“There is no need to even answer. It is to bring this to an end. The time has come to finish this battle.”
Why? Shalltear still had 25 % of her health remaining. Then just how was he going to end the battle? Although Shalltear wanted to scream those words, they would not come out.
“…. A single attack of super magic cannot bring you down from 100 %. Then would not the answer be to bring your health down to where it is appropriate? It seems your health has dropped considerably from our melee.”
“…..Ah, Ah, Ahhhhhh!!”
With her composure gone, Shalltear showered him with attacks; As if her imminent defeat could somehow be prevented by stopping him from talking.
Solid noises rang out endlessly from her barrage. It was like a torrential downpour.
However, Ainz splendidly blocked all of her attacks. With the composure and confidence to not let even a single drop touch him, even if it had been a waterfall, he continued to speak.
“…. In actual fighting strength, I fall short…. but equally so, I am higher in magic resistance. Then— do you understand what I am trying to say? Here I come, Shalltear. You can only pray that my calculations were wrong.”
“Kuuuuuuu!!”
Sensing her approaching defeat, Shalltear renewed her assault. Seeing her face that was greatly twisted, yet still not unsightly, Ainz started his final gamble.
Although he had boasted with confidence to Shalltear, in truth, not everything was still certain.
Super magic shared similarities with skills and did not consume MP. However, it was still considered to be magic and thus could not be used while he was a warrior.
If he released his warrior transformation magic, he will no longer be able to wear his shield and armor and they will fall off of his body. There was no chance that he could block Shalltear’s attack in that moment. If she were to use all of her skills in that attack, there was a possibility that the super magic would not be enough to end the battle.
That would mean his defeat.
However, there was no other way to win.
Ainz estimated the timing. He would first have to release his magic, then use the cash item he held in his hand.
Ainz laughed lightly.
Even in YGGDRASIL PVP, he had never used so many cash items. A game and reality— this was the difference between recreation and a fight he had to win at all costs.
Now!
He blocked Shalltear’s powerful attack with the shield of his friend and gathered strength to his eyes.
He released the warrior transformation, and launched the supermagic.
Like before, a magic circle appeared in the surroundings. As he was about to destroy the cash item in the shape of an hourglass in his hand—
— for an instant, he hesitated.
It was born from the feeling of guilt of killing the NPC who carried the thoughts of his comrade.
A fatal mistake.
Shalltear did not miss that opening. Having discovered the item in his hand, she channeled her skill into the Spuit Lance with the intent to destroy his arm.
Ainz, who released his warrior transformation, had no way to avoid that attack—.
— shudder.
As the Spuit Lance was about to break the item, she felt the presence of an enemy crawl up her spine.
Not knowing how it appeared, Shalltear sensed a presence right by her side. It was filled with such hostility that she could not simply overlook it. This was something she absolutely could not ignore.
Shalltear quickly took her eyes off of the item and turned to look at the one responsible.
And— saw that there was nothing.
The desert 200 meters in diameter created by Ainz’ magic. Within it, there was no one save for Ainz and Shalltear. The hostility that she sensed before was already gone without a trace. As if it was a daydream—
“Ah…!”
Although Shalltear, having regained her senses, shouted, it was already too late.
The broken hourglass reduced the casting time to zero.
“[Heaven’s Downfall].”
At the same time as his voice, everything was wrapped by the light that formed from the narrow space between them.
Within the white heat, Shalltear felt her body crumble away.
Her right hand carbonized and broke apart. In that white world, the Spuit Lance slowly fell to what should have been the ground. Her face dried up from the raging heat and her eyes could now only see white.
Her throat too, dried up and— no, whether or not her throat had yet to finish burning— it was difficult to speak. However, these words alone, she had to say no matter what. Gathering all of what was left of her life, of the existence known as Shalltear Bloodfallen, she spoke.
“…….Ahhhh, Long live Ainz Ooal Gown — sama. You are supreme, truly the strongest existence in all of Nazarick.”
Towards the strongest leader of the 41 Supreme Beings, she expressed her heartfelt respect. As if the wave of heat had burned away her fetters, while her body could no longer move, her heart felt very light.
At the same time, within her fading consciousness, she recalled the appearance of a figure that should not have been there. It was the one who had cut a path of light through the darkness in order to achieve this outcome.
Normally, undead are immune to all mental effects. However, there was a method that held the same power, despite not being considered as a mental effect. That person used such a method.
Shalltear simply smiled as she said:
“……. Brat.”
And with a satisfied expression, Shalltear completely vanished into the white world.
♦ ♦ ♦
While releasing the skill ‘Sky Eye’ that she had been maintaining until now, the pretty, pink lips that were pouting returned to its original position. Aura wore an unhappy look as she piled on abuses to the person who was not there.
“Stupid. An undead shouldn’t be getting mind controlled. Really, so dumb.”
“W-what’s wrong, oneechan?”
“Hm? Nothing.”
Mare looked over to where Aura was staring, but the only thing he could see within this forest was trees. However, he could make a guess from the direction she was staring at.
She was likely observing the battle between their master and Shalltear.
His sister’s skill from the ranger class allowed her to observe everything within two kilometers around her. That was why she, along with the Eyeball Corpse, was given the task of keeping watch.
“S-so, is the battle over?”
“Yeah. Ainz — sama’s complete victory.”
“O-of course.”
Not even Nazarick’s strongest Guardian could defeat him. Mare imagined the figure of Ainz and thought it was obvious. There was no way that the one who led the Supreme Beings could be defeated.
“Then oneechan, uh, um, when are we going to collect the items Shalltear was wearing?”