from 20 miles (32.2 km) away, and still see them with crystal clarity. It watched as the 2 armies eventually clashed, with the united lizardman tribes outnumbered 3-to-1. Madara as the long studied master of warfare, could almost instantly pick out the flaws on each side as they battled.
For the lizardmen, they had an over-reliance on the natural defenses of their thick hides and scales for protection. This soon proved a fatal flaw, because although their enemy were seemingly weak undead, they were armed with weapons that could breach those natural defenses. Especially since they could not tire like the lizardmen. This became even more apparent when undead archers were deployed, and very few lizardmen had shields in their off-hands for protection against the hail of arrows. If they had some additional armor and/or protective gear for all, casualties could be reduced.
Despite this and being outnumbered, the lizardmen proved the superior fighters in close-quarters. Unlike mindless undead, they were quick-witted, could think creatively, and could do more than just react to their foes. In addition, they were armed with an assortment of bludgeoning weapons that, while primitive, did devastating damage to the skeletal undead. However, the close-ranged fighters that had them only had a short reach. Very few had bludgeoning weapons attached to polearms for mid-range.
This small amount of variety in their melee armaments, proved another exploitable weakness. If there were more polearm users for mid-ranged combat, keeping certain enemies at bay would have allowed for greater flexibility when allies counter-attacked. This proved especially problematic against zombies, and other types of fleshy undead.
As far as long-ranged combat went, although they had sling users that could shatter the skulls of skeletons, their range was limited, and not an effective counter to the archers among the undead. Lacking archers of their own proved another weakness that they needed to compensate for. Although they charged the enemy, all the undead needed to do was to rain arrows down on both sides, since piercing arrows were less effective on undead than the living lizardman targets.
The lizardmen were able to compensate for some of these shortcomings by taking advantage of the terrain, and setting traps for the undead ahead of time. This was very effective against the cavalry the undead tried and failed to deploy.
'Hmm...? intriguing...'
Madara then noticed that the lizardmen had summoned Swamp Elementals to aid their kin. While that was a great idea, not having them at the start of the battle to provide additional cover and support proved costly. Although, it did not take long to realize that was likely due to the lengthy ritual that needed to be conducted by the multiple magic casters that Madara noted through his summon's vision.
This was the final element the lizardmen needed, as the flow of the battle shifted to them, and they took the initiative. Despite the sudden appearance of an Elder Lich that, while dangerous, was still weaker than even Lottus, the lizardmen emerged victorious, as their "elites" took to the field, and turned the tide back in their favor.
Their victory helped to highlight the several weaknesses among the undead. The most important being the lack of on-site commanders that could direct the undead as needed to the changing conditions on the battlefield. Although the numbers advantage was for the undead, there were next-to-no formations, tactics, and strategies to take advantage of it, and the various types of undead available. They were just thrown at the lizardmen, believing they would win. There was no reconnaissance conducted, and it became clear that the tribes were underestimated from the start. The terrain also worked against them, and the lizardmen had the advantage of fighting on their own territory.
Even when the Elder Lich was finally deployed, it was not used nearly as effectively as it could have been, and the elite lizardmen that faced it had a counter for nearly anything it could do. It was simply left to its own devices with no direct plan in mind, once again illustrating a total mismanagement on the side opposing force. This all but confirmed his suspicions as Madara thought to himself...
'This was not a war of extermination. This was a test.'
All the pieces seemed to fit as Madara opened his eyes and sent a mental command to his summon to maintain its distance and flight path around the site of the battle. He then continued his train of thought as he reflected on what he had witnessed.
'Those lizardmen were fairly impressive. Despite their weaknesses they adapted well to the battle. And the final words of that Elder Lich... Ainz, is it? That must be the name of its master. I doubt this will be the last of things, if indeed this battle was merely a test...'
As Madara concluded his inner thoughts, he sent a mental command to have a few bodies of the lizardmen retrieved. As he did so, he turned his head to Lottus who stood nearby dutifully and expectantly, who then spoke in a matching tone.
"Milord? How did it go?"
"Hm. It was fairly interesting. I will tell you what I saw as we walk." Madara replies in a neutral tone as he stands up to walk to Lottus' lab.
Lottus tilted his head curiously, as he then straightened it and spoke as he then seemed to realize what was happening.
"Ah, I see. Very good milord. I will prepare things at once."
...
Almost a full day later, as Madara had expected, the lizardmen tribes were once again assailed by the forces of this "Ainz", that the Elder Lich had mentioned. The sky above was covered in a thick layer of dark clouds, while the horizon was normal. This clearly was not natural. However, as he watched the proceedings through the eyes of his hawk summon, he realized that their goal was to not destroy them, but to strike fear and assert dominance over the tribes.
The display was effective, if not completely excessive, as an army of 6,000 undead was deployed as a sort of honor guard. Also, each of them was fully equipped with magical armor and weapons. That alone would have had the necessary effect, but then came the appearance of the "great one" himself, Ainz Ooal Gown.
Madara was immediately intrigued by the being he saw through the eyes of his hawk summon. He bore many characteristics of an Elder Lich, but it was more refined, and many leagues more powerful. It was like comparing a basilisk to a dragon, and Madara grinned at the sight. Though the appearance was different, he could sense that he had felt this type of presence before. It belonged to the Adamantite ranked adventurer he encountered in E-Rantel, and called himself, Momon.
He chuckled at the thought, confusing a nearby Lottus, but he had not the time to address it, or his thoughts on the matter. For when the undead magic caster stepped forward, a magic array roughly 10 meters across expanded from around that undead in a hemisphere. There were glowing, translucent scripts of a bluish-white light. These had shifted with dazzling speed, each different from one moment to the next.
Madara had studied magic extensively during his month with Lottus, and knew instantly that this magic was well beyond the scope of anything known or recorded in Lottus' tomes. Whatever this spell was, it would be massive in scope. That is what his instincts had told him. It would turn out that he was correct. The spell was cast, and the magic circle fragmented into numerous motes of light that flew into the sky. They then spread from the air, and in an explosion of ethereal energy, the lake froze over near instantly.
As absolute terror took hold of the lizardman tribes, Madara found himself marveling at the spectacle he was witnessing. The flash freezing spell deployed by the undead had covered an amazingly large area that stretched on for miles. From what he could tell the spell used no mana, yet there was a subtle shift in the undead magic caster's power.
'Hmm... perhaps this was a special ability of some kind...' Madara thought pensively.
Madara was aware of a [Talent] from Lottus' records, that could allow a magic caster to deploy a single spell at no cost to mana, and his experienced mind surmised that to be the case. Seeing this display was making Madara rethink many of his assumptions and expectations regarding magic.
He was aware of the "mythical" 7th and 8th-tiers of magic, and their existence was confirmed through the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord that even higher tiers did in fact exist. These events verified all those beliefs and more, adding more fuel to Madara's ever growing fascination with magic. However, there was yet more happening at the lake, and he decided to put such musings on hold for now.
Suddenly, a 30 meter tall colossus of a golem with a glowing red, pulsating center appeared, and chucked a giant stone platform in between the tribes' and the undead forces. Then in another surprising display, one group of undead formed "stairs" up to the top of the platform, while another formed a type of "royal procession" for not only the undead "King", but also a group of beings whose power made Madara smile.
With the exception of a pair of dark elf children, none of them were human, and each exuded varying degrees of power that were around the same level with each other, with some being stronger than others. Except for a grotesque floating fetus with twigs for wings and a glowing halo over its head. Though it seemed by far the weakest of the group, something about it felt wrong and put Madara on guard.
After this group had walked up to the top of the platform, everything played out as Madara thought it would. The undead called for the representatives of the lizardmen tribes for talks, and much like everything else, it was done in an overblown fashion meant to flaunt his power, and inspire fear and terror to the other side.
As soon as the talks were over, a few of Madara's summons were able to listen in on the meeting between the leaders of the lizardmen, and learned much from it. This included the full name of the one that seemed to rule over death itself, Ainz Ooal Gown. Madara was pleased with the information he had retrieved, but after the meeting of the tribal heads was completed, he suddenly found himself far less so.
He was fascinated to no end by what he had witnessed, but something about it left a sour taste in his mouth. Here were small tribes that had done no wrong, and could not muster enough power to be much of a threat to anyone. Not even to the surrounding Re-Estize Kingdom, which completely ignored their very existence. Furthermore, there was something about it that felt familiar to him. Like it had reminded him of an entire lifetime of past experiences in his own world and life.
"Hmph! How unsightly." He said dismissively.
"Milord? What has happened?" Lottus asked in concern.
"Do not concern yourself with it. Hmm..."
Madara seemed to sink into thought as he stood up from his meditative pose, and cupped his chin with his right thumb and index finger.
'Despite the distasteful feelings this situation has brought about, this presents an excellent opportunity for another test, and I'm certain that the force that is continually trying to find me and this place is connected to this "Ainz". I may be able to correct my previous mistake with this act...'
Madara then turned to Lottus as he spoke in a steely voice that took the undead by surprise.
"Are the corpses ready for use, Lottus?"
"Ah, yes milord. They are indeed ready."
"Excellent. Then it's time for another test..."
...
The four hours had come and gone, and as Ainz sat he watched with some interest in seeing how things will play out, via the [Mirror of Remote Viewing]. Although he knew that the gathered lizardmen stood no chance against Cocytus, he felt that he might learn something from this. Just as he learned how to properly fight as a warrior from his encounter with Clementine. Since Cocytus was made to be the quintessential warrior, it would be worth watching regardless of the outcome.
Cocytus has created two pillars of ice through his ability [Ice Pillar], and was very cordial with the lizardmen that he faced. This surprised Ainz to a certain degree, but as he then considered how Cocytus had asked for mercy towards the lizardmen tribes, he put such thoughts aside.
"Ah~ah. This will be no fun watching. They really don't stand a chance against Cocytus."
Aura's childish voice rang in, as the other guardians then voiced similar thoughts. To be honest, Ainz shared them as he slightly nodded. After all, this was more of an arranged execution than a "real" fight. Just then, Aura seemed to be on high-alert, with her ears twitching and her body language shifting. The nearby Demiurge was even quirker to pick up on this than Ainz as he spoke in his cool and calm voice.
"Aura, is something the matter?"
"A-Ainz-sama! Something... something is falling from the sky towards Cocytus and the lizardmen!"
"W-What was that?!"
If there was a reply to Ainz's surprised exclamation, he honestly did not hear it as the lights in his skull dimmed when his vision narrowed on the floating mirror. Something was coming, and it was not bothering to hide itself either. His undead watching the area did not pick up on its presence before now. It was as if...
"Aura, did you sense where and how this appeared?"
"I-I'm sorry, Ainz-sama! I didn't. It felt like it just... suddenly appeared out of nowhere!"
Ainz pondered on this. He felt that they had the area covered very well, and yet something still managed to slip through.
'Is this it?! Have the ones that brainwashed Shalltear appeared as last?!' Ainz thought to himself.
Trepidation, eagerness, worry, and anger swirled within Ainz as these emotions were quickly suppressed, but still lingered just below a certain threshold that prevented his passive from suppressing them completely. He also worried over Cocytus, but knew that he could not just alter the plan yet. Information was essential in taking action, and it would be foolish to simply jump in without it. Thus, as uncomfortable as he was, he relayed his next orders to Cocytus via [Message] with a heavy tone in his voice.
[Cocytus. Something approaches your position. Be on guard. This fight is yours, but I want you to draw out as much information as possible from the opposition as possible.]
[Hm. Understood. My. Lord.]
The [Message] link was promptly cut, as all awaited the new comer with anticipation...
...
Zaryusu stood at the icy "gates" of the ice pillars created by their soon-to-be opponent with his brother and the rest of their kin. The frozen marsh had long since melted, allowing for proper footing, but he still felt a chill crawl up the lengths of his tail and his spine. Cocytus gave off a presence of strength that only a warrior most mighty could have.
It was very different from what he had felt from his meeting with Ainz Ooal Gown, but still radiated with power absolute. After the younger lizardmen had been forced to withdraw, the final selection of those that would fight had been made, and Zaryusu then steeled himself as his brother spoke...
"Sorry to make you wait, Cocytus."
Cocytus remained the silent and stoic warrior, as he extended a hand to the lizardmen and curled it towards himself. The gesture beckoned them forward, and in response to this, Shasuryu then shouted in a commanding voice...
"CHARGE!"
Fully resolved to die, the lizardmen gave a warrior's cry from the depths of their souls. It was a roar which seemed to split the very air as they rushed at Cocytus. The ice warrior's vision then glanced upward, and suddenly...
*CRASH!*
The lizardmen immediately halted their advance as something violently crashed into the marsh, destroying the pillars of ice, and sending shards of ice and waves of water up and outward. As the cool mist of water and ice particles subsided, everyone was shocked upon seeing what appeared to be lizardman slowly rise from a kneeling position from the center of the impact. What's more, his appearance further shocked those present.
It was a male, and had a peculiar look to him. His scales had a bluish-green color, and he seemed to be slightly thinner than most Lizardmen. However, those were not the things that got Cocytus' attention. First were the eyes, which were light purple, with a distinct ripple pattern covering them.
Then there were the several black body piercings. There were 3 that decorated the lower arms, 4 resting on the lower legs, and another 3 going down his torso. Several went from the snout down the spine, and another 2 emerged from where the ears would be, much like dragon horns. Other than this, the lizardman did not appear to wear garments of any kind.
The new arrival gazed at Cocytus, seemingly no emotion present on his face. One thing that Cocytus noted with curiosity was that the lizardman stood unfazed in his presence. Another was the dormant, raw strength he felt coming from him. Cocytus' mandibles clacked dangerously as he thought...
'This. One. Is. Strong.'
The newcomer's vision then turned to the group of lizardmen behind, giving them a full view of his appearance. Many were taken aback by his both familiar, yet distinctly alien appearance. Yet as bewildered as they were, this did not stop Zaryusu from taking a step forward as he composed himself as he calmly, and respectfully addressed the being in front of him.
"W-Who are you?"
The new lizardman seemed to scowl at this question, taking Zaryusu aback a bit. Yet there was something about this lizardman that felt somewhat familiar. Like he had met him before somewhere, but simply could not place it. Just as he was mulling over the puzzle, the strange lizardman spoke in strong, almost command voice.
"Hmph! I have no name to give. If that doesn't suffice, then ask yourselves this: did you not call upon your ancestral spirits for aid in this battle? I am here in response to that summons."
"Wha..?!"
"Is it true?!"
"Then that ceremony...?"
While the other lizardmen traded exclamations of shock, Zaryusu and the other chiefs stood dumbfounded at the revelation. Indeed there were ceremonies conducted before the battle, but those were little more than efforts to boost morale through the use of magic tricks and drugs to cause some hallucinations. At least, that is what they believed.
'Did we truly summon our ancestors to fight on our behalf? This Ainz is a true ruler of death. Did our ancestors judge him to be such a threat that they actually replied to our calls?'
This line of thinking ran through all the chiefs as everyone reeled from the words and implications. Truly, it felt like gods and legends were descending upon them in this war. Before the shock could even wear off, the new arrival then spoke in a steely tone as he addressed the group.
"All of you return to the village. I will handle things from here."
"A... Ah. B-But... I mean no disrespect, but should we not assist you...?"
Zaryusu's careful questioning was rebuffed as the newcomer glared at him and the rest, and they suddenly felt as if a wave of heated air pressure and power hit them. The effect lasted only a few seconds as visions of the creature's purple, ripple-patterned eyes flashed in their minds. Nearly all of them gasped for air as the oppressive force and the hallucination subsided, he alien looking lizardman tersely and forcefully spoke.
"Leave. You'll just be in the way."
His very words seemed to carry with it a fearsome power, and if there were any doubts as to his claims and abilities, they all vanished like the wind, as the group seemed to gulp and then slightly bow as their acknowledgement. No words needed to be spoken. This being showed its words to be true. They could do nothing but leave their fight to him, as they slowly turned one by one to return to the village. Zaryusu was the last to leave, as conflicting feelings rose within him, but knew that there was nothing he could do.
He joined his brother's side as they quickly picked up the pace into a brisk job to leave the area, sensing the opposing forces of Cocytus and the new arrival pressing towards each other as they stared each other down. Then Zaryusu quietly spoke in a low tone to his brother Shasuryu.
"Brother, do you truly believe the ancestral spirits watch over us?"
At first, Shasuryu was stunned by the question, but did not rebuke his brother for the question as he glance over his shoulder, and then back to Zaryusu as he answered in a solemn tone.
"Honestly, Zaryusu? After all that's happened to us over such a short time, I don't know what to believe anymore. If myths and legends have chosen our home as a battlefield, all we can do is stay out of the way."
"Yeah. I feel the same way, brother."
...
As the lizardmen left, Cocytus continued to stare down the mysterious lizardman that had literally dropped in. He had several chances to attack during their exchange, but his warriors honor and caution stayed his hand. It would have been disrespectful to have attacked during a conversation that clearly involved the people he was charged with subjugating. Plus, his master had ordered him to gather information, and he felt that attacking first would be detrimental to that order.
Then there was his caution at the oppressive force he felt from the nameless lizardman. Even if it was directed towards his kin, Cocytus also felt it from his position. It was like nothing he had ever felt before. Strength of power and will in a single moment of release. It was different, but potent, and he had communicated as much to his master on the other end of a [Message] connection.
Ainz was watching the whole affair, and was also baffled by the sight. The newly arrived lizardman had virtually nothing in common with the others he had seen, either in this new world, or within YGGDRASIL. This was also compounded by the description Cocytus gave of the arrival having a power and a presence he did not recognize.
'What is that? Some kind of new type of lizardman native to this world? In YGGDRASIL, you have enemies who look slightly different than usual because they are stronger or worth more. Is this something like that? Some kind of rare lizardman type? The others didn't seem to recognize him, and Cocytus didn't recognize the type of power it gave off...'
Ainz tried in vain to figure out the puzzle before him. His own gut feeling was telling him that this was not a Player. Especially when no magical forces were detected in the vicinity of Cocytus. Then there were two forces within Ainz clashing. The collector within him wanted this new lizardman captured alive for interrogation and study, but the ever cautious PVP veteran pushed back against such then, Albedo's honey-like voice chimed in with a fierce edge that brought his attention to her.
"Ainz-sama, what do you wish us to do? This battle was to be Cocytus' punishment for his earlier failure, but if you wish it, we can move to assist him."
Ainz was conflicted as Albedo brought up a good point. This battle was to be Cocytus' penance for his failure, and he did not want to be viewed as an indecisive or fickle ruler by his NPCs. Not when he had just learned that they can change and grow as individuals. On the other hand, he worried for Cocytus, seeing him as the treasured creation of one of his friends.
Again he found two trains of thought clashing, until he quickly made a decision realizing that the calm before Cocytus duel would not last forever. As he pulled out several spell scrolls he spoke to his nearby guardians in a regal tone.
"For now we simply watch, observe, and gather more information. Aura, continue to monitor the surrounding areas. Everyone else, be ready to move if it comes to that."
"Yes, Ainz-sama!" The NPCs present replied in unison.
Ainz then quickly activated the spell scrolls that would allow him to not only link his senses to the [Mirror of Remote Viewing], but also ensure that the further spells he was about to cast could not be traced back to the Fake Nazarick that they dwelled in. After ensuring that the necessary precautions were taken, he then cast his next spell...
"[Discern Enemy]."
This spell allowed a user to identify an enemy's estimated level, and having detected no counter-spells in place, Ainz felt that all would be fine. That was until the readings came back in...
'Eh?... HUH?! Level-90?!'
The reading genuinely shocked Ainz in that moment, prompting his emotional limiter to suddenly kick in. Ainz's skeletal jaw hung open for only a moment, but that was enough for both of the finest minds in Nazarick to detect something was amiss with their ruler. Demiurge would be the one to give voice to these concerns as he pushed up his glasses and spoke in a cool tone.
"Ainz-sama, forgive my being so forward, but is something the matter? How strong is this new arrival?"
The Overlord seemed to immediately compose himself as the Arch-Devil's voice filtered into his consciousness. He looked around at the questioning looks of the guardians who awaited his next word in anxious anticipation. Seeing no other recourse, he let out a sigh as he came clean with this new information.
"Cocytus' new opponent is much stronger than assumed. That strange lizardman is a lvl-90 being."
"...!"
Expressions of shock painted the faces of all the NPCs, except for Albedo and Demiurge, who remained calm and calculating throughout. Then Albedo chimed in as a moment of silence settled in.
"As expected of Ainz-sama.~ Your wisdom knows no bounds."
"Eh?"
Ainz voice quietly squeaked at Albedo's words, as Demiurge had a cunning smile spread across his lips, and spoke in a charming, albeit devious tone.
"You taught your unworthy subjects in the throne room, the value of caution, and not underestimating the opposition, no matter who they are. You anticipated something like this to happen, and now an unknown force opposes Cocytus. Furthermore, your plan is to use this circumstance to ensure that Cocytus learns his lessons, judges the situation for himself, and that his punishment takes place in one fell swoop. Is that not so, my lord?"
Ainz was completely dumbfounded by Demiurge's summation as he quickly thought to himself...
'Eeeeh?! I was going to have them head out to cover Cocytus and provide him support! But now that he said that, do I contradict him, or agree with him? Damn it! I tried to teach the guardians, only for it to be used against me. And I DID say Cocytus had to fight alone, and now I can't retract that, can I? Demiurge, why must you complicate things for me?!'
Ainz's internal crying out was once again quelled as his turbulent emotions were once again suppressed by his passive. Feeling like he was caught in a trap of his own making, Ainz resigned himself for the moment as he responded.
"I-Indeed, Demiurge. That is the case. However, keep your guard up, and let us watch Cocytus' fight. It will give us some much needed information."
"Lord!" The guardians said in unison.
'I hope I made the right decision. I have a bad feeling about this...'
...
As the exchange between Ainz and the guardians took place, Madara's [Animal Path] stared down Cocytus, using the powers of the [Rinnegan], and his own sensory abilities to size the insectoid creature up, and Madara's real face smiled as thought to himself.
'This will make for an excellent test of the "Paths". Thanks to the powers of the magical equipment and its benefits, I can now empower and control them much more efficiently. So long as I have clones in the area to relay my chakra, then this should go well. Now then, time to put on a convincing charade...'
Just as Madara had concluded his thoughts, his lizardman proxy spoke in a steely tone of voice.
"Why do you threaten my people?"
Cocytus did not understand the point of the question, and could only assume that this lizardman was not present when his master made everything clear to them. However, a question like that was no longer relevant.
"Ainz-sama. Wishes. It." Cocytus replied as cold mist is ejected from his mandibles.
The face of the lizardman remained unmoved, lacking in any sign of emotion. One thing that Cocytus noted was that the unnamed lizardman continued to remain unfazed in his presence as it replied in an unamused tone.
"That is it? You threaten this village and its people just for that? The whims of some undead king? And you were sent here as his blade? Have you no opinion on the situation? Even the most loyal of soldiers have them."
Indeed. Cocytus had his own view of the situation. How he dared to suggest for them to be spared, and even now was fighting towards that goal. That being the reason for, in a way, to be relieved to only be faced by one of them, whom had convinced the earlier groups to withdraw from the fight. It would mean less deaths, but that was not important now. He now had to prove himself in his master's eyes, and that was why he could not answer the questions as fully as he might have wished.
"Yes. I. Am. His. Blade."
"Hmph! Very well."
The lizardman then clapped his hands together. Following this by doing several hand gestures in blindingly quick succession, of which Cocytus failed to recognize.
"[Kuchiyose no Jutsu]!"
His opened right hand then hit the ground. This causing large, unrecognizable patterns to spread out in all directions, followed by five bursts of white smoke to surround the lizardman. When it dissipated Cocytus found himself faced by 6 lizardmen total. All of them with the same eyes, similar body modifications, colors, and different body builds.
The frost warrior was intrigued with what seemed to be an unknown teleportation spell, but set that aside as he then drew out another weapon from the pocket dimension of his [Inventory] with his right, upper hand. It was one of the 21 weapons in his collection, and the sharpest of them all, [God Slaying Emperor Blade]. Originally a weapon of his creator Warrior Takemikazuchi, it is a katana with the blade's length at 180cm (70.9in).
Brandishing it and his usual weapon of choice, a halberd called [Decapitation Fang], he awaited his soon to be opponents' next move. Then all six spoke in unison...
'"Know this Cocytus: You brought this upon yourself."'
Cocytus simply motioned for them to come with a free hand, as he could feel the time for talking had officially ended. At this signal only four complied, while the one that had spoken with him and another remained behind. The bulkiest of them took the lead. As he ran towards the Floor Guardian, what seemed to be an extra set of arms emerged from his back, giving him a total of six arms, with each limb now ending in a cannon-like opening. The tail seemed to then morph into a longer, jagged-edged version that had a somewhat more metallic sheen.
Stopping mid-way, this lizardman used an attack that fired several metal cylinders, hurtling towards Cocytus. Not seeing any threat from the projectiles, he allowed his defenses to handle them, causing them to explode before making any real contact with his body. However, this soon showed itself to be a mistake. No actual explosion came from the impact, but instead smoke was all that was released. Smoke that soon began to thicken around him, slowly diminishing his line of sight. As this happened, his full attention was then focused on the other three that kept advancing.
Their speed suddenly doubled, and it was enough for Cocytus to bring his right blade down on the cloud of smoke, and the one that was closest to him. Slicing cleanly through the cloud, the blade seemed to stop just a few inches from the lizardman's face, when something that shocked both him and all of those watching from the Fake Nazarick occurred.
"[Shinra Tensei]."
What followed only served to further shock those of Nazarick. As soon as those soft spoken words were uttered, Cocytus found himself being sent flying back away from his opponents by some kind of invisible force, that only briefly distorted the very air around them. Crashing into the ground after being sent back a considerable distance, Cocytus deftly returned to his feet as he gazed on in confusion.
"What. Was. That?"
Cocytus was dumbfounded at the situation. An unfamiliar attack sent his large body flying with some kind of invisible force that he again failed to recognize. Not only that, but it was strong enough to overpower his defenses. Then the lead lizardman that sent him flying spoke in a mocking tone...
"Is that all? Surely you can dance a few more steps?"
Cocytus mandibles clacked aggressively at the provocation, and for the first time in recent memory, his icy blood began to boil at the prospect of a real challenge. His lord had yet to contact him via [Message], but he attributed that to leaving the matter in his hands. Thus resolved, the 5th-Floor Guardian of Nazarick roared in his own battle cry.
"OOOOORAH! COME! WARRIOR! SPIRITS!"
The lead lizardman seemed to be grinning in satisfaction at the display as he chuckled while speaking.
"Hehehe. Good. Very good. Don't disappoint us."
"Of. Course!" Cocytus firmly declared as jets of cold air were expelled from his mouth, and stood ready for the inevitable clash to begin...
...
*A/N: Alright! Sorry for the wait people, but here is "Part-1" of the next update, with a "Part-2" in the works, and should be released within a week of this one. I hope you all can be patient, as this initial chapter grew WAY in excess of my original plans. Until then, feel free to leave a review/PM, and I'll catch you all later! :D*