[Chapter 1: Folly Of The Beast]
The sun was high in the sky, at its zenith in fact. Its gentle caress embraced the plains below it, the only shelter to be found being beneath the legendary Tree of Flugel which reached far above the ground, as if to reach the stars themselves.
Critters and insects moved about the area, vacating it, their instinct telling them to run from the approaching calamity. The only sound was the rustling of the leaves of the old tree, and the sound of footsteps from the group beneath it.
Seven figures stood in the shade, looking out into the distance.
Ainz, Crusch, Emilia, Rem, Wilhelm, and Aeternia were joined by one more being. It was tall, taller than Ainz even, and very clearly undead. It was covered in spiked armour with red, vein-like markings covering it.
In one of its hands it held a massive tower shield, one that was nearly twice as tall as Rem, and in the other was an old flamberge. In its eyes blazed hate and the lust for blood radiated off of it.
This Death Knight was a major part of the upcoming plan. Without it, or if it proved insufficient in its duty, things could go very wrong. However, Ainz had confidence in his summon, having used such beings in even the highest tiers of YGGDRASIL play.
In addition to its well-known ability to tank any hit and always survive at 1 health once, the Death Knight could also force the enemy to attack them, only for a brief moment if the gap in strength was large, but Ainz only needed that brief moment.
Ainz spotted the White Whale on the horizon at around the time he was expecting it. It flew through the sky, barely moving its body and assured of its dominance.
The Overlord held up his skeletal hand as everyone around him tensed up. To see such a deadly and legendary beast, one that had even slain a previous Sword Saint, must have been nerve wracking for the group.
However, Ainz's signal to stay put was not for them but rather for Wilhelm. The Sword Devil was trembling with hatred, killing intent leaking out of him and causing everyone but the Overlord to shiver.
Wilhelm's hand shook as it rested on the palm of his new sword, eager to draw first blood against the beast that killed his wife. He almost gave into his hatred, taking a single step forward before a hand touched his shoulder.
"Not yet." Aeternia said, pulling the old swordsman back.
"You're right, my apologies." Wilhelm said, gritting his teeth.
Ainz kept looking out at his prey, "Let it come closer. Act only when I give the signal."
The undead mage motioned upwards with his right hand as the whale slowly closed the distance, and Crusch nodded, going up on her skeletal dragon and taking flight.
Either the beast didn't care about the new being appearing in its domain or it simply didn't notice it. Whichever one it was, it didn't bother Ainz, as the beast was still several hundred metres away.
'Come on, come closer.' Ainz thought to himself. The problem wasn't really range per se, given the [Teleportation] rings everyone had, but having it be too far was inconvenient as well.
Slowly but surely the creature floated through the air, unbothered by its surroundings.
However, the moment it reached a distance of around 300 metres from Ainz, it noticed something on the horizon. A pillar of blue light, spiralling and ever-changing, appeared to come from the source of some tiny figure ahead of it.
Despite it being just a pretty light show on the surface, the beast felt the cold chill of death encompass it, and its eyes turned red.
The battle had begun.
Ainz began to cast what could be considered something beyond magic. Super Tier spells didn't take mana, but rather had a hard limit on how many times you could cast them per day. Naturally, the strength of these spells was rivalled only by rare skills like [World Break].
What would grace the world in 30 seconds would be power incarnate.
Alas, Crusch had no time to marvel at the swirling, blue runes that now surrounded Ainz, going far beyond the reach of even the massive tree that graced this land. If things were to go according to plan, she would have to play her part as well.
She drew her now-favoured, golden blade as she stood upon the back of her majestic beast. "Today you fall, beast!" she called out, pointing her blade at the whale.
"One Blow, A Hundred Felled!"
A blow that would have put the lion kings of old to shame was unleashed and a blade of wind surged through the air. Mist began to appear as the beast tried to do something against the approaching threat it detected, but it was too late.
Blood flooded the field as the whale plummeted down to the ground, the blow Crusch dealt to it revealing its grotesque skull beneath the mass of flesh, one of its eyes entirely annihilated. Dust and dirt went flying as a hole in the ground was formed by its white mass.
"Not bad, eh? I'm going to have to thank Ainz for this sword once again when this battle is over." she said, sitting down on the neck of the undead dragon, "Now get me down there!"
The dragon immediately nosedived and headed towards Ainz, Crusch having done her part for this battle.
But the whale was far from done, even if litres of blood painted the field red. Its one eye glowed red, and its aura spread across the field, only for it to suddenly focus on a being in front of it.
The Death Knight had made its move, going up right in front of the whale and unleashing one of its skills: [Hate].
A chilling roar echoed out. The Death Knight's deep, guttural roar accomplished its goal, grabbing the attention of the White Whale.
The demon beast slowly began to rise, only to be knocked further down into the ground, deepening the crater that had already been created.
"Remain here and die, creature." came the chilling voice of Aeternia, her strength stat being nothing to scoff at.
The White Whale tried to raise its body once again, knowing full well that it was as good as dead should it remain on the ground, and the only way to get out of here was to summon its mist.
There existed another option, in the form of splitting into weaker clones, but then it wouldn't be able to kill this undead insect in front of it! At least this result wouldn't be as probable.
Even its orders, to go on and cause chaos, meant nothing when compared to the unbridled hatred it felt for the being in front of itself. The other creatures slashing and stabbing at it were only an obstacle, not a target.
Mana poisoning would have slowed down some of its assailants and let it get to its target, so it attempted to cover the area in its mist-like mana, but this too was accounted for.
"Die, you pathetic creature!" Wilhelm yelled, his voice filled with hate. He ran across the immobilised monster, slashing at the gills that were beginning to emit what Ainz was most wary of. Blood clogged the opening as Wilhelm slashed and slashed and slashed, his entire body being dyed red.
Aeternia wasn't far behind, rushing across and to the other side of the whale, keeping her dagger inside the beast the entire time. A waterfall of blood began to appear as the Eternal Death nearly split the whale wide open.
The beast shook again, trying to fly up and throw off the ones responsible for the most brutal assault it had ever endured.
"Emilia, Rem! Keep it on the ground!" Crusch yelled, unfortunately unable to use her signature attack for a while longer, and instead filling in for Ainz, who was busy casting.
"On it!" Emilia called out, "Ul Huma!" The spell, boosted by the power of her ring, conjured massive pillars of ice. Sharper and larger than usual, the ice pillars gleamed like crystals in the sun as they soared and crashed into their target.
"Ul Huma!" Rem repeated, trying to turn the usually blunt pillars into sharp spears, just like Emilia.
The spells met their mark and hit the white whale, but only Emilia's spell managed to penetrate the beast's flesh, and even then it was only a surface-level wound.
'I was afraid this was going to happen… Come on, don't get up.' Ainz thought to himself, remembering that the beast could resist some magic.
However, there was one being that noticed what was happening. Aeternia looked down at the beast she was standing on and noticed the slight shimmer of it.
She kneeled down, touching it. "Hair?" she mumbled, before realising what was happening. "My lady! The hairs on the whale must dull magic! Allow me to get rid of them!"
"Do it!" Emilia answered before quickly turning to Rem, "I think I have a plan, but I'll need you to help me channel the mana."
"Of course, Lady Emilia." Rem answered
Meanwhile, Aeternia unleashed a skill that not many undead races could boast of, "[Aura of Death and Decay]."
Unfortunately, the instant death effect of the aura was far from what Ainz's [Aura of Despair] had and the whale kept attempting to take off, as bruised and battered as it was, but the aura still had the desired effect.
The bloodied hairs of the whale quickly began to fall and turn to dust, leaving the creature bare and its skin exposed. "Strike now! And you get back, Sir Wilhelm!" Aeternia yelled.
"Alright! Ready, Rem?" Emilia asked, pointing to the right of the whale as it slowly began to ascend.
"On it!" Rem quickly answered, pointing towards the beast's right.
""Chains of Frost!"" they called out in unison. From each side of the Witch of Gluttony's creation appeared crystal-clear chains of ice, trying to wrap around the massive creature.
They snapped to the ground as both Emilia and Rem got paler, unused to channelling this much mana at once, but the chains held firm for the moment.
As precious seconds began to go by, however, the beast thrashing around causing cracks to appear on the chains holding it.
"How much longer?!" Emilia called out, sweat beginning to run down her face.
"Hold steady for just a bit longer." Crusch yelled before turning to the figure that appeared next to her, "Aeternia! Where the hell is Wilhelm!?"
The Eternal Death turned back to the whale, simply muttering, "How stubborn…"
Aeternia ran towards the whale faster than Crusch could see, coming to one of the few areas she had left unaffected by her aura. As she expected, the old Sword Devil was next to the eye of the White Whale, stabbing into it over and over again.
"Die! Die!" he repeatedly cried out, slashing at the mutilated flesh of the demonic beast. His eyes displayed nought but frenzied madness, burning with hatred for the creature in front of him.
He undoubtedly would have kept attacking the foul creature, but Aeternia appeared behind him and grabbed him, teleporting away before he could even react.
"Why!? Why did you do that?!" Wilhelm yelled, pointing his bloodied sword at Aeternia.
The Eternal Death calmly pointed to Ainz and said, "It's over."
Everyone's eyes turned towards Ainz.
With just three words, the White Whale was undone.
"[Sword of Damocles]."
The chains conjured by Emilia and Rem receded, but all hope was lost for Daphne's creation as the runes surrounding Ainz burst in a dazzling display of magical prowess.
A sword made of blinding white light, and reaching far above even the Tree of Flugel, appeared above the whale. It was shaped akin to a simple broadsword, but it seemed to be the judgement of a God, about to execute the offender at any moment.
It hung above the whale for but a second, until the invisible string holding it was cut and death was decreed.
The sword of light passed instantly through the head of the whale and sliced the beast vertically. As the brilliant weapon cut through the creature, a deafening explosion followed.
A wave of blinding light moved in the direction the blade swung, forming an ever-expanding cone and consuming everything after the head of the whale. It was as if the world was painted over white, simply disappearing from view as all was eliminated.
The beast's carcass disappeared past the skull and ventured into the white light where no mortal could tread. There was no escape from the destruction that was brought upon this world, certainly not for the whale.
Even the very sky seemed to be absorbed by the explosion, the heavens not being safe from a power that eclipsed their own to such a degree.
Was it despair that the Gods felt when they saw this? Was this the fear of mortality their kind should not feel?
Perhaps, but it didn't matter to Ainz, who looked at the results of the spell with a scientific curiosity.
[Sword of Damocles] was YGGDRASIL's orbital weapon, capable of wiping entire armies off the map. However, it not only had the traditional cast time of a YGGDRASIL, but it would only strike after a telegraphed delay, with the devastating explosion being an aftereffect.
It gave plenty of time for players to dodge, so it was primarily used against structures. Of course, if both the initial strike of the blade and the explosion managed to hit a target, death was guaranteed for most players.
The whale was certainly no exception to the rule.
The magic began to fade away, the spell's job having been done.
The curtain of light fell away, revealing the once-vibrant landscape that was behind it. Now, after judgement had been cast, there were only ashes and dust.
Not even wind blew across the barren, scorched fields of the plains. Every last ounce of life had been burnt away, leaving behind a blackened and depressing landscape.
Such a view must have been the only thing one would find for over a kilometre from the source of the spell, though everything outside of it remained perfectly untouched. It was as if a part of the land had simply been deleted from existence, leaving not even a mark on the vibrant grass next to it.
The skull of the whale, the trophy which was meant to prove his victory, remained on the side that was untouched. Despite having its entire lower body destroyed, no blood or guts flowed out of the creature, the wounds there being firmly cauterised.
Its eyes were gone and the once proud beast lay on the ground, covered in blood. The one reminder of the majestic creature that once was was the horn that sprouted from it, somehow unblemished by the carnage that had been unleashed.
But for Ainz that was just the proof of the kill.
"That was… within my expectations." Ainz concluded, glad to be rid of the demon beast and to see the effects of a spell he was highly curious about. Sure, the land was destroyed, but it would all grow back in time.
A sense of satisfaction came over him as he walked towards what remained of the beast's corpse…
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
Crusch looked at the spell that Ainz had cast with her eyes wide open.
Power was vital for a country, Crusch knew that, but what kind of country could stand against power like this?
The all-consuming, endless white barrier seemed to be capable of wiping out a capital in a matter of seconds.
Was this the power of a God?
No, this was something beyond even them.
The Witch of Envy, the greatest disaster that had graced this world, managed to destroy half the world in her rampage. But what if Ainz were to become hellbent on total destruction?
Would anyone be able to stop him?
Would anyone even be able to react before that happened?
Crusch was a savvy politician, and so was Ainz, thus the fundamental rule of never showing one's hand fully must have applied here.
The shock and awe of the godlike blade annihilating whatever was in its way was certainly there, but what scared her more was the fact that she knew Ainz had something even more destructive in store.
Despite being quite formidable, the White Whale was still just a demon beast and not worth Ainz's full attention. What other cards did Ainz have up his sleeve? And were they more destructive, even world ending perhaps?
The glorious battle that she and her troops would have fought against the White Whale in another world was entirely absent here. There was no need for that. Frankly, she didn't even think Ainz needed them there to keep the whale in place.
He undoubtedly had other ways of dealing with it, ones that were instant or didn't require time to cast. Why did he do this? Was it a sign? Or was it that he was preparing for something?
Why was Ainz even in this world?
If his word was to be trusted, he could jump between worlds on a whim, so of what use would a kingdom like Lugnica be to him? In that moment, in front of the curtain of white light, he seemed like a mirage, an invincible conqueror one could only find in myths or the tales of drunken bards.
To Ainz, what did this world mean? Did it mean nothing? Was it just another speck of dust to add to his long list of adventures? Was the selection a fun distraction from whatever it is he usually did?
Even if that was the case, why would he pick Emilia as his preferred candidate? Was it happenstance, fate perhaps? Or was it because he wanted to challenge himself?
Compared to Crusch, Emilia was at a huge disadvantage, yet that seemed like nothing the moment Ainz got involved. Now the half-elven girl had a spectre of death at her disposal, one who loomed over the other candidates, ready to remove them should they interrupt his little game.
Then again, maybe this was simply a misunderstanding? Maybe Ainz had not yet travelled a myriad of worlds, or perhaps he simply became attached to this one for some odd reason?
There were so, so many questions, and yet Crusch, the everbrilliant and cunning Duchess, could not answer a single one. The enigma she now faced was literally otherworldly, and she doubted even the Gods would be able to provide any answer to this quandary.
Alas, the might she saw displayed today was most likely only a small piece of the puzzle, insignificant enough to display in front of a potential rival like her.
And speaking of their potential rivalry, what would happen to their alliance? The White Whale was most definitely dead, their alliance being tied to the magic beast.
Duchess Crusch Karsten still felt she was fit for the throne, more so than any other candidate, but the question of whether she would ever be able to compete with Ainz wormed its way into her head.
For all her prowess with the written word, her familiarity with noble etique, and her years of training with the blade, she simply seemed outmatched here.
Her charisma was a drop in the ocean compared to Ainz's.
Her life as a noble was a snowflake in a snowstorm compared to Ainz, who most likely had been a king and a conqueror for way longer than a mortal ever could.
Her power, while not miniscule, could hardly eradicate kingdoms on a whim.
All in all, she was outmatched.
'Perhaps it's time to side with the winning side…' Crusch thought to herself, walking towards the corpse of the White Whale…
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
Wilhelm's rage slowly subsided, being replaced by an odd, serene feeling. There was something… magical about the wave of power before him. Of course, there was the fact that the destruction before him was caused by mana, making it magical, but it also seemed so surreal.
Decades.
It had been decades since this creature killed his wife.
But all it took to kill the abominable thing was a single spell. Of course, there was the lead up to it, however, he was certain that that was mostly for Ainz's own amusement. There was no real reason for him or Crusch to be here.
The Overlord most likely didn't even need to use such a fancy spell, as it was quite obviously overkill. Yet he was here, covered in blood and sword in hand.
After all these years of waiting, of his hatred festering in his heart, he finally got what he wanted.
The whale was dead.
Where once was a sea of torment and contained hatred, now there were only the aftereffects of the storm as the sea calmed down.
The whale had cost him not only Theresia but also years and years of his own life. How much time had he spent searching for it, hunting it down, blaming his grandson for his wife's death.
Just how much time had he spent wallowing in misery?
Too long.
No matter how much time it actually was, it was still too long. Of that he was sure.
But now he was free, free of his arch nemesis.
The mistakes of his past most certainly couldn't be undone, however, as the wall of light faded, it felt almost like a page was flipped and a new chapter of his life could now begin.
Wilhelm chuckled lightly.
In truth, beneath the now-clam waves still lay depths filled with anger, but now resignation was mixed into it all as well. How could he have ever hoped to avenge Theresia?
Even during his most glorious days as the Sword Devil, he would have been no match for the whale. If what Ainz had said about the mist was true, and he was inclined to believe the undead mage, then he would have simply been ripped off of the pages of history, erased in his entirety.
And yet all it took for his acquaintance was a single spell.
Guided by rage and hubris, he would have been erased like countless others, but Ainz didn't seem to worry about such a thing in the slightest. For him the whale was like any other fish and only a larger target.
To think he, the vaunted Sword Devil, would have been humbled in such a way… It was almost funny. He had envisioned this battle so differently, imagining it over and over again as the years passed.
There was supposed to be a glorious struggle, with him butchering the beast and landing the final blow. Sweat and blood were meant to cover the battlefield for days as both he, those with him, and the whale fought to their last breath.
It was supposed to be a glorious battle for the ages, where he would plunge his blade into the beast's wretched skull and avenge his wife.
It was meant to be hardfought, to last until everyone involved was teetering on the edge between life and death.
It was not meant to last 30 seconds.
When Wilhelm first heard of Ainz's exploits, he was curious. Then he met the man and was impressed by his aura, and by the following spell that lit up the night.
Now he was done being impressed or amazed.
Ainz was a force of nature but, more importantly, Ainz was the one who let Wilhelm's revenge become more than a mere fantasy in the head of an ageing and withering man.
With sorrow, anger, happiness, and a myriad of other emotions running through Wilhelm, the old Sword Devil simply sighed, for now was a moment where he could finally rest…
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
Rem looked at the destruction that was unleashed by the Overlord. This was certainly more in tune with what she initially thought about Ainz.
The Witch, her very scent, was the essence of destruction, and the spell cast by the undead mage surpassed anything she could imagine even the Witch doing.
She glanced at the Overlord who was calmly looking at the result of his spell. He felt almost out of place in Rem's mind.
Even when she attacked him, he did not eviscerate her until her very soul was ripped from Od Laguna's grasp. Destruction on such a scale simply didn't fit the Overlord. If anything, she imagined him like the gentle embrace of death, silently crushing his enemies.
To see his black and purple robes contrasted in front of the ever-expanding wall of white light was quite jarring.
Overall, Ainz had been kind to her. After all, he even saved her life from a Guiltylowe.
In a word, Ainz was nice.
To see him slaughter one of the three great demon beasts as if it was nothing more than fodder was, while expected, still shocking.
She silently moved to Ainz's side, glancing up at his skull.
Even if Ainz was this powerful, she would still repay him for saving her life; should the occasion where he would require someone to buy him time come once again, then she would be his shield.
After all, what are friends for?
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
Emilia's eyes went wide as Ainz's power was let loose on the world.
No wonder the Overlord couldn't promise her power like his own. This was simply beyond anything any mage could muster. Is this what was meant by standing at the peak?
At the very least in his own brand of magic, Ainz seemed to be the apex of an infinitely high hill, one no other mortal, or even immortal, could hope to scale.
But… wasn't it lonely at the top? Especially for Ainz, who was the only one who could use such power.
There was no one else to discuss techniques with, no one to share ideas with, no one to connect with.
Unlike Roswaal, who happened to be into magic due to being born into a family of magicians, Ainz seemed to have a genuine interest in the mystical arts, especially judging by how he tried to learn this world's magic as well.
Emilia began walking towards Ainz, looking up at him.
A wish was born in her heart as the magic died down; one day she would not only be strong enough to fend for herself, but she would be proficient enough to at the very least scratch the surface of the well of knowledge that was Ainz. This she promised.
Even if she couldn't scale to the top and sit besides Ainz, she would at the very least try, knowing full well that he would help her along the way.
Ainz always kept his word, and so would she.
She would never come close to unleashing calamities like this, of that she was sure, but perhaps she would be able to do at least a fraction of what Ainz could.
At this moment there was no doubt in her mind that Ainz could unfreeze the Elior Forest, thus one of her central reasons for joining the selection was made redundant. Still, that was something she had to do, it was her obligation.
Once her silent promise to Ainz was fulfilled, perhaps she could show him a spell of her own creation that was designed to dismiss the eternal winter that hung above the forest and thaw the ice that surrounded its inhabitants?
Maybe he would even be impressed! Though with the stories Ainz had told her, a spell like that probably would have been a parlour trick done in front of children.
As she stood next to the Overlord, watching the magic die down and the remains of the land come into view, she wondered just how she would have fared in that old world of his. Would she have been anything more than a speck of dust to be swept aside?
Or would she have been able to stand among Ainz's godlike pantheon and call him a friend? Well, that was a thought so far removed from reality it could be called nothing but a dream.
To stand alongside people like Ulbert, who would have considered the whale the same way Ainz did, as nothing more than an oversized fish, it would take more power than she could possibly imagine.
However, when the time would come, she would at the very least earn the approval of the Overlord and show him that she was more than a mere burden; such was her vow.
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
"I have to admit: though my respect for Daphne is minimal, this is quite a magnificent beast." Ainz muttered, running his skeletal hand along the monster's body.
"What was that?" asked Rem, walking up to him alongside Emilia.
"Nothing." Ainz quickly answered, "But you both performed marvellously. I can't say I've ever seen or heard of that spell you used, Emilia."
"Oh. I, uh, may have made it up on the spot." Emilia nervously said, avoiding Ainz's gaze.
The Overlord chuckled, reaching out and patting her on the head, "Adapting to the situation is a vital skill in battle, and making up a spell in the middle of a fight is very impressive. Good job, Emilia." he said.
"Thank you, Ainz." Emilia said, "I just wasn't quite sure it would work."
"I had full faith in Lady Emilia." interjected Rem.
"Yes, and you did well as well." Ainz said, his hand moving from Emilia's head to that of Rem.
'They really are like children asking for praise. Actually, maybe I'm just old? I'm like double their age after all.'
"I apologise for interrupting your little moment," Crusch said, prompting Ainz to withdraw his hand, "but what are we going to do with the rest of the corpse?"
"Isn't it obvious? Any good hunter needs to have a trophy to present, especially when it comes to proving we've done something like this." Ainz said, leaning against the head of the whale.
"As much as I wish for all traces of this thing to be gone, I agree, Sir Ainz." Wilhelm said, "You wouldn't happen to be able to teleport it alongside us?"
"I'll do you one better." Ainz said, pointing in front of the massive carcass, "[Gate]."
The Overlord felt his mana drain away as a massive, purple hole in reality opened up. He turned to Aeternia, saying, "Drag the corpse in behind us. You should be strong enough for that."
But before he could cross the boundary of the spell, he felt a tug on his robe.
"Are you really going to leave all this land destroyed? I know you can fix it." Emilia said, looking out at the barren wasteland Ainz would have left behind.
"It will all grow back on its own." Ainz answered, turning back around, only to feel that Emilia had not let go. "Fine." he muttered, though he felt what he was about to do was quite a waste of a spell. Still, if Emilia asked so nicely, then perhaps it was best to comply. Besides, leaving behind a wasteland like this did reek of the mindset of an average 22nd century businessman which was something he'd rather avoid.
He turned around to face the scorched land and blue runes began to float around him once more.
Wilhelm and Crusch silently moved behind Ainz, deciding to not gamble on how exactly he would fix the wasteland. The other three trusted that Ainz knew what he was doing, though if they knew his thoughts this view would most likely change.
'I hope this covers the area and doesn't create some deadly YGGDRASIL forest.' Ainz thought to himself. For all he knew, he could accidentally make YGGDRASIL mobs spawn here, with the effect of the spell being completely different from what he knew in the past.
After enough time passed and a silent prayer was offered so that nothing would go terribly awry, Ainz called out, "[Creation]!"
Immediately the ground heaved and shifted around, refilling the craters and damages as the super tier spell worked its magic to revert the damage done by another one of its kind. Grass grew back, turning the area back into the grassy plain that it was, as if no apocalyptic magic had ever struck it
'So it does cover that whole area. How nice.' Ainz thought to himself before glancing at Emilia, "Happy?" he asked.
"Yes, thank you." she answered, gazing out at the magnificent vista that was instantly recreated before her.
'So he can also create…' Emilia thought to herself, once again being shown just how great of a mage Ainz was. It seemed that there was nothing he couldn't do, but she still was glad that he indulged her vain request.
But she couldn't dwell on such matters for long, as Ainz once again turned towards the [Gate] and said, "Let's go."
With another miracle performed, Ainz disappeared, the rest of his group following behind him.
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
Miklotov paced around the courtyard of the castle. He lived a long life, a quite eventful one at that, but this selection still worried him so. Even the demihuman war didn't make his heart as heavy as the current selection.
Sure, there wasn't such an immediate threat to the kingdom, but the long term consequences of it could very well rip it apart. There was one person in particular that made him so worried, that being Emilia's knight, the one known as Ainz Ooal Gown.
Throughout all his days working for his kingdom, not once did he encounter someone who could cause such worry to erupt in his heart. It wasn't even about the power of the undead, otherwise he wouldn't have gotten a wink of sleep ever since Reinhard Van Astrea was born, but it was rather the influence the being had.
Reinhard was powerful, but he lacked the political knowhow to be a real threat, especially during the selection. Ainz, on the other hand, seemed to possess the knowledge one would expect of an ancient, almighty mage.
Ever since he first appeared in the court, Miklotov knew this selection was nearly decided. He tried to remain impartial, giving Emilia and her knight a fair chance, which turned out to be the correct call, as Ainz dismantled the main opposition in the council within minutes.
Even if the demon Ainz had summoned somehow charmed his colleague, making the wiseman innocent, Miklotov couldn't simply ignore such a thing. With only one spell, Ainz had taken the lead in the selection.
Emilia didn't seem to be the politically savvy type, so Miklotov could only conclude that Ainz was the one pulling every single string in the court, beyond even what he or Roswaal could do.
Even when you disregard Ainz's undead that serve as his eyes and ears which could seemingly appear and disappear at will, with only Reinhard being able to detect them, the undead still held all the cards.
What would happen if the Overlord won the selection? Though maybe when was more appropriate than if.
Miklotov truly wanted to give Emilia the benefit of the doubt, even if she looked like the Witch, however, Ainz was a different story. How could one read someone with no expression? How would Ainz try to gain a further lead in the selection?
Would he prepare a massive ritual to sway the country over with magic? Would he resort to his nigh infinite riches to bribe those in power? There were nearly infinite opportunities at the mage's skeletal fingertips.
Some, particularly those of weaker character or poorer intellect, would become lost in the possible strings of their conspiracies, making their moves sluggish or forcing them to cut some ties entirely.
Ainz, however, would surely not encounter such problems. If anything, Miklotov expected him to be an excellent puppet master, pulling each string at the right moment. For all he knew, he was dancing to the undead's tune right this moment!
He felt like a hornless demon beast, running around lost and confused, only for each of his moves to turn out to be planned and controlled. He had never been the most paranoid of people, but Ainz's presence was unnerving.
In the past, with noble conspiracies and battles aplenty, he had thought himself to be a good judge of character. Despite being young back then, he could get the bearing on most people even after a brief meeting. This talent remained with him throughout the years, being honed to a razor's edge.
Yet it proved entirely useless against Ainz. Where Miklotov had decades of experience, Ainz probably had centuries, millenia, or even aeons of it. It simply was a hopeless situation. The wise man could only hope that Ainz's goals were not as insidious as his appearance.
Suddenly, his quiet time to ponder was interrupted by a massive, purple portal opening up right before him.
He would have called for guards under normal circumstances, but he knew exactly who would step out of that spell.
As expected, the purple robes marking Ainz's arrival revealed themselves, and the skeletal mage stepped forward.
"Ah, Sir Miklotov, I apologise for the intrusion, but I believe it's for the best if we handle this matter quickly. Would you mind stepping back a bit?" Ainz asked, walking past the man.
"Of course." the wise man answered, "Though I have to say, that is quite a spell there. Teleportation of some sort, I presume? Quite a rare talent."
"You presume correctly. It was quite common where I come from, given its utility." Ainz said, subtly gloating to Miklotov.
'A world where teleportation is widespread… I can only imagine the battles he had engaged in.'
During his glory days, Miklotov was no slouch in a fight, but Ainz's tales and titles still bewildered him. As it turns out, Ainz still had another surprise up his seemingly bottomless sleeves.
Several more figures exitted the [Gate], with only Aeternia being missing. However, after a few more seconds, the Eternal Death also made her way through the portal, dragging the head of the beast behind herself.
"Thank you, Aeternia. You can just leave it here." Ainz said, closing the portal behind the group. A [Gate] as large as that one was an actual strain on his mana pool, and given what he was about to do in just a few minutes, he'd rather avoid something like that.
Miklotov's jaw dropped as he gazed upon the mutilated head of the White Whale. "S-Sir Ainz, is that what I think it is?" he asked, blinking rapidly as if to dispel an illusion.
"Indeed it is, the White Whale. Dead. Please, would you be so kind as to verify that Emilia and I killed it? With the help of Lady Crusch of course. There is urgent business I need to attend to, so I will have to leave the announcement to the rest of you, as sad as that is." Ainz said, walking up to the head of the beast and leaning on it.
"Our help was minimal, but I appreciate that you will keep your end of the deal, Sir Ainz." Crusch said.
"I always keep my word." Ainz said before turning back to Miklotov, "Anyway, would you be so kind as to do that? I believe I've still got some urgent work to do. After all, the Witch Cult won't purge itself."
"""""Witch Cult?!"""""
Everyone, aside from Aeternia, cried out at once.
"Wait, you didn't tell me about this!" Emilia said, worried that Ainz may have hid something vital from her.
"Yes, I just got the information from some of my summons. That is precisely why it is so urgent. In fact, the place we must travel to is Roswaal's domain." Ainz lied, having prepared the line in advance. Having Emilia stress out over the Witch Cult during the fight with the whale would have been less than ideal.
"Alright, just tell me what's your plan!" the half-elf exclaimed, glad that she seemingly had Ainz's full trust.
"You and Rem will go to the mansion and make sure no cultists run to you. I will take care of the rest." Ainz said, opening up another [Gate] next to himself.
"Sir Ainz, please let us help you still. The Witch Cult is our enemy as much as yours." Crusch said, walking up to the Overlord.
Ainz appeared to be in thought for a second, "Hmm, while they are our enemies, our alliance is over, is it not? Besides, I could hardly allow you to act on my benefactor's land without his permission. I hope you understand." And with that, Ainz, Rem, Emilia and Aeternia stepped through the [Gate], leaving behind the corpse of the whale.
Crusch reached out to grab the mage, but it was too late and she only got a handful of air. "Dammit!" she said.
'So I'm guessing that's his way of saying we either become subordinate or we are left stranded. Gods damn him! I'm stuck in a corner, again!' Crusch thought to herself.
"Excuse me, Lady Karsten, but may I ask where the rest of the body of the White Whale is?" Miklotov asked, touching the corpse to make sure it was real.
"It's gone." Crusch curtly answered.
"Gone? What do you mean?"
"I mean Ainz's spell destroyed it completely and utterly." Crusch said, sighing, "Just bring me inside and give me your best vintage. I can't very well recount this while sober."
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
Miklotov poured himself another glass. He expected much from the tale Crusch was to tell him, but he most certainly did not expect for the story to involve Ainz destroying swaths of land with what may as well be a snap of his fingers, and then restoring them with just as much effort.
At this point Miklotov could confidently say that even if the entire Witch Cult was thrown at Emilia's knight, Ainz would find it more of a chore than anything else.
Hell, if he'd been the knight of the king during the demihuman war then it wouldn't have been a war but instead a slaughter!
Necromancy could make powerful soldiers but that required the corpse to already be powerful, making it a very niche, rare, and situational form of magic. He personally had squandered the efforts of dozens of necromancers, given that none of them could pull off feats like Ainz's or create undead like the Overlord in question.
In fact, raising undead wasn't always the end goal of a necromancer. The most legendary deed one could accomplish, which the Argyle family supposedly had achieved in the past, was the perfect resurrection of someone.
Judging by the power Ainz had, he probably could do so by just pointing his finger at a corpse. A war with Ainz on one side was already won, not even because of the Overlord's direct strength, but simply due to his necromantic prowess.
Lost a general? Resurrect them.
Suffered massive casualties? Resurrect them or turn them into undead.
The most sought after magical arts, ones that few if any in the history of the world had ever obtained, appeared to be petty tricks to Ainz. At the very least he seemed to be going after targets Miklotov approved of, not using such tricks against the innocent.
He downed the rest of the glass of his wine, wondering just which group of cultists had earned the Overlord's ire…
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
Regulus Corneas wasn't very remarkable in appearance. He appeared to be around twenty years of age, with white hair and disinterested golden eyes. Even though he wore an exquisite white and gold robe, he wouldn't particularly stand out.
Of course, he should have. He was a divine being, the most satisfied existence in the world, though he was not selfish by any means. All in all, he was a perfect man, with a greater patience than any other.
Or at least that is what the Archbishop of Greed would have others believe. His story was like the tale of a drunken bard, so far removed from reality it could be called nothing else than fiction.
The archbishop slammed his gospel on the ground, "What a useless, stupid book! Shows nothing but riddles, then it infringes on my freedom to bring me here and now what?! Now it shows absolutely nothing!"
He turned to the short, dark-skinned figure with long, unkempt brown hair that stood next to him, "Is that pet of yours going to do something, or are you going to sit there and be pathetic?" he asked.
Lye Batenkaitos, one of the Archbishops of Gluttony, said, "We… We can't feel it anymore. It's gone." There wasn't sorrow in the statement, more so, it was genuine confusion.
He had commanded the whale to simply go after some villages and cause mayhem, meaning that a force would have to respond and face Regulus and himself. But ever since he sent out the whale, his gospel was also blank.
"Great, your fat, flying fish finally got butchered. Brilliant. So this whole operation is being called off. I need to keep my wives company, and you should learn your lesson. Don't ever try to drag me alongside you again." Regulus said, spitting on the ground next to the Archbishop of Gluttony.
The shorter cult member moved like a blur, appearing in front of an unimpressed Regulus. "We need to stay here until she at least lets us go. You wouldn't want to anger her, no?"
"Pfft, and why would I care about that dirty old hag. She isn't even worth becoming my wife. I am going, and you should not try to stop me, midget." Regulus raised his arm and waved Lye away.
Lye just barely got out of the way, dodging the destructive wave that followed.
Regulus did as he said he would, beginning to walk away.
The Archbishop of Gluttony on the other hand decided not to risk dealing with her and instead sat down on the ground, pondering what could have taken out the White Whale.
In comparison to him, the White Whale wasn't as tricky of an opponent if it didn't use its mist. If it did then it would become an adversary that probably surpassed Lye in difficulty.
Just who could've taken it out?
Reinhard Van Astrea was the only one in the Kingdom of Lugnica who could do such a thing, with maybe Roswaal L. Mathers being the second choice. Other scenarios required a mass mobilisation of at least the forces of an entire house, something that wouldn't go unnoticed by the Witch Cult.
However, there were vague words that reached the cult of a new arrival, fresh blood in the court, one that went by the name of Ainz Ooal Gown. This, to the gourmet that was Lye, was an opportunity.
A new powerful warrior or mage meant that a new taste could be savoured, new skills could be earned, and a satisfying meal could be found.
Lye drooled as he thought of the man who killed his pet; oh how sweet his memories would be.
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
The court gathered in the hall, with many already anticipating the topic of discussion being the one and only Ainz Ooal Gown. Few people could ever hope to make as large of an impact as that monster had and it certainly didn't seem to diminish with time. If anything, Ainz's actions only got more ridiculous each time.
Miklotov took his spot at the centre of the council, the room falling quiet as he did so. "Lady Emilia and her knight Ainz Ooal Gown, with the help of Lady Karsten, have killed the White Whale." he said, gavel in hand and ready to silence the crowd before him.
As expected, a shockwave ran through the room, each noble and knight voicing their opinion at once.
"What?!"
"That's impossible!"
Despite Miklotov's strength, the gavel was evidently not enough, and so he prepared to effectively rip his throat to shreds. After all, it was better than waiting an eternity for the nobles to quiet down.
"Silence!" he yelled, his deep voice resonating throughout the room and shutting the mouths of all those within. "We will announce this to the populace later today. That is all I wanted to inform you of."
"Excuse me, Sir Miklotov, however, is there any proof besides your word? It is not that I don't trust it, but this is such a tremendous feat that I would like to see confirmation with my own eyes. Not everyone has access to the Draconic Tablet, you know?" one of the nobles said.
"Look out of the window and into the courtyard." the wise man answered.
The noble did as he was told and his jaw fell agape. Positioned where Ainz had left it, the corpse of the White Whale was right there. Another ruckus arose in the room as everyone clamoured to see the proof.
'They are like children, crowding over whatever interests them.'
Some nobles and knights remained reasonable, but they were in the vast minority.
"Do you believe me now?" Miklotov asked as everyone shuffled back to their respective places.
"It'd be hard not to, Sir. Still, I would just like to confirm; is it true that the one to do this was the faction of the silver half-elf, rather than the one who has the literal Sword Saint at its beck and call?" the same noble from before asked.
"Yes. It seems Lady Emilia has taken the initiative and gone on the offensive. Once the people hear of this, I would rather not antagonise her." he said, eyeing a few nobles in particular. They were nobodies by the standards of titans like Roswaal, but Miklotov would rather not have them disappear and suddenly be replaced with Ainz's enforcers.
"I see. And if I may ask the Sword Saint why he is being outdone by a cursed child?" the noble asked, turning to the Sword Saint who had been standing silently.
"I only do what my Lady wishes I do. I trust her judgement." Reinhard answered, keeping his face carefully neutral.
"Your Lady is a rat that stole from me! During the time of the Selection at that!" a different noble said.
"Please do not accuse my Lady of such acts. I have kept a close eye on her. It is simply impossible for her to have done such a thing."
"Hmph, your title of knight doesn't seem to be worth much when some foreigner is doing the protecting. Whatever, let us wait for further news from the candidates."
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
Anastasia knocked back another glass, the faint blush on her cheeks becoming more prominent. "You're telling me he managed to kill the White Whale? Whyyyy does my luck have to be so terrible?" the merchant lamented.
"I thought you didn't believe in luck, boss." said her wolfman companion and mercenary, Ricardo.
"I do now, and I hate it. You think you guys could take out the White Whale?"
"Without some serious back up, which may or may not include both Karsten's and Priscilla's camps, nope. That Ainz guy really seems to be as strong as he appears. Would you mind not sending us to fight him, like, ever?" Ricardo asked, taking a sip of the ale in front of him.
"Sure, it'd be a waste of cash anyway."
"Frugal as ever, eh?"
"Of course! But have your bunch found anything that might interest that skeleton? It has to be super rare though." Anastasia said, hoping that her search for any bargaining chip would finally bear fruit.
"No, but we have heard of a pretty pure pyroxene crystal being transported to the Water Gate City. It may take a while to get it, but we should be able to do so."
"Finally, something!" Anastasia said, "And do you have anything when it comes to information? Maybe on the Witch Cult?"
"You really are asking for the impossible here, you know? How the hell are we supposed to track those bastards down!?"
"I don't know! Just do it! Ainz evidently can!"
"Well, he has those invisible things that Julius mentioned sneaking about. If you gave me a dozen of those then I could have an information network that could weed them out with ease!"
Anastasia refilled her glass, "It's just not fair! He holds all the cards, always! I can't negotiate if the balance of power is so distorted!"
"That's life, boss. Still, you've never been the type to give up, right? I'm sure you'll find some way to deal with him. I just sure hope it doesn't involve me facing him."
"And if it does?"
"I'll have my retirement papers ready."
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
Reinhard walked through the window corridors of the palace. Unfortunately for him, he had no divine protection that afforded him infinite patience, thus he was truly mentally exhausted for the first time in many, many years.
As he turned the corner, a familiar face met him. The face was that of an ageing man in a butler's uniform, that of his grandfather, Wilhelm Van Astrea.
"Sir Wilhelm." the Sword Saint said, formally greeting his elder.
"Just Wilhelm is fine, Reinhard. I'd like to… express my apologies." the old Sword Devil said.
"Oh? What for? We haven't interacted much during the Selection, thus I doubt it is concerning that." Reinhard stated, maintaining his formal tone.
Wilhelm sighed, having expected that this would go this way. After all, this was his fault. He could hardly blame anyone but himself for forming such a relationship with his grandson. Hatred and the lust for revenge had blinded him for many years, catching the young Reinhard in the crossfire from the beginning.
"You're right. I'm here to apologise for my neglect over the years. I was so caught up in my quest to avenge Theresia that I dragged you into it. For that, I am sorry." The old swordsman bowed, knowing that this was by no means going to fix years and years of neglect.
Still, perhaps it could be a start?
"Please, rise. I'm glad you finally got your revenge." Reinhard said, his face a blank and formal mask. He walked past Wilhelm, leaving the old man with one last statement before he turned a corner and disappeared, "Let us talk again, another time, grandfather."
That last word was enough for an ember of hope to appear within Wilhelm's heart. There was still a chance to atone for what he had done, and he would grasp it with all his might.
As Reinhard walked away from the palace, his mood was lifted just a little bit. He didn't resent Wilhelm for what he had done. After all, love can drive people to crazy lengths, lasting beyond the ages and tearing entire worlds asunder.
There existed a chance that he would have been the same should such circumstances have befallen him instead. Alas, such speculation was not a favourite pastime of the Sword Saint, for the wiles of fate could hardly be predicted or controlled, even by him.
However, he did always hold one thing against the old man, and that was his unwillingness to change. Decades came and went, with Reinhard becoming who he was now, and yet not once had Wilhelm attempted so much as to let the young man atone for his perceived sin.
In fact, that was one of the reasons the White Whale has roamed freely for so long. He could have easily taken it down, with it probably not even being worth drawing his sword, but he didn't want to deny his grandfather his revenge.
Now that Ainz had done him yet another favour, he couldn't help but be grateful to the skeletal mage. For the first time in Reinhard's entire life, Wilhelm had attempted to mend things. The White Whale was finally gone, and the Sword Devil could leave his past behind.
However, a new wall now separated the two. In a sense, they were rivals at the moment. One supported Felt, while the other was on the side of Duchess Karsten. Would trying to repair ties with his grandfather be a sign of betrayal? Would it damage his loyalty to his liege?
'Maybe I should just ask her?' he thought to himself as he walked. It was by far the simplest solution to the problem he faced, though dealing with his Lady when his patience was fraying was… inadvisable.
As much as he just wanted to relax, the duties of a knight rarely ended, and he resolved to ask Felt as to whether she would allow him any leeway on the matter…
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
"Are you stupid? Go talk with your grandpa! Why the hell would I care about something like that anyway?! God, can you just be normal for like five minutes of your life?! Stop being so knighty!" Felt yelled, putting her hands on the kneeling Reinhard's shoulders and trying to shake him.
The Sword Saint withstood her assaults and said, "But, my Lady, such a thing could be considered treason, no? He is, after all, a part of a rival faction. Despite Lady Emilia and Ainz taking most of the credit, Lady Karsten is undoubtedly going to rise in popularity as well. My association with them could only help them."
"Stop being stupid! That's an order!" commanded Felt, sighing deeply afterwards, "I don't even want to win this stupid Selection! I just want it to be over!"
"My Lady, please be reasonable. You were chosen as a candidate for a reason." Reinhard said, trying to convince his liege once again that the Selection was not merely useless theatrics.
"Look me in the eyes and tell me that I can win. No flattery." Felt said, crossing her arms and staring at the Sword Saint.
"Of course you can, my La-"
"Stop lying! Even if I wanted to win this thing, which I don't, I wouldn't stand a chance! Tell me, who is on my side?"
"There is myself and the staff in this mansion, my Lady." Reinhard said, exactly as Felt expected.
"That's my point! There's only two of us and neither of us have any idea about all this politics crap! Who are we dealing with? Some rich bitch with stupid amounts of luck."
"Language, my Lady."
"Oh shove it. Then we have the best merchant around, an experienced noble, and Ainz. Do I need to tell you why we are so outmatched here?"
"I am sure that my presence and your efforts will be enough to overcome the competition. Please do not lose hope yet." Reinhard said, his voice enthusiastic in contrast to Felt's obvious annoyance.
"The rich girl? Sure, she doesn't seem great. The merchant? She's a foreigner. The noble? Her ideas are crazy by the standards of this place." Felt said, listing off each candidate one by one.
"I am expecting a 'but', my Lady." Reinhard said, already aware of exactly the point Felt would make, which didn't make coming up with a counter any easier.
"But then there is Emilia and Ainz. What would you do about them? Hmm? I'd listen to you for once if you actually came up with anything half decent, but you can't! Because it's impossible! That guy seems to have planned the entire damn thing since he stepped foot into Old Man Rom's shop!" Felt yelled, recalling her first encounter with the mysterious mage.
"I am sure that that is not the case, though I cannot deny his skill in the political arena." Reinhard said, conceding a part of the argument.
"Didn't you mention he killed that big, White Whale demon beast as well? You think I would have thought of something like that!? Nope! If he's in the game then we might as well give up, and you can let me go!" Felt said, pointing at her knight.
"My Lady, please, at the very least stay in the Selection." Reinhard pleaded.
"I'll do what I feel like doing. Now go away and figure out what to say to your grandpa or whatever." she said, dismissing the Sword Saint with a wave of her hand.
(AN from Edgy: Sorry that this took so long, but I was very busy the last few weeks. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the fight and all the reflections that came with it! I still don't feel like it's the best thing in the world, but I hope it was satisfactory. Also, go check out a new work I'm an editor on, [Maker Of A Dynasty] by Duke W. Howell on RR and Webnovel! As always, more to come and I hope you've enjoyed the story so far!)
Edited by Korak324
Pa tr e on DOT com / EdgyTheWriter
Answering Reviews:
Who is Aeternia?: If you ask this, then please make sure you have read previous chapters correctly. She was summoned in V2C4 by Ainz and has guarded Emilia since. As for why she is female, it's because Emilia wanted to give her new guard a name and chose a female one.
Rem/Emilia falling in love with Ainz?: No. I foresee only 1 possible romance option for Ainz, if any at all, but that will come in several hundred thousand words. - Edgy
Ainz didn't remember the legend about Pandora?: He did decently well, but he still read through Tabula's journal to refresh his memory. After all, Pandora's Actor only really took the name from the myth. - Edgy