Chapter 652 - 652
"Fūrin Kazan Style—Swift as Fire: Devouring Wolf!"
After obliterating Shalltear's valkyrie in a flash of thunderous speed, Ren Kuroda followed up with another sweeping strike. Empowered by Blade Spirit Release, the "Swift as Fire" technique surged forward, instantly engulfing Shalltear and all the familiars she had summoned in a single, overwhelming blaze.
But this time, Ren infused the attack with a trace of the "evil of this world." The flames turned pitch black—like despair given form.
He was already a level-one-hundred existence. Now, with both Half-Demon Transformation and Blade Spirit Release active, even a single slash carried the destructive force of a super-tier spell.
The bats, black cats, and other familiars Shalltear had summoned let out brief, pitiful cries the moment they touched the black flames—before being reduced to ash in an instant.
The surrounding land had long since been reduced to a barren wasteland, yet now even the sand itself burned, blanketed in relentless black fire.
"Devouring Wolf" embodied gluttony—insatiable hunger. Until there was nothing left to consume, those black flames would never extinguish.
Shalltear still had remaining uses of her special abilities, but even deploying Impure Impact Shield was meaningless in this situation.
Because "Swift as Fire" wasn't a single burst of damage—it was a continuous onslaught. The shield could block the initial strike, but it couldn't stop the flames from spreading, devouring everything in their path.
Watching Shalltear writhing within the inferno, her HP steadily draining, Ren felt a flicker of pity. He had intended to grant her a swift end—
But she stopped him.
"Ren-sama… your overwhelming power… it's simply irresistible…"
Hearing that strange, breathy voice coming from within the flames, Ren's forehead twitched, a vein nearly popping.
…Yeah. That wasn't a scream of pain.
No wonder it sounded so off.
And if he remembered correctly—this girl was a full-blown masochist.
To preserve what little dignity the Guardians still had—and because those sounds were making both him and Momonga feel like they were the weird ones—Ren decisively ignored her request.
With a clean, merciless strike, he wiped out the last of Shalltear's HP.
"Long live Ren-sama… long live Momonga-sama… long live the Great Tomb of Nazarick…"
The following day, within the Great Tomb of Nazarick—
After expending an enormous sum of five hundred million, Shalltear, Guardian of the First through Third Floors, was successfully resurrected.
Just like in the original sequence of events, she had lost all memories from the time she had been controlled.
However, things were different this time.
Because of Ren's involvement, even though Shalltear herself remembered nothing, everyone in Nazarick now knew the truth—the ones responsible were the Six Scriptures of the Slane Theocracy.
And once Shalltear learned she had been controlled—and what she had done to both Ren and Momonga—she flew into a rage, immediately attempting to storm the Slane Theocracy for revenge.
She didn't get far.
Demiurge and Aura pinned her to the ground before she could take even a few steps, while Albedo formally requested that Momonga and Ren administer punishment.
After all, regardless of intent, raising a hand against the Supreme Beings was an unforgivable sin—punishable by death.
"…Hmm. As for how Shalltear should be punished, I'll leave that to Ren," Momonga said after a moment's thought. "Personally, I think she's already been punished enough. But it seems the rest of you aren't satisfied with that outcome."
It wasn't that Momonga didn't want to discipline Shalltear and give the other Guardians closure.
It was just…
Her personality made things complicated.
The scene of her writhing in ecstasy under Ren's black flames was still burned into his mind.
A harsh punishment wouldn't be appropriate—she was a victim, after all.
But a mild punishment… might only excite her more.
So without hesitation, Momonga tossed this hot potato straight at Ren.
And to prevent Ren from refusing, he smoothly shifted the topic before anyone else could speak.
"Our knowledge of the Slane Theocracy and the Six Scriptures is still far too limited," Momonga continued. "However, the fact that they were able to control Shalltear proves they are a threat. Charging blindly into their territory would be unwise."
"So for now, our priority should be strengthening Nazarick's overall military power."
"As for undead forces, as long as we have sufficient materials and MP, we can mass-produce them indefinitely. However, using humans as materials results in relatively low-level undead. And since YGGDRASIL recovery potions are limited, continuously summoning undead also places a heavy burden on MP."
"That's why I went out of my way to recruit Enfrea and his grandmother. That boy shows considerable talent in this area."
"Yuri Alpha, when you visit Carne Village next, bring some MP recovery potions with you and have Enfrea analyze them."
"And as for Sebas and Solution in the royal capital—have them stay alert. Since Shalltear was targeted while traveling with them, it's possible they've also been marked."
Ren wanted to explain.
That Shalltear's encounter with the Slane Theocracy had been purely coincidental.
That they knew nothing about Nazarick.
But considering Momonga's tendency to overthink imaginary enemies—and the Guardians' habit of running wild with their own theories—
Ren wisely chose to keep his mouth shut.
At this point, the entire Great Tomb of Nazarick had effectively designated the Slane Theocracy as a hypothetical enemy.
Demiurge and Albedo even proposed that since humans made poor materials for undead, they could instead use the nearby lizardmen.
According to their investigation, several lizardman tribes lived near Nazarick. Compared to frail humans, lizardmen possessed superior physical strength and higher levels.
Thus, Demiurge suggested capturing them as materials to bolster Nazarick's forces.
Unaware of the fate looming over them, the five lizardman tribes continued their daily lives—
Until one day, two adamantite-ranked adventurers visited the village of the Green Claw Tribe.
"Leave our village?" the chieftain said coldly. "I don't know where you humans came from—but do you have any idea what we went through to claim this land?"
"We have no desire to provoke human adventurers. But we will not abandon our home over baseless words. Leave immediately."
Ren let out a quiet sigh.
Beside him, Yuri crossed her arms.
"Ren-sama… are we really doing the right thing?" she asked. "If Momonga-sama finds out, he may not be pleased. And after we've already warned them, their attitude… frankly, I don't think they deserve your kindness."
Ren smiled wryly.
Back when he'd first seen this storyline, he'd already felt these lizardmen had it rough.
Living their lives peacefully—only for disaster to fall from the sky.
Their desperate resistance even felt like something straight out of a hot-blooded anime… while Nazarick played the role of the overwhelming antagonist.
That was why he had come here this time—to give them a chance.
But in the end…
They didn't believe him.
And from Nazarick's perspective, there was no real reason for a Supreme Being like him to interfere.
Even if he wanted to bring the lizardmen under his command, demonstrating overwhelming strength first was practically a necessity.
After all, monsters and yokai alike followed the same rule:
The strong devour the weak.
Without power strong enough to inspire absolute obedience, mere subjugation would never be enough.
Just as the Green Claw Tribe prepared to drive Ren and Yuri away—
A black vortex suddenly twisted into existence in the sky.
From its center descended a grotesque undead entity—a writhing mass of distorted human faces fused together in anguish.
Despite its terrifying appearance, it was only a level thirty or forty undead—little more than a messenger in Nazarick.
Yet to the lizardmen, it was an overwhelming, nightmarish existence.
"By order of the Supreme Being Momonga-sama," the creature intoned, its voices overlapping grotesquely, "in three days' time, the great Nazarick will send its undead forces to make your village the next offering."
"Struggle. Scream. Entertain us with your desperation."
Just as it finished delivering the message and prepared to leave—
It caught sight of Ren.
In an instant, the grotesque being descended from the sky and prostrated itself before him.
"To the Supreme Being Ren-sama, I offer my utmost reverence. Have you come personally to announce their destruction? Such a trivial task hardly befits your greatness."
"Or… do you have other plans for this village? Shall I relay your will to Momonga-sama?"
The lizardmen froze.
The same monster that radiated absolute despair… was bowing like a servant before this human.
Ren waved a hand dismissively.
"I'm just passing through. Proceed as planned. Return."
The undead immediately withdrew.
And just like that, everything changed.
The lizardmen no longer looked at Ren with suspicion—
But with fear.
"Who… are you?" the chieftain demanded. "That undead called you a Supreme Being. If you intend to destroy us, why warn us to flee?"
Ren shrugged.
"It's simple. The one planning to destroy you is a Supreme Being of Nazarick."
"And so am I."
"He believes you should become sacrifices. I… thought I'd give you a chance to escape."
"But you didn't take it."
Silence fell.
Then—
"Then… great Supreme Being… will you grant us that chance again?"
The one who spoke was not the chieftain, but a warrior clad in violet scales, mounted atop a massive hydra.
This was Zaryusu Shasha—the tribe's strongest warrior.
Ren's gaze lingered on him briefly… before he shook his head.
"Unfortunately, opportunities don't come twice."
"And I won't risk conflict with a friend over something like this."
"You had your chance."
"Now… you'll have to fight to survive."
With that, Ren turned and walked away.