"Maximize Magic, Astral Smite!"
BANG!!!
"Hmmp!"
Shido casually spun his spear with ease, deflecting the blazing rays of light conjured by Ainz. In the next instant, his figure blurred and vanished from his position again, reappearing behind Ainz, his spear raised to deliver the finishing blow.
However...
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
A chain of explosions erupted the moment Shido stepped behind Ainz, triggering the 'Explode Mine'.
"I already anticipated you would try that. Did you truly think I would leave my back unguarded? How naïve."
Ainz's voice carried a rare weight of seriousness. He hadn't expected this battle to be so troublesome. Despite his overwhelming advantage in level and magic since Shido was just too fast.
What made him even more at loss was the failure of 'Delay Teleportation'. He had assumed Shido relied on teleportation to move so swiftly, yet the truth was far more vexing, Shido wasn't teleporting at all. He was simply too fast.
Even when he resorted on using 'Temporal Stasis' which was a 9th tier spell which was supposed to stop an opponent from moving could only slow Shido for a moment before his speed returned to normal.
Because of that, Ainz resorted on planting traps in the ground and air so Shido would be hindered closing the gap between them that may lead to his ultimate defeat.
To make matters worse, Shido's weapon, Gae Dreag was so annoying and troublesome. The ability of this spear was the bane of all magic casters as it could nullify any kinds of magic attack. Even though it was not a world item, it's effectiveness was more useful than some world item.
Even when he used 'Greater Break Item' and destroy it, Shido would simply summon another one. For the first time, Ainz felt a sense of helplessness gnawing at him.
Just as Ainz was about to heave a sigh of relief thinking that he had defeated Shido. A hand suddenly emerged within the smoke that was produced by the explosion. On the tip of his palm was an orb of light producing a holy energy radiating from it.
Before Ainz could react, the sphere shot forth, a blinding streak of radiance hurtling toward his face, his expression frozen in shock.
'Fuck!'
Ainz's felt his heart stop for a moment since he could feel that this white orb was dangerous. His mind flashed back to the time Shido had effortlessly erased his undead summons with a similar move, back when he had first tested him before joining Nazarick.
However, Ainz didn't have much time to think as the orb was already in front of his face.
"Greater Teleportation!"
BOOOM!!!
Fortunately, Ainz reacted in time, teleporting a safe distance away before the orb struck. The explosion's shockwave was not massive, but the area it touched was saturated with a sacred energy potent enough to instantly purify most undead on contact.
Even with layer upon layer of buffs, Ainz knew that if the attack had landed, his bones would have been battered, perhaps even crumbling under its holy force.
But Shido gave him no chance to breathe. In the blink of an eye, he was before Ainz again, Gae Dreag in hand. The spear blazed with holy reiryoku as it thrust straight for Ainz's chest.
Ainz had no choice, he raised his hand and unleashed a spell to counter.
"Maximize Magic, Reality Slash!"
The slash tore through the air, a strike that ignored both time and space. Yet Shido slipped away with ease, his body blurring out of reach before the attack could touch him.
"What a dangerous technique," Shido remarked, a graceful smile curving his lips. His crimson eyes never left Ainz, watching his every movement calmly. With his hands folded behind his back, he began to walk forward at a leisurely pace, like a lord strolling through his own garden.
His long, silvery-white hair flowed like a sea of stars, perfectly complementing the brilliance of his day-and-night armor.
"Haha, I could say the same about you," Ainz replied with a hearty laugh. "It's been a long time since I've had this much fun!" Despite the danger of their so-called spar, he couldn't deny the exhilaration rushing through him. Every clash with Shido reminded him of the thrill he had long thought lost.
"The feeling is mutual," Shido answered calmly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "It's just like back in the days when YGGDRASIL was at its peak."
"Right?"
Ainz felt a rare joy as he reminisced about the past. What he didn't realize, however, was that Shido had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. He was simply bullshitting his way through the conversation, yet his lie was delivered so smoothly and natural, that it felt almost real.
Meanwhile, in the audience area, the floor guardians were deeply moved. To see their master so happy filled them with pride and emotion. Demiurge, in particular, was overwhelmed, a single tear rolled down his cheek as he discreetly wiped it away with a handkerchief.
"Ahh… Ainz-sama," Demiurge whispered, his voice trembling with emotion. "I should have known… standing at the very top of the world must be a lonely place."
"It must be the price of becoming a Supreme Being." Cocytus rumbled, his deep voice heavy with both respect and awe. His warrior blood surged as he watched the fierce clash. To him, this was the essence of battle, bravery and strength embodied by the two before them.
"U-Un." Mare timidly agreed, nodding at Cocytus's words, though his hands fidgeted nervously at his robe.
However, unlike the male Floor Guardians, the reactions of the female Guardians were completely the opposite.
Shido's appearance was so captivating that their faces would flush faintly whenever he smiled.
Aura felt both surprised and delighted to see that Shido possessed strength great enough to rival their supreme being. Without even realizing it, she had already begun to favor Shido over her own master.
Albedo, too, was filled with pride, knowing that her beloved man held power on par with hers. A soft blush spread across her beautiful face.
'It's not really that surprising anymore as he could outlast and beat me mercilessly on the bed.'
As she thought about that, Albedo felt her body became hotter and her lower part became slightly wet. Her delicate hand instinctively brushed against one of her horns which was something Shido often loved to tease, sending a shiver of excitement through her.
From a distance, her golden eyes lingered on Shido, and she could only bite her glossy red lips, waiting impatiently for the battle to end so she could seek Shido for a battle in her room.
'No…! How could you think like that, Albedo?!' she scolded herself feeling embarrassed her her thoughts. 'You've become so impure, so shamelessly lustful~!'
Her inner turmoil, however, was cut short by a sudden slow yet deep panting beside her.
Albedo's lips twitched as she slowly turned her head to the right, only to find a certain perverted vampire standing there.
Shalltear's pale face flushed crimson as she gasped out heated breaths, her chest rising and falling with excitement. Her eyes had already morphed into heart-shaped pupils, fixated on Shido's figure in the distance, while her lips parted to whisper his name over and over in a feverish voice.
"Shido~ Shido~ Shido~"
Had Shido been standing before her at that very moment, he might have already fled as her gaze carried a dangerous mix of obsession and desire that was nothing short of scary.
Albedo on the other hand was already feeling speechless. Watching Shalltear drown so shamelessly in her own perverted lust, she felt utterly speechless. With a cold snort, she turned her head away, silently deeming the vampire beyond saving.
Yet deep inside, Albedo was secretly scolding Shido for daring to sleep with Shalltear despite already being with her. If not for the way he had coaxed her and firmly asserted his dominance, she might have locked him away in her chambers to ensure no other woman could seduce him.
With a small huff, Albedo shifted her gaze to the other side, where Aura was staring at Shalltear with a puzzled and slightly disgusted expression.
"What's wrong with her?" Aura asked.
"Don't mind her," Albedo simply said dismissively. "She's just… holding in her urine."
"O-Oh…"
Aura nodded in understanding at Albedo's explanation. Shalltear, however, happened to catch the pitying look in Aura's eyes, which only left her more confused. Still, with Shido and Ainz's battle about to resume, she brushed it off and refocused her gaze on the battlefield, especially on Shido's handsome countenance.
Albedo, too, turned her attention forward, though her mind was far from calm. She was already scheming ways to keep other vixens from slipping into Shido's bed. Thankfully, Aura was far too young for her to worry about her getting on Shido's bed.
The Pleiades, however, were a different matter. Even if Albedo ordered them to keep their distance, would they truly obey… or would they test her authority in secret?
After all, women often wore two faces, obedient in front of authority, yet defiant the moment one's back was turned. And before a lamb like Shido, there was no way those lewd maids would simply let him slip by untouched, right?
With that thought, Albedo pushed her mind to its limits, determined to use every ounce of her intellect as Nazarick's Overseer to devise a solution.
Meanwhile, Shido and Ainz have no idea what was going on in the mind of everyone watching them, as the clash between them had already resumed in full force.
...
"…I won't hold back this time." Ainz declared, summoning his Blasting Staff as his crimson gaze locked on Shido.
"Is that so?" Shido raised a brow and simply replied with a faint smile. "Good. I'll do the same, let's finally settle who deserves victory."
"Hahaha! Excellent." Ainz's hollow laughter echoed before his tone hardened, the air itself trembling as he raised his skeletal hand to cast.
"Summon Undead Tenth, Doom Lord!"
A towering figure began to materialize beside him, radiating dreadful might.
"Finally… a worthy opponent." Shido's eyes gleamed with satisfaction, his grip tightening on his spear as anticipation coursed through him.
"Be prepared."
"Come!"
Ainz leveled his Blasting Staff before him, bracing for the oncoming clash as Shido charged forward with his spear.
Though exhaustion tugged at Ainz's body, his excitement only burned brighter. Deep within, he knew one thing for certain.
'This battle will be legendary.'