The Nazarick Triumvirate (collab with daniel santiago 4545)

by theoneandonlyedster

The Undead Overlord. The Dragon Emperor. The Nephilim Champion. Momonga is joined in the New World by two of his guildmates who stayed with him 'til the end, and together they will take the New World by storm as the Nazarick Triumvirate! Collab story. Follows canon plot with some alterations. OCxHarem. Rated M for mature language and mild sex scenes. Now with a TV Tropes page!

24. Hell in the Cell

Edster: Before we begin on this epic finale of season 2's events, thank you all for 250 followers and 237 favourites on this story. On behalf of my co-author and myself, we appreciate each and every one of you who has shown love to this story of ours in any way.

This chapter is going to be long enough as it is, so all I will say is that I hope you are all doing well and keeping safe. In the meantime, I will allow my co-author to say a few words before we get started!

daniel: As my co-author said thanks to all of you for being with us on this journey! We hope many more hop in! This season finale was truly a riot to write and we hope you all enjoy it!

Edster: With all that said, the feature presentation is now set to begin! 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 24 – Hell in the Cell

"Citizens of the proud kingdom of Re-Estize!" Prince Zanac, resplendent in the finest armour and weaponry money could buy as befitting a member of the royal family, declared from atop his horse. "These devils do not deserve our fear! As long as you have my blade and my men protecting you, you shall live to see the dawn!" His rallying cry drew a massive cheer from the crowd of civilians who had been unable to get to their homes in time and were now relying on the guards to keep them safe, so buoyed were they that one of their rulers, even though it wasn't their beloved king or princess, were risking harm to themselves to keep them safe.

"Damn you Renner for making me go out on the front lines like this," Zanac grumbled to himself. "And yet…" His expression changed from disgust to a grin. "If I manage to make it through the night and ensure these people's safety, it will do wonders for my reputation in the eyes of my people, the nobility and my father and make them realise that I will be a far better King for them than my fool of a brother could ever be…" He could already savour the look of absolute outrage on his brother's face once he realised this later, as at the moment he was probably in his room in the castle most likely fucking one of the palace maids, a whore or one of each at the same time. His gaze then travelled to the flames surrounding the warehouse district. "Sister…your plan had better work…"

~TNT~

Once the final preparations had been made, the Adventurer Coalition, joined by the kingdom's guards who were willing to stand alongside them, moved out towards the flames that divided them from the horde of demons that surely awaited them on the other side. As Lakyus and Tina, some of the last to pass through them, emerged on the other side, they saw with gladdened hearts that everyone was determined and ready to do their bit to safeguard the civilians and keep the kingdom safe.

"Where did all the people go? You reckon they are still taking shelter in their houses?" Blaise of Crimson Zephyr asked.

"No. Look at the doors," a concerned Pernelle answered as she and Johan examined a nearby home. The front door had been kicked right in, and from the inside were signs of an obvious struggle and the telltale scorch marks that could only be created by demonic flames. "They were dragged from their homes and taken somewhere to be all herded together. But where could they be?"

"Probably one of the warehouses at the centre of the district. Those would be the only buildings big enough to house all of them," Wilhelmina grimly supplied as Lakyus and Tina made their way to the crowd's centre.

"All Copper and Iron Plate adventurers, stay here and search through the houses! If you find anybody, escort them back through the flames to where Prince Zanac is guarding the rest of them!" The leader of Blue Rose's clear voice rang out. "The rest of you fan out and form a defensive line! No doubt the hordes will be here soon!" No sooner had she spoken than a loud, inhuman roar could be heard in the distance that was soon joined by several more.

"Alright, here they come!" Lakyus shouted as she drew Kilineiram and held it in front of her, the dark edges of the blade seemingly pulsing in response as if it could sense the demon hordes closing in. The rest of the adventurers alongside the guards quickly did as she instructed and formed their defensive wall, just in the nick of time as the first demons suddenly passed round the corner and headed towards them. As they got their first glimpse of what was coming their way, some of the guards couldn't help but nearly feel sick at one of the demons approaching them: a massive green-and-yellow-skinned monstrosity whose giant belly was covered in massive lumps that when you looked closely were actually the faces of humans that the creature had consumed.

"Is that…an Overeating?" A guard asked with a shudder, but before he could get a response the massive demon was joined by a swarm of gazer devils, what those in this world called gargoyles, both on the ground and flying through the air above them along with a pack of hellhounds that suddenly materialised in a burst of flame.

"Stand your ground! Do not give into fear!" One of their captains rallied as the demons drew closer. "The heroes of our time stand alongside us, and with them on our side, we will win this day!" Emboldened by this rallying cry, those among the guards who had been tempted to give into their fear and break ranks found new resolve and stood their ground even as the horde drew closer. "Shields up men! Don't give them an inch!" As the guards raised their shields and hafted their spears, the seemingly mindless demons burst forward, their hungry red eyes glowing fiercely amidst the light of the green flames surrounding them as they eagerly sought to feast on human flesh. But the steel and iron of the guards' weaponry were unmoving, and their blades and arrows keen. As the demons bashed against the shield wall, they were just as swiftly skewered on the tips of the soldiers' spears, and even the gazer devils who tried to ambush them from the skies were cut down by well-placed volleys of arrows.

But even as the hordes of demons were cut down, the massive, lumbering Overeating was slowly making its way into their midst. But just as the guards were beginning to panic, a sudden glint in the skies above caught their eye as several flying figures closed in, and when they saw just who these figures were their hearts and spirits soared.

"Throw me!" They heard several shouts ring out, but just as the guards could ponder what those words meant their eyes widened in astonishment as they watched the two flyers throw three of them right at the Overeating and the grounded gazer devils accompanying it.

"I think you've had enough snacks!" Momon called out heroically as he set about chopping the massive demon to size, which only took three swift strokes of his massive blades. At the same time, Alfred used his shield to bash the gazer devil on Momon's right in the face before beheading it with a swing of his blade while Eleanor jabbed the other one straight through the head. As the massive demon and its comrades fell, the soldiers gasped in astonishment while the remaining demons howled in a mix of rage and terror. However, before they could either charge or retreat, they were suddenly cut down in a shower of icy crystals courtesy of Nabe and Evileye as they joined the others on the scene.

"Such paltry vermin…" Momon muttered as he swiped the demon blood off his blades before turning to look at the astonished guards. "Fear not! I am Momon of Darklight, and Jaldaboath and his hordes will fall before our blades and sorcery just as easily."

"While we deal with him, we need all of you assembled here to keep yourselves and those who cannot fight safe," Alfred beseeched them. "We are all counting on you to do your part, and as long as you do we swear that you will all live to see the dawn!" Both adventurers raised their blades high which drew a rousing cheer from the guards. With such mighty warriors and powerful magic casters on their side, surely they would prevail!

~TNT~

Amidst the flames rising around them, the cries of battle and the sounds of steel and sorcery hitting flesh as their comrades engaged the demonic forces, Climb, Brain and Lockmeier split off from the adventurers holding the hordes at bay to begin their mission of rescuing any civilians that the demons had captured.

"Sounds like it's started," Brain commented as they dashed pell-mell down one of the district's side streets while keeping an eye out for any potential ambushes.

"Yeah, I just hope the others can distract them long enough for us to find and rescue the prisoners," Climb added grimly.

"I don't doubt they'll do their job. They have Sir Gazef, Lady Lakyus and the rest of Blue Rose leading them after all," Lockmeier added.

"Exactly, they'll do their part as long as we do ours. Speaking of which, Princess Renner mentioned the warehouses. They'll be as good as places as any to start looking…" Brain's voice trailed off as he caught sight of something standing on a rooftop from out of the corner of his eye. It had only been for a split-second, but the veteran warrior was sure he'd seen a flash of purple and white at the same time. "Could it be…?" He wondered as he suddenly ground to a halt to get a better look at them and sure enough…there was no mistaking the familiar elegant dress and pale-white skin and complexion of the being who had once filled him with so much dread. "Shalltear Bloodfallen…she's really here…"

"Sir Unglaus?" Brain was snapped out of his momentary funk as Climb and Lockmeier were looking at him with confusion.

"They won't be any match for her…if she's here with the demons, then I need to buy them enough time to get the civilians out and back past the flame wall." "You two carry on…I'll deal with that one. Don't wait for me." Before either of them could protest, Brain took a sudden running leap towards the rooftops and disappeared from their sight. The two other warriors shared a shrug before setting back off on their original task.

Simply put, Shalltear was bored out of her mind. All she had done since arriving in this city was provide Gates for everybody else, otherwise she was just stuck on observation duty with orders not to move in and help unless things were really dire. When she was initially told that this was to be her role in the operation she'd been instinctually about to protest on why she was being kept out of the fun, but after being taken aside by each one of the Supreme Beings she had calmed considerably, and after hearing their explanations she'd grudgingly conceded that they were right. As an undead, it made no sense for her to be on either side of this conflict: the humans wouldn't trust a vampire without good reason (somewhere, a certain small mage coughed) and demons (in a normal setting) wouldn't ally with the undead. Also, there was her power level to consider….unless she really held back, which she would admit she was still having trouble with, her presence on either side would bring the conflict to too swift an end for her masters' liking, so as much as she wished she could have been down there revelling in the bloodshed…she would respect the orders of her beloved and the others and stay up and away from the fighting.

They hadn't stopped from her being around to observe though, so long as she didn't get involved. And even if she weren't taking part, there was still a lot to learn from watching the Supreme Beings' and Demiurge's plan play out. Weakening the Kingdom while saving it and cementing her beloved and Crown Prince's reputations as heroes in the eyes of these lowly humans…she could not help but be in awe of it. As she continued to watch the chaos unfold, she suddenly heard the sound of footsteps creaking across the roof she was currently perched on. Whoever it was…they were no doubt trying to be sneaky in their approach, but Shalltear's heightened senses made such an approach worthless. As she turned around to face the visitor, her eyes widened slightly and her fanged canines morphed into a sadistic grin when she saw who it was.

"What are your friends doing here in the capital?" The now-revealed Brain Unglaus demanded as he approached.

"My my…so brave all of a sudden. A quite drastic turnaround given how he fled from me like a mewling infant after our last skirmish. And he thinks I'm here with the demons? Oh how precious!" "What makes you think I'm with them? And even if I was, why would I explain it to the likes of you?" She asked sweetly. "I must admit though…I'm surprised you are confronting me alone. Did no one else make it?

"Still so condescending…she hasn't changed a bit..." "You sound disappointed," he answered, trying his best to act brave even if on the inside he was still a bundle of nerves. "Weren't you expecting me?"

"He thinks I was here…for him? How adorable! If only he knew how inconsequential he was in my master's games…" "Why would I? It'd be a shame to get my hopes up only to have them disappointed when you turn tail and run from me again," she said with a teasing chuckle.

"Don't fall for it, Brain…she's just trying to goad you and get you to lose focus. You can do this…" "Heh…so you still find me beneath your notice? Can't say I'm surprised…I did embarrass myself last time..." He moved to grab the hilt of his blade with both hands, the familiar grip offering him a dash of comfort in the face of his dreaded foe. "But that's not going to happen again."

"As much as I'd love to settle the score with him from last time, I am still under orders not to cause any trouble. And insignificant as he is…my beloved and the other Supreme Beings still wish to learn more about Martial Arts, so it is not his time to die…" She sighed before turning to face him fully. "I suppose I can play with you a little. Let's see if you've learnt anything since our last encounter, otherwise you'll only add to this boring affair."

"Oh trust me…I fully intend to put on a show for you Miss Bloodfallen," Brain told her confidently before crouching down into a combat pose. "I only have one shot at this…if I screw up, I'm dead…" Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes as he allowed his Field to spring up around him once more. "Come on then…let's see if you are so arrogant to fall for the same trick again."

"That same silly area spell again? How disappointing…" Shalltear thought to herself with a small yawn. "Still, it might be fun to see if he's improved some, so I guess I can play along…" With a graceful jump, Shalltear leapt down from the chimney she was standing on and calmly strode towards the edge of Brain's Field like she didn't have a care in the world.

"She actually took the bait! Either she doesn't remember our last fight, or she's just trying to entertain herself by testing my strength…" Brain notched down his excitement, making sure to keep his calm and focus as the petite vampiress approached the edge of his spell. "This is it Brain…this is what you've dedicated yourself towards even since last time, and all it took was the advice and belief of some friends to get you this far…" Images of Sebas, Climb, Lockmeier, Alfred, Gagaran and Gazef flashed in his mind's eye, each of them smiling at him and echoing their support and belief in his strength. "Thank you all…for showing me the way. Even if I die, I will die with a sword in my hand and hope it my heart…" Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Shalltear drew ever closer, and then…as her foot passed through the border of Brain's field, the veteran warrior made his move.

"This is for you, my friends…" he murmured before letting out a ferocious roar as he unsheathed his katana and swung it at Shalltear's chest. The vampire didn't seem bothered in the slightest as, just as she had in their previous encounter, she raised but a single fingernail on her left pinkie to deal with his attack. "So…she's still not expecting much from me. Time to show her a true warrior's spirit!" "Fourfold Slash of Light!" He yelled, using a toned-down version of the move Gazef was famous for, in combination with his own God Flash, as he let out four rapid slashes in Shalltear's direction. If he couldn't get a body blow, then surely injuring a hand or even her finger would be a major improvement on last time. Time seemed to stand still as Brain sheathed his katana, hoping against hope that he'd managed to pull off the impossible. And then, as if time was running once more in slow motion, the vampire's fingernail chipped, cracked…and then completely disintegrated.

"He…he actually landed a hit on me!" Shalltear didn't know whether to be annoyed or impressed, and her confusion only heightened when the warrior started laughing in relief. "That's it? That's all you were hoping for?!" She asked in disbelief as she struggled to process that she'd been struck…by a mere human no less! "At least you have some skill…as a nail clipper!"

Instead of angering him however, Shalltear's insult only served to delight Brain even more if his expression was anything to go by. "Coming from you, I'll take that as quite the compliment so I'll take it!" He seemed to almost sag in relief which only confused her even more. "My swordsmanship…my life's work…it wasn't all in vain after all! In some way…I actually touched that unreachable height! I'm not as worthless as I thought!"

"Oh your poor boy…you actually believe that you are something? Let me put an end to those delusions once and for all…" But before Shalltear could get closer, she and Brain were both distracted by a crashing sound followed by the sound of loud cheering. Looking over, she was able to catch one of Demiurge's massive demons keeling over which must have been what prompted the cheer. "Only my beloved or Crown Prince Augustus could have taken down a demon of that strength…it looks as though our plans are reaching the endgame. Now, as for this insipid human…huh?!" When she looked back over, she bore witness to the now-familiar sight of Brain Unglaus turning tail and running away. "He…he slipped by me again?! How dare he! I'll-NO, FOCUS, Shalltear!" She mentally berated herself before she could slip back into her primal urges. "You can't create a scene…the Supreme Beings and Demiurge warned you about the consequence of interfering! Stand. Down!" With a frustrated sigh, Shalltear paid the blue-haired human no more thought as she turned back around to once more observe the proceedings.

As for Brain, he couldn't help but let out a holler of delight as he scarpered down the street and turned into a nearby corner, only to nearly crash into Climb and Lockmeier as a result. "What are you two doing here?! I told you to carry on!" He almost shouted as, with the adrenaline from his fight with Shalltear now wearing away, he collapsed back against a nearby wall and started breathing heavily.

"Sorry, but we wanted to stick around just in case…" Brain looked as though he was about to snap at Climb's remark, only for Lockmeier to quickly place himself between the veteran and the young bodyguard.

"Easy…relax, you're among friends here. Besides…when you saw that figure on the rooftop, you looked as though you'd seen a ghost, so we decided to hang back in case you needed any assistance," the veteran adventurer reassured him.

"Thanks, I guess…" Brain admitted grudgingly, even if inwardly he was touched by their care. Peeking around the corner, he noticed with surprise that there was no sign of the vampire anywhere. "That's odd…why isn't she chasing us?"

"Why are you asking that?" Lockmeier asked, frowning slightly. "This some sort of lover's tiff going on between you and whoever that was?"

"Not even close…that thing's a monster who could give the likes of Sebas and Sir Alfred a run for their money," Brain told them to their astonishment. From what they'd both witnessed from the old man and the famous adventurer, it was hard to believe there were things out there that could match or even surpass them. But what was most concerning was how Brain seemed to be…smiling? "But I managed to get in a blow against her and cut off her fingernail. Isn't that something, right?!" The blue-haired warrior's expression was almost manic in its pure euphoria as he looked down at his shaking fingers, as though he was still in disbelief that he'd managed such a thing. "Holy crap…I actually managed to harm her!"

"That's…awesome…I guess?" Lockmeier praised him hesitantly. "Way to go Brain, we're proud of you."

"Yeah, that was…really special…" Climb added awkwardly. Neither he nor Lockmeier could make sense of Brain's strange behaviour.

"Well I'm not sitting around to see if she'll chase us," Brain commented once he'd calmed down. "Let's go…we've still got civilians to rescue." After making sure the coast was clear, the three set off once again on their original objective.

~TNT~

Thanks to the efforts of both the Adventurer Coalition and the volunteers from the Re-Estize guards who were giving it their all in holding back the demon onslaught, Darklight and Evileye were able to make their way to the centre of the warehouse district where they assumed (or in the case of Darklight, knew) that Jaldabaoth and his minions would be waiting for them. Their guess proved correct as upon entering the square that marked the heart of the district they were suddenly forced into taking avoiding action by the large hall-like building collapsing into a pile of smoke and rubble right before their eyes. Only one other being that they knew could have done such, and they were once again proven right as the sound of clapping suddenly rose from amidst the cloud of smoke and debris.

"You are strong indeed to have cut through the ranks of my demons to make it this," Jaldabaoth enthused as he strode through the smoke before stopping a short distance from where the five had stopped, their weapons/magic bared and raised. "I must admit, you have all impressed me greatly. It's just such a shame that you'll have to die." He then let out another loud clap that caused a small group of individuals to come to his side: Five women in stylised robes whose faces were hidden by a mask and hoods, and a towering figure in crimson red armour that was covered in demonic motifs bearing a large serrated greatsword in one of their hands. One of the maids cheekily waved their hand, or rather their mandible, in Evileye's direction who snarled as she realised who it was.

"You!" The petite mage roared, moving forward almost instinctually only to be stopped by a firm hand from Momon. At the same time, one of the other maids shook their head at the insect maid who desisted her enthusiastic waving on the spot.

"It would seem that we have underestimated the forces Jaldabaoth has at his disposal," Nabe commented. "What are your orders, Sir Momon?"

"The rest of you will handle the newcomers," Momon said as he walked forward, even though he was the only one among the rest of Darklight to know how this would sort itself out. "Jaldabaoth is mine!"

"We are of one mind, Momon…now I can put you down permanently!" Jaldabaoth cackled, flexing his wings before turning to his subordinates. "Beta, Epsilon, deal with Darklight's spellcaster!"

"As you wish, Lord Jaldabaoth," the two addressed figures answered, their voices made monotonous by their masks as they surged forward towards Nabe who proceeded to fly up into the air and away from the square with her 'pursuers' in two.

"Zeta, Delta…the armoured woman is yours. Do not disappoint me," he ordered the insect maid along with the smallest of the figures among them.

"We obey," they both complied in the same dull and mechanical tone as their sisters. Zeta lashed out with her mandibles which Eleanor was easily able to parry, only to be forced to dodge and roll as Delta laid down fire from her rifle. The combined pressure of both attacks forced Eleanor to retreat down one of the side streets with both small girls in pursuit.

"No! She is mine!" Evileye made to fly after Zeta, only for the last remaining robed figure to block her path. "Move, damn you!" She fired a Shard Buckshot to push them aside, only for them to raise a pair of armoured gauntlets that successfully nullified her attack.

"I, Alpha, will be your opponent," they declared. "You grievously injured my sister…and for that, I will make you pay." It was a good thing that the masks were able to alter their voices magically, otherwise the sheer rage rolling out of the normally placid Yuri Alpha wouldn't have been hard to miss. She then swung one of her armoured fists towards Evileye who was forced to fly up into the air to dodge, but Alpha refused to let up, and their resulting exchange of moves, strikes and parries carried them away from Momon, Alfred, Jaldabaoth and the massive armoured figure standing behind the demon.

"Come then, Momon! Let us engage in our climatic showdown!" Jaldabaoth declared as though this had all gone to plan, extending his claws before turning to address the armoured figure behind him. "Samael! You will deal with Alfred."

"As you wish, Lord Jaldabaoth," the massive figure replied as he hafted his greatsword before launching himself at the silver-armoured adventurer, raining down a series of powerful and lightning-fast blows that forced the renowned adventurer on the defensive. As his massive opponent pressed the attack, Alfred was forced to give ground just to even be able to remain on his feet. But though he tried his best to hold his position, the surprise and force behind Samael's attacks was forcing Alfred back, their resulting battle taking them away from where Momon and Jaldabaoth were still staring each other down.

"A very clever scheme of yours to separate me from my allies," Momon 'praised' him begrudgingly before raising his blades. "Very well then Demi-I mean, Jaldabaoth! Here I come!" With a loud roar, he swept forward with both blades aiming at the demon's head. Jaldabaoth raised his claws to deflect the attack, but it appeared he had underestimated the power behind the adventurer's strike that sent him flying into the mass of ruins and debris behind him, with Momon swiftly charging into the ruins in pursuit.

~TNT~

"Okay, when was THIS part of the plan?!" Alfred yelled in his head as continued to block, dodge and parry his massive opponent's attacks. It should have been as simple as Suzi had described it earlier: while the others all paired or tripled off, Alfred and Momon would simultaneously attack Demiurge/Jaldabaoth and knock him into an area where they could have a private chat about the objectives of the plan and what would come next, after which they would feign the pair having beaten the demon who would then retreat along with his forces thus cementing Momon and Alfred's reputations as heroes of the Kingdom. Since when had a massive, armoured demon that hit like a speeding truck come into the fray?!

"Why didn't Suzi let me know about this? Was this a last-minute thing, or is this something Demiurge cooked up on his own to make the show more interesting?" Whatever the reason, this… 'Samael', whoever this was, had to be on board with it all and thus was probably playing a part themselves, but the question was still lingering in the air: Just who the hell was he? "Even if this is one of Demiurge's minions or another of Suzi's summons, I'd better do my part in this charade as well." As the behemoth swiped at him with his greatsword, Alfred used his shield to parry the blow before launching an attack of his own, only for his opponent, in a show of speed that Alfred had only witnessed in very few beings in this world, to get his sword to block. "Whoever this guy is…he's really good. Guess I don't need to hold back then!" With a challenging roar, Alfred surged forward once more as their battle descended into a very close sword fight, with neither seemingly getting the advantage over the other.

"You fight well, for a human," 'Samael' declared as the pair simultaneously bounced back after one of their many weapon clashes as he held his blade high, flames rippling down its serrated edge. "But there are none who can match up to the might of Jaldabaoth's greatest servant, the Armageddon Lord Samael! Surrender now, and I will make your end quick!"

"Whoever this is…they are playing their part VERY well. I'm impressed!" "We'll just see about that, demon!" He declared passionately. "I'll fight until my very last breath to keep these people safe!" Now that there was a lull in the combat, he decided to take a risk and find out who this was, just for the sake of his curiosity. (Now that we've paused for a little bit, you mind telling me who you are?) He asked 'Samael' via Message. (I've never seen you around the Great Tomb before…are you one of Demiurge's people?)

There was a brief moment of silence before a very familiar chuckle echoed in Alfred's mind, his eyes widening behind his helmet as he realised just who it was. (I hope I didn't hit you too hard with one of my attacks there Ise) came the voice of his brother-in-arms and best friend.

(KI?! What are you doing here? I thought you weren't taking part in this?!) Alfred asked, momentarily flabbergasted. Neither Ki nor Suzi had indicated that the Nephilim had a role in the operation.

(It was a last-minute decision on Suzi's part. He thought that giving Jaldabaoth a powerful demon as his top lieutenant would give him more credibility and make him much more infamous) Fengxian…no, Samael spoke as, in order to keep up the act, he lashed out at the silver-armoured adventurer once again which forced Alfred to get his shield up and block as their conversation continued. (And since I wasn't doing anything, he asked me whether I wanted to play the part. And since I had an old set of armour and spare weaponry that could be used for a disguise, I agreed. As for not telling you…I guess Suzi wanted it to be a surprise for you)

As he did his part to continue their battle, Alfred found himself agreeing with their logic and had drawn his own conclusion from it. (Given that Alfred is meant to be on par with Momon, and thus Jaldabaoth, having the two of them defeat a demon lord and his strongest lieutenant would only bolster their reputations even further once the night ends) He theorized. (Well consider me both surprised and impressed…that's absolutely genius, as expected from you both)

(Thanks Ise…but there's also another reason I agreed to do this) 'Samael' told him as the pair sprang apart once more. (You're still ahead in our sparring sessions, and as a warrior dedicated to being the strongest I intend to reverse that disadvantage and come out on top) He pointed his serrated weapon right where Alfred's eyes would've been were they not hidden by his helm. (Make sure you don't hold back Ise, because I certainly don't intend to)

Alfred couldn't help but chuckle both internally and out loud. Even amid a city engulfed by flames, and even though they were roleplaying as alter-egos on opposite ends of a conflict between humans and demons, his friend/brother-in-arms' desire to be the strongest NEVER changed even as the rest of his personality was gradually warped over time due to his karma. As long as that was the case, Alfred still had hope that his friend could still exist somewhere within the armoured shell he now inhabited. (A strange place for us to have another spar, but if you think I'm going to ever say no then you're very much mistaken!) he replied fiercely as he brought his weapons up. (And you know me, Ki…I never hold back, and I don't intend to start now!). He then charged forward to engage his friend/brother/temporary adversary as their epic clash resumed once more.

~TNT~

"Dark Blade…Mega Impact!" Lakyus roared, swinging her sword as she unleashed the dark power stored within its depths, causing a wave of dark energy spheres to fly at the swarm of Gazer Demons in her path and disintegrating them on the spot, only to reveal another swarm swooping in from behind. "Floating Swords, do your work!" She bade the six blades hovering behind her. The glowing swords arced into the sky before striking at the demons, causing them to perish just as their fellows had done. But just before the leader of Blue Rose could take a breather, her heart sank at the fresh horde of Gazer Demons and Hellhounds bearing down on her.

"There's just no end to them!" She cursed as Tina and the girls from Crimson Zephyr ran up to help her out.

"What now, fiendish boss?" Tina asked as Rurina and Ysolt charged forward to engage their new adversaries, with Wilhelmina and Blaise providing support.

Lakyus grimaced as she quickly analysed the situation. All around them, the streets were filled with both the corpses and the injured bodies of those who had been unlucky enough to suffer an attack or two from their fiery blades and/or spells. The healers they had on hand were doing the best they could to patch them up and get them back into the fight, but there were far too many to heal and not enough hands to make quick work of it. "It's not good," she told Tina grimly. "The healers are running low on magic power, and more of our comrades are being taken out of the fight. Even the strength we have remaining might not be enough…" As if to confirm her fears, a loud groaning sound accompanied by heavy footsteps caused them to turn around only to see another Overeating approach them alongside another horde of hellhounds and Gazers, its belly already chock full of human faces.

"Damnit," the normally unflappable Tina cursed. But just when despair seemed about to set in, a heroic roar they all recognised rose above the din.

"Sixfold Slash of Light!" One split-second later, the Overeating and the pack accompanying it were bisected by jagged arcs of red light that caused them to disintegrate just as their comrades had done, and as they vanished into flakes the heroic and inspirational figure of Gazef Stronoff could be seen at the head of the King's elite soldiers, the legendary sword Razor's Edge, one of the Kingdom's Five Treasures, raised high in his mighty grip and his face set determinedly. "Men! Run them through!" In response to his command, the soldiers around him lowered their spears and charged forward into the mass of demons in front of them, effectively taking the pressure off of Lakyus, Tina and Crimson Zephyr.

"My lord Stronoff!" Lakyus called as the legendary warrior approached. Though she and the others were relieved by his presence and that of the reinforcements, they couldn't help but wonder what brought them out here. "As glad as we are for your aid, we did not expect to see you on the front lines. Shouldn't you and your men be guarding the King?"

Instead of replying, Gazef merely smiled before standing aside and revealing, to the astonished adventurers, a fully armoured King Ramposa approaching on a similarly armoured white horse bearing his sword on his hip and a golden crown on his head. Though the years had taken their toll on the ageing King, he still cut quite the inspirational and heroic figure as he approached which led to everyone present who wasn't currently fighting bending a respectful knee before him.

"His Majesty had but one question to ask of you all! Do you protect the castle, or the Crown?" Gazef bellowed, causing all the murmuring around him to cease. "There is only one answer to give! We all swore to protect the King and defend his kingdom, and an attack on his people is an attack against his royal person!" Gazef lifted the great blade and pointed it straight at the remaining hordes in their path. "Attack! Send them back to the hells from which they came!" The remaining adventurers and knights gave a resounding cheer before launching themselves back into the fray, their hearts and spirits soaring from having not only their greatest warrior but also their beloved King watching over them during this darkest hour.

"We're glad you are here," Lakyus told him as the soldiers and adventurers swarmed past them. "Think you can help us with something?"

"Of course. We're in this together after all," he told them.

"Not without us," a very familiar voice spoke up fiercely from behind the King. To the astonishment of both Lakyus and Tina, Gagaran and Tia could be seen walking towards them with fierce and determined expressions on their faces. "It'll take more than death to keep this warrior from battle."

"This ninja is ready to get back into the fray as well, fiendish leader," Tia quipped cheekily.

"Just lying around was making us soft, and you know me…I can never sit still for long, especially when there's a good fight going on around us," Gagaran continued as she and Tia approached the others.

"We're ready to help and fight as best we may, even in our weakened state," Tia added.

"Gagaran…Tia…I…" Lakyus shook her head with relief while brushing an errant lock of blonde hair out of her face. "We're always happy to have you along…" Whatever she was about to say was cut off by the appearance of a massive winged demon with purple skin, a goat-like skull and eyes of bluish-white fire bearing a maul in its hands descending towards them from above. "Never mind…let's go! This night will belong to us yet!" With a deafening roar, the members of Blue Rose along with Gazef swept forward to engage it.

~TNT~

"Shard Buckshot!" Evileye yelled as she sent another wave of crystal spikes at her opponent, only for Alpha to simply leap through while breaking some of them with her armoured fists. As she drew closer to the petite mage she reared back her fist to strike, only for Evileye to put up another crystal barrier which was able to counter it. However, the blow wasn't completely ineffective as it fractured Evileye's barrier slightly, forcing her to float back down to the ground as she tried to create some distance between her and her opponent, but that was to no avail as the hooded figure simply sped after her.

"Damnit, not again! Won't you just let up already?!" Evileye cursed as she flung herself to the opposite end of the small square they were fighting in, hoping that this sort of distance would give her enough time to prepare one of her other spells. Unfortunately that wasn't going to be the case as Alpha simply flung herself towards Evileye again at breakneck speed while preparing another strike with her fist, and this time the combination of her blow and the speed she was travelling at was enough to shatter Evileye's barrier. "No way? How was she able to break through my barrier? How strong is she?!" It was time for her to bring out another of her trump cards. "Sand Field: All!" She cried, surrounding both herself and her opponent in a tornado of sand particles infused with negative energy. "That should be enough to buy me some time so I can figure out a way to swing this battle back in my favour! She's taking away my magical advantage by engaging me face-to-face, and every time I try to create some distance she uses her speed to close it before I can do anything! Luckily this field should be able to blind, silence and immobilise her, which in turn will give me enough time to hit her with my strongest spells!"

"Did you really think this barrier would be enough to stop me?" The magically-modified voice of her opponent rang out as she blinked in front of Evileye before letting fly with her fist once more. Unable to react in time, Evileye took the full force of her opponent's punch on her mask, cracking it where her mouth was and sending her flying through the air before crashing to the ground in a crumpled heap, revealing rather prominent fanged teeth.

"How on earth was she not affected by all of that sand?!" "Crystal Wall!" Evileye shouted, bringing up a solid barrier of crystal this time between her and her opponent, causing the next blow that was meant for Evileye to impact against the wall instead. However, the force of Alpha's attack was enough to spread cracks from where her fist had impacted it which caused the barrier to shatter once more.

"Oh come on…seriously?! Can't you just give me a break already?!" Evileye cried in frustration as she floated back out of Alpha's reach while her opponent glided serenely through the crack she'd made.

"You caused my little sister a lot of pain," Alpha growled as she banged her fists together. "And I intend to return that pain onto you a thousand-fold! Armament Enhancement! Iron Skin!" Alpha's skin glowed blue and then green as she applied her skills before launching herself at Evileye again. The smaller mage managed to get her barrier back up in time, but it proved to be ineffective as Alpha's strike, empowered by her self-buffs, not only broke through it but also dealt Evileye a solid blow to the stomach, temporarily knocking the breath out of her. Alpha didn't let up as she then landed an Impact Blow and Strike combination targeting her kneecaps. Thankfully Evileye managed to save her bones from breaking thanks to a quick application of Translocation Damage, but the impact of the blows was still hard enough to leave some nasty bruises on the affected limbs.

"Damnit…I'm not going to be able to last much longer at this rate!" Evileye thought to herself with a panic as she righted herself in the air and created more distance using Fly. Suddenly a large series of tremors rang out from nearby, distracting both her and Alpha as they looked over in that direction to see several clouds of smoke and dust shoot up out of nowhere. "Looks like Lord Momon and Sir Alfred are still in the fight. As long as they are still standing and giving it their all, I can do no less!" Offering up a prayer to any deities out there that possibly existed, Evileye gathered up the last remnants of her magical power and launched herself at Alpha in a do-or-die manoeuvre, with the robed maid lifting her hands and holding them palm outward to meet her attack.

~TNT~

"No other lifeforms detected in our near vicinity…we should remain undetected for now," CZ reported from her vantage point as she looked down to where Entoma and Albedo/Eleanor were currently sitting, with the insectoid maid presenting her superior with a refreshing drink as per her station. "We didn't do you any lasting damage I hope, Guardian Overseer Albedo? If we went too far in our enthusiasm, we humbly beg your forgiveness..."

"Not at all CZ…you and Entoma both played your parts splendidly, and your attacks weren't enough to hurt me so that is all fine as well," Albedo reassured her before turning to Entoma. "Have you sufficiently recovered from your earlier wounds, Entoma?"

"I have thanks to my older sister's ministrations Guardian Overseer, but thank you for your concern," Entoma chirped in an almost incomprehensible growl given how the voice she'd been using had been ripped away from her by Evileye.

"I see that human magic-caster not only hurt you but destroyed the voice box you were using…just how was one such as she able to get the best of you?" Albedo asked with a delicate raise of her eyebrow, her tone non-accusatory despite the phrasing of her question.

"Not only were the odds not in my favour, but that annoying girl had a spell specifically created to harm my kind if what I heard was correct," Entoma growled in a mix of shame and disgust. "Rest assured, Guardian Overseer…I will make her pay when I next confront her."

"I am sure Yuri is already exacting vengeance on your behalf…you know how she gets when one of us is hurt," CZ reported from above them. "And from what I can see so far of the skirmishes going on around us, our masters' and Lord Demiurge's plan is proceeding as they foresaw, as to be expected from the Supreme Beings."

"Indeed…to create and undertake a plan of such scope and magnitude and execute it flawlessly for both short and long-term gain…only my father, my beloved and our Grand Marshal could possibly conceive of such," Albedo gushed before her beautiful expression became marred by a concerned frown. "I just only wish my beloved did not have to put himself in such danger for the sake of the operation…"

"Forgive my bluntness, Lady Albedo, but you should not worry so much about Lord Constantine right now. He and Lord Fengxian are both warriors of unparalleled skill and will no doubt ensure that the other isn't hurt severely," CZ did her best to reassure the worried succubus.

"I know you speak the truth, CZ, and I trust in the Grand Marshal as much as I do my beloved, but as Lord Constantine's primary consort and future head wife…my heart cannot help but worry knowing he is out there risking his precious person for the sake of our future…"

"Trust in him, our master and the Grand Marshal to bring about the glorious future they have envisioned for us, where they will sit astride this world and make it into a safe and secure paradise for us all and your future spawn," Entoma added as she too moved to reassure Albedo, who couldn't help but smile and place a hand on her belly where, hopefully soon, she would carry the future of both her beloved's line and Nazarick itself.

~TNT~

"Oh come on Narberal…I really want to hear all about what you, Lady Albedo and our beloved have been up to in our absence!" Lupusregina moaned to a blushing Narberal as Solution watched on with an amused smirk from where the three were currently 'fighting'. "Come on sis…has he shown you any new moves? What other ways has he taken you and Lady Albedo? How many times has he made you…"

"Lupu!" Narberal moaned, her face flushed with both embarrassment from her sister's teasing and blushing as she recalled the many times she and her beloved had been intimate during the past few weeks.

"Come on Narberal, it is only fair you tell us…after all, both I and Lupusregina here have been busy away from Nazarick and haven't experienced a night of passion with our beloved Constantine in a long while," Solution reminded her teasingly. "Even though I was able to spend a few hours with him again a few days ago, it still doesn't compare to how you and Lady Albedo have been able to have him all to yourself…"

"What?! When did this happen, little sister?!" Lupusregina exclaimed as she turned her mock-furious glare onto a now blushing Solution.

"W-when I informed Lord Constantine about Sebas' strange behaviour with that human woman, I begged him to come and resolve it personally," she admitted, her body fidgeting with desire as she recalled how passionate her beloved had been at their brief reunion. "Not only did he accept my request, but we also managed to have some time to ourselves before and after the situation was handled…

"Uwwwwaaaaa! You two have been getting it on with our darling while I've been stuck babysitting a village full of humans! No fair!" Lupusregina wailed, earning sympathetic glances and comforting pats on the shoulder from both of her harem sisters.

"Do not worry big sister, I'm sure our beloved will reward you and the rest of us for playing our parts when this operation is over," Solution told her soothingly.

"Indeed," Narberal nodded. "Speaking of which, we ought to make it seem like we have been in a skirmish before Lord Ainz and Lord Demiurge have finished their conversation. Would you do us the honours with your whip, big sister?"

"S-sure…if it ensures the success of Father and our beloved's plans and gets me back into my darling Constantine's arms…" Lupusregina mock sniffed before a hungry gleam suddenly came to her eyes. "Do you think if we do well enough our beloved will reward us with his glorious seed-OW!" Lupus rubbed her head from where Narberal had struck it with the pommel of her sword. "What was that for, little sister?!"

"You know that honour will not be granted to us as of yet, not until Lady Albedo is with child," Narberal reminded her sternly

"Indeed…as the primary consort, only she is worthy to bear the future heir of the Great Tomb," Solution added as a dreamy and longing look flitted across her dark irises. "I hope it is soon though. I long for when the time comes that I too may carry our beloved's glorious legacy…" She shook herself to escape her daydreams as she looked at her harem sisters. "So let us ensure we do our part to bring about the future we all long for…a world where our glorious offspring will thrive under our father and beloved's divine rule!"

~TNT~

"You are sure this area is secure?" Momon asked Demiurge as they both took their seats on opposite ends of the table that had been prepared for them by Mare in one of the district's abandoned buildings. Speaking of Mare, he was currently standing in attendance waiting to be called on by either man.

"Both Mare and I have seen to it," Demiurge answered as he lay down his mask, his smooth voice echoing over the incessant tick-tock of the grandfather clock that was ticking away on the far side of the room. "No one will be able to discover or overhear us while we talk, my lord."

"Good," Momon nodded approvingly. "It all seems to be going as he planned, but I'm still not sure what we're getting out of this. Time to see if my bluffing skills are as good as they used to be" "Now then, recap the details of your plan and what we stand to gain from it."

"It would be my pleasure, my lord," Demiurge answered with a small bow. "But first I would like to thank you, the Crown Prince and the Grand Marshal for indulging in my request, and I am rather eager to share the results of my carefully laid designs." He then tilted his head, considering slightly. "Before I go on, and no disrespect intended my lord, but surely it would've been proper for both the Crown Prince and Grand Marshal to be here as well?"

"I can always inform them afterwards. Besides, if both Momon and Alfred disappeared suddenly and without explanation, it would have raised unwarranted suspicion…especially from the human magic caster that accompanied us to our confrontation," Momon explained before chuckling slightly. "Besides, Grand Marshal Fengxian was eager for another sparring match with my son, so I decided to grant him the opportunity and incorporated it into your designs by having him play the part of a demon lord as well."

"I see…as usual my lord, your foresight and planning are beyond compare. I can only hope to one day live up to such an example!" Demiurge gushed, causing Momon to fidget awkwardly as Mare let out an awed gasp. "But I digress, my lord. As you and the other Supreme Beings are no doubt aware, the plan I made has four merits relating to our present and future goals for this kingdom."

"Four?! And here's me not knowing a single one!" Momon wailed inside his head before composing himself. "Come on, Suzuki! Now's not the time to panic! It's as Ise said: 'fake it until you make it'. I'll just have to hope Demiurge doesn't see through my bullshitting." "Is that so? And here I and the others thought it was three? I think you may have surpassed even our expectations with this, Demiurge!"

"I think this may be the first time I have bested you and the other Supreme Beings in a contest of wits, my lord!" Demiurge exclaimed. Even though his smirk looked malicious, it didn't take a genius to see that the demon was pleased with himself that he had exceeded his lords' hopes.

"It happens more often than you think," Momon dismissed with a waved hand.

"You and the other Supreme Beings are far too modest, my lord. I am flattered," Demiurge demurred, bowing his head so that it touched his clasped hands.

"There's no need…you have earned every bit of our praise, as have the rest of the Guardians and all of the other servants of Nazarick who excel in their duties," Momon told him, earning faint blushes of praise from both Demiurge and Mare before returning to the topic at hand. "Now then, remind me of these merits that you have foreseen."

"We merely do what we must to serve our glorious masters who so compassionately stayed with us into this New World…but I digress…ahem…" Demiurge coughed before launching into his explanation. "The first one is that we are claiming all of the materials in the surrounding storehouses using the cover of this demonic invasion to do so without detection, thereby allowing us to stockpile more resources towards our future operations."

"Brilliant! That will ease the burden on our existing resources and ensure we don't run out in the future!" Momon exclaimed delightedly. "When we get back to Nazarick, I'll have Ise, Demiurge and Pandora's Actor work on putting these spoils to their most efficient use!"

"Secondly, this incident will allow us to cover up our earlier attacks on Eight Fingers that you instructed us to do and which were carried out successfully by the Grand Marshal, Miss Yuri, Miss Lupusregina, Miss Ninya, Miss CZ, Miss Entoma and Mare respectively," Demiurge explained further.

"Yes…I do recall you mentioning that in your earlier briefing," Momon nodded along. "You also brought up about looking for a particular item as a pretext for Jaldabaoth's invasion. Did you bring it?"

"See for yourself, my lord," Demiurge answered, motioning to Mare who brought forth a small golden figurine depicting a six-armed demon with each of its hands grasping a small marble-like jewel which he proceeded to place in front of Momon. "It's called Armageddon Evil, a 10th-tier magical item…practically god-level in terms of its magical power."

"Ah yes, I seem to recall that this item can summon an unlimited number of demons that could eventually consume the entire world," Momon mused as he recalled how Ulbert, Demiurge's creator, had been fascinated with it upon hearing of its existence and had then become obsessed with creating an item that could replicate its power. However, he had been unable to replicate it fully and had thus given up on the project, leaving what he'd been able to craft in the hands of his creation before leaving YGGDRASIL.

"Indeed…my creator Lord Ulbert was able to craft something that came close to matching the original, but though he did not completely replicate it each of these gems currently contains a slightly scaled-down version of the original spell," Demiurge recalled wistfully before allowing his mouth to form into an evil grin once again. "Is it your wish that we test it here?"

"No…a summoning of such catastrophic levels is not our current goal. However, I do have something that will suffice instead," Momon said quickly as he reached behind his cloak and pulled out a much cruder model of the original which he placed on the table in front of him. Instead of six, this demon only had three arms and possessed midnight-black colouring in place of the original's gold. "It's Ulbert's prototype of the original item and should work all the same…feel free to use this as Jaldabaoth's 'objective'."

"My lord…I could not possibly use such a personal treasure of yours," Demiurge said, momentarily shocked by both the astounding levels of his lord's generosity and the humbling honour of being granted something that was incredibly dear to both Lord Ainz and his creator before him.

"Then consider it a gift from me to you, Demiurge, although Ulbert might be embarrassed that I've kept one of his creations around for so long. Do with it as you see fit…I insist," Momon reassured him as he pushed the black statue across the table towards Demiurge.

"My lord…you honour me…" Rather than simply accepting it, Demiurge hurried around the table and, along with Mare, got to one knee in front of Momon who, recognising how important such a gesture was at this moment for Ulbert's creation, respectfully lowered it into Demiurge's trembling hands. "I am most grateful."

"There's no need for that…consider that a reward for all of your hard work in our service and for the loyalty you have shown," Momon replied while gesturing for both him and Mare to resume their previous positions. "

"The Great Ones were responsible for our creation…it is only right that we are loyal and that we continuously demonstrate such until the very ends of our existence," Demiurge proclaimed with Mare nodding eagerly in agreement. "Nonetheless, for you to once again address me, a mere servant, with such charity, and to reward me with such a precious gift from my own cherished creator…I can only repay such a gesture by humbly offering an even deeper devotion to your will and that of the other Supreme Beings."

"I look forward to it…now, both of you…rise, and let's continue from where we left off. I wish to know the rest of your plan," Momon urged them as his shoulders slumped in relief. "I'm glad that worked…and while Ulbert may have been a pain in the ass, especially to Ise and sometimes to Ki, he played a great role in the legacy of the Great Tomb and was a valued comrade, and I could honour both him and Demiurge no less with such a gift on his behalf."

"Of course, my lord," Demiurge answered, rising to his feet alongside Mare before retaking his place at the other end of the table. "With the narrative now in place that Jaldabaoth desires such a powerful item, he has attacked the Eight Fingers bases to look for this item, which just so happened to give him control of the capital's warehouse district. And of course, this item will be found in the warehouse that just so happens to serve as Eight Fingers' base of operations."

"Obviously…but outline the merit of this action," Momon ordered for clarification.

"Right…well we have captured all of the humans that were trapped with the walls of flame and have transported the majority to Nazarick where they will be put to good use," Demiurge continued with such pride that made Momon shudder.

"Regardless of their age or gender, I'm assuming?" He asked for clarification. "While I have no issue with the things he needs to do for the betterment of Nazarick, I'm glad neither Ise or Ki are here or they'd be throwing fits right now… "

"But of course…" Demiurge answered as though it were obvious.

"Again, it's just as Ki brought up all those weeks ago…ever since we ended up in these bodies we've become less and less human as time has gone by. For a while now I haven't felt an affinity for the human race…all the death and suffering we've inflicted upon them hasn't pained my heart in any way. If it was for the betterment of Nazarick, I didn't care. With Ki becoming quieter and colder as well…it's just as we were fearing, we're all losing our humanity…but inflicting suffering and pain on innocent children? Even with how far I've fallen, that's something I will NOT tolerate…" "Listen carefully, Demiurge," he instructed the Guardian of the Seventh Floor. "See to it that those who haven't dishonoured the Great Tomb, myself, my son or our Grand Marshal are given quick and painless deaths. Only the guilty should suffer." "This way…even if Ise finds out, he won't be nearly as mad as if he heard we were torturing children…

Rather than look insulted, Demiurge seemed to be genuinely pleased by his words. "Such benevolence my lord. It shall be as you wish," he answered with another small bow.

"Phew, I'm glad he didn't have an issue with it…" "Now then, let's get back on topic. You still have one more merit to reveal, do you not?"

"I do, my lord. When everything is said and done and this operation has been concluded, all the city's woes will be laid at Jaldabaoth's feet."

"In other words, you are establishing yourself as a notorious demon whose defeat will only serve to heighten Momon and Alfred's reputations even further, correct?" Momon asked, receiving a pleased nod from Demiurge. "Good. Having listened to you reveal and clarify all of these merits in great detail, I am convinced and delighted with all that you have accomplished. Is there anything more you need my help with?"

"None, my lord," Demiurge answered with a shake of the head. "All you and the Crown Prince have to do is drive me, Grand Marshal Fengxian and the rest of Jaldabaoth's entourage out of the city and we should have no problems. I will gladly do everything in my power to serve you as your foil and promise to put on one hell of a show in the process.

"I have every confidence in you, Demiurge. Let us continue where we left off," Momon told him before turning to Mare. "Rendezvous with your sister once the operation has concluded and proceed as we have instructed." Mare bowed before quietly leaving the room. "Now then, we need to make it look as though we've been fighting each other all this time. What I'll need from you is to…"

~TNT~

"Remain calm! We're here to help you!" Climb shouted as he, Brain and Lockmeier opened up the doors of yet another warehouse to find even more panicking civilians trapped within. "Follow us and we'll escort you to safety!"

"You have to help us! They took my little girl!" One woman cried.

"And my wife too!" Another man added, and as other voices raised their own cries and pleas for their loved ones' safety, Climb squeezed his eyes shut in shame as he knew any promises he wanted to make would be empty ones. He could only hope the rest of the civilians they had saved and sent back to Prince Zanac were some of the relatives these people were crying out for.

"Looks like the Princess was right on the money," Brain commented grimly from where he was keeping a lookout for any demons trying to ambush them.

"Sure enough…those demonic bastards split up these families and took them. This sort of panic is exactly what they were after," Lockmeier cursed as he put a reassuring arm on Climb's shoulder. "Let's do what we can for those we can save, and hope and pray that the rest are just as fortunate…"

~TNT~

"AGGGH!" Evileye cursed as she took another punch from Alpha right on the jaw, further shattering her mask and sending her flying back. "Translocation Damage!" She yelled as she neared the ground, drawing out the last reserves of her magic to cushion the blow and allowing her to bounce back onto her feet. But just as she was about to launch herself at Alpha again, a small explosion and cloud of rubble heralded Nabe's arrival back on the scene, her face and outfit pockmarked with tears and cuts from her 'skirmish' against Beta and Epsilon. "Nabe! Can you keep fighting?" The petite magic caster asked as they landed next to one another.

"Don't worry, that won't be a problem…" Nabe wryly remarked, only for a cry of pain to echo from nearby and above them. As the two looked up, they were forced to use their magic as best as they could to halt Eleanor's momentum as it appeared that the spear-maiden had also been sent flying backwards. They were partially successful as Eleanor was able to land in a cushioned fall without suffering any damage to her limbs or bones. "Eleanor…are you alright?" the robed spellcaster concernedly asked her 'comrade' who had also suffered visible damage to her armour

"I'm fine…but I don't know how much longer I can last," the normally silent adventurer muttered quietly as she, Nabe and Evileye suddenly found themselves facing down the five robed servants of Jaldabaoth, each of them bearing tears in their outfits but otherwise looking none-the-worse for wear. But before both sides could re-engage in battle the loudest and biggest explosion of rubble so far occurred right between their battle lines as they all witnessed Jaldabaoth being flung back before landing on the ground with a painful thud and an undignified groan of pain, his suit and mask covered in a litany of cuts, dents and tears.

"You've provided me with a lot of fun, Jaldabaoth!" A booming and heroic voice echoed from the rubble, and as Jaldabaoth struggled to get back to his feet the rest of the combatants turned their heads to bear witness to Momon walking through the rubble, his blades bared and facing towards the downed demon lord. "I haven't had a real fight like this in a long time, and I find myself loving it!"

"Lord Momon!" Evileye exclaimed with delight as both Nabe and Eleanor smiled upon seeing their comrade stride towards them. Though his cape was tattered and his armour bore several scratches, he seemed to be in slightly better condition than his foe.

"Heh…I am pleased that you are pleased," Jaldabaoth sneered with a mocking bow. "So now…I'm going to start taking this seriously!"

"Come at me then, I'm waiting! Let this be our final battle!" Momon roared as he crouched down into a battle-ready stance, one blade held out in front of him and the other off to the side. Needing no more invitation Jaldabaoth charged towards Momon, his claws outstretched, and proceeded to engage the Raven-Black Hero in an epic melee duel that saw their pairs of weapons clash over and over again in a deadly symphony of metal that left everyone watching transfixed. After a few exchanges, Momon leapt back in a large, soaring arc before, from seemingly nowhere, dropping one of his blades to produce a crimson spear that he set ablaze before hurling it at Jaldabaoth so quickly that all the rest of the combatants could see was a blazing crimson trail streaking towards the demon.

"Aspect of the Demon – Hellfire Mantle!" Jaldabaoth shouted, conjuring up a flaming barrier that roared up from the ground, and as the crimson spear impacted the barrier a massive shockwave suddenly erupted from the point where the spear had struck, leading to a titanic displacement of air to be blown out as a result of their respective power attacks colliding.

"HAH!" Seemingly unperturbed by Jaldabaoth's solid defence, Momon bounced off the crumbled clocktower and, only momentarily slowing down to pick up his discarded blade, swung again at the demon with a ferocious roar. However, the demon was ready for his attack and, with his body now wreathed in flames, caught the blade with one hand. As the two struggled to push the other back, the heat from Jaldabaoth's flames wrapped around the hand holding Momon's sword and started melting the metal, much to the experienced adventurer's astonishment. "You must have used your hellish flames to boost your power! How else could you melt a weapon of this level?!"

"How else indeed?" Jaldabaoth chuckled, the flames around his hand turning purple and further eating into the metal.

"The flames of Hell…he really is going all out to put on a show!" Momon realised as he was forced to let go of the blade and leap backwards to avoid getting scorched himself.

"What's wrong? Surely you wanted a true test of just how hot my flames can be?" Jaldabaoth chuckled, dropping the ever-worsening blade down at his feet. "So, allow me to give you one that will sear your very soul!" The demon bared his claws before charging at Momon once more.

"Time to see if the time and effort I put into replicating this has paid off!" "Then you leave me no choice…come forth, Forst Pain Modified!" He shouted as he drew forth the replica of Zaryusu's icy sword that, through many hours and attempts of experimentation alongside Fengxian and Nazarick's blacksmith, was able to duplicate the sword's attributes and make use of the same techniques that the original could. "Icy Burst!" He roared, sending a wave of frigid air right at Jaldabaoth that was able to douse his flames in a massive cloud of steam. "Incredible! It worked just as well if not better than the original!" He internally cheered as the cloud faded revealing Jaldabaoth who had seemed to be unaffected by the unexpected technique.

"Bravo, marvellously done!" Jaldabaoth called out admiringly as the smoke faded completely. "You truly are a magnificent warrior!"

"You have also fought well, demon…as much as I despise giving scum such as you a compliment," Momon quipped back. But before Jaldabaoth could reply, another series of loud roars followed by another explosion and cloud of dust echoed from nearby. As the combatants and those observing looked over, they were forced to leap back as the massive form of Samael crashed to the ground not far from them, his entire armour pockmarked with cuts and scrapes. But as he tried to get to his feet, the toll the battle had taken on the demon was clearly evident as it was a struggle for him to even get to one knee.

"Surely that's not all you got?! I'm just getting fired up!" A gallant voice suddenly cried out, and as everyone turned to look, they saw the all-too-familiar form of Sir Alfred casually walk towards them, his weapons bared and seemingly in a much better state than his opponent. "Momon! Girls! Are you all okay? You all look like you've gone through hell!" He enquired concernedly as he took his place next to them.

"Literally in my case, but there's no need for concern…I haven't suffered any serious injuries," Momon answered, giving Alfred's shoulder armour-plate a friendly rub.

"We are fine as well, Sir Alfred…thank you for your concern," Nabe added as Eleanor simply nodded.

"Seeing these legendary combatants fight…it's like watching gods at play…" Evileye breathed as the opposing sides faced each other down.

"Sir Momon, Sir Alfred…I have a proposition for you," Jaldabaoth suddenly spoke up as the rest of his servants huddled around both him and the struggling form of Samael. "Since this conflict is proving to be a stalemate, I will withdraw my forces now and declare this the end of our battle."

"Absolutely not! We-!" Whatever Evileye was about to shout was cut off by Alfred's firm hand on her shoulder followed by a shake of his head.

"This woman seems completely clueless…I'm struggling to understand why you all brought her along," Jaldabaoth sneered, earning a snarl from the petite magic caster. "I urge you to think hard for a moment so that you might understand. I'll give you a clue…I have my demon hoards standing by to assault the capital on my order. I think you can gather from that what my intentions would be if you don't agree…"

"Y-you would take the city hostage?" As much as she would hate giving this fiend and his accomplices a chance to escape…the alternative would be to sentence everyone else in the capital to a painful grave at the hands of his demon army.

"We agree to your terms, provided you leave at once," Momon answered.

"That can be arranged. Unfortunately, we weren't able to retrieve the artifact that we were seeking but…there's always next time. Until then, Momon. Alfred." With a wave of his hand, Jaldbaoth, Samael and the rest of his entourage all vanished into thin air.

"Until then…" Momon murmured as the flames died down all around them, just in time for the weary combatants to see dawn start to break over the ruins of the warehouse district.

"YOU DID IT, LORD MOMON!" Evileye screamed, unable to contain her relief as she ran up and hugged the startled adventurer round his waist, much to the chagrin of Eleanor and Nabe and the amusement of Alfred.

"Could you not just give me a moment, please?" Momon sighed in exasperation.

"Don't be so bashful…you just saved us all!" Evileye retorted. But before Momon could think of another excuse to get her to back off, the sound of footsteps and cheerful voices from nearby caused them all to turn around. Walking towards them, thoroughly battered and bruised but very much alive, came the rest of Blue Rose, Gazef, Crimson Zephyr, Chivalrous Legionnaires and the rest of the adventurers and soldiers of Re-Estize who had made it through the night.

"Hey! Shorty's still kicking!" Gagaran cheered.

"You guys…you all made it…" Evileye nearly choked with relief before turning to face all the assembled members of Darklight. "Lord Momon…Sir Alfred….you are the most distinguished warriors of this battle and the ones responsible for our success, so declare our victory!"

"Hmm…I suppose that's only fitting," Momon considered, looking over to Alfred who nodded his agreement. As the pair, flanked by Nabe, Eleanor and Evileye, stepped forward, Momon lifted his right arm high, blade facing upward, and let out a triumphant roar of victory that got the crowd to start cheering. Not to be outdone, Alfred matched him by raising Justice with his left arm. As the cheers from Momon's shout died down, Alfred got in the act as well to both stoke the already blazing morale all around them along with enshrining their status as heroes

"JALDABOATH! SAMAEL! AND ALL DEMONS AND EVIL-DOERS OUT THERE! HEAR US NOW!" He bellowed at the top of his lungs in a deep and heroic tone. "AS LONG AS MOMON AND I, AND THE REST OF THESE BRAVE SOULS, ARE STILL STANDING, YOU WILL KNOW COMPLACENCY NO MORE! WHEN YOU NEXT COME FOR US, YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR ME ROAR!" At the last part, Alfred actually let out a toned-down version of his draconic roar, but even that was enough to whip the witnessing crowd into even more of a joyous frenzy as the celebrations began.

~TNT~

"You're actually going to go back to E-Rantel after all of this? The celebrations are just starting, and the people want to acknowledge their heroes." It was hard to miss the disappointment in Evileye's voice as she, alongside the rest of Blue Rose and Marquis Raeven, had gathered along with Darklight on a rise above the capital later that morning. "I'd very much like to accompany you but…"

Having only intended to stop and get their wounds seen to before departing, Darklight had instead been waylaid on their way out by several of their adventurer friends congratulating and thanking them for keeping them safe, along with several scores of civilians trying to do the same for keeping them all alive and ensuring that their loved ones got back to them safe. Such words and gestures were to be expected in the wake of their heroic deeds, but what they hadn't counted on was being approached by King Ramposa himself, accompanied by Prince Zanac, Princess Renner, Marquis Raeven and Gazef. After thanking them and offering them whatever reward they desired for all they had done for the Kingdom and his people (which the noble Alfred had declined, saying they had merely been doing their duty), Ramposa had actually taken out his sword and, in full view of everyone present, had knighted both Momon and Alfred, declaring them as true knights and granting them the grandiose titles of the Heroes of Re-Estize.

"Don't worry about it," Momon told her with a raised hand while trying to suppress his exasperation with this annoying yet persistent girl. Behind his back, Alfred was able to smother a chuckle beneath his helm.

"You have done us and the Kingdom a great service, all of you," the Marquis told them as he walked up and shook each of their hands. As it came time for Alfred to shake his hand, the Crown Prince of Nazarick looked deep into the Marquis' gaze and found a resolute look of intelligence, grace and determination in his grey eyes, nothing like the simpering and selfish nobles that plagued the Kingdom. The heir of Nazarick took a mental note to request Demiurge to look into him, for surely he would be of great use to them in the future. "His Majesty would have been here as well, but he has to oversee relief events."

"That's quite alright, Marquis Raeven," Alfred said diplomatically. "He has honoured us enough already by knighting us, an honour which we still don't feel we deserve. We wouldn't have wanted to take away any more of his precious time."

"On behalf of the rest of my team, we are grateful for all you have done…both before and after the events of last night," Momon added.

"Not at all, I hope we can continue our good relations moving forward," the Marquis said with a small bow before backing away, allowing Momon the chance to speak to Lakyus and the rest of Blue Rose without the threat of impending doom over their heads.

"Members of Blue Rose…I hope that as fellow adamantite-class adventurers, we can meet up the next time a crisis like this is on the horizon," he addressed them. "As we saw last night, when we alongside other skilled adventurers combine our powers and our strength, nothing can oppose us."

"So do we," Lakyus replied with a warm smile that almost caused Alfred to blush behind his helm. He was certainly looking forward to spending more time with her, it would be a good opportunity to see if the charisma he had loaded his character with would succeed in winning the beauty over for him.

"Until we all meet again…I hope that favour and fortune shine upon you all," Alfred bid them all before, with one last bow, the four members of Darklight turned around and walked away in the direction of E-Rantel. Evileye couldn't help the groan of sadness that came unbidden from behind her repaired mask as she watched Momon leave, and unfortunately for her Gagaran had caught it.

"Turned you down, huh?" The mammoth warrior teased her compatriot as they watched the four of them depart on a floating platform.

"Not at all," Evileye answered with a warm smile as she, for the first time in a long time, removed her mask, revealing her beautiful face, her crimson eyes and long, flowing orange locks in full. "That's just the kind of man he is. And I know we'll see each other again, so hopefully by then…I'll have become strong enough to be worthy of him."

~TNT~

Not only were Jaldabaoth and his demonic armies forced to retreat from the Royal Capital after his skirmish with Momon, but he also failed to get his hands on the powerful magic item that had summoned him and his forces into the mortal plane in the first place, resulting in a complete victory for the forces of Re-Estize and the brave adventurers who had fought alongside them.

It was later discovered by an inquiry jointly headed by Princess Renner and Marquis Raeven that it had been the work of Eight Fingers that had brought the magical item Jaldabaoth was after to the Royal Capital in the first place. Hence, everyone in Re-Estize laid the blame for all the suffering and death that had taken place during what was now termed the 'Demonic Disturbance' squarely at the feet of the notorious crime syndicate. Not only that, but Renner also leaked information that some of the prisoners who had been rescued by Sebas Tian, Brain Unglaus, Climb and Lockmeier from Eight Fingers' brothel some time ago had been found murdered in the capital's slums. These women were supposed to have been safely guarded and protected while the adventurers were busy fighting the demons, but Renner claimed to have found evidence that the mercenaries involved had been bribed or blackmailed to either kill these innocent women themselves or turn a blind eye and leave them at the mercy of Eight Fingers. She believed that such an atrocity had only happened due to the lack of manpower and laxness of the Royal Capital's security, especially given that most of them had to be drawn away to help fight the demons, and hinted without actually saying it point blank that this had been a result of the tight purse strings of the nobles from both factions.

Speaking of, those who had received all the adulation among the populace for their role in fighting back against the demons and protecting the civilians were the King himself, Second Prince Zanac, Princess Renner, Marquis Raeven and the guards and soldiers who had joined the adventurers in facing the demonic hordes. The Nobility Faction, who had favoured protecting their own assets, maintained that the King's announcement of his identity on the battlefield had been a mistake stemmed from arrogance, while the Royalty Faction strongly asserted that the King should have hidden in a safe place and not gone to the frontlines. This dispute only served to intensify the power struggle between both factions, causing growing resentment towards them from the public that they had abandoned in their hour of need as they in turn heaped praise and adulation on those who had risked their lives to save them. It all sprouted into a vicious cycle of blame as the nobles then turned on the adventurers and blamed them for all the troubles they had caused them.

Although the forces of Re-Estize had managed to repel the demon invasion, they had still suffered quite a large number of losses with thousands of people having either been killed or captured by the demons. Though efforts were made to find the missing civilians, it proved to be for nought as they appeared to have vanished without a trace. In addition, a large section of the warehouse district suffered damages and practically lost all their resources in the process. The damage and losses were so severe that it would cause a delay of the yearly war with the Empire by several months in order for the Kingdom to recuperate from their losses.

And though the Kingdom had publicly achieved victory, the truth of it was that the faction who had benefited most in secret had been the Great Tomb of Nazarick. Due to the success of Demiurge's plan and the efforts of all those who took part in the operation, Ainz, Henry and Fengxian had stealthily obtained all the wealth and goods in the capital's warehouse district unnoticed without problem, swelling their own coffers for their future endeavours while at the same time significantly weakening a neighbouring nation that they, in time, would hope to subjugate or conquer in their bid to unite the world under one banner.

~TNT~

"Congratulations! As of now, you are all servants to our great masters: the Supreme Overlord of Death, Ainz Ooal Gown, his heir Crown Prince Trajan and Grand Marshal Fengxian! Pat yourselves on the back!" Aura cheered with a clap of her hands as she and Mare stood at the head of a circular table in a secret underground, around which the remaining heads of Eight Fingers were currently sat in visible and various states of pain, anger and fear.

"D-don't be absurd, brat!" One of them called out from where they were sitting, even as he struggled to speak due to the discomfort he was in.

"We'll start things off by inviting you to a fun new place!" Aura continued as though she hadn't heard the man.

"F-Fun? Yeah, sure…that's what we'll call it…" Mare stammered in agreement.

"No! Please wait!" A female voice cried out from the other end of the table, and as everyone looked over they saw that it was a dishevelled and fear-stricken Hilma, the very same leader whom Mare had captured, who had spoken up. "You don't mean me, do you? I did everything you asked of me! Please don't…I can't take what happened to me anymore!" A very visible shudder wracked her frame as she recalled the horrors of what she had suffered through, with, tears of fear even swelling in her eyes which now sported deep eye bags from all the stress and horrors she had experienced.

"What did you do to her, bro?" Aura muttered.

"I…may have taken her into Kyouhukou's room and had him eat her from the inside out a couple of times," Mare admitted with a small smile that caused everyone in the room aside from the twins to either vomit or writhe in fear and/or horror.

"Ew, that figures…then you used healing magic to make her as fresh as a daisy. It's only natural she'd be more submissive after that!" Aura said with a casual shrug before looking back at Hilma. "Okay, lady. We're going to need you to buy some time with the others until we're sure they'll do as they're told by our leaders. Can you handle that for us?"

"Of course I can! Just leave them to me!" Hilma responded eagerly with rapid kowtowing. To avoid going through the same torture again, she'd do anything they asked!

"Excellent! With that done, we've now taken over half the country! Nice! Everything is going just as planned!" Aura exclaimed.

~TNT~

"All those under your protection wish to extend their gratitude, Princess Renner," Climb told his patron as he finished the recounting of his, Brain's and Lockmeier's endeavours in rescuing all those civilians they had found trapped in the warehouse district.

"Oh really? Well…I'd sure like to see them and see for myself that they are alright…" Renner said with false sweetness as she tucked a stray lock of her hair back in place.

"You mustn't!" Climb suddenly declared with a passion that surprised both himself and the Princess. "I'm sorry to decline this act of kindness on your behalf, but it's for the best. After everything that happened, it would be remiss of me not to do everything in my power to keep you safe!" As he bowed low, he missed the momentary expression of hunger and delight appearing on her face, and by the time he'd raised his eyes her normal serene smile and look was back in place.

"Well, I suppose it can't be helped…" she sighed with fake remorse while cackling on the inside. "Such a good little puppy, doing everything he can to keep his mistress safe. When the time comes, I'll see to it that he gets EVERY reward he deserves…"

~TNT~

"Everyone! I'd like to introduce the newest maid joining Nazarick's ranks! Woof!" Pestonya told the assembled homunculus maids, extending her hand to indicate Tuare who was now clad in the official maid attire of the Great Tomb.

"I am Tuareninya Veyron, older sister to Ninya Veyron!" Tuare introduced herself with a polite bow as Ninya and Sebas watched on proudly. "It's a pleasure to meet you all, and I promise to do my very best! Please look after me!" As the homunculus maids gathered around to greet the new recruit, Pestonya sidled over to where Sebas was standing.

"Is there anything you'd like me to teach the new recruit? Woof!" She whispered in his ear.

"There's no need for special treatment. Just give her the same passing grade as any maid," Sebas told her. "That said, she is only human. Please keep her training geared with that in mind, Lady Pestonya, and see to it that she spends as much time with her sister during her time off." As the two talked, Tuare looked over and gave Sebas a radiant smile which the butler returned, a faint blush appearing on his cheeks.

"I understand perfectly," Pestonya answered with a teasing wink. "Being a maid will be a temporary assignment for her after all. Woof!"

"I'm not sure what you mean by that…" Sebas frowned.

"Only that she'll be quitting when she's married. Woof!" Pestonya chuckled, only heightening the elderly butler's confusion while Ninya giggled in the background.

~TNT~

At the royal palace of Arwintar…

"I have been looking into this…Ainz Ooal Gown fellow as you have requested, Your Majesty," Fluder Paradyne, the elderly Imperial Court Wizard of the Baharuth Empire told the reclining Emperor Jircniv who was munching on a bunch of grapes while listening to Fluder intently. The ancient wizard had deeply wrinkled, lightly tanned skin, long fingernails, green eyes and long white hair that reached his upper back with swirls of it sticking from each side of his head, in addition to a magnificent beard and moustache that reached his waist. He was clad in a lustrous robe befitting a mage of his station and prowess, a bead necklace and rings adorning his fingers "If such a man truly exists, I'd say that his calibre of magic would rival my own. Perhaps even surpass it…"

"Interesting…is that why you seem almost pleased, old man?" Jircniv remarked almost casually. The Bloody Emperor was as handsome as he was pragmatic, ruthless and capable with perfect alabaster skin, a mop of radiant blonde hair adorned with an elaborate crown, pinkish red eyes that shone with confidence plus a face and sculpted body out of a maiden's fantasy all clad in a red/golden attire befitting one of the strongest rulers in the world plus diamond earrings. One could probably be forgiven if they thought he'd just walked out of one of their childhood stories.

"Naturally, your Highness," Fluder replied, stroking his long white beard. "It takes all manner of oracles to gaze into the abyss, but to find a true magical peer…" The old man's gaze temporarily flicked towards the elegant window that looked out on the rest of the capital. "If possible, I would like to meet him personally…if you would allow it of course, my lord."

"I see…but in the meantime, I'd like you to collect information on two adamantite-ranked adventurers by the name of Momon and Alfred," Jircniv instructed, his sharp gaze piercing right into his advisor's soul. "Think you can manage that, old man?"

"Of course I can, my Emperor…" Fluder said with a bow. What both men didn't see however was one of Jircniv's attending maids placing a finger to the side of their head as they watched on silently.

~TNT~

"Another day, another successful endeavour for the Great Tomb of Nazarick…" Ainz reflected as he made his way through the massive doors into the Throne Room. "Still, I mustn't get complacent…even though things have been going our way so far, that could all change if we let our guard down. Our efforts against the Kingdom may have been a success, but the Empire and the Theocracy are still lurking in the shadows waiting to pounce. But now that we've sufficiently weakened the Kingdom and enshrined Momon and Alfred's reputation as legends, perhaps we can shift our attention elsewhere…" His brooding was suddenly halted as he passed through the doors into the Throne Room itself and saw who was waiting for him.

Rather than Henry, Fengxian and Albedo waiting for him as he entered, it was instead Shalltear, Yuri Alpha, CZ and Jemima who turned and knelt before him as he approached.

"Welcome back, my beloved Lord Ainz," Shalltear spoke up respectfully before he could express his confusion at their presence while he walked up to them. "We unworthy servants of the Great Tomb stand ready to serve at your pleasure."

"I see…thank you Shalltear," Ainz told her graciously, causing a faint blush to appear on the vampiress' cheeks as he strode past them to take his place on the throne. "As much as it is pleasing to have you and the others here, I was expecting my Heir, Grand Marshal and Guardian Overseer Albedo to be waiting here alongside. Do you know where they are, Shalltear?"

"I am ashamed to say I do not know, my lord," Shalltear answered. "The only communication I got from both Crown Prince Augustus and Grand Marshal Fengxian was that they were both… 'occupied', and asked myself and the others to attend to you instead."

"I…see…" Ainz muttered, a shudder passing through him at the thought of just what his friend/adopted son might be getting up to now that he temporarily had his ladies back with him. "Well in their absence, why don't you deliver your report on what happened with you during Operation Gehenna, Shalltear?"

~TNT~

The following bonus scene was created by both myself and my co-author daniel.

As Fengxian was changing out of the battered suit of armour he had worn during his time as the demon lieutenant Samael, the door to his quarters on Nazarick's Ninth Floor was suddenly and instantly smashed to smithereens revealing a fully-armoured and enraged Albedo who then proceeded to start swinging her battle-axe at him. Temporarily caught off guard by Albedo's sudden appearance and her uncharacteristic show of anger, it was only Fengxian's reflexes that allowed him to dodge out of the way of her first attack. Unfortunately for him, Albedo showed no signs of letting up as she continued to try and strike at the Grand Marshal.

"HOW DARE YOU HURT MY BELOVED HENRY!" The frenzied succubus roared, chasing after the partially-clothed Nephilim as he escaped from his now battered quarters while having the presence of mind to pick up his halberd as he fled. "I SHALL MAKE YOU PAY FOR ALL THE SUFFERING YOU PUT HIM THROUGH!"

"For Kami's sake…I am tired and just want to relax. I am so NOT in the mood for dealing with a hormonal housewife!" Fengxian internally shouted as he uncharacteristically scarpered down the hallway in retreat, all the while dodging and blocking Albedo's frenzied strikes. "HENRY! GET YOUR BLONDE BUTT OUT HERE AND CALM YOUR WOMAN DOWN BEFORE I END UP HURTING HER ON ACCIDENT!" He found himself roaring as he ran. Unfortunately, fortune wasn't favouring the Grand Marshal on this day as two large slimy tendrils burst out of a nearby vase, causing him to stumble slightly and lose his balance. "AGH! What the hell?!" Looking back, Fengxian saw, to both his rising consternation and slight worry, the vase transforming into Solution whose expression was just as enraged as Albedo's.

"YOU SHALL PAY FOR INFLICTING PAIN ON MY DARLING CONSTANTINE!" She shrieked as more tendrils sprouted from her. But even as the Grand Marshal was able to avoid them, he suddenly found himself having to dodge both an incoming lightning bolt and a particularly vicious-looking whip that were striking at his rear. Looking back, he saw that both Narberal and Lupusregina had arrived on the scene as well, and to say they were as livid as their harem sisters was the understatement of a lifetime.

"GRAND MARSHAL FENGXIAN! YOU HAVE FORSAKEN YOUR DUTY AND BROUGHT YOUR SWORD UPON OUR BELOVED AND NAZARICK'S HEIR!" Narberal roared.

"YOU COULD HAVE FORSAKEN THE FUTURE OF THE ENTIRE TOMB! WE HAVE NOT YET GIVEN OUR DARLING CONSTANTINE THE HEIRS HE DESERVES!" Lupusregina snarled, her eyes and expression turning feral.

"DAMNIT…how could I forget about telling them Ise and I were going to fight?! No wonder they're pissed!" "Stop! It was all part of Lord Ainz's plan! I swear I wasn't trying to kill him!" Fengxian tried to explain, but the enraged members of Henry's harem weren't having it. However, before they could all gang up on their exhausted Grand Marshal, the door nearby suddenly burst open as the aforementioned Henry, currently clad in nothing but a pair of brown pants, appeared between them.

"What the-?! WHOA! Everyone hold up!" He ordered, flinging his arms wide to protect his friend from his enraged women. "What in the name of Kami is going on here?!"

"Forgive the temporary disrespect, my Crown Prince, but as your friend I must advise you…your taste in women is INSANE!" Fengxian growled as he tore himself free from Solution's slimy clutches. "They are all trying to kill me because they think I deliberately hurt you during our fight in the capital! Kami…just get them off me and go blow off with one of your weird-ass orgies so I don't end up hurting them!"

"You know I can't help it! Yanderes are my favourite, followed by Derederes on the side! Blame Peroroncino for indulging me every chance he got!" Henry defended himself with an impish grin before, after taking a moment to compose himself, letting out a bellowing roar that caused his harem to freeze and instantly fall to their knees before him, their wrath completely abated.

"DARLING, WE BEG YOUR FORGIVENESS!" They all implored, faces flat to the floor.

"Raise your heads," Henry ordered, and as they did so he couldn't help but let out a sigh. "Whatever am I going to do with all of you crazy beauties…" These words made them all blush a deep crimson. "Just to clear up the confusion, Fengxian acted according to Father's plan, and even though I did not know of it beforehand, I was able to adapt thus allowing each of us to play our part according to the needs of the operation. Though we injured each other, neither of us is so unskilled that we would risk harming the other. But your concern for my health and safety is still greatly appreciated." His temporary frown then morphed into a broad smile. "Now, how about the four of you head into my chambers? You'll find your favourite outfits waiting for you on the bed."

"AT ONCE, DARLING!" The four replied as, going from murderous Yanderes to lovestruck Derederes in an instant, they got to their feet and raced into Henry's quarters.

"Kami…I love them and this world more by the second…" Henry commented with a shake of his head.

"You seriously need to tighten their leashes…" His friend remarked in exasperation. "How someone as goody-two-shoes as you is so into Yanderes, I will never know…"

"To each their own, I guess. Don't worry, I'm sure we'll find your type someday," Henry shrugged while cheerfully slapping his massive comrade's shoulder. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a long night ahead of me." With those words, he headed back into his room and closed the door.

"For Kami's sake…I'll be glad when they all start popping out sprogs so I don't have to put up with their constant clamouring for Ise's babies…" Fengxian paused for a moment while imagining the various offspring from each member of his friend's harem. "And now I'm scarred for life…I think I'm going to have a really, REALLY long icy bath followed by some meditation to distract myself…" With those thoughts, he activated his Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown and teleported to his dwelling on the Fifth Floor.

Anyone who said life in the Great Tomb of Nazarick was dull would instantly regret their words had they just borne witness to what had just happened.

Edster: THAT. WAS. EPIC! I loved writing every word of that chapter! So much action, scheming and all sorts of escapades involving nearly all of our favourite characters ending in a very satisfying resolution for all concerned! Even though Re-Estize wins the day, Nazarick benefits the most, and the stage is set for the events to come. Yandere Renner makes one more cameo, Tuare is now officially a part of Nazarick alongside her sister, and we FINALLY have our first glimpse of a character we have been looking forward to introducing for a long while now, Emperor Jircniv of Baharuth himself! I cannot wait to bring him into the story as we dive into season 3.

And I hope you enjoyed the little bonus scene we added at the end there. Our boy Henry really cannot help himself with Yanderes, and it was fortunate he was there to save my lad Fengxian from the wrath of his crazy ladies!

daniel: My co-author couldn't have said it better, this was amazing! We really enjoyed writing this! Now it's time for the Emperor to make his move and we can promise you that we will thoroughly BREAK the guy. NO ONE double-crosses the Great Tomb of Nazarick and gets away with it!

Edster: What a way to cap off the events of season 2 as I prepare to set off on holiday tomorrow! Before I go, I just want to take the time out to thank two very important sets of people. The first, as always, is my co-author daniel for being such a legend with his aid and suggestions with bringing this story to life and making it as epic as it has been so far. This all wouldn't have been possible without him, and I cannot wait for what we have in store for you next! And second of all, thank you ALL who have made it this far for not only giving time to our humble story, but showing it the love you have. We appreciate all of you from the bottom of our hearts, and cannot wait to keep entertaining you all with the events of Season 3 and beyond!

With that said, the time has now come for me to bid you all adieu for the best part of four weeks. As I have mentioned before, I leave for my travels to South Africa on Monday and will not be back in the UK until Friday 8th March, so given that I will need time to recover and recharge before I can start writing again, along with the two-week deadline I give myself to write these chapters, expect for the next chapter of the Nazarick Triumvirate, the first of season 3, to drop on Sunday 24th March at the very earliest. I hope you all stay safe and well and look forward to seeing you all again in Chapter 25 when it drops, and as I say my goodbyes for now, I will leave the final words to close out this chapter to my co-author and my friend:

daniel: Thanks for the words, my man! Much appreciated, and as always thank to you for taking the time to hear a fan of your Shield-Hero work pitch an idea! I certainly wouldn't have imagined it would lead to this but VERY happy I was wrong! Hope you have a very happy vacation!