Chapter 403: 381 More fervent! More impassioned!
Nasalik Underground Tomb, eighth floor.
In this wasteland, there were a total of three formidable checkpoints.
The first was the guardian of the eighth floor, Vicetim.
Vicetim was classified as an angelic being, appearing like a one-meter-long embryo with a long tail and pink skin.
Among the many guardians of the Nasalik Underground Tomb, this alien’s combat power was the weakest, and its level was the lowest, being only level 35.
The reason it was able to become the guardian of the eighth floor of the Nasalik Underground Tomb, known as the final defensive line, was because it possessed the most powerful of special abilities.
That was Vicetim’s binding ability, which was triggered only upon its own death.
In the past, the 1500 players who invaded the eighth floor of the Nasalik Underground Tomb had triggered Vicetim’s special ability, and to a man, all were affected by the ability’s effect, suffering terrible movement impairment.
Because this ability only triggered after Vicetim’s death, despite its low level, it held great strategic significance.
Hence, this level 35 angel was granted the status of an eighth-floor guardian, usually in charge of defending the final line of defense of the Nasalik Underground Tomb and would not easily be dispatched, becoming the first checkpoint to hinder invaders.
This checkpoint was not difficult to breach as long as one knew of Vicetim’s information in advance. By not attacking it and using magic to prevent its suicide, the angel, lacking powerful combat skills, would be reduced to nothing more than a cute cheerleader on the sidelines.
Unfortunately for Vicetim, Reiger was aware of its information, so Vicetim posed no threat to him whatsoever.
The problem was the next two checkpoints.
They were the truly lethal ones.
In the eighth floor of this Nasalik Underground Tomb, there was an NPC who, like Kagandoya, usually lay dormant and could only be activated with prior initiation.
Her name was Lubedo, the younger sister of the Guardian Chief Albedo, and also the strongest entity within the Nasalik Underground Tomb.
Shalltear was only the strongest among the guardians, not counting the unintelligent Kagandoya, but Lubedo was different. She was the genuine strongest in the entire Nasalik Underground Tomb. Compared to her, Shalltear could only be considered weak, even if it was Ainz, fully armed, adorned with Divine Artifact class items and numerous pay-to-win items, he could not win against her.
It was said that this NPC was created in an almost game-breaking manner, and her creator also invested a significant amount of money into her.
From this, it could be seen just how powerful this NPC was, likely having surpassed level 100 already.
Yet even an NPC as strong as Lubedo was only the second checkpoint in the eighth floor, and not as threatening as the final, third checkpoint.
The third checkpoint was the ultimate measure into which the once ’Ainz Ooal Gown’ had poured most of his wealth, the ultimate weapon.
It was a group whose individual strength even surpassed that of Lupusregina, yet she remained unbeatable due to her particular abilities.
When Reiger barged in here, Ainz had sent him a "Message."
"...Actually, I’m not very keen on launching this, because it requires a large amount of resources every time it’s activated, but since you’ve already made it this far, I’ll give you a rare opportunity to witness the mightiest weapon of ’Ainz Ooal Gown!’"
Leaving those words behind, Ainz severed the transmission of the "Message" and activated the eighth floor.
Thanks to this, Reiger lost.
Yes.
He lost.
Facing Lupusregina and that group of terrifying monsters created by way of heavy spending, Reiger fought valiantly on the eighth floor for over half an hour. Then, he received a lethal blow and was forced to activate the second effect of the Divine Artifact, Meloë, which could reverse time and restore him to perfect condition.
In this battle, Reiger used the Dragon’s Secret Treasure he obtained from Gejiev, enhancing his warrior capabilities, and he employed both sword techniques and magical methods. Regardless of whether it was the Day Breath or Disassembly Magic, including the weapons of the Hermit and the Fool, as well as all the magic he learned from Earth Mistake World, Akasha Continent, and this world, he used them all without holding back.
Reiger also brought out all the scrolls, short wands, magic wands, and magic-sealing crystals, among other items he had obtained from Ainz, and deployed them. He also sent out the battle-ready automaton legion to support him from the sidelines, but they were ruthlessly annihilated. The automatons were smashed to pieces, the items were all used up, and all his moves were countered, until he was forced to trigger the remaining power of Meloë for a reversal.
It’s fair to say that up to this moment, Reiger had truly been driven to a corner.
However...
"Boom!"
Accompanied by the roaring flames that rose in the wilderness on the eighth floor—turning Reiger into a sun that never falls—he continued to fight relentlessly.
His body blazed with unprecedented, spectacular flames, and his eyes shone as brightly as the glow emanating from the Divine Artifact Meloë around his neck and the Dragon’s Secret Treasure on his right hand. Though clearly cornered, he harbored no thoughts of retreat. Instead, he became more agitated, more frenzied, and fearlessly attacked the monsters before him.
The monsters retaliated with overwhelming power, leaving scars and trails of blood on his body. Soon, Reiger was in such a critical state that it wouldn’t be surprising if he collapsed dead on the spot.
But even in such a dire situation, Reiger showed not even a hint of wanting to retreat. His eyes became brighter, the flames on his body surged even more, and his movements did not slow down. On the contrary, it was as if he finally unleashed the hidden power within him, swinging his sword faster, with ever more skillful techniques, and the magical power he mixed in between his swordplay seemed even stronger.
No, it wasn’t that his magic had become more powerful, but rather, Reiger, in the midst of battle, had comprehended higher levels of magical application. This made his magic use much more efficient, the connections more seamless, and the timing increasingly cunning. This threatened the enemies to a much greater extent than before, creating the impression that the power of his magic had increased.
In this way, Reiger became more valiant and powerful as the battle progressed, and even though his wounds accumulated and his injuries worsened, he never so much as blinked; instead, his swordplay became more fervent, intense, and exhilarating.
"Boom, boom, boom————"
Suddenly, the entirety of the eighth floor trembled. The desolate, uninhabited wilderness began to crumble under the astonishing aftershock of the battle, resembling a land struck by natural disaster.
"————"
In the Throne Hall of the tenth floor of the Nasalik Underground Tomb, all the grotesque figures were mute, staring at the window in mid-air, transfixed by the fierce battle before them.
They watched as Reiger fought more valiantly as the battle raged, completely disregarding his own condition, fighting bloodily and were overwhelmed by the sight.
This included Ainz and those resurrected Guardians as well.
The overwhelming killing intent and fury from earlier had vanished without a trace, replaced by an inexplicable sense of shudder.
"Monster..."
Someone muttered abruptly, causing the grotesque figures throughout the Throne Hall to shout out as if having found a vent for their emotions, one after another.
"That’s right! This guy is the real monster!"
"Compared to him, what kind of monsters are we?"
"I absolutely refuse to believe he’s human!"
"How can there be such a strong human being?"
"No, strength is one thing, but what’s truly terrifying about this bastard isn’t his power...!"
"Yes!"
In their shock, the misshapen creatures spoke such words.
Even Shalltear and Albedo, who had previously held great animosity towards Reiger, wanting to rip him to shreds, now felt their emotions being replaced by fear as they witnessed him fighting bloodily on the eighth floor.
"Reiger Brillhaut..."
"This detestable monster...!"
Shalltear and Albedo gnashed their teeth and whispered bitterly beside Ainz.
Demiurge, Cocytus, Aura, and Mare also fell silent, watching Reiger on the screen with complex feelings.
Of course, their feelings were nothing compared to Ainz’s complexity.
Sitting on the throne, Ainz felt burst after burst of chill in his heart as he watched Reiger, who refused to fall and, despite his wounds, stubbornly continued attacking Lubedo and "those" on the eighth floor.
"Why won’t he fall?"
"How can he still fight?"
"Not even the 1500-man raiding team that made it to the eighth floor of the Nasalik Underground Tomb in the past could hold on like this for so long!"
Ainz’s bony hand clenched tightly on the armrest.
Especially when he saw Reiger, facing desperate straits, still managing to smile sincerely, Ainz felt his compelled calmness begin to tremble.
It was only then that Ainz finally realized the problem.
"Could it be that I’ve attracted a terrifyingly powerful enemy to the Nasalik Underground Tomb, unlike any we have faced before...?"
At this thought, the remnants of Ainz’s humanity began to scream, as if crying out.
"If everyone were still here in the Nasalik Underground Tomb..."
Ainz couldn’t help but recall his past comrades, the other forty players who were once hailed as the Supreme Sovereigns alongside him.
If they were still here, could we have defeated this human?
Ainz, in the past, would have affirmed without hesitation.
His comrades were the best, the strongest; if they had been around, how could they let such a miscreant run amok in the noble Nasalik Underground Tomb?
However, at this moment, Ainz found himself unable to give such a certain answer anymore.
He had this premonition.
Even if "Ainz Ooal Gown" in his prime were to return, he might not be able to defeat the man before him.
This wasn’t a matter of strength, but something else.
At least, watching Reiger fight bloody battles with a genuine smile and a particularly bright gaze, Ainz couldn’t imagine a victorious scene for his side by any means.
"Damn it!"
The fear in Ainz’s heart completely overpowered his anger, causing him to look towards those unconscious people in the Throne Hall.
"It seems I can’t leave them here any longer."