The Demon of Darkness
Translator: Skythewood, Nigel
Editor: Sena Jogn, Norris Chuck, SifaV6, Rockgollem, NoirX
Part 1
The common conception of dwarves was brought back to human lands by the merchants who traded with them in their mountain fortresses; they were grim, hardworking individuals who kept to themselves, prided themselves on their workmanship, and insisted on a high price for their goods.
Then again, it was the merchants talking, so that last might just have been an excuse to overcharge the people they sold to.
The truth was that dwarves really were quiet and hardworking perfectionists who preferred to keep to themselves and had a pessimistic outlook on things… but there was a reason for this.
The dwarves of the Azellisia Mountains lived in close harmony with the stone, which they built with, lived in, and returned to when they died. They described stone with the same words humans would use for works of art, because all dwarves had a sixth sense which told them about the rock from which they were said to have been born.
Having stone all around them instilled a silent reverence in dwarves for the world, and working with stone meant that they would only use their finest techniques to properly honor the bedrock of their civilization. A well-made piece of dwarven workmanship could last for centuries; the dwarves prided themselves on the saying “enduring as the mountains”, and they built everything as though they would never be able to replace it.
And of course, as the sons of the stone, it was their destiny to delve into it, to respectfully excavate the bones of the earth and construct their homes and cities in the rock that birthed them. But there was only so far they could go building sideways, exposed to the air; and the dwarves did not like the outside world much. There was not enough stone, only dirt beneath their feet and nothing else but the vacuous light and air.
There had been clans who tried to expand onto the surface, of course. For a time, they even succeeded; there were deposits of metal and good stone beneath the soil, but far from any large mountains. These surface clans thrived and prospered.
For a time.
Six hundred years ago in the human reckoning, the Six Gods who would eventually become the Slaine Theocracy appeared in the world. They spread the doctrine of human supremacy; humanity would triumph at all costs over a world which was hostile to them.
The Six Gods themselves did not specifically name the reclusive dwarves in their commandments to their disciples to go forth and be conquer… but any message is bound to be distorted over the years. Eventually, the followers of the Six Gods began targeting the demihumans around them — including the dwarves — who had done nothing wrong. They pushed the dwarves away from the lands they claimed for themselves, back north to the mountains.
Four hundred years ago, the cataclysmic entities known as the Eight Greed Kings appeared in the world. With sky-rending sorcery and earth-shaking arcana, they scourged the land of anything which was not human. Entire cities were wiped off the face of the map, entire races exterminated because they had the misfortune to not be human. Any dwarves who remained on the surface and who survived the purges of the Six Gods’ followers were slaughtered by the magic and the monsters of the Eight Greed Kings.
After this, there were no more proponents of surface life. Either they had changed their minds, or they had been wiped out.
Two hundred years ago, the Demon Gods rampaged across the land. But by this time, the dwarves did not care. They were safe in their mountain holds, and anyone trying to dislodge them by force found that the legendary dwarven craftsmanship extended to their fortifications and defenses as well.
The lesser magic that humanity mastered could not even come close to harming the timeless architecture of the dwarven race. Perhaps the mind-bogglingly powerful spells of the Eight Greed Kings might have been able to carve passes through mountain ranges and force the earth to spit out the dwarven holds within it, but nobody them practiced the magic which could reave the earth and shatter the sky. The dwarves had learned their lesson: they belonged in the stone.
The deep dwarves, the ones who had never left the safety of the mountains, built their homes within the bowels of the earth. For centuries, generations lived in their vast subterranean cities, working, living and dying under the ground.There was less of the latter than the former two, because the dwarves were a long-lived race, though they reproduced slowly.
Indeed, so long did they live and so slow did they die that the dwarven cities eventually experienced a lack of room. Unlike the cities on the surface, they could not simply expand outwards. They had to dig; and often, they had to dig down.
So they dug down. They always dug down. Down was dark and deep, filled with welcoming darkness which the dwarves could see through with their darkvision, and the comforting presence of stone all around them.
It was their element.
It was their salvation.
It was their doom.
One of the deep shafts struck… something. Nobody knew what it was at first. They only recognized it by its handiwork; darkness, and death.
The newly-founded holds at the base of dwarven civilization were the first to fall. Entire vaults and cities vanished into the darkness. No longer was darkness an old friend; it soon became a thing to be feared, and even among the dwarves — who could easily see in the lightless depths — it soon became a common practice to light torches and shed illumination everywhere.
This was wise. In places without light, dwarves might walk fearfully through the darkness and never emerge again.
The first sight of their enemy came by chance; a blood-curdling scream drew a squad of dwarven warriors with lantern-shields and axes; they found a many-legged… thing, dragging the severed upper torso of a dwarf away in its wicked jaws, chittering mindlessly as it slithered into a crevice seemingly too small to hold its body.
Thus began a great campaign to illuminate the dwarven cities. Entire workshops labored day and night to produce lanterns and magical lights. Soon, they were everywhere, and their foe was forced into view.
The dwarves would soon come to regret this.
Deprived of hiding places, their shadow-dwelling adversaries decided on a frontal attack; a nearly-limitless horde of multi-limbed monstrosities boiling forth from the depths of the earth. Axes dulled, armor broke, and crossbow bolts ran out and the horde continued pouring forth. Still, with blood and sweat, the dwarves halted the advance of their foes, which they called the Darkbrood.
(TL Note: 闇種)
No two of the Darkbrood were exactly alike. They were creatures of flesh and bone twisted into monstrous shapes, with grotesque central bodies that looked like lumps of meat. Their limbs ended in sharp spikes which easily pierced armor and skewer flesh. They were coated in an oily black fluid that made them slippery and caused blows to slide off if they were not well-struck. They were mindless and feared the light, but they could overcome that fear, and they came in such great numbers that holding a lantern against them was like trying to hold back an ocean with a candle.
Their flesh of their bodies yielded easily to dwarven hold-forged steel, but their spiked limbs were like the pickaxes the dwarves used to carve through particularly tough segments of bedrock. They possessed incredible vitality and powers of regeneration; if not killed, they soon healed any damage done to them.
The black ichor coating their bodies was the same fluid that ran within their veins. This vile substance corrupted the stone wherever it splashed, pitting and weakening it to the point where a good punch could break it.
Worse, the corrupted stone no longer registered to the dwarven stone-cunning. Since that particular sense was as handy as vision to a dwarf, it was as though they had been blinded; a fatal vulnerability when the Darkbrood swarmed. For this reason, retaking a corrupted hold was considered nothing short of suicide.
It was like walking into a monster’s open mouth.
The only saving grace was the fact that the Darkbrood hated the light and froze briefly when illuminated, which was the cue to all dwarven warriors fill them full of crossbow bolts and hack them apart. Once killed, the horde would recede for a time, which was blessed respite for the beleaguered defenders.
The average dwarf’s life soon became one of quiet desperation; working nonstop shifts in the forges to build panoplies for the dwarven warriors who risked their lives to protect them all. No longer did they spread joyfully below the earth, but they huddled around their well-lit hearths and prayed that they would not be the next to vanish.
The Council of Elders agreed that they had to take back the depths, somehow. To that end, they squandered huge amounts of men and materiel on twelve failed reconquests of their cities, and in the end they settled for simply securing what few holds they still controlled with their depleted forces.
The situation was growing dire.
To that end, they issued a summons...
♦ ♦ ♦
Igni Ro Falen hopped off the wagon, landing heavily — and gratefully — on the exquisitely-dressed stone floor beneath him.
This was the courtyard of the Durdashak Hold. Well, it was called a courtyard, but the dwarves abhorred building anything under the sun. Instead, this was a large cavern, a square that was a hundred meters on each side. It had been expanded and reinforced and turned into a place for those brave human merchants who risked the ire of the Slaine Theocracy to trade with demihumans.
There was one entrance, through which he had come, and one exit, which led further into the Hold. All around him were ashlar walls, with torch-bearing sconces spaced every meter along their length.
He bade the merchant who had given him his ride here farewell, and savored the feeling of good, solid stone beneath his feet. Even through his thick travelling boots, the resistance and constancy of the worked rock reassured him.
They called him the Daywalker, one who had forsaken the Night Below for the sunlit lands, but that did not mean he did not take pleasure in dwarven things any more.
Igni was of average height for a dwarf, four feet of slab-like muscle and rock-like bones. His hands were callused things, suited for gripping a forge-hammer or wielding a battle-axe. He had never been suited to the former, and his hands now trembled every time he attempted the latter.
His brown beard was thick and bushy, as expected of a dwarf, and his eyes were a dark brown.
Within them glowed the embers of what had once been a fire.
Once, Igni had been a captain in the dwarven armies. It was after the 11th crusade, when they had not only failed to retake the hold of Kekataag, but lost hundreds, if not thousands of men to the Darkbrood. He and his squad had been one of the lucky few to survive, and they had been pulled back to tunnel defense duty as the dwarven armies consolidated to lick their wounds.
It was simple work, really. Set the traps. Patrol the halls. Make sure the lights never went out.
And if it came to it, die for your people.
And die they did. A massive Darkbrood ambush took them by surprise, and most of his men died before he managed to pull the ragged survivors back to a mustering point. There, they had to make their stand, lest the Darkbrood flood into the defenseless hold. Fortunately, there were great vats of molten lead nearby for such an eventuality. When poured into the strategically-cut tunnels, the liquid metal would not only sear the Darkbrood but also plug up the tunnels they infested as well.
Unfortunately, the Darkbrood were not kind enough to stay there to be roasted. They filled the tunnels, and were on the verge of spilling out beyond their ability to contain.
Igni’s men would have none of it, however. Led by his adjutant, Lieutenant Kasra, they charged fearlessly into the throng of Darkbrood, holding their lantern-shields high to stun the Darkbrood in place before forming a line and keeping them from breaking through. This was the perfect opportunity to spring the trap… except that if he did it, his men would surely be killed in the outpouring of molten lead.
As he hesitated over what to do, the Darkbrood began recovering from their exposure to the light. One of the dwarves in the line had his torso perforated by a diamond-hard pick-limb, but with the strength of the stone beneath him, he willed himself to stay standing.
Kasra shouted: “Do it! Captain, do it!” Her voice was soon joined by the other warriors beside her; they knew the end was near for them.
Igni shook his head; how could he? He had fought and bled with these men. Having to kill them was too cruel a fate for anyone to bear.
“If they get through, we’ll have died for nothing! For pity’s sake, do it!”
Kasra howled as she too was impaled by a Darkbrood, but with her last, plaintive cry, she implored him to drown them all in boiling hot metal.
Igni threw the lever, and her cry of pain was drowned out in the roar of displaced air and vaporized flesh.
His superiors tried to paint him as a hero, but he knew that there were no heroes in this world; only people who survived when others did not, taking the credit for victories won by the deaths of their brethren. He refused their honors, and resigned his commission, and renounced his people.
From that moment forth, he became the Daywalker. Up on the surface, his men’s desperate cries for him to “Do it!” did not echo in his mind like it did underground. Out of the darkness, where his hands no longer shook and he did not see good men and women simultaneously burn and drown with their enemies in a tide of red-hot lead..
He joined the ranks of those dwarves who had decided to defy the age-old wisdom that the surface was death, and climbed squinting into the light.
♦ ♦ ♦
Igni was not the only dwarf who had gone to the surface, but he was the only one who had come back. He did not want to stay beneath the earth any more, but he still wanted to help his kinsmen, though his hands trembled uncontrollably whenever he took up an axe. He quietly guided trading caravans to the mountain holds, where they traded the arms their fallen brethren could no longer use for the food that the living needed to survive. He wandered the land, looking for some way to help his people, some allies who could help the dwarves — all in vain.
The Elves were no longer in their ancestral homelands. The Goblins refused to leave their strongholds. The Frost Dragons had never been on good terms with the Dwarves to begin with. And the humans… well, the Theocracy wanted to kill them. The new Emperor was the sort to enslave them. The Kingdom was too far away, and they were more interested in their own gain than helping anyone else.
Although…
During his travels, Igni came to learn of the saber-rattling between the Re-Estize Kingdom and the Baharuth Empire. He thought little of their squabbling at first. It seemed like the Blood Emperor poking the Kingdom as a childish prank, albeit on a national level.
There was a vague sense of admiration there; they had turned wars into a form of pomp and circumstance, minimizing the number of people who died and soothing the warhawks.
He could support that approach of minimizing casualties, even if he thought fighting between two human nations was foolish. Down in the dark, every dwarf stood together or died alone, and every dwarven death only fed the Darkbrood.
Thus he was shocked to hear that both the Kingdom and Empire were mustering their greatest hosts ever seen in their shared history; 245’000 men for the Kingdom, ranged against 60’000 men, six legions, a full three-quarters of the Imperial Army. All these men, gathered to kill each other.
It was even more shocking when he heard that the battle had been decisively won, not by the Kingdom, not by the Empire, but by the magic caster supporting the Empire.
Ainz Ooal Gown.
The Sorcerer-King of Nazarick.
The Supreme Overlord of Death, the skeletal magic caster who had slaughtered an entire wing of the Royal Army, 70’000 men, with a single spell, and then summoned five tentacled demons that had massacred the rest. He had personally slain Gazef Stronoff — the strongest man in the surrounding region — in melee combat with his bare hands, and left Princess Renner’s knights to carry the tale of his death back to the Kingdom.
Not even the Imperial Army was exempt from his fearsome wrath. One of the demons moved toward the Imperial legions and they killed themselves in their thousands in order to escape it, trampling each other in an utter rout.
It was almost laughable that the only thing it did was hoist the Sorcerer-King onto its back like it was a mount.
He had spoken to one of the survivors, a pleasant enough legionnaire who manned a blockhouse at the Imperial capital’s east gate. Whenever he heard the bleating of a goat, he... broke. He stood to attention and reflexively screamed praise to Ainz Ooal Gown, even as the tears flowed down his face and the urine stained his breeches.
None of his comrades mocked him for it.
They had all been there, after all.
And then, after that, Igni had heard of the man who stood up to the Invincible Lord of Death and Decay. The Dark Hero, Momon, who gallantly sacrificed his own freedom to become the check on the undead king’s reign of terror.
Igni did not much like heroes. He knew what sort of people ended up being called heroes. But Momon was different.
The stories of Momon spoke of a warrior in jet-black plate armor, swathed in a red cloak that swirled around him, wielding a pair of gigantic greatswords, one to each hand. They told of how he had subjugated the legendary beast known as the Wise King of the Forest, how he mowed through the army of the dead besieging E-Rantel from its cemeteries and slew the members of Zuranon masterminding the event, of his dispatch of a Gigant Basilisk, of how he dueled Jaldabaoth the Archfiend during the Royal Capital’s demonic uprising amidst a storm of hellfire.
Yet he was not simply a warrior. People spoke of his virtue; of how he refused to put his own personal gain before that of others. They said that when the Golden Princess called him away from meeting his fellow adventurers, he refused her, because they had come first. During the demonic disturbance, he took his time out to rescue a beleaguered group of city guards. When the Sorcerer-King’s beautiful aide made to slay a hapless child, he defied her, and bought their safety at the cost of his own liberty. He treated everyone he met with respect and did what he could to help all who sought his aid.
Igni’s cynical resistance was worn down by the stories of Momon’s mercy, and he soon came to believe, as did many others, that Momon was a true hero.
This was why he had put Momon’s name forward to the Elder Council at first. By himself, he could not begin to muster up the coin needed to hire Momon’s services; but the dwarves still had much gold and platinum in their coffers. He put his hope in their vision.
He should not have bothered.
“What can one man do,” they replied, “When entire armies have failed?”
And then Momon became the vassal of the Sorcerer-King, and that point was moot.
He received news that the 12th crusade ended in failure, and Igni began to lose hope.
Then, he received a message from the Council. It was a simple missive of five words.
We want to hire Momon.
♦ ♦ ♦
The familiar fear rose in Igni as he entered the tunnel leading to the depths of the hold. The heavily-armored dwarf guard pulled their halberds back and nodded, and he could see a faint trace of hope in their eyes.
Help us.
We’ll hold the line here, so please find a way.
He could practically hear what they were thinking. It made him sick to realise that he would probably have to deny them.
He would have to go before the Council and tell them that their hopes would be dashed. It was a burden that was as crushing as an avalanche. More than his claustrophobia, he felt the walls, the entire world closing in on him, and he remembered the screams and the skittering and the sound of pouring lead again —
No. He could not be weak here. He had to be strong, not for himself, but for the people around him.
He had to wear his scars on the inside.
He forced a smile on his face, cast aside the fear crawling up within him, and headed to the Council’s chamber.
He passed two more guards, who smiled to him under their nearly full-face helmets, and faced the doors between them.
So marvellously crafted were the ten-ton doors that even a toddler could push them open if they were not barred. They swung open without a sound, without any sign that anyone was opening them at all, and then he saw it, the Speaker’s Podium, where he would soon be standing
“Announcing Igni Ro Falen. Citizen Igni, you may address the Council.”
Igni strode forward, mounting the two steps to the podium, and then drew himself up to his full height.
“Good day, honored Elders. I have come before you today in response to your message.”
There was no response but muffled whispering.
“You ask to hire Momon, the Dark Hero.”
He noticed some of the bailiffs flinching at the word “Dark”.
“I am here to tell you that it is not possible.”
The room erupted like a volcano, laced with countless shouts of “What?!” “How could this be!” “You told us!” “Liar!” “Traitor!” “Daywalker!”
A voice cut through the commotion. It was a quiet, calm voice that pierced the heart like a stiletto and bade all who heard it be silent.
The voice belonged to Senior Councillor Gorgus Ga Damzen, a distinguished, senior member of a Council full of distinguished, senior dwarves. Though he no longer had the sheath of muscles that had won him fame as the Stonebreaker, he was still tall (for a dwarf), his platinum-white beard was still full, and he maintained the dignified air of command that had made him a general before he had chosen to become a statesman.
His eyes were like diamonds as they bored into Igni.
“Citizen Igni. At one point, you recommended hiring Momon the Dark Hero to this Council. We rejected the proposal, for various reasons. We have since come to reconsider that proposal, only to find that it is no longer an option. We would like to know why.”
Those eyes transfixed him again, and Igni found himself recounting the story of the Dark Hero becoming the Sorcerer-King’s vassal. When pressed, Igni also told the tale of the Battle of the Katze Plains.
He did not embellish the story. He did not need to.
When he was over, the consternation returned, quieter, but unopposed.
“So, our would-be savior is now a thrall of the Sorcerer-King of Nazarick,” Gorgus stated grimly.
“I cannot imagine the Sorcerer-King would let his pawn go easily, nor that Momon would want to leave him unsupervised,” Igni replied softly.
“Then… there is no hope?”
The iron in Gorgus’ voice was gone, and he was just a tired old man now. His eyes had lost their sparkle and Igni could see something in there which he could not have imagined before.
Defeat.
“Things… have gotten worse since you left, Citizen Igni,” Gorgus sighed. “The constant Darkbrood attacks were bad enough, but now it seems our foe has changed its ways. Captain Jasra.”
“Sir!”
A female dwarven voice responded to Gorgus’ cue. Indeed, it was a female dwarf who rose and spoke to him.
Igni was briefly lost in how much she looked like his old lieutenant.
“As you know, the standard Darkbrood tactic is a frontal attack. They do not use any strategy beyond the brutality of overwhelming numbers. However, this has changed recently.”
She paused, to compose herself, and then continued.
“When the 12th Crusade entered the recently-lost hold of Gakarak, we found it uninhabited, but almost uncorrupted. Moving quickly, we sealed off all entrances with combat engineers and worked to fortify it against possible Darkbrood resurgence. We succeeded. No Darkbrood could have breached all the defenses we built.”
Igni’s eyes went wide. “But I heard the 12th Crusade—”
“They did not need to, because they were already within them.”
Igni shut up. He could imagine what she was describing.
“Apparently the bulk of Darkbrood forces were lying in wait within Gakarak. We had sealed ourselves in — with them — but they had tunnels to bring in reinforcements.”
“Sacred Stone,” Igni breathed.
“My men forcefully carried me away through a breach they gave their lives to make. They ordered me to tell the Council and you what happened to them. I would have returned to active duty by now, but I must tell the Council of what I know before I throw my life away once more. I must tell you what you probably know by now —”
“— they can think.” Igni finished.
“And this was not limited to the 12th Crusade. The Darkbrood raids now use probing attacks, defensive feint retreats, all tactics we should have mastered. And they do so with the benefit of absolute numerical superiority.”
A pained expression passed over Jasra’s face. Gorgus decided to cut in.
“The Darkbrood press us further and further up every day, Citizen Igni. Our seers report seeing some sort of… entity, a black, demonic being, that speaks nothing but bombards them with images of death and devastation. Perhaps this is the source of our foe’s recent tactical innovation, but all we can say is that the situation is dire, Citizen Igni. In light of that, we reconsidered our decision not to employ the Dark Hero Momon. Our policy was never to rely on others — especially not the surfacers — for help. The reasoning was that they would sense weakness and attack us. But now… we have no choice. Our strength alone cannot win the day. We need… a hero. But he is denied us.”
Igni saw Jasra bite her lip.
An idea came to him.
It was almost too terrible to contemplate. If doing nothing was like a five-hundred meter plunge off a sheer cliff onto a rocky shore, then following this course of action was a three-hundred meter plunge instead.
It was practically suicide.
Do it.
The spectres of his men and Kasra screamed at him.
If they get through we’ll have died for nothing.
He saw Gorgus looking at him, his eyes bidding him speak.
“I… Actually, I have an idea.”
Every eye in the Council Chamber darted to Igni.
“What is it?!” Gorgus exclaimed. “Speak, citizen!”
“This is just a conjecture, and there may be no basis for it, but… perhaps we might be able to beg the Sorcerer-King to aid us.”
Muttered whisperings filled the chamber. Desperate clutches at hope, clashing with the black lances of despair.
“The Sorcerer-King is undead,” Gorgus replied. “The undead do not love the living. Why should he help us?”
“Because we have wealth.”
“I cannot imagine the Sorcerer-King would be anything less than affluent.”
“Because we can avail him of our forges.”
“He is a magic caster — what need does he have for steel when he can trample it with his minions?”
“Because we…”
He was not sure if he should say this. They were already calling him a traitor, and Daywalker was pretty much synonymous for race traitor anyway.
But he had come this far. There was no turning back.
“...Because we can serve him.”
“How dare you, Daywalker! You would have us sell ourselves to be an undead king’s bootlicks?! Or worse, his slaves from beyond the grave?!”
One of the other Councillors bellowed in anger, and neither Igni or Gorgus could keep the pained expression from their faces. For Gorgus it was because it might be necessary, and for Igni it was because he might be right.
But still, he had to defend his words.
“What other choice do we have?” Igni retorted. “Fight the Darkbrood? As if that’s helped us! Twelve failed crusades and we’ve learned nothing but that we can’t stop them! Or should we evacuate to the surface instead? Life up there is hard, Councillors, and I have only survived because of my friends and because I only had myself to care for. But the dwarven people have no allies on the surface, and your wounded, unfit and invalid outnumber the able-bodied. Nor do you know anything of surface life. And let us not forget that the strength of the Slaine Theocracy is untouched and they will see this mass exodus as an invitation to slaughter us all. Staying down here is certain death, and so is moving up there!”
Igni panted. Why was he saying this? He felt like he was in the grip of something greater than himself, some supreme being writing a script which he was merely reciting.
“Either way, we die, if not in body, then as a people. The dwarves without the Stone are not dwarves at all!”
“Then what would you have us do, Citizen Igni? You were asked to bring hope but instead all you preach is despair!”
“Swear allegiance to the Sorcerer-King, and then ask him to aid his loyal subjects,” Igni said simply.
“I do not say this as a man grasping at straws. Consider; the Sorcerer-King is a monster who commands other monsters. He chose to become a King — that means he wants to rule. Else he would not have bothered claiming E-Rantel, but instead slaughtered everything in his path. Nor is he picky in his choice of minions. I’ve seen some of his vassals — lizardmen who bear the brand of Nazarick — building statues in his honor. They say he conquered them, and then unified the tribes, a feat no lizardman has ever been able to accomplish in their history. They serve one of his lieutenants, known as the Glacial God of War in their tongue. And then there was his pronouncement to the Kingdom: ‘Tell them I will be merciful to those who submit respectfully.’.”
The Council Chamber was struck dumb by this revelation. Slowly, the whispers filtered back in, but Gorgus and Igni remained silent, looking at each other.
Finally, the hubbub died down, and Gorgus spoke in a quiet voice.
“Citizen Igni. Are you seriously asking the dwarven people to swear their loyalty to the Sorcerer-King of Nazarick?”
Igni took a deep breath.
“Councillor Gorgus, I have never been more serious about anything in my life. It is a great gamble, I agree. The Sorcerer-King might reject our offer of fealty. He might accept, and then enslave us. But every other option is worse, Councillor. At least, this way, we might live to regret our decision, rather than have future historians speak in glowing terms of our stubbornness as they excavate our remains. There are too many dead souls beneath us to cling to the pride that has brought us to the brink of extinction.”
Gorgus blinked, and visibly swallowed. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but no words came out. Finally, he managed to make a statement.
“I move that we send an emissary to the Sorcerer-King, offering our vassalage, and to ask for aid.”
There was a gasp of surprise, and yet it was not necessary.
Everyone knew it was coming, ever since Igni brought up the topic.
“Aye.”
Igni looked in the direction of the voice. It was the dwarf who had denounced him earlier.
The anger and hardness were gone from his eyes, replaced by a pained pleading.
I’m counting on you.
It was followed by more and more ayes, until everyone in the room had replied.
“A unanimous decision. So be it,” Gorgus said. “We shall send an emissary to the Sorcerer-King of Nazarick to request aid for our lands. Citizen Igni, come with me.”
Part 2
Within the Great Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz sighed as he sat by his desk, staring nonchalantly towards the distant.
What a drag! Just how did it end up like this?!
Ainz looked back at the mountain of paperwork laid out in front of him. After the subjugation of E-Rantel his normal workload had doubled. On top of checking through all the reports of his subordinates in Nazarick he had to work out all the details of managing the city as the new enforcer, while posing as the adventurer Momon.
Even though as an undead he no longer felt fatigue or need for sleep or food, he still was under mental stress from constantly having to file mountains paperwork day after day.
Ainz mimicked the motion of sighing as he gathered what little motivation he had left to pick up where he had left of his work.
Next to him stood a platinum blond-haired beauty with a chest quite disproportionate to the rest of her body. She had a petite figure and beautiful crimson eyes that matched her black and strawberry red dress. This was the guardian of the first three floors of the Tomb of Nazarick, Shalltear Bloodfallen a true vampire. She appeared to be all smiles as she carefully watched her master work and was ready to be of service to her master in any way she could… in any way.
Ainz could guess why she was in such a great mood today. Normally Albedo would be the one helping him complete his administrative affairs which at this point were starting to fit the description Kafkaesque quite nicely. But Albedo and Pandora's actor had finally begun their secret mission to search for other members of the guild throughout the continent, starting with a few key points that Ainz had marked as POI's.
Haah, it feels kind of strange not having Albedo around who has a higher intelligence and is more of a help with these matters than Shalltear but at the very least Shalltear won't suddenly decide to jump me. In this regard I prefer Shalltear who has a more reserved personality.
"Ainz-sama please feel free to take a break from your work, I'm sure that those lower life forms won't mind you placing your own needs before theirs."
Shalltear must have guessed Ainz his current thoughts.
"No Shalltear, I have to finish these reports today otherwise tomorrow the people of E-Rantel might get upset with Momon for not doing his job properly which will lead to them being dissatisfied with the rule of Nazarick. We have conquered those humans and imposed our rule. We must make sure not to treat them badly afterwards."
"As expected of my Lord! To place those lesser forms' needs before yours, truly compassionate!"
Shalltear brought her hands together as if to start praying and she was starting to tear up from the heartfelt statement of Ainz.
Ainz shrugged his shoulders. He simply didn't want to deal with the troublesome task of suppressing the inhabitants of E-Rantel through brute force.
*Knock* *Knock*
Ainz's thoughts were interrupted from the sound of soft knocking on the door. He responded in a calm manner.
"Enter."
A beautiful blonde girl wearing a maid outfit opened the door. It was one of the 41 homunculus maids that cleaned and managed maintenance of Nazarick's 9th and 10th floor. She bowed deeply to great Ainz and then delivered her message.
"Ainz-sama, please forgive my interruption of your work but Demiurge-sama requests an audience with you."
Was he supposed to report today?
Ainz thought deeply for a second. Demiurge was supposed to manage Nazarick's temporary embassy with the Empire on top of all his other duties. What could be so important that he wanted to report now? Ainz decided that it was better not to wonder and just ask him directly.
"Very well send him in."
The maid bowed deeply and responded to her master's order.
"As you wish, Ainz-sama."
Moments later a man entered the room wearing a tight suit, round glasses and had neatly combed black hair. The thing that stood out however was his scaly tail and pointy ears. The floor guardian of the 7th floor Demiurge. He kneeled down before Ainz.
"Speak"
Demiurge raised his head and began speaking to Ainz.
"Forgive my intrusion Ainz-sama. Thank you for receiving me so suddenly. Oh, and I see that Shalltear is here as well, that's excellent."
Ainz frowned his non-existent eyebrows and responded.
"No need to apologize, you wouldn't ask for a meeting without a good reason, Demiurge. But why is Shalltear being here convenient might I ask?"
"Yes!"
Demiurge got up and resumed his orderly straight up posture before he began speaking again.
"Ainz sama I come to deliver a report of the highest priority which I believe cannot be delivered simply by message or messenger."
This statement made the crimson lights in the sockets of Ainz's skull shine brighter than usual. For the calculating Demiurge to value the contents of a report so much that he came personally made Ainz feel uneasy.
"Very well then Demiurge! Then tell me what you have found out."
"Yes Ainz-sama, I believe that I have finally discovered the hiding place of the vermin that used a World Item to brainwash Shalltear and make her rebel against us."
"What? Ah forgive me Ainz-sama."
Shalltear could not help but shout out her surprise after which she immediately covered her mouth with her hands and apologized.
Anger and surprise boiled up in Ainz at this moment. When Ainz thought back of how he had to personally kill Shalltear who was a creation of one of his former guild mates and close friend Peroroncino who he considered like a younger brother, it brought him close to where his passive skill had to forcibly calm him down. However it was still surprising that Demiurge was able to find the group that even Ainz was unable to track down after numerous attempts to lure them out.
"Hooh, so they've come out of hiding then?"
"No, Ainz-sama I was merely able to narrow down their possible hiding places thanks to the empire's intelligence network and spies."
At this point demiurge raised his finger like a teacher about to educate his students
My findings come down to these two points. First the people who brainwashed Shalltear do not appear to be from YGGDRASIL like us. Second, I am fairly certain that the culprits are hiding in the Slane Theocracy.
Upon hearing this doubt started to gnaw on Ainz. From the moment he discovered that Shalltear had been put under mind control by a world item user he had been convinced that the one responsible was a player like him, to hear Demiurge deny this felt like something of a misunderstanding.
If they really weren't players from YGGDRASIL could it be that my deduction of them specifically targeting Shalltear was wrong as well. The timing of their appearance was just too godly after all. No before that I must make sure.
Ainz glared at Demiurge and asked his next question whilst trying not to lose his composure.
"What proof do you have of these findings Demiurge?
"First off thanks to our experiments and findings we have concluded that some humans are capable of using items from YGGDRASIL and sometimes ignoring the level restrictions that even the members of Nazarick have to abide by. Thus the possibility of humans using items from beings of Yggdrasil comes to mind."
Ainz had already understood that, when he battled the human Nigun from the Sunlight Scripture he used a magic crystal which was clearly an item from YGGDRASIL to summon a high tier angel.
Could it be that world items are also usable to them despite world class items having a level requirement of 80?
Humans were regarded by Ainz and the rest of Nazarick as weaker beings no different than bugs beneath a shoe, however if they were capable of ignoring class and level restrictions and use even world Items, than that changed the level of threat they could pose to Nazarick quite significantly. But this alone did not prove that it was humans and not players that attacked Shalltear.
"But then let me ask you Demiurge. What makes you think that it was specifically humans and not other players that attacked us?"
To answer this question we need only but ask ourselves four other questions. First, why is the magic used in this world the same as in YGGDRASIL? Second, where did the humans get items from YGGDRASSIL? Third, how were we discovered? And fourth, why is Nazarick so powerful?
"Haah? What kind of question is that last one Demiurge?"
"Shalltear be quiet for a minute!"
"My deepest apologies Ainz-sama!"
Shalltear bowed and refrained from speaking any further
The light in Ainz's sockets went dim as he tried to solve these questions in order
The reason that magic here and magic back in YGGDRASIL was virtually the same was something that he had found strange as well. He had come to the conclusion that other players had come to this world before him and taught the other inhabitants of this world how to use their magic. However the difference of time is what worried him since that was supposedly hundreds of years ago. The existence of Fluder who had been practicing magic for more than a hundred years proved that.
Could it be that time flows differently here compared to YGGDRASIL? Or were we all transported at the same time to different points in time when the server shut down? Maybe in a hundred years or so ill encounter someone from YGGDRASIL as well. When that time comes will it be friend or foe?
The second question's answer was virtually the same as the first. They must have gotten them from other players. Suddenly Ainz realized where Demiurge was going with this hypothesis. To give a powerful item to a human was one thing. Ainz himself had done so in the past as well, as he had given horns of the goblin general to Enri Emmot from Carne Village. But to give a world item to one was something Ainz wouldn't even consider doing. But it was another thing to take it from a player after his death. If the players that came to this world before had indeed passed away, their items would become available to anyone that found them.
However this does not mean that it really were humans. It could still be other players who arrived around the same time as us or players that have been able to survive due to their race's long lifespan.
Ainz sighed as he probably wasn't thinking hard enough about what demiurge said.
The third question bothered Ainz as well. How they were discovered was a complete mystery. No matter what little blunders Ainz had made before Shalltear's revolt he was confident that he had never let slip information about Nazarick or himself, let alone Sebas or Shalltear. Shalltear at the moment of her mission should have been wearing her ring to hide from detection and divination magic this went for all active members in the field. It really was too convenient to have known that she was there and to have prepared a World Item to capture her no less.
So in the end it really must have been a random encounter between Shalltear and another party. Though I thought that was just wishful thinking, the fact that we haven't discovered a hint of surveillance upon us further proves that they themselves don't know who they were dealing with. But in the end the possibility of another player still exists.
Ainz was starting to get a feeling that everything would become clear after he answered the last of Demiurge's questions. Although he wasn't confident that he could, seeing as he could not compare with his intellect.
That said, the last question puzzled Ainz deeply. "Why were they strong?" it was a question that did not need an answer. Because to compare the power of Nazarick to any of this world's nations would be absurd to say the least. Just one of the many guild battles that Ainz fought with his former teammates would be regarded as a battle of gods by any inhabitant of this world. That's right, because Ainz and the rest of Nazarick were unfair beings from an unfair world with unfair rules they could be considered to be so strong…
…
The light in Ainz's eyes seemed to go out for a second only to come back on as Ainz softly Addressed Demiurge.
"Excellent Demiurge, you really are a genius to have thought that far. Even I hadn't considered that. Then explain to Shalltear the answer to the last one."
Haah, I'm getting tired of using this excuse to have Demiurge explain what he knows.
Demiurge smiled brightly as to him to be of service to his master on an intellectual level was the greatest joy he could feel.
"I am undeserving of such praise Ainz-sama."
"Eh, I don't get it Ainz-sama. What have you figured out?"
"Shalltear, you and I are in this world walking calamities. After Having easily killed the human Gazef Stronoff who was supposed to be the kingdom's greatest warrior we now know that virtually all humans are very weak compared to us. So if you were a player from YGGDRASIL and you'd encounter a humanoid being on an equal level just how would you react to such a development?"
At this point Ainz started to get the picture that Demiurge was trying to paint.
If Shalltear really did meet another player or players then why did they use a world item on her? If they were equal in strength they could have first talked it out, even though Shalltear would attack before asking questions due to her personality. Still there would be no need to use a world item as they could just overpower her or flee using other items. If they were stronger or outnumbered her then the use of a world Item was even stranger because the difference in strength or numerical difference made such an action obsolete. And if they were weaker and immediately used the World item then why did they leave her there?
If it was another player then then it couldn't have been because Shalltear had managed to kill the one using the item or wounded him to the point where they would have to retreat while leaving her there. Shalltear didn't possess a skill or spell that could cut a level 80 player's health to the point where he needed immediate and long term healing from just one hit.
"No matter what the setup was, if your opponent was a player or players from YGGDRASIL then it wouldn't have ended with you being left alone in that place in your neutral state. Thus a picture forms of someone who's only hope of beating you was using their world item to mind control you, however you managed to wound or kill the one using the world item before the control was complete and forced them to flee while leaving you in that state."
"It is as you say Ainz-sama."
"Well then, there remains only one question that I'd like to ask you Demiurge. Why the Slane Theocracy?"
"About that Ainz-sama, considering that we know for sure that the empire does not possess such power nor the kingdom, geographically the Theocracy is the obvious next suspect."
"Hmm… that definitely makes sense, with the kingdom and the empire out of the picture the only other nation close to us would definitely be the Slane Theocracy.
"Also as I said earlier, thanks to the empire's intelligence network I was able to find out much about the Theocracy's inner workings. Amongst those was a report that they have under their control a special unit like the one Ainz-sama fought in the human village, with the main difference being that this unit possesses items that were reported as 'not of this world'.
Ainz could not help but let out a soft 'aah' sound as the pieces of the puzzle were coming together quite nicely.
"So then let's assume that this unit like the ones we encountered at Carne Village were out on a mission and came across Shalltear. After witnessing how strong she is they resorted to using a world item. However Shalltear sensed the danger and struck a blow against the one using the item, thus causing a draw due to killing or wounding the user."
"Indeed Ainz-sama that is my theory as well, however it is impossible to say if it's really them who are responsible for the incident. But I believe that at this point it is our best lead."
"Hmm, you're right Demiurge, it is definitely worth checking out. Eventually we would become their enemies anyway seeing as they despise non-human races."
"Ainz-sama please send me to dispose of those lesser beings! If they really were the ones responsible for my blunder then I should be the one to handle them! I will turn them into zombies and have them kill their own loved ones and family to see how they like it. Or should I maybe do the reverse and force them to kill or be killed by their zombified loved ones."
Shalltear was visibly shaking with both excitement and anger as she could feel the opportunity to relish exacting her revenge against the ones who caused her to rebel. Ainz could not begin to imagine what other horrors she would subject them to if they could be captured alive.
Somehow I doubt that they will allow their capture though, well if necessary we could revive them and then kill them again after torture.
Ainz had completely forgone any notion of sparing the lives of the ones responsible for making him kill Shalltear. If they really could be captured alive he would just say "go wild" to Shalltear and leave it at that.
"No Shalltear, if we manage to lure them into a trap I can promise you that I'll let you have your revenge but until then I'll have you stay in Nazarick."
"I understand Ainz-sama, please forgive my uncalled for outburst just now."
Shalltear bowed her head returned to her calm and composed state, but Ainz could still feel that she was revved up and rearing to go.
"Well then Ainz-sama if you permit me to strategize I will come up with a plan to destroy these foolish humans and clear away Shalltear's no Nazarick's shame."
To this Statement Ainz appeared to give off a broad smile as he responded to Demiurge's request.
"No need to uphold the façade Demiurge, I know full well that you already started formulating a plan the moment that you figured this out."
Demiurge smiled brightly with an evil grimace, displaying his true nature he answered his lord.
"As expected from my lord, there is nothing this one can hide from you. Well then if you will allow me to make a suggestion, I recommend we use that hairy old sheepdog u picked up recently as bait."
"Sheepdog?
Ainz Pondered for a second who Demiurge meant.
Aah you mean him. You're right if it's him he should definitely be able to lure out the any strong ones within the Theocracy.
"Now the next question is what we do with them after we lure them out. Even if they are weak they still possess at least one World Item. Even though we have armed the floor guardians with World items we have no way of safely confirming if they still deter the effects of other world class items."
"About that Ainz-sama, how about we transport them into my guardian's arena?"
Ainz thought about what Shalltear said for a second and then firmly answered.
"Rejected, if we lose control of a guardian there we will have no way of bringing them back or even killing them."
A guardian's arena referred to the part of Nazarick where the floor guardians would fight with any invaders that came into Nazarick if they were of a high enough caliber. Inside their arena a floor guardian was nigh invincible when compared to outside of their arena. With the exception of Victim whose arena didn't strengthen him so much as the other fellows on his floor, a floor guardian inside his arena could easily take on 20 level 100 players and had the strength of a semi raid-boss.
In Shalltear's case she would face them inside the 'Blood fest Ballroom', where all players would continually be drained off their health whilst fighting her and her high-level undead minions. This along with her Spuit Lance and the fact that she could consume one of her six vampire brides' blood to restore her health completely made it possible to out-sustain even the strongest parties.
In Demiurge's case his 'Devil's Lobby' had a very nasty mechanism where the floor was actually the mouth of an enormous demon. Every two minutes there would be a magic activation that disabled all forms of flying and levitation for all creatures except for demonic creatures. If the curse was not dispelled within ten seconds the floor would open and the players would fall into the mouth where repeated instant-death magic was cast on them till they perished. Combine this with the barrage of AOE lava attacks and constant assault from flying demons and you had a veritable raid nightmare.
Ainz smiled as he reminisced about how much fun Peroronchino-san and Ulbert Alain Odle-san seemed to have as they were developing these mechanics back in the day.
Weren't those two being a little bit too sadistic with their arenas? Then again I did setup the Avatars in the Treasure room to attack anyone with the ring of Ainz Ooal Gown so I can't judge too much.
The reason that Ainz wished to avoid making the guardians arenas the battleground for defeating this enemy was twofold. First off there was a considerable amount of money that needed to be paid to activate an arena. In the old days it would have been an insignificant amount but now it was too much to use carelessly.
Secondly, though in YGGDRASIL you couldn't affect a floor guardian with a World Item whilst they are inside their arena, with the exception of world items like World Savior which did direct damage instead of effects− this was to prevent guilds constantly destroying each other's bases using just one world class item. But here in this new world there was no guarantee that the rule still applied. Which meant that if a guardian could be mind-controlled inside of their own arena, then Nazarick would have no way to stop them− since they did not possess enough level 100 members to take on a guardian inside of their arena without the use of another world item and even then it was risky.
"Looks like no matter what I'll have to wrap my hand in cloth and stick it in the flame to see if it catches fire. Well we'll have to burn that bridge when we get to it. For now let's focus on getting the proper Intel first. To charge at an enemy without clear understanding of their capabilities is just foolish."
"You are right as always Ainz-sama. The best thing would be to approach the problem the same way as we did in the kingdom."
"You mean send a small scouting group to their country to collect valuable Intel, layouts, population numbers and military strength?"
"Exactly so Ainz-sama."
"Though I do agree with the approach, the question we have to answer next is: who will go?"
Almost all of the people that Ainz could rely on to complete missions outside Nazarick were either unavailable or unfit for the job."
Sebas and Solution were still working hard inside the kingdom. Though according to Demiurge the day when they took over the kingdom completely was near, it still was too long away for Ainz to recall them. Demiurge was buried in work as it is and Shalltear was out of the question for obvious reasons. Albedo was out scouting possible POI's for where his comrades may be hiding and the twins would be too dangerous seeing as the Slane Theocracy was so biased against non-humans.
"Haaah, as expected if would have to be the free members of the Pleiades. That would mean Yuri Shizu or Entoma."
"Might I suggest Yuri and Shizu? Seeing as Entoma might be a bit too dangerous."
"Hmm that's good for a start but still not enough. They need to have a high level NPC with them, one that can protect those two if bad goes to worst."
"Then how about sending Lycan?"
…
"That fellow huh?" Ainz wavered for a second.
It was true that the NPC Lycan met both of the requirements, he was both a high level NPC of Nazarick and would be indistinguishable from a normal human to the naked eye. The problem was that he is a loose cannon and had a bad personality. Ainz was unsure whether he could be entrusted to guard Shizu and Yuri during this important mission.
With the members of Nazarick spread thin, I can't be picky with the members I choose to send outside anymore.
Ainz thought about it for a second and then an idea struck him like lightning.
That's it I'll just give them that thing along as a means of escaping. Even Gargantua could make an escape if he used that.
"Huh, very well then. Shalltear please get me Yuri and Shizu and also, find whatever hole Lycan is sleeping in and bring him to me as well."
"Understood Ainz-sama!"
Shalltear bowed and left the room.
What a drag! Just how did it end up like this?!
Ainz looked back at the mountain of paperwork laid out in front of him. After the subjugation of E-Rantel his normal workload had doubled. On top of checking through all the reports of his subordinates in Nazarick he had to work out all the details of managing the city as the new enforcer, while posing as the adventurer Momon.
Even though as an undead he no longer felt fatigue or need for sleep or food, he still was under mental stress from constantly having to file mountains paperwork day after day.
Ainz mimicked the motion of sighing as he gathered what little motivation he had left to pick up where he had left of his work.
Next to him stood a platinum blond-haired beauty with a chest quite disproportionate to the rest of her body. She had a petite figure and beautiful crimson eyes that matched her black and strawberry red dress. This was the guardian of the first three floors of the Tomb of Nazarick, Shalltear Bloodfallen a true vampire. She appeared to be all smiles as she carefully watched her master work and was ready to be of service to her master in any way she could… in any way.
Ainz could guess why she was in such a great mood today. Normally Albedo would be the one helping him complete his administrative affairs which at this point were starting to fit the description Kafkaesque quite nicely. But Albedo and Pandora's actor had finally begun their secret mission to search for other members of the guild throughout the continent, starting with a few key points that Ainz had marked as POI's.
Haah, it feels kind of strange not having Albedo around who has a higher intelligence and is more of a help with these matters than Shalltear but at the very least Shalltear won't suddenly decide to jump me. In this regard I prefer Shalltear who has a more reserved personality.
"Ainz-sama please feel free to take a break from your work, I'm sure that those lower life forms won't mind you placing your own needs before theirs."
Shalltear must have guessed Ainz his current thoughts.
"No Shalltear, I have to finish these reports today otherwise tomorrow the people of E-Rantel might get upset with Momon for not doing his job properly which will lead to them being dissatisfied with the rule of Nazarick. We have conquered those humans and imposed our rule. We must make sure not to treat them badly afterwards."
"As expected of my Lord! To place those lesser forms' needs before yours, truly compassionate!"
Shalltear brought her hands together as if to start praying and she was starting to tear up from the heartfelt statement of Ainz.
Ainz shrugged his shoulders. He simply didn't want to deal with the troublesome task of suppressing the inhabitants of E-Rantel through brute force.
*Knock* *Knock*
Ainz's thoughts were interrupted from the sound of soft knocking on the door. He responded in a calm manner.
"Enter."
A beautiful blonde girl wearing a maid outfit opened the door. It was one of the 41 homunculus maids that cleaned and managed maintenance of Nazarick's 9th and 10th floor. She bowed deeply to great Ainz and then delivered her message.
"Ainz-sama, please forgive my interruption of your work but Demiurge-sama requests an audience with you."
Was he supposed to report today?
Ainz thought deeply for a second. Demiurge was supposed to manage Nazarick's temporary embassy with the Empire on top of all his other duties. What could be so important that he wanted to report now? Ainz decided that it was better not to wonder and just ask him directly.
"Very well send him in."
The maid bowed deeply and responded to her master's order.
"As you wish, Ainz-sama."
Moments later a man entered the room wearing a tight suit, round glasses and had neatly combed black hair. The thing that stood out however was his scaly tail and pointy ears. The floor guardian of the 7th floor Demiurge. He kneeled down before Ainz.
"Speak"
Demiurge raised his head and began speaking to Ainz.
"Forgive my intrusion Ainz-sama. Thank you for receiving me so suddenly. Oh, and I see that Shalltear is here as well, that's excellent."
Ainz frowned his non-existent eyebrows and responded.
"No need to apologize, you wouldn't ask for a meeting without a good reason, Demiurge. But why is Shalltear being here convenient might I ask?"
"Yes!"
Demiurge got up and resumed his orderly straight up posture before he began speaking again.
"Ainz sama I come to deliver a report of the highest priority which I believe cannot be delivered simply by message or messenger."
This statement made the crimson lights in the sockets of Ainz's skull shine brighter than usual. For the calculating Demiurge to value the contents of a report so much that he came personally made Ainz feel uneasy.
"Very well then Demiurge! Then tell me what you have found out."
"Yes Ainz-sama, I believe that I have finally discovered the hiding place of the vermin that used a World Item to brainwash Shalltear and make her rebel against us."
"What? Ah forgive me Ainz-sama."
Shalltear could not help but shout out her surprise after which she immediately covered her mouth with her hands and apologized.
Anger and surprise boiled up in Ainz at this moment. When Ainz thought back of how he had to personally kill Shalltear who was a creation of one of his former guild mates and close friend Peroroncino who he considered like a younger brother, it brought him close to where his passive skill had to forcibly calm him down. However it was still surprising that Demiurge was able to find the group that even Ainz was unable to track down after numerous attempts to lure them out.
"Hooh, so they've come out of hiding then?"
"No, Ainz-sama I was merely able to narrow down their possible hiding places thanks to the empire's intelligence network and spies."
At this point demiurge raised his finger like a teacher about to educate his students
My findings come down to these two points. First the people who brainwashed Shalltear do not appear to be from YGGDRASIL like us. Second, I am fairly certain that the culprits are hiding in the Slane Theocracy.
Upon hearing this doubt started to gnaw on Ainz. From the moment he discovered that Shalltear had been put under mind control by a world item user he had been convinced that the one responsible was a player like him, to hear Demiurge deny this felt like something of a misunderstanding.
If they really weren't players from YGGDRASIL could it be that my deduction of them specifically targeting Shalltear was wrong as well. The timing of their appearance was just too godly after all. No before that I must make sure.
Ainz glared at Demiurge and asked his next question whilst trying not to lose his composure.
"What proof do you have of these findings Demiurge?
"First off thanks to our experiments and findings we have concluded that some humans are capable of using items from YGGDRASIL and sometimes ignoring the level restrictions that even the members of Nazarick have to abide by. Thus the possibility of humans using items from beings of Yggdrasil comes to mind."
Ainz had already understood that, when he battled the human Nigun from the Sunlight Scripture he used a magic crystal which was clearly an item from YGGDRASIL to summon a high tier angel.
Could it be that world items are also usable to them despite world class items having a level requirement of 80?
Humans were regarded by Ainz and the rest of Nazarick as weaker beings no different than bugs beneath a shoe, however if they were capable of ignoring class and level restrictions and use even world Items, than that changed the level of threat they could pose to Nazarick quite significantly. But this alone did not prove that it was humans and not players that attacked Shalltear.
"But then let me ask you Demiurge. What makes you think that it was specifically humans and not other players that attacked us?"
To answer this question we need only but ask ourselves four other questions. First, why is the magic used in this world the same as in YGGDRASIL? Second, where did the humans get items from YGGDRASSIL? Third, how were we discovered? And fourth, why is Nazarick so powerful?
"Haah? What kind of question is that last one Demiurge?"
"Shalltear be quiet for a minute!"
"My deepest apologies Ainz-sama!"
Shalltear bowed and refrained from speaking any further
The light in Ainz's sockets went dim as he tried to solve these questions in order
The reason that magic here and magic back in YGGDRASIL was virtually the same was something that he had found strange as well. He had come to the conclusion that other players had come to this world before him and taught the other inhabitants of this world how to use their magic. However the difference of time is what worried him since that was supposedly hundreds of years ago. The existence of Fluder who had been practicing magic for more than a hundred years proved that.
Could it be that time flows differently here compared to YGGDRASIL? Or were we all transported at the same time to different points in time when the server shut down? Maybe in a hundred years or so ill encounter someone from YGGDRASIL as well. When that time comes will it be friend or foe?
The second question's answer was virtually the same as the first. They must have gotten them from other players. Suddenly Ainz realized where Demiurge was going with this hypothesis. To give a powerful item to a human was one thing. Ainz himself had done so in the past as well, as he had given horns of the goblin general to Enri Emmot from Carne Village. But to give a world item to one was something Ainz wouldn't even consider doing. But it was another thing to take it from a player after his death. If the players that came to this world before had indeed passed away, their items would become available to anyone that found them.
However this does not mean that it really were humans. It could still be other players who arrived around the same time as us or players that have been able to survive due to their race's long lifespan.
Ainz sighed as he probably wasn't thinking hard enough about what demiurge said.
The third question bothered Ainz as well. How they were discovered was a complete mystery. No matter what little blunders Ainz had made before Shalltear's revolt he was confident that he had never let slip information about Nazarick or himself, let alone Sebas or Shalltear. Shalltear at the moment of her mission should have been wearing her ring to hide from detection and divination magic this went for all active members in the field. It really was too convenient to have known that she was there and to have prepared a World Item to capture her no less.
So in the end it really must have been a random encounter between Shalltear and another party. Though I thought that was just wishful thinking, the fact that we haven't discovered a hint of surveillance upon us further proves that they themselves don't know who they were dealing with. But in the end the possibility of another player still exists.
Ainz was starting to get a feeling that everything would become clear after he answered the last of Demiurge's questions. Although he wasn't confident that he could, seeing as he could not compare with his intellect.
That said, the last question puzzled Ainz deeply. "Why were they strong?" it was a question that did not need an answer. Because to compare the power of Nazarick to any of this world's nations would be absurd to say the least. Just one of the many guild battles that Ainz fought with his former teammates would be regarded as a battle of gods by any inhabitant of this world. That's right, because Ainz and the rest of Nazarick were unfair beings from an unfair world with unfair rules they could be considered to be so strong…
…
The light in Ainz's eyes seemed to go out for a second only to come back on as Ainz softly Addressed Demiurge.
"Excellent Demiurge, you really are a genius to have thought that far. Even I hadn't considered that. Then explain to Shalltear the answer to the last one."
Haah, I'm getting tired of using this excuse to have Demiurge explain what he knows.
Demiurge smiled brightly as to him to be of service to his master on an intellectual level was the greatest joy he could feel.
"I am undeserving of such praise Ainz-sama."
"Eh, I don't get it Ainz-sama. What have you figured out?"
"Shalltear, you and I are in this world walking calamities. After Having easily killed the human Gazef Stronoff who was supposed to be the kingdom's greatest warrior we now know that virtually all humans are very weak compared to us. So if you were a player from YGGDRASIL and you'd encounter a humanoid being on an equal level just how would you react to such a development?"
At this point Ainz started to get the picture that Demiurge was trying to paint.
If Shalltear really did meet another player or players then why did they use a world item on her? If they were equal in strength they could have first talked it out, even though Shalltear would attack before asking questions due to her personality. Still there would be no need to use a world item as they could just overpower her or flee using other items. If they were stronger or outnumbered her then the use of a world Item was even stranger because the difference in strength or numerical difference made such an action obsolete. And if they were weaker and immediately used the World item then why did they leave her there?
If it was another player then then it couldn't have been because Shalltear had managed to kill the one using the item or wounded him to the point where they would have to retreat while leaving her there. Shalltear didn't possess a skill or spell that could cut a level 80 player's health to the point where he needed immediate and long term healing from just one hit.
"No matter what the setup was, if your opponent was a player or players from YGGDRASIL then it wouldn't have ended with you being left alone in that place in your neutral state. Thus a picture forms of someone who's only hope of beating you was using their world item to mind control you, however you managed to wound or kill the one using the world item before the control was complete and forced them to flee while leaving you in that state."
"It is as you say Ainz-sama."
"Well then, there remains only one question that I'd like to ask you Demiurge. Why the Slane Theocracy?"
"About that Ainz-sama, considering that we know for sure that the empire does not possess such power nor the kingdom, geographically the Theocracy is the obvious next suspect."
"Hmm… that definitely makes sense, with the kingdom and the empire out of the picture the only other nation close to us would definitely be the Slane Theocracy.
"Also as I said earlier, thanks to the empire's intelligence network I was able to find out much about the Theocracy's inner workings. Amongst those was a report that they have under their control a special unit like the one Ainz-sama fought in the human village, with the main difference being that this unit possesses items that were reported as 'not of this world'.
Ainz could not help but let out a soft 'aah' sound as the pieces of the puzzle were coming together quite nicely.
"So then let's assume that this unit like the ones we encountered at Carne Village were out on a mission and came across Shalltear. After witnessing how strong she is they resorted to using a world item. However Shalltear sensed the danger and struck a blow against the one using the item, thus causing a draw due to killing or wounding the user."
"Indeed Ainz-sama that is my theory as well, however it is impossible to say if it's really them who are responsible for the incident. But I believe that at this point it is our best lead."
"Hmm, you're right Demiurge, it is definitely worth checking out. Eventually we would become their enemies anyway seeing as they despise non-human races."
"Ainz-sama please send me to dispose of those lesser beings! If they really were the ones responsible for my blunder then I should be the one to handle them! I will turn them into zombies and have them kill their own loved ones and family to see how they like it. Or should I maybe do the reverse and force them to kill or be killed by their zombified loved ones."
Shalltear was visibly shaking with both excitement and anger as she could feel the opportunity to relish exacting her revenge against the ones who caused her to rebel. Ainz could not begin to imagine what other horrors she would subject them to if they could be captured alive.
Somehow I doubt that they will allow their capture though, well if necessary we could revive them and then kill them again after torture.
Ainz had completely forgone any notion of sparing the lives of the ones responsible for making him kill Shalltear. If they really could be captured alive he would just say "go wild" to Shalltear and leave it at that.
"No Shalltear, if we manage to lure them into a trap I can promise you that I'll let you have your revenge but until then I'll have you stay in Nazarick."
"I understand Ainz-sama, please forgive my uncalled for outburst just now."
Shalltear bowed her head returned to her calm and composed state, but Ainz could still feel that she was revved up and rearing to go.
"Well then Ainz-sama if you permit me to strategize I will come up with a plan to destroy these foolish humans and clear away Shalltear's no Nazarick's shame."
To this Statement Ainz appeared to give off a broad smile as he responded to Demiurge's request.
"No need to uphold the façade Demiurge, I know full well that you already started formulating a plan the moment that you figured this out."
Demiurge smiled brightly with an evil grimace, displaying his true nature he answered his lord.
"As expected from my lord, there is nothing this one can hide from you. Well then if you will allow me to make a suggestion, I recommend we use that hairy old sheepdog u picked up recently as bait."
"Sheepdog?
Ainz Pondered for a second who Demiurge meant.
Aah you mean him. You're right if it's him he should definitely be able to lure out the any strong ones within the Theocracy.
"Now the next question is what we do with them after we lure them out. Even if they are weak they still possess at least one World Item. Even though we have armed the floor guardians with World items we have no way of safely confirming if they still deter the effects of other world class items."
"About that Ainz-sama, how about we transport them into my guardian's arena?"
Ainz thought about what Shalltear said for a second and then firmly answered.
"Rejected, if we lose control of a guardian there we will have no way of bringing them back or even killing them."
A guardian's arena referred to the part of Nazarick where the floor guardians would fight with any invaders that came into Nazarick if they were of a high enough caliber. Inside their arena a floor guardian was nigh invincible when compared to outside of their arena. With the exception of Victim whose arena didn't strengthen him so much as the other fellows on his floor, a floor guardian inside his arena could easily take on 20 level 100 players and had the strength of a semi raid-boss.
In Shalltear's case she would face them inside the 'Blood fest Ballroom', where all players would continually be drained off their health whilst fighting her and her high-level undead minions. This along with her Spuit Lance and the fact that she could consume one of her six vampire brides' blood to restore her health completely made it possible to out-sustain even the strongest parties.
In Demiurge's case his 'Devil's Lobby' had a very nasty mechanism where the floor was actually the mouth of an enormous demon. Every two minutes there would be a magic activation that disabled all forms of flying and levitation for all creatures except for demonic creatures. If the curse was not dispelled within ten seconds the floor would open and the players would fall into the mouth where repeated instant-death magic was cast on them till they perished. Combine this with the barrage of AOE lava attacks and constant assault from flying demons and you had a veritable raid nightmare.
Ainz smiled as he reminisced about how much fun Peroronchino-san and Ulbert Alain Odle-san seemed to have as they were developing these mechanics back in the day.
Weren't those two being a little bit too sadistic with their arenas? Then again I did setup the Avatars in the Treasure room to attack anyone with the ring of Ainz Ooal Gown so I can't judge too much.
The reason that Ainz wished to avoid making the guardians arenas the battleground for defeating this enemy was twofold. First off there was a considerable amount of money that needed to be paid to activate an arena. In the old days it would have been an insignificant amount but now it was too much to use carelessly.
Secondly, though in YGGDRASIL you couldn't affect a floor guardian with a World Item whilst they are inside their arena, with the exception of world items like World Savior which did direct damage instead of effects− this was to prevent guilds constantly destroying each other's bases using just one world class item. But here in this new world there was no guarantee that the rule still applied. Which meant that if a guardian could be mind-controlled inside of their own arena, then Nazarick would have no way to stop them− since they did not possess enough level 100 members to take on a guardian inside of their arena without the use of another world item and even then it was risky.
"Looks like no matter what I'll have to wrap my hand in cloth and stick it in the flame to see if it catches fire. Well we'll have to burn that bridge when we get to it. For now let's focus on getting the proper Intel first. To charge at an enemy without clear understanding of their capabilities is just foolish."
"You are right as always Ainz-sama. The best thing would be to approach the problem the same way as we did in the kingdom."
"You mean send a small scouting group to their country to collect valuable Intel, layouts, population numbers and military strength?"
"Exactly so Ainz-sama."
"Though I do agree with the approach, the question we have to answer next is: who will go?"
Almost all of the people that Ainz could rely on to complete missions outside Nazarick were either unavailable or unfit for the job."
Sebas and Solution were still working hard inside the kingdom. Though according to Demiurge the day when they took over the kingdom completely was near, it still was too long away for Ainz to recall them. Demiurge was buried in work as it is and Shalltear was out of the question for obvious reasons. Albedo was out scouting possible POI's for where his comrades may be hiding and the twins would be too dangerous seeing as the Slane Theocracy was so biased against non-humans.
"Haaah, as expected if would have to be the free members of the Pleiades. That would mean Yuri Shizu or Entoma."
"Might I suggest Yuri and Shizu? Seeing as Entoma might be a bit too dangerous."
"Hmm that's good for a start but still not enough. They need to have a high level NPC with them, one that can protect those two if bad goes to worst."
"Then how about sending Lycan?"
…
"That fellow huh?" Ainz wavered for a second.
It was true that the NPC Lycan met both of the requirements, he was both a high level NPC of Nazarick and would be indistinguishable from a normal human to the naked eye. The problem was that he is a loose cannon and had a bad personality. Ainz was unsure whether he could be entrusted to guard Shizu and Yuri during this important mission.
With the members of Nazarick spread thin, I can't be picky with the members I choose to send outside anymore.
Ainz thought about it for a second and then an idea struck him like lightning.
That's it I'll just give them that thing along as a means of escaping. Even Gargantua could make an escape if he used that.
"Huh, very well then. Shalltear please get me Yuri and Shizu and also, find whatever hole Lycan is sleeping in and bring him to me as well."
"Understood Ainz-sama!"
Shalltear bowed and left the room.
After having waited for Shalltear depart, Demiurge continued on.
"Ainz-sama, there’s one more thing which I believe that deserves your attention."
"Speak, Demiurge."
"It’s a matter regarding the Dwarves that are inhabiting the Azellisia Mountains..."
Part 3
A long rectangular table of obsidian lustre was in the center of the guildhall, surrounded by 40 luxurious seats.
All but one of them was empty.
At the head of a table was a black slime that seemed to be bubbling constantly. The crown glowed with a black luster as it fiddle with a cube restlessly.
“Herohero sure is late… Everyone else is here already.”
“Don’t worry sis, he won’t miss this for the world.”
A creature with a bird face chirped in.
At this moment another slime appeared at the entrance out of thin air. It displayed emoticons to greet everyone, and they all greeted back.
“You are late, Herohero, where did you go?”
The slime waddled to the last empty seat and moved its body onto it. It wasn’t clear where it’s head or body was as it was just one giant lump of ooze.
“I went to visit our old friend.”
The hall broke into an uproar when they heard this confession. A tall being in full plate armour stood and roar agitatedly.
“You know we can’t interact with people from the old world anymore! What if he gets transported here too?”
A goat headed man in a extravagant suit rebuked him:
“Maybe he will like it here. Don’t just decide that for yourself.”
The bubbling slime at the head of the table called for silence, and said:
“Ulbert, we all decided that we wouldn’t interact with others from the old world anymore.”
“Chagami-san, this is the last day, you know we can’t infect anyone else even if we tried.”
The room was silent for a moment as everyone contemplated this fact. The DMMORPG Yggdrasil will be shutting down its server after twelve years, the end of an era, but also bears an uncertain future for the guild members that were trapped in the game. Members of the guild, Ger7Bra1. This name came from the distance past, detailing the absolute decimation of one team by another. The facts were lost over time, and only this strange words was left. A self mocking name of a guild that had given up hope of returning to reality.
As the clock winded down, the 40 ex-members of Ainz Ooal Gown wondered what awaited them after the server shuts down. Would they be jolted back to reality? Or stuck in this virtual world forever? Or maybe they will just vanish?
The appointed time came. All the members were frozen in place, as ropes appeared out of nowhere, tied to their limbs and bodies. The rope leads above them and into the a void. A scythe appears and severed all the ropes in the room. The bodies of everyone present fell to the ground. Like puppets with their strings cut.
♦ ♦ ♦
Within the darkness covered veil, a hand suddenly struck out. Slowly crawling towards the surface, a body was unearthed from the grounds of the cemetery outside of Re-Estize.
Gazef was flustered.
Scanning through his surroundings, he realized that he was in the sacred burial ground used by the royal family.
I should have been dead.
Confused due to just having just regained the functions to his body, Gazef momentarily halted while still under a half-dazed state. Holding up his arm, he became aware that the clothes he was wearing was in pieces, filled with holes and decay, revealing the white bones underneath.
“Nooooooo!”
Gazef shouted in disbelief after discovering his current state. Looking around once more, he then noticed the writings on the gravestone next to his, which had the following words engraved:
Brain Unglaus
A talented swordsman who committed suicide due to severe depression.
“Nooooooo!”
♦ ♦ ♦
“Some people call me a terrorist, I consider myself a teacher.”
A shrouded man spoke as he held a lengthy sword over the head of a man tied down to a wooden post.
“Lesson number one. Heroes, there is no such thing.”
With the end of the sentence, the sword swung down and decapitated the man tied down to the post. The head was lopped clean with fine mist of blood spraying behind.
The onlooking crowd gasped and some muttered curse, but only thing they could do was stand still and watch.
“Ready for another lesson?”
♦ ♦ ♦
Below the starless night sky, between the narrow alleyway, a lone silhouette was spotted.
“Hah, hah, hah, hah, hah…!”
The lone figure was running as fast as it can, not even wasting any second to check its surrounding.
“I must not be caught…! I have to make it to the rendezvous point at all costs…!”
The lone figure kept running, making its way through the unpopulated areas of the so-called “Cyber-City” Oracle.
“Cyber City” Oracle was known for its massive technology advancement, superior military, and absolute law which was created by the Monarchs, those who stand on top of the upper echelons of this city.
Serving the Monarchs are the “Schwarz Hund”. They specialize in carrying out dirty jobs ordered by the Monarchs. And now they are in pursuit of the lone silhouette.
“Achtung, this is Zwei reporting! Ziel spotted near the abandoned ward office!”
“Eins copy. Continue verfolgung, do not lose sight of Ziel”
“Zwei copy”
The lone silhouette already noticed that its chaser was getting closer and closer.
“As expected from the Hounds, they moved fast…!”
The silhouette decided to find a temporary sanctuary inside the abandoned ward office. Originally he had thought that if they only sent one person to chase after him, he might be able to take the chaser down and disappear. But from the looks of his current condition, he sensed that it wasn’t the case. He felt that there were more than 1 chaser sent to hunt him.
“Damn it, I never expect they would send more than one member to hunt me...Now what to do…?”
He keeps walking deeper inside the building while trying to figure out a way out of this predicament.
Meanwhile outside the abandoned building, several figures clad in black robe started gathering infront of the building entrance.
“Captain, the verräter is inside. He must be thinking of fending us off here so he can gain some distance from us”
“Good work, Zwei. Everyone gather up”
Everyone clad in the black robe started gathering near the captain.
“We will form a team of 3 and go in from 3 separate entry points. Zwei, Vier, Sieben back door”
“””Roger”””
“Drei, Sechs, Acht, side entrance”
“””Roger”””
“””Roger”””
“Me, Funf, and Zehn will go from here, the front entrance”
“Roger”
“Roger”
“...Roger”
“Hm? What’s wrong, Zehn? Are you that nervous to fight Neun?”
“...No, not that…..I was just thinking ‘Why it had to come to this?’”
“...No, not that…..I was just thinking ‘Why it had to come to this?’”
“Can”t really help it, right? Neun betrayed us and has been leaking intels into the rebels. We have been sparing the rebels because they have some use to the Monarchs, but it’ll be a pain if they get carried away and think that we can”t wipe them out. That’s why we only have to kill Neun who has been feeding them with infos and all will go back to how it was♪”
Funf said cheerfully while the other members smile bitterly.
“Seriously that brat, he got cocky just because he got into the top 10 numbers and start acting like a hero. Its about time that the kid learns how the world works”
Some of the members who heard Drei’s blunt answer started laughing.
“Enough chit-chat. Everyone get into position”
“”””””””Roger””””””””
Everyone stopped laughing and started moving into their designated positions.
The team that will enter from the front entrance, namely Eins, Funf, and Zehn took a triangle-formation with Zehn as the vanguard while the other 2 standing by in the rear,
Just when they were taking their final formation position, Eins whispered softly so that only Funf can hear what he’s saying
“I’m sure you know what to do, Funf. Don’t mess up”
“I know～. If what you’re worrying about really happen, I”ll take care of Zehn. You can just concentrate on Neun♪”
Eins gave no answer to Funf’s reply, he was simply amazed at how sharp this girl which has the codename of ‘Funf’ could read the situation correctly despite the lack of information present.
While these two were having this silent conversation, Zehn who stood at the forefront of the formation think strongly inside his head
“I will save Neun. Even if it means betraying the Hounds...But first I need to be the the first team to find Neun so that we can turn this into 2 vs 2, fend off captain and Funf, then make an escape before we get surrounded…!”
On this starless night, many wish and will would clash with each other. The start of a long, silent, and bloody battle.
“Achtung, this is Eins to all units. Mission start!”
Part 4
Steam hung thickly in the air as Demiurge entered the baths. After Ainz had gone bathing with them at the Spa Resort Nazarick, he had told the Guardians that they could make free use of the baths, as members of Ainz Ooal Gown.
On his part, Demiurge was quite busy supervising matters outside Nazarick, but when he had returned to the 7th Floor to check on his domain, one of his Evil Lords had handed him a letter, written in careful script. It was an invitation from Mare, to join him in in the baths. Several questions marks rose in his head as he considered the intent behind that message, and then he decided to accept the offer.
And now, here he was in the washing area. Demiurge looked around for Mare, but he was nowhere to be seen. His gaze lingered briefly over the reflection of himself in the mirror. Apart from the tail that swished behind him, Demiurge was easily the most masculine of the Guardians - no, of anyone in Nazarick. His tall, athletic frame rippled with lean muscle, and his fire-resistant skin was clear, and bronzed as though he spent his days tanning himself. His dark hair was swept back along with his pointed ears, and his jewelled eyes were hidden behind his omnipresent glasses. He looked like the sort of person who should be modelling underwear in the real world, except that he was naked save for a small towel wrapped around his waist.
"D-Demiurge-san! S-sorry I'm late!"
The 7th Floor Guardian glanced to the entrance, and at the panicky, worried-looking boy who had called out to him. Mare was the Guardian of the 6th Floor, one of two, along with his sister Aura, and in many ways he was everything Demiurge was not. He was short where Demiurge was tall. His young body was bereft of the musculature Demiurge had in abundance. His hair was blond and his ears drooped low, in contrast to Demiurge. Where Demiurge exuded a manly air, Mare was surrounded by a feminine aura. Indeed, he dressed like a girl normally, and even outside of his skirt and stockings he still looked like one.
And now, here he was in the washing area. Demiurge looked around for Mare, but he was nowhere to be seen. His gaze lingered briefly over the reflection of himself in the mirror. Apart from the tail that swished behind him, Demiurge was easily the most masculine of the Guardians - no, of anyone in Nazarick. His tall, athletic frame rippled with lean muscle, and his fire-resistant skin was clear, and bronzed as though he spent his days tanning himself. His dark hair was swept back along with his pointed ears, and his jewelled eyes were hidden behind his omnipresent glasses. He looked like the sort of person who should be modelling underwear in the real world, except that he was naked save for a small towel wrapped around his waist.
"D-Demiurge-san! S-sorry I'm late!"
The 7th Floor Guardian glanced to the entrance, and at the panicky, worried-looking boy who had called out to him. Mare was the Guardian of the 6th Floor, one of two, along with his sister Aura, and in many ways he was everything Demiurge was not. He was short where Demiurge was tall. His young body was bereft of the musculature Demiurge had in abundance. His hair was blond and his ears drooped low, in contrast to Demiurge. Where Demiurge exuded a manly air, Mare was surrounded by a feminine aura. Indeed, he dressed like a girl normally, and even outside of his skirt and stockings he still looked like one.
Demiurge could not banish that mental image from his mind and looked away, lest his eyes offend even with his hands firmly by his side.
Mare seemed to take it as displeasure, and hesitantly asked, "A-are you alright, Demiurge-san? Did I off-"
"No, Mare," Demiurge replied, still looking away. "I am not upset. I am glad you asked me to come bathe with you. Now then, shall we begin?"
"Y-yes! Lets!"
Mare seemed to take it as displeasure, and hesitantly asked, "A-are you alright, Demiurge-san? Did I off-"
"No, Mare," Demiurge replied, still looking away. "I am not upset. I am glad you asked me to come bathe with you. Now then, shall we begin?"
"Y-yes! Lets!"
Shortly after that they were seated down to scrub each other's back. Mare offered to start, and as he began scrubbing Demiurge's back, the latter wondered about the motives behind the invitation. This was mainly because of the way Mare's hands were moving.
He spent more time touching Demiurge's back and spine than he did actually scrubbing it, his delicate little fingers tracing the ridges of hard muscle and the raised bumps on Demiurge's spine until they terminated in the tail which was bobbing companionably in the air.
Mare's hands wandered over Demiurge's shoulders, probing and pressing at his muscles and sliding over his flanks, down to his waist. While technically, he was still washing Demiurge since Mare's soapy fingers carried the slick suds over his body... this was quite irregular.
"Mare."
"Yes!"
The wandering hands lifted off him immediately as the dark elf boy squeaked. Without looking at him, Demiurge continued.
"I think it's about time I returned the favor."
After hearing a stuttered "Y-yes!" from behind him, Demiurge turned around. When he did, he saw that Mare was facing him, his face bright red and fidgeting even more than usual. The boy squeaked and averted his gaze when he saw Demiurge was looking at him.
"A-ah, I-I'm sorry, I'll turn around right aw-"
"Do you really want this?"
Demiurge's voice was quiet and gentle. It cut through the silence that was punctuated only by the sounds of dripping in the distance. His fellow Guardian glanced warily at Demiurge's face, and then at his chest, and then at his belly.
Demiurge smiled. Mare was far too transparent.
"I guessed that this might be a reason for you to invite me here. I want you to know that I am not against it."
The boy gasped, and the demon in Demiurge savored his panic. But he did not let that part of him rule his actions or reactions. Mare was a fellow Guardian and a member of Nazarick, and more to the point he appreciated the boy's quiet loyalty and efficiency in carrying out his tasks. Perhaps Mare had a strange way of relieving his stress, but what of it? Everyone had their hobbies.
"T-then, can I wash your front too?"
There was a hint of urgency in that voice, and Demiurge could almost see him biting his lip and fervently hoping for the answer he wanted. Demiurge considered denying him and seeing his fragile little heart break.
But he would not be that cruel.
"Yes, go ahead."
Demiurge planted his feet squarely on the tiled floor and leaned back, spreading his legs as he did to expose himself fully to Mare. The steam-heavy seemed to sparkle for a moment as Mare's jaw fell open, his eyes wide as they took in Demiurge's sculpted chest, the prominent abdominal muscles... and the thick shaft between his legs, like a miniature version of the tail which grew from the base of his spine. Mare didn't even bother pretending to pick up his washcloth as he rose and approached Demiurge, his breathing ragged and faint as he drew closer to Demiurge's body. Though he hurriedly picked up the cloth and tried to give Demiurge a proper cleaning, he couldn't help himself and fell to his knees between Demiurge's legs, his girlish face scant inches from he object of his interest.
"Is it so strange?" Demiurge asked, his enigmatic smile firmly on his face. "I believe you have one too, although I have not sought yours out as eagerly as you have- ah."
Mare's fingers were caressing Demiurge's manhood, gingerly touching and poking at it like it were a living creature. In response to Mare's ministration, blood began flowing into the shaft, causing it to slowly enlarge and harden. Mare watched in awestruck silence until the tip of Demiurge's organ lightly poked into Mare's nose, making the boy squeak and stumble back.
"...It's big," Mare murmured. Indeed, Demiurge's manhood was nine inches long and almost as thick around as Mare's wrist. It quivered in time with Demiurge's heartbeat, and a musky smell rose from its tip. Mare stared transfixed, even as his own boyhood grew beneath him. It was a third of Demiurge's size and far thinner, though it pressed against his belly as his breath tickled the penis in front of him.
"This isn't its full size," Demiurge said mildly. "I have almost never needed to use this, but I suppose a demonstration would be appropriate. Aspect of the Devil - Rod of the Incubus!"
Demiurge's shaft twitched and bulged, and then it grew another three inches while its girth increased as well. Not only that, the scent pouring out of it seemed to sear its way into parts of Mare's brain, stimulating his animal instincts. Before Demiurge could say anything, Mare had fastened his soft little lips around the shaft that seemed far too big to fit inside his mouth. However, because of the magic imbued into the organ, Mare could get its thickness into him, and his small hands tightened around Demiurge's hips as she slowly pulled himself down the Rod until his face was buried in Demiurge's thick pubic thatch.
On his part, Demiurge could not possibly have been unaffected by the boy deep-throating his foot-long phallus, and he groaned in satisfaction as his cock penetrated Mare's throat.
"...Aaahhhh, that felt good. Normally, the Rod of the Incubus rules over women with violence and pleasure... though it seems you're close enough for it to count.
Demiurge ruffled Mare's hair as the boy moved his lips up and down his length. Demiurge had to fight the urge to groan in satisfaction every time that hot wet tightness travelled down his shaft and he felt Mare's girlish face bury itself in his groin.
"Good... yes, very good," he whispered. His fingers curled in Mare's hair as the heat built in his groin; the idea of violating the boy's face and filling his stomach with his seed was compelling and-
"-Mare, I'm about to cum, you should get off now-"
Mare didn't listen. Instead, he forced Demiurge's shaft into him, well into his throat, and as Demiurge's balls contracted he swallowed as hard as he could. Thick, sticky seed filled his mouth and nostrils, as Mare closed his eyes and tried his best to gulp down the contents of Demiurge's testicles as best as he could. As the surge tapered off, Mare slowly slid his mouth off Demiurge's phallus, pausing only when the glans was snugly within his mouth to suck and slurp as deeply as he could, his fingers stroking their way from Demiurge's base to the tip, in order to coax the last globs of sperm from the Guardian.
As the Rod of the Incubus pulled away, it left a gleaming, sticky trail that joined the tip of Demiurge's shaft to Mare's mouth, which hung open and was filled with Demiurge's thick semen. Mare's eyes were clouded with lust, his pupils formed into the heart-shapes of those enslaved to the Rod, and he unconsciously swallowed the last of Demiurge's load with a goofy smile on his face. Mare fell to all fours, and then leaned forward, so his face was buried in Demiurge's groin. The taller man picked Mare up in his arms, an uncharacteristically tender expression on his face, and headed to the hot tub with the boy.
"Mare."
"Yes!"
The wandering hands lifted off him immediately as the dark elf boy squeaked. Without looking at him, Demiurge continued.
"I think it's about time I returned the favor."
After hearing a stuttered "Y-yes!" from behind him, Demiurge turned around. When he did, he saw that Mare was facing him, his face bright red and fidgeting even more than usual. The boy squeaked and averted his gaze when he saw Demiurge was looking at him.
"A-ah, I-I'm sorry, I'll turn around right aw-"
"Do you really want this?"
Demiurge's voice was quiet and gentle. It cut through the silence that was punctuated only by the sounds of dripping in the distance. His fellow Guardian glanced warily at Demiurge's face, and then at his chest, and then at his belly.
Demiurge smiled. Mare was far too transparent.
"I guessed that this might be a reason for you to invite me here. I want you to know that I am not against it."
The boy gasped, and the demon in Demiurge savored his panic. But he did not let that part of him rule his actions or reactions. Mare was a fellow Guardian and a member of Nazarick, and more to the point he appreciated the boy's quiet loyalty and efficiency in carrying out his tasks. Perhaps Mare had a strange way of relieving his stress, but what of it? Everyone had their hobbies.
"T-then, can I wash your front too?"
There was a hint of urgency in that voice, and Demiurge could almost see him biting his lip and fervently hoping for the answer he wanted. Demiurge considered denying him and seeing his fragile little heart break.
But he would not be that cruel.
"Yes, go ahead."
Demiurge planted his feet squarely on the tiled floor and leaned back, spreading his legs as he did to expose himself fully to Mare. The steam-heavy seemed to sparkle for a moment as Mare's jaw fell open, his eyes wide as they took in Demiurge's sculpted chest, the prominent abdominal muscles... and the thick shaft between his legs, like a miniature version of the tail which grew from the base of his spine. Mare didn't even bother pretending to pick up his washcloth as he rose and approached Demiurge, his breathing ragged and faint as he drew closer to Demiurge's body. Though he hurriedly picked up the cloth and tried to give Demiurge a proper cleaning, he couldn't help himself and fell to his knees between Demiurge's legs, his girlish face scant inches from he object of his interest.
"Is it so strange?" Demiurge asked, his enigmatic smile firmly on his face. "I believe you have one too, although I have not sought yours out as eagerly as you have- ah."
Mare's fingers were caressing Demiurge's manhood, gingerly touching and poking at it like it were a living creature. In response to Mare's ministration, blood began flowing into the shaft, causing it to slowly enlarge and harden. Mare watched in awestruck silence until the tip of Demiurge's organ lightly poked into Mare's nose, making the boy squeak and stumble back.
"...It's big," Mare murmured. Indeed, Demiurge's manhood was nine inches long and almost as thick around as Mare's wrist. It quivered in time with Demiurge's heartbeat, and a musky smell rose from its tip. Mare stared transfixed, even as his own boyhood grew beneath him. It was a third of Demiurge's size and far thinner, though it pressed against his belly as his breath tickled the penis in front of him.
"This isn't its full size," Demiurge said mildly. "I have almost never needed to use this, but I suppose a demonstration would be appropriate. Aspect of the Devil - Rod of the Incubus!"
Demiurge's shaft twitched and bulged, and then it grew another three inches while its girth increased as well. Not only that, the scent pouring out of it seemed to sear its way into parts of Mare's brain, stimulating his animal instincts. Before Demiurge could say anything, Mare had fastened his soft little lips around the shaft that seemed far too big to fit inside his mouth. However, because of the magic imbued into the organ, Mare could get its thickness into him, and his small hands tightened around Demiurge's hips as she slowly pulled himself down the Rod until his face was buried in Demiurge's thick pubic thatch.
On his part, Demiurge could not possibly have been unaffected by the boy deep-throating his foot-long phallus, and he groaned in satisfaction as his cock penetrated Mare's throat.
"...Aaahhhh, that felt good. Normally, the Rod of the Incubus rules over women with violence and pleasure... though it seems you're close enough for it to count.
Demiurge ruffled Mare's hair as the boy moved his lips up and down his length. Demiurge had to fight the urge to groan in satisfaction every time that hot wet tightness travelled down his shaft and he felt Mare's girlish face bury itself in his groin.
"Good... yes, very good," he whispered. His fingers curled in Mare's hair as the heat built in his groin; the idea of violating the boy's face and filling his stomach with his seed was compelling and-
"-Mare, I'm about to cum, you should get off now-"
Mare didn't listen. Instead, he forced Demiurge's shaft into him, well into his throat, and as Demiurge's balls contracted he swallowed as hard as he could. Thick, sticky seed filled his mouth and nostrils, as Mare closed his eyes and tried his best to gulp down the contents of Demiurge's testicles as best as he could. As the surge tapered off, Mare slowly slid his mouth off Demiurge's phallus, pausing only when the glans was snugly within his mouth to suck and slurp as deeply as he could, his fingers stroking their way from Demiurge's base to the tip, in order to coax the last globs of sperm from the Guardian.
As the Rod of the Incubus pulled away, it left a gleaming, sticky trail that joined the tip of Demiurge's shaft to Mare's mouth, which hung open and was filled with Demiurge's thick semen. Mare's eyes were clouded with lust, his pupils formed into the heart-shapes of those enslaved to the Rod, and he unconsciously swallowed the last of Demiurge's load with a goofy smile on his face. Mare fell to all fours, and then leaned forward, so his face was buried in Demiurge's groin. The taller man picked Mare up in his arms, an uncharacteristically tender expression on his face, and headed to the hot tub with the boy.
♦ ♦ ♦
"Say, Demiurge. You know you said you asked me about having children?"
"Hmm? What about it, Mare?"
Mare and Demiurge were soaking in the hot tub, with Demiurge's arm stretched out along the edge of the bath and Mare's head leaned comfortably against Demiurge's chest.
"I think I want to try it," he said, looking up into the taller man's jeweled eyes."
"You do? Well, there's the elves that you and your sister keep on your level. You could-"
"N-no, I mean..."
The red in Mare's face was not just from the heat around him. He swallowed hard, and then made as serious a face as he could.
"I-I want to make children with you."
Demiurge smiled, and he lazily flexed his arm, gathering Mare closer to him and working his fingers into the boy's blond hair, where they lightly scratched at his scalp. Mare winced, but the look on his face as Demiurge's deft fingers stimulated the sensitive spots on his scalp suggested that he had come to like it.
"Mare, we are both men. You know that, right? I cannot bear your children, and you can-"
"I w-want to try it!"
Demiurge blinked. He rarely heard Mare shout, and for him to do so...
Poor boy, he thought.
Demiurge scooped Mare into an embrace, patting him lightly on the back and whispering, "There, there, it's alright" to calm his pounding heart.
"I... I want to be Demiurge-san's woman. Just... just once."
As he said that, Mare clung tightly to Demiurge. This was actually quite troublesome, because Mare was incredibly strong, much more so than Demiurge, and he didn't want to use force to remove him anyway. Instead, he stroked Mare's back, whispering calming words to him until the boy had calmed down enough to relax his grip.
"All right," Demiurge said as Mare let go. "I'm going to put you on my lap first. I need to get you ready."
Mare glanced down, between Demiurge's legs. Then he looked up to Demiurge again, with pleading eyes.
"But... can't you just put it in?"
"While I could, and the Rod of the Incubus might be able to facilitate such entry... no. I don't want to risk hurting you, even if I am confident in the use of my skill. Besides, this is for an experiment too. I want to see how good I can make you feel."
Mare bit his lower lip. Then he nodded, and allowed Demiurge to move him so that he sat perpendicular to Demiurge, on his lap. Mare's slender arms wrapped around Demiurge's strong chest with an unexpected strength which exceeded that of the larger man.
"Good, Mare. Now, spread your legs."
"O-okay..."
Nodding nervously, Mare's thighs drifted slowly apart, until only the small protuberance of his boyhood remained in the space between his open legs. Demiurge patted Mare lightly on his back with one hand, and the the other snaked between Mare's legs, grazing briefly against the boy's diamond-hard shaft, before he found his objective; Mare's anus. Demiurge tapped the tight entrance lightly with a fingertip, and Mare flinched. Then, he began slowly pressing at the circumference of his boy's hole with careful, probing fingertips, and Mare stifled a moan.
"Now, now, that won't do. Let your voice out. Don't be embarrassed. Nobody will think poorly of you for this, least of all me."
"B-but, won't your fingers get dirty?"
"This is a bath, after all, so it's fine. Tell me if it hurts. And relax. We won't be able to move on unless you're properly relaxed."
Demiurge's fingers worked deftly at Mare's ass, grazing, pinching, and teasing the soft flesh there. The boy should have been tensed up from fear, but Demiurge's adroit fingers and the lingering effects of the seed he had drunk from the Rod of the Incubus were doing their work on him, slowly loosening him up until Demiurge judged that he was relaxed enough.
"I'm going in," he said, and then the tip of one finger slowly worked its way into the boy's ass.
"A-ahhhh!" Mare exclaimed as his spine arched from the intrusion. Demiurge paused, and squeezed Mare's shoulder.
"Relax, breathe out. Let the tension go with it."
"Ha-...awawa..." Mare nodded as he forced himself to go limp. Meanwhile, the finger in his ass was twisting and questing inside, stimulating Mare's inner reaches and wearing away at the stiffness in his entrance until Demiurge could fit another finger inside him. With a smile of triumph, Demiurge curled both fingers and Mare went limp, swooning into Demiurge's arms even as a cloudy squirt of young precum escaped from the tip of his boyhood.
"It seems I've found the place that makes you a girl," Demiurge smiled. "No, no, don't do that. Wait for it. It'll be better if you hold it in for now."
Mare removed his hands from his young shaft, and looked expectantly at Demiurge. He moaned softly as the taller man spread his hole open, and the warm water from the bath flowed into his depths. Mare's eyes glazed over in pleasure as the liquid heat spread through him, and he whimpered softly as Demiurge worked a third finger into him. Demi played lightly with Mare's sac as his fingers stretched out Mare's ass, but he never touched his boyhood.
"Well, I think you're ready. All right, Mare, up you go."
Mare's legs were weak from the pleasure that had been spreading through his body through his ass, and he tottered like a newborn deer as he slowly got to his feet, his hands clutching Demiurge's shoulders as he placed his legs on either side of Demiurge's waist, wincing as the emptiness between his spread thighs begged to be filled.
"Aspect of the Devil - Rod of the Incubus!"
Once more, Demiurge's demonic shaft swelled up, and Mare looked between his legs, at the phallus waiting for him below, with wide-eyed anticipation.
"Now, lower yourself down... slowly, don't worry, I'll support you."
Mare slowly flexed his thighs, and his legs kept drifting apart as he lowered himself and...
"Ah!"
The tip of Demiurge's shaft touched the center of Mare's loosed hole, and as his ass clenched, the strength fled his legs.
"A-ahh ahhhhh!" Mare moaned as Demiurge's phallus pierced him, stretching him out almost beyond belief as his anal ring lit on fire. Almost immediately, the pain faded away, transmuted into a sweet, simmering ache that spread from his buttocks through his groin through his belly and into the rest of him.
"Ha... hawa... ahhh..."
Mare's mouth hung open, his pupils the familiar heart-shape of anyone under the power of the Rod of the Incubus. The boy was squatting over Demiurge's crotch, legs wide open like some kind of strange frog, his own smaller shaft flat against his sleek belly. Demiurge smiled, and transferred his hands from Mare's hips to his back, hugging him close and trapping Mare's boyhood against his sculpted abdomen.
"How does it feel?" he asked.
"Guh-goo-good..." Mare rasped. The rod was like a hot steel bar inside him, filling him with electricity and warmth and his mind with a sweet pink mist that turned it pleasantly blank. All conscious thought had vanished from his mind; he was vaguely aware that impaling himself further on the wonderful hardness that filled him would feel even better, so he did.
"Unggh... so... so good... my butt... so good..."
Demiurge was strong and firm, and Mare felt safe within his arms. Part of him knew he was thrusting his hips, but that was only a small part. The rest was consumed in the endless waves of delicious electricity that ran through him every time the tip of the Rod ran over the little jewel in his ass which made his body shudder and his mind go blank. His tongue hung out as he increased the speed of his humping, sensing an impending peak which he was desperate to reach, until at last-
"Ahh, Mare!' Demiurge gasped, and then came deep inside the dark elf boy. The first squirt came as Mare was lifting himself, which pushed him almost to the edge, and as the second jet filled him it was sweet liquid in liquid as the boy impaled himself on the Rod of the Incubus, arching his back as he climaxed against Demiurge's rock hard abs. His mind went a pure white as the orgasm robbed him of the ability to think.
♦ ♦ ♦
When Mare came to, he was collapsed against Demiurge's chest. Demiurge's belly was painted in the sticky white seed he had discharged in the throes of release, and...
"Where is it?" Mare asked. His ass, it felt so empty, and-
"Mare," Demiurge smiled. "You just woke up. You've been out for half an hour. Maybe you need a break."
"B-but, I'm fine, I can do it-"
"Really? Mare, you came so hard you passed out. I think you need some time to recover."
"A-aw. Really?"
"I would not dream of depriving Ainz-sama of a worthy servant because he exhausted himself sexually. Think of it as a reward," he smiled.
"...So we can do this again in future?"
"Only if you do good work for Ainz-sama."
"You bet!" Mare smiled as he embraced Demiurge.
♦ ♦ ♦
"...What. The. Hell."
Aura looked up from the book titled "Savage Thrusting Passions". She glanced over to the bored-looking Shalltear, who blinked in surprise.
"What?"
"Did you write this trashy schlickfic?"
"What - no - what?!"
"Don't play dumb with me, flatso! This is my brother, I am the only one who's allowed to bully him or embarrass him, do y-"
"What are you on about, shorty? I never wrote that book, and in the first place the only man I like is Ainz-sama!"
"Ahhhhh enough of that crap, you damn airport! I'm going to kick your ass!"
"So that's how you want to settle it, you microbe?! Come, my armor!"
As the fight unfolded, all Mare could do was sigh.
Part 5
Albedo looked anxiously at Demiurge and said, “What if Ainz-sama disappears?”
Demiurge responded, “Yes… We simply MUST have an heir to pledge our loyalty to should that unfortunate eventuality ever occur. But our Lord has thus far resisted the efforts of both you and Shalltear to share his bed. How shall we correct this matter?”
“Shalltear!? That SLUT!!? I would NEVER abide her presence in my beloved Ainz-sama’s bed!!!”
“Even if our Lord wished it of her?” asked Demiurge.
Albedo paused, slightly taken aback and proclaimed, “Well… Of course I would never deign to interfere with any desire of my dearly loved Master… But I cannot imagine him having any desire for that ugly PETTANKO bitch in the first place!”
“Then we are agreed” said Demiurge. “We must plan on Ainz-sama having an heir.”
Demiurge responded, “Yes… We simply MUST have an heir to pledge our loyalty to should that unfortunate eventuality ever occur. But our Lord has thus far resisted the efforts of both you and Shalltear to share his bed. How shall we correct this matter?”
“Shalltear!? That SLUT!!? I would NEVER abide her presence in my beloved Ainz-sama’s bed!!!”
“Even if our Lord wished it of her?” asked Demiurge.
Albedo paused, slightly taken aback and proclaimed, “Well… Of course I would never deign to interfere with any desire of my dearly loved Master… But I cannot imagine him having any desire for that ugly PETTANKO bitch in the first place!”
“Then we are agreed” said Demiurge. “We must plan on Ainz-sama having an heir.”
“Hmm… A tricky proposition…” said Cocytus. “And since our Master is an undead Lich, just how are we going to get him to impregnate someone with an heir? His skeletal body is not exactly equipped for the… umm… ‘intimate activities’ necessary to complete such a task.”
“What do you mean?” protested Albedo. “Ainz-sama could definitely satisfy me should he ever wish to!” And with that, Albedo stormed off in irritation.
Cocytus leaned in close to Demiurge and whispered, “Is she not aware of our skeletal lord’s need for a different kind of ‘boner’ to be able to impregnate her with an heir?”
Demiurge replied, “For someone so intelligent as her, I myself am constantly surprised at her naivety. You would think that a succubus like Albedo would know all about sex, but since she has been keeping herself solely for Lord Ainz, she apparently knows absolutely nothing about such things! We shall have to diplomatically educate her on the necessary procedures for impregnation.”
Cocytus shivered and replied, “I am NOT going to have THAT discussion with her! Why don’t YOU teach her.”
Demiurge rubbed his forehead and with a pained expression on his face said, “You’re right. We must have one of the women here at Nazarick educate Lady Albedo on this matter. But WHO…!?”
“Shalltear is probably the most experienced and knowledgeable about this delicate matter” declared Cocytus. “But as Albedo’s rival for Lord Ainz’ love, she is just as liable to fill Albedo’s head with all sorts of useless nonsense that might only lead to our Lord becoming highly pissed off and even more resistant to the idea of producing an heir!”
“Then what about one of the Pleiades Battle Maids?” asked Demiurge.
“Hmm… That sounds like a good idea. How about getting Yuri to do it? After all, she is the leader of the Battle Maids.”
Demiurge shook his head. “No… She is too motherly and would only teach Lady Albedo the basics. We should get one of the others to explain things to Albedo… preferably one with a more sluttish personality so that our Lord Ainz will be happily satisfied by the experience.” He scratched his chin and said, “What about Entoma? She is very lustful. Surely she has the knowledge and experience to be a good Sex Ed teacher.”
Cocytus took a step back in shock and declared, “Oh, not just no, but HELL, NO!!! She is an arachnid and ALWAYS kills and eats her lovers! I was invited into her chambers one day and saw the skulls of over 700 of her former lovers lined up on shelves! I turned around and quickly left as she was looking at ME with seductive eyes and I had no desire to join the others as a souvenir displayed on her damn wall!!”
“Well, then,” Demiurge pressed on, “What about Solution Epsilon? She is well known for her sluttyness.”
“ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!” proclaimed Cocytus. “Master Sebas once told me that he saw her having sex with a man once while they were on assignment in E-Rangel and right after the unfortunate soul entered her with his fully erect manhood, it was dissolved and absorbed by Solution, leaving the poor fellow emasculated and bleeding to death!” The insectoid warrior shuddered with sympathy pains at the thought. “And before you suggest it, forget about CZ2128! She is a mere automaton and has no interest in sexual matters. Likewise, don’t even consider Lady Narberal either. She is too damn formal and stuck-up to be a good teacher.”
“Hmm…” thought Demiurge. “It seems that none of the Battle Maids will be an appropriate instructor of intimacy for Lady Albedo. And Aura is too childlike in her attitude to be of any use in this.” His tail twitched in frustration as he went on, “Neuronist Painkill has also shown a desire to be a lover to Lord Ainz, but I fear that her skills lie more in torture and pain than in pleasure. So where does that leave us? We simply MUST have someone to teach Lady Albedo the finer points of sexual techniques.”
Cocytus’ insectoid antennae started waving around nervously as he said, “Well, there is always that human woman that Master Sebas has been keeping… I think her name is Tsundere or something like that…”
“No, it’s Tsuare” said Demiurge. “And isn’t she a virgin? What makes you think that she can give Albedo any good information?”
“Have you not noticed her recently acquired sense of self-confidence? She may have been getting trained as a future Battle Maid by Yuri-san, but you know how that nosy bastard, Victim, keeps track of all of Nazarick’s goings on, and I have it on his authority as our most accomplished snoop that Sebas has been giving that human woman some rather extensive ‘Private Lessons’. Victim even told me that he saw Master Sebas coming out of Tsuare’s chambers recently with a HUGE smile on his face while walking on unsteady, weak knees!”
“Perfect,” said Demiurge with a wide smile. “We will get Tsuare to teach Lady Albedo all about proper sexual technique!” Demiurge frowned once more and continued, “But what about our Lord Ainz? What do we do about his, umm, er… well, his LACK of the proper BONE to supply us with an heir?”
Pretending to clean one of his antennae with a clawed arm, Cocytus answered in a conspiratorial voice, “We will obviously have to use some sort of magic to temporarily give our Lord the, er… ‘Hardware’ to perform the act of impregnating Lady Albedo, if you know what I mean…”
Demiurge shook his head in confusion. “I know of no such magic that can accomplish this. Do you know of any?”
“No, I don’t” said Cocytus. “But there are countless forgotten magic items in Nazarick’s treasure vault. Surely there is something there that will work.”
Demiurge replied, “Then let us consult Pandora’s Actor. He knows about EVERY item in the vault. If there is anything there that will help us, he will know!”
“Jawohl, meine Herren!” proclaimed Pandora’s Actor as he clicked his heels together and saluted the two Guardians in front of him. “I know exactly what you need!”
The Treasury Guardian reached into a pocket and pulled out a ring. “This item was made by the Supreme Being, Lord Peroroncino, and given to me for safe-keeping. He told me to only release it as a last resort to ensure the continuation of Nazarick should the need arise.”
“What does it do and how does it work?” asked Demiurge with a hint of curiosity in his voice. Cocytus nodded his head, also wanting to know.
“Well, Lord Peroroncino told me that it would allow Lord Ainz to temporarily enjoy the close company of a woman by altering his body for about eight to twelve hours, after which the ring would disappear and he would return to his normal skeletal self.” Pandora’s Actor smiled and continued, “Lord Ainz will be able to father a child during this time. In fact, Lord Peroroncino told me that Lord Ainz would not be able to stop himself from producing an heir! For some reason, Lord Peroroncino seemed to derive a great deal of amusement from this idea.”
“Fantastic!” declared Demiurge. “We shall definitely have an heir to pledge our loyalty to should we ever lose Lord Ainz!”
“But…” said Cocytus, “Since Lord Ainz is so resistant to the idea, how do we get him to use this ring and produce an heir for us?”
“Simple,” replied Demiurge. “We merely give the ring to Lady Albedo and have her clean Lord Ainz’ other rings and switch one of them out for this one. He will then make an heir for us!”
“But won’t our Lord become angry with us for this subterfuge?” said Cocytus nervously.
“Nein, meine Herren,” interjected the Treasury Guardian. “Lord Peroroncino said that there were some VERY MINOR side effects of using the ring, one of which was that once it was used and disappeared, Lord Ainz would lose all memory of what happened. Thus, he will not have a reason to be angry! This also seemed to increase the amusement of Lord Peroroncino, for some unknown reason. In fact, he called this the ‘Perfect April Fools Day’ joke, whatever that means.”
“Very well, then we will use this to produce a proper heir for the glory of the Great Tomb of Nazarick! Come, Cocytus, we must put this plan into action!” And with that, they made their way out of the Treasury Vault with newfound determination for their goal.
Afterwards, alone in the vault, Pandora’s Actor thought to himself, “How strange that they did not ask about the other side effects of that ring… Well… even Lord Peroroncino said that it wouldn’t matter. Although he was chuckling to himself when he said that to me.”
One month later…
“Lady Albedo took to that Sex Education with more enthusiasm than I would have imagined,” said Demiurge happily to Cocytus. “This plan to produce an heir will WORK!!”
Cocytus looked at Demiurge and swallowed nervously in embarrassment. “However, even I had to stop Victim’s progress report on his snooping, er… I mean, his OBSERVATIONS, when he started to go into detail about some of those ‘Toys’ that Lady Tsundere, er… I mean, Lady Tsuare, was using to demonstrate certain techniques to Lady Albedo!” Cocytus trembled in embarrassment at the remembrance of THAT report.
“Well,” said Demiurge, “The feast tonight to celebrate the latest success of Lord Ainz’ plans for this world will be the perfect time to have Lady Albedo switch the rings, take Lord Ainz to his chambers, and PRODUCE that heir for the Great Tomb of Nazarick! I have arranged all the details!”
That evening…
“A toast to our great leader, Lord Ainz Ooal Gown!” proclaimed Demiurge with pride in his voice. “Raise your goblets!”
And as everyone stood up to honor Lord Ainz’ latest success, Shalltear, who was carefully placed between Lord Ainz and Lady Albedo according to Demiurge’s plans, was bumped by Albedo and spilled her goblet of blood all over Lord Ainz!
“You BITCH! You did that on purpose to embarrass me in front of our Lord!” screamed Shalltear in anger. “I’ll kill you!” And with that, she flew at Albedo with bloodlust oozing from every pore on her body.
“Liar!” retorted Albedo. “You are just a clumsy, ugly, flat-chested stupid little girl who should have been seated at another table!” And Albedo stretched out her claw-like fingernails towards Shalltear’s eyes.
“ENOUGH OF THIS FIGHTING!!” proclaimed Lord Ainz as he gestured for Cocytus to separate the two furious women from each other. “We are here tonight to celebrate our latest victory, not to kill each other!”
Cocytus hauled Shalltear off to the other end of the table while Demiurge stated, “That was indeed careless of you, Lady Albedo. How will you make this up to our Lord and Master?”
“Please forgive me, my Lord!” begged Albedo as she picked up a pitcher of water from the table and used a cloth to start dabbing and wiping the spilled blood from Shalltear’s goblet off of Lord Ainz. “Let me wash your hands and rings off,” she said, deftly pulling the rings off of his bony hands and casually switching one of them while rinsing them off in the pitcher before slipping them back on to his fingers.
As the exchanged ring was slipped onto Ainz’ finger, sudden blackness came over the entire banquet hall.
A split second later, the light returned and Ainz said to Albedo, “Where is my ring? I thought you were putting it onto my finger.”
“My apologies, Ainz-sama! I must have dropped it back into the water. Ah, yes. Here it is.” And she retrieved his original ring from the pitcher of water and placed it back upon his finger.
Lord Ainz suddenly sighed…
“Well, my loyal Guardians, Battle Maids, and the rest of my subjects here, I suddenly feel the need for some fresh air.” And with that, Lord Ainz left the hall to step outside the Great Tomb.
After Ainz’ departure, Cocytus and Albedo confronted Demiurge and said, “What happened? That ring must have failed and simply disappeared!”
Up on the surface, Lord Ainz thought to himself, “Why am I suddenly so tired? I feel totally drained! It must be the stress of seeing those two girls fight with each other. I wish that they would get along better. Hmm… The sun is rising. I could have sworn that we started that feast at sunset. Oh, well…”
Nine months later…
Lord Ainz looked at Demiurge in disbelief. “What do you mean, ALL of the women at Nazarick have just given birth to children at the SAME TIME!? And ALL of these infants are Liches that look like ME!!??”
Somewhere, in an alternate universe, Lord Peroroncino was laughing his ass off.
Special Credits:
Part 1 - Brought to you by Nigel
Part 2 - Light’s Downfall by ainzOoalGo
Part 4 - By miscellaneous Anon-kun
Part 5 - Fanfic by PervySageChuck
First! Thanks for the chapter!
ReplyDeleteIt looked real at first, but then I skipped down and started seeing Rods and butts.
ReplyDeleteGod fucking damnit April 1st.
holy shit not april fools. cheers m8
ReplyDeletei have not read it yet..but pls dont be april fools
ReplyDeletefuck...o well
DeleteHOLY MOTHER OF GOD!!!! they posted my fanfic on skythewood! hallelujah on behalf of all my belgium friends and me Glory to AINZ OOAL GOWN! light's downfall on skythewood achievement unlocked!
ReplyDeleteYou gotta finish you story Bro, It was quite good.
Deletewe had a delay due to Easter and extra long chapter but posting it probably this weekend and try to post another chapter next weekend.
DeletePlease man, it's an amazing story!
Deletei just finish reading your fanfic yesterday it was just Amazing!!!.
DeletePlease Finish it Love from Indonesia
I was breathless at the moment I saw it, but then I remembered the Date.
ReplyDeleteI will wait for more comment if its real or not
WTFUUUUUCK
ReplyDeleteOMFG :O
thanks for the chapter
riubgwidvnbvibwvurvno rovimeioaevin
notices the date....tears wont stop falling
I WAS THE SAME WAY, IM LIKE "PLZ BE REAL,FOR THE LOVE OF GOD BE REAL" then i checked ou the comments :(
Deletethe torment is real
OMG.... You made my day rock....!
ReplyDeleteYESSSS!!!!!!... Wait...Hmmmm... This better not be april fools
ReplyDeleteI LOVE YOU
ReplyDeleteThis is the worst. I was so excited man!
ReplyDeleteMaking an April Fools joke with any other LN, but Overlord is my Japanese Light Novel Bible/Qu'ran/Torah... I'm calling BLASPHEMY!!!
ReplyDeleteBring the swords and pitchforks!!!
pitch forks!! get ya pitch forks over here!! only 20$!!
DeleteI'll take 12 of it & im gonna stick it in PervySage Butt
Delete@ Harry H.
DeletePromises, promises!
Aaarh . . i knew it!
ReplyDeleteThis is to cruel man . .
Could have been better if you made up something plausible.
ReplyDeleteYou have officially made countless fans cry like little girls.......
ReplyDeleteNope nope nope nope
ReplyDeleteSaw the date so did not get my hopes up!
*phew*
WAIT! I THOUGHT THAT AT LEAST THE FIRST PART WAS TRUE!
ReplyDeleteMe too, if it was part of another fanfiction (like the later parts) i want to see the rest of it!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Deletetry
Deletehttps://www.fanfiction.net/s/11611193/1/Light-s-downfall
for vol 10
almost fell for it, then noticed the date ;A;
ReplyDeleteMeatbun Delivery~
ReplyDeleteThank.. 😐 wait.. is this real??
This comments section is pure gold 99999999999999999999/10
ReplyDeleteAlthough almost all of it was fanfic, Is the 1st part at least a real chapter?
ReplyDeleteIt hasn't even come out in Japan yet...
ReplyDeleteAre you sure??? I know that the author was late with Volume 10 cuz he didn't meet the deadline but I thought it came out last month.... Did a quick Google to make sure I remembered right, and if the references are lying, then idk.
Deletehttps://m.reddit.com/r/LightNovels/comments/43y75n/has_anyone_heard_any_news_on_overlord_volume_10/
FK FK FK FK FK FK
ReplyDeleterip
ReplyDeleteIs it real seriously
ReplyDeleteScrolls down randomly.
ReplyDelete"Good, Mare. Now, spread your legs."
"O-okay..."
I see this too and my reality shattered
DeleteIt greatly resembles boku no pico
DeleteThe moment I saw this on NU is just knew this was April's Fools, dangit. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteNoooooooo!
ReplyDelete>>>>Implying I'd trust anything today without an iron clad seal of authenticity up front
ReplyDeleteAw.... I thought Ainz is back in business..
ReplyDeleteNoooooooo!
ReplyDeleteIs this a reverse April Fool's joke? Part 1 looks real.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you do this? Any other novel would've been fine. I need some time to contemplate life right now.
ReplyDeleteI came here knowing this was an April Fools prank, but the length of which you went for it confounded me.
ReplyDeleteHow dare you! HOW DARE YOU!!
ReplyDelete.......Yeah still read this. :)
ReplyDeleteDamn you got me for about half a minute
ReplyDeleteIm fully jump for joy running around punching bag doing push up then the excitement disperse and now im in despair
＿＿＿＿
ReplyDelete∧＿∧ ∧＿∧＼
／( ･`ω´･ ) ( ･`ω´･ ) ＼
|￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣|
| THANKS!! NEPU!! |
|＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿|
I specially liked the last part lol.
I know what this is and I'm glad I skipped to the comments section.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the fanfic anyway.
Ummmmm what the fuck.... I'm traumatize... Pleaseee delete ittttt...... I don't know what's real or fake anymore.......
ReplyDeleteI don't know what to say.....*sobbing uncontrollably*.... the first one was most believable part but when demiurge and mare were doing it......*continue to sobbing uncontrollably*
ReplyDeletei get your feeling bro i bough all chapter until then.... ohh god why??????!!!!!
Deletewtf is that shit, welp i cant complain bout ur taste though --a
ReplyDeleteTbh, the dwarf part is not bad. I... I can't say about the latter ones though.
ReplyDeleteThe heartbreak... you guys are more evil than anyone at Nazarick could ever be...
ReplyDeleteHaha...hahaha...hahahaha! This felt good! I'm enjoying this!
ReplyDeleteI had been waiting for this. Great April's Fool Joke!
ReplyDeleteHmmm what wrong with this
ReplyDeleteIt seem legit finally cocytus dream of traing ains son will come true
Ten years later...
Delete"STOP THROWING FIREBALLS AT EACH OTHER!!! These are advanced sword techniques I am trying to teach you!" yelled Cocytus at the group of young liches.
"Why, oh why do I get them AFTER their 'Attack Magic' course with Shalltear every day!?" thought Cocytus to himself. "Besides, her refusal to properly discipline them just because they are Ainz-sama's children is simply spoiling them rotten, which makes MY job even harder! I also suspect that since our Lord has still refused to take her to his bed after that one night that no one can remember, that she has started to seduce and molest them with her depraved ways." Cocytus shuddered in disgust at the thought of what
Shalltear might be doing with those that he considered to be his beloved nephews...
Almost everyone had a double take at this , great job !
ReplyDeleteStill reading it all though
ReplyDeletewho know this might be legit in some alternate universe
Im disappointed it is not about climb fucking princess
ReplyDeletethe Dwarf looked real, also the little hint about the old members being in the world, but then the gay shota bath sex scene kinda gave it away
ReplyDeleteomg i hate all of you
ReplyDeleteOmg , at frist i was so happy and then you make me cry ,i got fooled
ReplyDeleteVolume 10 is definitely more adventurous and unpredictable then the earlier works.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, totally saw it coming with Entoma and her 700 former lover skulls. I knew it would be worth it and over 700 agree!
I am literally crying... and not tears of joy
ReplyDeleteoverlord vol 10 between skythewood and fanfic translation is different can anyone explain to me ? i`m really dont understand
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for vol 10.
ReplyDeleteWas worried the yen press thing would get in the way
Nice one skythewood team. you truly got everyone.
ReplyDeleteI love you guys
ReplyDeleteWhere did you get the story for part 1?
ReplyDeleteIf it's someone's fanfiction I would like to see how it continues.
ALL of us are hoping that Nigel will continue his fantastic story about the Dwarves.
DeleteI've even promised to teach him the best of my most depraved and perverted techniques for pleasing women that I've learned over the past fifty+ years!
(Although I was surprised that right after I started to explain the first technique, he started to vomit uncontrollably while begging for treatment from a highly skilled psychiatrist.)
I HATE YOU AND YOUR APRIL FOOL, YOU GOT ME BAD XD
ReplyDeleteBack my time 30 minutesss.......!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteEmmmmmmm
ReplyDeleteAnyone, please show me the way of real one ?
oh gawd, chapter 1 and 2 look legit, but...
ReplyDeletei hate you guys..... =)
Great April Fools Day joke! I usually only laugh like that when reading Konosuba. No but seriously, this traumatized me and now I'll never be able to look at Demiurge or Mare the same way again.
ReplyDeleteOnce upon a time there was a man. All he ever wanted to do was to read good stories. He could do it for hours. But one day, one truly, truly unfortunate day, he though "I havn't check Overlord LN news for a long time".
ReplyDeleteAnd you guys were there. And you guys were prepared.
And you guys fucked him sensless.
And the worst part about it was that he knew that this would happen, he knew what whas he getting into, and he still did it. And he loved it.
Way to make 1st of April. Good job skythewood team
;)
Well done for a joke :D
ReplyDeleteDamn I fell for it.. hahahahaha
Thank god I read the comment first... lol
ReplyDeleteNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
ReplyDeleteDAMN you APRIL FOOOOOOLLLLLSSSSSS DAY!
When I read the first part I honestly thought it was the real deal but when the bath scene appeared i.......realized....I HAVE BEEN PRANKED!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I kbow how you feel but to be honest it was the best pranked.....right
DeleteThanks for the false update Satan.
ReplyDeleteThis is not a april fool joke i hope :)
ReplyDeleteBefore I read the other comments I was planning on saying, "Let me have your babies!", but after learning it's an April Fool's joke.... nevermind. My heart's too crushed to rear any children. TT__TT
ReplyDeletei just noticed, norris chuck is now an editor
ReplyDeleteThis update made my day. Thanks!!!
ReplyDeletefor a moment i thought it was real after reading the first bit with the dwarves, then i got suspicious a scrolled to the bottom to see the comments. when i saw the after 9 months bit with child birth i cried T-T
ReplyDeleteWHY YOU DO THIS TOO MEEE!!!!!! MY OVERLORD!!!!! I WANT MY WEEKLY DOSE OF OVERLORD BACK!!!!!!
just gonna cry in a corner for the impossible... T-T
I was first thinking >OH YES THANKS< but then I wondered why the hell no "Prologue Chapter" but still gave a fuck....then at the bath scene (or a bit later -.-) I realized IT WAS A FUKING FANFIC SRSLY U MADE ME CRY THE SECOND TIME (first time was like...bath scene?)..............
ReplyDeleteUUUUUUUUUU!!! I actually believed at first because of the epic picture... Then crushed at reading it especially mare and demiurge
ReplyDeleteVillagers are suffering here and there～
ReplyDeleteHas the first part just been writen for this hoax or can it
ReplyDeletebe found somewhere on the internet?
I meant of course the first part (part 1, written by Nigel)of this little aprils fool "gift".
DeleteI rushed it out in 3 hours when Sifa said, "Hey guys, let's troll the readerbase" and I was like "Yeah sure".
DeleteWell I think it was good work and for three ours work it was terrific. Did you plan to continue the story (fanfic)?
DeleteSorry I meant "three hours" not "three ours".
Delete@Nigel that's too bad. i would love to read your ff to the end. have you a blog or something in the art?
DeleteMOTHER FUCKERS!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteps who did the art?...bastards
DeleteThe art was done by So-Bin~
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Delete"It's just a prank bro"
ReplyDeleteWHY DOWD WHY!
ReplyDeleteWooooo! Thought it was an April Frank! But it's not
ReplyDeleteThis is a cruel joke
ReplyDeletei knew it was a aprils prank but i wanted to believe ;_; well part 1 and 2 were kinda normal but then the shit went down
ReplyDeleteIt's just a prank Han
ReplyDeleteNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
ReplyDeleteI godamn fell for it. Its like the very first time the 'half-life 3 confirmed' went up. Fuuuuuck. T_T
The worst part is how it was semi believable...came expecting a hoax but then began to hope. That hope was crushed, stabbed, and thrown to the ground. Like a puppet with its strings cut.
ReplyDeletealmost destroyed my laptop when I read the comment section.....DAMN IT!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt a good thing I read the comment before reading this. The post was so convincing that I almost fell for it.
ReplyDeleteNigel needs to do fanfic of story followong chapters1-2, was really good.
ReplyDeleteBEST APRIL FOOOLS EVAAAH!!!
ReplyDeleteTHANKYOUUUUU!!
I almost believed it. The dwarves hooked me, made me want to believe.
ReplyDeletewell played, skythewood.
ReplyDeleteI still can't believe it's just a joke. God damnit my whole life just went down the drain...... Literally.。・゜・(ノД`)・゜・。
ReplyDelete＿|￣|○
Oh damnit, this is so Demiurge-like thing for you to do, guys... The more hope the pray gets, the more despair he will feel... I was so excited that I even forgot about the date!
ReplyDeleteIt was BRILLIANT! Thanks as always!!!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletei just want to say somethings After reading this NIGEL YOU MAGNIFICENT BASTARD!!!!!! ( please make more of this)
ReplyDeleteGOD DAMN IT I'M LITERALLY JUMPING FOR JOY NOW ! xD
ReplyDeleteWait, I'm taking back what I've said....
ReplyDeleteThe first part i already lost interest since it said that these dwarfs existed in those mountains even during the 6gods reign. Their dwarfs kingdom in those mountains were only founded during the 13heroes ages
ReplyDeleteWas the whole thing fake because the part with the dwarves seemed very real compared to the rest.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletePUTOSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS llore de felicidad y ahora perdí mi tiempo leyendo las mentiras snif snif....
ReplyDeleteOkay if at least the dwarf portion of this story isn't real than where did they get the picture from since it isn't from any of the other Overlord novels and looks too real to be a fake.
ReplyDeletePUTOSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS llore de felicidad y ahora perdí mi tiempo leyendo las mentiras snif snif....
ReplyDeleteI thank u for the part 1 and i hate you for traumatizing me bcoz of demiurgeXmare but oh well wish i could also read the whole volume.... april's fool day..... (# ゜Д゜)
ReplyDeleteI expected it was an april's fool but the first 2 parts were great so I kept reading. Then I got to the part with the strings cut. Yep, that's a joke.
ReplyDeleteHA! Jokes on you! I'M ACTUALLY INTO TRAPS SO I ENJOYED IT!
ReplyDeleteAnd it amuses me greatly how to everyone else it's nothing short of traumatizing. Though it would've also been traumatizing for me two years ago. Also, the first part kind of makes me thing about dwarf fortress. It also looked pretty legit
Nigel your work resembled Maruyama's Overlord quite well, however there's a few glaring things. Presumably if memory serves, the dwarf race only started in the mountain ranges after the dwarf hero came along and became their king, but even if it was true, I liked that Dragon Age-esque Dwarf introduction, minus the Dark Spawn. The larger issue is how exact your references are, though that certain bit of melee combat with Gazef was done well. What I mean is the pacing at which you made references was balanced in how Overlord does it, but near the end you condensed a bunch nearly word for word without the proper build up. Igni was basically too informed which is uncharacteristic of the Overlord series that is based upon dark humor misunderstandings when it comes to Nazarick. A better alternative might have been if Igni heard rumors about the lizards being circus animals or pets in the same vein as Hamsuke, conflicting reports so to speak which would make the council more angry then get the point across that even being literal lap dogs is better than extinction.
ReplyDeleteAlso it made no sense that the only dwarf to return was Igni, as there's no way for the council to summon him if this was the case. I would assume there were dwarves who only went out for these kind of things like emissaries, but without a proper guide that's impossible so mentioning the details of that would round it out.
I also don't think I ever saw the word 'thing' used to be describe an unknown, but that is practically insignificant.
Well, all that said I'm not a writer, nor do I believe just changing the stuff I addressed would fix it up, since I can see how your work was crafted meticulously from the foundation. But since you did such a good job I wanted to give my 2 cents on how it could be even more Maruyama-like.
when i read the part about the darkbrood, i though they could be the cockroaches from nazarich, dunno why
DeleteAnon, are you an English major or something? Idk bout any of your 'analysis' of the 'fanfic' vs how Maruyama writes, but I will laugh HARD if part 1 is the real deal and the team actually gave us a treat on Fool's Day. If it's p1 is real instead of fanfic, then that's a lot of text talking about nothing useful.
DeleteIt's something I threw together in a few hours, I didn't really have the time to polish the details (although I probably should have). For future work I'll make sure to double check the lore more.
DeleteI figured that they would call the death of Gazef "killing him in melee combat" because they didn't know what happened to him, but Ainz didn't cast a spell and Gazef just dropped dead. Plus, Brain and Climb were meant to be witnesses, after all.
Thanks for the feedback, though.
Incidentally, the theme of dwarves digging too deep and unleashing something that kills them is as old as Tolkien, but the Darkbrood get their name from the Exalted RPG and their visual inspiration is Dead Space necromorphs combined with black ooze to fit the Demon of Darkness requirement.
Certainly, the first part was written quite well. Hands down to Nigel for mixing and matching this piece in such short notice. Agreed with Anon that the writing and storytelling did not feel out of pace and it is quite close to the overall mood and feeling that you could find in Overlord. I wouldn't be surprised if people would feel that the first half came from the original work of Maruyama-sama. Of course, this is just my two-cents.
DeleteBy the way, where was the cover picture found? It resembles a made-believe cover but since it is too dark to distinguish anything I could not tell it was fake. Thanks!
Delete@Chubee
DeleteIt's a random piece of art by so-bin, who is the actual artist for the Overlord LN. You can find it (and a surprising amount of RWBY fan art) on his Pixiv account.
P.S.
DeleteThe date stamp for that piece of art was 2010.
i was like...
ReplyDelete"holy..."
"it's overlord chapter 10!"
my mind instantly conflicted
"isnt it taken over by evil press ?"
*check comment section
*Table Flip (ノ°Д°）ノ︵
The 10th Volume of Overlord isn't even out yet :)
Deleteidk bout that , i don't really pay attention to release's date since sky announce that you-know-who takes overlord ln license so they gonna have to stop overlord here
Deleteso chapter 2 gona be about loli dragon queen ?
ReplyDeleteWait, part 1 should be legit right? Since it even has the official art with befitting name. Part 2 was very convincing and having a hard time believing its fanfiction. The rest are quite obviously April fool's joke. I just hope sky and Co are really gonna translate this and at least part 1 is real....
ReplyDeleteNever mind I read nigel's comment. My heart is shattered. Great work though.
DeleteThe 10th Volume of Overlord isn't even out yet :)
DeleteGeez I was the happiest guy for a second lol. Hats off to you guys for that prank hahaha... *tear*
ReplyDeleteIt felt good, thanks for getting fooled～
ReplyDeleteOh, you got me really well! Thanks for the work anyway!
ReplyDeletereally! WTF... that part with Yaoi. It made me remember April 1...
ReplyDeleteAll parts are FAKE. I scoured Amazon japan http://www.amazon.co.jp/ for オーバーロード 10 (overlord vol 10)
ReplyDelete~ it has never existed!!!
Its not for sale for gaijins, obvious from your ip
Deletewow, you crack me up. you can't buy something not yet printed.
Deleteso...... it's a joke.
ReplyDeletehahahahaha.......
a moment before,i almost die from my happiness
and now i will make the world die from my wraith
THANKS, REALLY!!!
(i said that but thanks for all the vols translated so far and it was the best april joke ever)
Fuck yourself sky!
ReplyDeleteNigel how about writing your own story? Im sure people will read it
ReplyDeleteDwarf in the mountain and no contact with the other race where they not friend with one lizardman? It must be my memory! What the f*** is hapenning? Oh it is not hapening in the story, just a book inside the story, it is strange, it is not possible that the author is doing this! Ainz is father? It must be a side story! But why is it inside the main story? 1 April... I... I realy wanted to belive but... but... my heart broke.
ReplyDeleteI hysterically jump out from my bed and yell as loud as possible then... suspicion comes out since the release date is 1 April -_-
ReplyDeleteGoddamnit!!!!! That's one hell of an April 1st joke!!! It is right!?!? Right!?! Thank you for the great effort, funny end... hehehe XD.
ReplyDeleteSuffer more, peasants! Fuhahaha～
ReplyDeleteWhen i got to know this was a joke, the shock reduced my lifespan by a couple years! you mean bastards!
ReplyDeleteNevertheless, it was a great april fool's day! I had a hard time 'couse fool's day's equivalent is celebrated in another date on my country. I ended reading it all and i feared that the author decided to turn this great series into a lowly shotacon. It's hard but we must admit this was a great joke,
DeleteThanks for the (fake) chapter. I enjoyed it, even if it wasn't canon. Mare and Demiurge was a pretty hot read. Do a continuation.
ReplyDeleteJohn Sena and Chuck Norris... That's all I needed to real.
ReplyDeleteTo read*
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this
ReplyDeleteMy heart </3
ReplyDeleteI dont get what part 3 is
ReplyDeleteMaldiciom por que hacen cosas tan crueles snif... Snif ... Pero que bueno que fui a los comentarios primero porque sentí que algo era extraño en la historia :3
ReplyDeleteMaldiciom por que hacen cosas tan crueles snif... Snif ... Pero que bueno que fui a los comentarios primero porque sentí que algo era extraño en la historia :3
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering where that image came from... It looks like So-Bin's handiwork...
ReplyDeleteI knew it's a troll.. Cause vol 10 chapt 1 tittle is "Triumphant Return"
ReplyDeleteMan this is insane, is Ainz really dead? When would volume 11 be translated?
ReplyDeleteSky you are the best!!!!
God damn it I knew but still had to check I'm sticking to google drive from now on.
ReplyDeleteOMG ! THANK YOU SO MUCH ! I was waiting for this chapter for so long. I thought you would never continue translating overlord ! THANK YOU ! I couldnt live without OVERLORD !! :)))))))
ReplyDeletelol this poor guy havent read the whole thing yet x,D unfortunate yet fortunate..
DeleteDon't worry, the real volume 10 is going to be released on 30.05.2016 ! Still, the first two parts had potential :D
ReplyDeleteNo wonder Nigel is the Overlord, he predicted volume 10's contents and matched his story to it perfectly!
ReplyDeleteWow i totally believed the first part but later when ex-members appeared i know at once it's a fanfic :D
ReplyDeleteDamn you....
ReplyDeletewhy i start read it before check date (
ReplyDeleteAprils fools days is not practiced in my country...
ReplyDeleteI cried.
this broke a lot of heart bro...
ReplyDelete"hearts" i mean
DeleteYou have no idea how much i cried when i found out this was fake. But the worst part was even thouh i was crying and knew it was false I KEPT READING IT.
ReplyDeletethx u man thx u love u man
ReplyDeleteo.o all right so i already know its fake, but im going to read it.. but man T.T this would have made my month if it had been real
ReplyDeleteo.o all right so i already know its fake, but im going to read it.. but man T.T this would have made my month if it had been real
ReplyDeleteDamn you, you got me. ��
ReplyDeleteI know this story that is just a funny dream when i read the gay scene between mare and demiugre. I mean this is too ridiculous
ReplyDeleteaaarrrhhg... I was fooled! The first story looked just real but some wierd stuff followed - my both eyebrows raised quite a lot - then I read the comments -.-
ReplyDeletethis....is.... too..... cruel....
ReplyDeleteSo this is a permanent prank then, since you got me 20 days after April fools. I felt something was off with the dragon age dwarfs but was willing to let it slide. Brain committing suicide part got me to say no way! He wouldn't throw his life away because gazef died. But it was a fun read and thank you for a cleverly done prank ^.^
ReplyDeleteI'm late for the April Fool bit I sure was fooled though. Spend almost 3 hours reading the first part. Although have a little doubt since I read somewhere that vol 10 will not covered the dwarf kingdom. And then there's the 40 council, no way this is happening, and then Gazef and Brain, just had to scroll to coment sect.
ReplyDelete----
But I still finished reading the yaoi part after that.