Author's Note: As you might have noticed, I have changed the title of this chapter. This is because I realised that aq couple of reviewers were absoilutely correct; I was rushing the story too much. The Battle of Carne Village is the next chapter. Enjoy.
"Ains-sama!" - Regular Speech
'Haaahh…so tiring!' - Thoughts
{Message} - Telepathy
[The Goal of All Life is Death!] - Magic Spell/Skill
Chapter 3: The Shadow Star Sisterhood
With a roar, the Primal Earth Elemental obeyed its summoner's command and lunged at Grandia with one large rocky hand. In response, Grandia merely stepped to the side, allowing the attack to miss her by the barest margin.
"Slow." she said with a feral grin, "Far too slow. [Skill: Sword Dance]!"
The Vampiress' image blurred and then seemed to extend into a circle around the Earth Elemental, eventually becoming a circle of copies of Grandia.
"Grandia-sama chose [Sword Dancer] as one of her [Job Classes]?" Cocytus asked with interest as he leaned on his halberd.
"Indeed." Momonga nodded. The [Sword Dance] skill was unique to the [Sword Dancer] class and allowed the user to create speed clones that were indistinguishable from the original and could even attack once before dispelling.
"[Skill: Fencer's Finest]!"all of the Grandia clones snarled, a glow appearing around their bodies before they vanished. Before any of the guardians could say a word, they reappeared, facing away from the Primal Earth Elemental, which then bloomed with numerous cuts and stab wounds, some of which were on fire from the attacks made by the [Sword of Balefire] and its copies.
"Such speed…!" Demiurge breathed.
"Grandia had the ranking of the second fastest player in all of YGGDRASIL." Momonga informed the guardians, "Such a trifling attack is nothing to her."
As the clones vanished, the real Grandia turned about and retook her stance, calling at the monster, "Over here, big boy."
Immediately, it lashed out with its tail, the sinuous appendage being more deadly than it seemed with several thick spikes of rock jutting out at the end of it. Grandia leapt into the air, sailing over the deadly tail with such grace that even Momonga was taken aback.
When the mass of living rock roared and attempted to swat her out of the air with it arms, Grandia merely deployed the leathery bat-like wings that all Vampires possessed and fluttered out of range of the strike before diving in to strike very rapidly with both rapiers, dotting the surface of the earth elemental with rapid strikes from her weapons, demolishing one of the heads as she focused on it.
"[Life Essence]" Momonga muttered, his eye sockets glowing green as he observed the HP of the Primal Earth Elemental. Already, Grandia had reduced it by a third, which was impressive considering the low damage that rapiers were infamous for. Of course the fact she had taken [Swordmaster], [Fencer] and [Sword Dancer] probably had something to do with it, the bonuses from maxing out the [Fencer] class alone added significantly to her physical attack with her chosen weapons.
"Momonga-sama?" Albedo asked.
"She's going to move to magic now." the Elder Lich told her.
"[Maximise Magic: Shackles of Divine Air]!" Grandia snarled as she pointed one sword at the elemental. Wind blew around her before exploding out and wrapping around the limbs of the struggling beast, trapping it in place.
She had never mastered anything like the usual amount of magic that a regular Magic Caster could use in YGGDRASIL. Instead, she had picked and chosen her magic to complement her fighting style, spells that either sped her up or immobilised her opponents, with a handful of offensive spells just in case. None were higher than Eighth Tier.
"[Maximise Magic: Sword of the Wind God]!" she continued, jabbing her other weapon at the Earth Elemental, prompting a blade of wind to fire from the tip and grow to twenty times its regular size before slamming into the chest of her target, creating a deep scar down the rocky surface.
"[Summon Household]!" Grandia commanded, her shadow on the arena floor darkening and spilling out her troop of vampire wolves and bats that then started attacking the earth elemental en-masse.
'That's Job-class Skills, Magic and Racial skills she's tested.' Momonga thought, 'I wonder if she's planning on testing out her crown…'
The crown, or more precisely, diadem, that Grandia wore was called the [Crown of Crimson Purgatory], a Divine-Class item that Grandia had made for herself. It was a greatly powerful item that increased the power of all of her vampiric abilities and skills. It also had the ability to use the Vampiric Skill [Summon Greater Household] once a day.
'No…there's no need.' the Guildmaster of Ains Ooal Gown concluded, 'Everything else seems to work and she might have tried an item while she was visiting the Shadow Star Sisterhood and seen that it works.'
"[Maximise Magic: Step of the Wind]!" Grandia shouted as she landed and hid her wings again. Swirls of green wind kicked up around her feet and then she was gone into a blur that moved around the Primal Earth Elemental in a circle. Momonga, from past experience, knew that her delicate weapons were chipping away at every part of the elemental that they could reach. His spell, [Life Essence], told him that the Primal Rock Elemental was down to almost its last drop of HP. Knowing Grandia; she'd back off and finish it off with a spectacular attack to impress the Floor Guardians.
Sure enough, Grandia leapt away and drew back the [Sword of Balefire].
"[Skill: Flash of Steel]!" the Vampiress snarled and vanished once again. An instant later, a chunk of the chest of the Primal Earth Elemental was missing, reducing its HP to zero. On the other side, Grandia gently touched down, jerking her sword from the mass of rock as big as Cocytus.
As the elemental crumbled and turned to dust, the vampiress examined her swords for any damage before twirling them around and sheathing them with the ease of long practice.
"So how'd I do, Momonga?" she asked as she strolled back to the Floor Guardians with an easy stride.
"As exceptional as ever." the Lich nodded his approval, "Was there any trouble with anything?"
'Did everything work without trouble?' was what he was actually asking and she knew it.
"Everything work much as it did in YGGDRASIL, Momonga." she reassured him with a nod, "I foresee no problems in utilising our magic and skills in this world."
"Grandia-sama!" Exia, the Guardian of her own creation, appeared next to her and, after giving her a once over, started to wag her tail, "That was magnificent!"
Grandia smiled gently at the Kobold, reached to her head and scratched at the base of her dog ears, making the tail wag faster and a pleased rumble emerge from the wolf-girl's throat. The other Guardians looked on jealously at the only one of them to have their Creator here with them.
"Sebas." Grandia said, "I have a message for you from Touch-Me."
"From Touch-Me-sama?!" the butler looked shocked.
"Yes. Do you want to hear it?" the Vampiress asked.
"If you would be so kind as to bestow my Creator's words upon me, I would be eternally grateful, Grandia-sama." the butler replied with a small bow.
"Very well." Grandia nodded, "His words are thus; 'Sebas Tian, my strongest creation. I am sad that it is Grandia giving you these words rather than myself in person, but it means that events have overtaken me. I can no longer return to Nazarick due to events in the World I come from. I leave it to you to continue to protect the Ninth Floor. Additionally, remember this always: Justice never dies!'"
Sebas bowed solemnly. "My thanks, Grandia-sama. I have indeed received my creator Touch-Me-sama's message."
Momonga coughed, drawing their attention back to him. "Now that we have confirmed that both Grandia and I have not been reduced in power by any degree, it is up to all of you to test your own abilities. Mare will be a case of interest as he will be outside of the Great Tomb and casting his magic. Be aware as you cast to note anything unusual. Fluctuations in your MP, odd casting and cooldown times, that sort of thing."
"H-Hai, Momonga-sama." the cross-dressing Dark Elf nodded shyly.
"Very good." the Lich nodded, "Now, before we end this meeting, I have one final question for all of the Guardians…what are your opinions of Grandia and myself? Shalltear, we shall start with you."
The True Vampire looked between Grandia and Momonga for a moment. "Grandia-sama is the most powerful Vampire in all of YGGDRASIL! A true testament and example to the power our race can attain!" she expounded after a moment, "Momonga-sama is a crystallisation of beauty! The most beautiful person in this world!"
'EH!?' Grandia thought in disbelief, 'Damn you, Peroronchino-san! You just copy-and-pasted a list of fetishes into her character settings, didn't you?!'
"Cocytus?"
"Grandia-sama is a warrior matched only by the other Supreme Beings and is a just leader." the Vermin Lord rumbled, "Momonga-sama is stronger than the Guardians and Grandia-sama, truly a man worthy to be the Absolute Ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick."
"Aura?"
"Grandia-sama is a decisive woman of action." the elder twin stated, "While Momonga-sama is a merciful leader who excels at foresight."
"Mare?"
"G-Grandia-sama is a considerate person." Mare stammered out, "A-And Momonga-sama is a very kind person!"
"Demiurge?"
"Grandia-sama is a ruthless tactician; one who gives her all to the defeat of her enemy." the demon replied, "Momonga-sama is a man who makes wise decisions and acts on them efficiently. A man who truly fits the word 'inscrutable.'"
"Sebas."
"Both of you are merciful leaders who stayed behind with us until the very end." the butler stated respectfully.
"Exia?"
"Grandia-sama is my creator, and the creator of the Shadow Star Sisterhood. A kind and caring mistress who refused to abandon us." the Kobold replied, still enjoying having her ears scratched by Grandia, "Momonga-sama is my mistress' trusted friend who has stood by her in this dark time."
"Lastly, Albedo."
"Grandia-sama is like a sister to me! A truly worthy ally of Momonga-sama!" the raven-haired succubus declared, "And Momonga-sama is the highest ranking Supreme Being and our ultimate master! As well as the man that I love!"
This made Momonga cough slightly, reminded of his meddling with Albedo's NPC Data. Grandia moved to his side, leaving Exia with one final pat on her head.
"We have indeed taken in your thoughts." he said uncomfortably, "Continue to work faithfully in our names!"
"Hai!" the Guardians replied with deep bows as the last two Supreme Beings of Ains Ooal Gown vanished using their rings.
With Grandia and Momonga, Conference Room
"Haaahhh…so tiring…" Momonga leaned against the wall.
"Join the club." Grandia grumbled, standing next to her chair, "What was with them?!"
"I know!" the Lich gesticulated wildly, "What the hell is with their glorious views of us?!"
"Well to them we ARE their creators and gods." Grandia pointed out.
"Still!" Momonga sighed, "This is going to be a bit more precarious than I had anticipated. Now we have to act either all-knowing or precognitive in order to fulfil their expectations of us as leaders. If we don't, there's no telling what might happen."
"I agree with you to a point, but…" Grandia hesitated before continuing, "Momonga, we shouldn't forget that we are, for all intents and purposes, immortal now. You're an undead Lich and I'm an undying vampire. If we are truly in these bodies now, then any actions we take in this world could resound across centuries, even millennia that we have to endure through. What we have to do is remember who we once were. We can't let ourselves forget that."
Momonga looked at her for a moment. "Yes…of course, you are correct, Grandia-san. But at the same time, we do have to live up to the Guardian's expectations as leaders. Shalltear for certain. She is specifically built to take on fellow undead and necromancers with her [Pipette Lance] in [Bloody Valkyrie Mode]. If she rebels against us, we might not stand much of a chance against her."
"She's in love with you, Momonga-san." the Vampiress pointed out, "Just like Albedo is."
"Don't remind me…" the Lich moaned as he facepalmed, "What did I do to attract her?!"
"Peroronchino-san is to blame…as always." Grandia stated mercilessly.
"Urgh…ahem. Anyway, could you tell me about the SSS?" Momonga coughed and redirected the conversation away from him, "I don't really know much about them."
"Sure. Have a seat." Grandia gestured as she sat at the table.
"The Shadow Star Sisterhood is divided into five groups, by specialties, although all of them are Level 70 at least and have the [Ninja] Job Class." the Vampiress said once the Lich sat at his own seat, "The [1st Star] specialises in stealth and reconnaissance. They are all beastmen of some description. The [2nd Star] specialise in combination attacks and teamwork. Working together, they can easily hold off a Level 100 fighter. All of them are Lesser Vampires. The [3rd Star] are infiltration experts. You need someone to go somewhere and find out their secrets? They are your best bet. Doppelgangers one and all. The [4th Star] are mid-to-long range support experts. From shuriken and bows to assault rifles and sniper rifles to magic, they'll shred the enemy before they can get close. Dark Elves and Automatons, mostly. Finally, the [5th Star] are the frontline combatants. Heavy assault and assassination are their strong points. Exia leads them personally and they are made up of various Heteromorphic races."
"That…how many are there altogether?" Momonga asked.
"Hmm…sixty, thereabout." Grandia mused, "I stopped making them when I heard the news about YGGDRASIL shutting down, so they're understrength. Fortunately, I still have [Reward Crystals] in my inventory."
"You have [Reward Crystals]?!" Momonga exclaimed, sitting up at that information, "How many?!"
"Enough to round the SSS up to a hundred members, plus three quarters of the amount needed to add a new floor to Nazarick." Grandia admitted, "I'd be happy to use the remaining amount to aid in protecting Nazarick."
"I am grateful, Grandia-san." Momonga said honestly, "For more than just your help. I honestly don't know what I'd do if it was just me by my self here."
"What're friends for, Momonga?" the Vampiress said with a smile, "Now, what are you planning? If I know you, you have a scheme in mind…"
The Guildmaster chuckled. "You know me too well. I'm hoping to explore this world, so the first thing I'll need it to dust off my [Mirror of Far Viewing] so I can at least look out into this world. Once I have determined what level of development this world is at, I can plan further."
"Hypothetically, what if the world is at a medieval setting and had adventurers?" Grandia prodded.
"I'd disguise myself as a warrior and act as an adventurer." Momonga replied, "Lone Magic Casters are rarely left unmolested and disguising myself in full-plate armour will be far easier than in robes."
"But…ah. You're going to use [Create Greater Item] to make a suit of armour that allows you to wield weapons." Grandia nodded, "Clever. You will be forced to take along a guard, just so you know. If not one of the Guardians, then one of the Pleiades."
"I'm Level 100." Momonga grumbled.
"You and I are the only masters that all of Nazarick has left." she reminded him, "The Guardians won't admit it, but they must be terrified of the thought of losing us. We don't even know if resurrection is possible in this world."
"Or if it is, if we still lose five levels as a death penalty." he agreed dourly, "The last thing we need is to get weaker than the Guardians. We will have to check that at some point. On a LV1 non-combat NPC. I don't like to risk the NPC's that everyone made, but if we have to risk something, it is better to use them."
"That can't be an easy decision to make, Momonga-san." Grandia said softly, "I doubt I could make it in your position."
"I think you could do better than you might think, Grandia-san." the Lich chuckled dryly, "Anyway…for the moment, you should get the SSS up to full strength. Their versatility might come in very useful."
The vampiress nodded. "Understood. If you need me for anything else, just [Message] me."
With that, she held up the [Ring of Ains Ooal Gown] and vanished in a teleport.
Back with the Floor Guardians
Same time Momonga and Grandia left…
"Th-that was really scary, Onee-chan!" Mare said timorously.
Aura, by contrast, was as upbeat as ever, "Yup! I was almost crushed by the pressure of their power!"
"To think they were of such a high calibre…!" Cocytus said in awe.
"So that is Momonga-sama when he truly reveals himself as our supreme leader!" Albedo said with a blush.
"So it would appear." Demiurge agreed as he adjusted his glasses. He glanced at Exia, who was still gazing off into the distance in a daze and added, "And it looks as though Exia-san is still ecstatic about Grandia-sama being present."
The Kobold stiffened at that and shook herself out of her lethargic pose, her ears going back in displeasure.
"And if your creator were here, Demiurge, would you not be equally elated?" she barked irritably.
The demon tilted his head, conceding that. "You have me there, Exia-san."
"Ne, ne, Exia-san!" Aura trotted up to the Kobold energetically, "Was Grandia-sama any different in private than she was with all of us?"
"No, not at all." Exia shook her head adamantly, "Grandia-sama has always been kind and honourable to all members of the Shadow Star Sisterhood. From what I can recall of her interactions with the other Supreme Beings who came to inspect us when we were being made, she was very popular with them, especially Bujin Takemikazuchi-sama and Touch-Me-sama. It was Bujin Takemikazuchi-sama and his tale of creating you, Cocytus-dono, that inspired her to create me and my name."
"Bujin Takemikazuchi-sama did?" the Vermin Lord asked with interest.
"Hai. You have access to twenty-one weapons, from that polearm to a sword gifted to you by your creator, correct?" Exia asked. Receiving a nod, she continued, "According to Grandia-sama, I'm named after a mighty warrior who uses seven swords. Grandia-sama based part of my fighting style on your own. I too have access to seven swords, all of them nihontō, ranging from standard katana, to kodachi, to wakizashi, to these two ninjatō I have on my back right now…[Dark Sirius] and [Lunar Crescent]."
"So you are a weapon master like Cocytus?" Demiurge asked curiously. He and his fellow guardians had had no real interaction with Exia before this moment due to the isolation that the SSS were under, so some curiosity was natural.
"I am a blitzkrieg/assassination specialist, Demiurge-san." Exia replied, "My skills can be very adaptable, from infiltration to full-on assault. I have many throwing weapons as well as the skill to utilise them, my skills as a Magic Caster are highly specialised, but effective. I have no real specialty, but I am fairly useful with weapons, yes."
"As interesting as this is, we must organise so we can follow the orders of our Supreme beings." Albedo interjected, "Shalltear? What is the matter?"
The True Vampire was hugging herself and trembling. "Grandia-sama and Momonga-sama were so powerful…I came!"
The other Guardians were silent at that, struck dumb by what the petite vampiress had said. Then, Albedo said very slowly.
"You slut."
"Haaaaah?!" Shalltear sneered back, "Our Supreme Ones gave us the gift of so much of their energy! Only a frigid bitch like you wouldn't react like I did, you muscle-bound gorilla!"
"You lamprey!" Albedo growled back. The two Guardians faced off and they started to exchange heated words.
"I was made to look like this by the Supreme Beings, you know!" Shalltear hissed.
"The same goes for me!" the succubus hissed back.
"Just what are they fighting over?" Exia asked Aura in an undertone.
"They're both in love with Momonga-sama." the Dark Elf whispered back, "Now they want to fight for him."
"Don't you want Momonga-sama yourself?" the Kobold asked.
Aura blushed. "W-well…I do, but…someone has to moderate between them! Look at Mare, Demiurge and Cocytus! They aren't going to be of use here!"
"I am not interested in Momonga-sama in that way." Exia told her, "So you can join in."
Albedo and Shalltear overheard her and whipped around to face the ninja Kobold in shock.
"How can you possibly not love Momonga-sama?!" they chorused as one.
"I was programmed to prefer women." the Kobold replied bluntly.
"Oh." Albedo said with a start, "So you will be Grandia-sama's consort?"
Exia flushed, visible only at her ears. "I…if that is Grandia-sama's will, then my body is hers. That is the personal wish of every member of the entire Sisterhood."
"Grandia-sama will no doubt take you into her bed, Exia." Shalltear assured the Kobold, "She was very reluctant to stop scratching your ears and she spoke of you affectionately, didn't she?"
"Hai." the shinobi nodded slightly, "Ahem. Anyway, Albedo-dono, Shalltear-dono, why are you both fighting?"
"We both love Momonga-sama…" the vampiress began.
"…and a man such as Momonga-sama is easily able to have more than one wife…" Albedo cut in.
"…so we're determining who will be the First Wife." Shalltear finished.
"Isn't it a bit…presumptuous to decide that for Momonga-sama?" Exia asked in shock, "You are attempting to tell one of our Supreme Beings what to do!"
Realisation and shame chased each other across the faces of the two female Guardians as they realised the truth of what the Kobold had said.
"Indeed…you are correct, Exia." Albedo sighed, "It was presumptuous of us to do so. We shall petition Momonga-sama to decide once this crisis has passed."
"Albedo." Demiurge called from where he, Mare and Cocytus had been talking. Sebas had vanished somewhere at the start of Shalltear and Albedo's spat, probably to wait upon the Supreme Beings, "We should be getting on with Momonga-sama's directions. Please issue your orders."
The succubus nodded.
"I had better return to the Sisterhood and mobilise the [1st Star] to follow Grandia-sama's orders." Exia said and pointed a finger at where the portal she had used had appeared. With a burst of magic, it once again came forth.
"Is that the effect of a [Ring of Ains Ooal Gown]?!" Mare gasped.
"No, it is the effect of this [Ring of the Sisterhood] that Grandia-sama gave me." Exia corrected him, "It is far more limited than a [Ring of Ains Ooal Gown], but it does allow me to return to the [Sanctuary of Shadows] from any of the nine floors that we Guardians reside on. I bid you all farewell for the moment."
With that, the Kobold nodded cordially at her peers and stepped through the portal, vanishing from their sight. Albedo nodded and turned to the others.
They had a lot of work to do.
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Next Chapter: The Battle of Carne Village
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