Edster: (Before we get started, I'd like it to be publicly known that Kyouka Uzen from Mato Seihei no Slave can step on my face and have me do perverted things to her legs as a reward any day of the week. I think between her and Esdeath from Akame Ga Kill, I may have found another type I'd go for and am unashamed to say so!)
daniel: COMPLETELY AGREE WITH MY CO-AUTHOR! Kyouka and Esdeath can be my masters any day of the week! Those 2 are the complete package and I'm here for it! With our love for strong women aside here's another chapter of the story! Had fun as always with this one! Hope you guys have fun reading it!
Edster: Hello there all you lovely people and welcome back to the latest instalment of the Nazarick Triumvirate. On behalf of daniel and myself, we hope you are all doing well and enjoying the latest season of anime. Solo Leveling and the aforementioned Chained Soldier are proving to be the highlights so far for me, but I'm also enjoying Blue Exorcist and Shangri-La Frontier!
With that all said and done, it's time for what you are all here for as we kick off the Demonic Disturbance. As always, the usual disclaimer that neither I nor daniel own Overlord or any of its characters, locations, events or anything else related to the anime, manga or Light Novels. The only things we own are our OCs, Henry and Fengxian. ENJOY!
Chapter 22 – Fuel for the Fire
"Execute Operation Gehenna." Three simple words, from the mouths of three different people, had been enough to make Demiurge's spirits soar to heights unheard of. At last, he could put into practice one of the many plots and schemes he had come up with for the subjugation of this New World for his Supreme Beings, and the situation in the Re-Estize Kingdom would be the perfect testing stage for it.
Naturally, as was befitting the master strategist and planner that he was created to be by his glorious benefactor Lord Ulbert (though, in his mind, nowhere near on the same level as his Lords Ainz, Henry and Fengxian were when it came to planning out Nazarick's glorious future), the Guardian of the Seventh Floor had in his spare time been relentlessly creating, altering and perfecting hundreds of different plans, operations and schemes that could bring about the subjugation or demise of any of the Kingdoms in the lands around them to the point where they would either cease to exist or be brought under the sway of the Supreme Beings. Given that they were the more immediate concerns, priority had been given to the three human kingdoms surrounding Nazarick. He was constantly being given updates concerning the Empire and the Theocracy through Miss Shinozaki and Miss Jemima respectively and in time would have concrete plans to deal with them both, but since Re-Estize was their nearest neighbour and most definitely the weakest out of the three, it would certainly be the easiest to come under their sway.
Now armed with both his masters' original findings, the corrections to said findings from Miss Jemima and the fresh reports from Sebas and Solution, Demiurge had been able to finalise down to the very last detail the stages his first act would take. All he had been missing was a spark…a reason, and a perfect cover to execute it, and now they had it. Of course, it was terribly tragic that young Miss Tuare had been kidnapped in the manner described to him by his Lord and Crown Prince, but given that Sebas would be determined beyond belief to see to her safety, his and Solution's rescue mission of the girl would attract enough attention to draw the majority of both the capital's guards and the Eight Fingers gangsters away and allow him to set in motion the first part of the plan: Cripple the holdings of Eight Fingers in retaliation for their slight against the Supreme Beings by abducting someone under their personal protection.
His latest scheme was also bearing fruit. Not only had it allowed him to eavesdrop and discover the exact locations of his targets, but it had also confirmed one of his suspicions from the other day. This led to him requesting permission from both Lord Ainz and Crown Prince Henry to allow him to make a small 'detour' before heading to Sebas' mansion to gather the forces they and Lady Albedo had placed under his command. Having been granted permission, and having been forewarned his 'detour' wouldn't be eavesdropped on or compromised in any way, Demiurge was able to, thanks to the Shadow Demon describing the location to him beforehand, use Gate to portal to his planned destination. Upon arriving, he was pleased to see that not only was the person he was here to see alone but that they also weren't too disturbed by his appearance, which for a human was very surprising.
"It is an honour to meet you," he said to his 'host' while giving a polite bow. "My name is Demiurge, and I would like to speak to you about a potential partnership that would benefit us both greatly, and allow us to achieve our deepest desires."
Rather than be affronted or terrified that a stranger, much less a demon, would address them in such a manner, the person Demiurge was addressing was amused by his polite demeanour, curious about what he was up to, and happily intrigued by the offer that followed. "I'm listening," they replied with equal politeness and respect.
~TNT~
If it were all possible, the smirk on Demiurge's face had grown even wider than its natural state as he strode towards the meeting area in the mansion due to the outcome of his meeting just now. Not only had his new 'business partner' been receptive towards their plans, but they had also contributed one or two ideas of their own and had provided some crucial intel that would be very useful for tonight's events, all in exchange for one or two conditions that were not only well within Demiurge's power to grant but would also no doubt be met with approval from the Supreme Beings.
"The day this Kingdom falls draws ever closer, and I look forward to the day when I welcome my Lords Ainz, Henry and Fengxian through these streets as its conquerors. But before that time comes, it is time to do my part to weaken it further," Demiurge thought to himself wickedly as he proceeded to open the doors to the meeting room where upon entering he found quite the crowd had assembled. "I see that the Supreme Ones and Lady Albedo work fast. They will be more than sufficient for my plans."
Standing aside from the rest given their separate role in tonight's events were Sebas and Solution, who greeted him with a stiff nod and a formal bow respectively. Sebas was clad in his usual suit and Solution in her usual Pleaides garb which she would swap out of after the first phase was complete.
Standing next to them were the rest of the Pleiades maids, bar Narberal who would be with their Lord, Crown Prince and Lady Albedo, clad in outfits that Demiurge himself had commissioned and which several of the Homunculus maids had put many hours and great care into crafting: black monk-like robes tailored from the finest fabrics that Nazarick had to offer and each flawlessly tailored to match each Pleaides' body requirements complete with a hood that would allow for full facial coverage. They were all also holding onto masks that had been enchanted with voice-modification enchantments that would hide their true voices just in case.
On the other side of the window to them, clad in their usual clothes, were Shalltear, Mare and, to Demiurge's surprise, Ninya who looked slightly nervous at what was about to happen tonight. "I had requested for Shalltear and Mare to provide support and for their power respectively, but I guess Lord Ainz wishes for Miss Ninya to gain some field experience and become familiar with our operations. Hopefully she will prove up to the task, but just in case I will pair her with one of the others." Demiurge's musings faded as he turned to face the unexpected final member of the assembly.
The stranger towered above everyone gathered and was clad in a shut of armour the likes of which Demiurge had never laid eyes on before. He wore a blood-red mask-like helm with demonic horns coming out of the sides and which had slits where his mouth and eyes out to be, accompanied by a heavy-set suit of armour in the same colour as his helm, complete with pauldrons, gloves and boots that were shaped like demonic faces and which were covered in demon motifs. Completing the terrifying garb was a massive two-handed greatsword that he had attached to his back which possessed serrated blade edges and smaller cracks along the blade that gave off a fiery glow.
"Who is this person? A mercenary? Or another demon that either my lords or Lady Albedo have summoned to aid us?" Demiurge thought to himself with a frown. The stranger certainly looked the part and Demiurge was sure he could incorporate him into his plans, but first he'd need to know more about him. But what was most curious at all was that none of the others were reacting negatively to his presence, almost as if they knew him...most curious. "Excuse me for a moment," he addressed the stranger as he walked up to where everyone was gathered. "But would you care to tell me your identity? Just so I can incorporate you into my plans of course."
It may just have been Demiurge's imagination, but he could have sworn he heard the large figure chuckle as he proceeded to remove his helm, and as he revealed his face Demiurge couldn't help the shock he felt in the process. Though he had cut off most of his long wiry hair, there was no mistaking the grey skin and dark eyes of Grand Marshal Fengxian. "My lord Grand Marshal!" Demiurge hurriedly fell to a knee before the towering Nephilim. "Forgive my rash impudence for dare demanding anything of you, but I had not known it was you beneath that strange armour. I will, of course, submit to any punishment you deem worthy for my actions…"
"If you didn't recognise me, then that proved my disguise is working," the Grand Marshal replied nonchalantly as he motioned for Demiurge to rise as one or two of the others, including Sebas and Shalltear, couldn't help but chuckle at the normally composed demon's grovelling. "I am here under orders from Lord Ainz to assist you in whatever capacity you need and stand ready to carry out my part in this operation. For the purposes of our role as demons, you may refer to me as 'Samael', your chief lieutenant and commander of your forces."
"I…understand. T-thank you, my lord Grand Marshal…" Demiurge was initially a bit taken aback by his Grand Marshal's willingness to be under his orders. Lord Fengxian was one of the Supreme Beings after all, and it was Demiurge's duty to serve him rather than have it be the other way around! But if this was Lord Ainz's order, and if the Grand Marshal was willing to play the part, then who was he to go against their orders? "Now that that has all been settled, let us begin, shall we? We have plenty to discuss, and not much time to do it in." The others all nodded in agreement before proceeding to gather around where Demiurge was standing.
"Before we do, I would like to say one thing," Sebas spoke up, giving both Demiurge and Fengxian a look of gratitude. "I wish to convey my gratitude to the Supreme Beings and Lady Albedo for assembling you all here. I must admit, to my shame, that I did not expect such support to be sent from the Tomb."
"Their planning and foresight are beyond comprehension, so it was to be expected that they would send all of our strongest available forces, bar Lady Aura and Lord Cocytus who are busy with their own missions, to aid in this endeavour," Demiurge replied smoothly. He then side-glanced at Fengxian who, having replaced his helm, nodded as if Demiurge should continue. "With their blessing, command of this operation has been given over entirely to me. If you should have objections…" Demiurge looked pointedly at Sebas as he spoke. "…then you may speak up now."
"If this is their will, then I have no objections," Sebas answered as the rest apart from Fengxian all nodded in agreement.
"Then I hope you will not be under any mistaken impressions going forward," Demiurge told him smoothly before addressing the rest of the room. "We have assembled to cull Eight Fingers from existence. They have spit in the collective faces of the Supreme Beings with their brazen actions and must be dealt with immediately."
"I agree. Rescuing Tuare, though it is a great concern of mine, pales in comparison to avenging this offence against the name of the Supreme Beings," Sebas growled, which was echoed by everyone else present. Ninya especially looked particularly murderous given that this scum had kidnapped her sister barely moments after their happy reunion and was itching to pay them back in kind
"Now that that has been made clear, please let it be known that I too hope for Miss Tuare's safe return," Demiurge continued, addressing Sebas, Solution and Ninya in particular with those words. "I would not want her put through the painful process of resurrection, especially for the sake of Miss Ninya here."
"Your kind words are appreciated, Lord Demiurge. Having been resurrected myself, the last thing I would want my sister to go through is the same pain of death that I did," Ninya replied with a grateful bow. "Though my abilities are limited, they are yours to use as you see fit."
"How very kind of you, Demiurge…" Sebas added while managing to hold back the usual growl that he only used when speaking to the demonic Guardian. "I assume you have a plan to find out where Eight Fingers are located?"
"There's no need for such a plan…I've already been to discover the location of seven of their bases, as well as an extra eighth base that was revealed to me a short time ago," Demiurge confirmed with a sinister smile, much to the astonishment of everyone present which this time included Fengxian, though it was impossible to see beneath his helm. "The source of this information is to be kept secret for now since the success of our plan relies on compartmentalizing certain components. All you need to know is your part in all of this. When you have rescued Tsuare, you will return with her to Nazarick and see to her recovery where you will be assisted by Miss Ninya once her part in the plan is complete. Once Lady Solution has aided you, she is to join up with me and the rest of us as soon as possible. As for what comes afterwards…you can just leave that all to us."
"I understand. With your leave, we shall depart," Sebas replied as he and Solution both bowed once more and, upon receiving both Demiurge and Fengxian's nods of approval, they proceeded to leave the meeting room.
"Before we get down to the details of my plan, there is one crucial matter of great importance that I must tell you all," he addressed them all again before turning to Entoma. "Miss Entoma…if you would, please?"
"Acknowledged!" The insect maid chirped as she conjured up a holographic image of the individual Demiurge had privately requested before the meeting.
"Killing this individual is strictly prohibited," Demiurge told everyone assembled seriously as they each memorized the image before them, his eyes on Shalltear in particular. "Do I make myself clear, Shalltear?"
Shalltear's first instinct was to angrily retort to Demiurge's taunts, but instead she was able to hold herself back. It would not do well to lose her composure in front of Lord Fengxian and bite into Demiurge's bait. It was a fair remark after all given her prior propensity to fall into bloodlust and play with her prey, and she was determined to prove to not only him but also to her beloved Lord Ainz and Crown Prince that she was taking their advice to heart which was why she was able to settle for giving Demiurge an understanding nod in return.
"Excellent. Now that's taken care of, I would like to assign you all in groups of one and two to assault the Eight Fingers bases," he spoke as Entoma switched the image to a virtual map of the capital, complete with the eight crosses signifying each of the base's locations which had each been assigned a number from 1 through to 8. "My lord Fengxian…excuse me, Samael," he respectfully addressed the mammoth warrior who had so far been listening in without comment, only giving small nods to show he had been following everything Demiurge had been saying. "If it is not too much trouble, I'd like for you to assault the first two locations. I am sure they will be no match for your supreme might and skill."
"As you wish," was all the red-armoured goliath said in reply as Demiurge next turned to Yuri Alpha.
"Miss Yuri, you will take care of locations 3 and 4. As with the rest, your job will be to capture any of their key personnel you find there as well as confiscating all of their wealth and resources."
"Understood, Lord Demiurge," the sub-leader of the Pleiades answered with a bow.
"Miss Lupusregina, I would like for you and Miss Ninya to take care of locations 5 and 6," Demiurge told the mentioned pair.
"Piece of cake!" The red-haired consort of Crown Prince Henry replied enthusiastically.
"I won't let you down, I swear!" Ninya told both her and Demiurge determinedly.
Demiurge then turned to the robotic maid among them who had been listening to all of this impassively. "Miss Delta, location 7 will be yours to deal with."
"Location confirmed. Designated orders will be carried out with maximum efficiency," CZ replied emotionlessly.
"This leaves location 8 to be taken care of by Mare and Miss Zeta," Demiurge finished, turning to the two small beings. "I trust you have no objections?"
"O-of course not, Lord Demiurge! I promise I won't let you or the Supreme Beings down!" Mare piped up fiercely, while Entoma only gave a nod to show that she had understood.
"Shalltear, you are to remain on standby and assist should any of the others run into any trouble," Demiurge addressed the vampire, who nodded her compliance, before addressing the rest of them once more. "This is a grand opportunity for everyone here to show the Supreme Beings your unwavering devotion to their cause! Failure is strictly prohibited, so ensure that you provide results that will wipe the slate clean of any potential mistakes or unforeseen complications. Once you have all completed your assigned tasks, you are to contact me and await your next instructions regarding Phase 2 of our operation. Am I understood?" His words were met with universal approval from everyone assembled, causing his smirk to widen even further. "Good. Now then…shall we get started? I fully intend for this to be a…monumental evening…"
~TNT~
"That Mithril Armor of yours must have cost a pretty copper. You sure you wanna dye it?" Brain joked to Climb as the latter applied a dab of stealth coating to his shiny new breastplate. The two were currently amid the Royal Encampment where Princess Renner and her associates were gathering their forces in preparation for tonight's expected strike against the holdings of Eight Fingers.
"The armour does mean a lot since Renner was the one who gave it to me, but it just stands out too much. This way I'll be able to move quietly with the rest of you," Climb replied. The pair's attention was then diverted by a commotion from the nearby command tent. Looking over they saw Lakyus, Tina and Tia emerge from within.
"All captains gather round. We're going to go over the plan!" The charismatic leader of Blue Rose called out. Taking this as their cue, Climb and Brain shuffled closer to the tent alongside Gagaran and the other captains who'd be helping to coordinate tonight's operations. As he took his place, Climb suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and turned his head to see a very proud Gazef looking down at him, a rare smile on his usually stern face. Both Brain and Climb smiled back at him before returning their attention to Lakyus as she began the briefing.
"Alright…this operation's goal is to raid eight buildings currently in Eight Fingers' possession and take control of them," Lakyus began.
"But we only have seven squads," Tia pointed out. "How will we manage to hold both them and capture the eighth one as well?"
"Once each squad has seized control of their assigned location, they will proceed directly to the last target so don't dawdle," Lakyus continued, managing to both answer Tia's question and clarify the next part of the operation in one succinct statement.
"So in other words, it's first come, first served!" Gagaran smirked excitedly, smacking a fist into her palm causing Evileye, who was standing next to the massive warrior, to sigh at her comrade's eagerness for a fight.
"I'm sure you are all aware of our enemy's overwhelming strength, so don't let your guards down even for a moment," Lakyus further cautioned everyone present. "That's all you need to know for now. Once we give the signal to move out, you are all to report to your assigned squad leaders and commence your task as soon as possible. For now, dismissed!" With a stern nod, Lakyus went back inside the tent with the rest of Blue Rose while everyone gathered temporarily dispersed once more.
"The squads look fairly confident…even the men provided by the Marquis," Brain noted as he and Climb walked towards a squad of armoured figures standing at the edge of the clearing. "They're all former orichalcum-ranked adventurers which means they'll be able to handle themselves pretty well in a fight."
"Sir Unglaus. Climb. It's an honour," the one at the front, presumably their leader, spoke up as he extended an arm to them. He was a middle-aged man with light brown hair and brown eyes and possessed a short stubble on his chin. He was clad in light leather armour and had a dagger strapped to his waist. "Name's Lockmeier. I hear we've been assigned to the same squad. Looking forward to working with you both." Both warriors shook the former adventurer's hand, but before they could reply the familiar loud voice of Gagaran called out from behind them.
"Hey, virgin!" the armoured woman grinned jovially as she approached them.
"Miss Gagaran…is something the matter?" Climb asked, curious as to why she'd decided to come over. Surely she should've been getting ready with the rest of Blue Rose?
"You tell me kid….thought you'd be more nervous, so I figured a playful pat on that adorable little mop of hair you've got there would help calm you down," Gagaran teased before turning her gaze to the blue-haired warrior standing at Climb's side. "You must be Brain Unglaus. Heard a lot of good things about ya…which means you'll do."
"Glad I passed the test," Brain replied just as teasingly, which caused Climb to look between the pair confusedly. "Don't worry kid, she's not being serious…just trying to measure me up to make sure that I'm a warrior who can be trusted to protect you, that's all."
"Is that true, Miss Gagaran? Sir Unglaus has already had my back, and I trust him with my life!" Climb almost demanded.
"Absolutely not! If you died tonight, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it!" She pretended to admonish him, but the teasing expression on her face clued him in that she was joking. "And yeah, I heard what happened. If he's as reliable tonight as he was then, things will be easier."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that anymore…there are monsters and those with overwhelming power in this world that you couldn't even fathom," Brain cautioned quietly, his face grim as he remembered what both Gazef and Climb had told him about such individuals.
"The quiet and prudent type, eh? I'm not adverse to a man like that," Gagaran smirked back, still in full teasing mode. "How about a little one-on-one in the sack when this is all done?"
"I think I'll pass…the pressure might crush me," Brain snarked back. As their tete-a-tete continued, Climb's expression only grew even more dumbfounded. Just how were such experienced warriors able to joke around on a crucial night like tonight? Were they that confident, or just hiding their nerves?
Gagaran let out a cackle at Brain's 'insult', taking it in the spirit of teasing it was meant. "You're probably right, that's too bad!" Her expression turned a touch serious as she looked back at Climb. "Watch yourself out there, okay kid?"
"Yes ma'am! Will do!" Climb answered with a stiff salute. With a jovial wave, Gagaran headed back towards Blue Rose's tent.
"She's a nice lady beneath all that armour and teasing," Brain commented as they watched her go.
"She and the rest of Blue Rose are both kind and fierce," Climb answered.
"Hm…well then, I think it's about time we started making ready to head out." Brain turned back to the armoured group who had remained silent during that exchange. "Lockmeier, you all set?"
"I'm ready to move as soon as the order is given'" the veteran adventurer reassured them both.
~TNT~
As it turned out, Lockmeier proved to be more than worthy of his orichalcum rank. As the trio had approached their designated target, the veteran thief had split off from Climb and Brain and had seemingly vanished. Figuring he must have either gone ahead to scout out their target or reconnoitre the surrounding area in case of any traps, the other two men had continued in silence. But just as they were coming up on the street corner around which their target lay, they were both startled to the point of drawing swords by the man's sudden reappearance right in front of them.
"Wait! Hold on, it's me. I've just got back!" He implored with a placating hand, causing the pair to relax slightly and sheathe their weapons once more. "So jumpy, but it showed you were cautious which is good. Now then, I've scouted the place out with my Invisibility magic. A young woman is being held captive in one of their cells, and there are five people stationed there who fit the description of the surviving members of Six Arms."
"All five of them?" Climb asked while Brain cursed under his breath. He and Climb would probably have been a match for at least one or two of them if they were on the same power level as the one Sir Alfred had killed the other night, but against all of them they wouldn't stand a chance. "Sucks for us, but it might be a good thing overall. If Six Arms are all gathered here, then the rest of the locations should fall without much effort on our part."
"Good point, but what are we gonna do though? Even with Lockmeier here, we won't stand a chance facing them head-on," Brain pointed out grimly. Lockmeier nodded sagely in agreement with the veteran's words.
"Yeah, you're right. Without significant force on our side, we'll be crushed if we try to attack," Climb conceded. "We ought to fall back and request assistance from the others."
"Fine by me, but let's…" Whatever Brain was about to say was cut off by the sound of approaching footsteps. Looking over in the direction the sound was coming from, both Climb and Brain were astonished to see the now-familiar figure of Sebas Tian walking up towards the gates of the structure as though he were on a casual night-time stroll. "No way…is that…?" As if overhearing them, Sebas turned his head and, spotting the group, calmly walked towards them.
"What a coincidence…running into you of all people out here," the old butler stated warmly as he approached.
"Lord Sebas? What are you doing around here at this hour?" Climb asked, both confused and happy to see him here.
"As it so happens, the woman I mentioned rescuing from the brothel we raided has been captured by Eight Fingers," Sebas told them. "I was instructed in a rather 'polite' note to meet them at this location in order to settle for her release."
"Hang on…could it be…?" Climb turned to face Lockmeier who had remained silent in the presence of the new arrival. "Sir Lockmeier…could you describe in more detail the woman you found in the cell?"
"Yes…she had long blonde hair and turquoise eyes and possessed a dainty yet attractive frame, though when I saw her both her face and body showed signs of a struggle and a beating," Lockmeier answered sourly, causing Sebas' expression to darken murderously.
"Thank you…though I wish she wasn't in the state you reported," was all he said as he looked back towards the base. "Having the rest of Six Arms present will make my job a lot easier."
"Does that mean you'd be willing to help us?" Climb asked hopefully. "I know it's a lot to ask, but we really need you."
"I'd be happy to," Sebas answered, giving the group a warm smile. "Even if you weren't here my duty would remain unchanged, yet now I can repay for your assistance from the other day. I will go in from the front and lure Six Arms out for a confrontation. That will provide the three of you with a distraction that will allow you to sneak in from the side. Since I will no doubt be occupied, I'd like it if the three of you could rescue Tuare for me. If you did, I'd once again be in your debt."
"Will do! You can count on us!" Climb said determinedly.
"What should those without stealth do?" Brain asked, indicating the rest of Lockmeier's party who had been trailing them from a distance just in case.
"If it's just the three of us, our magic caster should be able to make us invisible long enough to get past the front," Lockmeier replied. "As for the rest, they'll just have to wait out here and make sure we're not taken by surprise."
"I am most grateful to you all. As I stated, if you are able to rescue Tsuare and escape, I'd be in all of your debts," Sebas spoke with a respectful bow. "Now then, I've got an appointment to keep. Once I've gotten their attention, you sneak in behind and begin your infiltration." With those words, Sebas turned around and walked up to the gate which he then proceeded to kick down with one casual swing of his league.
"You heard the old-timer. Looks like we're back on the clock," Brain told them. After getting Lockmeier's magic caster associate to cloak them in Invisibility magic, the three of them snuck through the gate and into the stronghold without any problems. Once they were inside, Lockmeier took the lead and led them in the direction of the cells where Tuare was being held hostage.
~TNT~
As he beheaded the last of the Eight Fingers goons who'd been foolish enough to cross his path in a gory shower of blood, Fengxian, or Samael as he was this evening, looked around at the bloody mess he'd created with silent approval. Once he was certain no one else was around, he had Shalltear create a Gate at his location. As it spawned, a small group of the Lizardmen whom Fengxian was now training personally, led by the nimble Sukyu Juju and who were skilled in both stealth and agility, stole through the mansion and ransacked it clean just as they had done for the previous location.
Just as they were finishing up, a low hubbub of noise and lights in the distance signified the approach of company they couldn't risk being spotted by. Once the Lizardmen had finished their business and had returned to Nazarick, Fengxian simply jumped through one of the back windows and lumbered off into the distance until he was out of sight. Once he was certain the coast was clear, he relayed his success to Demiurge and asked for his next instructions.
~TNT~
As befitting a responsible maid, Yuri Alpha had been quick, clean and precise in her strikes thus ensuring that no mess was left behind. Just as the Grand Marshal had done, she called for assistance from Nazarick when she was finished causing several of the more agile Homunculus Maids who had been prepped by Demiurge for such a task to sweep in and again ransack the place clean. Her task complete, Yuri dusted her hands and calmly left the premises before contacting Demiurge for her orders.
~TNT~
If her body had still been capable of it, Ninya was sure she'd have vomited the contents of her entire stomach upon seeing the macabre show of death and destruction that Lupusregina had set to with obvious glee. However, she couldn't deny the maid's results had been effective and had even, so eager had she been for payback against Eight Fingers, been able to take down a few herself with well-placed spells. Though they had been her first kills, seeing Lupusregina's brutal work had more than inured her to the feeling.
As for the beautiful redhead in question, she'd been glad to cut loose after what had felt like a lifetime of having to watch over the village of pitiful humans without the stress relief of passionate sex with her beloved and was sure he'd be delighted at the good work she'd done. Once they made sure no one else was around, Ninya used the summoning magic Lord Ainz had taught her to conjure a few undead servants who helped them loot the place, and once they'd left they parted ways. Ninya returned to Nazarick via another Gate from Shalltear while Lupusregina bounded off into the shadows to await Demiurge's further commands.
~TNT~
"All targets eliminated," CZ muttered dully as the last gangster fell dead on the hard, cold ground littered with bullets. After scanning the area and determining nobody else was around, CZ put out the call that would summon another small group of Lord Fengxian's Lizardmen to her location who, just like the rest of tonight's summoned help, proceeded to ransack the place in record time.
"Objectives complete. Withdrawing to a safe location to await further instructions," she added once the Lizardmen had returned to Nazarick. With a quick reload of her weapon, CZ activated her stealth systems before departing just as another group of adventurers were about to arrive on the scene.
~TNT~
"Right on schedule…they're waiting for you," an Eight Finger toady sneered at Sebas as he opened the next gate and led the butler towards what appeared to be a large open courtyard in front of their stronghold. As they approached, Sebas was easily able to make out a large gathering amidst the light of several lit torches that bathed the area in an almost day-like glow, while up above on the structure's balcony a group of men and women dressed in fine clothes and sipping from glasses of wine were watching on with just as much eagerness. Whatever the rest of Six Arms had planned for him they clearly wanted to make a spectacle out of it, and who was he to decline such a polite invitation to show these fools the price of going against Nazarick? Upon getting closer to the centre of the clearing, he saw four individuals step out from the mass of bodies to greet him. Judging by their confident smirks and how the rest of the crowd seemed to be in awe of them, he would hazard a guess these were four of the remaining members of Six Arms…but if that were the case, where was their other member hiding?
"Well well well…looks like the main event of tonight's festivities has finally arrived!" The man furthest on his left, a red-haired man in dark-and-yellow clothing, sneered at him. "Let's hope you put up a good fight at least!"
"I assure you, I'll be more than capable of putting on the show you desire, though the results may not be to your liking," Sebas replied calmly, not rising to their taunts. "But aren't there supposed to be five of you left? Where's your fellow hiding? Or are they too cowardly to face a mere old man?"
"We're more than enough to handle one of your supposed strength," the lone female among them, dressed in think silk and who had numerous golden bangles around her wrists and ankles, replied. If it wasn't for the fact that she was his enemy, Sebas would have admitted she cut quite the exquisite figure. "Though I didn't think the one who killed Succulent would be someone of your age." Even though it had been his Crown Prince who had ended that man's life, Sebas remained silent. If that's what they wanted to believe then he'd let them. After all, it wasn't as if either of them would live to tell the tale if he had any say about it.
"Just proves how worthless he really was," the red-haired man spoke up once again. "Killed in front of Cocco Doll, one of our clients? He was an embarrassment to us all."
"However worthless Succulent may have been, this impudent old butler had the audacity to start all this trouble by going against our organization, so he will be made of an example first," spoke the hooded figure among them. Though his features were heavily obscured by the red cloak and hood he was wearing, Sebas could recognise the stench of an undead anywhere. "Look up there," he hissed, indicating those watching from above.
"Some of our noble patrons like a little entertainment with their dinner and we aim to please, so we'll torture you for a while before finishing you off just in time for dessert," the red-haired man declared with a dramatic flick of his long locks.
"I see…and is perhaps your missing associate watching from up there as well?" Sebas asked, his eyes roving among those up above.
"Why yes he is as a matter of fact…Master Zero does not consort with those beneath his notice, but he does enjoy a good spectacle just as much as the next man, and as his associates we aim to please," the red-haired man sneered, only to be caught off guard, as were the others, by Sebas dramatically pointing to the veranda.
"What's that for, old man? Trying to challenge our leader? We told you already…you are far beneath his notice and as such he has zero time to deal with rabble such as yourself," the woman taunted him.
"Oh, that? Pay it no mind," Sebas commented off-handedly, hoping that Solution, who had been sticking to the shadows all this time to avoid detection, had seen it and understood what he was trying to communicate. "Where is she?" Sebas then asked, his voice raised dangerously. "What have you done with young Tuare?"
"What if I told you she's already dead?" the undead retorted, trying and failing to unbalance the old man.
"Knowing your kind, I hardly think that's the case," Sebas answered back since he knew the creature was lying.
"Hehe…you got me there. Even in life, I lacked mercy," the robed undead chuckled as produced a purple orb from within his robes. "Luckily for her, she's going to be a gift for Cocco Doll when he returns, so for now she is safely secured in our prison cells."
"I see…then I won't keep you or your patrons waiting any longer then!" Sebas challenged before dragging his foot back and entering into a combat-ready stance. "If you all attack me at once, you may last longer than ten seconds."
"You're either insane or have a death wish!" The undead scoffed as everyone else chuckled at the old man's apparent arrogance.
"He's probably never met someone who's truly strong before," the veiled woman drawled, which caused Sebas to scoff under his breath. If only they knew…
"Either way, I'm happy to oblige him," the red-haired man declared as he drew his rapier, the point of which glinted in the light provided by the torches. "Malmvist of the Thousand Kills will be your end."
"I am the one known as the Dancing Scimitar," the veiled woman proclaimed as she spun several scimitars over her head with her 'Dance' magic. "Edström is my name."
The armoured knight who had remained silent up until this point drew his blade and slashed the air in front of him with such speed that all could be seen of his weapon was a blur. "Peshurian of the Spacial Slash," he uttered in a dull, metallic growl.
"And I am Davernoch, the Undead King!" the robed undead declared last of all as he summoned a fireball in his other hand. His declaration caused Sebas to narrow his eyes in rage.
"He dares try to lay claim and to usurp the title of the true lord of undeath, he who is the only one deserving to sit astride this world?!" Sebas raged internally as he flexed the fingers of his previously clenched fist. "Is that so?" he growled, not even trying to hide his anger at the undead's insult. "You poor fool…that title is far beyond your reach!" With a swift jab, Sebas' fist flew straight into the arrogant undead's face causing it to instantly burst in a shower of blood before following up with a swift kick to the side that took Edström's head from her shoulders before she could properly process what had just happened to Davernoch. Upon seeing their comrades fall in the blink of an eye, Peshurian and Malmvist moved to attack Sebas at the same time, only for the armoured knight's head to suffer the same fate as Edström's as a result of another casual jab of Sebas' face, and as the blood of his comrade spattered his normally immaculate face, Malmvist felt fear for the first time in his life…which only lasted another second before his head suffered the same fate as Davernoch's. "There is only one person who can claim to be the ruler of death, and you could not even fathom his power! You deserved far worse than a quick death for your arrogance!" He spat on the undead's corpse before casually adjusting his tie as if he'd just been for a casual stroll.
This had all happened within the ten-second time limit Sebas had set himself, much to the astonishment and dismay of everyone watching. The elite members of Six Arms, taken out in the blink of an eye by a mere butler! For such a lowly man to possess such strength…it was inconceivable!
"Did you manage to find their comrade, the one they call Zero, Solution?" Sebas yelled up towards the balcony.
"He does not appear to be here, Lord Sebas!" Solution shouted back from amidst the groaning pile of motionless bodies she too had left in her wake. It had taken all of her self-control not to kill and feast upon any of them, but given how they were insignificant in the grand scheme of themes it was a small sacrifice in the overall picture.
"Well then, it looks like I have another ten seconds to spare…" Sebas mused as he looked around the crowd who were still paralyzed in fear after what he'd done to the majority of Six Arms. Needless to say, given how their strength levels were much below the ones whom Sebas had just easily dispatched, it only took him another ten seconds to deal with them before moving on. The missing member of Six Arms, Zero, was still to be located, and if were to put a wager on his current location it would be in the prison cells where young Climb, Sir Unglaus and their comrade were heading to rescue his dear Tuare.
It would appear his schedule for the rest of the evening was now fully booked, and as Sebas headed into the building Solution retreated into the shadows and back out into the streets of the capital to meet back up with Demiurge for the next phase of the plan.
~TNT~
In the bedroom of a large, ornate mansion within the capital, a pale-skinned woman with long blonde hair, bluish-grey eyes, two beauty marks under her right eye plus another one on the upper section of her left breast and a very visible snake tattoo on her right forearm was woken from her slumber by the sounds of a disturbance coming from the floor below. With a tired groan, she slipped her cloak over her slender frame before padding over to her bedroom door and opening it.
As she peered up and down the corridor nothing seemed untoward at first, but then she took a look outside and was both perplexed and worried by what she saw. Out of seemingly nowhere her manor had been encased in what appeared to be a gnarling mass of shrubbery and vines.
"What is going on…?" Hilma Cygnaeus, the current head of the drug trade operations for Eight Fingers, mused to herself as she pattered down the corridor and out onto the main landing, hoping the sight she'd seen out of the windows of the previous corridor was nothing more than a trick of the moonlight. But those hopes were dashed as, out of every window she passed, more and more vines could be seen covering every inch of her luscious estate. As she wondered just how this could have happened, she then had a feeling that she was no longer alone in the mansion. Turning around, she was startled to see two small glowing eyes, one blue and one green, staring back at her from the ground floor, and as she squinted through the gloom, she saw that they belonged to a small child-like figure with blonde hair, feminine clothing and what appeared to be a small wooden staff clutched between their hands.
"Excuse me, little girl…or boy…what brings you here at this hour?" She asked as she began to descend the stairs towards them, her voice pitched as kindly as she could if this did turn out to be a child who was simply lost.
"I-I'm trying to find the most important person in the mansion. Would that be you, lady?" The small figure stammered by way of a reply.
"No, I-" Hilma was at first tempted to lie, but quickly changed tact. If she were honest and open with this seemingly naïve child, they might be more willing to answer any questions she might have for them. "Actually, yes I am," she told them as she reached the bottom of the stairs and approached them. "Would you mind telling me how you got in here in the first place?"
The child seemed relieved by her answer. "Oh good…I was worried I'd screwed up." But before Hilma could question what their words meant, her attention was drawn by another small commotion from one of the nearby doors, and as she looked over that way, she almost vomited at the sight she saw: a small girl with insect-like features who was wearing a maid outfit staring at her eerily with what appeared to be a still-twitching human hand clutched between their…hands? Mandibles? As her hand went to her mouth to stifle a horrified gasp, Mare continued as if nothing were out of the ordinary. "If you don't mind, I'd like you to come with me now, okay?"
Whether it was out of sheer terror or an instinctive reaction due to what she was seeing Hilma prepared to thrust her arm bearing the snake tattoo towards the child, but just as she moved her arm back she suddenly felt the bones in her leg shatter as Mare simply whacked her with his staff. As she fell to the ground, screaming her lungs out and clutching her now useless limb in agony, she was unable to prevent the small elf from grabbing her hair and dragging her none-too-gently across the stone floor towards the exit of the mansion even as she flailed and screamed bloody murder at him to let her go.
"There's no time for delay, lady…we're late enough as it is," Mare told her politely let firmly as they passed through the open door of the mansion before calling back to the bug maid inside. "I'll let you handle the rest, okay?"
" 'Kay!" Entoma waved back before skipping towards the main floor of the mansion, summoning a swarm of small flying bugs in the process who she commanded to grab everything of value in the place and take it over to Nazarick. Once he'd passed through the front gate of the mansion with his captive, Mare passed through a Gate provided by Demiurge that would take him and his unwilling captive back to Nazarick, where she was due for an appointment for… 'readjustment' at the Black Capsule courtesy of Kyouhukou. Given the affable Area Guardian's preferred methods of torture, Mare couldn't help but feel a tad bit sorry for what she was about to suffer through.
~TNT~
"Get that stuff home as quickly as you can, okay? It will be of great use to us! " Entoma merrily waved the human limb she was clutching as her swarm of bugs off as they disappeared into the night with the riches they had just spoiled. As they faded from view, Entoma tilted her head towards the arm in her grasp. "Hm, there's still some left? Guess I have time for a quick snack before I have to go!" With a lick of what passed for her lips, the bug-like Pleaides maid began to gorge herself happily on the severed limb. "Nothing beats well-muscled man-meant after a job well done!" So enamoured was she by her current snack that she didn't notice the new arrival on the scene standing behind her.
"Hey? What kind of meat makes a creepy crunch like that?" A loud female voice called out, and as Entoma lifted her head from her snack and turned around she found herself being confronted by a large blonde-haired woman in armour with a large warhammer clutched in her hand and who looked both curious and disturbed at the antics she'd stumbled upon.
"Human, right down to the bone. Very tasty!" Entoma cheerily answered as she waved the partially-digested limb at the stranger before tossing it aside.
"How very interesting…I didn't think Eight Fingers kept monsters around, so this should be fun!" Gagaran of Blue Rose smirked as she shifted her weapon into a two-handed grip.
"Muscle-lady thinks I'm with Eight Fingers? How silly…if only she knew the truth! As much as I'd love to play with her, Lord Demiurge is awaiting me so I cannot delay!" "Actually, can we pretend we never saw each other and go our separate ways? I'm in a dreadful hurry you see!" She asked innocently.
"No can do I'm afraid," Gagaran answered with narrow eyes. "I'm one of the top adventurers in the Kingdom, so I can't afford to catch a man-eating monster in the act and just let them go. Sorry creepy, but you're going down."
"This is so much trouble…" Entoma sighed. "Lord Demiurge and Lord Fengxian are going to be so angry with me, but I have no other choice…" "Still, you look strong!" Her cheerful expression suddenly turned gleeful and vicious as the mandibles that passed for her hair twitched in anticipation. "Maybe I'll save you for a midnight snack." Entoma had been counting on these words riling up the woman warrior, and she proved to be bang on as, with a roar of rage, Gagaran brought her warhammer down in an overhead smash which the Pleiades maid easily avoided by sidestepping out of harm's way. When she tried another strike, this time a horizontal swing, Entoma simply leapt backwards out of range.
"Come on, I'm already getting bored with your games!" Gagaran shouted as she bore down on Entoma once more.
"Oooh, you're quick with that big weapon of yours! Whoosh! Whoosh!" Entoma chirped, her childish reaction only enraging Gagaran further.
"I'll crush you!" She bellowed, bringing her hammer down in another overhead smash that produced a massive cloud of dust upon impact, but once again Entoma simply taunted her opponent by leaping back once more to retreat to a safe distance. What the maid didn't count on however was the dust cloud being of such volume that it soiled her precious maid uniform that her creator, Genjiro, had personally crafted for her.
"You dare besmirch the uniform that my creator made for me? I will end you!" Entoma snarled with rising rage, all previous joviality vanishing in an instant. This warrior-woman had made her angry now, and she was going to make her suffer for it!
"Oh trust me, creepy, I'm going to rip apart more than just your clothes!" Gagaran shouted as she leapt in for another attack, only for her blow to be blocked by an odd green shield shaped like an eight-legged bug that had sprouted on Entoma's left arm just as her opponent's strike was about to connect. "Huh?! What the hell is that?!" the massive blonde demanded as they separated once again.
"Hard Armour Bug! I am an Entomancer, see?" Entoma explained as the shield's 'legs' started twitching as another of her winged insect servants descended from out of nowhere to hover just about her head. "That means I can summon many varieties of fun little insects like this one…" She indicated the hovering insect with her right mandible as the flying monster landed on her appendage, and a moment later it shifted into a small broadsword-like blade that attached itself to the arm. "Blade Bug! Not only are they my friends, but I can also put them to work for me! If you don't mind, I'm going to kill you now. I really didn't want to, you know, but you're in my way!" Before Gagaran could retort, Entoma swept forward and slashed at her breastplate, ripping through it and causing fresh blood to spew forth.
The wound wasn't fatal, however, meaning Gagaran was still in the fight. "Taking this seriously now, huh? Good! Bring it on!" The massive warrior swung at Entoma once again, forcing the maid to deflect it with Hard Armour Bug. As the hammer and shield met, a tremendous impact raced through the injured warrior's body as a result. Determined not to give an inch, Gagaran stood firm and continued the offensive with a series of fast and furious strikes that were augmented by her proficiency with Martial Arts to try and gain some sort of advantage over Entoma. And yet the insectoid maid proved to be every bit her equal as she skilfully used her Hard Armour Bug and Blade Bug to block and counter every single one of Gagaran's increasingly powerful attacks without obtaining so much as a scratch.
Eventually, the strength in Gagaran's arms wore away from both her injuries and the prolonged use of her Martial Arts, forcing her to break off the attack which gave Entoma the opportunity she'd been waiting for. As Gagaran backed away, Entoma stabbed her Blade Bug forward straight at the exposed opening in Gagaran's armour, but before her strike could hit home the armoured warrior suddenly vanished. Momentarily confused, Entoma cocked her head around to look for her opponent and spotted her on the ground a short distance away, only now she wasn't alone. From out of seemingly nowhere, Tia of Blue Rose had appeared to save her comrade from certain death.
"Thanks for the save, Tia…I might have been a goner otherwise," Gagaran wheezed in gratitude.
"So your blood does in fact flow red, what a surprise," Tia jibed monotonously, her eyes fixed on their adversary.
"Of course it does! What did you expect?" Gagaran retorted
"I just thought it'd be blue by now, like some kind of cool power-up. They can happen," Tia reflexively joked back as she got to her feet. Even in such a dire situation, the natural flow of banter between the members of the Blue Rose never ceased.
"Pretty sure I didn't change my race since we last saw each other."
"Okay, then how about a class change?" As the banter continued back and forth, Entoma was growing visibly more annoyed and frustrated. How dare these two squabble so casually in her presence! Did they not know who they were up against?!
"Are you two done wasting my time?" She finally shouted, causing the pair's banter to cease as she cast her next attack. "Spider Talisman!" Four glowing red cards shot forth from her arms and, as they hit the ground, transformed into massive spiders.
Even despite these new opponents, Tia remained unfazed. "Shadow Clone Technique!" She called out, causing an identical body double of herself to appear out of nowhere. But as Tia and her clone set about taking care of the summoned spiders, it became clear to both the assassin and Gagaran that these weak summons were only meant to buy their opponent time to bring forth her next techniques.
"Hard Bullet Bugs!" From out of her Hard Armour Bug appeared a swarm of Bullet Bugs that shot forth as though fired from a modern-day Gatling gun straight at Tia and her clone as they finished off the spiders. But even as they ripped apart Tia's clone, the skilled assassin quickly cast Immovable Adamantine Shield which produced a rainbow-coloured shield that successfully held up against the bullet swarm and only shattered just after the barrage had stopped, leaving Tia completely unharmed.
As Tia's shield faded, Gagaran had recovered enough to the point where she tried to take advantage of the momentary lull in the maid's attacks with a jumping strike. However, Entoma saw her coming and simply used her Hard Armour Bug to once again stop the warrior's blow. With a furious growl, Gagaran was forced to leap back once again and landed beside Tia as the two adventurers of Blue Rose faced down their opponent. "What's with this creep?! She defended without looking at me!"
"A wide field of view. Not too shabby if I say so myself," Tia remarked almost off-handedly.
"Yeah, no doubt…there's something else too, but I can't quite put my finger on it," Gagaran agreed, her usual cocky expression replaced by one of slight doubt. "This is bad…the way this is going so far, I don't think we've got much of a chance of beating her."
"Time to change things up a bit! I don't need these bugs anymore!" Entoma chirped as she discarded both her Blade Bug and Hard Armour Bug, the latter of which scrabbled off into the night as soon as it hit the ground. "Come on, it's your turn!" As though summoned out of thin air by its mistress' call, a long and disturbing-looking centipede-like creature slithered out of the shadows and began to attach itself to Entoma's right mandible. "I thought I'd eaten my fill earlier, but I'm now hungry again. These two annoying morsels should really hit the spot…I just hope the Grand Marshal and Lord Demiurge don't mind too much…" Once her latest summon had finished hitching itself to her appendage, she shot forward at her two opponents with an ear-splitting war cry while lashing out at them with her new weapon forcing the pair to quickly dodge to avoid being struck by the mammoth whip.
"Flame Burst!" Tia shouted, creating a small explosion that sent both her and Gagaran flying backwards in opposite directions to create some distance while also producing a small cloud of smoke that she hoped would confuse their adversary.
Unfortunately for the pair, Entoma saw what they were doing and switched up her attack once more. The Bug Whip on her arm suddenly turned as though it were on strings and started to swarm around Gagaran, effectively rooting the massive warrior in place. As for Tia, Entoma had something else in mind. "Lightning Bird Talisman!" She called, shooting out another card that transformed into several birds made purely out of electricity that shot towards Tia, and as they reached their target the birds burst in a small explosion, bathing the area in a blue-white light and shocking the assassin all over causing her to cry out in pain.
"Tia!" Gagaran yelled as she continued to try and escape the long bug's grip. But even using her warhammer to pin down its massive head didn't do the trick as it continued to loop itself around her body and slowly began to squeeze tight.
Though she made a good show of shrugging off the attack, Tia's body was visibly covered in small scorch marks as she dashed forward to strike at Entoma with one of her daggers, only for it to be countered as the Blade Bug, unseen to both members of Blue Rose, had attached itself back onto Entoma's left mandible whilst they had been distracted by her latest assaults. As Tia tried her best to push back against the small weapon, she saw to her alarm the small maid withdraw four more talismans from within her sleeve.
"Thunderbird Swarm Talisman!" As Tia leapt back, the talismans shifted into the same lightning birds from before that proceeded to go after the assassin. Tia cloaked and teleported to get into Entoma's blind spot from behind, but as she reappeared Entoma had already cocked and loaded her armoured arm with another round of Bullet Bugs that she fired at her adversary, causing her to collapse to the ground in pain as the wounds she'd suffered began to take their toll.
"No! Tia!" Gagaran's cry came out slightly muffled as she tried and failed to break free from the massive bug that had now fully wrapped around her, but to no avail as she found it becoming harder and harder to draw breath as the appendage continued to constrict her. She could only watch on despairingly as the bug maid threw another talisman towards Tia which exploded in her face, sending the assassin flying before crashing to the ground with a loud cry of pain. But even as she tried to recover, Entoma didn't let up as she sent even more talismans at Tia, all with differing methods of causing pain that struck the weakened adventurer over and over again until finally her legs couldn't take any more, the last attack planting her firmly on the ground with both a painful thud and another sharp cry of agony. "Damnit! You creepy punk…let her go!"
"I had planned on eating you first," Entoma gleefully told the bound warrior as she walked slowly towards where Tia lay. "But she's looking tasty as well as filling so I'll eat her up first and save you for dessert!" But just before she could carry out that threat, she was forced to take avoiding action as from out of nowhere a crystalline spear embedded itself in the ground where she'd been standing just a moment ago. "Another busybody?! How infuriating! Where are you?!"
"Don't get any closer to her," a muffled yet stern voice called out, and as Entoma looked up she spotted a red-robed girl landing on the butt of the spear. She had a strange white mask covering her face out of which flowed a few long locks of orange hair that cascaded about her in the gentle breeze.
"Who are you?" Entoma demanded, annoyance creeping into her voice once more.
"Right back at you…is a man-eating monster in a maid uniform some kind of sick joke?" The robed figure, who was none other than Blue Rose's Evileye, retorted. "I can't imagine anyone would be happy with something like you attending to them. You smell of blood and cockroaches."
"She…dares?! I am one of the Pleaides Combat Maids, created to serve the glorious Supreme Beings directly! I will NOT be mocked in such a manner!" "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!" She growled venomously. That was the final straw…these lesser beings no longer deserved to be food that she could toy with! She'd ensure their deaths would be slow and agonizing, their bodies ripped apart from the inside by legions of her tiny minions!
"Evileye…be careful…she's…really strong!" Tia wheezed with relief upon seeing her comrade appear.
"Jeez, you two are hopeless…" Evileye sighed as she wearily palmed her mask. "You need to size up your opponents next time rather than jumping in blindly. But consider yourselves very fortunate…" She then turned her gaze back to her opponent. "She may be powerful, but not on my level. She's going to find out she's picked on the wrong girls tonight! You hear that, creepy? I'm going to swat you!"
"You will pay for your insult! Neither you nor your friends will leave her alive!" Entoma roared savagely, all trace of her former cheerful nature gone as she swung her long millipede-like arm in Evileye's direction, ignoring the fact that by doing so she'd released Gagaran from its clutches.
"What a pathetic attack. Reverse Gravity!" Evileye called, raising her hand as the appendage came at her and focusing her magic to push it back at Entoma. "Gagaran! The two of you are outmatched! Grab Tia and get out of the way. Leave her to me!" The massive warrior didn't think to question her as she scooped Tia in her arms before dashing out of the line of fire, just in the nick of time as Entoma unleashed another swarm of bugs in Evileye's direction. "More bugs? Really? This is proving tiresome…Vermin Bane!" As Evileye leapt off the spear's end, a large cloud of pale mist burst forth from her outstretched hands and proceeded to envelop both the incoming swarm and Entoma herself, causing all of the bugs to collapse to the ground and Entoma herself to let out a cry of pain as green liquid began to pour forth from every pore of her small frame.
"What did you do to her?" Gagaran asked, having used a few health potions on her and Tia to restore them to full health as Evileye landed in front of them.
"A spell of my own design, perfect for dealing with insects. I call it Vermin Bane," she told them as they all watched Entoma continue to scream and tremble in sheer agony. "Normally it would kill any insect within its range, but I'm guessing since she's more powerful than your average bug it's only causing her massive waves of agony throughout her body. Even if she manages to shrug it off, I have no doubt it'll leave her severely weakened." But as Entoma continued to suffer, her form began to alter as an unexpected side-effect of Evileye's spell. Her face slid off her head and clattered to the floor, revealing itself as another bug-like appendage as Entoma's body began to twist and contort unnaturally from the sudden and rapid metamorphosis she was undergoing. As the three adventurers continued to watch in horror, their gazes transfixed by what they were seeing, another small bug popped out from the space where Entoma's face used to be. It was a small, green slug-like creature with a front half that resembled a pair of human lips.
"A Lip Bug…" Tia breathed as the pitiful creature gave a small squeak before falling eerily silent as it died. "It devours the vocal cords of its human victims and perfectly imitates their voice. Now that it's dead, she won't be able to disguise her voice anymore…"
"How dare you?! HOW DARE YOU?!" Entoma snarled in a harsh, monstrous voice even as her body continued to twist and bend amid its transformation.
"You sound more endearing like that, you know? I think I prefer your voice this way!" Gagaran's jeer proved to be the straw that broke the camel's proverbial back as Entoma's true face suddenly burst forth from the rest of her body in full view of the three adventurers. Even despite everything they had seen, they couldn't help but step back in horror at the horrific sight in front of them. The Pleiades maid's true face was that of a black arachnoid with eight red eyes and full sets of both long and short fangs that began to chatter in anticipation of the meal to come. But worse was to come as, with another horrific shudder, Entoma's back suddenly swelled up before proceeding to sprout four long spider legs that burst through her uniform which she then used to launch herself into the air, and as she dived towards her opponents she spewed another foul swarm of bugs in their direction.
"Vermin Bane!" Evileye yelled, bringing forth the same bug cloud that proceeded to decimate Entoma's swarms once more.
"That accursed spell!" Entoma growled as she dropped to the ground to find her bugs splattering all over the ground. "You're the only one I need to fear!" She charged headlong at their blindsides, her four legs making her approach eerily creepy as the three quickly turned to face her. "If I kill you, the others will fall in no time at all so that I can feast!
"Paralysis Technique!" Tia shouted, her invisible attack causing Entoma's charge to slow down which allowed Gagaran to take the offensive. But just before she could strike, Entoma spat a mouthful of sticky web in her face causing her to pause and stumble back. Yet before the bug maid could take advantage, Evileye threw another Crystal Lance towards Entoma's mandible-like face. Though it bounced ineffectively off Entoma's carapace, it served its purpose of distracting the arachnoid and focussing her attention on the mage who was now charging right back at her. As the distance between them closed, Evileye cast another Vermin Bane straight at Entoma's face. The mist that resulted wasn't enough to kill Entoma outright, but it did cause the insects swarming her left arm to fall off and clatter uselessly to the floor while their mistress moaned in agony.
But Entoma's brief moment of agony quickly vanished as she proceeded to shoot another mouthful of web at Evileye, only for the mage to counter with Crystal Wall that successfully halted the web's progress. As the crystal barrier shattered, Gagaran leapt forward and managed to land a solid kick against Entoma's midsection, sending the maid flying and creating some much-needed separation to allow them to recover.
"That stinging spell of yours is getting annoying!" Entoma roared as she got to her feet, her body and limbs swaying about almost drunkenly. It was becoming increasingly obvious that these three were wearing her down to the point of exhaustion but she would not give up! Lord Demiurge and the Supreme Beings were relying on her after all!
"What now, boss?" Tia asked as they watched the maid stumble towards them.
"Hit her with full force and finish her off," was all Evileye replied.
"Now that's the type of plan I can get behind!" Gagaran smirked as she hafted her warhammer. "Give me an opportunity and I'll squash her!" With a roar, Gagaran charged in and started pummelling Entoma with a series of blows that were strengthened by her martial arts while Evileye kept up the magical assault with spells including Vermin Bane and Acid Splash. The pair's relentless assault, combined with Tia supporting them from the rear with health and mana recovery potions, proved to be too much for Entoma. Succumbing to the numerous wounds she suffered, her mana completely exhausted and her expendable items depleted, she eventually collapsed to the ground in a broken heap.
~TNT~
"We did it…we won!" Gagaran proclaimed through heavy and laboured breathing as the three members of Blue Rose stood over their fallen foe. Whilst all three of them were in varying states of exhaustion, none of them had suffered any life-threatening wounds and whatever minor damage they had picked up could be healed in no time at all once they got back to Lakyus.
"I'll finish her," Tia said as she strode forward, knife in hand. But before she could raise her blade and make the finishing blow, she was suddenly thrown back towards her comrade as an unknown figure appeared seemingly out of thin air and interposed himself between Tia and the fallen Entoma.
"I'd appreciate it if you stop there, ladies," the figure spoke up in a smooth voice that was distorted slightly by a blue-and-yellow mask that covered his entire head alongside a helmet. He was also clad from head-to-toe in a full-piece black suit with a red tie and white shirt underneath, and behind his back was a long silver tail coated in metal plates and adorned with spikes which complimented the immaculate jet-black light plate armour, a look befitting a ruler due to its quality, that was woven into the suit's design.
"W-what is t-that? I-is he like you, Evileye?" Gagaran wondered as the three depleted adventurers stared down this new arrival as they knelt and attended to the fallen Entoma.
"Are you alright?" the masked stranger asked, the mask doing little to hide his genuine concern. When Entoma didn't respond he laid a comforting hand on the mandibles that passed for her hair. "Don't worry, I'll handle things from here on out. Please head back so that you can heal up and rest a bit."
"The two of you need to leave." Both Tia and Gagaran looked back in shock at Evileye's proclamation. "That is a monster among monsters…you both don't stand a chance against it."
"What are you gonna do, shorty?" Gagaran asked, knowing that if Evileye was concerned about a monster's power then it was definitely bad news.
"Don't worry," their small comrade reassured them. "Once I've brought you enough time to escape, I'll get away using teleportation magic." As they were conversing, a massive winged bug arrived to pick up and carry away the wounded Entoma, leaving the new arrival free to focus its attention solely on the members of Blue Rose.
"Sorry to keep you waiting…shall we get started?" He asked, arms spread wide.
"GO! NOW!" Tia and Gagaran didn't need to ask twice as they turned and ran.
"It would grieve me to part so soon after meeting." Truthfully Demiurge had no wish to kill the three of them…they all looked to possess a great deal of skill and power, especially the robed one in the mask. There was something about her that he couldn't quite put a finger on, but it reminded him vaguely of Miss Shalltear. "Allow me to block all Teleportation. Dimensional Lock." From a single outstretched finger, a dome of purple light surrounded them all preventing any means of magical escape.
"Maximise Magic…Shard Buck Shot!" A swarm of sharp blue crystals shot from Evileye's outstretched palm straight at their opponent who proceeded to counter it by throwing up another purple dome around himself.
"How did he manage to nullify that?" the small mage wondered fearfully, only for her opponent to act before she could decide on her next offensive spell.
"Hellfire Wall." With a casual wave of his right arm, he summoned forth a wave of fire at both Evileye and her retreating comrades. The diminutive mage was able to shield herself in time, but there was nothing she could do for her companions as the spell caught up to them. Such was the power and heat of the attack that all her comrades could do was twitch in pain before collapsing. They were dead before they'd even hit the ground, black smoke rising from their blackened corpses.
"TIA! GAGARANI" "DAMN YOU!" She snarled at her suited opponent whose only response was to bow apologetically, an action that caught Evileye off guard amid her grief and fury.
"My apologies and condolences…I didn't think that level of flames would kill them." Evileye was surprised to hear the genuineness behind his words. "I assumed they were at least as strong as you. Why would you team up with them? If an attack of that power was enough to kill them, they were obviously weaklings..."
"THAT BASTARD!" "DON'T YOU DARE CALL THEM THAT!" Evileye screamed as she launched into a reckless charge, not caring for whatever spell she would cast next as long as it inflicted maximum pain on her opponent. But so lost was she in her rage that she didn't notice the suited figure chuckle before extending his arm out once more.
"Aspect of the Devil: Demon Arm." His arm twisted and shifted into a muscular purple limb that he proceeded to swing at his charging adversary as soon as she was within range. Unable to block in time, Evileye took the full force of the blow which sent her flying into the air.
"Translocation Damage!" She cried desperately, a green glow enveloping her body which proceeded to negate some of the damage she sustained as she bounced painfully across the floor. Ignoring the pain that was currently raging through her body, she flung out her palm again. "Penetrate Maximise Magic…Crystal Dagger!" A sharp glittering knife encased in crystal shot forth from her palm, only to bounce off the suited man's barrier once again. "Even with Maximise Magic, it didn't bother his defences one bit…can nothing that I do harm him?"
"Aspect of the Devil: Razor Sharp Claws." Razor-sharp talons emerged from the tips of his fingers that he then interlocked in a menacing pause. "Such a shame to do away with such talent…but in the grand scheme of my lords' designs, these adventurers ultimately do not matter."
"I can't get away while carrying their bodies…which means…" "So be it…LET'S DO THIS!" But just before she could launch herself at her opponent, she found herself flung back as a towering pillar of light shot down from the sky between her and her opponent, raising a massive cloud of dust in the process, and as the light and smoke cleared both she and her adversary gasped in shock at what they saw.
Standing between them were two heavily armoured men. One was clad in black armour all over and had two massive broadswords clasped in his armoured hands, whilst the other slightly smaller figure wore platinum silver armour that gleamed in the moonlight while bearing a sword and a shield in his grasp.
"Good evening," the black-armoured warrior greeted in a deep, echoing voice as he rose from his crouched position. "So…which one of you…"
"…will be our foes?" His comrade finished, striking a heroic and gallant pose as the pair looked between Evileye and her masked assailant.
Edster: Was that a fun ride or what? This arc is an absolute banger and I cannot wait to bring the next two chapters to you. Everyone in Nazarick is decimating foes and taking names left and right, and we finally have our creepy and adorable Entoma take the stage for her time in the limelight! But just as Jaldabaoth seems to have taken the upper hand, here come Momon and Alfred to save the day. Next time out we shall see if they can handle the demon and the rest of the hordes as Operation Gehenna gets into full swing!
Events are mostly going as in canon, but obviously having our OCs here is changing things slightly. Shalltear is still in a supporting role, but she's nowhere near as annoyed about it given what she's learnt from Fengxian's tutelage. Speaking of my OC, he's here to take part in the fun as well! I based his armour design on the Red Knight from King Arthur Knight's Tale and his weapon from World of Warcraft to create a unique yet terrifying demonic look. We also took the liberty of altering Demiurge and the maids' uniforms and masks a little given how we both felt they weren't the most convincing disguises in canon.
daniel: Another chapter done! Here we are in the Demonic Disturbance, Nazarick's next step to world conquest! BTW it was my idea to modify Demiurge's outfit alongside the Pleiades because it always peeved me how he never bothered to conceal himself better, he's among the top 3 most intelligent beings of the New World alongside Albedo and Renner for crying out loud! You'd think that a wardrobe change for him and his "servants" would cross his mind!
Small rant done I hope you enjoyed and that you're having a blast with the anime season! I know I am thanks to Solo Leveling!
Edster: Chapter 23 will be coming out in the next fortnight's time as per my usual upload schedule, so all that's left to say is, on behalf of my co-author and myself, thank you all so much for all of the support you've shown for our story. It really does mean the world to us that so many of you keep coming back to enjoy what we cook up together, and we shall both see you in the next thrilling chapter of the Nazarick Triumvirate!