บท 188: CH. 182: Succubus, Retry!
Albedo stood firm, her wings fully spread and her halberd raised defensively, a formidable wall of protection in front of Shalltear, who knelt behind her. Blood dripped from Shalltear's torn armor as her regeneration slowly worked to heal her numerous wounds, but her usually elegant form was trembling. Every breath she took seemed labored, and though her pride screamed at her to rise, her body was failing her.
Akira, standing just a few paces away, appeared completely unfazed by Albedo's arrival. His crimson eyes gleamed with cruel amusement, his white hair flowing in the breeze of the twisted battlefield that was still under his control. The once ominous domain seemed to calm slightly, as if even the abominations themselves feared what was to come next.
"Albedo, right?" Akira mused, his voice a chilling contrast to the calm around him. "You think your presence changes anything? That your loyalty will somehow shield her from the inevitable?"
Albedo's eyes blazed with fury, but she held her composure. "Your arrogance is boundless, but you underestimate us. You think this is simply a fight? We serve Ainz-sama with everything we have, and that is a power even a god like you can never understand."
Akira smirked, his voice low and mocking. "Loyalty is a quaint notion in the face of omnipotence. Let me teach you something. Power—true power—doesn't need loyalty. It bends reality, reshapes the world to its will. What will your loyalty buy you when I tear apart everything you stand for?"
Albedo's grip on her halberd tightened. "You will not harm Shalltear any further. Nazarick does not bow to anyone, least of all to false gods like you." Albedo said.
Akira chuckled softly, the sound echoing ominously across the void. "Mistake? No, my dear Albedo, you misunderstand. This isn't a challenge for me. This is entertainment."
In a blur of motion, Akira was suddenly in front of Albedo. Her instincts kicked in instantly, and she swung her halberd with incredible force, aiming to cleave through his torso. The blow would have decimated most enemies, but Akira stopped it effortlessly, catching the blade of her weapon in his bare hand.
The clash of steel against his grip sent a shockwave through the area, cracking the ground beneath them.
"Is that all?" Akira taunted, his voice barely above a whisper as he effortlessly held the halberd in place.
Albedo pushed harder, gritting her teeth, her wings flaring as she tried to break through his defense, but his strength was overwhelming. "You will not defeat me so easily... I'm Ainz-sama's shield!!" She hissed, pouring more of her strength into her attack.
Akira's grin widened. "Oh, I won't need to." With a sudden flick of his wrist, he sent Albedo flying back, her wings catching her just before she slammed into the ground. She spun in midair, regaining her stance quickly, but it was clear she had felt the full force of his strength.
Shalltear, struggling to her feet behind Albedo, winced as her regeneration lagged behind the damage she had taken. She had never felt such power before, not even from Ainz-sama. Her hands trembled as she tried to summon her lance again, but the pain and the weight of Akira's oppressive presence were too much to ignore.
X―x―X—x—X―x―X
Meanwhile, deep within the Great Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz sat upon his throne, watching the battle unfold through his crystal orb. His expression was unreadable, the red flames in his eye sockets flickering as he observed the clash between his trusted guardians and the godlike figure before them.
Beside him, Demiurge stood patiently, his gaze also focused on the orb. After a moment of silence, he turned to Ainz, curiosity lacing his voice. "Ainz-sama, may I ask—why did you send Albedo? Her defensive capabilities are indeed unparalleled, but in a battle like this…"
Ainz, still staring into the orb, nodded slowly. "You are correct, Demiurge. Albedo's strength lies in her defense. She can withstand blows that would crush most, and in combination with Shalltear's assassination skills, they form a deadly pair. Albedo will draw Akira's attention while Shalltear recovers and strikes from the shadows."
Demiurge adjusted his glasses, analyzing the situation. "A brilliant strategy, as always, Ainz-sama. Together, they should be able to dismantle the enemy."
Ainz remained silent for a moment longer, watching as Albedo and Shalltear fought to keep pace with Akira's relentless attacks. On the surface, yes, it seems like a strong strategy, he thought to himself. But in truth... Akira is not like anything we've faced before. His skeletal fingers tapped rhythmically on the armrest of his throne.
Demiurge, oblivious to Ainz's deeper thoughts, continued. "Once Shalltear has fully recovered, their combined strength will—"
Ainz cut him off with a calm but firm voice. "Perhaps."
Demiurge paused, his eyes flickering with surprise. "Ainz-sama?"
In his mind, Ainz replayed every second of the battle he had witnessed so far.
'Albedo is a fortress. Shalltear is a storm. But Akira... Akira is something else entirely.' He said, in his mind.
'They won't be enough...' Ainz admitted to himself.
As powerful as his guardians were, the being they were up against was playing with them—testing their limits. And even if Albedo and Shalltear worked together perfectly, Akira would eventually overwhelm them both.
The weight of the situation pressed heavily on him.
'I'll have to use it.'
It was a trump card he had never wanted to reveal, but against an opponent like Akira, there was no other option. Nazarick's full might might is going to see the light very soon, but Akira won't be there to experience it...
X―x―X—x—X―x―X
Back on the battlefield, Albedo, bruised but unyielding, wiped a trickle of blood from her lips and readied herself for Akira's next move. Shalltear, struggling to regenerate, slowly rose to stand by her side, her lance glowing with magic once more. But in the pit of her stomach, she knew they were fighting an unstoppable force.
Akira's eyes gleamed with amusement as he observed the two of them preparing to continue the fight. "So, what will it be? Shall we dance again? Or will you finally submit to the inevitable?"
Albedo stepped forward, her voice unwavering. "You will not take us down so easily, no matter how powerful you think you are."
But deep down, even she knew that this fight was far from over, and it was going to take everything they had—and more—to survive Akira's onslaught.
The battlefield was quiet for a moment, as if the world itself had paused to catch its breath. Albedo stood resolute, her halberd raised, blood dripping from her wounds but her spirit unshaken. Shalltear had finally managed to rise behind her, clutching her lance, but the fear gnawing at the edges of her resolve was undeniable. Despite their efforts, it was clear that Akira was playing with them, and they were merely delaying the inevitable.
Akira, now surrounded by a faint, ominous glow, smiled darkly. His crimson eyes scanned Albedo with a look that was no longer focused on combat but something far more insidious. He took a step forward, his gaze never leaving her.
"You're a magnificent warrior, Albedo," he began, his voice low and dripping with false admiration. "Your loyalty, your strength, they are admirable qualities. But as I said before, loyalty is... fragile. Power, on the other hand, is absolute."
Albedo's expression didn't falter. "My loyalty to Ainz-sama is unwavering. You will find nothing in me to bend, Akira."
Akira's smile widened. "Oh, Albedo, I have no intention of breaking you physically. That would be such a waste. Your beauty, your resolve... I can see why Ainz holds you in high regard. No, killing you would be far too simple, far too crude for someone like you."
His voice grew darker, a cruel edge to every word. "Instead, I'm going to show you just how weak loyalty truly is—by making you mine."
Shalltear's eyes widened in horror, her usually fearless demeanor crumbling as the implications of Akira's words sank in. "No… Albedo, get back!" she screamed, trying to charge forward, but Akira waved his hand lazily, sending a wave of invisible force that knocked Shalltear to the ground.
Albedo's wings flared as she took a step back, her instincts screaming at her that something was horribly wrong. "You will never control me," she growled, her halberd glowing with energy as she prepared to strike.
But before she could move, Akira's eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, and in an instant, Albedo was frozen in place. She gasped, her body paralyzed, unable to move, unable to fight back. Her wings slowly folded against her back as if something else was controlling them.
"Ah," Akira sighed, walking closer to her, his voice now soft and almost soothing. "This will only hurt for a moment. I'm going to rewrite you, Albedo. Your mind, your beliefs, your loyalty to Ainz. I will peel away everything you are, and in its place, I will create something new. Something that serves only me."
Albedo struggled, her eyes wild with defiance, but her body betrayed her. She couldn't lift her weapon, couldn't flee. All she could do was stare into Akira's crimson eyes as he raised his hand toward her forehead, his power flowing around her like a dark tide.
Shalltear watched in paralyzed terror, her voice caught in her throat. She had never seen anything like this before. This wasn't death. This was worse. Albedo was about to be erased, her very soul twisted into something unrecognizable. "Albedo! NO!" she screamed, tears of frustration and fear welling in her eyes, but she was powerless to stop it.
Akira's fingers hovered just inches from Albedo's forehead, his smirk widening as dark energy began to swirl around her head. Her eyes widened, her body trembling as she fought to resist, but Akira's magic was unlike anything she had ever faced.
"This is power," Akira whispered. "Power to reshape reality, to bend others to my will. Do you see now? Your loyalty to Ainz means nothing. With a simple thought, I will make you mine."
Albedo's voice finally broke through her paralysis, her words barely a whisper, "Ainz-sama…"
And just as Akira's hand touched her, a flash of light enveloped Albedo's form. Her eyes glazed over, her face slackened, and the powerful, unyielding guardian of Nazarick, who had stood by Ainz's side for so long, suddenly fell silent.
X―x―X—x—X―x―X
In the depths of Nazarick, Ainz watched the scene unfold, his skeletal face unreadable. His glowing red eyes were fixed on Akira's ritual, watching as Albedo's form stood motionless, completely under Akira's control. Demiurge, standing beside him, clenched his fists, his usually calm expression now twisted with rage and disbelief.
"Ainz-sama," Demiurge said, his voice trembling. "He… he's taking control of Albedo. We must act. We cannot allow this…"
But Ainz didn't respond immediately. He stared at the orb, his thoughts racing.
"This… this power. To rewrite someone so completely… even the mind. This is beyond mere magic." Ainz's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, calculating every possibility. His servants were watching, expecting him to act, to save Albedo. And yet, deep down, something intrigued him.
"To have such control… to bend someone like Albedo, whose loyalty is absolute…' Ainz thought. This is the kind of power I've always sought.
"And how do I know, Demiruge? Because it's power I was able to use, only once, during my prime." Ainz added.
Still, his gaze hardened. He knew this was beyond simple curiosity. Albedo was not just another subordinate. She was one of his most trusted guardians, and her loyalty was absolute. But if even she can be bent…
"Ainz-sama!" Demiurge insisted, his voice now desperate. "Albedo—she will be lost to us if we don't intervene."
Ainz finally spoke, his voice calm and measured.
"I understand, Demiurge. Albedo is invaluable to Nazarick. But this situation… is different. Akira's power is not something we can confront recklessly."
"I have seen this power twice... This is the third time, in my long life. The only solution, to regain Albedo, is by killing their new master."
Demiurge blinked in shock. "But… Ainz-sama, shouldn't we get going at once—"
"I know," Ainz said quietly. "I know."
He stared deeper into the orb, watching as Albedo's eyes flickered under Akira's spell, her form standing rigid, unmoving.
'I'll have to use that soon.' His thoughts remained cold, calculating, but a part of him—the part that had once been human—felt a twinge of something else.
On the battlefield, Shalltear's heart pounded in her chest as she watched in horror. Albedo, her sister in loyalty, was being erased. The strongest, most unwavering warrior of Nazarick was being twisted into something else. Shalltear struggled to move, but her body was still weak from Akira's earlier assault.
"Albedo!" Shalltear screamed, but her voice seemed so small, so distant against the growing darkness around them.
Akira lowered his hand, his grin now one of triumph. "It is done. Your beloved guardian is now mine. And soon, so will Nazarick."
X―x―X—x—X―x―X
Chapter 201: A New Beginning is Out!
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CH. 200: BREAKDOWN IS out!!
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