CHAPTER 9-EXPERIMENTAL CLASHES: PART 2
Cocytus firmly held onto his weapons as he then chanted out his next attacks' names...
"[Frost Aura]! [Frost Breath]!"
Suddenly a blast of frost and cold released from Cocytus, and headed straight for the head lizardman that blasted Cocytus back. There was no movement or even concern from his quarry, as Cocytus watched on in anticipation.
'Not. Moving. Means. There's. No. Threat. From. The. Attack.'
"[Shinra Tensei]."
Indeed, Cocytus' line of thinking was proven correct, as the lizardman once again used that same, unfamiliar force to blow away the the effects of his abilities from the area. However, Cocytus anticipated this as he then lifted up a free left hand...
"[Piercing Icicle]!"
Six pointed projectiles of ice shot forth and towards his target, who looked on in an unconcerned fashion. For a millisecond this confused Cocytus. His timing was perfect, and his target should be vulnerable after defending from the [Frost Aura]. So why was he unmoved? His answer came in the form of a rather chubby looking lizardman that jumped in between his attack and his target, with his hands stretch out and forward.
The attacks collided with a shimmering, translucent curtain of some kind, and as they did, the ice seemed to break down into motes of light, and be absorbed into the energy field. Cocytus was surprised by the display, but did not have time to mull as he spotted movement from the screen smoke, and moved to defend as the other two lizardmen emerged to attack.
To his right was the bulky, six-armed lizardman whose metallic jagged-edged tail shot forward like a snake, and to his left was a tall, skinny lizardman that had a black, 3 foot (91.4cm) rod in each hand. Their attacks were simultaneous and well timed, but Cocytus was ready for them, thanks to the enhanced peripheral vision and depth perception of his compound eyes, and keen battle sense passives. Before the attacks even connected, he was already activating one of his abilities as he widened his arms apart...
"[Skill: Weapon Breaker]!"
Cocytus' weapon holding hands then shot forward in a sweeping motion, meeting in the middle like two enchanted, metallic mandibles to bite into their prey. The motion met its mark, as the tail and rods used in the lizardmen's attack shattered like glass when caught inside the range of his attack. Just as Cocytus was about to initiate his next [Skill], his thoughts raced...
'Ainz-sama. Said. Not. To. Underestimate. An. Enemy. No. Matter. Who. They. Are. I. Will. Not. Make. That. Mistake. Again. I. Will. Go. All. Out!'
Almost like flowing water, Cocytus spun into his next attacks, as his weapons moved towards their intended targets like they were being drawn directly to them.
"[Razor Edge]! [Kulika Blade]!"
The nanosecond that his attacks would have connected with the lizardmen, they both disappeared in puffs of white smoke. This was soundly blown away by the shockwave of Cocytus' attack, that also blew away the remaining covering screen of smoke in the area. In addition, the area's water was blown away, and the very ground beneath their feet shook as the titanic blow created a violent earthquake in its wake, cutting down trees, and fracturing the ground itself.
Indeed, Cocytus did not hold back. The other two lizardmen were forced to distance themselves from the onslaught, and the line of undead in the distance behind Cocytus were blown back. Even the lizardman village in the distance felt the shockwave as the guardian's full might was unleashed, and waves of water collided with its walls.
As the dust settled, Cocytus faced forward, paying no heed to the damage his attacks caused to the area, and focused entirely on the six lizardmen. They stood unharmed, with four of them standing in a single-file line as they slowly emerged, with two in front holding out their open palms, as if they guarded from his onslaught as they slowly lowered their hands.
They were the ones that had a power to repulse, and the other to absorb. Cocytus felt mixed feelings from this. On the one hand, he was frustrated that they somehow guarded against his attacks, but on the other hand he was intrigued and impressed by them. He could tell that the feeling was mutual, as the one that had the power of repulsing things bore a pleased, excited grin. An unspoken respect and connection formed between the two sides, due to their seemingly mutual love of a good battle.
"Lizardmen. Your. Strength. Is. Impressive. Such. Warriors. Should. Not. Go. Unnamed. Before. We. Continue. I. Ask. We. Exchange. Names. I. Am. Cocytus. Guardian. Of. The. 5th-Floor. Of. Nazarick."
Madara listened intently to his words through his proxies, and felt some respect for the strong and honorable inhuman warrior. However, he was also disappointed, due to the fact that the warrior unwittingly gave out useful information regarding this "Nazarick", of which Cocytus is from. But he would address that later, as the fight would soon resume, and he decided to answer the frost warrior, with each of the Paths in turn responding with an alias in a neutral tone of voice.
"Hmm. Very well. I am Tendō." The normal build Deva Path said.
"I'm Shudō." The bulky, six-armed Asura Path answered.
"Call me, Nindō." The tall and skinny Human Path replied.
"I'm Chidō." The first to appear Animal Path said.
"Gadō." The slightly chubby Preta Path plainly answered.
"And I am Jidō." The well built Naraka Path said to complete their, "roll-call."
"I. Will. Etch. Your. Names. Upon. My. Memory. As. Warriors. Now. In. Respect. Of. Your. Strength. I. Shall. Fight. At. Full. Capacity."
Cocytus was then about to draw weapons into each of his hands from his inventory, but just as he was about to do so, the lizardman that identified himself as "Tendō", lifted up his left palm towards Cocytus and chanted...
"[Banshō Ten'in]!"
Suddenly Cocytus felt a powerful attractive force pull at his body as if he was ensnared by something. At this he slammed his weapons into the ground and likewise dug his feet and tail in, trying to halt his movement. He knew instantly that this was coming from "Tendō", and felt his icy blood boil in anger as he spoke.
"How. Dare. You! I. Give. You. Respect. And. This. Is. How. You. Answer?!"
Tendō scoffed as he lifted up his right hand and a 5 meter (16.4ft) boulder was levitated from the ground, and he spoke in a cold, almost mocking tone one would use to lecture a child that made a careless mistake.
"Hmph! Honor and respect are one thing Cocytus, but only a fool leaves himself open to attack by his enemy. And only a bigger fool would allow his enemy a chance to fight at their full capacity. Besides, do not speak to me of honor. You clearly outclassed those that came before my arrival. A one-sided slaughter of children such as them is hardly honorable by any measure."
Tendō's lecture soundly ended with the boulder being flung towards Cocytus, who then bore the brunt of the impact. The defenses of his items and exoskeleton could handle it without issue, and as he felt the attractive force pulling on him weaken, he moved to shatter the boulder into pebbles with both of his weapons brought down in thunderous swings. Cocytus bristled at Tendō's words, not just because it put into question his own honor, but over the fact that they rang true to him to a certain extent.
However, this moment of reflection left Cocytus distracted and open to attack. A fact that dawned on him too late as the one called "Shudō" rained several missiles down upon Cocytus successfully. This was a deliberate move on Madara's part, after he had come to understand Cocytus' personality and mentality. Attacking a foe's concentration and focus can be just as effective as attacking them directly. He did this by attacking his will and convictions with carefully chosen words, and it worked out perfectly.
Several powerful explosions engulfed Cocytus in a concussive firestorm that sent a massive shockwave out in all directions. It was an impressive feat, but Madara knew that it would not be as easy as that, and had already moved "Shudō" into a position relative to Cocytus' back, and "Nindō" to the front. The bulky, six-armed Asura Path had then morphed its body further, generating two more lizardman faces on the sides of its head, and created nearly a dozen metallic tentacles to try and restrain Cocytus.
*SWOOSH!*
In a flash, Cocytus' [God Slaying Emperor Blade] cut through the flames, and bisected the Asura Path right down the middle. Simultaneously, Cocytus' [Decapitation Fang] halberd lived up to its name as he swiftly severed the head of the Human Path.
"[Frost Aura]!"
Activating his [Skill], he doused the flames, and revealed that while his exoskeleton had some burn marks, and a few dings here and there, he was still in top fighting condition. Both Madara and the Tendō lizardman grinned as he realized that Cocytus had used his blunder to his benefit, and used the flames from the explosion to conceal the counter that he had just executed. He surmised that he got the inspiration to do so from the earlier use of the smokescreen. This showed that the warrior could learn and grow.
Cocytus took a moment to glance at the lizardmen he had downed. Although strong, without items to defend against his attacks and weapons, they were essentially glass cannons. It became obvious that one hit per lizardman would end the fight. Realizing this, and knowing that the Tendō lizardman would stop him in his tracks if he tried to summon more weapons, Cocytus went on the offensive using a speed that completely belied his size. He charged forward, creating a shockwave behind him as he did so.
"[Shinra Tensei]."
As Cocytus expected, the Tendō lizardman lifted an arm and fired off that unknown repelling attack to try and stop his advance. The lvl-100 ice warrior knuckled down and bore the brunt of the attack, using all of his might to brace himself in place. Then as he felt himself being overwhelmed, he chanted out a [Skill] in a last ditch effort to stop himself from being blasted away.
"[Ice Pillar]!"
Half a dozen pillars of ice erupted from the ground behind him to act as a brace against the oncoming repulsive force. Cocytus lost his footing and was thrown against the first pillar, which shattered upon impact. The second braced him for a moment before it too broke apart, with each succeeding pillar lasting longer before the last one managed to halt his backward momentum. This respite did not last for long, as he heard the "Chidō" lizardman chant out...
"[Kuchiyose no Jutsu]!"
Two enormous pillars of white steam and smoke bursts forth from either side of the lizardman. Charging forward from one was a gigantic crab that had the same black rods on its body as the lizardmen, as well as the purple, ripple patterned eyes. It clacking claws echoed in the air as it seemed to hiss at its target. The next pillar of smoke revealed a massive twelve-headed hydra that also sported similar eye and body modifications. It too hissed in Cocytus' direction, with its hostility clear to see.
Both these summoned creatures dwarfed Cocytus who stood at 8 feet, 2.4 inches (2.5m) tall. In contrast, the summons had a height of 22 feet, 12 inches (7m). Despite this, Cocytus was not phased, and readied himself for some kind of an attack. However, at the corner of his compound eyes, he saw the bodies of the lizardmen he felled vanish in puffs of white smoke, and then reappear next to the lizardmen, "Chidō" and "Jidō".
For a moment, Cocytus didn't think anything of it, but then "Jidō" waved his hand, and the bodies of the two fallen lizardmen seemed to be carried by slimy appendages that could be best described as "tongues". When this happened, purple flames erupted and the form of a giant head appeared, with the same eyes as the lizardmen, an upright collar, a large headdress, and with what could be best described as two "antennae" protruding from its face that curved backwards.
From what Cocytus could see, the headdress had some sort of script on it, but seemed to be obscured by some sort of blurred illusionary force. This did not catch nearly as much of his attention as the fact that the lizardmen he felled were then placed into the creature's mouth. It seemed to chew the bodies for a moment, before opening wide, and much to his shock, revealing his foes to be completely restored.
The ones known to him as "Shudō" and "Nindō" stepped forward and gazed at Coctyus, completely unfazed by what had transpired. This told the insectoid NPC that this was not an unexpected development. Meaning, they expected to be revived by the one named "Jidō". Cocytus did not have time to mull as the two summons then screeched and hissed, making their intentions to attack known as Cocytus stood his ground.
"Hmph! Troublesome. Skills."
...
Meanwhile, back in Fake-Nazarick, Ainz was at a total loss for words as he continued to watch on in silence, but his mind felt like it was spinning at what he was witnessing.
'W-W-What the hell is going on?! There's SIX level-90 lizardmen facing Cocytus, and none of them are using magic or other abilities I've ever seen! They aren't Players. That's now confirmed! Did those primitive lizardmen summon them?! Was there another tribe that we missed? I want to give Cocytus support, but I already gave my orders. Ah! Damn it all! At the very least, we can get some information from this, and if Cocytus loses, I can still deploy the guardians to capture these lizardmen...'
After Ainz's throughts raced at lightning speeds, he resolutely gave his nearby NPCs their orders...
"Listen to me well my guardians, if Cocytus loses his life in this battle, you are to leave immediately with a [Gate] to capture those lizardmen alive."
'"Lord!"' All the guardians replied in unison.
Then Albedo spoke up calmly, as to give voice to the curiosity that they all seemed to have been developing as they watched the fight unfold.
"Ainz-sama, these strange lizardmen are not Players, are they?"
Ainz was surprised for a moment by Albedo's accurate analysis. However, as he looked upon the radiant beauty, he remembered how much more intelligent she was than him, so of course she could piece together that much.
"Umu. You are correct, Albedo. All the abilities they have shown are quite unlike those from YGGDRASIL. Even that revival ability is quite different from the resurrection magic I am familiar with." Ainz calmly said.
Demiurge pushed up his glasses as he spoke in a cunning tone.
"I see. As expected of Ainz-sama. A bountiful well of knowledge."
"Ah, still, I don't like just sitting here watching. And those beasts look really interesting. I wanna go and catch 'em!~" Aura exclaimed in both frustration and enthusiasm.
"S-Sis, y-you can't do that. Ainz-sama already told us t-to wait." Mare timidly informed.
"I already know that, Mare!"
For a moment, Ainz felt a bit of warmth from the twins' exchange, as it reminded him of their creators and his friends. It was enough to take his mind off of his own growing anxiety over Cocytus' fight. That was until he heard Shalltear's bell-like voice chime in.
"Ara!~ Look at that. A hydra that breaths fire.~"
"W-What?!" Aura exclaimed as all eyes went back to the [Mirror of Remote Viewing]...
...
"[Acalanātha Strike]!"
Cocytus unleashed a devastating blow that also released waves of freezing wind and ice that froze the area with his [Skill]. He had carved a destructive swathe towards the summoned creatures, and in particular, the twelve-headed hydra that had been spewing out streams of fire from each of its mouths. Not only did that take Cocytus by surprise, it also the fact that the fire seemed to be hot enough and potent enough to slowly eat away at his defenses.
Realizing this, he unleashed a [Skill] in an attempt to take out the creature. However, the giant crab summon managed to jump in the way in time to "tank" the blow, and save the hydra from his onslaught. Miraculously, it had managed to survive the brunt of the attack, impressing Cocytus with just how effective its defensive shell really was. But there was something else that troubled him during the course of this fight.
The summons did not move or attack like mindless beasts. They were too coordinated for that. They also covered for each other, and moved away from his attacks, even if he caught them in their blind spots. It almost reminded him of how Aura's beasts could be directed. Of course, he could not spend much time considering these things, for as the crab seemed to fall, it quickly turned and shot a sticky, web-like substance onto him.
The giant crab fell, and disappeared into a puff of smoke, as all the heads of the hydra then simultaneously opened their mouths to release another onslaught of fire. Cocytus was shocked that his passives were not completely negating the binding of the web-like substance the crab had spewed onto him, but he had no time to think about it as he then released his next [Skills] in succession.
"[Ice Pillar]! [Frost Aura]! [Frost Breath]!"
Just as Cocytus had freed himself from his bindings, pillars of ice formed in front of him to block the wave of flame that evaporated the surrounding waters of the marsh. Those flames collided with his pillars of ice, and bathed the area in a combination of watery mist and steam as the two extremes of temperatures fought for dominance. The hydra continued to spew forth those flames without signs of stopping. That was until a flash of light literally cut through the air, along with Cocytus' bellowing voice.
"[Smite Frost Burn]!"
In that instant, Cocytus used the force of swinging his [God Slaying Emperor Blade], combined with the release of his [Skill], to cut a swathe through the flames and the air to flash freeze one-half of the hydra's body, while part of that half was cut away by the sheer force of Cocytus' swing. The enormous hydra fell, barely clinging to life as it then disappeared into a burst of white smoke and steam.
Cocytus did not have time to celebrate his victory, as a beam of pure energy rained down upon him in the moment he felled the hydra. The intensity of the beam was so great that not only did it cause damage to Cocytus, but blew him back as well. At the corner of his compound eyes he saw the lizardman called "Shudō" astonishingly had his head opened, revealing a metallic surface with a shining crystalline center.
This strange lizardman then grinned, and in that moment Cocytus' instincts told him to move as he activated a pair YGGDRASIL warrior movement [Skills], making his body shine in a neo-green color.
"[Greater Mobility]! [Greater Dodge]!"
Less than a second afterward, numerous black rods started raining down on his position from the sky. With his movement [Skills] active, he was deftly able to evade them, but then he realized he made a critical error. Though his compound eyes were trained on his foes most of the time, he failed to do so for only a second due to the distraction. That seemed enough for three of them to vanish from his sight.
They had already demonstrated impressive levels of speed, so he was not surprised by the feat. As he dodged, he noticed that "Tendō" had his arms stretched up above his head, with his gaze focused on Cocytus. He concluded that he was the one responsible for the "hail" he was currently evading, and was seemingly unprotected as he cast an attack towards him whilst on the move...
"[Piercing Icicle]!"
Seven spikes of ice shot out from Cocytus' left hand towards Tendō, who still remained in place, unmoved by the prospect of being impaled.
"[Kuchiyose no Jutsu]!"
A giant, 2 meter tall turtle appeared before Tendō, using it's thick shell as a shield to guard him as the ice projectiles broke apart upon contact. For a moment Cocytus thought that he would be able to relax, as Tendō could not see him, due to his line-of-sight being blocked by the summon. However, this assumption proved incorrect, as the black rods continued to fall towards him with near pin-point accuracy.
This baffled Cocytus for a moment, but again found his thoughts being interrupted by an attack. This time from behind, as explosions on his back rocked his balance and left him vulnerable for a mere second. That was more than enough time for the rods to rain down on Cocytus. Most had broken or shattered upon collision with his exoskeleton, but a few managed to pierce the thin layers of his cracked skin on his arms and joints.
The moment this happened, he felt a massive surge of energy forcibly enter his body, with visions of those purple, rippled patterned eyes flashing in his mind. His body felt stiff and responsive to his commands, but he was still able to move ever so slightly. But this was in vain as the lizardmen identified as "Shudō","Nindō", and"Gadō" appeared. They not only rammed the rods deeper into his body, but thrust several more into him.
Much to his shock and surprise, the foreign energy and presence that he felt was now strong enough to paralyze him. He could not completely understand how his resistances could have been bypassed, but Cocytus instincts told him that this unknown power that was filling his body, was something so different from paralysis and binding spells, that his items and passives could not completely cope with them.
The lizardman trio that took him by surprise and impaled him with black rods then swiftly retreated, and joined the others as Tendō stepped forward. He turned back to the others and simply nodded. As he turned back to face Cocytus, the others suddenly disappeared into bursts of white smoke, leaving them the only two left in the battle. Then Tendō spoke in a neutral, yet praising tone towards Cocytus.
"You have my compliments, creature. You are strong, and your toughness is superb. It would take more time than I currently have to defeat you without using this method."
Cocytus was confused by the statement as his mandibles clacked and frost was exhaled from his mouth. It was true that he was now immobile, but he was far from defeated. During this time he could feel that he could still activate a number of his [Skills], which meant he was still in the fight. He could even still move his head and neck somewhat. At a loss, he decided to humor his foe as he spoke.
"What. Do. You. Mean? I. May. Be. Bound. But. I. Am. Still. In. This. Fight."
The Tendō lizardman said nary a word, as it instead used its right index finger to point in a direction above and behind Cocytus, who in turn responded by following the direction he pointed in. What he saw was a small black dot roughly 20 meters in the sky, that seemed to be pulsing with a white energy.
All at once, Cocytus' danger senses were setting off alarms in head, telling him that what he saw was an exceedingly powerful threat. He turned back to Tendō, who then clapped his hands together, and spoke as if he was a teacher instructing a student.
"Cocytus. There is more to a battle than a struggle of arms, power, and forces of will. It is also a struggle of wits, cunning, and deception. You became so focused on fighting us, that you did not even consider that the fight itself was all merely a ruse to see what you were capable of before I dealt my hand."
"Y-You. Were. Just. Testing. Me?"
"Correct. I had to know what you were capable of before I got 'serious' with you. The final move made with those rods was meant to distract you long enough to set this up. And you did not disappoint Cocytus. You are indeed strong, and you danced well, but you are still just a novice, trying to fight a master. Now, it is over."
The lizardman closed its eyes as he took a deep breath, and utter the name of his final move...
"[Chibaku Tensei]."
With those final words, the black dot in the sky erupted in a bright, radiant light that blinded the lizardman settlement not too far away. Once the light died down, the entire area suddenly began to shake as if an earthquake had been summoned. However, what followed shocked all watching in Fake-Nazarick and the lizardman village. Debris of all kinds, including the nearby dirt, mud, trees, rocks, earth, and even the nearby undead were being pulled in by a powerful force of gravity.
Cocytus tried with all his might to resist the pull, but with his body rendered immobile, he was helpless and was also drawn in. He looked up and saw all the material being pulled in, and compacted into a ball, with layers upon layers of more material being stacked on top, and in turn compressed as well. Realizing his situation, the insectoid Vermin Lord NPC poured all of his strength into activating a [Skill], as he found himself being smothered by Nazarick Guarders and earthen debris.
...
All were rendered breathless at the spectacle that was on display. A gigantic crater had formed where a forest had been, and the marsh could barely be called that as nearly all the surrounding water had disappeared, leaving only muddy terrain. Tendō looked up as the gigantic mass shined brightly with a yellow light, and the newly formed planetoid had stabilized. A low hum could be heard in the air as it remained suspended in the air, and indeed that was all that was heard as all remained speechless.
In Fake-Nazarick, Ainz ceased to care about appearances as his skeletal jaw hanged open at the sight. All thought left him as he witnessed Cocytus swallowed up by the structure that had formed in the air. His guardians were also in utter stupidification at what they had just witnessed. Even the normally cunning and calculated Demiurge had a countenance that showed that of utter shock. After all, what other reaction would be appropriate in the face of a power that seemingly reviled that of a Super-Tier spell?
Albedo was likewise perturbed as she bit down on her lower lip. She was enraged at the sight of Cocytus losing in such an ignominious way. The further shame of defeat being brought upon the glory of Nazarick made her blood curdle. She barely contained her fury as her hands clenched into fists, and the hall in which they stood echoed with the sounds of her popping knuckles.
However, what did contain her rage was not simply the desire to maintain appearances, but the fact that, as much as she hated to admit it, a genuine threat to Nazarick had appeared before them. She wanted to immediately sortie a counterattack while they could, but she could not do it.
The word of her beloved master was absolutely everything to her. He not only gave out his orders to remain until the time was right, but the fact that the original agreement was that the lizardmen would remain untouched if Cocytus lost. This both stayed her hand and fueled her rage, because she knew that this meant her beloved's plans were effectively ruined.
A failure. An utter failure! She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs. She wanted to tear something apart limb from limb. Only the sound of Ainz's voice calmed her down as he spoke.
"It's not over yet."
"Eh?" Albedo squeaked as she turned her head.
Likewise, the other guardians turned to look at Ainz's skeletal visage as he pointed at the still running display of the [Mirror of Remote Viewing]. The planetoid was being lowered down to ground level, but something seemed amiss. What made their master say such a thing?
...
"Hehehe. A persistent one I see." Tendō said with an amused chuckle.
With a wide grin on his face, he clapped his hands together, and the lizardman let out a guttural grunt as the planetoid started to lower itself to ground level. Once it did, the force that held it together seemed to come undone as it broke apart upon making contact with the ground. Yet more tremors shook the surrounding areas when it did, but this did not phase Tendō as he casually walked towards the collapsing mass.
*BOOM!*
Suddenly an explosion of ice and debris shot into the air not far from Tendō's position, whom then proceeded to close the distance with that area with tremendous speed. Upon his arrival, he grinned at the sight of a panting Cocytus digging his way out of the mass, still clinging to his weapons as if they were a lifeline. He survived but he was in seemingly bad shape as he went to his knees.
He was quite a mess of dirt and mud, with his exoskeletal body cracked all over, and bits and pieces of ice crystals scattered all over him and the immediate area. The black rods that kept him immobile were now gone, likely crushed by the extreme pressures that he had survived. To Ainz in Fake-Nazarick, the reason for his survival was clear...
[Skill: Niflheim Ice-Diamond Coffin]
It was a special ability he possessed in his "[Knight of Niflheim]" job class. It encases the user in an impenetrable shell of permafrost protection that is so hard and dense, not even adamantite could compare. It was a final defensive ability to protect against high-leveled attacks, and it was the reason why Cocytus survived.
Just then, Cocytus tilted his slightly in the direction of Tendō, becoming aware of the lizardman's presence as he spoke in an amused tone.
"You really are quite tough, creature. That was meant to kill you."
"I. Will. Not. Fall. While. I. Have. A. Duty. To. The. Supreme. One."
"Is that so? Well, you have shown considerable guts, but in the condition you are in, the outcome of this fight is clear. You cannot win."
"That. Matters. Not. I. Am. Not. Through. Yet." Cocytus resolutely stated as he struggled to his feet.
Brandishing his weapons, he stood his ground in defiance of his inevitable defeat. Tendō narrowed his vision as he looked upon Cocytus and sighed in a fatigued manner, and he then lifted up his right hand above his head. The moment he did this, Cocytus was likewise thrown into the air by Tendō's gravity manipulation abilities. After 5 seconds of helplessly floating in the air, Tendō's hand motioned back down, with the Vermin Lord NPC crashing back down into the ground, leave an imprint of his body.
Swiftly moving into a position over Cocytus, a black rod sprang forth from Tendō's right palm, which was then thrust into the base of Cocytus' neck. He clenched his mandibles at the sensation, but did not utter a sound. His warrior's pride woud not permit it, as he had already shown such a shameful display to his master. If he was to die in battle in the service of his master, he would do so with his honor and dignity intact.
Back in Fake-Nazarick, Ainz was at his wits end. He was fuming at the scene, and had to stop himself from violating his own orders and rushing to the scene himself more than once. He looked around and saw that his guardians were also in a similar state, and were simply awaiting his orders to do so. Noting this, the Overlord raised his hand and was seconds away from signaling his guardians to make their move.
What happened next shocked all watching. Instead of the expected finishing blow, Tendō removed his hand from the rod, and stood in front of Cocytus with his arms crossed, bearing a disappointed expression as he spoke in a matching tone.
"You are a fool, Cocytus."
"..."
The Vermin Lord NPC had not expected a rebuke in place of his demise, and looked up at the lizardman that seemed to tower over him with a superior presence and force of will. It shamed him to admit it, even if just to himself, but Cocytus could not help but admire and be in awe of it. If he had to compare it to something, it was akin to the overwhelming and dominating presence of his master, Ainz Ooal Gown. Of course, he could not utter such a thing, as some would consider it blasphemous. Instead, he spoke in a questioning manner to the one that defeated him.
"What. Do. You. Mean? Is. It. Not. A. Sign. Of. Loyalty. To. Fall. In. Battle. To. One's. Master?"
Tendō sighed once again, seemingly exhausted at the simple-minded nature of Cocytus, and once again spoke to him as a teacher would a pupil.
"As I was saying, that is why you are a fool, Cocytus. A powerful creature like yourself is useless to your master dead. Somewhere you must have known that. You had the guts to survive after all. If you want to truly demonstrate your loyalty to your master, then live, and endure. Do not seek a pointless death. Especially since the terms of this battle was that if you were defeated, the lizardmen tribes are to be left alone. 'Defeat', does not have to equal death."
Cocytus' thoughts were thrown into disarray by Tendō's words. He had always thought of himself as a blade for his master. A blade does not think. It only cuts to the will of his master. However, his recent experience in leading a campaign against the lizardmen tribes showed him just how flawed that mindset really was. Thanks to that, and the largesse of his master, he felt that the words of Tendō rang true. If he was truly loyal, he would survive to return to his master, who would be his ultimate judge.
Acknowledging Tendō's words with a head-nod and a grunt, Cocytus resigned himself to this defeat. Come what may, he would either learn from this experience, or be executed by his master. Either way, he would face it in the knowledge and satisfaction of having traded blows with such a powerful foe, which was always his wish.
"Hmm... It seems you have learned your lessons. That's good. Now then, it's time for your master to learn his lesson."
"...!"
These words snapped Cocytus' attention back to Tendō, as he spoke in an obviously confused and flustered tone as streams of frost were ejected from his mouth.
"W-What. Do. You. Mean?
"Your master's unprovoked attack upon the lizardman people must have an answer. Or did you delude yourselves into thinking that you could attack random peoples without provocation, and escape punishment?" Tendō/Madara said in a steely tone of voice that somehow sent a chill down Cocytus' back.
In that instant, Tendō vanished in a burst of white smoke and steam, leaving the NPC with a sense of dread. The thought never occurred to him that their attack upon the lizardman tribes was something worthy of a response. After all, both Demiurge and Albedo informed Nazarick that their's master's ultimate goal was world domination, so should they not take the initiative and invade other civilizations towards that end? Once more Cocytus was left with confusion and doubt as he laid there immobile...
...
"What impudence! That creature dares to assume to bring punishment upon Ainz-sama and his loyal servants of Nazarick!"
Albedo snapped at she screamed at the [Mirror of Remote Viewing], no longer able to contain her indignant rage. She would have continued if not for the stern voice of her master chiming in.
"That's enough, Albedo."
"I... Pardon me Ainz-sama, I am..." Albedo tried to continue, only for Ainz to once again silence her as he stood up.
"Albedo, I said that's enough. There are more important matters right now."
"M-My apologies, Ainz-sama."
"Umu. Aura. Stay on alert. Everyone else, be ready to respond."
'"Lord!"' The NPCs replied in unison.
Meanwhile, Ainz stared blankly at the mirror magic item. If he had to be honest, his mind was in total disarray. He was expecting things to go awry somehow, but not this much! While he was relieved to see that Cocytus had been spared, that moment of indecision when he was spared left an opening for that strange lizardman to escape his grasp. And now it spoke of some kind of retaliation against them for what really was an unprovoked attack, and Ainz could understand this viewpoint to an extent.
'Damn it. If someone attacked Nazarick like we did the lizardmen, I would also feel the same way, wouldn't I? I'd want to punish those that threatened my home, and my friends' creations. I still feel that way about whoever brainwashed Shalltear. I didn't want Cocytus to go through that, but it was my orders after all. I knew I missed something somewhere. Punitto Moe-san would scold me for this mistake. What was that expression that he used to describe a situation like this... Um... Ah! Casus belli, right? He used a lot of tricks to get other guilds to provoke and fight each other over something or another. And I went and gave this known a justified reason to retaliate...'
Ainz's inner turmoil was halted by Aura's voice as she quickly and earnestly spoke and looked up at the ceiling.
"Ainz-sama! Something is flying 2 kilometers (1.24mi) above us!"
"What was that?!" Albedo shouted.
All the guardians bristled, ready to respond as Ainz hurriedly adjusted the [Mirror of Remote Viewing] to Aura's directions. The image was that of the lizardman that identified himself as "Tendō", whose back was facing the sun, obscuring nearly all of his features, except for the purple, ripple patterned eyes that seemed to shine through. Ainz wondered how their position was found, but that concern was only second to the main one of his mind. Namely...
'What is that lizardman doing?'
Nevermind the fact that the lizardman was floating in the air, making Ainz wonder even more about the classes and abilities of this, "Tendō". He wondered why he was just floating there, with his arms and legs outstretched, as if to embrace someone. Tendō was completely exposed, and a sniper like Aura or even his old friend Peroroncino could easily pick him off.
'Why is he just...'
"...!"
The answer hit Ainz's mind like a lightning bolt as the realization gathered like a storm at the edge of his awareness. He would not waste time explaining it to his guardians as he immediately cast a spell.
"[Maximize Widen Magic: Mass Teleportation]!"
The instant that Ainz and the guardians disappeared in a flash of blue light, the skies above Fake-Nazarick were bathed in a blinding white light as Tendō chanted out his own attack...
"[Shinra Tensei]!"
A massive wave of power and gravity washed over Fake-Nazarick and the surrounding areas, creating a shockwave that blew debris out and upwards, destroying everything within a 5 km (3.11mi) radius. When all was said and done, Fake-Nazarick and the forest in the surrounding areas was reduced to a flattened crater full of rubble. As Tendō felt his powers weaken from its overuse, he slowly started to descend from the sky.
As he did, he produced a black rod from his left hand, which he then threw to the ground below. Just as it touched down, he disappeared in a burst of steam, and all was silent in the area. Moments passed, and all that could be seen was the settling of dust and debris from the aftershocks of Tendō's attack. A few more minutes had passed, and then Ainz and the guardians reappeared in a flash of blue light.
The NPCs stood around Ainz like a wall to protect him if something else were to try to do him harm, while Ainz himself stood tall and unmoved as he gripped the replica of the [Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown]. The real one was safely under guard on the 8th-Floor of Nazarick, under the watchful eye of Aureole Omega, the lvl-100 immortal human Area Guardian of the Cherry Blossom Sanctuary.
The Floor Guardians of Nazarick looked over the devastation and bristled at what they saw. Though they did not say a word, their blend of anger, rage, and worry for the safety of their master was plain to see. They had objected to their master returning to the sight, despite the presence of "Tendō" having vanished from the area, but could only relent when he said he wanted to see the scene for himself.
Ainz silently surveyed the devastation that had befallen Fake-Nazarick, and it did not take long to realize that this was the "punishment" that the lizardman had spoken of, in retaliation for their unprovoked attacks upon the tribes. The Overlord felt a whirlwind of emotions simmering just under the surface, but one of the most prominent was that of satisfaction. After all, the whole point of Fake-Nazarick was to divert enemy attention, and in that function it was a resounding success.
'Uwah... That was a close one. Fake-Nazarick really did do its job there. After what had been used on Cocytus, I thought this attack would have been a big one. They're almost like Super-Tier spells with how powerful they are. And in succession too! That would be a little troublesome to fight against. Hopefully this helps to teach the guardians about not underestimating foes...'
"Aaaaah!~"
Ainz's musings were shaken when he heard Aura yell out as if in anguish. Ainz turned to see her gripping and rubbing her hair at the sight. For a moment Ainz was not sure what caused this reaction, but then he remembered the reaction she had when he visited the structure for the first time, and the hard work that she had put into it.
'Ah... Seeing all that destroyed in an instant must be hard on her...'
The Overlord then approached her as she turned to her master with a face full of tears, and then bowed to him as she spoke in a tone of regret and lamentation.
"I-I'm so sorry, Ainz-sama! It's my fault an enemy somehow slipped past us. You were put into danger and the result was... It... destroyed."
Aura's words were starting to become broken up as her tears became harder to hold back. It pained Ainz to see her like this, and just as he noticed that Albedo was about to say something to Aura, in an action that shocked all of them, he went to a knee, and hugged Aura.
"Uwah! A-Ainz-sama?!~"
Aura practically squeaked at the shock of her master embracing her, while Mare stood startled and blushing, Demiurge with a poker-face as he silently watched, and Albedo and Shalltear both with faces of confusion and envy as they saw the open display of affection. Meanwhile, Ainz thoughts raced as he slowly released Aura from the almost fatherly embrace, to which Aura's face had slight hints of regret as he did so.
'Yamaiko-san once said that to calm down a distraught child, sometimes a simple hug is enough. Eh... I've never had to deal with children before, so I hope that did it. Now then, how do I handle this? Hm...'
His thoughts came to an end when he stood over the young dark elf NPC, and spoke in a soft, yet regal tone.
"That's enough tears Aura. You have nothing to apologize for. Remember in the throne room, I said not to underestimate anyone? This should prove that point all too well. I know that you worked hard on it, but I am not upset about the destruction of this place. In fact, I am pleased that it served its purpose well, so dry your tears. There's nothing to be upset over."
Understanding the meaning of his words, Aura wiped her tears away, and bowed to Ainz, seemingly looking and feeling a little bit better. This display helped to soften the mood of the other NPCs, but only slightly as Shalltear in particular ground her teeth. First at the sight of Aura being brought to tears, and then at the fact that someone had dared to attack territory of the Supreme One. Not being able to hold back her growing hostility, she spoke up to voice these feelings.
"Ainz-sama! Let us all go and punish those lizardmen for this! We can slaughter them all!"
At her petition, Aura and Mare seemed to glow with anticipation for such an order. This took Ainz a bit by surprise, but as he glanced at Demiurge, who appeared to be as calm as can be, and Albedo, whom wore a very stern expression, he came to a very simple conclusion. One born from his days as a salaryman, when deals and agreements pretty much meant that your word was your bond. Meaning...
"That is something we cannot do, Shalltear."
"W-Why not, Ainz-sama?" Shalltear asked in a confused tone.
"Don't you get it you stupid lamprey?!" Albedo snapped at Shalltear's cluelessness.
"Huh?! What you say you big-mouthed gorilla?!" Shalltear spat back.
"Enough!"
Ainz shouted to silence them, as they both then gave their hurried bows and apologies. Waving them off, he breathed a fatigued sigh. Though he was an undead, and did not need to breath, he did it just to go through the motions to express his tired mental state. A remnant of his former humanity still at play. He then turned to Demiurge, who stayed the calmest of the NPCs, and thought that he would be best to explain things.
"Demiurge, explain the current situation." Ainz ordered in a neutral tone.
"As you wish, my lord." Demiurge dutifully replied as he pushed up his glasses.
Albedo was somewhat disappointed that she would not be the one to do it, but she composed herself and stepped to the side so that Demiurge could begin...
"Recall Ainz-sama's words to the lizardmen, Shalltear. Our master said he would no longer act against them if they won against Cocytus, and would even be willing to pay the appropriate reparations as well..."
'Oooh! I actually forgot about that part!' Ainz idly thought to himself.
"In other words Shalltear, asking Ainz-sama to go against his earlier decree is essentially asking him to turn his words into lies. Is that what you want?" Albedo then coldly added after Demiurge.
After their brief explanations, Shalltear and the twins relented their feelings of hostility, as they knew how important their master's word was. Especially since, as far as they knew, he had told the lizardmen the whole truth. Just then, Albedo spoke up to add more to the conversation in a business-like tone.
"Furthermore, Ainz-sama and I had discussed the possibility of the various surrounding countries containing any exceptional individuals. This proves that, doesn't it Ainz-sama?"
"Umu. That's correct, Albedo... Hm?"
Suddenly, there was a shift in the air as Ainz cut off his reply. The guardians likewise went on alert due to this change and started to scan the area with their exceptional senses. There was a blowing of wind that carried dust and debris, but to any unrefined senses nothing was unusual. Of course, this turned out not to be the case, for out of a dust cloud a dark figure emerged, silently walking towards them.
It stood tall and proud, and had the shape of a lizardman. The image they saw was semi-transparent, with the exception of the purple, ripple-patterned eyes. The body of the image was like a refracting an array of spectral colors, much like a prism or a rainbow. The body would also distort and flicker, as if receiving electronic interference, and the footsteps that it made produced no sound.
The floor guardians of Aura, Mare, Shalltear, and even Albedo to a certain extent were ready to pounce on the unexpected new arrival, while Ainz and Demiurge both were the picture of calm. In fact, it would be Ainz that would lift up his right hand to stop any of them from taking action as he calmly spoke.
"All of you, remain calm and do not take action unless I give the order."
"B-But Ainz-sama..."
Shalltear tried to object, but Ainz stepped forward three steps, picked up a rock from the ground, and threw it towards the form. The rock slipped through without difficulty, and this prompted Ainz to continue speaking.
"Relax everyone. This image is just an illusion. And you lizardman? You are using this to communicate with me, aren't you?"
"Humph! Indeed I am, Undead King. How astute of you." The image replied in a heavily distorted voice.
'Uwah! This is interesting. It's similar to holograms back on Earth. And Undead King? Well, I guess that title works...' Ainz's idly thought before replying.
"And? What is it that you want with me?"
"It is simple. First, I am here to confirm that the original agreement with the tribes will be honored, and that you will make no further moves on their home."
"Umu. Of course. I keep my agreements. In the name of Ainz Ooal Gown, no further interference will come from me, or those that serve me."
There was a moment of silence as Ainz made his proclamation, and the illusion of the lizardman remained unmoved. There was a moment of tension from the nearby guardians as they remained on high alert, seemingly ready for any kind of action taken that might put their master in danger. Only his confident approach and lack of concern seemed to put them at ease. Then, there was movement from the image, and it once again spoke in a distorted voice.
"Very well. I accept. Now then, onto the second reason I am here..."
The distorted image seemed to quickly make a few hand signs, and then slammed its open palm onto the ground. Almost instantly a pillar of white smoke exploded out and revealed the defeated and broken form of Cocytus, still laying on the ground with a black rod protruding from his neck.
"Cocytus!~" Aura exclaimed in surprise.
The lizardman image seemed to touch the black rod, which then crumbled into dust, thus allowing Cocytus to move freely. However, in his state all he could do was sit up on his knee, prostrating himself before his master as he spoke in a forlorn tone.
"My. Deepest. Apologies. Ainz-sama. I. Had. Once. Again. Lost..."
If Cocytus had more to say, it was cut off as Ainz lifted up a boy hand to forestall the frost warriors words.
"That's enough, Cocytus. You have nothing to apologize for. You followed my orders and did so to the best of your ability. I am simply pleased to see that you have survived. The lizardman named 'Tendō' was correct. Do not seek your death to prove your loyalty. I'm already convinced of it. As I said before, as long as you learn from your defeat, I consider it worthwhile. I will accept no further discussion on the matter."
Cocytus gazed up in stunned admiration towards his master. Twice now he had suffered a defeat, and twice now he had received his master's pardon. Granted the first defeat was part of his grand plans, but even still the warrior could not help but be shocked. Was he truly worthy of such a magnanimous pardon? He could not say. He would have asked Demiurge for his wise insight on the matter, but as he looked upon the distorted illusionary image of the nearby lizardman, he realized that this was hardly the time or place for such a conversation, and simply bowed his head in acknowledgement.
Ainz saw this and was seemingly satisfied as he turned his attention towards the image of the lizardman that had somehow teleported Cocytus to their location. Though still damaged from the fight, he felt overwhelming relief at seeing his friend's creation alive. He had more to say, but given the situation, he wanted to handle it privately, and not in front of the opposition. Knowing this, he waved Mare over as he spoke in a regal tone, and kept his attention trained on the image in front of them.
"Mare. Heal Cocytus."
"Y-Yes! R-Right away, Ainz-sama."
Mare hurriedly and timidly acknowledged the Overlord with a bow, and then trotted over to Cocytus as he cast a healing spell. The spell bathed the ice warrior in a soft green light, and in mere seconds all of his battle damage mended and vanished as if it were an illusion. A fully renewed Cocytus stood up on his feet and inspected his restored body, and seemingly satisfied with the work, he looked down at Mare and spoke in an appreciative tone.
"Thank. You. Mare. Excellent. Work."
"I-It's okay, Cocytus-san. I-I'm just glad you're o-okay." Mare replied with a faint smile.
Cocytus nodded at Mare and then directed his attention back to the distorted image of the one that defeated him. Despite him knowing that it was an illusion of some kind, he still felt that same intense presence from it. It amazed him that even through an illusion his opponent could project such a fearsome aura, and it honestly excited him. He then secretly hoped that one day, he would have another chance to face him again.
Meanwhile, the lizardman image looked back towards Ainz to continue his discussion with the Overlord. He noted that during the entire time he was there, all of the other beings present kept their gazes locked onto him, with their pure hostility and barely restrained killing intent clear to see. While Madara was amused by their impotent anger, he disregarded it, as he had another objective to complete as he then spoke.
"I have returned your warrior to you alive. Although I cannot say the same about the 'other' one."
At this statement, Ainz's and the guardians' attention was piqued, and Ainz himself found his thoughts racing...
'Huh? Eh?! "Other" one? What other one? Cocytus should be the only one I sent...'
Puzzled by the lizardman's comment, and feeling a growing disquiet, Ainz spoke up in an inquisitive tone.
"What do you mean? Other than the undead soldiers that watched the area, Cocytus is the only one I sent out."
"Oh? Then what about that powerful human that tried to interfere with my approach to the village? That was not one of yours?"
The effect was immediate as an air of confusion washed over all present. The winged beauty Albedo, and the poker faced Demiurge masterfully hid this, while the others seemed incapable of doing so. Ainz however had cupped his marble white chin in contemplation for a moment before speaking in a neutral tone.
"Can you describe what this human looked like?"
"Hmph. Actually, I can show him to you." The image replied.
Once again, the illusionary lizardman image performed unrecognizable hand signs, and then slammed it's hand onto the ground. Once again, there was a burst of white smoke and steam from this action, but this time what appeared from it was completely different from their expectations. Ainz himself was so shocked that his undead emotion passive actually kicked in. It was the severed head of the man he had been so worried over. The man known to him as Madara.
The lizardman image placed its hand over the head, which seemed to levitate off of the ground as he lifted his hand up. The head's eyes were closed, with the mouth hanging open, and a black rod protruding from the top of the head. The lizardman image displayed the head for all present to see as he then spoke.
"This one tried to interfere with us on our way to the village. You are saying that he is not with you?"
"Ahem. No. That is not one of my subordinates."
Though Ainz calmly answered the query, his mind was in complete disarray. Today was a mass of shocks and surprises, and he thought no more would be thrown his way. The head of the man he worried over, and berated himself for losing track of, was now held aloft by some kind of levitation.
While he was intrigued over how this was being done by what was clearly an illusion, that was only second to the questions that filled his mind over what happened, and why this "Madara" tried to interfere with the lizardmen that fought Cocytus. His musings were then interrupted when the illusion spoke in its still distorted voice.
"I see. I can accept that. Well then, looks like I don't need this anymore."
With that statement, the head then erupted into blue flames that reduced it into ashes in mere moments. While it was an interesting display, Ainz himself wanted to take the head back to Nazarick to see if more information could be garnered. Unfortunately, he was a few seconds too lately in voicing those desires, as the ashes blew into the wind.
"Now then, our business is concluded. Leave. And don't ever return." The lizardman image stated in a firm tone as it then vanished.
There was silence for only a moment before the guardians erupted into a cacophony of disgruntled comments and voices.
"Such impudence! To speak that way to the Supreme One!" Shouted Shalltear.
"I hate to admit it, but I agree with the lamprey." Albedo casually stated.
"Why you...!" Shalltear tried to retort when Aura's loud voice drowned out hers.
"Yeah! That lizardman was so cowardly too! Talking to us with an illusion."
"I-I think so, too." Mare added.
"It. Was. Not. Cowardly. Aura. It. Was. A..." Cocytus tried to correct the young Dark Elf when an enraged Albedo cut him off.
"Be silent, Cocytus! Your loss has stained Nazarick..."
"That's enough, Albedo!" Ainz suddenly shouts angrily.
"I... I beg your pardon, Ainz-sama. My deepest apologies."
Ainz sighs in a fatigued manner before he then speaks in a calm tone.
"Listen well my guardians. I hold no blame over Cocytus for his loss today. Any one of you would have lost in that battle. Some may have held out longer than others, but against a powerful unknown like those lizardmen, defeat would have been inevitable."
A collect gasp of shock rang through nearly all the NPCs present. This did not include the notable exceptions of Cocytus, who experienced that battle firsthand, and Demiurge, who had remained silent and analytical throughout. The Arch-Devil NPC then pushed up his glasses as he calmly spoke up.
"As expected of Ainz-sama. Able to read the situation perfectly."
"A-Ah. Thank you, Demiurge. At any rate, we will be leaving this place. The opposing side seems content with destroying this Fake-Nazarick, and asked for no further remunerations. I'll therefore declare this 'experiment' a success for now. I will be now be teleporting ourselves to random locations to ensure our arrival to the real Nazarick is not directly tracked. However, that guarantees nothing, so all of your remain vigilant."
'"Lord!"' All the guardians replied at once.
'Ah! This was almost a disaster. I need time to figure this out. One thing's for sure though. I can't make another mistake like this again. I thought attacking the primative lizardman would attact some kind of attention, but this was way more than expected. I've got to make sure the next time we make a move like this, that we aren't the ones seen as the aggressors. Ah~ah. For once I'm glad Punitto Moe-san isn't here. He'd scold me for not having that "casus belli" he always talked about... But at least I don't have to worry about that "Madara" anymore. Still, why did he try to intervene... I feel like I missed something important... Bah! I'll worry about it later...'
With that, Ainz ceased his inner thoughts, and then cast his spell.
"[Maximize Widen Magic: Mass Greater Teleportation]!"
With that, Ainz and the guardians disappeared in a flash of blue light, leaving the barren area still, devoid of life and movement as light winds were the only sounds that could be heard.
...
Back at Madara's hidden compound, he opened his eyelids, revealing his shining, and still very active [Rinnegan]. He sat with his joined palms in his lap as he sat lotus style, and turned his head to the side to see a bowing Lottus, whom spoke with an inquisitive tone.
"Well, milord? How did the test of the 'Paths' fare?" The Elder Lich asked.
"Hmm. Though it still needs some refinement, I would say the test was a success. And I have also gathered some rather interesting information. I will share what I have learned in due time."
"Of course, milord. Still, if I may ask, why did you not demand some sort of compensation from that 'Undead King', as you described him?" Lottus respectfully asked.
"There were two reasons, Lottus. First, the subterfuge of acting on behalf of the lizardmen depended on how these events unfolded. By attacking their base under the guise of retribution for the attacks, it ensured suspicion was kept to a minimum. Second, I was convinced that this group was tied to the force that has been trying to locate this place."
"Ah, I see. Is that why you had crafted that false head in your image using a corpse and your [Jutsu]?"
"Correct. All warfare is based upon deception. Controlling what the opposition perceives and what they think they know. Despite some lingering questions they may have, for now this should be sufficient."
"Very good, milord Madara. So what shall we do next?"
"First, tend to those lizardmen. They may be useful in the future."
"..."
Lottus suddenly became silent as he lowered his head as if in contemplation. This did not go unnoticed by Madara whom immediately addressed it.
"Something on your mind, Lottus?"
"Ah, pardon me, milord. I was just thinking."
"What about?"
"Well, I mean no disrespect, but if I may be so bold, I would have thought you had grown fond of those tribes of lizardmen..."
Madara stared blankly at Lottus before grunting dismissively and ignoring the undead's hurried apologies. Outwardly, Madara remained indifferent. Inwardly however, the situation had brought about a series of complex emotions within him. The plight of the tribes brought back so many memories of his own past, that a part of him really did start to sympathize with the tribes of demi-humans.
It was a surprise to be sure, though he was impressed that Lottus had somehow picked up on it during the time he concentrated on controlling the [Paths of the Rinnegan]. He then chuckled wistfully before then speaking again in an amused tone of voice.
"No matter. It just means that things have gotten more interesting. Now then, time to see what else I can do now..."
"As you wish, milord." Lottus acknowledged with a deep, reverential bow.
...
*A/N: Welp! That's the end of Part-2! It was a lot of hard work to get here, and I hope you all enjoyed the ride! Many special thanks to PervySageChuck for doing some Beta work for this arc, as well as pta917 for helping. Now then, a little bad news. Due to the approaching holidays, and the fact that I have other projects that need my attention, this series will be going on hiatus for a few months. But don't worry! This fanfic WILL be returning later on next year, and things will get a little nuts once the aftermath of this arc has been addressed. Until then, everyone take care, and have a very safe and happy holidays. Ciao! ^_^*