novelVolume 9
| ← Ch.089 | Ch.091 → |
Riding a horse through a violent mob that had lost their discipline in the chaos was very difficult. However, it was possible because they had once been orichalcum-ranked adventurers, who stood close to the pinnacle of humanity.
The group skilfully threaded between the flow of humanity.
"That magic caster's a monster! How can someone like him be allowed to exist in the world?!"
Raeven cursed Ainz as his horse jerked up and down in its top-speed gallop.
"Dammit! We have to do something! I need to think of some way to protect our world — our future!"
Fear was probably the reason why he was subconsciously mumbling to himself. If he did not say anything, if he did not distract his mind, that intelligent brain of his would probably sketch horrific nightmares of the danger approaching him.
When he returned, he would need to sit down with the Prince (Zanack) and the Princess (Renner) and draw up some form of countermeasure against that incomparable magic caster.
If this went on, all of humanity would be conquered ─ no, that was still alright. In the worst case, all of humanity might become toys for Ainz Ooal Gown, to be tormented until the ends of their lives.
The sound of a tongue clicking carried over the sounds of the horse's hooves.
"Not good! My lord, please guide your horse to the right! It's caught up with us!"
"How did it find us without eyes?!" Lockmeyer the thief shouted."Lund! Do you have any magic for this?"
"Of course not! Do you think any spells would work against that monster, Lock?"
"Even so, how will we know if we don't try—"
"Stop! Don't do anything until you have to! It might just be advancing in the same direction as us! Marquis Raeven! Move in front of us! We'll form up single file!"
Their voices were trembling.
In accordance with the instructions, Raeven moved his horse to the pole position. Then, he turned his horse toward the direction where less people were fleeing.
The cry of a Dark Young came from nearby, and it felt like it was going to squash his pounding heart in his chest.
"MEEEEEEEEEHHHH!"
—It was close.
The sweat poured off Marquis Raeven's head like a waterfall. He was so afraid that he did not dare turn around, but he could sense the air behind him getting warmer and warmer.
And then, he heard it again—
"MEEEEEEHHHH!!"
"Son of a bitch! No good! It was coming this way all along!... Everyone! Prepare yourselves!"
THe magic casters responded to the shouts of the leader Boris with their spells
"[Reinforce Armor]!"
"[Lesser Strength]!"
"Good! Then, my lord! Let us receive the enemy's attack! Do not look back under any circumstances and continue riding!"
There was only one thing he could say to the adventurers, who had conquered their fear.
"... I'm counting on you!"
"Understood! Let's go!"
"Ohhhhh!"
He could hear the horses of the former adventurers drawing away from him.
Raeven lowered his head, doing his best to minimize wind resistance. Although he did not know how much time they could buy, he knew he had to run as hard as he could without looking back — returning alive would be the only way to repay their loyalty.
"I'll blow you away! [Fireball]!!"
"[Invulnerable Fortress]!"
As he rode away on the back of the wildly-galloping horse, Raeven thought he could hear the sound of the former adventurers joining battle, even through the wind whipping past his face.
And then — within two seconds he could not hear the former adventurers any more.
What he did hear was the sound of an enormous hoof falling.
His heart lurched in his chest.
As he saw the shadow from his lowered field of vision, Raeven did his best to hold back a scream.
He realized there was a massive shadow beneath his feet ─ his body carried by the speeding horse ─ and that a long and thick tentacle was reaching out for him.
"No..."
The horse ran like it had gone mad. It was faster than Raeven had ever ridden it. It might have been the fastest it had ever gone. Even so, the mighty shadow still stretched out across the earth.
"I don't want this!"
He screamed. He had not expected himself to scream, and so loudly.
Warmth spread through his crotch.
Raeven forced his eyes open, and without looking back, he forced the horse forward.
He could not die yet. It did not matter what happened to the country. If it was to fall, then let it fall.
If taking up arms against Ainz Ooal Gown meant death, then he was willing to abandon this country and flee.
He had been an idiot.
Truly, he had been an idiot.
Coming to this battlefield was truly foolish.
Since he knew how powerful Ainz Ooal Gown was, he should have stayed in the Royal Capital no matter the cost.
He would not think of the Kingdom's future any more.
"I don't want this!"
He could not die yet.
He could not die while his son was still so young. And... he could not leave his beloved wife alone by dying.
"I don—"
Raeven imagined the form of his son before him.
My lovely boy.
A tiny little life had been born. It slowly grew up. It got sick. Back then, he had made a huge fuss because of that. The image of himself running around half-mad, bellowing orders, while his wife sat there in silence was deeply embarrassing.
His hands were soft and his cheeks were rosy. When he grew into a youth, he would be the talk of the Kingdom. He believed his son's abilities would surpass his own. He could already see traces of that from time to time.
His wife kept saying that any parent would think the best of their child, but he did not think that was the case.
Raeven was deeply grateful to his wife, who had bore his beloved son. However, he rarely said so because it embarrassed him.
It was time for a second child.
If he had not come to this battlefield, he might have been able to hold their hands─
"... Eh?"
The sound of the hooves had stopped.
Driven more by curiosity than courage, Raeven turned around. All he saw was the Dark Young standing motionless, as though frozen in place.
Part 3
He had no idea where he was. It was like he had been hurled into a nightmare.
The title of the Four Knights —the title belonging to the mightiest warriors of the Baharuth Empire— now seemed so shockingly superficial.
How pathetic a creature was he, to be so proud of such an insignificant little thing? That was how great of a shock he had received.
Nimble could hear the sound of subdued weeping. It was the sobbing of people who had been pushed past their limits by fear and unease. It was a childish — no, it was the agonized wailing of men who had been reduced to children. The ones who wept were the Imperial knights.
He heard people beg "just run away."
That was the prayer of the knights who had — with eyes full of pity — watched that hideous carnage swallow up their fellow human beings.
So wretched was this tragedy that even the enemies of the Royal Army, the Imperial knights, offered up prayers for them.
They prayed that at least some would survive. The more, the better.
They had come here to kill the enemy. However, no human being could remain unmoved and not feel pity when they witnessed the massacre taking place in front of them. Anyone who could remain unmoved would be a fiend with a man's face, an inhuman being.
In addition, Nimble and the knights realised that this could not be dismissed as a matter of "us vs them."
Certainly, from the point of view of the Kingdom against the Empire, this disaster was happening to "them." But when you looked at it from the perspective of men against monsters, this brutal slaughter was happening to "us."
"Well then, I think it's time."
All eyes went to Ainz as he spoke quietly.
There were 60, 000 people present, and his voice was not loud enough to reach all of them. However, they could tell when the people beside them turned their heads. And once they knew that the faces of their neighbors were turned to Ainz Ooal Gown, they too followed suit.
After all, every move and gesture made by the man who had orchestrated this nightmare —Ainz Ooal Gown— filled all present with uncontrollable terror.
Ainz slowly removed his mask.
He exposed his skinless, fleshless, polished white skull to the world.
If the circumstances had been different, perhaps they might have thought he was wearing a mask under his mask. However, as they saw this, the hearts of Nimble and all the knights of the Empire sank.
They understood that this was his true face; that Ainz Ooal Gown was a monster.
That was because they had a premonition; anyone who could wield such power could not be human.
Ainz slowly spread his arms. He looked like he was embracing a friend — or was it a demon spreading its wings? In the eyes of all who were watching, he seemed to double in size.
In the silence — interrupted only by the anguished screams of the Kingdom's soldiers in the distance — Ainz's still, small voice rang out with exceptional clarity.
"— Applause, then."
What is he saying, Nimble thought as he stared at Ainz with his mouth open.
Everyone who could hear him thought the same thing, and as Ainz's words were whispered throughout the army, more and more people turned their eyes to him.
Then, when everyone's attention was on him, he spoke again.
"A round of applause, in celebration of my supreme power."
The first to applaud was Mare, who stood by Ainz's side, opposite Nimble. As though sparked by it, the scattered sounds of clapping began rising up from the soldiers, until it become a thunderous ovation.
Of course, they were not truly cheering for him.
Nobody wanted to applaud a person who brought this kind of cruel butchery with him. This was not war. It was slaughter. A massacre.
Only, nobody present could speak these words. Nobody dared.
Their earth-shaking applause was the sum of all the knights' fears.
And then the intensity of the riotous applause, which all present thought could not get any greater, rose several more notches.
That was because one of the Dark Young had slowly changed its course. It would soon reach the Imperial army.
Shouts of praise rang out, to match the applause.
The Imperial knights cried out in praise of Ainz Ooal Gown. They screamed until their throats bled.
Yet, the Dark Young did not slow its pace.
And so, the knights cried out even louder. They thought the beast was approaching because he was not pleased with their volume.
─But still, it did not stop.
─And thus, their tightly wound nerves snapped.
Nobody knew who started it. It might have just been the wavering of a single knight. However, that was enough for the terror which filled them beyond their limits to burst forth..
"Aieeeeeeeeeeee!"
The soul-wrenching scream echoed throughout the ranks and shook the Imperial army.
One of the monsters which had trampled the Royal Army underfoot was bearing down on them. This abnormal situation so terrified some of the Imperial knights that they abandoned their unmoving horses and fled for their lives. After seeing the hellish sight from just now, even those who lacked vivid imaginations knew exactly what would happen when it was their turn under that beast's hooves.
And of course — fear was contagious.
While less than a hundred people fled at first, that number swelled within moments, until it was a flight of sixty thousand.
─Yes.
The Imperial army had fallen into panic, their regimentation in tatters.
It was a disgraceful rout.
The knights had obviously been taught how to fall back in good order. However, they no longer had the luxury of adhering to such discipline. If it would let them leave this place one second faster, if they could move one step more in flight toward a safe place, they would push down their comrades in front of them with all their might and flee.
When shoved from behind, it was unavoidable that people would lose their balance and fall. And once they fell down, the panic-driven throng behind them would not give them the chance to rise.
The ones who fell would be trampled by the ones behind them.
Even if they wore metal armor, everyone else wore metal armor as well. They would be stamped into a single fused mass of metal and meat.
Scenes like this were happening everywhere.
The Imperial army's casualties were not caused by the enemy, but by themselves.
Nimble did not know what to do next, and he hesitated.
He wanted to run as well. However, he could not do so, and not all the knights had escaped, in any event.
As he looked back across the formation, he saw a scant few people remaining, stock still atop their horses.
They had not remained because of their fear. Rather, it was because they were mesmerized by the sight of overwhelming power, and had forgotten themselves in their excitement.
For instance, normal people would flee when they saw a huge tornado sweeping in toward them. However, there were certain beings who admired the beauty of the tornado and stood still ─ even though they realized it would claim their lives. Those that remained could be considered deviants.
The Dark Young arrived before Ainz, bent its knees, and lowered its tentacles. It was probably displaying its submission.
Nimble smiled, his face twitching, as the monster acted in a decidedly non-monstrous way.
The Dark Young's body should have been splattered in fresh blood, but it was nowhere to be seen because it had already been absorbed by its skin.
It wrapped its tentacles around Ainz's waist, then extended several more to firmly grip his body before raising him up. Then, it placed him on its head.
"I believe the original plan was that I would cast a spell upon the enemy, and then the Imperial army would follow up with a charge, but it would seem you have no intention to act.".
Nimble had nothing to say.
Ainz was right. The Empire had broken the terms of the agreement which they themselves had made with the King of their allied country.
However, one could not blame the knights for losing their nerve. Nimble would defend them even in front of Jircniv, because he knew the overwhelming terror which had gripped them.
"Ah, I have no intention of rebuking you. I understand you're concerned that if you launch an assault, there is a chance you may be trampled along with the enemy. Truthfully speaking, if that happened, I would be hard-pressed to explain those deaths to your Emperor. Well, in that case, I guess I'll handle your part of the job as well."
Nimble looked to the company of the undead, which had remained still all this time.
"Will... will... will those undead troops make an assault, then?"
"Oh, no, I'll let these lambs handle it since it's such a rare chance for them to do so. I simply perform some light cleaning up. Mare, do not lower your guard."
"Yes, yes! Please leave it to me, Ainz-sama!"
Nimble was speechless.
He said he would press the attack; him, in person, the one who had cast a spell like that.
His tone suggested that he did not intend to let anyone return alive from this battlefield. It was clear that his hunger for carnage was insatiable.
"To think... it's not enough. Is he a devil?"
Although he was muttering to himself, Nimble's words were louder than he thought, and Ainz turned his terrible visage on him from where he was seated atop the Dark Young.
He shook his head at the quivering Nimble.
"Do not be mistaken. I am undead."
What Ainz must have been trying to say was that he was not a demon that exalted the idea of evil, but an undead being that hated the living. As such, he would not permit a single soldier of the Kingdom to escape. He would take even more lives.
That was the most likely answer, and also the most disastrous one.
If Ainz wanted to slay everything that lived because he was undead, then it was possible that his sights might someday be set on the Empire, which was filled with the living.
No, that was sure to happen in the future.
What should I do? Assaulted by confusion and fear, Nimble lacked the ability to focus, and he did not hear Ainz's last whispered words.
"... And it seems I have found my target."
♦ ♦ ♦
The headquarters of King Ranpossa III was located in the center of the Royal army. It was surrounded by countless banners belonging to numerous nobles of the Kingdom of Re-Estize.
Although there had been many nobles gathered here before, only a few remained here. Most of them had already fled, and only a scant few remained in this camp. Of course, the king had no intention of blaming the court nobles for running away.
"You lot, leave me behind and run!"
"This is no time for jokes! Your Majesty, please flee with all haste. Once it has its eye on us, we'll have no chance to survive!"
The speaker was Gazef's subordinate, the vice-captain of the warrior band.
"How can I run away, as the King?"
"Even if your Majesty stays, there is nothing you can do. Should you not return to E-Rantel and plan the counter-attack?"
Ranpossa III smiled bitterly. It hurt to listen to those words.
"That's right. Even if I stay here, there is nothing left for me to do."
It was impossible to rally his broken, routed army under these circumstances. It was not just Ranpossa III who could not do it; even the famed generals of old would have found this unreasonable task to be impossible.
"Your Majesty! There's no time! Listen up, you lot, you must bring his Majesty home even if you have to tie him up!"
Gazef's subordinates leapt into action.
Wasting more time would endanger not only himself but the people around him. With that in mind, Ranpossa III made his decision and rose to his feet.
"Alright. Let's go. But what will change if we flee now?"
The footfalls shook the ground like an earthquake as they drew closer. But even under these extreme circumstances, Ranpossa III remained calm. It was a far cry from the chaotic noises the nobles had made.
"First of all, it's impossible. If we try to flee on horseback, it'll come after us. It seems to target large groups of fleeing soldiers first. Therefore, there's only one way for us to be saved."
It was only now that Ranpossa III realised why they had urged the nobles to mount up and flee in groups just now.
"So all we can do is run on foot."
Some of the warriors began removing and discarding their armor.
"These men will carry your Majesty and flee."
"And what about you?"
Not everyone had removed their armor. For instance, the vice-captain was still wearing his.
"I'll act as a mounted distraction and flee in the opposite direction."
Ranpossa III saw the bright smiles on the warriors' faces, and realized that they had made their peace with death.
"Impossible. You are the treasures of our Kingdom! No matter what, you must survive! I still need you to serve my descendants!"
"Of course. Although we intend to be bait, we do not intend to die!"
That was a lie. They were planning to die. Or rather, they had accepted that death was their destiny.
Ranpossa III tried to think of something to convince them, but he could not speak. In the face of the warriors' smiles, everything he came up with sounded insincere and shallow..
The warriors around him helped remove Ranpossa III's armor.
A warrior in pure white armor stepped forward. He was Climb, his daughter Renner's sole subordinate, who had given everything he had in her service.
"Allow me to assist in the diversion. Although we don't know if these monsters have eyes, but if we wave our flags non-stop, we should be able to draw their attention. And this armor should be quite eye-catching."
Climb held the Kingdom's flag in his hand. it had been dirtied by the footprints of fleeing soldiers, and it seemed to summarize their current current situation.
"Aye. Then I'll go too."
Beside Climb was Brain Unglaus. Apparently he was a first-rate warrior who was the equal of his trusted vassal, Gazef Stronoff. Brain had entered this war as Renner's subordinate. In other words, he was in the same position as Climb.
"Are you sure? Strictly speaking, you are not exactly the Princess' subordinate."
"Ah? Well, don't worry about that. During the demonic disturbance we were on the frontlines, and somehow we still made it back alive. This time, we'll just hope that luck is with us. And we hope that luck is with you too."
"The gods will not watch in silence. During that disturbance, a hero came to save us. I trust they will change our fate too."
Before Ranpossa III, Brain and the vice-captain touched their knuckles together to bid him farewell.
"How did it end up like this..."
Where had it all gone wrong?
Ranpossa III moaned softly. In all likelihood, none of the men in front of him would survive.
The vice-captain and Climb would die as bait.
And he did not know what had happened to Gazef, who had vanished into the chaos after saying he intended to stop the Dark Young.
His eyes burned.
Forgive me, he wanted to say.
They were going to act as decoys for an old man, throwing their lives and futures away for him.
But he could not say that. They probably knew they were going to die, but they were going to cling to life as hard as they could.
In that case─
"Return safely to E-Rantel, and I shall grant you any reward you desire."
Climb and Brain paused mid-step and turned around.
"There's no need for a reward, your Majesty. I exist to aid Renner-sama. How could I dare ask for a reward..."
"As for for what I want, well, I'd like this kid I'm interested in here to marry the prettiest princess in the country."
"... Hahahaha. Well, that is a lavish reward."
"Brain-san! What are you saying?"
"Well, we'll have to start by giving the kid a lordship. Work hard!"
"Then you must return alive no matter what, Climb-kun."
Climb's frightened eyes and open mouth no longer had the warrior's spirit they had possessed just now. The King, however, had forgotten everything and allowed a bright smile onto his face.
"Then, we'll be off, your Majesty."
"I'll leave it to you."
The now-unarmored Ranpossa III was borne aloft by a soldier.
"Your Majesty. Even now, our flight is still a matter of luck. If the worst happens... I pray you will forgive us."
"That's fine. It was my decision to use your idea. If it fails due to misfortune, then I will have no complaints."
"Then! Your Majesty! May we meet again in E-Rantel!"
The vice-captain galloped off on his horse. As though it was waiting for him, one of the Dark Young changed its direction.
"Alright! Let's go while everyone's drawing it off!"
Part 4
Amidst the chaos caused by men desperately fleeing for their lives, Gazef fixed his eyes ahead of him, and then slowly drew the national treasure of the Kingdom, Razor Edge. Every time he had drawn this coldly gleaming blade, he had achieved victory. In other words, this sword was the proof of Gazef's triumph.
However, the sword seemed terribly weak and fragile today.
He was tiny and insignificant compared to the Dark Young which was charging right at him.
"If I let it past me, the King's main camp is next. I need to stop it here."
As he said that, Gazef face's softened, as though he were mocking himself.
There was no way for Gazef to beat that monster. Just delaying it for a second was worthy of praise.
Even a man hailed as the Warrior-Captain of the Kingdom —a warrior renowned throughout the surrounding nations— could only do so much.
"Take his Majesty and flee. Pave his way home with your lives."
Gazef whispered these orders —almost like a prayer— to his subordinates who were not here. The strongest soldiers in the Kingdom had stayed behind to protect their King. However, even if they stayed behind, they would not worthy of protecting the King from the savagery of those monsters. Even if they put their lives on the line, all they could do was serve as meatshields that would crumble after one hit.
However, that was enough.
They would die if the enemy hit them, but as long as they could make sure that hit was wasted on them, the King's life could be extended just a little more. Maybe it would work if 80 men were there to be shields, he thought optimistically.
"I'm sorry."
Gazef apologized to his subordinates even as the monster approached with uncanny speed, churning up sprays of flesh and gore in its wake. He knew that an apology to absent comrades was nothing more than comforting himself. Even so, he did not want to die without having spoken those words.
As he felt the earth trembling under his feet, Gazef exhaled forcefully.
He gripped the sword in his hands tightly, and raised it.
Compared to that vast body that crushed humans into red paste, his sword seemed utterly useless.
If it were a runaway horse cart, he could easily get control of it. Even if a ferocious tiger pounced him, he could evade its first blow and strike off its head.
Yet, in front of the Dark Young, his chances of survival seemed very low indeed.
"Huuuuu—"
As Gazef breathed out, a dramatic change appeared in the flow of people around him. Until now they had gone in all directions, but now it seemed like they were moving to avoid Gazef. It looked as though they were creating a clear path between Gazef and the Dark Young.
The Dark Young continued splattering humans under its feet as it closed in.
As Gazef raised his sword, he studied its body. Where could he attack for the best results?
He activated a martial art — [Sense Weakness].
However—
"—It has no weaknesses."
Gazef did not know if that was because it truly had no weaknesses, or because it was so much more powerful than him that he could not read them.
Still, he did not despair. He had expected that much, after all.
He activated another martial art.
This was a secret move that was truly worthy of being called a secret move, a technique that strengthened his extrasensory perceptions, [Possibility Sense].
The difference in their physical abilities was so vast that it made no difference if he shrunk a gap of miles by an inch or two through augmenting his own physical attributes. In that case, he decided to rely on something else — perhaps his sixth sense might be more effective.
"Come, beast."
The Dark Young seemed to have heard the challenge, and set a course straight for Gazef. The distance between the two shrank dramatically.
This was the truth.
Gazef was afraid.
If it was at all possible, he would have liked to flee with the surrounding soldiers.
Even after activating [Possibility Sense], he could not feel anything. It was like he was enveloped by an impenetrable wall of night.
As the Dark Young closed in, he studied its form in greater detail.
Judging by the way its hooves remained undamaged, it was likely that normal swords would not be able to deal any harm to it. From the deep prints it left in the ground where it stepped, its weight would instantly kill anyone it was applied to.
The more he learned about it, the more his fear of it grow.
Right now, Gazef was exposed to a terror far more intense than those of the soldiers fleeing willy-nilly around him.
But he could not turn back.
The Kingdom's strongest warrior could not flee. He cancelled [Possibility Sense], and calmed his breathing.
The Dark Young closed in.
It was close enough that the clods of dirt kicked up by its hooves could reach Gazef.
It ignored the soldiers around it, like they were nothing but crawling worms, and headed straight for Gazef.
No, he was wrong.
The Dark Young swerved to the side, like it had hit a wall. Because it had turned so quickly, the Dark Young's footsteps were messed up, and even with so many legs, it lost its balance.
Of course, Gazef did not think it had run away from him.
It had simply considered where it could find more prey and felt that it could trample more people if it turned to the side.
The Dark Young charged past Gazef, making the world quake in its passing.
Because there was only a meter or so of separation between them, the ground under his feet shook like an earthquake. Anyone but Gazef would have fallen down.
He aimed at the Dark Young's gigantic hoof as it ran past—
"—Yeeart!"
Gazef swung his sword. At this speed, the enemy's own velocity would become a weapon that would tear itself apart on the edge of his blade.
In the instant the hoof touched the sword, a massive impact travelled up the weapon and into Gazef's arms. It made him feel as though his arms had been torn off.
His feet, planted firmly in the ground, left two trenches in the dirt as he was dragged backward.
"Gwaaargh!"
Somehow, he had kept his grip on his sword, but pain spread through his entire body. Be it his muscles or his tendons, every part of him hurt from the stress it had to bear.
Gazef panted heavily, and stared at the giant body that passed him.
Not far from Gazef, one of the Dark Young had finally stood still as opposed to running madly.
One of its tentacles became a blur.
Fear shot through his body. Gazef hurriedly raised his sword.
In that instant, an extraordinary impact struck him, and his body floated into the sky.
Gazef could not see anything, but he guessed that he must have been slapped away by the tentacle. His body flew through the sky.
After hanging in the air for a surprisingly long time, Gazef's body finally struck the earth. He rolled several times. This rolling was not the tumbling of a flung corpse, but the deliberate action of a human that was trying to bleed off the energy of his rotation.
Gazef slowly stood up, spurring his ungainly body into motion. He stared at the distant Dark Young.
It had been just one hit.
The arm that took the strike had broken. It was probably sheer good luck that his sword had not snapped as well.
All emotion vanished from Gazef's face
Why had he been spared? Why had it not pursued him?
It was probably because it had no need to finish him off. Gazef felt that was the most appropriate answer.
This was not a defeat. He had not even come anywhere close to the arena.
Fresh blood flowed from his bitten lip.
Following that, Gazef suppressed the intense pain which filled him and ran forth with all his might.
Even if he could not beat his opponent, even if his limit was one more hit, even so, he still had to protect his King.
However, his footsteps ─ filled with conviction and determination ─ faltered after several paces.
He looked at the Dark Young that had changed direction toward him —there was no mistake here— and he realized why he had managed to survive.
Upon the Dark Young, there was a king seated upon what looked like a throne made of tentacles. However, he had a bizarre face. It was skeletal, and there was no doubt that he was an undead monster.
He was not nearly foolish enough not to recognize who that king was.
"Ainz Ooal Gown... dono. So you weren't human after all."
The Theocracy's special forces. Gazef had no hope of defeating them, yet they had been easily wiped out. No human could have done that, which made this realization simple to accept.
Yes. Why had he even thought someone that powerful could have been human to begin with?
"Stronoff-sama!"
Even before he looked back, he knew who it was by the hoarseness of the voice. The familiar pair came running toward him.
"Are you two alright?"
Climb and Brain were unhurt, and Climb's pure white armor had not been so much as stained. Considering the two of them had not tried to escape at once, that was a considerable stroke of good luck.
"I'm glad you're safe!"
"I didn't think you would die, and turns out you didn't. However, it's not over yet, right?"
The two of them joined their lines of sight to where Gazef had been looking just now.
"That is..."
"It can only be one person, Climb-kun. The monster who rules over other monsters. That is Ainz Ooal Gown."
"That is... that is... How shall I say this... I, I'm sorry."
At a glance, Climb's body was shuddering. His stiff, frozen expression betrayed the fact that he was not quaking in excitement or anticipation.
"Don't worry, Climb-kun. This is nothing to be ashamed of. Or rather, it can't be helped! A third person whose strength surpasses all rational sense! What has my life become ever since that day!"
Brain radiated a powerful fighting spirit he took a stance. Gazef was surprised at his facial expression, which was casual and easy and did not suit the circumstances.
"I-I mustn't run away either!"
Climb and Brain stood at Gazef's side.
Amidst flying chunks of meat, the Dark Young halted in front of Gazef.
Distant screams echoed over, and only this place was silent.
It was as though this area was no longer part of the world.
Ainz's line of sight turned from Gazef, passed uninterestedly over Brain, and then halted on Climb. He shrugged, and looked back to Gazef.
"... You're looking quite lively, Stronoff-dono."
"I could say the same to you, Gown-dono... huhu. Would that be a problem, to say you're lively? After all, if you stopped being a human after we parted ways back then, it would be terribly rude."
"Hahaha. No, I have not changed since that time."
Ainz floated down from the top of the Dark Young as he chuckled. He must have been using some sort of magical effect, given how he slowly floated down in defiance of gravity.
Although he thought it might be that famous spell [Fly], after considering the fact the Ainz Ooal Gown was a mighty magic caster, he concluded that it must be a superior version of that spell - though how superior it was, or what kind of spell it was, Gazef did not know.
"Truly, it has been a long time, Stronoff-dono. Ever since Carne Village."
"Indeed it has, Gown-dono. Then... permit me to ask, why have you sought me out? Could it be that you found a familiar face on the battlefield and decided to meet me?"
"Well, yes. I don't like fancy talk, and beating around the bush is not appropriate for this place. So... I'll get right to it."
Ainz slowly raised a skeletal hand.
There was no enmity there, but instead, it was a gesture of friendship.
"Become my subordinate."
In that instant, Gazef's eyes widened into circles.
At the same time, one could hear Brain and Climb on both sides of him gulping audibly.
Who could have imagined that such a mighty magic caster could say such a thing to him?
"If you do—"
Ainz snapped his fingers. How exactly he had done it with skeletal fingers remained a mystery.
Gazef's body shuddered, as though something had been done to him.
However, there had been no changes in his mind or body. He felt nothing.
"Look around you."
Gazef turned his eyes to his surroundings. Everything was—
"I see. They've stopped."
The Dark Young had all stopped in the middle of whatever they were doing. The way they hung motionless in the air, halfway through stomping down, made them look like statues.
"This is only temporary. What happens after this will depend on your decision. If you refuse, I will give orders to these lambs once more. I trust I don't need to tell you what those orders are?"
Gazef stared dumbly at Ainz.
Even if he forced Gazef to swear allegiance to him by using hostages, the bond would lack loyalty, and it would be courting betrayal from within. Surely Ainz must have considered all of this before making his offer.
Then, it meant there must have been some other reason behind his words.
But what it was, Gazef did not know.
Still, there had to be some reason why he —a being who could command an army like this— was interested in Gazef alone.
"How about it? Gazef Stronoff, enter my service."
Ainz extended his bony hand.
If he took that hand, he would save many lives.
Gazef's heart wavered mightily.
He had been granted the chance to save the lives of the Kingdom's people.
However — Gazef could not take that hand.
It was a poor decision.
That choice would only satisfy his ego.
A hundred out of a hundred people would curse Gazef for a fool.
Even so, Gazef could not do anything that would betray the Kingdom.
Gazef firmly shook his head in refusal.
"I refuse. I am the sword of the King. He has shown me his kindness, and I cannot compromise on this."
"Even if, in the end, your choice costs more lives? You risked your life to challenge a mighty foe at Carne Village. Will you now throw others' lives away that you could have saved?"
Gazef's heart felt like it was being carved by a knife.
But even then, Gazef Stronoff still could not take Ainz Ooal Gown's hand.
The Kingdom's Warrior-Captain could not betray the King.
That was the extent of Gazef's loyalty.
His irritation building in the face of the silent Gazef, Ainz shrugged.
"Such a foolish man. Then—"
Gazef did not allow him to complete the sentence, but turned his blade on Ainz.
"—What?"
His injuries from facing the Dark Young just now had not fully recovered, even with the power of the Talisman.
Even so, it was not his wounds which made the tip of his sword tremble. Gazef's entire body radiated fighting spirit.
"Gown-dono. As one who has benefited from your kindness, I wish to apologize for this disresepctful act... I wish to request a one-on-one duel with you."
Ainz's face was a fleshless skull. Because of this, one could not tell what kind of expression he had, or discern what he was thinking.
However, for some reason, Gazef thought he was speechless. It was the same for the two behind him. They were silent, but he could sense their consternation.
"... Are you serious?"
"Naturally."
"... You will die."
"There is no doubt of that."
"If you knew, then why do so? I had no intention of killing you at first... are you suicidal?"
"I did not think so at first, no."
"... What are you thinking? I cannot understand your logic. If you believed you could win and challenged me, I could understand it. If you thought there was a chance of victory under the circumstances, that would be reasonable as well. However, you firmly believe that you will lose. Have you lost the ability to make proper decisions?"
"The enemy king stands before me, and he is within the reach of my sword. Is it not natural to see if I can take the head that presents itself?"
"It is true that the physical distance between us is very small. However, it seems to me that there is an overwhelming gulf between us. Am I wrong?"
With a whoosh, the sagging tentacles of the Dark Young behind Ainz snapped forth, gouging a crater into the earth beside Gazef.
Even Gazef's motion-tracking vision could not follow the tentacle striking the ground beside him.
"That may be so, Gown-dono."
"Are you pushing your luck because I said I did not want to kill you?"
Gazef laughed from the bottom of his heart.
"Certainly not. I simply wish to do what I, as the Warrior-Captain of the Kingdom, should do. That is all I was thinking."
"... If I accept your challenge, you do realize I will slay you without mercy? It is only to be expected."
"Indeed it is."
"So that's how it will be... even after I've said all this, you refuse to change your mind. What a shame. Speaking as a collector, it is a poor thing to have to destroy a rare specimen (you)."
Gazef had no intention of backing down.
This was an unbelievable stroke of luck. To begin with, Ainz, who surrounded himself with incredible subordinates, was now standing alone in front of him without any bodyguards.
On top of that, his pride as a mighty individual meant that he would not order the Dark Young behind him into action.
He would never get a chance like this again.
His enemy stood at a height that he could not reach with both hands. However, right now, he had a chance to bridge the gap between them.
The next time they met, he would probably surround himself with a multitude of guards, as befitted a magic caster who was poor in close combat. Gazef would never get within sword range of Ainz again. Having considered that, he had challenged Ainz to a duel.
And there was another reason for the duel.
While it was a very slim chance, even so—
Gazef issued his formal challenge.
"Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown-dono! My name is Gazef Stronoff, Warrior-Captain of the Kingdom of Re-Estize! I formally request a duel with you!"
"Gazef!"
"Warrior-Captain..."
The other two could not bear it any longer, and Brain cried out while Climb murmured. However, Gazef did not heed them and continued speaking.
"If you find it acceptable, Sorcerer King-dono, I pray you will find these two suitable witnesses for our combat."
Ainz shrugged.
Go ahead, it seemed to say. When Gazef realised this, he nodded.
"Wait, wait a minute! Hang on, Gazef! I can always die alongside you! Don't go alone! My lord Sorcerer-King! Please, I beg you! I know this is shameless beyond belief, but this is a heartfelt request! Please allow us both to face you! I know it won't inconvenience you in the slightest!"
As he heard Brain's strangled plea, Gazef thought, as I expected...
The carefree expression he had seen on Brain's face then was that of a warrior that had embraced his fate.
He had long since resolved himself to die beside Gazef at the hands of Ainz Ooal Gown.
However, he did not accept it. He could not accept it.
"Brain Unglaus! Do you wish to stain my conviction as a warrior?"
Brain's face was a picture of shock.
"—That is fine, Stronoff-dono. I don't mind taking you two on at once."
"Please don't, Sorcerer King-dono. This duel is with me. You two, stay out of it."
The pinpoints of red light floating in Ainz's skeletal eyesockets glowed even brighter.
"... I see. I've seen those eyes before. They are the eyes of a man who has embraced his death and advances anyway. Firm, unyielding eyes. I admire them."
Ainz was speaking like a human being.
"Very well. I accept your proposal. I will duel (PVP) Stronoff-dono."
***
Brain's knees crumpled, and he collapsed to the ground.
His low-hanging face could not be seen, but droplets of rain spattered the crimson earth below him.
I'm sorry.
Gazef told Brain in his heart.
"The corpse will be returned intact. It will facilitate the use of resurrection magic—"
"—There is no need for that."
Gazef's words left both his friends and enemy speechless.
"I do not wish to be brought back to life. You may dispose of the body here if you wish."
It was not that resurrection magic was bad. However, Gazef disliked it.
Everyone only had one life.
That was why the decision to stake one's life meant so much.
In addition, he could not come back from the dead, for the sake of the Kingdom.
If Gazef died, then the King could spread the news that he had lost an important subject. THat way, the King could temper the hatred and resentment which the people would feel towards the royal family for all the deaths in this battle.
This was a final act of loyalty from the Kingdom's Warrior-Captain, who had chosen to act selfishly.
Ignoring the surprised stares around him, Gazef smiled calmly.
"Then, let us begin. You two, I hope you will bear witness to my final battle."
***
Climb could not have imagined that the man called Brain Unglaus could have shown such a fragile side of himself.
The Brain he knew was strong, free-spirited and untouchable. However, he saw no traces of that in the man whose head was lowered. Even so, he did not think Brain was weak.
"Brain. Will you not complete this duty?"
Gazef spoke these words without looking back.
Brain refused to move. The way his hands clawed at the ground conveyed his regret to Climb. Even so, Climb had to say it.
"... This is Stronoff-sama's wish."
He did not think Gazef Stronoff could win at all.
That was why Climb and Brain had to fulfil Gazef's request.
Slowly, Brain rose to his feet
It was hot.
Climb nearly turned tail and ran.
There seemed to be some kind of hot air propelling Brain upwards.
"... How many times have I made you see the disgraceful side of myself, Climb-kun? I'm fine now. I'll scorch Gazef's noble form into my eyes."
"... Thank you."
What kind of relationship did Brain Unglaus and Gazef Stronoff have?
Climb could not understand the bond between them, especially on Brain's side.
After losing to Gazef, he had embarked on a journey to advance his sword skills. This was the Brain that Climb knew. However, he did not think their relationship was that simple.
"Then, Stronoff-dono. Could you let me take a look at that sword? I wish to quickly look over it."
Ainz made that request like he was asking about the weather. Enchanted swords could have all kinds of abilities imbued into them. Examining one would be like revealing the inner workings of one's strategy. By common sense, nobody would ever agree to that proposal.
Climb was not the only person who had thought that way, which was why Brain's eyes also went wide at what happened next.
Gazeff turned his sword a full 180 degrees and presented the hilt to Ainz.
"Gazef! Have you completely given up on winning?!"
"Brain! Don't say such rude things! The Sorcerer King is nothing like that."
Ainz held the sword and cast a spell. After that, he laughed happily.
"What a marvellous sword."
Ainz returned the sword to Gazef hilt-first, the same way it had been given to him.
"Stronoff-dono. How much of this sword's power do you know?"
"I fully understand it. This sword has an unreal sharpness that can cut metal like paper."
"Incorrect. That is only a fraction of the sword's power."
"—What? What do you mean, Sorcerer King-dono?"
"Well, in short, this sword is a weapon that can kill me. Something like that is the absolute minimum condition for a duel. Without a weapon that can harm me, this would be nothing more than an execution.
Sorry for comparing you to the rats that entered my fortress." Ainz muttered as he suddenly produced a shortsword out of thin air.
Without hesitation, he dragged the edge of the gleaming blade across his face in a forceful slice.
However, it did not leave so much as a scratch.
"Weakly enchanted objects like this cannot harm this body of mine. Incidentally, this shortsword is imbued with about as much data —or rather, as much mana— as that sword you bear, Stronoff-dono. However, your sword can harm me, in clear defiance of what I know to be true. Could I request that sword after I win?"
Gazef smiled thinly.
"Forgive me for refusing, but this sword is a national treasure."
"Mm. PVP under the pretext of returning dropped items, then? Very well."
"My deepest thanks, Sorcerer King-dono."
After returning the sword to Gazef, Ainz stroked his chin in thought. He backed up, one step at a time, as though conforming to some regulated distance between them.
"I think this should be about five meters. And... because there's no countdown, we will need a signal. You, in the white armor. Find something to start us off."
Having been suddenly named, Climb shuddered.
"Climb, please."
"I, I have a magical handbell here. I'll ring it, and it will signal the start."
The two of them nodded silently to Climb's proposal.
Gazef raised his sword, pointing it at his enemy's eyes. Strength suffused every fiber of his being. In the eyes of Climb who stood behind him, Gazef's body seemed to grow larger before his eyes.
This was an overwhelming fighting spirit. He had never seen the true pressure the Kingdom's Warrior-Captain could exert. Yet, his body seemed distant and illusory, like a mirage.
"Stronoff-sama..."
This was the last time he would see Gazef alive.
"It's not guaranteed."
"—Eh?"
Suddenly, Brain denied Climb from where he stood beside him.
"There's no guarantee Gazef will lose. The chances are extremely low, but there's still a chance of victory. That guy has a killer move, you know? The martial art he uses as a trump card?"
"The [Sixfold Slash of Light]?"
Brain smiled quietly.
"No. It's an ultimate martial art that far surpasses it. That fellow learned it."
"Is, is that so?!"
As Climb prepared his handbell, he looked to Gazef's raised sword, and the profile of his face, which was filled with the utmost focus.
It was the steely face of the man hailed as the Warrior-Captain, renowned in the surrounding countries.
"Yes. It came from a former adamantite-ranked adventurer of the Kingdom. It was a martial art invented by Vestia Croft Di Lofan, but he could not use it because of his advanced age. If my greatest secret move, [Nail Clipper] is the result of using multiple martial arts at once, Gazef's trump is the strongest single technique. Who knows, that blow... it might even be able to reach Ainz Ooal Gown."
Perhaps that was why he had asked for a one-on-one duel, Brain muttered. His eyes did not leave the scene before him for an instant.
Climb swallowed.
The hand holding the bell felt heavy. Once he rang it, Gazef's fate would be sealed.
"Want to swap with me?"
"... Thank you. But... I'll do it."
Is that so, Brain mumbled, but he did not say anything else.
Climb raised the bell. He could only pray that victory went to Gazef.
And then —louder than expected— the bell rang.
His consciousness focused to the absolute limit, Gazef stepped in with an unbelievable speed—
Without missing a single moment, Brain and Climb opened their eyes and watched—
***
—And before any of them, the world went quiet.
"I see... so time-stop countermeasures are important, after all."
Because Ainz had instantly cast a silent [Time Stop], Gazef was frozen in front of Ainz, his sword raised high.
No attack would work while time was stopped. Even if he used attack magic to barrage Gazef, it would cause him no harm. Because of that, Ainz cast a spell while keeping track of the time.
"[Delay Magic: True Death]."
This was a 9th-tier spell.
He did not use it often because [Grasp Heart] was a more convenient spell.
If no spell could affect an enemy while time-stopped, then all one needed to do was delay the activation of the spell until the moment the spell ended. Although it was a basic combination attack, the timing for it was extremely difficult. As such, only about 5% of all magic-users could pull it off.
Naturally, after much training and practice, Ainz was one of them as well.
"... Farewell, Gazef Stronoff. I never hated you."
The spell ended, and time returned to the world.
Before anything else could happen, the spell took effect.
***
—Gazef slowly fell.
"Eh?"
"Wha-what?"
Climb and Brain had no idea of what had just happened.
In the moment Gazef had stepped forward, he had suddenly fallen over.
Ainz caught Gazef's body.
His sword fell from nerveless fingers, and fell to the ground.
The battle was over.
Yet, they could not understand it.
Nobody knew what was going on.
"What on earth happened... ?"
"The hell should I know!"
Brain gave voice to an angry cry.
"What's wrong? Get up! Gazef!"
However, Brain's earnest hope was coldly denied.
"He is dead."
Respectfully, perhaps even reverently, the Sorcerer King Ainz laid Gazef upon the ground. After that, he slowly closed the man's wide-open eyes.
While looking at Gazef's face, he spoke to the two people nearby.
"... Seeing how he made a challenge with no chance of winning reminded me of that time. As a sign of respect for the Warrior-Captain, I will call off the Dark Young. His body will be returned to you after it is properly prepared."
"... No, there's no need for that. We will bring Gazef back. There's no need to trouble you."
Climb exhaled heavily.
Would Brain challenge Ainz to a hopeless battle? he wondered, However, there was no need for that.
"Is that so, " Ainz replied before standing back up.
"The instant death spell I used, [True Death], will invalidate lower-tier resurrection magic. Tell this to the people of the Kingdom. Tell them I will be merciful to those who submit respectfully."
Ainz lightly floated into the air.
Even as they saw his defenseless back, the two of them knew they could not commit a shameful act like attacking from behind.
Ainz sat on the tentacles of the Dark Young.
It was truly a terrifying throne.
"Cede E-Rantel and the surrounding areas to me without delay and these lambs will not frolic through the royal capital. Tell the King this, when you see him again."
The Dark Young turned and left, and the other four Dark Young also began making their way back to the Imperial castrum.
"Climb-kun. I have one request... Could I bring Gazef-dono back?"
"... Very well. Then I will bring Stronoff-sama's sword home."
"A lot of people died."
"Yeah, too many to count."
"... What just happened?"
"I don't know. But, if someone as powerful as that calls himself a king and claims this territory..."
"I'm sure that in the future, a war will definitely break out. And who knows, the dead may outnumber the corpses here today."
Walking behind Brain, who was carrying Gazef on his back, Climb's thoughts turned to the future of the Kingdom, which was wreathed in dark clouds.
Brain's words would definitely come true. What was important was what he could do, and then, what he would do.
And the most important thing was─
—I have to protect Renner-sama.
Climb clenched his fist, and made up his mind. At the very least, he had to protect his mistress, no matter the cost.
| ← Ch. 089 | Ch. 091 → |