69

Ainz slowly rose from his nostalgia, after which he looked at the data crystal remaining after Nero finished dissolving.

Then suddenly, the reality around him started to ripple, the rubbles of Rome slowly started disappearing in waves. A wave of void spreads, as if the Singularity was a still pond where a stone was thrown into. Like a mirage slowly disappearing.

Hence, this was indeed the last problem of the Singularity. The last anomaly in the Human Order.

The Demon King, Baal...

In Yggdrasil, he was a very memorable enemy, albeit not one of the strongest. Strong or not, he was still a hundred-level mob - albeit not a boss. Ainz could defeat him, alone of course, but it would not be the easiest battle in his life...

Of course not the most difficult either.

However, thinking about it now was pointless. It was about the Baal from his past knowledge as a Yggdrasil player. The Baal that he fought just now was...

A lot less memorable. His spells repertoire was a lot lackluster, and in the end was a lot weaker.

For Ainz, in the end, he did not pose any particular danger.

But... He was still dangerous to the Servants. A huge danger.

In Yggdrasil, power was not everything. Although a level one player was not a danger to level one hundred in any way whatsoever in direct combat, there was still a different plane of the game where the level one player could pose as a threat. The level one player could be smart - he could compensate for his weakness in many ways. For example, he could invest a crazy amount of money in the game to bribe some guildmates of the level one hundred player, so that at an unexpected moment they would leave the guild and then attack their past leader. Ainz even heard of a similar incident in the past...

Thus, a level one player could defeat a level one hundred player without ever meeting him in battle. And even more - inflict a huge amount of damage on the entire guild while still remaining a level one player.

In the end, Baal posed no threat toward Ainz in a direct battle. But he had easily fooled him, killed all of his Servants and only a wonderful coincidence of circumstances did not allow him to win in the end. To simply retreat in the end with all the information he acquired about Ainz to his... King.

It was important that information about this "King" was to be reported to the rest of Chaldea, well to Roman, Da Vinci, and Olga at most.

What, in the end, was Ainz's strength good for if he couldn't use it openly? Using the Servants as an accessory, an expensive collection, was stupid. Wasteful. And what's more...

Inhumane.

Servants are people too...

In a second Ainz remembered Cainabel and shook his head - well, she still counts… in a sense.

Taking special care of Servants like Medusa, and then sending them to a slaughter... It was hypocritical.

Unfortunately, Ainz was a hypocrite. "Yesterday I killed one of their tribe - and that's good. Today they killed one of my tribe - and that's bad. " Hottentot morality... Unfortunately.

And, in fact, Ainz was completely fine with embracing this morality. Ainz was simply unsatisfied with the previous borders of "his tribe."

Still… Servants, ha...

Ainz was a bad boss, ignoring his Servants, those who differed from him only in appearance. They also had their own goals and desires, things that he ignored as he held them at arm's length. He treated them like simple toys in his collection. Now he couldn't anymore.

Of course they still remained a part of his collection, in a way. And their deaths meant that his collection would be damaged.

In other words, Ainz's humanity was confronted with his rationality. But instead of a battle in which his humanity could lose, the two parts of his personality found common ground. A process in which each part of it could be satisfied and become strengthened. Ainz slowly surfaced from the quagmire of his mind..

So... Servants are those whom I should take care of huh...

Ainz exhaled. The first part of his plan took shape in his head and Ainz grinned.

And the greatest journey begins with a small step, ha...

After calming the turmoil in his head, Ainz bent over, picking up the data crystal that had dropped from Nero, and then went toward Baal's body, or at least what remains of that meat slurry

After this the last thing Ainz needed to do was to remember to take the Grail from the site of Cainabels's battle...

Demon Kings. Creatures whose very basis of existence was different from humans or even Servants. Perhaps the closest existence that was comparable to the Demon Kings was... Angels.

Surprisingly, this was indeed the closest possible definition of those who are demons. However, of course, these were not the angels from popular culture - beautiful young men or women in shining white robes, with wings and a halo. Rather, these were the angels described in the sacred texts, the part of the bible cut out for being too "heretical". Titans of inhuman forms, fulfilling the incomprehensible will of God, taking beautiful and terrifying guises as necessary to complete their incomprehensible mission. In other words, in addition to the descriptor of an "angel," another term could also be used to describe them.

A Robot.

Although, of course, not a strange bucket of nuts and bolts that the term whose image would be conjured by the layman's imagination. Rather, they were closer to the incomprehensible androids described by sci-fi authors, completely indistinguishable from people in their thinking or behavior.

However, for the angels there existed God, the will of which they performed their deed for. The actions of androids were limited by their artificial intelligence.

Demon Kings also had their own "God" - or "controlling artificial intelligence". The one whom even they called their King.

However, this did not mean that the Demon Kings were brainless, or without their own will. They were very independent and thinking individuals. Perhaps this was part of the problem...

At least the Demon King, Focalor, thought so.

"Baal has disappeared..." - a thought, not vocalised, spread from Focalor among the rest of the Demon Kings instantly. After a second, Focalor's mind was filled with the thoughts of his... Comrades.

"How?!" - Furfur answered instantly - "He couldn't just disappear for no reason!"

"Was it like Flauros?!" - Malphas practically cried out in a panic - "Check again!"

"Flauros first, now Baal..." - Stolas, dumbfounded by the news, muttered in shock - "What is happening?!"

"For fuck's sake, someone is killing the Demon Kings!" - Aim almost grabbed his head - "Who is doing this?!"

Dozens of voices soon followed. Uncomprehending, alarmed, surprised and some even sounding scared.

The death of Flauros - the one whom in his human disguise was called Lev - was an unexpected event. Frightening even, perhaps.

Cutting off one of the Demon Kings from their King was, in fact, impossible. Magic beyond comprehension linked their existence together. Even if the body of one of the King's servants was destroyed - it only meant that his physical shell was destroyed and that the process of rebirth was ahead. Of course after they were fully resurrected what's ahead is simply experiencing hundreds of ridicules from his other comrades. A fate which was a much longer and humiliating task.

However, Flauros' death was anomalous, worryingly so. At the moment when Flauros was supposed to be reborn, the King simply... Could not accomplish this.

Such a thing was unthinkable. The King exceeded such mortal things like strength and weakness. For him, there were no things that he could not do. At least… until that moment.

After that shocking event many other attempts, spells, and actions followed... But there was still no rebirth.

It is as if Flauros was simply no longer in this world at all.

It was unlikely that someone had killed Flauros for good somehow - or captured his soul - or did something similar. The Demon Kings were all protected from such things. However, Flauros seems to have just... Disappeared. As if he had never existed at all.

Focalor did not want to admit it to himself, however, it was probably at that moment that for the first time in his life that he experienced fear.

Being killed was not a scary thing for Focalor - he knew, without a speck of doubt, that he would be reborn after. This he knows because his King was indestructible. However, if there was a force capable of competing even with his King in this matter...

Focalor did not know what he should think.

The King then used many powers and abilities, in an effort to revive Flauros. As far as Focalor himself knew, he was still trying... But things still remained the same.

Then the plan proposed by Baal followed. He always tried to slip forward with his proposals, bypassing his colleagues, to curry favor with the King. But then no one objected to his plan - they were all swept away by the prospects that had just opened before them.

The prospect of death without rebirth.

Baal's plan was not bad. Using an already existing Singularity called Orleans, he planned to observe what would happen in the Singularity to create something like a closed training ground. Of course he would not openly confront one who could kill Demon Kings. So he hid in a place in which he could observe the one who could destroy Flauros deal with the Singularity. Given that someone had killed Flauros he had to also reappear in the other Singularities. At the very least in order to understand the reason for the Flauros' existence. If such an adversary really existed then Baal would be able to acquire some information about the new enemy and pass it on to the rest.

The King approved the plan and Baal started preparing. Then several weeks without anything special happened followed and...

Baal failed. Loudly failed.

The unknown enemy, sensing Baal's surveillance, at least these were the words Baal himself used - almost destroyed him with a counter-spell. Baal miraculously survived by escaping to another Singularity.

This was the second close call and a new cause for concern for the King.

Then Baal sought another chance to confront the enemy. He always tried his best to suck up to the King. Usually the other Demon Kings would raise quite a ruckus in order to stymie his efforts, but this time there were no objections from the other Demon Kings. The rest, like Focalor himself, were afraid of the enemy. An enemy that could resist the magic of the Demon King? Moreover one capable of killing one of them permanently?

Baal was not the strongest of the Demon Kings, but among his kind, his knowledge and ability for magic stood out. It was difficult to even notice even the smallest bit of Baal's observation - all the more so to block it completely and even worse, to send a return spell. A spell so strong that it almost killed Baal. Even among the Demon Kings, there were precious few capable of doing such a thing.

Therefore, Baal was authorized by the King after having determined that observation from afar could not give any information. Baal was allowed to go on his own, to do what is required. With this allowance Baal's other strength, his mind, was put into use.

Baal was an upstart, but it doesn't mean that his position is unwarranted. If the Demon Kings played board games, then Baal would win nine times out of ten, it was so one-sided that many players would just give up when he entered the game.

At least it would be a fun thing to do. So much so that Focalor was somewhat disappointed that the Demon Kings did not do weekly gatherings for Munchkin. Although Phenex would surely constantly cheat...

In any case, Baal took action with gusto. He prepared, set traps, made plans, after which, three days ago, he announced that an unknown enemy had set foot on his territory.

And three days later he died.

And again a death from which there was no salvation.

Focalor felt an unpleasant feeling arose within himself.

What was even worse - Baal did not just die, he failed to deliver any information about his opponent. The last thing he reported was that he was gradually approaching the enemy, that he was ready to retreat at any moment and then... He died.

Focalor did not know if he loved black comedy and irony - but the magi whom he once was probably knew a lot about it.

Of course, Focalor truly believed in the exceptionalism and strength of his King. But even so he understood that if the King wanted to obtain any information about this enemy then he would need to send more demon kings. And this meant that the King had lost two Demon Kings - having received nothing in return.

The only information that the King has is that there existed an adversary capable of killing Demon Kings permanently. Oh, and this enemy is also capable of defeating Baal in his prepared battlefield within three days. Of course this doesn't mean the King has any information about the enemy itself, not even their appearance.

Oh... what a pleasant line of thought.

"So what do we do now?! I ask all of you, what to do?! " - Morax, as always, bothered everyone with his loud cries.

"Quiet" - at this moment Focalor, while without even possessing a material body, stretched out. All the other Demon Kings also instantly became silent.

The King has taken the floor.

"Baal was destroyed" - if one of Focalor's comrades could still entertain himself with the hope of incorrect information, then after the King's words no one dared to think otherwise - "This is... Concerning."

"Concerning" - oh, that is not the most comforting of words...

Focalor thought about the prospects.

To deal with the enemy decisively could mean that the King would have to intervene in person. Indeed, in the world there were very few things that could stand toe to toe with the King, but his intervention in this case meant... Many things.

First of all, Alaya will not tolerate the appearance of the King on her territory - and the consequences will be terrifying. Not to mention the fact that if, by a terrifying and incredible coincidence, the King fails to destroy the enemy in one blow... Such a thing would jeopardize the whole plan.

Focalor would pensively and anxiously frown his forehead if he had one.

"The plan... needs to be accelerated." - The King spoke weightily and bluntly.

Speeding up the plan meant that many things would have to be changed...

"The Demon Kings that are not needed at the moment to maintain the Temple will take decisive action," the King said instantly.

Focalor froze.

Excluding the two who are dead and those who were necessary to maintain the Temple, there were about five dozen Demon Kings... among the King's servants.

"Your goal is to spread through the Singularities, and then get all the necessary information about the unknown enemy" - the King gave the order - "Be careful not to provoke retaliatory actions of the enemy and Alaya... But act decisively."

Focalor swallowed his non-existent saliva.

Five dozen Demon Kings among the five Singularities... That means ten for each...

Focalor felt his head spin. Wouldn't the mere fact of ten existences like him appearing in the Singularity be enough to provoke retaliatory measures from Alaya?

"Don't act at the same time" - fortunately, the King foresaw such a complication- "For now... Forneus, which of the Singularities is most likely to become the next target of the adversary?"

"It is unknown with absolute certainty, but judging by the fact that the enemy is trying to follow a pattern of growing danger, although of course there were only three data points for now..." - Forneus was distracted for a second, studying the result from the Observatory - "The most likely Singularity they would visit next would be… Oceanos."

"Oceanos..." - The King was silent for a second - "Six of the Demon Kings will go there and study the enemy. Use all possible methods in order to get information about the enemy. At the moment, acquiring this information is more important than your life."

Focalor exhaled, of course he has no lungs at this point and so it is done mentally, and then shook his head. So, things have even reached such a stage...

It was truly frightening.

"The rest should go to the other Singularities and begin to accelerate the processes of assimilation..." - Ohoho... Focalor felt goose bumps running down his back. The King waited hundreds of years, slowly cultivating the sprouts sown centuries ago, leisurely and without paying attention to the passing of time. If he decided that the situation was dire enough to accelerate...

So the situation was really out of the ordinary...

However, six Demon Kings per Singularity in order to find an approach to the enemy... Focalor wondered for a second who would be elected for such a task.

"Aim" - The Lord of Flame, ideal for battle - and preparation... Logical.

"Beleth" - A Demon King with specialization in management and the ability to control minds...

"Belial" - A destroyer and capable disintegrator...

"Balam" The King of Dolls and a regenerator capable of healing even the most terrible of wounds...

"Astaroth" A seer... So the King believed that the defense of the unknown enemy is capable of being breached...

And last…

"Focalor."

Focalor sighed.

Oh, irony, i~ro~o~o~ny~y~y~y...

"It took you three days to figure out the anomaly in human history," Olga-Marie looked at Ainz and sighed, "I would have called the Guinness Book of Records if your achievement could be compared to at least one other person in this matter..."

After which the Chief looked at the distant window, behind which the flames that had consumed humanity raged, "Well that, and also if the commision still existed."

"I will consider it as a compliment," Ainz smiled.

However, given that his body was still a bare skeleton wrapped in a midnight black mantle, parsing any emotion expressed by the skeleton was currently beyond the Animusphere right now.

"However, I lost four Servants in the Singularity," Ainz sighed deeply as if in regret.

Olga-Marie skeptically raised an eyebrow, - "And also solved the Singularity in its entirety. In only three days. Not to mention killing Baal, an enemy that we didn't even have an inkling of existing. It seems to me that if you had instead used a hundred Servants and solved the Singularity in ten years, it would still be an achievement."

"Thank you, Olga, but I think the compliment is still undeserved," Ainz nodded lightly to the Director.

Olga just rolled her eyes, then took out a pack of cigarettes from her inner pocket, lit one and exhaled, "Seriously... You are one of, if not the most powerful creature I have ever seen, and these include the numerous Servants. While being a skeleton you're also a super-magi wrapped in a robe containing so much magic that it would be possible to develop a couple of magic systems on its observation alone. I should be afraid of you to the point of dying."

"Oh, ahem," Ainz nodded once more, not understanding the essence of the conversation, "I apologize."

"That's what I'm talking about," Olga-Marie exhaled, then smiled, "But still... Welcome back."

"Hm," Ainz grinned and looked up.

Chaldea with its white walls, with sofas placed here and there, a wacky plant in a pot that needs to be watered constantly so that it does not dry out...

"It's nice to come back here," Ainz breathed out.

Chaldea, ha...

Okay, life here wasn't so bad.

Golden Rule: EX (A+++) (Case)

It is difficult to imagine what rewards and things a player of the hundredth level can get. And it is difficult to imagine what wealth can accumulate in his inventory if this player is a miser.

It is also difficult to imagine how easily a person gets used to ignoring the absurdity that occurs in video games. The inability to loot all the equipment of \a defeated boss, getting exclusively one ring only instead of all of it. And at the same time, looting from the corpse of a dragon a ready-made gloves. Players ignore the ridiculousness of getting gold coins from dead spiders, rationalizing such a thing, thinking that it is "just a game."

And even when an event like receiving a data crystal from a killed clot of pure mana is not anywhere near possible, the conviction that "it will be just like in a game" can do terrifying things. Especially if such a thought comes from a nigh illogically strong being accustomed to the illogicalities of a game.