The red glow in Ainz's eye sockets stopped flickering. It grew dim, almost going out. His skeletal body groaned under heavy pressure, making a loud "creak." He used all his strength just to keep from falling over—even though he was already sitting. He could not stop his soul from shaking!
He watched helplessly as that giant sword of light descended. It seemed to connect heaven and earth. It moved as if in slow motion. It moved down by just one micrometer.
A descent of only one micrometer!
BOOM!!!!!!!!!
A massive shockwave and explosion of light burst from the sword's tip. It expanded in every direction like a growing ball. Wherever it passed, the earth didn't just break; it vanished. It was as if a giant mouth had swallowed everything in its path!
The shockwave hit the procession! The Death Knights and their Soul Eaters turned to dust instantly! The fancy carriage broke apart like a toy made of paper!
Ainz and Albedo's eyes shrank as much as possible. They were sure that in the next second, they would die too!
However, just before the destruction reached them—
Everything stopped.
The white sky instantly turned blue again.
The crack of light in the sky closed silently.
That giant sword of light vanished without a trace. It was as if it had never existed.
The shockwave, the shaking earth, and the destroyed matter all became still.
Sunlight fell softly again, and a gentle breeze blew past.
Except for one thing. Starting from where Ilya stood and stretching to the horizon, there was now a bottomless hole. It was hundreds of meters wide and smooth like a mirror. It looked like a god's blade had cut the earth open. This hole replaced the streets, houses, and mountains. It was a scary scar on the land.
Dead silence.
An absolute silence covered the land. The wind stopped blowing, and the sunlight felt cold. The only sounds were Albedo's heavy, shaking breaths. She felt like her heart was beating fast, even though she didn't have one.
The red light in Ainz's eye sockets was weak, like a candle in the wind. His skeletal body was stiff. He gripped his staff so hard that the bone started to crack. His mind was filled with red warnings and terror. In that moment, he felt what it meant to be completely erased.
Then, the golden-haired girl who caused all this slowly turned around.
Her white skirt moved in the wind. Her golden hair looked like silk. She looked back with eyes as blue as the sky. She looked across the deep hole at Ainz and Albedo.
Then, she smiled softly.
That smile was very faint. It looked perfect and even holy. But to Ainz, it was more terrifying than any demon in Nazarick. It was the smile of a ruler who stood above life and death. To her, everything else was just an ant. It was a demonic smile. She looked holy on the outside, but she was cold on the inside.
"Ainz...-sama..." Albedo struggled to speak. Even though she was a powerful demon, she felt like a baby bird facing a predator. Her instincts told her to run or protect Ainz. But she couldn't move a finger. Fear twisted her beautiful face.
(Ainz-sama! This person is too dangerous! Please let me—!) Albedo sent a [Message]. Her voice was filled with panic.
(Shut up, Albedo! Do not move! Do not act hostile!) Ainz barked back with a [Message]. His voice was steady because of magic, but his mind was a mess. (Check our losses! Survival is the first priority! We cannot provoke her! She did not even use her real power just now! That was only a warning!)
Ainz screamed in his mind: 'Level 119! That is Level 119! And that power! How can a player like this exist? This does not follow the rules of YGGDRASIL at all! Where is her guild? What does she want? Was that just a show of force? Or a response to us? There is too little information! Every step is dangerous!'
While Ainz was thinking and planning how to escape, Ilya seemed to realize something.
The smile on her face faded. She blinked her blue eyes and tilted her head. She looked at the empty space and the deep hole she made. She tapped her forehead with her hand. She looked annoyed, like she had made a small mistake.
"Oh dear..." A soft, sweet voice rang out. It sounded playful, which was strange after such destruction. "I didn't mean for it to turn out like this... I played a bit too hard."
She flipped her hand like a magic trick. A glowing crystal appeared. It was covered in complex symbols. She casually crushed the crystal.
Hum—
A soft sound echoed. This sound was full of life and healing.
Time seemed to move backward.
Many lights appeared from nowhere. The earth grew back from the bottom of the hole. Rocks and buildings fixed themselves. In a few moments, the deep hole was gone. The streets and houses were back. Even the smell of death was gone. It was as if the destruction had never happened.
But it was not completely gone.
The people who had died came back. They fell to the ground, pale and sweating. They gasped for air like they had just woken from a nightmare.
"I... was I just dead?""A de... demon! That woman is a demon!""That light... that sword... what was it?!""Run! It's a witch! A witch who can destroy the world!"
...
The town fell into chaos. The survivors screamed and crawled away. They wanted to get away from the golden-haired girl. They remembered being destroyed. That terror was stuck in their souls.
Ilya stood in the middle of the street. She scratched her golden hair and looked troubled by the chaos.
"It seems... I went a bit too far," she whispered. She sounded a bit helpless, but she didn't seem sorry. It sounded like she was talking about a game.
Then, she looked at Ainz and Albedo one last time. A mysterious smile appeared on her face.
Whoosh—
A flash of white light appeared. Ilya vanished. She left no trace behind.
She left behind a town full of terror, and...
Ainz Ooal Gown. He sat on his carriage, feeling like his mind had just survived an earthquake. Beside him, Albedo was still on guard, but she was shaking.
The red light in Ainz's eye sockets flickered slowly. He stared at the spot where Ilya had been. His fingers gripped his staff tightly.
(Ainz-sama... we...) Albedo's [Message] was full of fear.
(...We are going back.) Ainz's [Message] was cold and serious. (Return to Nazarick immediately! Set the highest alert! Summon all Guardians!)
(This world... has something we do not understand at all!)
Ainz no longer cared about his dignity. He didn't care about the screaming people. He used teleportation magic to return to the Great Tomb of Nazarick. He and Albedo vanished instantly.
The Great Tomb of Nazarick, Throne Room.
The air was heavier than ever before. All the Floor Guardians and important NPCs were called quickly. Demiurge, Sebas Tian, Cocytus, Aura, Mare, and Albedo stood before the throne. Pandora's Actor and the Pleiades maids were there too. Victim floated quietly to the side.
Ainz sat on his throne with his staff. He looked very serious. He told them everything that happened. He talked about the girl named Ilya, her power, her Level 119, and the giant sword of light.
"...That is what happened." Ainz's voice was calm, but the Guardians felt the weight of his words.
After a short silence, Shalltear Bloodfallen laughed nervously. "Heh... hehe... Ainz-sama, are you... I mean, was it an illusion? Did Albedo make a mistake? Level 119? That is impossible! The rules of YGGDRASIL cannot be broken!"
She wasn't being disrespectful. She was just shocked. The other Guardians, like Aura and Mare, could not believe it. Demiurge touched his glasses. He was thinking very fast.