Chapter 326: 325 Signs of Chaos
Shalltear’s declaration was undoubtedly an unshakeable death sentence for the natives of this world.
As the Guardian of the first to third floors of the Nasalik Underground Tomb, designed by the Supreme Sovereign "Ainz Ooal Gown" himself, the power of Shalltear Bloodfallen, a level 100 NPC, was calamitous to this world.
When she began her slaughter, let alone mere humans, even the dragons which once ruled this world, unless they were of dragon sovereign status, were no different from fragile dolls in her presence.
As for things like Heroic Domain or otherwordly domains, they were practically jests before this being.
In front of the fully leveled Shalltear, what difference was there between the so-called Heroic Domain of level 29 and above and an ordinary villager?
This mountain of corpses and sea of blood was the evidence.
No matter how many thieves or how large a party, in the eyes of a true monster, they were merely prey that could be hunted for sport unilaterally.
It wasn’t just Shalltear with such disdain for humans, considering all life forms outside the Nasalik Underground Tomb as lower species; many denizens of the Nasalik Underground Tomb harbored this view.
Shalltear was simply one among them who happened to possess far greater power than the average denizen.
Therefore, Shalltear didn’t care who the person before her was, or why they seemed somewhat familiar to her.
Such a plain human with no presence was undoubtedly an insignificant character not even worth a corner of her memory.
"Tap!"
Hence, Shalltear took a step forward, slowly advancing towards the human.
She sauntered leisurely toward her prey, as if relishing the sight of their desperate struggle to survive.
Just now, she had approached the thieves in the same manner, waving her hand gently as they drew near, and lightly flicking her fingertip as they prepared to flee. Then, without exception, the thieves were either flung away by her terrible power or shredded by her sharp nails.
This was the game of the predator and aggressor standing atop the food chain, capable of stirring a perverse interest just enough to make their opponent struggle a bit more.
However, this time, Shalltear encountered a different situation.
"...Are you not going to run?"
Shalltear was somewhat surprised.
At this moment, she was less than three meters from her prey.
Even without lifting a finger, the surrounding mountains of corpses and seas of blood clearly told the other party that Shalltear was not as weak and powerless as she appeared.
Moreover, Shalltear made no attempt to hide her mocking disposition, exuding an evil aura all over, with a Blood Pool floating above her head as well; such a vision was clearly not benevolent, and even less like a human.
Logically, upon seeing this, the other party should have been struck with terror, either attacking Shalltear or fleeing outright.
But the inconspicuous man before her merely watched Shalltear silently, his expression calm from beginning to end.
The mountain of corpses and sea of blood did not move him.
The evil aura did not terrify him.
He simply looked at the slowly approaching Shalltear, his gaze so indifferent that it irked her.
Then, Shalltear heard him say the following.
"I thought you would run away."
The calmness of his words sounded as if he was stating a certain fact, which made Shalltear laugh.
It was a somewhat cruel laugh.
"You are more confident than the thieves from just now. Having seen the corpses strewn all about, with new blood continuously accumulating in the Blood Pool above my head, yet you still utter such words; it’s quite surprising."
"Or is it that you’re simply too dumb to perceive danger, totally lacking in observation and insight?"
"If that’s the case, then in consideration of your stupidity, I can perhaps be a little gentler when I suck your blood later?"
Shalltear’s deep crimson eyes emitted a bewitching red glow.
If it were someone like Demiurge or Narberal, they would not have the leisure or patience to engage in such a drawn-out dialogue with an ordinary human lacking any presence.
Shalltear was different; she enjoyed not only killing but also toying with her prey, witnessing their despair and fear before torturously killing them, which was what she loved the most.
Therefore, Shalltear would exert pressure on such insignificant existences with her words, savoring their terrified expressions.
Regrettably, she still did not get her wish.
"I just think that he behind you might have issued directions not to casually make contact with me until my background has been thoroughly investigated," said the man of no presence, still looking directly at Shalltear, not only unafraid but also smiling back at her just the same.
"It seems he hasn’t given such an order now, or is it because you are too dumb to understand your master’s thoughts?"
With that, the man pointed at the Blood Pool above Shalltear’s head.
"Has that thing started to affect your judgment already? Miss Shally Nine?"
Upon hearing this, Shalltear finally began to notice something amiss.
This human seemed to understand her quite well.
And...
"Shally Nine?"
What was this nickname?
Shalltear didn’t know.
But it was clear that the other party recognized her and was addressing her with some kind of nickname.
He also knew about the side effects of the Blood Pool affecting her judgment.
If she hadn’t realized something was off by now, Shalltear wouldn’t just be dumb; she would be an idiot.
"You..."
Shalltear’s eyes glowed bright red.
"It seems necessary to capture you now."
Shalltear took another step, erasing the little distance between her and Reiger completely.
"First I’ll cut off your limbs, and after you’ve lost the ability to resist, I’ll drain your blood and turn you into my slave."
With those words, Shalltear swung her delicate hand toward the human before her.
That light swing stirred up a fierce gust of wind, causing the air itself to howl.
Such a display almost directly informed others of the strike’s tremendous power.
It might not split mountains, but it could certainly cleave stones with ease.
Just with this single blow, she could sweep away all the warriors in this country.
Just with this single attack, she could defeat any hero in this world.
Facing this move, the human Shalltear had reduced the distance to zero with did not retreat but advanced instead.
He, like Shalltear, stepped forward and then... drew his sword!
"Clang!"
When the moonlight-cold slash crossed Shalltear with a speed that overcame her dynamic vision, a slender jade hand flew into the air.
"...Eh?"
In that instant, Shalltear couldn’t even comprehend what had happened, just dumbfoundedly watching her familiar arm soar, emitting a fool-like sound.
Being an undead, Shalltear had no sense of pain.
Despite that, the sudden intense pain that overtook her entire body the next second made her understand.
The hand flying in the air was her own.
Her own hand had been chopped off.
It had been severed by the man before her, with an astonishing speed of attack.
"Uh... Aaaahhhhhhhhh!"
The sudden onset of intense pain finally made Shalltear react, as she let out a scream.
"Thud!"
A foot kicked her hard, sending the petite girl flying mercilessly, like a cannonball, into the ground, raising a cloud of dust and debris.
"Lady Shalltear!"
The two vampire brides, who had been waiting nearby respectfully, were shocked and discolored.
They couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
They couldn’t believe that the brutal and merciless Guardian was being chopped in the arm and kicked away like this.
And their shock turned into sheer terror the next second upon hearing a scream.
"You, you lowly human aaaaahhhhhhh!"
Accompanied by a piercing scream that swept away all the dust and debris in the air, Shalltear re-emerged from a shattered crater.
At this moment, Shalltear was not only missing an arm, her body was filthy, and her once pitiable appearance had completely changed.
Her seductive deep red eyes were like bloodshot, starting from the iris, the entire eyeball had turned blood red.
Many syringe-like sharp teeth protruded from her mouth, resembling a shark’s.
Her silver hair spread out, moving on its own without wind, becoming a messy tangle.
The exceptionally beautiful girl suddenly transformed into this horrifying monster—a vampire.
This was Shalltear’s true form, her real appearance.
"Dare to kick me? And cut off my arm?"
"Dare to harm this body created by the Supreme Sovereign... Deserve to die die die die die die...!"
"I’m going to kill you! I must kill you! Make you die in extreme pain—!"
"Aaaahhhhhhhhhhh!"
The monster named Shalltear roared furiously, her evil aura turning into a tempest, mixed with an extremely rich scent of blood, sweeping across the entire forest.
In such a scene, all the animals in the forest began to flee in panic, and all the humans who appeared here were utterly shocked, looking toward this direction.
"What, what is this? What is it...!?"
Clementine, hiding in a tree hollow, had an expression of twisted fear as if her worldview and confidence were shattered.
"This aura..."
A youth carrying a long spear walked in the forest with several companions, first with a solemn expression, then exchanged looks with his companions and hurried in this direction.
There was also a warrior clad in platina armor and surrounded by floating weaponry, who suddenly stopped and turned his head, gazing over.
"It has appeared..."
The armored warrior, murmuring such, suddenly disappeared from the spot, appearing to have used some teleportation magic.
Many mysterious figures then rushed toward Shalltear’s location one after another.
A storm was about to come.