CHAPTER 14-NIGHT OF ENCOUNTERS
"Princess? Oi, Princess Renner? You okay over there?"
"Ah~! Ahem... Pardon me, I was... lost in thought." Renner contritely replied to Gagaran's boisterous voice.
"Oh~hoh~! Lost in thought, eh? Could it be you're fantasizing about taking the cherry-boy's chastity? No one could blame you if you did." Gagaran teasingly jibed with a toothy, predatory grin.
"O-Oh... Um, I... it was... Oh, dear..."
The princess stuttered and fidgeted in place as she furiously blushed at Gagaran's overly blunt observation. To which she heartily laughed at her embarrassed reaction.
"Hah-hah-hah~! I knew it! 'Never thought I'd see the prim and proper princess with tha' look~!"
"Lady Gagaran! I'd appreciate it if you didn't speak of such things around the princess."
The nearby Climb rebuked in as respectful a manner as possible, whilst fighting his own feelings that threatened to redden his own checks at the implications. During this, the voice of Tina quietly chimed in at the side with a flat tone and blank expression.
"...No, Gagaran. He's too big."
"Yes... Too big for her." Tia concurred with a nod and similar manner.
"Hoh~! Is that a fact? Hah! Should've known nothing gets by you two." Gagaran said as her grin grew even wider.
*CLAP!*CLAP!*CLAP!*
"Okay, that's enough of that you three! We seem to have gotten largely off-topic from our original conversation."
Lakyus' firm, authoritative voice, cut through the air as sharply as her crisp claps that made the ears of all but the indifferent Evileye wince in discomfort. Making some wonder if she had somehow augmented it with a magic spell of some kind. This made the third-princess rub her own hears with an adorable pout as she spoke to Lakyus.
"Owie~! That was so mean, Lakyus. Still, I apologize for being the cause of this disturbance."
"Oh, think nothing of it. We're friends, aren't we? But despite my comrade's lack of tact, I think Gagaran made valid point. You do seem... distracted. Is it because we have to change our plans for going up against Eight Fingers?" The aforementioned female adventurer sympathetically commented.
"Hm, that is part of it. But I may have a solution to that issue." Princess Renner promptly replied with a now firm determination in her gaze that both impressed and took aback all present.
"Oh? What do you have in mind? As my meat-headed teammate said already, we can't hire other adventurers for this. At least not openly." Evileye skeptically chimed in.
"A fair point, which is why my new plan involves gaining the support of nothing less than one of the Six Great Nobles, Marquis Elias Brandt Dale Raeven himself."
"...!"
Renner's firm declaration took all present by surprise, and as she began to explain her plan and reasons, in the back of her mind she was smiling ear-to-ear. For the first time in recent memory she was genuinely excited. It was this that prompted her brief lapse earlier that made her drift off, though it was still within expectations of her persona as their princess. While she had to admit that daydreaming of losing her virtue to Climb with his implied "endowment" held a great deal of appeal, what truly occupied her thoughts now was of other recent events.
Her recent meetings with such powerful forces in this "Madara" and "Demiurge" became a turning point in her otherwise dull and pedantic life, always surrounded by lesser idiots and fools. Even her dear, sweet Climb could not fill that gap. But then something truly extraordinary came into her life in these powerful forces, and she could not help but wonder and imagine the possibilities. Not even the "seals" the one called Madara placed upon her heart and tongue could not quell this fascination and exhilaration that made her bosom swell.
Nearly everything else now seemed trite and insignificant in comparison to those back-to-back meetings. Still, she would remain patient. After all, she wanted to see what would happen when these two forces eventually met. Would she be their go-between, or the double-agent playing both sides against the middle? It was a question that only fueled her curiosity and excitement even further.
...
It was mid-afternoon within the Capital of the Re-Estize Kingdom, as the people went about their daily lives all but oblivious to the machinations that stirred beneath the surface. Which included a certain figure that had until recently been shadowing Blue Rose, and monitored their meeting with Princess Renner, in Madara Uchiha. Or rather, one of his many clones that had disbursed throughout the Kingdom, and slowly worked their way into other lands.
Now this clone was performing a detailed reconnaissance of the surrounding area. He noted how powerful presences, while concealed, would constantly appear and disappear in the city. Most likely through teleportation. Keeping himself hidden through a combination of stealth and Earth-Style Jutsu, he came upon a warehouse where a shipment of wheat and grain had been delivered, being overseen by a powerful pair in an old butler and a beautiful noblewoman.
However, Clone-Madara's sensory abilities clearly told him that the pair before him were most certainly NOT human. Furthermore, the strength of the butler outclassed the woman by a significantly large margin. As the two noted that the delivery was complete, Clone-Madara ensured that his presence would not be detected as he listened in on their conversation.
"Sebas-sama, that should be the last of the delivery from this particular merchant." Solution said in a dutiful tone and posture.
"Hm. Good work, Solution. Only a few more and our work in the capital will be finished." The bearded butler named Sebas said in a stoic, professional tone as she jotted down notes with his back to her.
The woman's face contorted into inhuman proportions as she beamed with happiness and delight. Clearly, the completion of their work brought great joy to her. Which subsided as quickly as it came as the butler turned to address her.
"Then, let us swiftly complete the rest so that we may return to Nazarick."
"Very well, Sebas-sama... If I may, I was curious as to what sort of duties that human woman under your care would be receiving." Solution asked with a slight head-tilt after a graceful bow.
The butler ponderously stroked his beard for a moment before returning to his same upright posture with both hands behind his back.
"Tsuare will need some training before she can begin working alongside the other maids in earnest, so it is not something I have decided upon just yet."
"Ah, of course, Sebas-sama. She is only human after all."
As Solution spoke, there was a gentle smile upon her visage, and although the face was merely a construct, Sabes could clearly tell the predatory malice it held. If it wasn't for their benevolent master's decree that Tsuare was under his protection, he had no doubt that the maid would have tried something. A thought he quickly dispelled. Now that she was granted their master's protection, possible intentions were irrelevant.
"Hm. Indeed. In any case, let us set that aside and continue with our work." Sebas said in his same usual tone.
"Understood, Sebas-sama." The Battlemaid said with a bow.
The Butler of Steel curtly nodded in satisfaction at her reply as he moved to walk out of the warehouse. He had nearly laid his hands upon the exit's door-handle, when he then sharply turned, with his right-eye darkening, and its pupil and iris glowing in a bright, dangerous light. For a second this startled Solution, until she realized that it was not her that triggered this, and she likewise surveyed their environment with a deathly serious edge.
A few seconds of tension filled the air, but seemed like an eternity as the interior environment felt like a thick, cloying molasses hung over it. Other than the sounds of startled horses on the outside of the warehouse, all seemed quiet and normal. It was then that Solution's cautious voice broke the silence and tension.
"Sebas-sama. Is something the matter?"
"..."
For a moment, Sebas was confused. For the briefest of moments, he could have sworn that his life-presence sensing [Skill] had been triggered by something... strong. Far stronger than the Pleiades that currently accompanied him. That was the most surprising thing. Solution was a level-57, and from what information his efforts gathered thus far, even a being of her level was completely outside the norm.
Between that, and what he learned had transpired with Shalltear's mind-control, the lizardmen, and Fake-Nazarick (A/N:CH.9), he had been ever on guard during the remainder of their stay here in the capital. Focusing his senses, he detected nothing out of the ordinary. Was it merely his imagination after all? After another moment of nothing, he relaxed his presence and posture, and spoke in his usual calm, professional tone.
"Hm. It is nothing Solution. Remember, Ainz-sama told us to remain vigilant during our stay here, correct?"
"Ah, yes. Indeed, he did."
"Hm. No matter. Let us be off."
Despite Sebas' still present uneasy feelings, their instructions to carry out remained. If anything was truly amiss, the retrieval team would likely find it. With this, he existed the warehouse, with Solution gracefully following him as the door was locked behind. Little did they realize that his instincts held true, as Clone-Madara was genuinely impressed that the butler had detected him for even a fleeting moment. It was both informative and very interesting.
He also found their short exchange to be quite intriguing. A human woman that will be working inside of Nazarick? From what he could recall from Benkei's information, it was not a place where humans lived and worked. It was a fortress of inhuman monsters that were typically hostile towards humanoids. So the fact that one was now going to be living and working there was an intriguing development. However...
'Hmm... Puzzles without answers can wait. First thing's first...'
Using Wood-Style Jutsu, Clone-Madara conjured a small seedling from one of the crates of wheat and grain, depositing it within. To all but the most astute observers, it would be as little more than a stray seed that was missed. In truth however, it was actually a means of tracking where this shipment would go, once it was collected. As well as something else...
'...!'
Suddenly, Clone-Madara detected the presence of a powerful force that seemed to permeate the very air itself, as a black-purplish portal appeared in the middle of the warehouse. From it a veritable host of monstrous beings emerged, both undead and demonic. Except one, which was the strongest of all of them. It possessed an egg-shaped head and wore a military-type uniform of brown, orange, and red colors. It motioned to its surroundings with a dramatic flourish as it excitedly spoke.
"Beeile dich, Meine Kameraden~! Demiurge-san will be needing these foodstuffs soon~!"
The creatures seemed to respond to his exuberant instructions as unified grunts were heard from the lot of them. Though it was loud enough to where it could have been heard, Clone-Madara suspected that some magic to silence the interior from the outside was present. As for the crates, the creatures were finished within 3-minutes, rendering the warehouse's interior completely bare, and leaving as quickly as they arrived.
'Hmph... Collecting resources, are they? A sound strategy. Even the mightiest of beings need supplies with which to providing for their forces.'
As Clone-Madara mused on these developments, he moved away from the area using his elemental Jutsu to literally "swim" through the earth, leaving all none-the-wiser that he was even there. Dusk was upon them, and soon after night, and there was still much to see and do before then. Such as checking in on "Unity Four", and in particular enlisting the aid of "Mortis", the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord's armored-Avatar. Clone-Madara's instincts told him that his assistance might be needed this night.
...
Night had fallen in the capital of Re-Estize as Hilma Cygnaeus, leader of Eight Finger's Drug Trade Department, awoke in her private chambers. She smacked her dried mouth as thirst roused her from sleep. Still in a daze, she reached over with her right-hand out of habit for a glass of water, and for a moment a frustrated growl echoed in her room, as a semblance of lucidity made her realize she had not set out a pitcher.
Just as she was about to retract her hand, a full-glass of water found its way into her grasp, and her heart skipped a beat. She snatched the life-giving liquid with such force that some of it spilt on the floor, with a few droplets landing on the sheets of her King-sized bed. Sitting up with it and her sheets pressing close to her chest, she was bewildered at the sight of handsome man with long brown hair staring her down, with his arms now folded. (A/N:CH.10)
With the way the moonlight highlighted him, she had to admit that he was quite beautiful, and even mesmerizing. Although she gasped at the strange red eyes that seemed to glow. Was he even human? Just as she thought that, the man spoke, his tones strong, masculine, and quite imposing.
"Hilma Cygnaeus, Head of Eight Fingers' Drug Trafficking Division."
"...!"
This startled her out of her wits, though she was careful not to let it show. After all, she was already unnerved by having this strange man in her bedchamber like this. Still, the fact that he had identified her so matter-of-factly, and with such a confident, superior posture, only meant that he knew exactly who she was. Trying to lie would not be wise in this situation. Especially when she was quite literally naked.
With only her [Viper Tattoo] to protect her, Hilma's instincts screamed at her to not engage in hostilities with this man. She always felt that her finely honed instincts trumped so-called, "common-sense". After all, the latter could fail, due to one's limited scope of knowledge, while instincts that have been nurtured and honed over time would rarely fail.
So it was with this man as she gazed upon him. His very presence seemed to radiate power. Even more so than Zero of Six Arms. With this in mind, she replied with as calm a voice as possible.
"Y-Yes? I am she. Who are you, and what do you want with me?"
She thought that asking how he got into her mansion and private chambers would be a fruitless waste of time, and so focused on more immediate concerns. This line of thinking seemed to pay off as he nodded in acknowledgement. However, she was then puzzled by the lifting of his right-hand, and his index-finger pointing upward. He then spoke again in a firm, yet softer tone.
"Before that, listen. Listen carefully."
Hilma was puzzled by this but did as instructed, as she lifted her head up, slowing her breathing so as to better take in any ambient sounds...
Silence.
Not that it displeased her, but it was too quiet. Since she slept like an old person, early to bed and early to rise, Hilma knew that there should have been some sounds of her manor's staff... Yet there was nothing. It was so quiet that it sent a chill down her back, and this disquiet made itself obvious by her subtly changing facial expressions. A signal to her surprise visitor that she had picked up on what he was saying.
"Here is the situation... Your mansion has been invaded and is under the control of powerful, inhuman forces. Your people are either dead, or wishing that they were dead. Try to flee and they will catch you. So your choices are, either to stay, or to come with, and serve me. Decide."
"..."
Despite being utterly dumbstruck by the declaration, Hilma remained calm and analytical as she took in his words. She could not verify his claim that her manor had been invaded/captured, but once again her instincts screamed at her to listen to this man. The other fools whom served as Division Heads on Eight Fingers might have dismissed this out-of-hand, due to pride and/or denial. After all, each Division Head was heavily guarded, and she was no exception.
However, she was knowledgeable enough on such matters to know there were magicks that could silence an area, and where there are powerful adventurers like Blue Rose or the newly formed Darkness, so too must there be powerful monsters. The reports she received of the aftermath of Momon's battle with the vampire Honyopenyoko said as much. Though some of the Division Leaders held doubts, she trusted her people enough to commit it to memory.
She gulped down the water she was handed without preamble. It was a gamble, but the more she looked into those eyes of his that seemed to shine in the dark, the more her instincts told her to listen to him. Swallowing whatever reservations she had along with her drink, she set the glass aside as she breathed a calming breath.
Confidently sliding the blanket off her bare form, she stood up and presented herself to her "guest". Her body was her pride and joy. When she was a courtesan, it would cost a fortune just to spend the night with her. Despite being retired from that life, she still kept any excess fat off her frame, maintaining her sensuous figure. It served to "inspire" those who worked for her, and manipulate those foolish nobles that she invited to make deals with.
Baring all to this man was an act that served three purposes. First, it would allow her to gauge him. Most men would have discernable reactions seeing her like this. Even those men who did not have a "preference" for women, she was still able to sway, and even bed regardless. It was a point of pride for her to have that skill. Of course, there were always exceptions. Much like Zero, those of stoic, stout wills could resist her charms. As she looked upon her "recruiter" she saw that same disciplined countenance.
Still, this led to her second reason; to increase her value in his eyes. The fact that this man was going through the trouble to save and recruit her meant that he saw value in her. As a Division Head of Eight Fingers, even should she flee this moment, bereft of clothes and dignity, she still had connections, knowledge, skills, and resources tucked away should the worst come to pass. Her beauty could only add to her value.
Finally, the gesture was an overall show of submission. If her instincts held true, this was a man of power, greater than even Zero. Any show of defiance or subterfuge would likely NOT be tolerated. As she curtsied in the nude, it made plain for both of them her submission to him as her new master. If he could deliver her from becoming a monster's food or "entertainment", it was frankly a small price to pay.
"I, Hilma Cygnaeus, do hereby swear to serve you, in any capacity that I am able. Might I know the name of my new master?"
With her head still lowered, she peeked up to see his stoic expression was still unreadable and impassive. Though a single curt nod denoted that he was satisfied with her oath of fealty, and again spoke in his usual tone.
"Hm. My name is Madara Uchiha. You have made a wise decision, Hilma..."
Her heart nearly leapt inside her chest at her success, though was careful to hide it. The name sounded strange, and was likely a foreigner from the south. As she slowly raised herself from her courtesy, the man that now identified himself as "Madara" handed her night-robe to her. Quickly dressing herself, he spoke in that same strong yet stoic tone.
"We will now be leaving through a means similar to teleportation... Dy'vom..."
"...!"
Hilma was nearly startled by the sound of shifting armor filtering into her ears from the other side of the bed. She didn't even notice anyone else in the room! Of course, as she turned her head the answer became plain. The armor was so black that he seemed to be swathed in the very shadows, though she could make out that its sections was angular in nature. Like it was twisted somehow.
Then there was the ominous presence the armor had, as well as the narrow slit of its helm glowing with a red light. It all made her skin crawl. Only the calm, strong voice of her newest master seemed to set her at ease.
"I leave you to clean things up here. Use your own judgement, and return to the others when you are finished."
"Hmph! Very well."
The voice that came from that armor was deep, and seemed to echo with power and age, but more than that, it contained an inhuman guttural growl. Hilma was now certain that whoever was in that armor wasn't human. Though she didn't have much more time to mull on this as her newest benefactor placed his firm left-hand on her right-shoulder. It was strangely comforting in its own way, as he then chanted...
"[Gyaku Kuchiyose no Jutsu]"
With that, the duo of Hilma and the disguised Clone-Madara disappeared, in a method that was once explained to Dy'vom as a "Reverse Summoning". Of course, to the average person, there was hardly a distinction, so it was any wonder that the clone didn't bother to explain that to the newly recruited Hilma.
There was an annoyed sigh as Dy'vom's now transformed armor casually walked out of Hilma's bedchamber. This task seemed rather menial for him, but understood that ever since Madara staged his "death" for those of Nazarick (A/N:CH.9), having even his disguised clone come into contact with any of their denizens right now would be poor judgement. So for now that left him and his Armored Avatar in its "true form" to settle matters if need be...
"U-Um, excuse me armored sir?"
Drawn away from his thoughts as he reached the stairs, a timid young voice called out to him as he turned his head. What he saw was a Dark Elf not even in its 80s, dressed in finely made clothes. Although he instantly new that this "child" was not what it seemed. First, despite being dressed in girl's clothing, he could tell that the elf was actually male. The subterfuge could not fool his draconic senses, but many others would be.
In all likelihood, this was a perverse tactic to lull targets into thinking that this demure little "girl" was not a threat, and to throw them off balance. Of course, that was assuming that they didn't have his sharp senses that told him that this elf was not only adorned head-to-toe in powerful YGGDRASIL magic items, but was also incredibly powerful himself.
This did not seem good. If he were to fight in his actual body, the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord was fairly certain that he could take this "child". However, the same could not be said of his avatar, which was fairly weaker in comparison. He may have been given the instructions to "clean things up", but he was not foolish enough to lose one of his possessions in an unwinnable, and frankly foolish encounter.
Given that, he folded his arms and decided to humor this obvious YGGDRASIL entity, speaking in a straight, neutral tone.
"Yes, little one? What is it?"
"Um, p-pardon me, but do you know the m-most important person in this place?"
"..."
Well now, this was interesting. It seemed that they too were after Hilma, proving Madara's instincts correct that she would prove an important piece. A whimsical smile that no one could see crossed Dy'vom's features at this. Whether this "child" was a Player or NPC, he was pleased that Madara had yet again gotten the better of them. At this point, he cared not if he lost one of his armors as he spoke in rather smug tone.
"Hmph! You were a touch late young elf. The one that you seek is no longer here."
"W-What? Oh, no... What do I do? What do I do? T-This isn't right..."
As the young elf whimpered in dejection, a door behind him opened, and the form of a maid emerged, holding the dismembered arm of an adult human male. All at once Dy'vom could tell that this "maid" was not human, and like the Dark Elf, was positively wreathed in YGGDRASIL items. But he could also tell that this newcomer was far inferior to either of them.
"Mare-sama, please do not despair~. Demiurge-sama needs to know of this change. Please go to him while I finish things up here." The inhuman "maid" comfortingly said in the voice of a young girl.
"R-Right. Then I-I'll take my leave. Goodbye armored knight-san."
"..."
Such a curious thing. The young and polite Dark Elf held no malice of any kind. If anything, he was indifferent towards him. With a bow towards Dy'vom's avatar, he scampered off into the night, where his senses detected the use of magic, and then nothing. He concluded that the elf must have used teleportation magic to leave the area.
He then diverted his attention to the inhuman maid, noting that her attention never left his avatar's form, not for an instant. Was it wariness? No... She was a predator evaluating potential prey. More than that, was the fact that her lips did not move when she spoke to the elf-boy. It must be some sort of mask.
With a dismissive grunt, he strolled down the stairs, noting that the maid still watched him with hawk-like attention. He sensed that none of his movements escaped her notice as he reached the bottom of the steps, and he spoke in a neutral tone.
"Is there a problem young lady?"
"Hm... Well, you seem strong. You might make for good meat rations.~" The maid almost cheerfully replied.
"Excuse me?"
"Ah, you see, I was instructed to remove all humans from this mansion. So you have to die now."
"Hm. You are challenging me then." Dy'vom nonchalantly said, with the maid tilting her head at an odd angle in confusion.
"Challenge?"
"Hmph... I see now... Complete whatever tasks you and your underlings are conducting. I will wait for you outside." Dy'vom plainly said, sensing the other inhuman presences in the mansion scurrying about.
"..."
As Dy'vom's avatar confidently strode out of the manor at a relaxed pace, Entoma felt oddly bewildered at what just happened. The strange armored man confused her declaration of his death as some sort of martial challenge. She could tell that he meant what he said in waiting for her to come to him. Such an odd feeling. It wasn't everyday that her prey willingly went to their deaths.
Of course, under normal circumstances she would not entertain such notions, given her orders, but things had taken some unexpected turns. Their target for capture was gone, if the strange man spoke true. Then there were the complications clearing this mansion of valuables. They found several rooms and storage areas, in addition to secret compartments, and a basement as they were about to pull out.
Truly, with the most valuable goods hidden among the dross, tasks were taking longer than was anticipated. Despite Demiurge taking into account delays like this being a possibility, it was still a frustratingly longer delay than she would have cared for. It was this and the strange man's words that stayed her hand in attacking. If he was going to wait for her outside, then what did it matter if he were to die now, or after they finished the more important tasks at hand?
...
Later on, Dy'vom stood firm in the clearing outside the mansion as he waited for his challenger. If his suspicions were correct, the maid was an Insectoid NPC of some kind, and judging from how all the other presences in the mansion were moving about, they were plundering it of any and all valuables within. Lending further credence to Madara's supposition that Nazarick was likely in the process of stocking up on resources.
The Dragon Lord's musings were cut short as he sensed various heteromorphic beings flying away from the area carrying numerous, inanimate objects. This coincided with the inhuman maid appearing in the clearing with him, as she tossed the skeletal remains of the human arm she had been carrying. They were 15-meters apart as she spoke in an aloof manner.
"Really, now~ You are strange, human. If you had left, I might have forgotten about you, but it's too late now."
"Hmph... Indeed... It's much too late for one of us..."
His tone was even as Dy'vom's avatar drew his sword from its sheath, whilst leaving his shield hanging on his back.
"Now, before you die, my name is Dy'vom Nivra'mortis. What is yours?"
"Oh~? Is that how this is done? Hmm... What a pain, but you're going to die anyways, so I suppose there's no harm in telling. My name is Entoma Vasilissa Zeta. Pleased to meet you." She said with almost mock courtesy.
"Grmph... Don't be so disingenuous, worm..." The avatar growled in hostility.
"Eeeeh... What did you say...?!"
Entoma's voice was equally hostile at being called a "worm", but halted her speech when the left-arm of her prey was lifted to the sky. A shadowy-black energy formed in it palm. He then chanted in an unintelligible language...
"{Qo' lI'joH pa'reD}!"
Suddenly, a blackened dome spread outward from him at a pace that Entoma could barely follow. Despite the scant similarities to the Spiritual-type magic she wielded, it was a type and feel of magic wholly unfamiliar. Not to mention it was of such scale that it encompassed not only the clearing, but the mansion as well. What was this magic?! As if in answer to that question, her "prey" spoke in tones as cold as ice.
"This barrier isolates us from the outside world. None may enter or leave if I do not wish it. Neither [Teleportation] or [Message] spells may work here either."
"Feh~! L-Lies." Entoma defiantly retorted, to which her opponent huffed dismissively.
"Try it then, worm."
Entoma shook in place from the provocation. How dare this scum insult her?! She was a Pleiades Battle Maid of Nazarick! As if to prove him wrong, she pulled out a [Message Scroll] and activated the magic within, only for it to burn up in blackened fire without activating. Now, for the first time in her existence, Entoma felt that one emotion that was unbecoming of her rank and place in Nazarick; fear.
"There is no escape, other than to defeat me that is. Something that's beyond your ability..." Dy'vom said in a pitying sigh, pausing a moment as he looked up her, and spoke again in a disapproving tone.
"Hmph! Yours is a sick parody. Honestly, a man-eating insectoid that reeks of blood and gore, dressed as a maid? No one with their wits about them, would be happy to be served by one such as you."
"WhAt dId yOU sAy yOU bAstArd?!"
She could not take it anymore. Not only did this inferior lifeform dare to insult her, but to insinuate that no one would be happy to be serve by her? One of the Pleiades Battle Maids?! Whatever fear and trepidation built within her was replaced by the fires of hell itself, as her true voice roared, and she charged forward.
"I'lL kILl You!"
"Hmph... All too easy."
The Dragon Lord knew the mindsets of magical Player constructs known as "NPCs" all too well. While individual personalities and intelligence levels could vary wildly, some of the simple-minded ones were extremely prideful. During this exchange, he used fear and uncertainty to unbalance the insectoid called "Entoma", and then afterward assault its pride to make it act foolishly. The mind games worked, and the NPC took the bait, hook and line all.
Entoma invoked her [Blade Bug] and [Hard Armor Bug] abilities simultaneously as she charged, whilst also stacking her [Strengthen Self] talisman upon herself to further boost her capabilities. To the outside observer, she may as well have been a blur. Some of her confidence renewed when the armored form before her did not react. With her blade thrusting in for the kill, and her shield to guard, her attack timing should have been perfect. However...
*CRASH!*
"Eh?!"
With a single diagonal sword-slash, both her attack summons were destroyed by the shadowy-black blade this man wielded. She deftly jumped back out of instinct, despite the overwhelming shame she felt from the act. How could this be?!
Then she all-too-late remembered reports of what happened with Cocytus and Fake-Nazarick's destruction (A/N:CH.9), and the warnings Demiurge passed on about not underestimating potential trouble. The shame of her failure here, now more than ever, made her entire being shutter. Before she could mull further, her foe then casually spoke.
"That's one. You have two more tries before I show you no mercy."
"Gigigigig... Graaagh!"
She was truly backed into a corner now. If his word held true and escape was not an option, she would bet her all in trying to kill this mysterious man. He was not taking her seriously at all, and as much as that infuriated her, it presented an opening she could use. She then summoned her [Thousand Lash Bug], which was her strongest attack summon. It was akin to a giant centipede longer than 10-meters, with blade-like legs all along its length.
Next preparing her talismans, she again went on the offensive, taking care to remain at a distance, given what happened last time.
"[Spider Talisman]!"
Throwing said talismans about, over a dozen 3rd and 4th-tier giant spider summons had then materialized in the area. This alone would have been an imposing sight, if not for the crackle of lightning that accompanied more talismans that floated in the air.
"[Lightning Bird Swarm Talisman]!"
Suddenly, a swarm of bird-shaped lightning bolts converged on Dy'vom's unconcerned form, electrifying and exploding on contact. The concept was sound, as metal armor normally would be vulnerable to lightning-element without additional countermeasures. Not wanting to give her opponent time to recover, she attacked with a different type of ranged attack...
"[Bullet Bug]!"
Akin to a kind of bio-gatling gun, Entoma's left-arm swelled, then released a barrage of bullet-shaped insects. The dust cloud released from this was immense, but the thunderous clanging of the tiny, fast-moving projectiles striking metal could be clearly heard. With her senses, she could clearly make out that her quarry still stood, and willed her summons to attack.
Conversely, Dy'vom was wholly unphased by her futile attacks. He had enough knowledge and experience to determine her to be an Entomancer. Truly, given his abilities to absorb living energy, it was the worst possible match-up for his opponent. Even if Entoma was as strong or stronger than his avatar, the outcome would have been the same.
The Deep Darkness Dragon Lord was tempted to simply end things now, but played along until she used up the third and final chance he gave her. He was then drawn away from his thoughts, sensing the dozen or so spider summons attempting to swarm his avatar. But again, it was all in vain, for as they converged on his position, he deftly swung his blade in crisp, smooth motions that flowed seamlessly from one move to the next.
It pained him to admit it, but the time he spent having his avatar spar with Madara's clones and the reanimated duo of the Thirteen Heroes had greatly improved his skill in swordplay. Perhaps his old comrade the Swordmaster Dragon Lord would have been impressed? That Dragon Lord was always much more martially inclined than the rest of his brethren. A fact made clear by his decision to augment his melee prowess with [Martial Arts] of the lesser races, instead of solely relying on the waning powers of [Wild Magic] as others have.
Even the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord himself had to augment his magic with his innate special abilities, and recite incantations in one of his kind's ancient languages to augments and strengthen the spells. Even his ability to remote control his armored "avatar", limited only to high-ranking Dragon Lords like himself and a handful of others who have reached a certain level of mastery in [Wild Magic], was not exempt from this...
"...Hm?"
As he cut down the last of the spider summons, his lax approach to the fight, allowing his thoughts to wander as they had, left an opening that Entoma exploited. The centipede, who's function was akin to a whip-like weapon, encircled his avatar, furiously clawing at it as it bound it tightly like a snake trying to strangle its prey. This was to Dy'vom advantage, since his avatar possessed the same ability to drain living energy as he did.
Of course, it came as no surprise to Entoma when she sensed her [Thousand Lash Bug] being weakened by some sort of magic. After all, the demerit of her insect weapons was that while they could move and attack autonomously, they did not share her resistances. So even if she could resist that strange weakening spell, they could not.
So when her sharp passive senses indicated that her foe's blade was cutting through the insect weapon like a hot knife through butter, she was prepared. As the blade cleaved through in an upward motion, she perfectly timed her next move, activating her [Slashing Spiderweb] ability. However strong this human was, she considered the possibility that its armor was the reason for resisting her best attacks. It was then just a matter of hampering that advantage.
For his part, Dy'vom found his avatar ensnared in a razor sharp, web-like net that showered the area in sparks as he found it securely bound. For a moment he found himself impressed by such a feat of strategy. Perhaps the NPC was better at improvising than he gave it credit for. But this moment was interrupted when he noticed a swarm of flies enveloping his avatar.
Unbeknownst to Dy'vom, Entoma had activated her [Breath of Fly] ability immediately after using her [Slashing Spiderweb], which deals piercing damage on targets. The flies then lay eggs in their victims, with maggots quickly hatching to eat the victim's flesh and rapidly grow more flies. This was a limited use [Skill] that could be used only three times a day, but if the flies entered the armor's gaps and did their work, she felt that was all she would need.
"Hrmph! Enough of this farce."
As his cold tones rang in air, she saw the armor enveloped by a blackened aura that was akin to living shadow. Her swarm of flies not only instantly died, but turned to dust as soon as they did. That was not the end of it, for as soon as that happened, she witnessed the black aura spread to her [Slashing Spiderweb]. Like a sickness, they too became blackened, and within moments became brittle enough to shatter like glass.
'What IS this magic?!'
That was the one thought that ran through Entoma's mind. It was well outside her knowledge and experience, and as the armored form arose like a shadowy specter of death, a wave of oppressive force threatened to bring her to her knees. No! This cannot be allowed to stand!
Even if she were to perish here and now, she was still a Pleides Battle Maid! Pain and torment meant nothing to her. It was to bring shame and disgrace upon Nazarick that she most feared and reviled. For the last of the Supreme Beings, she would give her all! Even if it cost her life, she would bear it, fighting on, kicking and screaming until her last breath was spent!
"GraaAAAAAagH! WhY aRE YOu sO hARD To DeAl wiTH?! jUst dIe AlReaDy!"
With an inhuman roar that would have chilled normal people to their very bones, Entoma shed her guise as her [Face Bug] came undone. Four additional appendages sprouted from her back as she revealed her full form as an Arachnoid, and charged the now upright avatar in one last desperate attack.
She leapt forward in a blur, but from Dy'vom's avatar there was only a derisive "Hmph!", as he then sheathed his sword. This confused Entoma for a moment, but in a flash the shadowy aura spread to the gray-colored plume of his helm that trailed down like a horse's tail. It then morphed into eight, semi-metallic tendrils. They shot forward at speeds that far outclassed the now airborne and vulnerable Battle Maid.
"ArrrGGAH~!"
*BOOOM!*
Intense pain shot through Entoma's entire being as each of the tendrils restrained each of her "limbs", smashing her into the ground. However, the pain wasn't from the enormous impact that fractured the ground beneath them, 10-meters in every direction. Her superior gear easily compensated for that.
No, the pain came from the tendrils that now restrained her with strength that far eclipsed her own. Their dark aura traveled down the lengths of her appendages, with intense pain coursing through them that was akin to thousands of needles stabbing her all at once. It was agonizing to be sure, but not only did it effectively stifle her movements, but she could feel her HP slowly being leeched away!
No sooner did this revelation storm the edges of her consciousness, did her foe suddenly appear before her. Violently grabbing onto her head with clawed gauntlets that dug into her chitin-like hide, she mentally froze. Not out of the pain but at two details that caught her attention, filling her with shock.
First was that now that she was so close to this armored figure, she could vaguely gauge his level to be around level-90! Her mind reeled from the implications of a human in this weak world being so strong, but then the second detail struck her as she saw a pain of ghostly, glowing red slitted-pupil eyes glaring back at her. Whatever this "Dy'vom" truly was, he was most certainly NOT human.
The moment she thought on this, his voice took on an inhuman growl as he menacingly spoke.
"Foolish, arrogant little worm... You dare... YOU DARED TO THREATEN ME?! Had you more wits about you, perhaps you would have realized that you dared to cross and court death with not a human, but a dragon!"
"...!"
Entoma froze with that admission. Even she knew that dragons, even weak ones, were not to be trifled with, and Mare's level-90 dragon familiars were a force to be reckoned with in their own right. Not to mention the stories they of the Pleiades vaguely recalled the Supreme Beings tell of such encounters.
"Supreme Beings? Is that what you call your creators? Hrmph... Such a satire." Dy'vom coldly mocked with an undercurrent of indignation in his voice, shocking Entoma into replying in her true voice.
"W-wHaT? hOw dId yoU-?"
"Know? Your wits truly are dull, worm."
For a moment, Entoma was utterly bewildered by Dy'vom's statement, but then as she turned her attention inward, she realized what was going on. Due to the semi-spiritual aspect of his strange, unknown magic, she could tell that in addition to draining her HP, he was going through her thoughts and memories!
"You seem to have realized it. As a reward, I shall tell you. As I drain your lifeforce from you, it will allow me to see the last 24-hours of your memories. You will have no secrets from me."
"No... nO! aRRRaaaagH!"
Such a thing could not be allowed! If she was to only die, that would have been fine, but now, purposely or not, she was betraying Nazarick! That could not be allowed!
"Abandon all hope, worm. There is no escape now. Your fate was sealed the moment you dared to challenge me." Dy'vom said in a menacingly wrathful voice.
Fully paralyzed, Entoma could not even thrash around in resistance. The irony pierced her as she found that she as the Arachnoid was to be the one caught helplessly in someone else's web, unable to escape. She could not even activate one of her [Skills] to end her own life. She was completely at Dy'vom's mercy, feeling her life slipping away from her.
What she did not know however, was that Dy'vom's spell to "read" the memories and soul of another had its drawbacks. Since it was tied to his inherent abilities to drain his targets of their energies, the last 24-hours was the best he could do before they would expire from the strain. It was truly a vexing limitation, but he could no more stop it than he could part the skies.
Although, as he combed her memories for information, his own pride, anger, resentment, and hatred, long thought buried got the better of him. How many of his kind were laid low by these "Players", and their infernal magical constructs called "NPCs"? As much as he hated the Dragon Emperor for opening the doors that brought this filth into this world, his hatred for them was the greater by far.
As he watched Entoma's memories unfold, with her casual slaughter of those weak humans from the manor, he was reminded of the slaughter of his own kind. Of how weak and helpless he was back then in his youth. Thus in turn did his hatred for those from YGGDRASIL grow ever more intense, and before he knew what he was doing...
*SPLORCH!*
Being possessed by his own rage and hatred, he crushed Entoma's head as easily as a human would have an egg. In that instant, her lifeforce vanished, and her body slumped onto the ground like a puppet whose strings were cut.
"..."
Dy'vom's avatar retracted its tendrils, reverting them back into their original state as he stared numbly at Entoma's corpse. It started to dissolve into motes of light that floated into the air like loose embers in the wind, as he realized his mistake. In allowing his long-buried resentments to come to the surface, he lost control, ending her life prematurely.
He only managed to extract 16-hours' worth of memories before her death, but more than that was the hallow feeling it left him with. There was no catharsis, no satisfaction from killing this weak NPC. The act itself afterward felt... empty. It was most displeasing, to know that such thoughts were coming from one such as him.
Then he realized something; was this Madara's intention all along? Was this part of his plan? He left his avatar here to gain information, and possibly provoke the other side into more openly doing something to reveal themselves, so as to study and gather more information about them, but what if there was more to it?
Dy'vom knew that the one that defeated him (A/N:CH.6), was incredibly cunning and intelligent to match his prodigal might. So the possibility that Madara wanted something like this to happen, in order for him to confront these thoughts and feelings was definitely there. A growl of displeasure echoed through the air as Dy'vom realized he danced in Madara's palm in such a manner. Even if a part of him also found it a necessary step in reconciling his own past...
...
Meanwhile outside the barrier, unbeknownst to them, members of Blue Rose in Gagaran and Tia had come upon the barrier the Dragon Lord had erected prior to the engagement. Currently standing by one of its sections, they patiently waited for one of their number whom was far more knowledgeable in such things.
"So this is where the two of you were."
Evileye's cold tones rang out as she floated down to the wait duo. Gagaran boisterously spoke as she turned to regard her comrade.
"Yo, our shorty has arrived!"
There was a sigh of resignation as Evileye brushed off the moniker and replied.
"This barrier... Do either of you what has happened here?"
"No, we do not. I arrived shortly after our muscle-head here. She tried and failed to break a hole in this." Tia matter-of-factly replied before Gagaran replied, which oddly seemed effective in silencing her.
"I see. So it was like this when you arrived." Evileye analytically mused as she inspected the barrier, running her right hand over it.
"Evileye, we're not magic casters, but even we know something of this scale is beyond what can normally be achieved by [Tier Magic]. Even if Eight Fingers had attained some kind of item..." Tia began, when she was tersely interrupted by Evileye.
"I don't think Eight Fingers is responsible for this."
"..."
Both Gagaran and Tia turned to Evileye in surprise at her words. While it was true that this barrier was enormous in scale, too large for even the Empire's Imperial Court Wizard to have been capable of producing, surely she would not have come to such a conclusion without first investigating?
"Oi, Evileye. What makes you say that?" Gagaran said in an uncharacteristically serious tone.
She dropped the usual playful banter so as to get to the heart of the matter. Gagaran knew their teammate well enough to know when she was onto something, but would need proper prompting when she became intently focused on whatever caught her attention.
"I've... encountered similar magic before. This isn't [Tier Magic], but something completely different. This isn't the kind of magic the likes of Eight Fingers could possibly get a hold of..."
Evileye grew silent as her teammates looked upon her in confusion. How long had it been since she last felt magic such as this? Not since her travels with the "Thirteen Heroes" to be certain. When the Platinum Dragon Lord finally revealed himself to be behind the armor that traveled with them as his "avatar". A deception that drove a wedge into the team. Although if she had to be honest, she understood and wasn't nearly as resentful as the others.
It was through that, and her friendships with the Platinum Dragon Lord and old lady Rigrit that forced her on this team years ago, that she became much more familiar with the ancient magic of the Dragon Lords, [Wild Magic]. Familiar enough to realize the truth behind her homeland's destruction that earned her the epithet of the legendary Vampire Lord, "Landfall".
"Hey. Evileye. Look. The barrier."
Tia's cool voice snapped her back from her musings as they noticed that the black dome that covered the entirety of the grounds started coming down before their eyes. As it vanished completely, Evileye could not help but give voice to the question that was on all their minds as they cautiously stepped over the threshold to investigate...
"What the hells is going on in there?"
...
There was a sigh of exasperation as Dy'vom processed all that had happened, but that was soon set to the side as his draconic senses once again registered the finely made YGGDRASIL items that lay at his feet. Even through his avatar, his draconic [Treasure Sense] clearly told him their worth and power. They were as good as some of the remaining YGGDRASIL items that remained in his personal treasury. Perhaps they could serve as a means of offsetting recent events?
"...!"
As his avatar reached for them, his senses went on high-alert. Something had managed to breach his barrier, and was fast approaching! Turning his head, he saw and smelled the approach of yet another YGGDRASIL entity. A demon by his reckoning. One that was much stronger than the NPC he had just killed, and possessed a superior quality equipment.
Whether this demon was a Player or NPC mattered little. There was only one way either would have been able to pierce his barrier so effortlessly; a [World Class Item] was likely in his possession. Things had taken a turn for the worse. Not only was this demon strong enough to pose a legitimate threat to his avatar, but regardless of the powers it held, a [World Item] could nullify his most effective [Wild Magic] spells and abilities. His life draining powers among them.
Quickly realizing how foolish it would be to continue, and how Madara's schemes seemed to have been a success regardless, he calmly chanted his next spell...
"{Qo' NguvwI'a}"
"[Greater Teleportation]!"
The demon that breached his barrier cast his own spell simultaneously, appearing before Dy'vom's avatar within the same instant he chanted his own. In that fraction of an instant the demon tried to attack with elongated claws, but it was to no avail, as the Dragon Lord's own teleportation magic took hold, swiping at nothing but air.
"Grrraaagh!"
Demiurge roared underneath his mask as the dark armored stranger teleported away, paying no heed to the barrier around them falling away. Rare was the occasion where the Arch-Devil would lose his calm, but this was hardly normal circumstances. He straightened his posture as he gazed down at Entoma's vacant gear. The implications were plain as he took a knee, taking the items in his arms with a gentleness uncharacteristic of his kind.
"This is... unforgivable."
Mare had reported to him how the target of their operation was gone from the manor, and that Entoma was handling the rest alone. At first this did not concern him, as it was within his expectations. Even when her insect summons arrived with all of their plundered valuables without her, it too was within his expectations.
However, when her return was taking too long, and with the events of the Great Lakes still fresh in his mind, he attempted to communicate with her via [Message], which failed. Even his efforts to teleport directly to her location failed! His mind lurched in genuine dread as he then recognized the danger this signified.
Taking strong vassals with him, they came upon the barrier. While he was able to penetrate it, the servants he brought with him, which were surrounding the area even now, could not. Why this was he did not know, and as panic filled his breast, he did not care. And now that his fears had been realized, regret settled into the pit of his infernal gut like a bottomless chasm.
Such a failure. Such a blunder! How could he even begin to make up for this?! Their master had warned them of the merits of caution and not taking this world lightly. While he and the other Floor Guardians had passed his words of wisdom along, he could see now that they hadn't been diligent enough in impressing upon its importance. How else could he explain this, and what's more, how would the Supreme One himself react to this news?
He could bear any punishment, but if their ever-benevolent master became so disappointed that he would leave them, how would he ever make it up to his fellow servants of Nazarick? Not even his life would be enough... No! That cannot be allowed to happen. Demiurge's first priority then became clear; salvaging this situation took on the utmost of importance.
If they could also somehow draw out that bastard who did this? Then all the better. He had no doubt that their master would approve of such a thing, if it meant the capture of the one who committed this affront. Just as he concluded his inner musings, his servants had informed him of the newest arrivals in three adventurers.
Given their descriptions, he knew they had to be the adamantite-ranked members of Blue Rose, and Princess Renner's pawns... Yes, this should do nicely...
"Oi, what happened here? And who or what is that? Friend of yours Evileye?" Gagaran nonchalantly commented as the trio came upon the scene.
'N-Nonsense!'
Evileye internally shouted as she beheld the masked, inhuman being before them, feeling her clenched hands break out in sweat as a jolt akin to lightning struck her brain. Every fiber of her being was telling her to NOT antagonize this creature. All encompassing fear, the likes of which she had never felt, even during the time of the Evil Deities, refused to release her.
Her beloved comrades were slower to pick up on it, but they too were stopped in their tracks as they looked upon him. In over 2½-centuries of life, none she had encountered were possessed of such a unique aura that positively oozed such a nauseating malice that blew out in waves. As she was about to speak the words caught in her throat to evacuate, this monster of monsters whose strength she felt rivaled the Platinum Dragon Lord's coolly spoke.
"To answer your questions in order, one of my beloved children engaged in combat here, and was somehow slain by an unknown in black armor. As for who I am, lower lifeforms such as yourselves may address me as Demon-Emperor Jaldabaoth. Now that introductions are out of the way, and as I am short on time, allow me to finish things right away."
"...Shit! [Maximize Magic: Crystal Wall]! Now run you idiots!"
Evileye's voice was akin to a desperate wail as she consecutively summoned a wall of Crystal-Element, and then ordered her teammates to withdrawal. So jarring were these events, even for experienced adventurers like them, that they jumped as if electrically shocked as they turned to face her.
This hesitation to immediately flea did not stem from only guilt of leaving a precious comrade behind, but also trust in her and her abilities. Surely if anyone could find a way out of this mess, it would be their Evileye?
"My, my. How rude. I must apologize, but I lose patience when dealing with ants whom ignore basic, proper etiquette, and attempt to flea without bidding their proper farewells. So allow me a moment to crush you underfoot... [Aspect of the Devil: Giant Arm of the Demon]."
'"...!"'
The explosion of compressed bloodlust, going completely at odds with the gentle tone that had filtered into their eyes, was so terrifying that the trio froze in place. It was enough, for in that moment of indecision...
*CRASH!*
"Uwaaaargah!"
"Uurgh!"
"Gaaah! Tia! Gagaran! Oof!"
It happened as if it were a flash, as Evileye's barrier of Crystal-Element was easily shattered like cheaply made glass. So titanic the blow that they were thrown aside as it they were dolls in a tornado. Although much like glass, the razor-sharp shards of her [Crystal Wall], while doing little damage to her, severely injured her comrades.
Garagan was thrown onto her back like a sack of potatoes, knocked unconscious from the blow. That alone would have been fine, but shards of crystal mauled her face and were lodged into her eye-sockets. Though it was shallow enough to not go all the way through, without healing magic she would be blinded for life.
Tia fared the worst however, as her entire lithe frame was positively covered in lacerations, and much to Evileye's horror, her left-arm had been blown clean off. Most likely in an attempt to instinctively guard herself from whatever hit them. Evileye acted quickly as she jumped to Tia's side and poured a healing potion over the bloody stump. While it would not be enough to restore the arm itself, it would at the very least, keep her teammate from bleeding out.
With that out of the way, Evileye turned back to her barrier to try and gain her bearings and see what had happened.
"W-What? What the hell is this?"
She was shocked to find a massive and sturdy appendage of muscle and bone. So stout and solid that it was a wall in its own right. It dragged across the ground as it retracted back to its owner, and Evileye quickly understood her situation. Whatever happened here, this "Demon-Emperor" was now out for blood at the loss of one of its own.
Her comrades were unconscious, and would not be able to effect their own escape, so it fell to her to cover for them until she could safely teleport them away. Since the gigantic arm returned to the main body so slowly, Evileye felt it gave her the opening she needed.
"[Maximize Magic: Shard Buckshot]! [Maximize Magic: Crystal Lance]!"
She opened with her favored spell, and followed it up with another behind it. She hoped the wide spread of pointed, razor sharp shards no larger than her fists, would cover enough ground to hinder movement and cover the approach of the enormous crystalline spear behind it. Every fiber of her being told her not to approach the fiend before her carelessly... Or at all for that matter.
She wanted to mock herself for that, but such feelings were drowned out by confusion as the demonic foe before her made no move to guard or dodge. That was until "Jaldabaoth" spread his arms, as if welcoming the onslaught of crystal flechettes and their much larger counterpart behind. Much to her horror, she understood why, for just as they were about to hit him, they vanished into the ether. It was so sudden and complete, that was as if they had never existed.
'I-Is that some kind of complete spell resistance? Only certain species and high-leveled beings should have that... The gap between us is THIS large?! No! I can't give in to despair yet. I still have nearly all of my mana, and even if it costs me my life, I MUST hold this monster off long enough to find an opening to teleport them to safety!'
Reaffirming her resolve, Evileye began casting her next spell almost without missing the flow of the "battle" before her. Sweeping her right-hand, as if the conductor of an invisible orchestra, she invoked her next spells...
"[Twin Maximize Magic: Crystal Enclosure]! [Maximize Magic: Sand Field All]!"
The first spell enclosed her with the enemy in a circular area 10-meters wide in all directions, with a dual-layered wall of Crystal-Element. It was a risky move. Not only did she entrap herself with an enemy that could kill her easily, but it also drained a significant portion of her mana. If it wasn't for the fact that she came into this battle with nearly her entire store of mana, more than likely she would never have attempted it.
Of course, this move was necessary, since the second spell she invoked would have likely killed her friends in the casting. Being a 5th-tier spell of her own making and one of her strongest, it covered a wide area, dispersing sand particles throughout her surroundings. Due to this, it was nigh-useless in a group fight. While he possessed a single-target version, it frankly weaker than what she was using now, and she felt this was not the time to be holding back.
Ordinarily, an opponent within its area would be immobilized, as well as blinded, silenced, and dazed. However, her foe was anything but ordinary, and didn't seem affected in the least. In fact, he gave a pitying sigh at her desperate attempts to stave him off. Just as she was about to consider using her trump-card, causing life-drain on those caught within the spell's range, the demon spoke in a bored tone.
"My, oh my. Watching you desperately flail about is now becoming rather tedious. Allow me then to fully educate you on how ill-suited you are to the task at hand... [Aspect of the Devil: Hellfire Mantle]."
Evileye watched on in blanched horror as a roaring flame blazed up from the ground, with a massive shockwave erupting from the self-proclaimed, "Demon-Emperor". Living up to its name, the mantle of fire cloaked it invoker, glassing the sand around her and making her efforts completely moot. Then her foe invoked another unfamiliar ability.
"[Aspect of the Devil: Razor Sharp Claws]."
*FA-WHOOSH*BOOOM!*
It all happened so fast that she nearly couldn't track it. In one moment, before her vision went black, Jaldabaoth's claws grew to extremely long proportions, and the next moment, he swiftly and gracefully twirled in a fashion that allowed him to not only blow away her field of sand, but also completely obliterate the dual-layered walls of crystal she formed to contain it. In a literal flash of fire that lit up the night, all her handiwork had been undone.
The ground had been charred black, with obsidian-colored glass strewn about the area. Evileye herself had been blown clear over her friends' position, and while the intense heat didn't cause her physical damage, those infernal flames greatly weakened her. Barely able to sit up, she watched in dawning horror as the demon approached the still unconscious Gagaran and Tia.
"I hope you did not think me oblivious to your true intentions of diverting my attention from this flotsam to yourself?" Jaldabaot said in a manner one might expect a disappointed teacher with their student.
"...!"
She felt her heart, which should have long since stopped beating, lurch into her throat as she realized that not only her intentions were easily found out, but as a wave of sickening malice stuck her once again, certain revelations crashed into her consciousness.
This fiend never once considered her an enemy. She wasn't a threat and they both knew it. He was toying with her. Using her to take out whatever frustrations he had at whatever demonkin had lost their life here. With all that in mind, the next revelation filled her with total despair as he approached her unconscious teammates; he was going to kill them right in front of her, as she helplessly looked on!
"N-No... Don't..."
Her voice was little more than a whimper, yet the demon still heard it all the same.
"Yes, I shall. As partial remuneration for the loss of one of my children. Now, if you would be so kind as to wait there, I shall extirpate those at my feet before settling matters with you. Though I cannot fathom why you would team-up with such lessers to yourself. If you had not, perhaps you would have stood a modicum of a chance."
"You... You have no right! No right to say THAAAAAT!"
Evileye snarled in an inhuman manner that momentarily took the demon by surprise as he was about to deliver a single finishing blow to her teammates. And in that moment...
*CRASH!*
Something fell between them with a thunderous crash, forcing Jaldabaoth to defensively jump back for the first time since she laid eyes on him. The remaining stone slabs shattered, kicking up a cloud of dust. Still kneeling from the force of the landing, Evileye beheld a warrior clad in jet-black armor that reflected the moon's soft light. It was an oddly beautiful sight. Especially when his crimson cape buffeted in a way akin to a roaring blaze in the night.
Held in each hand were greatswords of astronomical quality that matched what she assumed to be adamantite full-plate. As they gleamed in the moonlight, and this warrior stood up from his kneeling position, they promised death for any that came near. This imposing frame seemed to blot out the demon, and just as unholy fiends would recoil from holy light, Evileye sensed a hint of fear from Jaldabaoth as he beheld this dark warrior.
The sound of swallowing met Evileye's ears in the eerie moment of silence, and much to her shock and surprise, it came from the demon. A being whose might that not even she could accurately measure, recoiled in the presence of this warrior. Then a cold yet imposing voice shattered the silence.
"Now, which of you is the enemy?"
...
'Well, well. Quite the intriguing display...'
Unbeknownst to all parties involved, Madara's clones have been watching the entirety of the night's events, and relaying them to the main body. Currently, they were observing the exchange between "Momon" and "Jaldabaoth". Of course, despite the "dark warrior" having done something to block off the detection of his energies, Madara knew his true identity.
The demon did not take such precautions however, so it was easy to identify him as one of the minions of Ainz Ooal Gown. The mask was hardly a suitable means of concealing one's identity, but unless an individual observed the demon at another location, as Madara did at the events of the Lizardman Village, it would serve its purpose well enough. Especially with the fiction that was being crafted by the Arch-Demon and the Overlord.
Madara had to admit that the pretense of a "powerful item" that had "summoned" the demons was clever for their purposes. His clones did not fail to notice that many powerful entities had started to spread throughout the capital-city as the forces gathered by the princess started to raid bases belonging to Eight Fingers.
One of which involved that powerful, inhuman butler observed earlier in the day tending to a warehouse full of grain. He had single-handedly defeated members of the "Six Arms" division, while quite the interesting spectacle, it was also a tad boring. It was quite the surprise that the butler was there to rescue a human girl of all things, but that allowed Madara to gauge the man's character, and filed that information away for later.
'It pleases me that plans have proceeded as intended... At least for now.'
As the demon using the alias "Jaldabaoth" flew away, giving the rather ominous warning of the city paying "appropriate reparations" what has occurred this evening, Madara could only smile as his schemes to provoke all sides into action had succeeded. As much as he felt he knew about them, the forces of this "Nazarick" were still too much of an unknown for his tastes.
He knew that one day he would have to deal with them in the future, so what better way to observe how they act and react when poked with a stick? Getting the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord to start to reconcile some of his past and repressed feelings was merely a bonus, even if he knew he would possibly be hearing about it later.
Madara's attention was drawn back to what his clones were monitoring, for as the unconscious members of Blue Rose were being treated and healed, the edge of their vision lit up, with the color of a malevolent orange-red blaze. It was then that "Nabe", the foolish inhuman woman he encounters in E-Rantel (A/N:CH.02), and still bore the tracking Jutsu he had planted back then, spoke up whilst point in the direction of the light.
"Sir Momon, look over there."
The pair of Evileye and Momon turned to look at the crimson radiance. Given the evening's events, it would have been relatively simple to conclude the cause.
"What? That's... Dammit! Jaldabaoth's making good on his threats." Evileye cursed underneath her mask.
A wall of flames encircled the city like a girdle as they swayed like a veil. As if they aimed to burn down the very heavens themselves, the crimson inferno spat tongues of flame toward the sky at a height that was easily more than 30-meters tall. One could only imagine how wide it was to create such a bright veil of fire that night suddenly became day. At least from their position and angle.
"Is that... [Flames of Gehenna]?"
Momon's voice was akin to a low mutter that one would expect when someone was thinking to themselves. Barely audible, yet for those like Evileye and Madara whom were possessed of sharp hearing, they did not fail to pick up on it. The former's head snapped back to the side to face Momon in surprise.
"What was that? Momon, do you know what that huge wall of flame is?"
In a rather amusing displaying, Momon's shoulders trembled slightly at his mistake of letting his thoughts slip, and with an uncharacteristic lack of confidence replied to her earnest query.
"Eh? Ah... Ahem. N-No, I can't be sure about that. Can I tell you again after I confirm the details?"
"That's... I suppose that's all right... My leader should be here soon to give my teammates a more proper treatment. "
"I see... Very good then. In the meantime, I need to discuss something with Nabe. Please excuse us." Momon replied with a bow.
Madara continued to watch as events unfolded in surprising ways. This Overlord that was now calling himself "Ainz Ooal Gown", continued to garner his interest, and would watch with rapt attention as the night continue to unfold.
'Now then, I'll consult with Damar and Lottus and see if this [Flames of Gehenna] spell is familiar to either of them. In the meantime, continue to dance for me Re-Estize. I look forward to seeing how this Demonic Disturbance shall proceed...'
...
*A/N: I must apologize to everyone for the LONG wait for this chapter. Things have been rather crazy with IRL on my end. Busy with vo-tech yes, but recently had some deaths in the family too, and dealing with the drama that has caused. (Sighs.) I hate 2020... Anyways, no idea when the next chapter will come out, but rest assured, expect more surprises in store. Until then, everyone take care, and stay safe. Later!*