Overlord Premise Chapter 5 (Patreon)

Hey friends and fans! Kairomaru is bringing you a new chapter! Glad that this story has fans! Time to look for work! Momonga and Narberal are looking to take their first Quest as Adventurers! Unfortunately, there are rules and regulations within the Adventurers Guild that will make it harder for them to Rank Up as fast as Momonga might want. Perhaps some other Adventurers might be able to help out? While this is going on, forces in the shadows make their plans and prepare their own schemes.

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So, without further delay, please enjoy.

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Chapter 5 – Adventurer Life, Zurrernorn Scheming

In the E-Rantel Adventurers Guild, many of the city’s Adventurers were gathered to look for work. The boards were filled with various requests, everything from exterminating Monsters outside the city walls, to escort and protection jobs, and even delivery jobs within the city (usually to the rougher part of town where the request giver didn’t want to go themselves).

“Check out that guy’s armor.” One Adventurer mentioned looking at Momon in front of the Quest Board.

“Looks quite expensive.” His buddy chuckled mockingly.

“And he’s just a Copper Plate.” The third man in their small Party snorted. “Typical rich kid, playing pretend.”

“A nice shiny present from daddy.” The first Adventurer laughed derisively at what he saw as some spoiled punk from a wealthy family just playing around.

Nabe was slowly growing aggravated by the words that she could clearly hear. If this mockery continued, she’d slaughter these vermin herself!

“Hmm, the quests all look fairly standard.” Momon read over the various papers, once more internally thanking Seimei for the [Instruct] Scrolls that had granted him the knowledge to read this world’s language. “Nothing in the Copper Rank is worth mentioning though. It would take a long time to gain enough merit to warrant a rank up to Iron Plate.” He wondered if there wasn’t some way to gain a higher rank more quickly. If they wanted to make useful connections, then they couldn’t be stuck at the bottom of the Adventurer barrel for so long. ‘Perhaps I could prove that I’m of a higher Rank?’ He picked a Quest off the board that was marked for Mithril Rank Adventurers and headed over to the counter. “I’d like to take this job.”

The Guild woman behind the counter looked at the request paper and then at the plate around Momon’s neck. “I’m sorry, but this is a request for Mithril Rank. As you are only a Copper Plate, you are not permitted to accept this Quest.”

Momon looked over at Nabe, drawing the Guild employee’s eyes to her. “My companion can use Third Tier Magic. And I am a warrior of equal strength.” The murmuring within the Guild at the mention of a Third Tier Magic user was noticeably louder than it had been before Momon had spoken. “I still can’t take it?”

“…I’m very sorry, but those are the rules.” The woman behind the counter gave a small bow to Momon. “Without the requisite experience, someone could get severely injured, or even worse.”

“I see…” Momo made sure that his sigh was audible through his helmet. “There’s nothing I can do, then.” He straightened his posture up to his full height, a nonverbal show of resolution. “Sorry to have been so presumptuous. You’re just doing your job. “He saw the surprise in the woman’s eyes at him relenting and not making a large scene. The small, barely visible, smile that formed on her lips revealed that she appreciated his understanding. “In that case, please give me the most difficult Quest that you have for a Copper Plate. Maybe something that hasn’t been posted on the board yet? Whatever will garner us the most merit in the Guild’s eyes.”

“Oh, yes, of course, sir.” The Guild woman nodded to him and stood up from her chair to go look at all of the available Quests for Copper Plates, even the ones that hadn’t yet been posted.

“Hey, mister, if it’s a challenge you’re after…” A man’s voice spoke up from behind Momon and Nabe. The two turned to face the speaker and were greeted by four Adventurers, each of them with a Silver Plate around their necks. “How about helping us out on our job?” The obvious leader of the four-man Party offered with a polite smile.

“Really?” Momon questioned the sudden offer.

A short time later and the group were sitting at a table together discussing the offer of working with each other.

“Allow me to introduce everyone.” The leader spoke to Momon and Nabe. “We call ourselves the Swords of Darkness. I’m the leader, Peter Mauk.”

Peter had blonde hair and blue eyes, both of which were common in the Re-Estize Kingdom, while his somewhat plain face gave off a pleasant smile. He wore chainmail armor with numerous chains of rings forming a mesh, which was worn on top of leather shirt. He also had leather pauldrons over his shoulders and a small pouch on his belt.

“This is Lukrut Volve, our Ranger. He’s our eyes and ears in the field.” Peter introduced his first Party member.

“Hi.” Lukrut waved to Momon and Nabe with a smile, clearly focused more on Nabe than Momon. He had a blonde hair and brown eyes, with a cheerful look about him. He wore a leather armor, and had a thin body with long and skinny limbs which made him look a bit lanky. His expression dropped slightly when Nabe ignored him entirely.

“Our capable Druid uses Magic to heal us and manipulate nature; Dyne Woodwonder.” Peter motioned to the largest member of their group.

“Nice to meet you folks.” Dyne had a huge groomed beard covering his mouth and coupled with his bulky body, he almost looked like a barbarian. He had the faint smell of grass on him, which seemingly came from the pouches on his waist. His leather armor was tinted a dark green color. Dyne’s eyes were closed as he smiled at Momon and Nabe.

“And last, but not least, is the brains of the operation; our Magic user: Ninya, the Spellcaster.” Peter grinned at the smallest member of the Party.

Ninya had brown hair and blue eyes with a face that looked childish; though he had the best looking face of the group (in Momonga’s opinion). His skin was pale and he wore a beige cloak over his leather clothes. “Hello there.” Ninya nodded to Momon and Nabe before turning to look at Peter with a slight glare. “Peter, can you stop introducing me like that? It’s embarrassing.”

“He has a nickname, huh?” Momon commented, despite Ninya’s apparent dislike of it.

“Yeah!” Lukrut piped up with a grin. “He has a Talent, you see? This kid is a famous Magic casting genius!”

‘He’s a ‘genius’ with that level of Magic?’ Narberal almost laughed, but restrained herself to merely looking unimpressed.

“That’s impressive.” Momon acknowledged Ninya with a nod. ‘We learned about Talents from some of the Theocracy members we captured. That means this boy was born with a special ability.’

“Ninya has a Talent called Magic Aptitude; he’s able to learn and master spells twice as fast as any other Caster.” Peter explained, since Ninya clearly didn’t want to brag.

“There’s a much more famous Talent holder in E-Rantel than me.” Ninya reminded the group with an annoyed sigh. “His Talent is much more impressive too.”

“You mean, Master Bareare.” Dyne chuckled at Ninya’s attitude.

“Who?” Momon asked, seeming to be just casually curious. In reality, Momonga was very interested in the information. Talents weren’t a thing in YGGDRASIL but from what Nazarick had learned recently, they could be quite useful.

“Nfirea Bareare. He’s the grandson of a famous Pharmacist.” Peter explained helpfully. “His Talent is the power to use any and every Magic Item. He can even use items that would normally be impossible for humans to use.”

“Hmm.” Momon nodded lie he was impressed.

“That guy…could be dangerous.” Nabe whispered, barely moving her lips in the slightest as she spoke to Momon.

“…I know.” Momonga whispered back just as quietly, only Nabe able to hear him.

“Momon?” Peter spoke, noticing that the black-armored man hadn’t replied with any introductions yet.

“Ah, yes, forgive me.” Momon sat up a little straighter. “I am Momon, and this is Nabe.” He motioned to Nabe as he introduced her. “Glad to have you watching our backs.”

That got a smile from the four members of the Swords of Darkness.

“You’re probably wondering what the job is, right?” Peter got down to the Quest that they were inviting Momon and Nabe to come with them on. “We’re going to hunt the Monsters that’ve wandered too close to the city.”

“You were hired to hunt Monsters?” Momon repeated for clarification.

“Not really.” Peter gave him a lopsided smile. “We weren’t hired by anyone, but the Guild will receive money from the city based on the strength of the Monsters that we defeat. We just collect our reward directly from the Guild.”

‘So this would be sort of like grinding for Monster Drops.’ Momonga compared the task to something he’d done a lot back in YGGDRASIL.

“It’s a dull, but necessary, task for us Adventurers.” Dyne spoke up with a small shrug.

“The job is pretty easy, and we get to keep people safe. While also bringing home the tasty bacon. It’s a win-win for all parties involved.” Lukrut waved off the job as if it were just a mundane chore.

“So, are you interested in joining us? Our plan is to start clearing out the forest just south of the city and then working our way north.” Peter explained the basic plan for the next day. “What do you say? The experience will help you rise above a Copper Plate.”

“Sure.” Momon accepted easily. ‘A fast track to the next Rank is just what I was looking for. This will be perfect. Narberal and I can even start making a name for ourselves by showing off a bit of our power.’ Momonga knew the power of word-of-mouth. When someone did something impressive, it was almost impossible to keep it a secret. ‘I’m sure that’s even more the case with Adventurers.’

The Swords of Darkness all beamed at Momon and Nabe for joining them on the job.

“One thing, I should show you all my face, since we will be working together.” Momon took off his helmet and revealed his features…or the one’s that he’d modified with a bit of Illusion Magic. It wasn’t anything drastic, merely shortening his long black hair and hiding the star-like luster that it normally had. This gave him a slightly more plain look, though he couldn’t be called anything but handsome regardless. “I hope it’s not too much of a shock.”

“Ah, interesting.” Peter smiled after looking at Momon’s face for a moment. “I’ve heard of a country in the far southeast where looks like yours are common. But this is my first time meeting someone from that area.”

“He’s a bit older than I expected.” Lukrut mentioned, raising his hand to hide his mouth.

“Don’t be rude!” Ninya would’ve kicked the Ranger’s shin if his legs could reach.

“Much obliged, Momon.” Dyne thanked him for being open and upfront with them.

“I’ve been hiding my face since we came to town.” Momon put his helmet back on properly. “Sometimes people have issues with foreigners, and I didn’t want to stir up any trouble.” The Swords of Darkness all nodded in understanding. There would always be someone that wanted to make trouble for inane reasons.

“Just out of curiosity…what kind of partners are you two, exactly?” Lukrut raised his hand and asked with a hopeful smile on his face.

“Ugh…” Dyne and Ninya both hung their heads while Peter facepalmed.

“We’re allies, but Nabe is very important to me.” Momon answered Lukrut, turning to look at the Ranger.

“Lo…Mr. Momon.” Nabe felt her cheeks getting slightly warm, but managed to keep her face mostly stoic. That was the inverse of what she was feeling inside though, as butterflies flew about her stomach.

“I see…” Lukrut sighed in defeat. “I was in love…”

Peter lightly punched Lukrut in the back of the head. “Will you stop?! They just agreed to work with us and you’re about to run them off already!”

“If you’re ready, we can head out immediately.” Ninya chose to move this along, lest Lukrut shove his foot in his mouth.

“Nabe and I are ready to go.” Momon confirmed as they all stood up from the table and gathered their weapons. Once the group was fully equipped the left the table and made their way across the Guild.

“Mr. Momon…?” The same lady from the Guild approached Momon. “Someone specifically requested you for a job.”

“Do you know who asked for me?” Momon questioned. ‘We’ve only been in town for just over a day…who could even know about me?’

“Yes sir, it was Mr. Nfirea Bareare.” The woman motioned over to the approaching man while the din in the Guild noticeably increased at some newbie getting specifically requested by such a well-known person.

Nabe was in front of Momon in a second, her hand on her sword as she nearly growled at the approaching stranger.

Whap

Momon lightly swatted the top of Nabe’s head, faster than most of the gathered Adventurers would’ve been able to keep track of. “Stop and think before you act.”

Nabe covered her head, placing her hands over the spot that had been hit. “I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.” She apologized while looking up at him.

“I know you mean well, but you mustn’t overreact to harmless situations, understand?” Momon looked into Nabe’s eyes through his visor. Nabe nodded in return as she lowered her hands from her head.

“Hello there,” Nfirea greeted the ‘black knight’ that the Adventurer woman had described to his grandmother last evening. “I’m the one that specifically requested you.”

Momon held up his hand to stop Nfirea’s introduction. “I’m sorry to disappoint; but we’ve already accepted another position. Perhaps after we finish this job, we can help you.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! This could be big for you!” Peter spoke to Momon urgently. Getting specifically requested was a big thing for Adventurers; and those who were requested often rose through the ranks and became the high-rank Adventurers that others looked up to.

Momo turned his head to look at Peter. “I agreed to join up with your group. What kind of man would I be if I did not keep my word?”

“B-But it’s a Personal Request.” Peter tried to emphasize the importance of the situation.

“How about this…” Momon decided to compromise. “I’ll listen to Mr. Bareare’s offer, and then make my decision.”

That led the group upstairs to a meeting area for clients and Adventurers to go over the specifics of Quests.

“My name is Nfirea Bareare; I’m a Pharmacist here in the city.” Nfirea began his business introduction. “Your job would be to protect me while I harvest various herbs and medicinal plants in the forest near Carne Village.”

‘Carne Village.’ Momonga briefly wondered why Nfirea wanted to collect from that area specifically.

“Aside from escorting me there and back again, and like for you to help me collect the medicinal herbs I need.” Nfirea finished stating the job that he’d like to hire Momon for.

“A bodyguard request.” Momon mulled over the idea. ‘It’s not impossible for me to fulfill the role; but I’d have to be careful about what items I used in front of others. Right now, I’m playing a warrior, and while I’m wearing this armor, I can’t cast any spells.’ He debated on the merits of accepting what was basically an escort quest.

“The reward for completely this job is…” Nfirea was cut off as Momon spoke up.

“Question, Peter…” Momon looked at the leader of the Swords of Darkness.

“Yes?” Peter blinked, not having expected to be called upon during Momon and Nfirea’s talk.

“How would you like to come on as my hired hand?” Momon offered to the Silver-ranked Party.

Peter cocked an eyebrow at the sudden offer. “What do you mean?”

Momon turned back to Nfirea. “I suggest we take these men along on this excursion. A Ranger such as Mr. Lukrut would provide security. And it would also be smart to have the skills of a Druid, like Mr. Dyne, if we’re going to be working in a forest.”

“Yes,” Dyne nodded in agreement. “You possess a keen insight, Mr. Momon.”

“I definitely don’t mind tagging along.” Lukrut agreed with a grin.

“It would be an honor to escort you both.” Peter agreed after looking at Ninya, who gave him a nod in return.

“More men equals more protection for me.” Nfirea had no issues with the increased numbers.

“That’s settled then.” Momon stated as everyone gave their acceptance. “But I’m still confused by one thing.”

“What’s that?” Nfirea asked, seeing Momon looking at him.

“Why did you request me for this job?” Momon questioned the Pharmacist. “I’m new to the area and don’t have any acquaintances in the city. I’m very curious as to how a well-known citizen such as yourself came to know my name. May I ask how you heard of me?”

Nfirea smiled at the simple question. “I caught wind of you because of what happened at the inn yesterday.”

“The fight at the inn?” Momon raised an eyebrow, unseen by all because of his helmet.

“Yeah, a recent customer of mine told me about how you easily took down several higher ranked Adventurers who were accosting you and your partner.” Nfirea answered how he’d learned about Momon. “The person I used to hire for this escort moved away from E-Rantel not too long ago. So, now I’m ‘in the market’ for a replacement warrior.” He leaned in a bit with a sheepish look on his face. “And, to be perfectly honest with you, it’s a lot cheaper to hire a Copper Plate for the job.”

Momon held his Copper Plate, looking at it for a moment. “That’s true…”

“Does anyone have another question?” Nfirea looked around the table.

When no one replied, Peter spoke up for the group. “No, we’re ready to leave whenever you are.”

‘I can’t shake the feeling that something is off here.’ Momonga thought in the privacy of his mind. He couldn’t put his finger on it though…something just seemed ‘off’ about the situation.

“Then let’s get going. There’s no point in wasting time.” Nfirea nodded to the group of Adventurers.

-Later-

The Swords of Darkness, along with Momon and Nabe, were walking down the dirt road that would take them towards Carne Village. The Adventurers were in a loose formations around the one-horse wagon that Nfirea was riding, all of them keeping watch for any potential dangers.

“We’re entering a bit of a dangerous area. Be on your guard, just in case.” Peter instructed the group as they continued onwards. This far out from E-Rantel and the Monsters got bolder about attacking travelers on the road.

The group proceeded with a bit more caution for a while longer. No Monsters appeared though, and so they decided to stop by a river to take a break. As Nfirea let his horse drink, the Adventurers rested their feet from the trip. Some smoked meat, a bit of cheese, and some bread bought just before they left E-Rantel was shared as they relaxed, though none let their guard down entirely.

“Not bad, could use a bit more seasoning.” Momon mentioned, his helmet off as he ate some of the smoked meat.

“Yeah, it keeps well, but only the pricey version has the really good taste.” Lukrut waved off the lack of flavor as he ate some bread and cheese. “The price makes getting the good stuff less than ideal for trips though. You can have a day or two of the tasty food and then go hungry, or you can buy the cheaper stuff and eat every day of the trip.”

“True,” Dyne agreed as he drank from his canteen. “Economics and planning for the length of a Quest are vital parts to succeeding as an Adventurer.”

Ninya nodded in agreement with Dyne’s words. “Spending the money you earn wisely is also important. Maintaining equipment or buying replacements can be a financial drain if you don’t budget effectively.”

“Ninya, if you wouldn’t mind, could you answer a few questions that I have about Magic?” Momon requested politely of the short Caster. ‘Time to see if the Magic here follows YGGDRASIL or if there are variations that didn’t exist in the game.’

“Of course, Mr. Momon.” Ninya smiled at the black-armored warrior.

“What are the limits of Creation Magic?” Momon’s first question was one that he’d wondered about for a while. He could use [Create Greater Item] to make the armor and sword he was using right now. If the residents of this world had access to the same Magic, then equipment that could harm Nazarick could be out there in the world, and potentially in greater amounts than Momonga would like.

“Most use Creation Magic to attain basic necessities in places where they may not naturally exist.” Ninya answered easily. “Basic things like salt and sugar are common uses for Creation Magic; they’ve even been given names [Spice Magic] and [Food Magic], making them proper derivatives of Creation Magic, according to Magical Scholars anyway.”

-Afternoon-

The group continued on their way as they had been since leaving E-Rantel in the morning. It was only when Lukrut raised a hand to stop everyone that things changed.

“Something moved.” Lukrut spoke up, his eyes sharp.

“The forest has changed.” Dyne confirmed, listening to the sounds of nature…including the sudden lack of certain sounds, like animals and birds.

“Where are they coming from?” Peter questioned Lukrut while he readied his shield.

“Just past the tree line.” Lukrut grinned, pointing to the right.

Sure enough, across the grassy meadow that separated the road from the forest, a horde of Monsters emerged from the trees. Goblins, some wearing pillaged armor and other not, and also a group of Ogres, were heading their way.

“I don’t think we can avoid this fight.” Lukrut shook his head as the Monsters approached.

Peter looked at Nfirea, the client that they were supposed to protect, and gave instructions. “It’s going to get rough for a bit. The best thing you can do is stay hidden in the wagon.”

“My life is in your hands.” Nfirea nodded before hopping into the back of the wagon.

“Mr. Momon,” Peter looked towards the warrior. “What’s the best way to split the group up?” He needed to know how to direct his Party with the addition of the two new people.

“All of you should stay close to Nfirea.” Momon replied as he gauged the Ogres and Goblins with his Racial Skill – God Eye. None of them were overly strong, but could pose a challenge to the human Adventurers in a group like this. “I’ll show him that our services are worth every coin.”

“That sounds good to me; but we won’t just sit back and watch. You’ll have all the extended support that we can muster!” Peter smiled at him.

“If we go completely defensive, most of them will escape back into the forest.” Ninya cautioned against a fully defensive strategy. Goblins were annoying in that they could learn from experience if they escaped, which made them more dangerous the next time they attacked.

“In that case, I say we do what we usually do: Pull the turtle’s head out of its shell and then cut it off!” Lukrut grinned at the tactic they used when facing groups of Monsters.

“It’s a sound strategy, but still flawed.” Dyne spoke up now. “Even if Mr. Momon takes the brunt of the attack, what about the ones that get through?”

“That’s easy,” Peter drew his sword. “I’ll use my [Fortress] Martial Art and hold back the Ogres. I’ll leave the Goblins to you.”

Dyne pulled out his mace with a nod. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

Peter turned to Ninya next. “Ninya, you’ll protect me with defensive Magic. Once I’m clear, focus on crowd control and attack spells.”

“Right!” Ninya nodded and readied his staff.

“Lukrut, you’ll take care of any wayward Goblins; and if an Ogre gets past me, take it out!” Peter looked at his friend.

“Leave it to me.” Lukrut pulled out his bow and nocked his first arrow.

“Does all of that work for you, Mr. Momon?” Peter asked without taking his eyes off the approaching Monsters.

“Yes.” Momon agreed easily. Nabe said nothing, but was clearly waiting for Momon’s word to act.

Lukrut fired his first arrow, the shot intentionally landing in front of the group of Monsters. The Goblins leading the Ogres laughed at what they perceived to be a bad shot. The missed arrow emboldened them and the Monsters broke into a full charge towards the Adventurers.

“Fell for it.” Lukrut grinned as he released his second arrow, nailing a charging Goblin right between the eyes.

“[Reinforce Armor]!” Ninya cast the defensive magic on Peter, making the warrior glow green for a second. That would buff Peter’s defense for a time and keep him from taking as much damage.

“Now, [Twine Plant]!” Dyne placed his hand on the ground and an orange glow appeared. The Ogre that was in the lead of the Monsters suddenly found thick vines wrapping around its legs and body, locking it in place.

“Grrraahh!” The Ogre struggled against its bonds angrily.

Peter moved in to take out the trapped Ogre before Dyne’s spell wore off. His sword pierced the Monster’s stomach and he swung his sword in a wide arc to open up a massive, fatal wound on it. “Huh?” He blinked as he saw Momon and Nabe walking forward without a care.

Shing

Momon drew his sword, revealing a black blade to the surprised eyes of the Swords of Darkness.

“Rooaarhh!” The three Ogres charging towards him raised their tree branch clubs high, preparing to attack.

‘Like this…’ Momonga recalled how Touch Me used his sword back in YGGDRASIL and copied the movement from memory. “Yah!” The black sword split the first Ogre in two at the chest; the top half and bottom half falling away from each other in a spray of blood. “Hah!” Momon moved forward with a lunge to close distance, then swung his sword again, hacking down the second Ogre in the same manner as the first. The third Ogre had stopped its charge completely, clearly stunned by the sudden death of its two comrades. “Hup!” Momon’s black blade cut the Ogre in two vertically this time, from shoulder to groin. The two halves crashed onto the grassy ground with twin thuds.

The Goblins scattered away from Momon, rushing to attack the Swords of Darkness instead.

“Get ready, Ninya!” Peter met the Goblins head-on, his first swing decapitating the lead Goblin, he blocked the second Goblin’s blade with his shield and his counter thrust killed it. A third Goblin came at him from behind and Peter grimaced as he tried to pivot and get his shield up.

“[Magic Arrow]!” Ninya cats and two yellow bolts of Magic struck the third Goblin, taking it clear off its feet and killing it instantly.

The rest of the Goblins were undeterred, rushing the Adventurers in a wave.

“Here they come!” Lukrut tossed his bow aside and pulled out his shortsword.

“About time!” Dyne swung his mace and clobbered the first Goblin, blood flying through the air from the shattered head of the green Monster.

Momon observed the movements of the Swords of Darkness with approval. “They’re a skilled Party. They’re aware of each other’s strengths and work well together. Still…” He dodged a wild swing from the Ogre attacking him. “They don’t hold a candle to my old friends.” He reminisced for a second of all of the times he and his friends had done grinding and raids as a Party in YGGDRASIL. “Yah!” His black sword bisected the Ogre, he pivoted into the next strike and cut down the Ogre behind the dying first one. ‘Touch Me and Warrior Takemikazuchi made this look a lot easier than it is.’

“Grrrnnn…” The remaining Ogres had enough self-preservation instinct to realize they were in danger. They dropped their clubs, turned, and then ran back towards the forest.

“Nabe, your turn.” Momon gave her the go ahead.

“Right.” Nabe leapt forward a good distance, even doing a forward flip to make sure she landed exactly where she wanted to. She raised her hand and pointed her index finger at the backs of the fleeing Ogre’s. “[Lightning].” She said flatly as electricity sparked around her hand. A bolt fired from her fingertip and passed through the first Ogre and then the second. Sparks leapt off their twitching bodies before both Monsters collapsed dead.

The Goblins saw the last of the Ogres fall and panicked, fleeing from the battle.

“Hey! Don’t let them escape!” Peter yelled out as he rushed after the Goblin closest to him and cut it down.

The Swords of Darkness all went after the Goblins, killing them before they could cross the meadow and escape into the forest. The fight wasn’t a flawless victory though, as the panicked Goblins fought savagely to escape.

“[Minor Healing Light].” Dyne cast with a smile as both Peter and Lukrut were suffused with a green glow from the light held between the Druid’s palms. Their injuries began to heal, both happy that they hadn’t gotten more than some cuts and bruises.

Momon and Nabe didn’t need any healing, neither having taken damage from the Ogres.

“Man… I can’t believe how strong Mr. Momon is.” Peter sighed with a grin. “You think he’s Orichalcum or maybe even Adamantite level?”

“He may be even stronger than the Chief Warrior.” Lukrut chuckled, having seen Momon in action.

“Miss Nabe’s spell was quite something too.” Dyne nodded at the woman’s skill. “Lightning is a Third Tier spell; I’ve only seen a few Adventurers that can use it.”

“I was right to choose you for my escort.” Nfirea smiled at Momon. “I wanted to stop at Carne Village while I was gathering herbs, but I couldn’t find anyone to help me. But thanks to you guys, it looks like I’ll get to Carne safely. Even hunting Monsters seems like it’ll be easy for you.”

“There don’t seem to be that many Monsters to begin with.” Momon replied, given that this had been the only time that they’d been attacked so far, he wasn’t wrong.

“That’s because we’re entering the territory of the Wise King of the Forest.” Nfirea told the warrior.

“Wise King?” Momon questioned curiously. ‘Didn’t the village Headman in Carne tell me something about that?’ He recalled the older man telling him something similar.

“It’s a powerful beast that can use Magic.” Nfirea told him, speaking of the creature with some respect. “If its razor claws don’t get you, then its snake tail will. The legends say that it’s lived here for hundreds of years.”

“Huh, I think I’d like to meet it.” Momon hummed thoughtfully. ‘It’s called a ‘Wise King’ so many it has a ton of wisdom to dispense? Capturing it may also help Nazarick’s position.’ Any advantage to secure themselves further should be taken if possible.

-Evening-

The group sat around a warm campfire together. There was some laughter in the air as Lukrut regaled them with a humorous tale of a bar fight he’d gotten caught up in several months back. The food was doled at near the end of the Ranger’s story, but was a bit too hot to eat right away.

“I still say you got the worst of it.” Dyne chuckled at Lukrut, having been the one to heal him when he’d trudged back to the inn they’d been staying at.

“Hey, you didn’t see the other guy!” Lukrut pointed at the Druid with a smirk.

“I’ve been wondering…” Momon spoke and got the group’s attention. “Where did the name ‘Swords of Darkness’ come from?”

Ninya’s face went red as he looked down at the ground.

“That was Ninya’s idea.” Lukrut laughed a bit.

“Shut up… I was young and stupid.” Ninya sighed heavily, not looking at anyone.

Dyne shook his head. “It’s really nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s important to dream big.”

“Anyway,” Peter took the focus off of Ninya. “It’s a reference to the Thirteen Heroes. It refers to the swords of one of the fabled warriors.”

“I don’t know them.” Nabe spoke up with a flat tone. “Who are they?”

Momonga sighed in relief internally. ‘Thank you, Narberal. They clearly thought we knew the legend and weren’t going to elaborate.’

“Huh, and here I thought everyone knew the legend.” Lukrut smiled at the gorgeous woman.

“Among the Thirteen Heroes, there was one called the ‘Black Knight’ who wielded four powerful swords known only as the Swords of Darkness.” Ninya informed Nabe with a small smile.

“See, when we started our little group, our ultimate goal was to find the swords for ourselves someday.” Lukrut explained why they’d gone with the name for their group.

“But…we needed a symbol in the meantime.” Peter pulled out a sheathed knife. Removing it from the sheath revealed a black blade. “So, we carry these daggers as place holders.”

Dyne, Ninya, and Lukrut took out their own sheathed knives with fond smiles.

“I don’t care that these aren’t the real deal.” Lukrut partially unsheathed his black knife with a smile. “They represent the formation of our team, and that’s more important to me than any mythical blade.”

A moment of silence was had as the Swords of Darkness all smiled at their black daggers.

Dyne put his hand on his beard as a grin formed on his face. “You know? I think this might be the first time that Lukrut has said something mildly meaningful.”

“Hey! Take that back!” Lukrut retorted with a grimace.

“Who are you, and what did you do with our friend?” Peter chuckled at his buddy.

“Shut up!” Lukrut scoffed at Peter. “I’m a silver-tongued fox and you know it!”

The laughter that followed made the Ranger grumble at his friends.

“Speaking of swords of darkness, I almost thought yours was one of them, Mr. Momon.” Peter mentioned, recalling Momon’s black sword.

“Yeah, It was impressive.” Ninya agreed with a nod. “But it doesn’t seem to have a magical effect like the real Swords of Darkness.”

“Well, I’m glad it’s not.” Lukrut shrugged. “Not like he’d just give it to us; and who knows how long we’d have to work to try and buy it from him.” He looked over at Momon with a chuckle. “And we certainly have no chance of taking it from him.”

“I do prefer my hands to stay attached.” Dyne joked with a laugh.

“It’s bad enough that one of the swords wielded by the leader of Blue Rose is rumored to be one of the real Swords of Darkness.” Peter reminded his friends. “If that turns out to be true, we’re only going to be able to get three of the four.”

“You all get along so well…” Momon sighed, memories flooding back to him of his days with his friends in YGGDRASIL. “It brings back memories.”

“Were you part of a group once too, Momon?” Ninya asked the warrior with a smile.

“Yes, they were wonderful friends and comrades.” Momon’s head dipped and the others could see his expression change thanks to his lack of helmet.

‘They were friends and comrades…’ The thought passed through the minds of the four Adventurers. They all were pretty sure of what Momon meant just from his wording.

“I’m sorry for your loss, Mr. Momon…” Ninya bowed his head, looking at the ground.

“Thank you.” Momon nodded before his expression brightened just slightly. “But there are still others from those times that I have.” He looked at Nabe with a smile.

Nabe returned the smile with a small one of her own.

“Recently I even met with an old friend from the same time as well, so not all is lost.” Momon thought of Seimei and how much finding his old YGGDRASIL acquaintance in this world meant to him personally.

“We can’t prevent loss; from war, famine, or sickness…” Dyne spoke softly to the group, but mostly to Momon. “But we can treasure those that’re still with us, and keep living for the sake of those we’ve lost. A life well-lived is the greatest thanks that we can offer them.”

“Wise words, Mr. Dyne.” Momon gave the Druid a small smile. He took his food and began to eat, prompting the others to do so as well.

-E-Rantel Slums-

“Hmm, hmm, mmm, mmm…” Clemetine hummed as the body of a thug dropped to the cobblestones, one of her three stilettos stabbed through the eye socket of the dead man. She pulled the weapon free as she walked past, locking her eyes on the last man still alive. Flicking the blood off her blade, she grinned at the terrified information broker.

“Wh-Why are y-you doing this?” The seedy-looking man stumbled backwards in fear.

“Because you peddle information, and I need some on a talented Pharmacist.” Clementine smiled at him, making the broker trip and fall on his ass from the look alone.

“You want Lizzie Bareare or Nfirea Bareare then!” The broker scrambled backwards along the alleyway, trying to keep space between him and the obviously crazy woman. “I told you want you want! Please, let me go!”

“Oh, silly man!” Clemetine grinned maliciously. “You could be lying to me, or withholding information. I should be thorough.”

“If you want proof, just ask the other information brokers! They’ll tell you the same thing! I’m sure of it!” The man exclaimed, looking for a way out.

“You’re taking the fun out of this…” Clementine didn’t look amused. For a back alley broker, a man willing to sell out anyone for the right price, he certainly didn’t have a backbone to deal with the potential consequences. “Let me put this another way.” Clementine looked down at the man. “I want more than a name. I want to know where the young Pharmacist is right now. What time does he go out? What time does he return? What places does he frequent?”

“I…I…” The broker looked like he was about to flee.

“If you don’t want to answer for free…” Clementine ran her fingers over her stiletto. “Then I can indulge myself. You see I love killing~ It’s my passion, my one true art! And I need to practice…” She grinned down at the scummy man. “And if you don’t talk, then I get to practice my torture too~” She closed her eyes and stuck out her tongue playfully.

The broker saw her eyes close and bolted, scrambling on all fours for a second until he got his feet under him and bolted through the back alleys. “Wh-What the hell is wrong with that woman?!” He needed to escape! If he could just get away, then he could gather the other forces that resided in the slums; street rats, thugs, Adventurers and soldiers that were down on their luck after one misfortune or another. With enough people, he could have that bitch dealt with!

“Hey! I didn’t say you could leave.” Clementine’s said in a cutesy tone, like a child whose favorite pet wandered off while they were playing.

“Ah, ha, huff!” The broker was running as fast as he could, his breaths coming out harshly. “Guh!” He cried out as the stiletto was stabbed through his shoulder. The pain was horrible, but his eyes glazed over as the [Charm] spell imbued in the stiletto activated. A smile formed on his face, even as blood covered his front and back, staining his already dirty clothes.

“Oh my… That looks quite painful.” Clementine flicked the handle of the stiletto that she stabbed the broker with. The weapon left lodged into the man to prevent him from bleeding out too soon.

“It is…” The broker turned to her in a daze. “But I feel fantastic.”

“Good. Very good. Now tell me what I want to know…” Clementine purred out dangerously, a malicious grin on her face.

-Khajit’s Crypt-

“[Create Undead].” Khajit intoned, using his necromancy. The corpse lying before him jerked a bit before sitting up with a dull groan. The new zombie was the corpse of the thug that Clementine had killed to get to the information broker.

“Ugh…” The zombie wandered off into the horde that stood around in an open area of the underground crypt. The zombie next to him was the information broker himself, Clementine having dragged back the corpses for Khajit to add to his horde.

“That Jewel of Death sure is good at making zombies…” Clementine teased as she walked close to the circular altar. “But I think you might be going a little overboard with it~” She eyed the large horde of undead, easily nearing a thousand shambling corpses.

“That’s because you keep playing around.” Khajit grumbled at her, clearly unamused by her actions.

“I’m just bored~” Clementine grinned at the old man. “I found out the information though, so what’s the problem?”

“You need to focus, Clementine!” Khajit snapped at her. “I’ve spent years preparing to turn E-Rantel into a city of death. But for my plan to work, I need its people to be alive.”

“Oh…right, that [Spiral of Death], thingy?” Clemetine clearly didn’t care about the ritual much.

“Precisely, the same ritual that our exalted leader once tried. If done correctly it’ll turn E-Rantel into a pit of undeath overnight!” Khajit pulled a dark, purple-black orb from within his red robe. The object visibly pulsed with negative energy. “If I use this to collect the power of death left in its wake, my dream of immortality will at last be realized.” A dark smile crossed the necromancer’s face. “If your antics continue to cause me trouble…you’ll be the next zombie I raise.”

“Hm.” Clementine grinned.

In a blur the tip of her stiletto was headed for Khajit’s throat.

The stone floor between Khajit and Clementine shattered as a large claw made of various bones that were all fused together blocked the attack.

“You’re more foolish than I thought.” Khajit smirked at Clementine.

“Don’t be mad, that was nothing more than a love tap.” Clementine replied with a dark grin.

“We both know that’s a lie.” Khajit scoffed at her.

Clementine withdrew her stiletto and sheathed it. “You always manage to impress, Khajy~” She teased the old necromancer. “It’s sexy!” That was pure mocking, and Khajit’s eyebrow twitched in annoyance. ‘I can’t kill him with just my stilettos… Not while he has the homefield advantage.’ Clementine thought to herself as she turned and walked away.

To attack a necromancer in a crypt was ill-advised to say the least. To attack a necromancer in a crypt that they had lived in for a long time and made their own bordered on suicidal. Given Khajit’s nature, every corpse in the crypt was one of his undead and probably a few hundred more that still lay in their graves on the surface were too.

‘It’s hard to believe that she was once part of the Black Scripture.’ Khajit thought to himself as Clemetine walked into the darkness and out of his sight. ‘Her power earned her the Ninth Seat of their Order; but that corrupt personality made her troublesome. I’ll have to keep an eye on her.’ Khajit narrowed his eyes.

There was no real trust within the Cult of Zurrernorn. Members regularly used each other for one reason or another. Even killing each other wasn’t uncommon if it served the killer’s ends.

It would be another day or two before Nfirea Bareare would return to E-Rantel, according to the information that Clementine had retrieved. In that time, Khajit planned to finish all of his remaining preparations for the ritual.

He couldn’t know just what would happen the night that he put his plan into motion.

-End Chapter-

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Nfirea and Momonga (as Momon) have met!

Now they’re heading to Carne Village and Nfirea will learn of Ainz Ooal Gown from Enri! That may make the smitten Pharmacist even more worried about such an obviously talented and powerful man (possibly rich too) catching Enri’s eye!

Make your move, Nfirea! Kek!

The Swords of Darkness remind Momonga of his friends; but having met Seimei, and not being an emotionally suppressed undead, means that he can also more easily realize that he still has parts of his friends with him at all times in Nazarick.

Clementine gets ALL of the information on Nfirea that she needs! *Nervous gulp*

Khajit prepares his ritual to turn E-Rantel into a city of death!

Something is about to go down! Will anyone be left alive afterwards?

Keep reading to find out!

Until I get your reviews, later!