บท 186: CH. 180: Shalltear's Purgatory
Ainz, seated in his grand throne, stared intently at the crystal orb floating before him. Within the orb, a fierce battle raged between Hiro and the Wraith King. Hiro fought valiantly, but it was evident that the Wraith King was overwhelming him with his relentless attacks and sheer power.
Demiurge and Shalltear stood on either side of Ainz, observing the scene with curiosity and slight concern. Shalltear, her blood-red eyes narrowing, seemed particularly interested in the fight.
"Master Ainz," Shalltear asked, her voice sharp yet respectful, "this... Wraith King. How can he possess such power? Hiro is no ordinary opponent. It may rival mine!"
Ainz remained calm, his hollow eyes fixed on the orb. "Indeed, the Wraith King is an extraordinarily powerful entity, a super-tier summon that transcends level 10. It was me who created him personall, many years ago as one of the first defense lines of Nazzarick." he began, his tone as emotionless and calculating as ever. "But there's a crucial limitation to his strength."
Demiurge tilted his head slightly, intrigued. "A limitation, Lord Ainz?"
Ainz nodded slowly. "Yes. The Wraith King is, in many ways, a double-edged sword. His power is immense, to the point of overwhelming most opponents with brute strength and necrotic magic. However, beings like him are cursed with a short lifespan. He burns through his very essence in exchange for his strength, and with each moment of exertion, his existence nears its end."
Shalltear raised an eyebrow. "Then why use such a short-lived creature in battle-arisu? Wouldn't me weakening that mortal then finish him off with that Wraith King a better option-arisu?"
'I... Didn't think about that...' Ainz muttered in his mind. He quickly picked the adequate words and made a little giggle of confidence.
Demiurge, watching the fight with keen interest, raised an eyebrow. "So, he's not meant to win, then?"
"Correct," Ainz confirmed, nodding slightly. "The Wraith King's mission is not to defeat Hiro. Rather, he was summoned to gather as much information as possible. Every move Hiro makes, every technique he uses—it is all being observed, recorded, and transmitted. This data will be invaluable for your upcoming battle with him, Shalltear."
Demiurge smiled, his sharp intellect quickly piecing together Ainz's plan. "So the Wraith King is essentially a scout, though a deadly one. Even if Hiro wins, he will have revealed too much of his strategy."
Ainz folded his skeletal hands together, the light of the crystal orb reflecting off his dark robes. "Precisely. By the time Shalltear faces Hiro, she will know his every move. The Wraith King's sacrifice will have ensured her victory."
Shalltear's crimson eyes gleamed with excitement. "I understand, Lord Ainz. I will not let this opportunity go to waste."
As the Wraith King's body turned into energy and Hiro now in his grasp, it was time for Shalltear to rejoin the Third Floor of The Catacombs since Hiro just crossed over.
Yes, The Wraith King is the key of the last floor. "Hm. It seems like the Wraith King's fight is over, it's time for you to regain the third floor Shalltear. And remember, Hiro's key attack is the Hypercharge of his katana." Ainz signaled.
Nodding, Shalltear used the ring of Ainz Ooal Gown to disappear to her domain, "I'll see you after my victory, Lord Ainz!" Shalltear shouts, disappearing.
"..." Ainz didn't say a word. Because he wasn't sure if that would be enough to defeat Hiro.
"My Lord, you seem perplex about what's yet to come. Are you doubting Shalltear's capabilities?" Demiurge asked.
Then, the conversation started.
(To Be Continued...)
X―x―X—x—X―x―X
As Hiro emerged from the blackened tendrils of the Wraith King's ethereal form, he felt his surroundings shift violently. One moment, he was locked in battle with the spectral king, and the next, he found himself standing on the third floor of Nazzarick.
Purgatory. Last floor of The Catacombs.
The air here was thick with heat, a suffocating atmosphere filled with the scent of sulfur and molten rock. The landscape was a hellish expanse, dark and twisted, with rivers of lava running through barren, cracked earth.
But something felt off—this place was empty. Despite the ominous environment, no creatures or guards greeted him. The silence gnawed at him, making every step feel heavier.
From the shadows ahead, a figure materialized, her aura undeniable. Shalltear Bloodfallen, the vampiric guardian of the first to third floors of Nazzarick, stood before him, her usual playful smile curling on her lips. Her red eyes glowed in the dim light as she observed Hiro with a mix of curiosity and amusement.
"Well, well, Hiro," Shalltear purred, her voice echoing across the barren landscape. "I must say, you've come much farther than I expected. I should commend you for surviving the Wraith King's assault. But now..." She tilted her head, her grin widening. "This is where it ends."
Hiro narrowed his eyes, readying his sword. "Where is he? My fight with him is still not over." Hiro commanded.
"No need, you won, unfortunately." She replied.
"What?" He asked.
"His life span depends on how much power he uses, just as he was about to deliver the final strike, the energy burnt down, sadly." She explained.
This was starting to make sense. But then, she chuckled, the sound both sweet and sinister. "This place is much too quiet for the climax of your little journey. But don't worry—I'll make it far more interesting."
With that, Shalltear's expression darkened. Her form shimmered as a blood-red aura enveloped her, the ground beneath her feet cracking as her power surged. In an instant, she transformed into her true combat form; The Blood Valkyrie.
Scarlet armor materialized around her, intricate and deadly, glowing with a malevolent energy. In her hands appeared the Spruit Lance, a wicked weapon that pulsed with dark magic, designed to siphon the life force of her enemies and heal her with every strike.
"Let's see how long you can last," Shalltear said, her voice now carrying an edge of excitement. She twirled the lance effortlessly, her crimson wings unfurling from her back as she took a combat stance. "This lance will ensure that every wound I inflict only makes me stronger. So come, Hiro, show me the strength you've been hiding."
From her fingertips erupted a towering column of hellfire, bright red and swirling with devastating heat. The flames spiraled upwards before crashing down toward Hiro, consuming everything in their path. The entire battlefield was engulfed in the inferno, the heat intense enough to melt stone.
Hiro's eyes narrowed. With swift precision, he summoned a barrier of blue energy around himself, deflecting the roaring flames just before they could incinerate him. The explosion shook the ground, but as the smoke cleared, Hiro remained standing, unharmed.
Shalltear's expression shifted slightly, but she quickly masked her surprise with a smirk. "Impressive. Let's see how long you can keep this up."
Not wasting a moment, she prepared another spell.
"Double Maximized Magic: Negative Burst!"
Two orbs of pure dark energy formed in her hands, then shot forward like twin meteors. They radiated with necrotic magic, capable of sapping the life out of anything they touched. Hiro leaped into action, dodging the first orb with a roll and parrying the second with his blade, the dark energy dispersing on impact.
Shalltear's grin widened as she watched Hiro fend off her attacks with such ease. "You're quite skilled, but your endurance won't last forever."
She spun her lance and dashed forward, closing the gap between them in an instant. The air around her distorted as she channeled her next spell mid-charge.
"Seventh-Tier Magic: Force Explosion!"
A massive burst of kinetic force exploded from her position, sending shockwaves rippling through the battlefield. Hiro managed to brace himself, his feet digging into the cracked ground as he withstood the blast. The force of the explosion made the earth tremble, but Hiro held his ground.
As the dust settled, Shalltear's expression became more serious. "You're much more powerful than I expected. I suppose it's time to take this battle to the next level."
She stepped back, raising her hand toward the darkened sky. Her eyes gleamed with excitement as she invoked her trump card.
"Einherjar!"
A silver mist formed beside her, coalescing into an exact duplicate—a perfect clone of Shalltear, wielding the same armor, the same lance, and the same deadly abilities. The silver clone stood ready, poised to attack with the same ferocity as its creator.
Hiro's eyes narrowed as the battlefield dynamics shifted. He had anticipated Shalltear's power, but now he faced her—and her clone. The challenge had escalated.
The Einherjar lunged first, thrusting its lance with incredible speed. Hiro parried, the impact sending vibrations down his arms. Immediately, Shalltear followed up with a flurry of attacks from the opposite direction, forcing Hiro to split his focus. Both Shalltear and her clone attacked with perfect synchronization, each blow calculated to push him to his limits.
"You're strong," Shalltear said, her voice now tinged with a hint of respect. "But can you handle two of me?"
Hiro blocked another strike from the Einherjar and countered with a swift slash toward the real Shalltear. She dodged with ease, her movements graceful as she summoned more magic.
"Fifth tier Magic: Wall of Stone!"
Massive stone barriers erupted from the ground, surrounding Hiro on all sides, cutting off his escape. But instead of retreating, Hiro leaped onto the walls, using them as platforms to gain the high ground. His agility was impressive, and he launched himself down toward Shalltear, ready to strike.
But Einherjar was prepared.
"Einherjar style! Tenth-Tier Magic: Control Amnesia!" Einherjar's voice was echoing, it cast a powerful counter attack.
Hiro's mind wavered for a brief moment as the spell hit him, his memories and focus momentarily clouded. It wasn't enough to completely disorient him, but it gave Shalltear a critical opening. She and the Einherjar struck simultaneously, their lances crashing toward Hiro from opposite sides.
Hiro barely managed to deflect one strike, but the clone's lance grazed his side, drawing blood. He winced, but quickly regained his composure, spinning his blade in a defensive arc to push the two back.
Shalltear's laughter echoed through the burning landscape. "You're bleeding already? I thought you were stronger than this, Hiro!"
Hiro gritted his teeth. His strength hadn't faded yet, but the tide of the battle was shifting. The Einherjar was an unrelenting force, and Shalltear's magical prowess seemed limitless.
Sensing that Hiro was beginning to tire, Shalltear decided it was time to unleash her ultimate attack.
She began chanting, her voice low and filled with deadly intent.
Shalltear was equipped by Ainz with a World Class Item that let her cast super-tier spells at once with no cooldown, or animation (magic circles), making her attacks discret and invisible.
"Super-Tier Magic: Fallen Down!"
The sky above them darkened, and an overwhelming surge of magical energy filled the air. Shalltear raised her lance toward the heavens as a massive beam of radiant light began forming above her, crackling with terrifying power. The sheer force of the spell began to warp the air around them, the intensity growing with each passing second.
Hiro could feel the ground tremble beneath him, the weight of the super-tier magic pressing down on him. He knew he had to act fast—this spell was too powerful to withstand directly.
As the beam of light descended, Hiro's sword glowed with a brilliant blue aura. He channeled every ounce of his strength, preparing his final counterattack.
The battlefield roared with energy as the two forces collided, the fate of the battle hanging in the balance.
"Einherjar style! Maximized Support Magic: Tenfold!"
"Let's me show you the power of Nazzarick's first and strongest floor guardians, Hiro!" Shalltear shouted, her voice filled with both triumph and bloodlust. "No one has survived Fallen Down amplified to such a degree. Prepare to be erased!"
The pillar of light descended with a terrifying roar, its blinding radiance filling the entire battlefield. The ground beneath Hiro's feet cracked and crumbled as the sheer force of the spell threatened to tear everything apart. The flames of Purgatory dimmed in comparison to the raw, divine energy of the super-tier spell.
With time running out, Hiro's mind raced. This was the moment that would decide everything—the culmination of the battle. He gathered every last ounce of strength, his body glowing with a fierce blue aura. His blade shimmered, infused with his own power, as he prepared to meet the colossal force head-on.
The clash between Hiro and Shalltear's amplified Fallen Down was a sight of pure destruction, as the blinding light of the super-tier magic met Hiro's final defense. The world seemed to tremble as the two forces collided, creating a cataclysmic explosion that shook the entire floor of Nazarick.
For a moment, everything was consumed by light.
X―x―X—x—X―x―X
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