The Tomb of Nazarick trembled as if it were alive, vibrating under the pressure of the cosmic energy Luxor had unleashed. Ainz Ooal Gown stood at the center of the storm, his skeletal frame looming over the Fate participants, his magic swirling around him like a deadly aura.
Despite their best efforts, the Fate participants were struggling to make a dent in the overwhelming power of Ainz. Their attacks were barely making a scratch on him, and his magic seemed to consume everything they threw at him. The reality itself seemed to twist and distort under the sheer weight of Luxor's will.
But Luxor wasn't finished. He hadn't even begun to show his true power.
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Ainz's voice cut through the chaos like a knife.
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"You think you can challenge me with your little tricks?" Ainz's voice was calm, almost bored. He raised his hand, and the ground beneath the Fate participants began to crack open. Dark energy poured out from the cracks, forming monstrous, shadowy figures that attacked them from all sides.
The Fate participants fought with everything they had. Shirou sliced through the shadows with his sword, each strike a blur of speed and precision. Saber cut down the beasts with her sword, her movements graceful and deadly. Archer unleashed his noble phantasms, each arrow splitting the air with deadly force.
But it wasn't enough. The creatures kept coming, and no matter how much they fought, the monsters seemed endless.
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"This is the power of Nazarick." Ainz sneered. "You are not worthy of standing before me."
Luxor watched with satisfaction as Ainz continued his assault. He could feel the strain the Fate participants were under, their exertion pushing them closer to their limits. But Luxor wasn't interested in simply watching them fight for their lives. He was interested in the spectacle—the grand show of power.
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With a thought, the realities shifted again. The tomb around them flickered like a shattered mirror, shifting between worlds. **Giant beasts appeared from nowhere, massive dragons and demons descended, their roars echoing through the air. Luxor manipulated the battlefield at his will, adding new layers of chaos to make it more glorious, more dangerous.
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"This is the true test, Fate's champions." Luxor's voice echoed through the battlefield, ringing in their ears. "Let's see how long you can survive."
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But as the battle continued, something strange began to happen. A sense of unrest crept through Luxor's mind. For all his grandeur, all his magnificence, something was missing. The challenge had become too easy. The Fate participants were resilient, but they were no match for him. Ainz, despite his power, was merely a puppet in Luxor's game.
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A voice echoed in Luxor's mind.
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"You've made your point. Now, what will you do with this power?"
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It was the first time since his reincarnation that the voice spoke. The same voice that had once guided him, that had helped him understand the true extent of his abilities.
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Luxor paused. The voice had a point. The challenge had grown tiresome. He had created this world, these trials, all for the purpose of showing off his unimaginable power, but now... it all felt like a game.
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With a sigh, Luxor raised his hand, and the battlefield shifted. The dark sky grew even darker, clouds swirling like a storm, crackling with energy. The monsters disappeared in an instant, their roars fading into the distance. The Fate participants found themselves standing on a floating platform, their enemies gone, replaced by a new trial.
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"This is your final test," Luxor's voice boomed, a sense of finality in it. "I have given you everything. Now, face the ultimate version of yourself."
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From the depths of the platform, a mirror appeared, shimmering with a cold, metallic glow. The Fate participants were drawn to it, their reflections distorted in the surface.
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But the reflection was wrong.
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In the mirror, their true selves appeared, but twisted. A shadow of their former selves, corrupted by the very essence of Luxor's reality-bending powers. These were not simply illusions. They were manifestations of the Fate participants' deepest fears, their weaknesses brought to life.
Each of them would have to fight their own darkness, their own inner demons, to survive. And in that moment, Luxor's gaze softened, his satisfaction complete.
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He had created the perfect trial. But now, he realized, the real test wasn't about defeating Ainz or monsters or even the trials he had set for them. It was about seeing how they would confront the true nature of their own existence. The Fate participants were on the verge of understanding that power wasn't everything.
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"Fight or surrender, it's up to you." Luxor whispered, his voice full of quiet amusement. He didn't need to say more. They would either face their demons, or they would fall.
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And so, the battle continued, the fate of the heroes hanging in the balance. Luxor watched with the same smile he always wore, his heart not concerned with whether they lived or died. It was the performance that mattered. The beauty of it all.
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End of Chapter 6