Chapter 393: 371 prompts me to undertake an adventure
In other words, it’s akin to committing murder by borrowing another’s hand.
Given the current situation, it’s highly unlikely that the Slane Theocracy would reveal any hidden trump cards before a crisis arises.
If that’s the case, why not force the Slane Theocracy into a crisis?
However, the Nasalik Underground Tomb doesn’t want to expose the trump cards of the Slane Theocracy, causing losses. Therefore, the entity to block the trump cards of the Slane Theocracy and test the hidden methods of the enemy would have to be selected from elsewhere.
The Kingdom was the first target chosen by Nasalik.
That’s why Albedo and Demiurge proposed to Ainz to direct the conflict towards the Kingdom and let the Kingdom probe the Theocracy’s methods.
In other words, their goal was to completely sever the relationship between the Kingdom and the Theocracy and instigate a war between the two nations.
Hence, Shalltear pretended to be defeated by the Scripture of Darkness, luring them out of the Theocracy and then drawing them to the capital of the Kingdom.
After that, upon confirming that the prey has entered the trap, Demiurge would use his special ability to control others to forcibly strip the reason from the people of the Scripture of Darkness, causing them to create chaos in the capital of the Kingdom.
By cleverly leaking information to the royal family and nobles of the Kingdom, making them believe that the Scripture of Darkness had gone mad in their mission to exterminate the demons attacking their cities and had embarked on a massacre in the capital, the royal family and nobles would certainly come to hate the Theocracy irrevocably and develop irreconcilable differences with them.
To achieve this goal, Nasalik Underground Tomb even sent people to the vicinity of the royal capital to cast "Final War·Good" at the start of the plan.
"Final War·Good" is a magic that can summon a large number of high-ranking angels, ranked at the highest tier, the tenth tier.
As is well known, the Slane Theocracy is a country with an exceptionally intense religious faith, worshipping the six great gods and regarding angels as messengers of the gods. The country’s priests and related profession Magic Singers often use Summoning Magic to summon angels to confront enemies.
For instance, members of the Sunlight Scripture, including Negan, all employ Summoning Magic for the third and fourth tiers, using angels, a type of magical creature, to advertise themselves as believers of God and protected citizens of the Theocracy.
If a large number of angels invaded the royal capital and ran amok, coupled with the disturbances caused by the Scripture of Darkness, the blame would inevitably fall onto the Slane Theocracy, especially because they have an intense hatred for demi-humans and heterogeneous beings and would be driven mad to exterminate the powerful creatures desecrating their land, which is not hard to understand.
Once the goal is reached, the mission of the Scripture of Darkness would be complete.
At that point, Nasalik would then kill the people of the Scripture of Darkness, avenge Shalltear, and thoroughly infuriate the Theocracy, escalating the irreconcilable differences between the Theocracy and the Kingdom.
After all, the Scripture of Darkness would have been killed in the capital of the Re·Yestijie Kingdom, and the Kingdom would also have to take the blame.
With that, it would be impossible for the two nations not to go to war.
This is the plan of Nasalik.
They also planned to involve the surrounding Empire, the Holy Kingdom, and the Council State in a war that would sweep through the western countries of the continent.
In doing so, they could continue to manipulate events from the shadows, weaken the powers of the great nations, calculate against the Theocracy, probe for the Theocracy’s trump cards, and if successful, annihilate all the surrounding countries in one go, allowing the Nasalik Underground Tomb to fully step into the spotlight, spreading the name "Ainz Ooal Gown" across the entire continent.
For Shalltear, this was a grand revenge plan.
For Albedo, Demiurge, and other Guardians, it was a plan for Nasalik to gradually conquer this world.
For Ainz, it was a plan to make "Ainz Ooal Gown" renowned, to spread his fame widely, and attract any companions who might have been transported to this world, a plan to search for his missing comrades.
In any case, the plan had many facets and numerous benefits. Ainz had designated this plan as Nasalik Underground Tomb’s top priority for its development in this world.
The prerequisite is that everything goes smoothly.
For now, the plan is progressing quite smoothly.
The Scripture of Darkness has already been lured out, and Demiurge has used his special skills to control the members of the Scripture of Darkness who had just left, except for one person who could not be controlled and had to be detained temporarily, and only one "Absolute Death" managed to escape by staying by Reiger’s side.
Now, those controlled members of the Scripture of Darkness are causing mayhem in the royal capital, and the people of Nasalik lurking in the capital have also launched "Final War·Good", summoning the Angel Army to coordinate with the members of the Scripture of Darkness in attacking the capital. The next step is to wait for the situation to escalate sufficiently, and then the Scripture of Darkness can die, avenging Shalltear.
Nasalik also took control of a princess of the Kingdom, and the organization known as "Eight Fingers", ensuring there will be plenty of ways to cause trouble and compel the Kingdom to send troops to attack the Theocracy.
Ainz also dispatched other Guardians to different countries, ready at any moment to instigate further dissent, lest one Kingdom was insufficient for the Theocracy to fight and their trump cards could not be forced out.
Now, the only remaining variable is Reiger.
That’s why Ainz, with four Guardians in tow, appeared this way, blocking Reiger’s path.
He absolutely cannot allow this variable to emerge.
All this, Ainz would not choose to share with Reiger, as the leak of such information could hinder the further unfolding of the plan.
Now, facing Reiger’s questioning, Ainz naturally would not choose to be upfront about it.
"I simply wish to pay back the Theocracy in their own coin," he said, glossing over all the detailed explanations with this one sentence.
Reiger, looking at Ainz like this, fell silent as well.
A moment later, Reiger seemed to give up on pondering.
"Forget it, it doesn’t make a difference." Reiger said indifferently, "In any case, what I intend to do will not change."
Ainz responded to Reiger’s comment.
"...Does that mean, you indeed plan to oppose us?"
Ainz murmured so lowly, one could clearly feel that, if his skeletal face had eyebrows, they would be deeply furrowed now.
To this, Reiger responded as follows.
"You speak as if that’s something strange."
Reiger spread one hand and pointed toward the district below.
There, buildings were still burning, angels were still running rampant, and innocent civilians were fleeing everywhere, causing screams, cries, wails, and so on to keep rising without end.
This is what Reiger said.
"As long as you’re human, with even a trace of human recognition in your heart, you couldn’t be indifferent to this scene, right?"
Reiger’s expression as he said this, however, was eerily calm, even indifferent.
"...You don’t seem like the kind of person who detests evil and champions good."
Ainz expressed his opinion like this.
"Of course, I’m not some paragon of virtue, just like you," Reiger said, gazing at Ainz. He then added, "But I do have to ask you, what would you have done if you were still the you from before? What would you do if you saw this scene?"
"If you were... still human at that time."
Upon hearing this, Ainz fell silent.
But not for long.
"I would run," Ainz replied truthfully. "If I were still the ordinary and average me, what else could I do? I would have no choice but to flee, right?"
"That’s the biggest difference between you and me," Reiger said with a smile. "If it were me, I might just rush into the fire because it’s thrilling!"
It implied that the current Reiger would do the same, choosing to dash into the fire.
"I’m indeed not some paragon of virtue who detests evil, but if I happen to pass by someone unfortunate who has fallen, I would still lend a hand, unless they’re trying to scam me."
"There are those who would be indifferent to people screaming in front of them, but that doesn’t seem to include me."
"This is what’s called basic human decency."
Reiger’s voice slowly spread.
"If you were still human as you were before, you would surely understand these words."
"But you’re not anymore; you’ve become an undead, turned into a monster, no longer human, and you’re gradually losing your human emotions."
"So you can make cruel decisions for the benefit of Nasalik and yourself without any hesitation, even if it means starting wars that bring devastation upon several nations, all without batting an eye."
"Given that, is it so hard to understand why someone would come out as your enemy, trying to hinder you, wanting to bring you down?"
As he spoke, Reiger let out a faint smile.
"Not to mention, that person is me."
"Not to mention the fight itself, I actually quite look forward to a match with you guys," he said.
"I honestly hope you can give me a challenge and let me have an adventure."
As this declaration was made, Reiger’s transparent world seemed to loosen slightly, allowing the long-suppressed fighting spirit to burst forth like a landslide for a moment.
"Tsk...!"
Albedo clicked her tongue.
"So it’s turned out like this, huh?"
Demiurge didn’t feel surprised at all.
"A formidable enemy has appeared," Cocytus said gravely.
"I’ve said it before, such a person should just be killed!" Shalltear no longer hid her sadistic nature and looked ferocious.
Even Ainz lifted his head to look at Reiger.
"I’m very sorry," his voice began to turn cold, devoid of any emotion.
"If possible, I did not wish to be your enemy, but it seems things have turned out differently than desired."
"If so, let me eliminate you right here, Reiger Brilliant."
"You’re really too much of a nuisance."
With those words, the world seemed to freeze.
Time, at that moment, came to a halt.
Without a doubt, this was the tenth-tier time magic—[Time Stop].
The caster was naturally Ainz.
He had instantaneously cast [Time Stop] without chanting.
"As expected, just like the information Shalltear provided, you hadn’t taken any measures against time magic," Ainz spoke as the only one able to move, looking at Reiger who was frozen in time, and he couldn’t help but smile.