2 - Comprehension
[I am something else. I became something else. I am not a human any more. A being perhaps? I do not feel what I used to feel that's for sure. All though I know this is not who I was...This is what I am now. A beast...A Demon...An entity...Anything but a human.]
"Lord Baphomet! Please rule over us! We are your servants in life and in death. We will follow you everywhere and anywhere you desire. We devote our lives to you, the only true demon king!"
One of the men from the group stood up and said with a trembling voice, his hands are covered in sweat while his heart is beating beyond a normal rate. A clear indication that the man is terrified of saying anything that may displease the demon king. In response Ulbert simply shifted his red and terrifying eyes towards the man, making him gulp and smack his head against the hard-stoned floor with his hands applying additional pressure, leaving a bright red mark on top of the man's forehead. All though Ulbert did not realize it, his dark and menacing presence could be felt by everyone in the room, hence one of the reasons everyone is so afraid of him.
With a blood-stained face, Ulbert glanced around the silent hall. Cracking his neck before focusing his attention on the men in front of him. Yet to fully understand where he is and what happened. Behind him, a body of half-devoured man is located. Due to the death only occurring quite recently, the smell is yet to form and spread throughout the hall, although the body is a sight of its own.
"Where Am I" His deep voice echoed throughout the hall while his massive claws held onto his head. The voice alone is enough to make everyone shiver yet again. While the sharp teeth that are stained with blood do not make him look any less terrifying.
"Y-You are in your temple Lord, your home" The man said as he looked up, still keeping his body in a bowing position.
"What...Am I doing here..." Ulbert asked as his memories are hazy from the summoning ceremony. All though he knows what he did exactly, he does not remember a group of people that currently bow in front of him, or what happened after he devoured half of the body behind him.
"W-We have summoned you to this world. To bring destruction and make everyone submit to the one true ruler and the god of this world. And we, your servants, will do anything to help you achieve this goal"
[Oh...That's right. I see...These people have teleported me from the YGGDRASIL to this...New world. Hmm] Ulbert thought as he stared at his large claws, thinking about a small spell that he could test out. A moment later he merely thought of a spell that he wanted to cast and a small flame appeared in the middle of his palm.
[A fireball should do. Let's see]
Ulbert pointed his hand at a large wall on his right and the small orb flew straight at it. Just as expected, a large explosion followed up and the whole place shook due to the initial force of the fireball.
The sudden explosion caused Ulbert's followers to quiver and retreat back while the light blinded their eyes. The wall itself is decimated with pieces of melted stone falling off.
[Hmm. What about this]
"Basic Summoning Magic" Ulbert shouted out.
Suddenly in front of Ulbert a small teleportation circle appeared and a couple of Gazer Devils climbed out of it. Gazer Devils look like skinned humans, their eyes glow bright red while their exposed muscles are covered in some kind of slimy black liquid.
"Explore the area above and report back to me" Ulbert told them as he pointed at the ceiling where a large hole leading outside is located. Almost instantly the creatures flew up with their wings and escaped through the hole, in progress of fulfilling their master's command.
[Just as I thought. Back in YGGDRASIL there are some spells that do not require cast time. The fireball was cast using silent magic and the summoning magic wasn't. So that means the spells have not changed, which could also suggest that nothing else except the world changed. I am still that level 100 magic caster that I was before the summoning, just in a different world]
"Lord Baphomet! Did we do something to anger you?" The man that was speaking before asked.
"Yes. You have!" Ulbert shifted his eyes to the group, his voice filled with anger while his energy applies even more pressure to the already petrified men.
"P-P-Please forgive us oh great Lord Baphomet, we did not mean to offend you with any of our action. Please tell us what angered you and we will never again repeat the mistake" The man said as he and the rest bowed down once again.
"You have summoned me. That was your mistake. But don't worry... I will personally make sure that this mistake is to never be repeated! Grand Fireball!" Ulbert shouted out the spell and from the palm of his claws, a tiny orb flew straight at a group of people. Upon impact, the orb increased in size and a large explosion followed up, much larger than the previous one. The ones that were lucky enough died instantly while the rest screamed in agony as their skin burned off their bodies.
"Basic Summoning Magic" Ulbert once again casted a spell and yet another small summoning circle appeared beside him. This time however, not a couple but tenths of demons climbed out, a mixture of Scale Demons, Hellhounds and Gazer Devils. All ready to receive commands from their summoner.
"Kill all but the oldest one...And bring him to me" As soon as Ulbert's words reached their ears, almost instantly they all stormed out of the large hall. Killing all that stood in front of them while annihilating the ones that cower in fear. Screams, explosions and sounds of clashing blades reverberated through the long and large corridors while Ulbert stood still, inspecting the leftovers of a man he ate not too long ago.
[I can not lie to myself, I know that it was my doing...Yet I do not feel remorse. I do not feel that what I did was truly horrible. It feels normal even when I know it was immoral. Even now when I gave out the command to murder these people. I do not feel guilt. I am a human no longer]
"Lord Ulbert!" A voice came from above. Ulbert instantly looked up and saw one of the Gazer Devil's flapping its wings in the air
"Have you found anything?"
"This appears to be a well hidden underground temple. The surrounding areas consist of forests and mountains while no cities or any villages have been spotted within the ten-kilometre radius"
"Hmm" Ulbert placed his hand on his chin
[A well-hidden area to summon a demon lord. Would make sense for them to chose the mountains and hide in the forest. A perfect location to perform rituals]
"Good job. Set up a hidden perimeter around the temple and notify me if you see anyone enter the area"
"Of course!" The Gazer Devil responded and quickly flapped its wings back through the hole that it came from and disappeared out of sight, while Ulbert shifted his attention to the group of burnt bodies.
[So that's what a burnt human smells like. I am sure that If it was me in my human body. I would feel sick and vomit straight away. Yet while the smell is not pleasing, it is not sickening. This body really is fascinating]
After a quick inspection of the bodies, Ulbert slowly began making his way through the long and bloody corridors filled with shredded and decimated bodies of those who supposedly serve him. The screams have all went silent with the only sounds being his hooves hitting against the hard stone floor. Ulbert himself knows that the temple has been cleared, as well as where the exit is located. Without realizing himself, Ulbert shares a bond with all of his summoned beings, on a level that can only be perceived subconsciously.
[I summoned what are considered low-level monsters in YGGDRASIL. If they were able to clearly wipe out this whole temple, then there is no one here who is more powerful than me. I wonder if the levels are the same in this world as they are in YGGDRASIL. I just wonder...How where they able to summon me?...Oh? The demons seem to be finished]
Upon realizing that the demons have finished their task, Ulbert made his way out of the temple. After climbing multiple blood-stained stairs he finally reached the top and the first rays of sunlight hit his face. Quickly followed up by a warm breeze while calm melodies from the birds reached his long pointy ears. Furthermore enhancing the already calm atmosphere.
As he stood atop the long stairs, he deeply inhaled all the air around him and closed his eyes. Undisturbed nature is what brings peace to Ulbert, hearing animals roam the forest while birds sing their tales is what he loves. Ever since he was a child, he would often travel with his late father to forests and explore nature. Even after his father's unfortunate death, nature was there to keep him company, to let him relive the dear memories he and his father created.
"Lord?" One of the Scale Demon's approached Ulbert
"Hmm?"
"We have killed everyone and capture the eldest person we could find"
"Bring him to me" Ulbert said as she walked to a local tree stump and sat down. Dead bodies are visible all around him while some parts of the green grass are now dark red due to the human slaughtering.
"Here Lord" The Scale Demon said as he threw a middle-aged man in front of him
"He is the oldest one?" Ulbert asked in disbelief
"Yes Lord. The oldest one we could find"
"Hmm...Tell me human, why are there no elders?"
"P-Please spare me master" The man cried out with his hands together, begging for mercy. Tears and snot flow down his face while the front of his robe is wet, a clear indication that the man urinated himself. Something that is not surprising to Ulbert
"You have not answered my question"
"I-I-I..T-The reason is because w-we sacrifice the old as do not see them useful anymore."
"So you kill the slow and the weak"
"Please master, It was not my idea. It never was. I have nothing to do with this, I beg yo-"
"Silence! Do not test my patience"
"F-Forgive me"
"Tell me, who rules in this world?"
"M-Many nations lord, all have their borders and rule their kingdoms. The most d-dominant one is Slane Theocracy. It is the strongest and the oldest human nation"
[Nations huh?]
"I see...Tell me human, do you know what tier magic is?"
"I-It is the world's law of magic, created by the Six Great Gods"
[Six Great Gods?]
"And what is the highest tear a human can use?"
"I-I do not know master, but I have heard that powerful casters around the world are able to cast 5th tier magic"
[5th tier? That's absolutely nothing]
"5th tier you say? Interesting. Do you have a map of the local area by any chance?"
"N-No master"
"All right, then what about currency. What do you use to trade?"
"W-We use Copper, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Copper is the smallest value and Platinum is the highest"
"I see...Well, that is enough questions. I think I learned enough"
"Will...W-Will you let me go?" The man desperately looked at Ulbert
"Do you know where I am from?"
"W-What? I am s-sorry master I do not understand"
Without saying anything else Ulbert swiftly grabbed the man's head with one of his enormous claws and picked him up. Ulbert's hand fully covered the man's face, muffling his screams and voice while his hands held onto Ulbert's arm, trying to shift the weight on his neck.
"Argghh! Pweas et me goh mster. Pveas hav mercy"
"You see...I am from a very different world...A powerful world. And in that world, me and my close friends had a saying. You know what the saying was?"
Without waiting for a response Ulbert tightly squeezed his hand, crushing the man's skull in an instant. Blood spat out while bits of brain escaped from the cracked skull, slowly dripping across Ulbert's arm
"Death is a mercy of freedom from suffering in life..." Ulbert finished his sentence as he dropped the dead body on the grass
"You are now free"
"Gazer Devils! Search all the bodies and bring all the Copper, Silver, Gold, and Platinum you find. Also, have the temple thoroughly searched"
"Yes Lord" The Gazer Devil said as he and the rest of the demons descended back into the hidden temple.
"Fly" Ulbert casted another spell with quick magic and his body began levitating, allowing him to fly around and explore the area for himself. Without wasting any time, he looked up and flew a few hundred meters up in the air with incredible speed. Up until his body was above the clouds and his eyes could see the large lands. Much of the area around him are mountains are grasslands just like his demons said. But in the distance, a large city caught Ulbert's attention.
"What is a better way to learn about the world and its people than by interacting with them?" He asked himself before taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling.
[It is hard to comprehend what happened today. I was saying farewell to my favourite game and now I am in a different world. Where I can feel and interact with the world around me. These men were not NPC's, that is just not possible. I could feel their heartbeats, I could smell their fear...]
Ulbert looked in the distance
"And...I am afraid that this is just the beginning"
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Author Note:
Hello. Thank you for reading I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you notice any grammar mistakes or any mistakes in general please let me know, I will try my best to change it. All of the spells, as well as other stuff, were taken from Overlord Wiki. I hope they are correct but if not, feel free to drop a comment and I will change it. Also, thank you very much for the two comments on the first chapter, it may not look like it but they really inspired me to put more work into this novel. So I will probably update it more often, or try to at least.
Much Love - RKD
