Chapter 49: Sasuga Ainz-sama…
– Alice –
Alice ducked beneath the filthy swipe of yet another zombie, practically gagging at the stench of rot as its torn fingers missed her head by an inch. The moment she straightened up, she squeezed the trigger of her assault rifle, letting loose a storm of shrapnel bullets that tore the undead apart like soggy tissue paper. A few more ghouls staggered toward her, but they ended up as shredded piles of flesh under the relentless fire.
She allowed herself a quick, satisfied grin. These futuristic guns she'd snagged from the Citadel were a total lifesaver. They almost never ran out of ammo—just needed a recharge about once a month—and the velocity at which they launched their payload was light-years beyond anything she'd used when this nightmare began. She mainly had to watch out for overheating, which, thankfully, wasn't happening tonight.
Glancing left, Alice spotted more undead dragging themselves around a hallway corner. This hospital was a complete cesspit of death and decay. Rumor said Umbrella scientists had been spotted here before the place got overrun, and she needed any intel she could find. If Umbrella left behind even a tiny clue to one of their hidden bases, it was worth mowing down a few hundred zombies.
She sprinted along the corridor, boots crunching over broken glass and debris. A couple of stragglers reached for her, moaning in that hollow, inhuman way the infected always did. Alice dropped two of them with well-aimed bursts, then kicked open a locked door that led into what looked like a research lab. The reek of mold and congealed blood made her wrinkle her nose, but she forged ahead, stepping around a toppled metal cart.
In the center of the room, she noticed two computers still on, each with Umbrella's trademark logo. She just about did a double-take. That was some serious luck. She headed straight for them, crouched down, and tapped a few keys. A blinking terminal light suggested they were operational, but a password prompt blocked her from going any further.
"Not a problem," she muttered.
Good thing she had the Omni-tool that Shepard—Haru's other girlfriend—had given her. Umbrella's old-ass security was no match for it. Alice slipped the device over her left hand, tapped a few glowing buttons, and watched the encryption melt away in seconds. Data streamed into the tool like it was no big deal.
A faint moan from the hallway reminded her she was in the middle of enemy territory. She disconnected the Omni-tool and stood up, scanning her surroundings. "Got what I need," she mumbled. She'd figure out what was in these files somewhere safe—somewhere that didn't smell like a dead body freezer.
With that, she backtracked through the hospital. Muzzle flashes lit her peripheral vision as she cut through another pack of zombies. They collapsed under her unstoppable fire, limbs and gore painting the walls. She tried not to focus too hard on the carnage, even if she couldn't ignore how disturbingly normal it felt by now.
She reached the stairwell and took the steps two at a time, rifle primed. The overhead lights flickered, casting weird shadows on the chipped concrete walls. Every landing had something nasty—body parts, broken stretchers, or both—but she pushed through until she finally hit the top floor. She shoved open the stairwell door and slammed it behind her, jamming a bent rebar through the handles. Almost immediately, the undead started pounding on it, but at least it stayed shut.
She turned to the open night sky, which was still ridiculously beautiful, even though her world had gone straight to hell. Before she could say a word, the roar of helicopter blades echoed in her ears, and a glaring spotlight pinned her in place. She winced at the sight of Umbrella's red logo on the chopper. Great, more trouble.
Two masked agents—definitely clones, if Umbrella's usual MO was anything to go by—aimed rifles at her but didn't fire. One hopped out onto the roof, holding a tablet. He thrust it in her direction so she could see the screen.
Her eyes narrowed. The Red Queen's smug digital face appeared, the same AI she thought got wiped out with Raccoon City.
"Hello there, Project Alice," it said in a clipped tone. "You've been awfully hard to track down."
Alice rolled her eyes. "Yeah? Then why don't you just tell me where your bases are so I can visit them all personally?"
"We'd prefer not to make things that easy," the Red Queen shot back. "You've been a major nuisance, but Umbrella controls most of the planet now, and the few holdouts left are basically finished. No matter who your new allies are or how they manage to teleport you around, we'll find them. There's nowhere left to hide in this world."
Alice let out a snort. "You don't even know who you're dealing with," she said. No way in hell Umbrella would find the Fox Hole—it was in an entirely different dimension. "Hurry up and get to the point, because if you're not shooting me, you're just wasting my time."
"We never planned to kill you, Project Alice," the AI insisted. "We've always wanted to capture you. You're bonded to the T-Virus in a unique way—no physical or mental breakdown. That's incredible. If you willingly come in and let us study you, we'll guarantee you a place in Umbrella's new world order, once it's rebuilt. Of course, we'll also need to know your allies' identities and how ALL of their technology works."
Alice gave a short, scornful laugh. "Same old bullshit, huh? Well, I do have a counteroffer..."
The Red Queen cocked its head. "Oh? And that is…?"
She skipped the reply and unslung her rifle, unloading a burst of fire right at the soldier clutching the tablet. Plastic and circuits flew in every direction.
"Damn you!" the Red Queen snarled as the screen sputtered out.
Alice wasted no time. She whirled and took aim at the rest of the agents in the helicopter. They fired first, but their bullets sparked harmlessly against her personal energy shields—another perk of the futuristic gear she'd gotten from the Citadel. She smirked at their obvious confusion and returned fire, dropping them one by one. The pilot panicked and tried to take off, but she pumped a round into the cockpit, killing him and sending the chopper into a shaky hover.
She snagged a grenade from her belt, pulled the pin, and chucked it into the side door. "Door me!" she yelled.
The goddess who apparently watched over them all—in a pretty creepy but useful way—did her thing, and a wooden door showed up next to Alice like it always did. The helicopter behind her erupted in a huge fireball, spewing smoke and debris over the rooftop. Alice didn't so much as glance back. She grabbed the door's handle, yanked it open, and stepped into the Fox Hole.
…
She'd expected to see Haru behind the counter. Instead, Enri and Yasaka, plus four strangers and a floating blue cat, were there, gaping at her like she was nuts for some reason.
She glanced down, immediately remembering she was absolutely drenched in zombie gore. "It's not mine," she said, casually waving it off.
A blonde girl in some cheerleader getup gawked at her. "That's not the point! Why are you covered in blood, and what do you mean it isn't yours? Did you kill a bunch of people or something?"
Alice just rolled her eyes. "They weren't people anymore," she said, brushing past them. "Believe me, you don't want to hear the details."
She caught Yasaka's eye. The fox-eared woman gave her a knowing smile and shook her head, clearly not surprised. Alice nodded back—Yasaka was Haru's mom, and by now she'd seen her share of weird stuff come through this place.
"I'm gonna use Haru's shower," Alice announced. She cringed at the sticky squelch of half-dried zombie guts on her clothes. Definitely needed a change, too.
On her way down a short hallway, she noticed Enri waving awkwardly, and she waved back. The sound of the strangers interrogating Yasaka followed after her.
"Who is she?" "What's a zombie?" and so on.
Alice couldn't help but smirk.
– Haru –
I stepped through the swirling dark portal Shalltear created, half expecting a dark, creepy corridor or some grimy dungeon walls. Instead, I found myself on the tenth floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, and it was so freaking fancy I almost forgot why I'd come here in the first place. Polished marble floors, carved pillars, massive gold-framed paintings—it all screamed money. Ainz was clearly loaded.
What I didn't expect was the tall, pale guy standing at the far end of the throne room. He had pale skin, pitch-black hair and these weird crimson eyes that practically glowed. My first thought was that he was some new underling I hadn't met yet.
Then I felt that same magical vibe I usually got from Ainz—except now it felt more…human?
"Ainz…?" I called out, my voice echoing in the big, empty room. "That you?"
He turned around, and sure enough, he recognized me. A big grin spread across his face. Unlike his usual skeleton grin, he had actual lips now—kind of jarring.
"Indeed, Haru," he said, sounding pretty proud of himself. "I managed to master a human transformation spell. Took a while, but I finally nailed it."
I took a few steps closer, trying not to stare. "Damn, that's impressive," I muttered. "You look…alive. And your voice is different, too."
Ainz rubbed the back of his new head of hair. "Yeah, it's weird having skin and hair again—plus a heartbeat." He glanced behind me. "And I see Shalltear came with you—"
He didn't finish because I heard heavy panting beside me. I looked over and saw Shalltear, eyes totally locked on Ainz, cheeks bright red. "Oh…Lord Ainz," she mumbled. "Now that you have a real body, that means you also have a real…" Her gaze flicked to his waist, and in the blink of an eye, she launched herself at him, tackling him so hard they went flying ten feet across the room. "Lord Ainz!" she practically yelled, straddling him. "Let's do it right here! I need you now, before that ugly gorilla can butt in!"
"Ugly gorilla" definitely meant Albedo. My face went hot from secondhand embarrassment. I'd seen people get handsy before, but this was on a whole different level.
"Shalltear!" Ainz sputtered, trying to pull himself out from under her. He was still figuring out his new arms and legs, and it showed. "C-calm down! This isn't—"
"You've got a real body now!" Shalltear moaned. "No more skeleton form! That's sad, but also awesome because we can do everything! Let's not waste a second!"
I coughed, scratching the back of my neck. "So, uh, I came here to talk about Fairy Tail. The news isn't great…"
She ignored me completely, fingers already fumbling with the buttons on Ainz's fancy robe. I was about to repeat myself when a huge crash made the whole room shake. My ears twitched, and I jumped aside. The fancy double doors at the entrance just got blasted off their hinges, crashing right where I'd been standing.
"Ainz-sama~!"
Albedo had arrived. Great, so she'd heard the news somehow, or maybe just sensed it. Ainz barely managed to sit up—still pinned by Shalltear—when Albedo threw herself at them. All three tumbled across the shiny floor in a mess of limbs, hair, and plenty of shrieking (mostly from Shalltear).
"You bitch," Albedo snarled, shredding her own clothes. "You're not hogging Lord Ainz all to yourself, you undead tramp!"
Shalltear hissed at her, refusing to move an inch. "Says the succubus who can't keep her tail out of his pants for five seconds!"
I just stood there, stunned, as chunks of Albedo's outfit hit the ground. She was basically stripping in front of me, looking like she was about to have a showdown with Shalltear—both of them trying to get at Ainz. Ainz tried shouting for them to knock it off, but he might as well have been talking to a wall.
"Where the hell did Haru go!?" he yelled, obviously wanting backup. "Help me, damn it!"
"Sorry, dude," I mumbled, slowly backing away. "I'm not getting in the middle of this."
No way I was hanging around to watch a vampire and a succubus wrestle over Ainz in the middle of the throne room. He finally had a human body, so…good for him, I guess, but I didn't need front-row seats to… that.
I spun around and jogged out, ignoring the moans and frantic yelling. I had no idea where I was headed, but anywhere was better than that spectacle.
…
I wandered one of Nazarick's ridiculously ornate hallways, trying to wipe the mental image from my mind. My fox ears stayed pinned against my head until I'd gotten far enough that the sounds faded. On a normal day, I might've admired the suits of armor or the stained-glass windows. But at the moment, I just wanted to keep moving and pretend none of that had happened.
Suddenly, a calm voice broke the silence. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting."
I turned and saw two figures approaching. The first was a tall man in an orange suit, complete with a long, demonic tail swishing lazily behind him. Walking beside him was an older man who practically radiated butler energy—sharp posture, impeccable outfit, and a serious expression. They looked distinctly out of place from one another, yet they moved in sync, as if they'd worked together forever.
I blinked once, then snapped my fingers. "Ah, you must be Demiurge," I said, nodding at the man with the tail, "and Sebas," indicating the butler. "Ainz has mentioned both of you. He's said he'd never get anything done if not for your support."
Sebas inclined his head in a polite bow. "It's an honor, Lord Haru."
Demiurge offered a small grin. "Indeed. It's good to finally meet one of Lord Ainz's friends. You're Haru, correct? I was not informed you were visiting Nazarick today. Are you traveling alone…?"
I cleared my throat. "Well…Shalltear was with me, but she sort of…ran off. Actually, she's in the throne room with Ainz and Albedo."
Demiurge lifted a brow, while Sebas looked worried. "What happened?" Sebas asked.
I rubbed the back of my neck. "Let's just say Ainz figured out how to transform into a human, and both Shalltear and Albedo are…really into it. I kinda bailed."
Sebas turned bright red when he finally realized what I was implying, while Demiurge's eyes lit up in excitement.
"That's fantastic news! A real mortal form means a real lineage for Nazarick."
I tried not to cough. "Uh, yeah, I guess that's one way of looking at it." I paused. "Anyway, Ainz probably won't be free anytime soon…"
Demiurge snapped out of his brief daydream. "I imagine so... Those two women can be rather…forward." He adjusted his glasses with a faint smile. "Please forgive them if you found the display distasteful."
I shrugged. My own girlfriends can be a handful. I'm not about to judge.
Sebas cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure. "I assume you came to discuss something with Lord Ainz? We can pass along a message, if you'd like."
"Well, yeah," I said. "I came here to talk about Fairy Tail's decision, but I doubt Ainz will be available for at least a few hours—"
"Forty-eight, more likely," Demiurge interjected calmly.
I nearly choked. "Forty-eight hours???"
"He's facing a vampire and a succubus at once!" Demiurge declared as if that explained everything.
Which, I guess it did…?
I stifled a laugh, feeling a little sorry for my undead friend.
Demiurge folded his hands behind his back. "Perhaps you could tell me what you planned to say. I might be able to relay the information. Or better yet, is there anything else pressing on your mind? I actually had a small request, if you can spare the time?"
That piqued my curiosity. "Sure, shoot. What's up?"
He smiled, revealing razor-sharp teeth. "I've yet to explore any worlds beyond this one. I know Lord Ainz has stepped into your Fox Hole to travel, and Albedo has as well. But I haven't had the opportunity." He paused, his tail flicking behind him. "I was hoping you might show me your home world. Or at least one of the other worlds you have access to."
I nodded. "That's definitely doable. I can take you to Earth—my Earth, not the zombie-infested one. I could introduce you to some other Devils."
Demiurge's grin widened. "Hmmm… I would be interested in meeting devils besides myself. Nazarick is full of demons, but I'm the only true devil among us."
I smirked at him. "...If you're looking for a girlfriend or something, you're definitely in luck when it comes to my world. Almost every female devil I've met is ridiculously beautiful."
Demiurge's composed demeanor cracked for a second. He sputtered, adjusting his glasses. "I-I wasn't alluding to that!"
Sebas let out a quiet chuckle, the sound almost polite. "I don't believe I've ever seen Demiurge look so flustered."
I smirked, enjoying how easily the conversation had turned casual. "So, Sebas," I said, turning to him, "you want to tag along? Maybe you'll meet a female dragon or something."
This time it was Demiurge smirking at Sebas who sputtered. "I–I appreciate the offer, but I prefer to remain here in case Lord Ainz requires a–assistance..." he trailed off.
"Fair enough," I said, mentally wishing Ainz good luck. "All right, Demiurge, guess it's just you and me. Want to head out now?"
Demiurge nodded, then glanced at Sebas. "Would you mind sending a quick message to Lupusregina for us, so she can open a gate to the first floor? That would make things much simpler..."
– Alice –
Alice came out of the shower around a half hour later, toweling her hair off. She was once again borrowing some of Rias's clothes–Haru's other other girlfriend–certainly didn't mind though.
She made her way back out into the restaurant. The four guests from before were still here, and now there was another woman as well. Alice frowned when she recognized Irene, the dragon who was hitting on Haru but had abandoned her daughter.
Irene was on her hands and knees on the floor doing a japanese dogeza to the new red haired girl…
"Please forgive me, my daughter! But I also HAVE TO ASK! Why are your guildmates so strange!? And what is a Dommy Mommy and why do they all want me to step on them!?"
""Ehhhhh!?""
The door swung open behind them silently. Alice locked eyes with Haru and the man with him that she didn't recognize. She quickly pointed at Irene on the floor and gestured for Haru to go before the crazy dragon spotted him.
He gave her a thumbs up and waved at his mother and Enri while his own guest just looked a bit confused before they walked back out the restaurant's front door. Alice also didn't want to deal with…whatever all this was with the crazy dragon mommy. So she decided to silently sneak out the back and meet up with Haru instead.
– Kokabiel –
Kokabiel stood on the edge of a crumbling rooftop, glaring down at the city lights below. From his vantage point, all he saw was a world that had grown soft—too many pacts, too many alliances, and far too much "peace." He spat the word in his mind like it was poison. Peace was an insult to everything he believed in.
All around him, the supernatural factions seemed to be playing nice. Fallen angels kept drifting away from his cause, muttering something about not wanting war anymore. Kokabiel bristled every time he heard it. What the hell else was there for fallen angels to do besides wage battle against everyone who stood in their way?
He snorted, recalling how his recent schemes had failed. Raynare had been a colossal disappointment—she lost the damn Boosted Gear user and didn't even secure Twilight Healing either.
Worse yet, the devils aligned themselves with the Kyoto yokai. Kokabiel nearly gagged at the thought. He detested the Gremory family–nice Devils, what a joke! And any sign of them working toward genuine cooperation with the yokai just made him sick! And that wasn't the end of it. He'd heard rumors that the angels had been sniffing around Japan, and the lazy bastard Azazel had been spotted there, too. Kokabiel's wings twitched in irritation. Were all these idiots about to engage in official peace talks?
He tightened his fists, anger coursing through him. He refused to let that happen. If the world fell under some grand treaty of peace between devils, angels, and yokai, there would be no war left for him to fight. No chaos, no bloodshed, no purpose for him. He sneered at the prospect. That future was disgusting.
His mind raced as he considered his next move. If the devils and yokai were such good buddies now, then hurting one meant hurting them all. Kokabiel let out a low chuckle. Killing that Gremory bitch, the one who was so chummy with Kyoto's fox prince, would spark a perfect shitstorm. The devils would be furious, the yokai would be out for blood, and any angel poking around might get caught in the crossfire.
"Good," Kokabiel muttered to himself, a twisted grin crossing his face. That was how it should be. He wouldn't rest until he derailed their pathetic peace and sent the supernatural world back into a spiral of war.
He spread his ten black wings and took flight, laughing as he envisioned the chaos he planned to unleash.
XXX
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Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters:
The Fallen Gamer ch 316-320
The Titan 26
The Fox Hole 53
The Blood Queen 33
The Fox Hole 52
Thunder and Black Wings 9
The Fox Hole 51
The Titan 25
The Fox hole 50
The Titan 24
The Blood Queen 32