The sound of the crackling campfire is heard, and around the campfire were the adventuring group, Swords of Darkness and Ragna.
The five were sharing made up stories, and sharing personal experiences, to the point where the five had acknowledged themselves as companions.
Even the surprise of Ninya's comrades were obvious when she revealed her gender at the moment, yet never disclosed why she had hid her gender at the first time they met.
And due to that, Lukrut tried to make moves on Ninya, only to be kicked on his nuts.
Pain peko.
That didn't stop him, though.
While they talked, Peter glanced at his jet black sword which had been heavily bandaged and given sealing inscriptions for show, yet to their perception, it was made for possible safety.
"Hey, Sir Ragna... what's with that sword you used to escape the Six Arms' grasp, anyways?" He asked, before Ragna pulled over the sword and laid it flat on the ground.
Because Ninya had not yet known the sword Ragna wielded, she had became a bit more curious, yet expected that it was merely a very expensive sword.
"Oh? I wanted to know what that is, but I'm afraid that sword feels scary...." Dyne spoke, sighing in anticipation.
Silently, Ragna tapped the bandages covering the sword, allowing it to transition to a "Programmed Animation". He was prepared for a tiny presentation.
The seals placed unto the sword glowed once vanished, before the bandages expanded and the sword began to float with its tip pointing at the ground.
A powerful pressure dropped down to the adventurers for a second, and the campfire had been extinguished because of it.
The fire reignited after Ninya used her magic, even if her staff had been gone.
"This sword is Sfeiz, what you call the Sword of death, and one of the Swords you yearned to see." He began to speak, bringing all the attention to him and the sword. "Before any comments, I'd like you to stay silent, so I could tell you the truth of the sword."
"This sword's title was exaggerated, and the sword's true title is the Deep Poisonous Blade of Death, handed over to me by my resting father. I don't know where the other three are, but I have no interest in collecting them, nor in randomly giving them away. Because obviously they're cursed."
"Woah.... to see one of the Swords of Darkness, it's wonderful! E-even though we really yearned the swords for years..." Peter commented, chuckling lightly. "... Can I hold that sword, even for once, please?"
Shrugging his shoulders, the administrator allowed the adventurers to hold his sword that he took out from his inventory two days earlier.
And to be fair? The sword was incredibly heavy and could be barely heaved and budged, even by Dyne, who was the strongest of the four in terms of physical strength.
"Too.... heavy! Even with.... Martial Arts!!!" - Peter
".... Who made this.... anyway!?" - Lukrut
"I feel I am too weak to lift this sword..." - Dyne
"I can't even do it!" - Ninya
Their struggle amused him, and sooner enough, the four tried to push the sword, yet they still couldn't.
Generally, because the sword was quite broken, only people above Level 80 and above are capable of lifting such a weapon. Like Excalibur, but only the strong are allowed to wield it.
And it amused Ragna quite a bit as he sat crosslegged on the ground, smirking knowingly that they are not capable of even wielding the sword.
"The sword doesn't acknowledge you four because you are all far weaker than me, sorry about that." He spoke, making the four give up at that point.
They were tired, and to rub salt to their metaphorical wounds, Ragna just laughed at them.
Grumbling, the four began to complain about it, thinking Ragna must have been around an Orichalum or Adamantite level adventurer, or stronger because he possibly was the descendant of one of the Thirteen Heroes.
"Can I..... Can you teach me how to fight? You know, just so I could face stronger monsters easily at the time we become higher ranked adventurers."
Ragna considered it, so an idea came to his mind. He had all the free time, and he doesn't even have to be forced to refuse it, so he thought of a condition.
"Fine, but the moment we enter a city, I'll have to reduce the pay I'll give you to 35."
"It doesn't matter! We won't disappoint you!"
He snorted, picking up Sfeiz and sealing it with the bandages that loosened earlier before putting it on his back, where it had stuck itself for some unknown reason.
"We'll start tomorrow, even if it extends the period of our journey back to Re-Estize."
The Swords of Darkness had become very excited, in which the same excitement immediately began to sink the moment Ragna began actually training them between periods of going to the nearest City.
Aside from that, their adventures went rather smoothly, this time it was very rare for them to begin encountering monsters while Ragna noticed that there were people following and safeguarding him and the Swords of Darkness.
On closer look, through a really long [Time Stop] and a use of the [Eye of Mystic Wisdom], he found out that they were from the Slaine Theocracy, and they were people of the Windflower Scripture.
"I didn't need your help, but thanks anyway." Ragna said nonchalantly, continuing their journey around Re-Estize while he taught the Swords of Darkness how to fight better.
How, though?
[ ~ Line • Break ~ ]
"Argh! Dyne.... healing... now..."
"I feel like.... giving up!!"
"I.... I can't move my arms and legs...."
"You're cruel.... Sir Ragna...."
The four of them were on the ground, facing the sky as the shade of the trees shielded their bodies from the sun's heat, breathing heavily and being exhausted they were all assaulted with painful sensations around their bodies.
"Hmph! Weaklings want to become stronger, at the first step of their path, almost falls over! Damn, that sounded Chinese. Doesn't matter, for an hour, let's take a rest."
And Ragna just sat on a branch, staring down condescendingly at the four.
For several days, reaching two and a half weeks, the group had trained while venturing around Re-Estize's towns, villages and cities (except on E-Rantel and the City of Re-Lobell and E-Pespel), before they arrived on a large town close to the sea.
"Sir Ragna, this is the Fishing Town of Ul-Marina, a town that has made an impact on Re-Estize's marine economy, it was founded are 75 years ago." And, like a Tour Guide, Peter gave out his commentary the moment they entered through the town's stone walls.
And right now, it was bustling with business and visitors, there were food stalls present, and it seems like a festival has just begun.
"Woah....." Ninya spoke, amazed at the spectacle in front of her, yet knew she should stay around her groupmates.
"Damn, I'm getting pretty hungry already! Wonder if we could eat in a restaurant...." Lukrut spoke, gently rubbing his stomach as he stayed around the group, not acting by his own volition because he might get lost within a large crowd of people.
"You know any good places to eat?" Ragna said, and Peter in response, had them walk towards the massive group of people.
And when the admin noticed that Ninya was about to be lost, he grabbed her wrist gently and pulled her over. And the girl, being embarrassed, only held onto him.
For a few minutes, they walked until they arrived to a building nearby a beach, facing the ocean. It really looked beautiful to Ragna and Ninya, who never saw the ocean before.
It had been a new sight for her, that was until her groupmates called out for both her and Ragna was the moment where the two of them entered the restaurant, which had also been bustling as there were a few people leaving the restaurant satisfied.
And Ragna was the one who still paid for the seafood meals.
For a very long while, they wandered around the town until afternoon, enjoying the events of the festival.
Until, at dusk.....
Ninya began to notice that someone was following her and the Swords of Darkness. They were several tens of steps beside an inn and they were seconds until they entered.
'I don't believe this, are we being followed? What did we do?' Ninya asked inwardly, unsure about what was going to happen soon. She was worried that her family had hired someone to fetch her for some unknown yet evil reason.
However, she was so focused on her paranoia that she did not notice her group and their client enter the inn as she stopped to look around.
Which meant that those who wanted to sneak up on her had gained a great chance and one of them took out a dagger before making a small, tiny cut on her shoulder after pulling her over.
Flinching in pain, the girl turned around to punch the abdomen of her attacker.
"Oof! That hurt, criminal!"
Her attacker, in a burst of annoyance, punched her abdomen in return, in a much stronger force, forcing her to not be able to breathe and allowing the effects of the poison she had gained to go into effect earlier.
Her attacker turned out to look and dress like a high-ranking knight, and the passerbys who saw this scene did not care anyways.
Then, she was pulled over, her vision beginning to blur, she gritted her teeth and glared at the guard who was pulling her somewhere.
"Oh? Here's our escaped friend? I thought she was still held in that cell so I could buy her?"
She heard a voice coming from somewhere, and it was one where she was all too familiar with. Fear encapsuled her, as when she looked at where he was, all anger burst out of her.
"You piece of shit....! You were the one.... who took away....my sister...!"
Yes, he was.
And his name is....
"... Staffan Heivish!"
The obese noble could do nothing but chuckle joyfully as once she was close enough, the man tightly, and painfully, grabbed Ninya's chin.
"And here I was, wondering where the sister of my toy had gone to, leaving me to have fun with her! She was one of the best toys to play with, you know, sadly she broke apart...." Staffan commented rather nonchalantly, even genuinely expressing his mocking smirk towards Ninya.
"You know, her cries were the best. How would you fare."
Ninya screamed, before being knocked unconscious by the guard.
"Tsk, too noisy."
With a sigh, Staffan coughed once before turning around with some dissatisfaction on him.
"Succulent, carry her to my mansion already."
With that done, the two sneaked out of the town inside a personal carriage, not noticing that Ragna already noticed this and began to follow them.
"Yes, go..... Go lead me to your base.... Then I'll make sure chaos is all around! Fuhahahahaha!"
Surely, this is Ragna just venting his anger in his own special way, right?
Of course. I mean, he is a super powerful godlike entity with the mind of a human grown in a post-apocalyptic Earth, witnessing the kidnapping of a girl he actually began to consider his new friend, for the second time.
And it did really piss him off.
[ ~ TO • BE • CONTINUED ~ ]
I will make a poll at the end of this Volume just to know who's most popular of the characters in this Volume.
[ BONUS ]
.... At the exact moment Ragna began to go on a short adventure with the Swords of Darkness.....
.... Something awoke...
.... No.
Many, many people awoke.
A tomb suddenly appeared northeast of Carne Village, setting out a chain of events that changed the New World.
"....Lord Momonga...."
Inside a massive chamber, where 41 flags were raised above the pillars, where Momonga is supposed to become the Overlord we all know and both love and hate, a certain black haired succubus silently gazed over the throne.
Earlier, before Nazarick was transported to the New World, Momonga couldn't really disband the guild and destroy the item they had created for a long while, and due to that, before he spoke some things to Albedo, Momonga changed her info's last line.
From being "She is a wanton slut." To being "She wants to take over the world outside of Nazarick for Ainz Ooal Gown."
Originally, she could have been madly in love with Momonga as his own joke, but things had changed for a bit. And like the original timeline, Momonga still set this out as a mere joke, not recognizing what would happen soon.
"Albedo, I shall entrust you Nazarick! It is up to you to lead them well, for Ainz Ooal Gown's will shall live on forever! U-umu, I still have many things to do outside this world, farewell!"
She had been feeling grief at his departure, yet it was momentary. With a sniffle, she understood something.
".... I understand, Lord Momonga!"
Nodding her head after wiping a few tears, Albedo's chest heaved up and down, doubting if ever they would return or if they have fully left them alone.
Maybe she has her own doubts, however....
" [Message] . All my fellow guardians, please meet me in the Amphitheater. I have something important to speak of, and it is about Nazarick, and the Supreme Beings." After speaking this, she summoned a gate to the Coliseum.
She did not receive a reply from the Floor Guardians, yet that was enough for them to act.
[ ~ Line • Break ~ ]
Albedo walked elegantly into the Amphitheater, taking this matter as seriously as possible. With a dignified, stern posture she could be seen as a steel hearted leader.
Seconds later, an elf girl in red and white landed a backflip in front of Albedo, striking a peace pose the moment she landed.
"Aura, where's Mare?" Albedo asked, and just in time, the crossdressing elven boy haphazardly entered the scene.
Seconds more has passed, and the other guardians arrived, with the exception of Gargantua, who guarded the 4th floor of Nazarick. The reason is he was too big to just fit.
"Hm, so it seems like my presence is requested."
Demiurge, who looked inquisitive even with his mischievous smile that never seemed to fade away, kept silent. He was the third to answer Albedo's call.
"I. Have. Arrived. Under. The. Request. Of. The. Overseer."
The next was Cocytus, the Guardian of the 7th Floor, a tall blue insectoid with multiple arms, carrying the aura of a noble warrior, he crossed a few pairs of his arms.
Now, Albedo noticed a certain guardian that had been missing. Although she didn't call a few more guardians, this meeting of theirs felt important.
"Where is Shalltear?"
"Are you talking about me?"
Just like Mare, Shalltear Bloodfallen appeared just in the nick of time, obviously having bigger breasts than she was supposed to be. Shalltear was in a Gothic Lolita wear, which was as alluring as a bloody rose under the moonlight.
Albedo snorted, shaking her head in light disappointment.
"You stink, flatty! Were you being busy with your brides too much recently?" Aura spoke, showing off her tongue and pulling one of her eyelids to provoke her fellow Floor Guardian, and it definitely worked.
"Hmph! You're a flatty like me, too! You love being railed by your beasts!" Shalltear rebuked, crossing her arms confidently.
Before their debate begins to rise, Albedo faked a cough, bringing the attention of them all.
"Silence! This is important for the entire Nazarick, as this was from the Supreme Beings!"
Upon the mention of the Supreme Beings, they all became attentive, and all quarrels and light banter vanished.
Once it had been established, Albedo sighed.
"I have news for us all: Lord Momonga, along with. The other Supreme Beings, have left for their duties outside this world."
Eyes had widened. Anticipation arose. Curiosities awakened.
What had she been talking about?
"But that is not horrible or bad news for Nazarick! After all, Lord Momonga has decided to test us, leaving the Tomb under my Rule!"
Inside of her heart, Albedo gained more confidence at it.
While this was very surprising, Shalltear felt very envious, thinking it should have been her, yet understood the fact that Albedo had that certain capability.
Demiurge, with his usual smirk, clapped enthusiastically.
"Very well, as this is the Supreme Beings' command, we shall unanimously agree. Is that correct, everyone?"
"That. Is. A. Wonderful. Achievement. Lady. Albedo. But. Do. We. Have. A. Plan?"
It was obvious what they should be doing right now.
Under Albedo's command, being crowned the Queen of Nazarick, the entire Tomb was on guard to the point where a certain butler and his maids were sent for espionage and information gathering of nearby fields.
To their initial surprise, Nazarick obviously was in another strange place unlike the poisonous fields they were previously in, but that did not stop Albedo from ordering the espionage actions to the unknown countries for them.
[ ~ Line • Break ~ ]
{ Now, at the same time the previous Chapter ended... }
Shalltear, however, felt quite troubled.
'The supreme beings have left? Impossible.... that means....! Lord Momonga is.... gone..... I feel empty....'
A horrible realization had been brought towards her, as she sat on one of the chairs of Nazarick's Bar.
Now one may wonder why Shalltear was like that? It is possible that Peroroncino knew what to do, and decided to just give her flavor text a huge attraction with Momonga.
But that didn't matter much.
"Feeling down today, Lady Shalltear?" Sous-Chef asked, serving her a glass filled with wine.
Her silence proved to be the answer.
The next moment, Demiurge entered the bar. Noticing her grief, he sat down beside her.
"That attitude of yours might dishonor your name, Shalltear. Why don't we have a little chat? It'll be brief."
The Gothic Lolita silently nodded.
"Hmm.... Yes, I got it. Why don't you slaughter humans to relieve yourself of your grief? I was about to have my fun bringing an empire down to ruins, making those filth there suffer slowly, but surely a fellow guardian needs some advice." Demiurge spoke, tapping his foot on the floor thrice, ordering his own wine.
It was a surprise for him that Shalltear would eventually, and swiftly, turn out to be like this.
"Is that right....? Without the Supreme Beings, were worthless." She replied, sighing deeply. "But.... I'll consider that soon."
When asked, Sous-Chef told Demiurge that Shalltear had stayed in this specific seat for one whole day, and she was utterly sober.
Until now, where she stood up groggily and left to her room in her floor after one more drink.
"Kukukuku..... It makes me wonder, how fun would breaking apart an empire be! Those humans, are nothing but toys.... but for now, I'll just give them a little bit more time to.... enjoy..."
With a long and dangerous laughter that didn't budge the denizens around him, Demiurge decided to rest.