Studious Overlord

Chapter 10: Studious Overlord(Edited)

"Lord Ainz, may I respectfully inquire when our attack on the Church of Sun and Sky will take place? Our original plan was to strike in two days, after summoning you and completing our preparations. However, we have entrusted this mission to your leadership instead." Abel stood before the skeleton, mindful of the words of the God of Death and somewhat intimidated by the imposing figure of Ainz.

Due to his membership in Soul Eater, Abel possessed extraordinary perception when it came to souls. This perception enabled him to gain a sense of an individual's power level, even when facing someone of greater strength than himself. To those weaker than him, it would appear as if he had psychic abilities, as he would often know things about them that they themselves were not aware of.

As Abel had been utilizing his <Soul Perception> throughout the encounter, his alarm was palpable as he gazed upon Ainz. As he spends increasing amounts of time in the company of the skeleton, Abel finds himself growing increasingly apprehensive.

Ainz's soul resembled a boundless, light-absorbing black abyss. As Abel gazed into Ainz's soul, he was taken aback by its stillness, resembling that of an ancient well.

Abel had intentionally withheld information from Ainz about the state of the world, in order to maintain the upper hand. If Ainz were to know that there was little to be feared in this world, he might not be so keen to offer his assistance. Thus, Abel had been strongly encouraging Ainz to attack the Church of Sun and Sky as soon as possible, believing that time was of the essence.

Despite his respectful tone, Abel's peculiar inflection betrayed a hint of unease as he spoke.

Abel watches as the skeleton, wearing a peculiar set of enchanted glasses, pores over the Necrologium and Simplify Codex of Soul. Despite having witnessed this spectacle several times before, he still can't shake the strange sensation of seeing a skeleton engage in such activities.

Abel pondered, 'Could it be that Ainz is afflicted with nearsightedness?'

"I was under the impression that you already had a strategy in place," Ainz remarked in a measured and sagacious tone. "In any case, I have already employed my powers to survey the Church of Sun and Sky, and as of yet, they have made no move against us. It appears that they are devising a scheme to launch a provocation against the Death Fortress. This is a shrewd maneuver that I have had to employ numerous times in the past." Ainz couldn't help but lament how much easier it would have been had he possessed his current wealth of knowledge upon his initial arrival in Ainzland, which would have enabled him to play the part of a successful Supreme Being for the NPC.

Interrupting his reverie, Ainz casually added, "I had also attempted to survey the interior of the Church of Sun and Sky, but an external force had interfered with my magic, limiting my vision to only a gathering of knights and priests congregating outside the temple."

During his stay at the cavern, Ainz diligently perused the pages of the Necrologium and Codex of Souls. However, he found little use for the former, given his deep understanding of nearly all forms of undead. Though he encountered several unfamiliar varieties while reading the text, the majority were either hybrids or ones he had encountered previously, leaving him somewhat unimpressed. The Codex of Souls, on the other hand, provided unparalleled insights on the application of death magic and the manipulation of souls - a subject that greatly intrigued him.

Ainz had been devoting considerable effort to the study of souls, but despite consulting the most renowned mages in Ainzland, his research had met a dead end. Even these esteemed experts could only offer limited insight on the subject, leaving him frustrated and dispirited.

In an effort to achieve two separate objectives, Ainz devised a strategy that had never before been attempted, effectively merging his goals into a unified plan.

Ainz had manipulated a group of priests who worshiped the Six Great Gods, altering their memories to believe that he was their deity. Despite waiting eagerly for any sign of success, he observed no discernible results. However, Ainz did notice that the power of death magic cast by the priests increased significantly, leaving him perplexed. Did their belief in him actually enhance their magical abilities? Could this mean that he might gain more power by worshiping other gods himself? Ainz was tempted to test this theory, but his NPCs reminded him that, as a Supreme Being, the gods should be worshiping him instead of the other way around, thwarting his attempt to experiment.

Ainz was thrilled by the prospect of fusing the theories of souls into the Einherjar's Planar Scepter, an item that could surpass even the ranks of World-Class Items given enough time. This would allow him to create the most formidable Guild Weapon in Yggdrasil by combining it with the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown. The mere thought of this achievement made Ainz's excitement soar, evoking a childlike thrill in him.

Although the Einherjar's Planar Scepter initially belonged to the lowest rank of Divine Class Items upon its creation, its most impressive attribute was that it could be upgraded incessantly.

Despite his many ambitious ideas, Ainz was aware that it was improbable for him to learn everything in the Codex of Souls. The primary reason for this was that the means of attaining power in this world were considerably different from those in Ainzland.

Ainz faced a dilemma; if he wished to utilize the spells and skills contained in the Codex of Souls, he would have to sacrifice the painstakingly earned hundreds of levels. Even more concerning, without the Yggdrasil leveling system, there was no assurance that he would be able to attain his previous peak again.

Ainz realized that the only viable way to augment his powers without relinquishing something would be to implement the knowledge contained in the Codex of Souls into his existing magical system. Though this process would be time-consuming, Ainz had an abundance of time at his disposal.

However, the most valuable gain for Ainz wasn't just the knowledge acquired from the Codex of Souls. It was the revelation about the God of Death - Utherus - Reaper. Abel, the Dark Advisor, and Cain, the High Priest of Soul Eater, informed Ainz that, with his Law of Death, Utherus had established a reincarnation cycle in this world called Dominion.

Allow me to elaborate; according to Abel and Cain, when an individual passes away, they shall arrive in the Heavenly Kingdom of Utherus, which is commonly referred to as the World of the Dead.

Upon arrival in the World of the Dead, individuals are escorted to the god-kingdom of their respective deities after being cleared by Utherus. Unfortunately, those who are unable to pass the clearance are condemned to the God of Purgatory for eternal torment, and they will never be permitted to return.

The God of Purgatory, Purgatory's Enigma, is a unique entity - a True God, yet not quite. True Gods are born in conjunction with the world's inception, rendering them beyond the realm of the world's authority, free to leave Dominion at any moment they choose. Despite wielding the power of a True God, the God of Purgatory was subservient to the world. He had been nurtured by the world to establish a system and equilibrium among the gods, without unduly meddling in the world's affairs.

Out of sheer boredom, Utherus and the Goddess of Life collaborated to create the reincarnation system, which brought happiness to several of the gods, who now had something to occupy their everlasting lives. Nevertheless, as Abel and Cain cautioned, this system is imperfect since individuals may only be reincarnated once before they are evaluated and authorized to return to their respective gods' kingdoms permanently.

As a result of this, Utherus is among the few deities who hold dual roles, one as the overseer of the reincarnation cycle and the other as the ruler of the World of the Dead.

Needless to say, Ainz didn't merely acquire knowledge of souls, for he was also gaining insights into the diverse pantheon of gods that inhabited the world.

Through his studies, Ainz discovered that Dominion is segmented into three distinct tiers: Celestia, where gods of all levels- from Adept to True- reside; Mortal World, inhabited by beings possessing lesser lifespans and restricted abilities, and finally, the Abyss, which serves as the abode of the dreaded Abyssal Demons.

Beyond Dominion lies the fourth level of the Outer Realm, which is exclusively inhabited by Outer Gods and Demons.

With his newfound knowledge of the gods, a long-repressed aspect of Ainz's persona had awoken. This primordial nature was clamoring for him to slay the deities and seize the bountiful treasures contained within their heavenly kingdoms!

Upon hearing Abel's claim that the God of Death may exist, an intense impulse surged within Ainz to locate and execute this deity, confiscating his entire haul in the process. Who knows, Ainz mused, he may even glean a valuable insight or two during the mission.

Should the God of Death have been privy to Ainz's thoughts, he would have undoubtedly regretted ever pulling Ainz into Dominion. He might have even sought out the aid of his elder brother, the Lord of Spacetime, Carrion, to turn back time and instruct his past self not to intervene with Soul Eater's summoning ceremony.

With a gentle whoosh, Ainz reverently sealed the Codex of Souls, removed his magical spectacles, and pivoted to face Abel. "Abel," he spoke in a composed tone, "I'm utterly grateful for bestowing upon me such a gift that has cleared up many bewildering enigmas for me. However, I must be forthright. Although I can't aid you directly, to show my appreciation, I will grant you three favors." Though Ainz was slightly mortified to provide only three such favors in exchange for the invaluable Codex, he knew that his services could be invaluable for those with the chops to exploit them to their full potential.

Upon hearing Ainz's generous offer, Abel's expression illuminated with gratitude as he sincerely thanked him, although deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling that unforeseen events were looming on the horizon.

Ainz asks with a tinge of suspicion, "By the way, where has Cain been all day? I haven't laid eyes on him." The tension simmering between Abel and Cain had not managed to elude Ainz's notice, although he couldn't bring himself to care much about it given his earlier intentions of assassinating both of them.

"Cain is currently occupied with sifting through the treasures in the treasury, endeavoring to identify what we could use to secure a victory," Abel replied in a poised tone.

"Understood. Allow me to assist you without it counting against my three favors." Ainz declared confidently before uttering an incantation. "<Summon Mid Tier Undead: Jack the Ripper>." As the words reverberated through the air, ten plumes of inky black smoke materialized and gradually transformed into ten grotesque creatures.

"These entities are the horrific Jack the Rippers, and they should be able to offer substantial assistance," Ainz explained with unflagging confidence. "Their capabilities are truly astonishing, but do note that they are only temporary. After a predetermined duration, the Rippers will be automatically unsummoned." The Dark Lord was well aware that the Jack the Rippers were equivalent in strength to Demonic Acolytes of Death Fortress.

Abel gazed in awe at the rare undead creatures, utterly astounded by their appearance. Despite having perused the Necrologium thoroughly beforehand, he had never once come across entities such as these. He was well aware that only the Pope and the Archbishop of the Church of Sun and Sky held enough prowess to tame such entities. These beings were considered high-tier Demonic Mages, according to the standards of the Death Fortress, but in the eyes of the rest of the world, they were classified as Divine Mages. At this realization, Abel was filled with gratitude towards Ainz, expressing it profusely.

Abel was certain that once these creatures were unleashed, there would be no Church of Sun and Sky remaining in the Radiant City.

"Please don't worry about it, it is the very least that I could do," Ainz reassured Abel, his thoughts wandering towards his home at the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, pondering what could be happening there.