Third tier spells: 「Fireball」, 「Slow」
While the exact number of spells that monsters could use varied with their level and type, it was typically around 8. However, high level monsters like Dragons, Demons, and Angels were an exception.
Still, as a pure warrior type, the Evil Lord of Wrath’s spells were not particularly fearsome.
It had no skills to strengthen its spells, and its magic-related stats were very low. While the Evil Lord’s attack spells were of the fire element and thus targeted a weakness of the undead, there was no need for him to be wary. Its mind-affecting spells were also useless against the undead, and Ainz’s karma values were negative to begin with, so spells like 「Distort Moral」 were a waste of time.
Since Ainz’s karma value was negative, Angels were harder for him to deal with than Demons.
As he contemplated his opposition’s data, Ainz glanced at the two maids behind the Evil Lord. He would think about them later.
“Now then, have you been told?”
“But of course, Ainz-sama.”
Hearing that weighty voice made Suzuki Satoru smile unconsciously from inside Ainz’s heart. That was because this demon ― and all the monsters of Nazarick ― were designed in accordance with their image.
Those voices were probably what the developers or their creators had envisioned for them. In that case, who had come up with the adorable voice that Lip Bugs had before consuming any vocal cords? Or did the whole seiyuu-in-your-mind thing that Peroroncino was talking about really exist?
No, that was impossible.
Pandora’s Actor was a good example. He was a being who did not feel like he reflected what his creator had in mind. And then there was the fact that even a being without vocal cords like Ainz could speak. All he could say was that magical worlds were truly astounding.
“If you’re addressing me with that name and in that tone, I take it the surroundings are clear?”
“Indeed.”
“Then I will ask you the most important question of all. Are you truly prepared to fight with the intent of killing me?”“Yes, I was ordered to do so.”
Ainz nodded as he heard the Evil Lord’s reply.
One thing that had made Ainz uneasy in the past was a lack of strong opponents to fight. Ever since the battle with Shalltear, Ainz had been worrying about not having chances to fight with all his strength.
After training and gaining experience in close combat, he could skilfully move his body as Momonga and fight as a warrior of roughly level 33.
However, the question of how he would fare in higher level combat still remained.
He should have conducted combat training against high level opponents. Unfortunately, he had not had the chance to encounter such high level monsters until now.
That was why he had ordered Demiurge to command the summoned Evil Lord to kill Ainz.
He would defeat this powerful foe who wanted to kill him, and thus strengthen himself.
That had been easier said than done. The two of them had been strongly opposed to the idea and persuading them had taken a lot of time. One could not fault a mentally exhausted Ainz from thinking, “I thought we agreed that my word was law…”
In the end, after countless concessions and conditions, the stage had been set for this life-and-death battle.
A chill coursed through his body as he considered that he might die. It was a completely different sensation from what he had felt during the battle with Shalltear, because this was an unnecessary battle.
However—
While I had a lot of PVP experience in YGGDRASIL, I realized in the battle against Shalltear that this world is not a game. If the time comes when I must face off against a level 100 player with a great deal of real combat experience, I won’t be able to win without an equivalent amount of experience. I know that cowardice leads to defeat.
Ainz was very glad that he was undead and could suppress the fear he might have felt at the prospect of death. If he were still human, he would probably have called it off by now.
“Now then, Yuri,” Ainz said to the maids behind the Evil Lord. “Since you and Lupusregina are here, does that mean you will be fighting me together with the Evil Lord? Are the others not here?”
He saw no sign of Solution, Entoma, or CZ. They must have been off doing work elsewhere.
“We are the only two who have come here. We sisters will challenge you together with the Evil Lord of Wrath. The reason is because Albedo-sama feels that allowing the people of this country to witness the maid demons is not a bad thing. In addition, the Evil Lord of Wrath alone might not be enough to satisfy your request, Ainz-sama.”
It was true that a single level 80ish Evil Lord would be hard-pressed to stand against Ainz. However, even the addition of Yuri and Lupusregina did not make it a very powerful opponent.
That said, troublesome factors can become bad news. Suffering because I underestimated my opponent would be foolish. I’d best stay on my guard.
“In addition, Albedo-sama ordered us to check something with you, Ainz-sama. Are you really alright with the condition that you will not leave Nazarick for the coming year if you are defeated?”
“Ah, that was one of the conditions Albedo insisted on before agreeing to this bout. If I lose, I will spend the next year working hard within the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, with Albedo, in the same room… aren’t you going to verify the conditions that Demiurge mentioned?”
Ainz looked at the Evil Lord, but it said nothing. It probably felt that there was no need to check.
“Thank you very much.”
Yuri bowed.
Now there would be no margin for him to change the plan. As he thought of how dire the situation was, Ainz could not help but sweat internally.
It would be easy enough to kill Yuri and the others due to the tremendous disparity in their respective strength, but Ainz Ooal Gown would never allow that. Killing an NPC for the sake of training was utterly ridiculous.
In other words–
I have to kill the Evil Lord without harming Yuri and Lupusregina.
Ainz could not help laughing. This would be one hell of a challenge. Still, there would make for good training.
“Is something wrong, Ainz-sama?”
“No, it’s nothing, don’t worry about it.”
“Also, Cocytus-sama requested that we record this battle so everyone in Nazarick can learn from it. Do you mind?”
While he did not want to do so because he felt it was embarrassing, recording battles was very common in YGGDRASIL. With that in mind, he ought to accept that request.
“Still, recording the battle proceedings will trigger interference from the anti-divination offensive barriers. Shall I lower it?”
“Surely you mean divination-detecting spells, do you not, Ainz-sama? And not the linked offensive spell model?”
“Ah, yes, that’s the one. After all, if it were the latter, it would be bad if someone from Nazarick were trying to find my position and triggered it.”
If he deployed the linked offensive spell barrier, as he had used to in the past, any member of Nazarick trying to cast a divination on Ainz would be very badly hurt. While he used to cast that spell all the time because friendly fire was off, doing so now would be dangerous.
Of course, the denizens of Nazarick would not be hurt by the offensive barrier, given that they were protected by a World Class Item, but the defense would incur a cost in gold coins. If things went badly, expenses like that would be more painful for him.
“Then there’s no need to worry ~su.”
“No, I’d best deactivate it. Besides, offensive barriers disappear once they activate and have to be reset. In that case, I might as well just deactivate it from the start and have some peace of mind.”