“No, unfortunately this power is not my own, but from a magic item. It is an item that lets me use just one specific spell. For that, I have to use up one of my equipment slots. It also cannot be used with the Maximize Magic skill and the effect is not as powerful as the one from the original class. There is not a lot that’s good about it.”
Seeing Ainz use 「Greater Lethal」 a second time while complaining about what a bother it is, Shalltear muttered that the schedule had changed slightly. With that said, it didn’t make too big of a difference since one of her objectives of making Ainz spend his MP was successful.
Having made her judgment, Shalltear activated 「Greater Lethal」 once more and treated her wounds. Since she was level 100, it took some time before she made a complete recovery.
And the last—
“「Maximize Magic: Greater Lethal」.”
“「Body of Effulgent Beryl」.”
—while she healed her injuries, Ainz was casting a defensive spell on himself.
Shalltear, in addition to being a faith based magic caster, did not receive a great amount of information from Peroroncino. Thus, she did not know what type of effect the 「Body of Effulgent Beryl」 spell produced. Seeing Ainz wrapped by the green sheen that he had worn just moments ago, Shalltear determined that he had used a defense magic.
Just as Shalltear was getting ready to wield the Spuit Lance to her heart’s content, she heard a complaint that sounded as if it was spilled unintentionally.
“To think I would be at such a disadvantage.”
Completely blindsided, Shalltear loosened the hand that was around her Spuit Lance and thought to herself.
With that said, she reasoned that saying such a thing to her master, Ainz-sama, would be insolent and did not let it out of her mouth.
Shalltear wondered at the word that had surfaced in her mind several times already throughout the fight. She wanted to know why she had to point her blade at her master, Ainz-sama. But it was like that. There were plenty of things in the world that she didn’t understand. This was just one of them.
Even when she determined it to be such, Shalltear thought her actions against Ainz were not consistent with that line of thinking. That’s why, with a calm voice that couldn’t have come from the middle of a battle, she spoke to him.
“If the battle is unfavorable, maybe you should run?”
“But, about that….”
Something similar to a bitter smile seemed to flash across Ainz’ face; on the skeleton face that should not have been able to move.
“I am…. yes. I am very selfish, Shalltear. I do not wish to run away.”
Ainz stared at his empty, skeletal hand. As if she was drawn to it, Shalltear’s vision also moved to that spot.
“Though I doubt anyone will understand, even if others think of me as a fool, in this moment, as a Guildmaster, I feel satisfied. How should I say…. I…. even though I held the position of Guildmaster, in truth, all I did was regulate and handle menial tasks. Ultimately, I did not lead from the front. However, right now, I am fighting for the sake of the guild at the forefront….though it may just be for my self-satisfaction.”
“Is that so? Perhaps that’s what they call a man’s pride?”
“That.… is that what this is? Perhaps…. it may just be out of desperation. It seems I’ve ruined the mood with such a boring story. Forgive me. Shall we continue?”
Ainz calmly stared at the figure of Shalltear holding her Spuit Lance. In order for him to seize victory, he had to get through this melee.
The equipment around Shalltear’s back swelled, and as if bursting through the armor, sprouted the wings of a bat. Ainz knew what would come next.
Countless large bats flew into the air from her back. They were Elder Vampire Bats created from the ‘Raise Kin’ skill. They were also accompanied by Vampire Bat Swarms.
Although they weren’t that strong, they still couldn’t be ignored. Ainz immediately cast his magic.
“「Shark Cyclone」.”
In an instant, a tornado that was 100 meters high and measured 50 meters in diameter made its appearance. It tore through the land and lifted the earth into the air. Darkened by the debris, the tornado swallowed the fleeing bats into its body.
Within the raging cyclone, numerous shadows could be seen slowly moving about. The shadows that were swimming around as if inside an ocean— sharks measuring around six meters. They flocked in groups to the swarms of bats desperately trying to fly against the tornado, like bait thrown to the surface. While the spell effective against airborne creatures displayed its strength, much like how the sharks were tearing through the Elder Vampire Bats, there was another who was tearing through the storm.
