A massive pillar of light descended from the heavens, crashing down toward Ainz like divine judgment itself.
Albedo reacted instantly.
She stepped forward, activating her defensive skill. A radiant barrier of light unfolded around them just as the attack struck.
Her judgment was flawless.
Unlike the Extreme Holy Strike used earlier by the Archangel of Blazing Glory—a weak seventh-tier spell that could barely scratch Ainz—this was something else entirely.
Tenth-tier magic: Aurora of Holy World.
A spell capable of bypassing conventional defenses.
A holy-attribute attack that should have dealt catastrophic damage to an undead like Ainz.
Yet—
It did nothing.
The light dispersed harmlessly against Albedo's barrier.
"To attack without warning is rather impolite," Ainz said coolly, irritation seeping into his voice. "Had we spoken properly, we might have reached a mutually beneficial understanding."
Before learning enough about this world, making enemies was the last thing Ainz wanted for Nazarick.
But the moment for restraint had passed.
From that single spell alone, Ainz understood one thing clearly:
This masked man was nothing like Nigun and the others.
A truly dangerous opponent.
With extreme caution, Ainz raised his hand and cast a probing spell.
"Grasp Heart."
If the enemy was human, then even immunity to instant death should still cause paralysis or at least disorientation.
But—
A faint ring of light rippled across the mysterious man's body.
He stood unharmed. Unmoved.
Impossible.
Even complete resistance should have produced some effect.
For the first time, Ainz hesitated.
Behind the masked man, Nigun—who had been half-collapsed in terror—suddenly burst into manic excitement.
"You… you're an adult from the Theocracy, aren't you!?" he shouted. "Thank the gods! Quickly—kill these monsters!"
Villard glanced at Nigun with thinly veiled contempt.
So that's what this was.
In this world, powerful magic casters were rare. Most famous ones belonged to the Slane Theocracy. From Nigun's perspective, anyone capable of opposing such monsters had to be an ally.
Desperation had clearly rotted his judgment.
"Pathetic," Villard muttered.
Then—
Super-Gravity.
The earth-element magic slammed into Nigun's body with overwhelming force.
"AAAAH—!!"
The fragile magic caster was crushed to the ground, knees buckling at grotesque angles. Blood spilled from his mouth, nose, and ears as he screamed in agony, pinned face-first into the dirt.
Villard snorted and turned his attention back to Ainz and Albedo.
That single action made things clear.
This man was no ally of the Theocracy.
Which only deepened Ainz's confusion.
Before he could speak, lightning erupted.
Violent bolts—each as thick as an arm—crackled around Villard. With a casual wave, they merged into a raging torrent and surged toward Ainz and Albedo.
"Bone Wall!"
Ainz conjured a massive barrier formed from countless interlocking bones.
The lightning struck.
The wall exploded into fragments, shattered instantly—but the attack dissipated with it, failing to reach its targets.
In response, Ainz hurled a black vortex forward.
A gravitational anomaly that devoured everything around it.
But ten meters from Villard—
An earthen wall rose.
The vortex twisted, crushed, and erased the wall… then vanished.
Neither side pressed further.
Then—
"Take this! Holy Mark Meteor!"
A lively voice rang out from above.
The sky darkened unnaturally, transforming twilight into deep night. Countless stars shimmered—and then fell.
A storm of starlight rained down upon Villard.
Sensing real danger, Villard grabbed Nigun's broken body and raised his hand.
A barrier formed instantly.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!
Explosions rocked the battlefield.
The shield trembled violently but held.
The same could not be said for the Sunlight Scripture members.
They were annihilated—reduced to dust and scattered remains under the relentless bombardment.
"It's not over yet! Annea!"
A thunderous roar split the air.
A blazing inferno descended from the sky.
Dragonfire.
The flames slammed into Villard's barrier. Cracks spiderwebbed across its surface, spreading rapidly.
Dimensional Transfer.
In the final moment, Villard teleported thirty meters away.
The barrier shattered.
Flames engulfed the ground, scorching the earth black as a wave of heat surged outward.
"Don't get complacent," Villard called out coldly toward Ainz. "We will continue to watch you."
With that, he opened a teleportation gate and vanished—Nigun in tow.
Ainz stood silently, unease settling deep within him.
Then—
WHOOSH.
A massive presence descended.
A golden giant dragon landed before Ainz and Albedo, its colossal form radiating overwhelming pressure.
Its eyes gleamed as it bared its fangs.
"Annea, don't scare them."
A blonde girl hopped down from the dragon's back, lightly patting its foreleg. She smiled brightly at Ainz, her presence warm and vibrant.
"Are you two okay?" she asked cheerfully. "I heard the attackers were from the Slane Theocracy. Judging by how you're dressed, you're not with them, right?"
Ainz subtly stepped in front of Albedo.
"We are travelers who live in seclusion," he replied calmly. "We were merely caught up in this incident. I am Ainz Ooal Gown, and this is Albedo."
He paused.
"And you are?"
"I'm Catherine Cort Albert," the girl said proudly. "Adamantite-ranked Adventurer of the Kingdom!"
At the forest's edge, Villard reappeared with Nigun. Vier immediately rushed forward.
But Villard raised a hand.
"This isn't the place," he said sharply. "We leave now."
He activated Mass Teleportation.
In an instant, all three vanished.
Moments later, Aura Bella Fiora arrived with a swarm of Eight-Edge Assassin Bugs.
She scanned the empty clearing.
"…So they escaped," she murmured, eyes narrowing in thought.
The game had truly begun.
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A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
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