It had to be said that Wild Magic was far more convenient than Tier Magic.
Although both were teleportation spells, [World Teleportation] far surpassed the tenth tier spell [Gate] in both range and speed.
Using Wild Magic did consume the soul, but as long as it was not used continuously in prolonged combat, using it occasionally was not much of a problem.
Besides, with Nazarick's vast resources, there were plenty of spells and potions that could accelerate soul recovery.
If that still felt too slow, one could always take the extreme route. Commit suicide, then revive, and immediately return to peak condition.
...
Nazarick, Tenth Floor.
After a brief moment of dizziness, Naohara opened his eyes and found himself standing in a dim corridor.
At the end of the hallway stood a massive door.
Carved into the door were angels and demons, and before it, a figure was sitting cross-legged in midair, looking completely relaxed.
Naohara smiled slightly when he saw it.
His Dragonoid form appeared, and in the next instant his body vanished. A moment later he reappeared right in front of the figure.
His leg shot out with a sonic boom. The terrifying force caused the surrounding space itself to ripple.
"Hey, hey. I went through the trouble of waiting here for you, and you start attacking the moment we meet. Isn't that a little too enthusiastic?"
Herohero immediately complained.
Even though he said that, he did not dodge. If anything, he looked eager to test himself.
An arm formed from slime clenched into a fist. Beneath its flesh-like surface, faint scales could be seen appearing.
Then he swung it forward with full force.
"Boom!"
In an instant, a dazzling flash erupted.
Centered on the two of them, a powerful shockwave exploded outward.
The overwhelming force caused the Great Tomb itself to tremble slightly.
Complex magical runes appeared across the surrounding walls, constantly resisting the impact.
Looking closely, their fists and kicks had not actually collided. They had stopped just short of contact, locked in a stalemate in midair.
"Not bad. Your overall attributes have barely reached the level of a World Boss. Looks like that long sleep wasn't a waste."
Feeling the strength coming from the other side, Naohara nodded.
Although there was still a large gap compared to him, overall it was already comparable to the weakest World Boss.
"Man... that's terrifying strength."
After testing each other briefly, both of them tacitly stopped.
Herohero shook his arm.
Originally, he thought that if class compatibility was ignored and only raw attributes were considered, he should have already caught up to Naohara.
But now it seemed the gap had not shrunk at all.
If anything, it had become even bigger than before.
After silently cursing him as a monster, Herohero reached out and patted Naohara on the shoulder.
"Let's go. Everyone's waiting for us."
He wanted to properly catch up, but now was not the time.
They pushed open the ancient doors.
What appeared before them was an even more vast hall.
Beneath the forty two banners stood dozens of figures on both sides. Every one of them was part of Nazarick's core combat power.
First was Shalltear, the Guardian responsible for the first through third floors.
For the fourth floor, Grant was present. Since Gargantua had no intelligence, the spider girl who oversaw multiple floors appeared in his place.
On the fifth floor, Cocytus stood respectfully, holding a massive battle axe.
For the sixth floor, Aura and Mare had hurried back and were already waiting.
Demiurge had also returned to Nazarick after a long time and stood as the Guardian of the seventh floor.
Representing the eighth floor were Sephis and Victim, who floated beside him.
Aureole Omega was not present. As the guardian of the Cherry Blossom Sanctuary, she rarely left her territory.
Standing beside the butler Sebas was a penguin looking around curiously.
Éclair Eklair Eklare.
Created by the Supreme Being [Ankoro Mocchi Mochi], he attended this meeting in the role of the butler's assistant.
Also present were the Dragon Lords who had joined Nazarick, led by the Rainbow Dragon Lord, the Heavenly Dragon Lord, and the Vampiric Dragon Lord.
Several battle maids dressed in maid uniforms stood nearby, each with a distinct personality.
Even the rarely seen Five Worst of Nazarick had appeared today.
Under countless gazes filled with respect and admiration, Naohara and Herohero calmly walked forward.
Well, that was if one ignored Herohero's slightly stiff steps.
Even now, despite possessing power comparable to a World Boss, Herohero still could not quite adapt to this kind of setting.
Whether it was because the influence of his race was not strong enough, or simply because his social anxiety was too severe, even he did not know.
When they arrived at the foot of the throne steps, Albedo stood there holding a small black scepter, lowering her head to show respect to the two Supreme Beings.
Across from her, a huge hamster stood with bright eyes, doing its best to maintain a dignified posture.
At least, that was what it believed.
In Naohara's eyes, it only looked clumsy and cute.
After stepping onto the platform, three thrones came into view.
Momonga sat on the throne in the center. He nodded toward Naohara and Herohero, looking somewhat... relieved.
Without hesitation, Naohara and Herohero walked forward and sat on their respective thrones.
At that moment, a graceful melody began to play.
Chacmool, one of Nazarick's Five Worst and the one known as [Worst Personality], was elegantly performing the music.
As the musician of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, Chacmool was an NPC created by the Supreme Being [Temperance]. According to his settings, he had mastered tens of thousands of different musical pieces.
For reference, in the original lore Chacmool and his subordinates clearly stated that among the Supreme Beings, he would prioritize carrying out the orders of his own creator, [Temperance].
The musical notes drifted through the air, further enhancing the solemn atmosphere of the moment.
After such a long period of emptiness, the masters of Nazarick had finally all returned here once again.
"First of all, thank you all for answering our summons."
Seeing the moment was right, Momonga broke the silence.
"You are too kind."
Albedo and the other guardians immediately bowed.
"There are three reasons for gathering everyone here today. First, to celebrate the awakening of my friend Herohero. Second, the time is ripe, and it is time to hold the coronation ceremony. And third..."
Momonga paused here and turned his gaze toward Naohara, who was watching quietly beside him.
In a setting like this, it could not be just him speaking. Aside from anything else, the Dragon Lord faction led by the Rainbow Dragon Lord made it necessary for him to consider this.
After all, although those Dragon Lords had submitted to Nazarick, the one they truly followed was Naohara.
"And third, we wish to commend all of you. You have all worked very hard during this period."
Noticing Momonga's glance, Naohara quickly understood what he meant.
Although he personally felt it was making a mountain out of a molehill, he still picked up where Momonga left off.
With Momonga's cautious personality, this kind of concern was completely normal.
"To devote ourselves wholeheartedly to the Supreme Beings is our greatest honor."
Hearing the perfectly synchronized reply from everyone present, Naohara nodded.
He felt both pleased and a little helpless.
Loyalty was certainly a good thing, but when it became this absolute, it somehow made the sense of achievement feel a bit lacking.
"Albedo, how are the preparations for the coronation ceremony?"
"Please rest assured, Naohara-sama. Everything has already been prepared. It can begin at any time."
Albedo replied respectfully with a faint smile.
When it came to the coronation ceremony, the guardians were undoubtedly far more enthusiastic about it than Naohara and the others themselves.
"Good. By the way, Rainbow, is there still no news about the other True Dragon Lords?"
Naohara nodded, then turned toward the Rainbow Dragon Lord and asked.
The True Dragon Lords were unpredictable variables. They might appear at any time. While they were not particularly threatening, they could still become troublesome.
"My apologies, my king. The True Dragon Lords are solitary beings. Even for us who are also True Dragon Lords, trying to locate them would be like searching for a needle in the ocean."
"It is possible they are observing from the shadows. If my king wishes, killing the Platinum Dragon Lord would certainly force the other True Dragon Lords to reveal themselves."
After thinking for a moment, the Rainbow Dragon Lord slowly proposed a plan.
If the Platinum Dragon Lord were killed, the others would sense his death and would surely not remain hidden.
Besides, for the current Platinum Dragon Lord, death might even be a form of release.
"No. The Platinum Dragon Lord is a contributor to Nazarick. How could we repay kindness with hostility? Do not mention such a thing again."
Naohara directly rejected the Rainbow Dragon Lord's proposal.
Although the success rate of the plan was quite high, it would be far too wasteful.
The Platinum Dragon Lord was currently a prized asset of Nazarick. Killing him was out of the question.
It would be better to keep him around and make use of him until the very end of his life.
"So how is the research on Wild Magic progressing?"
Setting aside the topic of the True Dragon Lords, Naohara brought up another matter.
The moment he spoke, Momonga's attention was instantly drawn in. After all, he had coveted Wild Magic for quite a long time.
Faced with the question, the Brightness Dragon Lord and the Vampiric Dragon Lord exchanged a glance before shaking their heads together.
"The essence of Wild Magic is a gift the world itself grants to the Dragon Race. Unless someone can alter the laws of the world like the Eight Greed Kings once did, it's impossible... however..."
The first half left Momonga disappointed, but when he noticed the Vampiric Dragon Lord hesitate, a flicker of hope reignited.
"However what?"
Momonga had already made up his mind. If this still didn't work, he would head to the Dragon Kingdom, tear out the Dragon Princess's heart, and obtain her Talent.
At worst, he would simply compensate her afterward and forcibly raise her level past 80.
"But... if an Undead True Dragon Lord were used as a sacrifice, there may be a method to forcibly inherit everything they possess through a ritual."
The Vampiric Dragon Lord hesitated for a moment before voicing the only solution he could think of.
"I see... an Undead True Dragon Lord..."
Momonga fell silent. The soul fire in his eye sockets stared fixedly at the Vampiric Dragon Lord, his thoughts impossible to read.
The surrounding Floor Guardians also turned their gaze toward the Vampiric Dragon Lord, and the atmosphere immediately shifted.
The Brightness Dragon Lord, the Heavenly Dragon Lord, and the other dragons stood beside the Vampiric Dragon Lord without retreating, making their stance clear.
They were gambling. Or rather, the Vampiric Dragon Lord was gambling.
He was betting that the Brightness Dragon Lord's judgment had been correct, betting that the other side had truly accepted them Dragon Lords.
"I remember reading in the Theocracy's records about a True Dragon Lord called Elder Coffin. As long as we capture it, that should work, right?"
The sound of a finger tapping lightly against the armrest echoed as Naohara slowly spoke, his voice reaching everyone present.
"Vampiric, you've done well. I'll leave this matter to you. As a True Dragon Lord who has also become undead, you should be the one most capable of finding the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord."
"Hah... Your will, my King."
The Vampiric Dragon Lord immediately let out a breath of relief. It seemed his gamble had paid off. Those words proved that this descended Dragon Race Player was someone worthy of his loyalty.
"I'll go as well. It'll be a good chance to test my current strength."
At that moment, Herohero, who hadn't spoken a single word until now, suddenly interjected.
Herohero was eager to see just how strong he had become, and a True Dragon Lord was undoubtedly the perfect test subject.
"Then once the coronation ceremony ends, we'll begin searching for the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord. I'll be counting on you, Herohero."
Momonga snapped back to himself. After a moment of thought, he chose not to stop him. Although Herohero's strength still couldn't compare to Naohara's, he was unquestionably at the level of a World Boss.
Handling a mere True Dragon Lord shouldn't be a problem.
At the same time, Momonga felt a trace of helplessness. Just a moment ago, in a brief surge of impulse, he had actually considered sacrificing the Vampiric Dragon Lord.
Setting aside the fact that the other party wasn't an NPC created by his companions, the influence of being an undead was clearly beginning to make him more selfish.
It seemed [Forced Calm] really shouldn't stay turned on for too long.
"Ahem. Good work, Vampiric."
"Hmm... Demiurge, how is the plan on your side progressing?"
Momonga cleared his throat awkwardly, then turned to Demiurge with the question.
"The embryo has matured. It should be born very soon, Momonga-sama."
Demiurge stepped forward and adjusted his glasses, his voice filled with admiration.
He had witnessed everything that had just happened. After a brief moment of careful thought, Demiurge quickly grasped what he believed to be the true intention behind the three Supreme Beings' actions.
Momonga-sama had likely acted that way on purpose.
As a newly joined True Dragon Lord, the Vampiric Dragon Lord might appear submissive on the surface, but that did not necessarily mean genuine loyalty. To deal with that possibility, the three Supreme Beings had set up a carefully crafted scenario.
Momonga-sama played the role of evil, while Naohara-sama played the role of good.
Through a sequence of flawless moves that even he could not find fault with, they ultimately succeeded in making the Vampiric Dragon Lord offer his loyalty willingly.
Herohero-sama's final remark had the same meaning. Offering to accompany them sounded casual, but it was actually filled with profound wisdom.
As expected of the Supreme Beings.
Demiurge could not help but sigh in admiration. He truly was still too shallow. He had nearly failed to understand the deeper meaning behind the Supreme Ones' actions.
"Oh... is that so? That's good then."
Seeing the look of reverence on Demiurge's face, a huge question mark practically appeared above Momonga's head.
"Ahem."
Naohara noticed Momonga momentarily freezing up and gave a light cough.
He had no idea what Demiurge had figured out this time, but that was not important. What mattered was simply putting on the appearance that Demiurge had done well.
"Well..."
Momonga sighed inwardly, though outwardly he maintained a satisfied expression. Then again, with his skeletal face, it probably did not make much difference either way.
Suppressing the turmoil in his mind, he reached into the void with his right hand and pulled out a stack of magical parchment.
Momonga handed them to Albedo.
"Momonga-sama, what are these?"
Albedo looked at the papers in confusion.
"A wish list. Considering how hard you've all been working lately, Naohara, Herohero, and I thought you deserved a reward."
"Write down your wishes on it. We will do our best to fulfill them."
Momonga explained quickly.
Since they were giving rewards, and Nazarick's NPCs did not receive salaries, the most appropriate option was granting wishes.
"Thank you for the mercy of the three Supreme Beings."
"Good. Now please pass this message to every member of your respective floors as soon as possible. Once they've written their wishes, gather them together and submit them."
After offering a few encouraging words to the Guardians, Momonga immediately teleported away.
He left so quickly that Naohara and Herohero were both momentarily stunned.
Seriously? He ran off again?
Herohero suddenly had a bad feeling. Just as he was about to stand up, Naohara was one step faster.
"Well then, I hope everyone will continue working hard and not disappoint our expectations."
Naohara gave a brief word of encouragement, glanced at Herohero with a slight movement at the corner of his mouth, then instantly teleported away as well.
"Do your best~"
Left behind alone once again, Herohero stood there in complete confusion.
History seemed to be repeating itself. Naohara's final remark only made him feel even worse.
"Uh... uh... uh... Naohara and Momonga are right."
Herohero racked his brain, but in the end that was all he managed to squeeze out. Then, feeling thoroughly embarrassed, he quickly activated teleportation and fled the scene.
Somehow, everything seemed to have changed.
And yet, somehow, nothing had changed at all.