Hey Guys! Crescent Rider here and I am back with another chapter! But before that, I would like to say 'Happy New Year!' everyone and I consider this as the first chapter I've posted on this account.
The First Chapter of the year belongs to the RisingDryad Account since I posted a chapter there before here.
But besides that, this chapter is the beginning of the Blood Valkyrie Arc and I will reveal the results of the votes here instead of at the end of the chapter. (P.S.: I've combined the votes from Fanfiction and Wattpad)
Ainz and Hope vs Shalltear - 3
Ainz vs Shalltear - 3
Hope vs Shalltear - 1
And with that, there's a tie between these two and this may sound unfair. But I will be the one who will serve as the tiebreaker between Ainz vs Shalltear and Ainz and Hope vs Shalltear.
You will find my answer at the end of this chapter
That is all I have to say, and Enjoy the chapter!
Throne Room
After Ainz and Hope returned to Nazarick regarding these dire circumstances. Ainz had already sat down on the throne and inspects the status of Nazarick's Floor Guardians via [Master Source].
Upon close inspection, Shalltear Bloodfallen was labeled in red text as a clear sign of her betrayal against Ainz Ooal Gown and the whole of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.
Albedo also reported that two of Shalltear's Vampire Brides have both perished as well. Ainz assumed that Shalltear has died, but that wasn't the case due to the presence of her name still present within Nazarick's Master Source window.
This concerns Ainz especially when his knowledge of Yggdrasil's gaming features comes into mind. The red text implies that Shalltear is marked by a third party who used a certain mind-controlling spell to temporarily turn an NPC against their enemy.
What's more concerning to him was the fact that Shalltear is a superior undead, and any means of mind-controlling such undead are considered impossible due to their immunity against mind-altering spells.
Ainz then brought up a certain topic in mind, "In this world, there are talents and martial arts that do not exist in Yggdrasil. Is there a possibility that she is under the such possible influence?"
"I do not know," Albedo responded, "However, it does not change the fact that she has revolted. I suggest sending a hunting party after her immediately,"
Ainz and Hope remained silent as Albedo suggested to the members of the hunting party, "I will lead our forces. Cocytus and Mare will join me as vice commanders. Considering Shalltear's strength, at least this much is necessary,"
"Your suggestion is acceptable," Hope remarked, "But I must object to such a decision,"
Albedo and Ainz turn to her, though the former looked a bit confused at Hope's comment, "Why do you say that, Hope?"
"Under regular circumstances in Yggdrasil, this plan of yours would require a few other troops that specialize in surveillance-based skills to ensure that this third party isn't lying in wait," Hope stated, "But this world isn't Yggdrasil. It's a New World that we only know little about. Hence, such suggestions aren't the best options we should go with,"
"She's right," Ainz stated, "Also, I feel like we're being too hasty. We must confirm her reason for revolting first,"
While Ainz is momentarily occupied with his thoughts, Hope notices his hand gripping the throne's armrest. Showing signs of concern about the problem.
Hence, she silently comforts him by placing her hand on his hand and gives a small nod when he stares at her. Ainz eases down and turns to Albedo after Hope pulls her hand back, "If she betrayed us because she is dissatisfied with me or our treatment, I can understand,"
This comment made Albedo shake in his anger before blurting out the following, "Dissatisfied?! I cannot allow any trash that thinks that of the merciful Ainz-sama to live!"
"Also, that possibility is highly unlikely since her loyalty is on the same level as her devotion to the Guild," Hope remarked, "Even if she is treated unfairly, she wouldn't revolt against Nazarick for something that matters little to them,"
"I know that much," Ainz stated, "The personalities of the NPCs were created by my old comrades. All of their qualities, good or bad, were created with their hearts,"
"And you love them all for that, don't you?" Hope presumed,
"I do," Ainz replied, which cause Albedo to gasp before quivering in utter delight and clasping her hands together. loudly repeating the word 'Love' as she grew more entranced by his words.
"But do you think Shalltear would betray Nazarick by Peroroncino's settings?" Hope said, "I've heard him talk about Shalltear a hundred times, and not once has he mentioned a setting that would make her a traitor,"
"I've heard too, and Peroroncino doesn't strike the traitoring type..." Ainz remarked, but trails off when the two turned to Albedo smiling at Ainz,
"Hey, Albedo. Everyone? I said that about everyone?" Ainz clarified,
"B-But you love me as well! Isn't that right?" Albedo ecstatically questioned,
"U-Uh, w-well, that's true," Ainz responded, causing Albedo to squeal like a schoolgirl,
Ainz tries to get a word out of her while Hope just sighs at the Succubus' reaction. After all, the first line before the last of her settings was what made her act this way.
And that line was 'Has Feelings for Momonga...'
Before Albedo could go further in her daydreaming, Hope decided to loudly clear her throat and get both of their attention, "Albedo, as much as you'd like to express your delight to Ainz's love. You must put this aside as the matter regarding Shalltear is a priority above everything else. Once it's settled, you may express your delight afterward,"
"You are correct," Ainz responded and stands from his throne, "Have you pinpointed Shalltear's current location?"
"My apologies, Ainz-sama. But we have yet to confirm her current whereabouts," Albedo apologized, "I've also placed her direct subordinates under arrest, and dispatched other vassals to reinforce the 1st Floor,"
"If's that case, then let's go visit your elder sister and see if we can divine Shalltear's location," Ainz declared,
"May come with you?" Hope requested, "I'd like to see Nigredo in person,"
"Very well, but stay close. There's no doubt that she'll attack you as well," Ainz advised,
With that, they departed from the Throne Room to the 5th Floor of Nazarick.
5th Floor
Upon arrival, the snowy biome of the 5th Floor breezes through the three, and Hope briefly blows out cold breath from her mouth, "Huh? I've read about winter and all. But I never would have thought I'd experience it until today,"
"Aren't you two cold with this kind of environment?" Ainz questioned, especially when Hope is just wearing her standard yet skin-revealing clothes. The same goes for Albedo as well, "If you are, you may change your current attires to something warmer since we still have some time,"
"Thank you for your concern, Ainz-sama," Albedo thanked, "But it is not necessary. Mere cold like this is not a problem,"
"As for me, I've already got that covered," Hope clarified and created a thick wool coat on hand,
She then proceeds to wrap herself with it, and the coat momentarily glows with a high cold resistance spell that prevents her from suffering the negative effects of the 5th Floor's Cold Environment.
They soon pressed onward, and the strong breeze causes their clothes to flutter. Though remain unaffected by the chilling environment. Ainz assumed that the reason behind Albedo's unfazed expression is either the decision to deactivate the cold damage and the negative effects of the environment in the past or due to a supposed resistance that Albedo possesses.
Either way, Ainz paid no mind to it as they reached a certain area on the 5th Floor, and that was a building that stood out amongst the 5th Floor. It would feel like a building made from fantasy but under the snow of the 5th Floor.
But it was nothing more but a facade for the building's true purpose as the Frozen Prison of Nazarick. Where captives and enemies are imprisoned and tortured.
Ainz approached the doors and proceeded to open them, this resulted in a strong cold air breezing through them and the interior of the Frozen Prison was much colder than the outside.
Albedo shivered, and this was a cue for Ainz to grab a cape from his inventory and offered it to her. Much to her delight, she humbly accepts it, wraps it around her body, and lovingly stated that she will treasure it forever.
Ainz was somewhat speechless, but rather than say he just looked forward as they walked down the freezing blue-white passage of the Prison. But along the way, Ainz and Albedo were meant with an unfamiliar face as they kept walking deep into the prison.
They stop and stared as the man wearing scientist-like attire stared back at them. Though, Albedo was visibly cautious as she steps forward, "Who are you, and how did you enter Nazarick?"
The man just blinked a few times, then pulls out a small notebook, and writes something down.
Albedo seemed annoyed by this, and frowns at him, "Ainz-sama, May I forcibly put this man back in a cell?"
"Uh..." Ainz trails off as he doesn't know what to make of this,
But Hope had beaten him from making a decision, "Don't bother, he's one of mine,"
The two stared at Hope as she stepped forward and stated, "Drop the appearance, Please,"
"As you wish," The man's appearance changes under a brief whirl of mana and reveals himself as nothing more but an identical copy of Hope. But what made her different than the original was her green eyes and her current personality.
'A Copy of Hope? That's something you don't see every day...' Ainz remarked, then cups his chin, 'But come to think of it, she did mention this quest that rewarded her an exclusive spell in the past...'
"How is this possible?" Albedo questioned,
"It's a spell of mine, one that I will tell in the future," Hope explained, "But now isn't the time,"
Hope then turns to Perfectionist Hope, "You can go about your business, by the way,"
"If you say so," Perfectionist Hope replied, reverting back to her male form, and goes about her business in the Frozen Prison.
"Let's get going, you two," Hope declared, "The sooner we find out Shalltear's location, the better it'll be for us all,"
Ainz wholeheartedly agreed with Hope's words and they move further into the passageway. Ran into some of the prison's residences, the majority being undead creatures that bowed before Ainz and some caused a few disturbances as they were programmed to do so...
But such disturbances were dismissed as they were almost there to Nigredo's room. Apparently, Hope sensed something ominous from the other side of the door and looked somewhat disturbed by it. Even though it isn't much of a threat, it was something that made her tense up a bit...
As for Ainz and Albedo, the latter took what appears to be a baby doll from a pale-white hand and hands it to the former's hand. The very sight of the doll was quite revolting as it resembles a Cupid Doll.
Once the doors opened, they were met with an empty room with a cradle and a woman in black mourning clothes gently rocking it. As for the sound, it was the sound of tens, hundreds of babies crying yet they are nowhere to be seen.
Normally, an NPC of Nazarick would have noticed Ainz's arrival and kneeled before him as their Supreme Leader and Albedo would loudly rebuke them for it. But both remained silent as this was a part of this NPC's settings...
"Is it starting already?" Hope inquired,
"It should be, so please be careful," Ainz stated,
On cue, the woman stopped rocking the cradle as she froze, then reaches out for what was inside the cradle and retrieved the baby within. But it wasn't a real baby, but a baby doll.
"It's wrong, It's wrong, It's wrong, It's wrong," The woman repeated as shook it, then casts it aside with all her strength. Shattering the doll as it hit the wall,
"My baby, my baby, my baby, my babyyyyyyy!" The woman shrieked, and grinds her teeth,
This made the crying louder and the source of this sound soon emerges from the floor and ceiling of lumps of translucent babies.
"Just how much did Tabula-san invest in all this work?" Hope questioned as she looked at the Carrion Babies,
"I don't know precisely, but it must have been a lot," Ainz commented,
"Guess that's Tabula-san for you..." Hope remarked,
The woman then produced a large pair of scissors from somewhere and sets her sight towards the three, ""You, you, you, you, took, took, took, took, my baby, my baby, my baby, my babyyyyyyyyy!"
"... She really is your sister. The resemblance is very strong," Ainz remarked towards Albedo,
"Eh? Re-Really?" Albedo inquired,
The woman then misinterprets their conversation as some sort of provocation and rushes at them with killing intent. She took unnaturally large strides that closed the distance to them in but a few steps.
The woman was about to forcibly stab Ainz with her scissors but suddenly stops as if someone pressed the stop button on her. Ainz, on the other hand, was about to present the baby doll but became somewhat confused as the woman stop even before he said a word to said.
Albedo was equally confused as Ainz as she stared.
Then came the unexpected...
...
...
...
When the woman drops the scissors, lunges at Hope with arms open, and cried out, "My baby!"
"EH?!" Hope exclaimed, then she was embraced by the woman's slender arms, and her face pressed against the woman's chest,
Ainz dropped his jaw, his red eyes were gone, and was incredibly still even as he held the doll at the ready. Albedo just stares in confusion as she never knew Nigredo would act this way...
A few moments later, Hope struggled a bit and Nigredo took notice as she pulled back. That's when the former lets out a huff and breaths a couple of times.
"Oh, my apologies. I hope I didn't hurt you," Nigredo apologized,
"I-It's okay, I just didn't expect you to do something like that," Hope stated, "But with that in mind, why to lunge at me and say 'My Baby'?"
"My apologies once more. But it's how I see you," Nigredo stated, "Tabula-Sama did encourage me to do so..."
"Tabula-san...? Oh..." Revelation reached Hope, then she grunts as she pinched the bridge of her nose,
As for Nigredo, she greets Ainz by his player name and her younger sister, Albedo, and takes the doll as part of her usual settings. Cradling it onto her arms, showing immense compassion towards it, and gently places the doll into the cradle.
As soon as Ainz snaps out of his baffled expression, he proceeds with one question towards Hope, "Hope? What do you know of this?"
"If there's one thing I know about Tabula-san. Is that he and my mother have a bit of rivalry when it came to a lot of things. Horror is one of those things," Hope said,
"Queen Arachnida-sama?" Albedo commented as soon as she regained her usual composure,
"Yes, it's not a big deal. But my mother talked about an incident in the past," Hope explained, "It's still fresh in my mind too,"
"Ah, I think I remember that incident," Ainz said, 'It was funny now that I think about it...'
Apart from Tabula's prank on the guild by having them announce his newest NPC, Nigredo, to them. Queen Arachnida seemed somewhat unfazed by Nigredo's appearance, especially that bit where Nigredo rushes forward like a killer from a horror movie.
What's more interesting was that Queen Arachnida got back at Tabula by scaring him with something out of a horror movie. His reaction was recorded, and the guild had a blast while Tabula wasn't amused about it.
But they made up as soon as Arachnida unexpectedly pranked the rest of the guild by scaring the daylights out of them. Her husband was no expectations of this prank...
Before the two could get their minds clouded by the fond memories of the past. Ainz puts his thoughts aside and goes back to the main topic at hand and that was Nigredo's assistance in searching Shalltear's current location. He also clarified that he changed his name from Momonga to Ainz Ooal Gown.
Nigredo accepts the name change, complies with his order, and proceeds to use several magic spells heavily based on divination. It didn't take too long for her to pinpoint Shalltear's location, and Ainz requested her to display Shalltear's location with a [Crystal Monitor] spell.
Upon seeing Shalltear's current location, they see her standing idly with her crimson armor and wielding Divine-Class Weapon, [Spuit Lance] in hand. An item that was given by her creation Peroroncino as part of her Valkyrie Class.
After pinpointing Shalltear's location, the plan was to head out. But Ainz receives a message from Narberal and listens to it instead of dismissing it. She explained that it was about the Adventurer's Guild and that is looking for him and Hope to discuss a Vampire.
This piqued his interest as well as Hope's once he told her about it. Ainz put some thought over it and decided to accept the Adventurer's Guild's request to see this meeting through.
Upon agreeing with this request, Narberal informs the messenger of the Guild and Ainz hands his [Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown] to Albedo and instructs her to hand it to Yuri for safekeeping. As for Hope, she too hands her ring to Albedo and both departed from Nazarick to continue their persona as Adventurers in E-Rantel.
All in the while, Albedo converses with Nigredo. It led to the latter claiming that Rubedo, the youngest of the three, will bring about a great disaster to Nazarick while labeling her as Spinel.
Albedo may not believe such a scenario, but Nigredo did tell her to take her claim into consideration...
...
...
...
But that wasn't the only thing Nigredo had to say in the matter...
"And keep a close watch on the Manor..." Nigredo commented,
Albedo went still and turns to her sister with an even more confused expression, "What do you mean?"
"I'm referring to the Manor of the 8th Floor..." Nigredo said, "As I've said before, I am not permitted to leave the Frozen Prison. But as dangerous as Spinel may possess, that place holds mysteries even I do not know myself... Take that one into consideration as well,"
Albedo was uncertain, but it is indeed something to take into account on. Ainz once stated that the residents of the Manor will attack anyone who doesn't possess the Manor's rings. In addition to this, an incident between the Manor's maid, Suisei, and a Nazarick Butler, Eclair Eklair Eklare.
Yuri Alpha states that Suisei's loyalty lies with Hope, and her alone. Not to anyone else in Nazarick...
Not even Ainz Ooal Gown...
With that in mind, Albedo took it into consideration and teleported elsewhere. Nigredo then swore her utmost fealty to Ainz Ooal Gown despite his absences and states that even if all of Nazarick turns against him. She will remain faithful to him...
This marks the beginning of the Blood Valkyrie Arc. But before you all go, it's time I reveal my decision.
And that decision goes to...
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Ainz and Hope vs Shalltear!
Now to those who ask certain questions, here are some answers that I may provide to you all.
Question 1: Why make this decision as the tiebreaker and not the readers?
Answer: I want it to be fair for everyone, even myself. Sure, I could just go with Ainz vs Shalltear or go with Hope vs Shalltear again despite the number of votes you all made.
But such a decision would make me feel selfish, and that's something I don't want to do. As for the tiebreaker, I too
Question 2: What if Hope takes most of the limelight during the fight and Ainz is left out?
Answer: Reassured, I won't do that. In addition, I will try to read the novel version of the fight and add what was left from both the manga and anime.
Question 3: What will you all expect from this fight?
Answer: The answer will reveal once I work things out.
And the last question that I assume you may all have in mind...
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Question 4: Will there be Servants appreciating this battle?
Answer: ...No. If you all ask why? It's because I plan to keep them out since that will ruin the plans I've laid for this story. But rest assured, the other arcs will have Servants and they are surprises.
Now I will reply to reviews. One in the last chapter and a recent review from the chapter before the 11th.
wicio102: Oh that power? It isn't actually a part of Yggdrasil, rather it's a part of Hope's power that she obtained as it's explained in this chapter. I will reveal a lot more details about this power in the future.
Lord Metallex: That is true. Compared to Ainz's Summon, which mainly consists of obedient undead. Hope's summons are Heroic Spirits that retain the memories of their past and story. As for the level of Heroic Spirits, I've taken it into consideration and decided that they will not be based on the number of stars possible.
Instead, the range of their levels is scaled from 80 to 100. And I'm going to openly reveal that Beowulf's level is 85 and Hessian Lobo's level is also 85.
That is all I have to say, let me know if any of you still have questions, stay safe from the virus, and I will see you all in the next chapter!