Chapter 7

1

The battlefield showed no traces of the fierce battle that had just taken place.

The blood-soaked grassland was concealed by the fading light of the sunset, and the stench of blood was carried away by the strong wind.

Two figures, who had not been there before, appeared on the grassland.

Negan, the captain of the Sunlight Scripture, a special intelligence unit of the Theocracy of Slane, looked at the two with a puzzled expression.

One of them was dressed as a magic incantator, wearing a strange mask to conceal his face and metal gloves on his hands. He wore a black robe that looked very expensive, indicating his noble status.

The other was clad in a black full-body armor, which was also quite remarkable and certainly not a cheap item. Just from its appearance, it was clear that it was a top-tier magical artifact.

Gajeel and his subordinates, who had been cornered, were nowhere to be seen, and instead, these two mysterious figures appeared. This must have been some kind of teleportation magic, but he had no idea what kind of magic it was. He needed to be cautious with these mysterious figures who used unknown magic.

Negan first ordered all the angels to retreat, maintaining a certain distance to protect their side. He observed the movements of the opponents without letting his guard down. The magic incantator took a step forward and said:

"Hello, everyone from the Theocracy of Slane. My name is Ainz Ooal Gown. It would be an honor if you could call me Ainz."

Although they were at a distance, his voice was very clear, carried by the wind.

Negan did not respond, and the mysterious figure, who called himself Ainz, continued:

"The one behind me is named Yaeled. I would like to make a deal with you. Could you spare a moment?"

Negan searched his mind for the name Ainz Ooal Gown but found nothing, suggesting it was likely a pseudonym. He decided it would be better to listen to what the other party had to say and gather information. Negan nodded, signaling Ainz to continue.

"Great. Thank you for taking the time to listen. There is one thing I must tell you first: you cannot defeat me."

The tone was decisive, filled with absolute confidence. It was not a bluff or baseless talk; it was the voice of someone who truly believed it from the bottom of his heart.

Negan frowned slightly.

In the Theocracy of Slane, no one dared to speak to their superiors in such a manner.

"Ignorance is truly lamentable, and your foolishness will come at a price."

"…Well, let's see. What is the reality? I carefully observed this battle, and my presence here indicates my confidence in victory. Don't you think that if I didn't have a sure chance of winning, I would have left Gajeel to his fate?"

That was true.

If he were a magic incantator, it would be more appropriate to use a different method. Enchanters, sorcerers, and mages generally wore light armor and tried to avoid close combat, using "Flight" magic to stay at a distance and continuously cast "Fireball" spells. However, Ainz chose to engage in direct combat, which suggested he had some hidden trick up his sleeve.

Negan didn't know how the other party would react to this silence. Ainz continued:

"If you can understand, I have a question. The angels you brought should have been summoned using a third-level spell, correct?"

It was a question he already knew the answer to.

Ignoring Negan's dismissive expression, Ainz continued:

"The creatures you summoned seem similar to those in YGGDRASIL, so I'm curious if their names are the same. The names of creatures in YGGDRASIL often come from mythology… Angels and demons are usually related to mythology. These angels and demons are most commonly found in Catholic-related matters. However, in a world without Catholicism, it's unnatural to have archangels. This suggests that there are people like me in this world."

Negan, completely baffled by what the other party was saying, retorted angrily:

"Your monologue can end now. Quickly tell us where you took Gajeel Strolnovov."

"Teleported to the village."

"…What?"

Negan, surprised by the straightforward answer, quickly realized the reason for it:

"Stupid, even if you lie, we can just search the village and—"

"—I'm not lying, I just answered your question… Actually, there's another reason I was honest."

"…Do you want to beg for mercy? If it can save us time, we might consider it."

"No, no… Actually… I overheard your conversation with the Warrior Leader… You have some guts."

Ainz's tone and demeanor changed, and he looked at Negan, who wore a mocking expression:

"You dared to boast about killing the villagers I, Ainz Ooal Gown, saved with great effort. There is nothing more displeasing than that."

The wind fiercely blew Ainz's robe, passing by Negan and his group.

It was just the wind on the grassland blowing from Ainz's direction, but Negan quickly shook off the illusion that the wind was filled with the scent of death, knowing it was just an illusion.

"…What do you mean by displeasing, magic incantator? So what?"

Despite being threatened, Negan maintained his sarcastic attitude.

As the commander of the Sunlight Scripture, one of the aces of the Theocracy of Slane, Negan could not afford to be afraid of a mere man. It was absolutely unacceptable.

However—

"I mentioned a deal earlier. The content is that I hope you will obediently surrender your lives, thus avoiding physical suffering. On the contrary, if you choose to resist, you will pay the price of dying in despair and pain."

Ainz took a step forward.

Although it was just one step, Ainz's figure seemed quite imposing. Everyone in the Sunlight Scripture retreated.

"Ah…"

Several hoarse voices came from around Negan.

These voices represented fear.

Ainz exuded an overwhelming aura of strength. It was the first time Negan had felt such a powerful presence, so he could understand his subordinates' fear.

A seasoned warrior who had faced countless battles, taken many lives, and walked the line between life and death, Negan could still feel the oppressive pressure emanating from this mysterious magic incantator. His subordinates must have felt it even more strongly.

Who is this person?

What is the true identity of this magic incantator, the person behind the mask?

Ignoring Negan's anxiety, Ainz spoke in an incredibly cold tone:

"This is the reason I didn't lie and answered honestly. There's no need to lie to someone who is about to die."

Ainz slowly spread his arms and took another step forward. It looked like he was about to embrace, but his strangely bent fingers resembled an approaching monster.

A cold shiver ran from Negan's feet to the top of his head. This feeling, which he had experienced countless times on the brink of death, was a premonition of death.

"Let the angels attack! Don't let him get close!"

Negan raised his voice, issuing a hoarse command that sounded like a cry of despair.

It was not to boost morale but out of fear of the approaching Ainz Ooal Gown.

Two Flame Archangels accepted Negan's order and launched an attack, flapping their wings and breaking through the wind.

The angels flew straight to Ainz and, without hesitation, thrust their crimson flame swords into him.

Everyone, including Negan, expected Yaeled to step forward to block the attack. However, what they saw was completely unexpected and the opposite of what they anticipated.

Nothing happened at all.

That's right—Ainz did not take any action, allowing the angels' swords to pierce his body. There was no magic, no dodging, no defense, and no intervention from his subordinates. Nothing happened.

Surprise turned into ridicule.

All that talk about a powerful aura was just a bluff. Yaeled didn't try to block because she didn't have time to react to the angels' high-speed attack. Knowing the truth, it didn't seem like a big deal after all.

Negan's subordinates breathed a sigh of relief. Negan, who had felt inexplicable anxiety earlier, now felt embarrassed and looked at Yaeled:

"Disgraceful. Trying to scare us with a bluff…"

At that moment, a question arose.

Why didn't Ainz's body fall?

"…What are you doing? Quickly make the angels retreat. A body pierced by swords shouldn't be able to stand, right?"

"But, we already gave the order."

The puzzled voice of a subordinate startled Negan, and he looked at Ainz again.

The angels' wings flapped forcefully, like butterflies caught in a spider's web.

The two angels slowly moved to the sides, but their movements were very strange, as if they were being forcibly pulled apart.

Then, Ainz, who had been blocked by the angels, reappeared in the gap between them.

"Didn't I say you can't defeat me? It's better to listen to someone's advice honestly."

A calm voice reached Negan's ears.

Negan was confused by the scene before him.

Even with his chest and abdomen pierced, Ainz stood there as if nothing had happened.

"No way…"

A subordinate's groan echoed Negan's thoughts. From the position and angle of the swords, it was clearly a fatal wound. Yet, Ainz showed no signs of pain.

What was even more shocking was that Ainz's hands were gripping the throats of the two angels, holding them tightly as they struggled.

"Impossible…"

Someone muttered. The bodies of the angels, formed by the summoner's magic power, were not light. They were heavier than an adult man, and if the armor was included, they were certainly not something that could be easily lifted with one hand.

Indeed, a well-trained, muscular warrior might be able to do it. However, Ainz, who appeared to be more focused on enhancing his intelligence and magic power, should not have been able to do so. Even with magic enhancement, it would have no effect without a high base value.

But why was this happening? And why did he seem unaffected by the swords piercing his body?

"…There must be some trick to this."

"Ah, that's it, being pierced by swords can't be fine!"

The special forces of the Theocracy of Slane shouted in panic. Although they were experienced warriors who had faced various dangers, they had never seen such a scene. Even the angels they summoned could not do this.

A calm voice, as if without any pain, reached the ears of Negan and his subordinates, who were full of questions.

"This is a high-level physical immunity skill that makes attacks from low-level weapons and creatures completely ineffective. It can nullify attacks up to level 60, so anything above that level would still cause damage. It's a binary skill… I didn't expect it to be so effective. Anyway… these angels are quite troublesome."

With an angel in each hand, Ainz punched the ground with astonishing speed. A loud boom echoed, and the earth seemed to tremble—such was the unreasonable force.

The angels perished, turning into countless orbs of light that dissipated. Of course, the swords that pierced Ainz also disappeared.

"If you know the origin of the angels' names, you can understand why you can use YGGDRASIL magic… but let's set that aside for now."

Ainz slowly stood up, and his words were still incomprehensible.

However, this made his mysterious power even more terrifying.

Negan swallowed hard.

"Alright, enough of this boring game. Are you done playing? It seems you are unwilling to accept my deal, so now it's my turn to act."

With the angels dealt with, Ainz took a stance and slowly spread his arms. The gesture seemed to prove that he had nothing in his hands.

In the eerie silence, Ainz's voice was clearly heard.

"I'm going to start—kill them all."

A chill ran down Negan's spine, making him feel nauseous. The seasoned killer Negan felt an unfamiliar sensation he had never experienced before.

They needed to retreat. Fighting Ainz without a sure way to win was dangerous.

However, Negan tried to shake off this instinct. He had cornered Gajeel, and he couldn't just let him escape.

Ignoring the warning that echoed in his heart, Negan shouted loudly:

"All angels, attack! Move quickly!"

All the Flame Archangels rushed at Ainz like bullets.

"Such playful creatures… Yaeled, stand down."

Negan's ears picked up a calm voice, even as the angels attacked. Despite being surrounded by angels, there was no sign of panic.

It looked like they would be pierced by multiple swords—but before that happened, Ainz had already cast a spell.

"Negative Burst."

The air violently shook.

Like the opposite of light, black light waves gathered towards Ainz in an instant. It was a brief moment, but the results were clear.

"No, impossible…"

Someone's doubt carried by the wind. The scene before them was truly unbelievable.

Over forty angels were destroyed by the black wave.

Ainz did not use a counter-spell to dispel the summoning magic. The angels hit by the black wave looked as if they were damaged. In simple terms, Ainz cast a powerful spell that eliminated the angels in one sweep.

Negan couldn't help but shudder. He recalled the words of the kingdom's strongest warrior, Gajeel Strolnovov.

"…Hmph, truly foolish, in this village… there is someone even stronger than me. His depth is unfathomable, and he can defeat all of you alone… Trying to kill him… and protect the villagers is simply impossible…"

The scene before him confirmed these words.

Negan tried to shake off the words that came to mind and convinced himself.

As far as Negan knew, the members of the strongest organization, the Black Scripture, could also deal with so many angels. So, he could treat Ainz as a similar opponent. Even if his strength was on par with the Black Scripture, with their large numbers, they should still be able to win.

But could the members of the Black Scripture eliminate all the angels with just one spell?

Negan shook his head to dispel the doubt. He couldn't think about this. If he got an answer, it would mean they were truly helpless. So, Negan reached into his coat and drew courage from the magical artifact stored there.

He firmly believed that with this artifact, everything would be fine.

However, for his subordinates who lacked inner resolve, he had to use a different method.

"Ugh, ugh—!"

"What's going on!"

"Is it a monster!"

Realizing the angels were useless, the subordinates screamed in terror and started casting spells they believed in.

"Charm Human," "Hammer of Justice," "Bind," "Rain of Fire," "Green Jade Coffin," "Holy Laser," "Shockwave," "Spikes," "Open Wounds," "Poison," "Fear," "Curse," "Blindness"—

Various spells hit Ainz.

Despite the spells raining down like a storm, Ainz remained calm.

"Indeed, these are familiar spells… Who taught you these spells? Someone from the Theocracy of Slane? Or someone else? I have more and more questions to ask."

Not only did he kill the summoned angels with one spell, but the spells also failed to harm him.

Negan felt as if he were trapped in a nightmare.

"Nightmare—!"

A subordinate, driven mad by the ineffectiveness of the spells, let out a strange scream and threw an iron ball with a slingshot. Although Negan thought that even the swords of the angels were ineffective, he did not stop the subordinate's action.

The heavy iron ball, capable of easily shattering human bones, flew accurately towards Ainz.

A loud explosion suddenly echoed.

In an instant.

The event happened in an instant.

Since they were in battle, their eyes did not leave the target. But Yaeled, who was supposed to be in the back, suddenly blocked Ainz. The ground where she had been standing was raised by a powerful kick, which was the source of the loud noise.

Yaeled swung her long-handled battle-axe at a speed that was hard to see, creating a beautiful greenish trail.

Then, the subordinate who threw the iron ball collapsed.

"…What?"

No one knew what had just happened. They were supposed to be the ones attacking, but the result was the opposite, with their own side collapsing.

A subordinate who ran over to observe the fallen companion shouted:

"His head was crushed by the iron ball!"

"…What? The iron ball… Could it be the iron ball he threw?!"

Why would he be killed by the iron ball he threw himself?

At that moment, a voice carried by the wind reached Negan's ears, who was full of questions.

"Sorry, it seems my subordinate used the special skills 'Missile Shield' and 'Counter Arrow' to deflect it back. You had a spell to resist flying weapons, but if the counterattack exceeded your defense, it would still break through. There's no need to be so surprised."

Ainz, who explained this, completely ignored N