"What the hell was that?"
"I believe I once read about those things, they should be called doppelgängers. But I thought they had been extinct."
"So the one we thought was the Sorcerer King was actually an imposter? That's just cheating!"
Ainz and the guardians felt as if they were being ignored and could all feel a subtle amount of anger forming in their hearts.
"Well then everyone! Allow me to explain why I lured you here. It is my belief that you were the ones to attack one of my subordinates, a platinum-blond haired vampire. Would you happen to know anything about that?
Everyone in the Black Scripture tried to hide their shock to no avail. The surprise they felt from hearing that that monster was only a subordinate of Ainz made them involuntarily shudder.
"Hooh, so that really was you. Well then you can say goodbye to any hope of dying a merciful death."
"Now hold on a second! We weren't the ones that killed that vampire of yours! We were the ones attacked by it in the first place!"
"Silence! You can give your explanation to Neuronist and Shalltear when you're tied up. I think you vermin are missing the point here. I have spent a lot of effort and planning to draw out the ones who brainwashed her in the first place and now I can finally eliminate this thorn in my side."
Ainz looked with a deep vile glare at the group and instantly they felt that the atmosphere had changed drastically. The person before them was undoubtedly Ainz Ooal Gown.
"Defensive positions! Protect Kaire-sama!" Sylvan roared as he commanded his team to take formations. Now that their enemy was only in front of them it made things a lot easier. Although Kaire could not use her power right now, if they could give her enough time to recharge the item than they could try using its power on the Ainz Ooal Gown in front of them.
Even if there was no guarantee that it would work on this Ainz, even if there was no guarantee that this was the real Sorcerer King or that they would be able to hold out, he still had to believe in his comrades. To do otherwise was to acknowledge the defeat of not just them but all of humanity.
"Hooh, looks like these rats are quite accustomed to fighting in a group."
"But it's a pity they are too weak."
Ainz waved regally with his hand and gestured to Cocytus and Mare to head out. After the two nodded their heads they casually started walking towards the formation of the Black Scripture.
The two did not even seem to be remotely tense as to them this was comparable to being sent to weed out the herb garden. If these pests could last as much as five minutes it would already be an astounding accomplishment.
At the Black Scripture's side the front line consisted of Bahmeth, Sylvan, and Roquefort with Persiva, Beaumarchais, Ensem and Kuaiesse in the second line. Behind them were the magic casters of the Black Scripture:; Augus, Alyssa and Palyntana along with Heaven and Earth.
Cedran was in the very back as the personal guard of Kaire who represented their only hope of victory against their current foe.
Cocytus gestured Mare to stay back and support him if he called for it as he proceeded to walk further forwards on his own.
"Well. Then. Let. Us. Begin!"
Cocytus raised his giant right hand and withdrew from seemingly nowhere a giant sword handle.
The handle seemed to possess no blade but instead had a strange mist flowing around it.
Ainz nodded as Cocytus had made a good choice of weapon. This blade by default could not kill its opponents but was perfect for capturing them.
The weapon that Cocytus had withdrawn was called Phantom's Bane. It was a divine class sword that was best against incorporeal enemies of those that had the ability to go into astral forms. On the other hand if it slashed non-corporeal creatures it would inflict high level debuffs such as paralysis, fatigue and sleep. It also had a very low chance of inflicting instant death magic but it could be said that it was too small to take into consideration.
"Well. Then. Who. Will. Go. First?"
The Black Scripture tensed up. From a glance it was obvious that this opponent was not as simple as he appeared. Even non-warriors could tell that Cocytus was not being arrogant in taking all of them on at once.
"Humph, you think it's so easy to take all of us on by yourself? Fine, I'll play with you!" Ensem yelled.
"Oi, Ensem, get a grip! This is not the time for you to try and show off! We have to work together to defeat that thing if we want to stand any chance of beating it!"
Sylvan was the only member of the team that could criticize him but even he had a headache with this guy and his giant ego.
"Don't worry, Captain-kun. I'll deal with him and Ainz quickly and we can all go home! Like it is actually possible for me to lose to a magic caster and an overgrown louse."
Even Sylvan couldn't refute this statement. No matter what opponent Ensem would be against, with his power beating them was a small matter. With his ability that only members of the Scripture could defend against, it would be possible to defeat any kind of opponent with one hit.
"Well then, I'm going out!"
Seeing one of the members brazenly walk out on their own, Ainz couldn't help but laugh internally at this young fool that was about to throw away his life in vain.
"Oya, what have we here one of you actually wants to take up Cocytus on his challenge? Quite a brave bunch you are."
Hearing his enemy mock his confidence Ensem's brows twitched as he shouted at Ainz, "Just you wait, Ainz Ooal Gown. I'll show you an amazing sight! Your subordinate will fall before me and then I'll be coming for you next. You will see something amazing!"
Ainz did not retort as the threat was coming from such a weak opponent that it was not even worth arguing about.
Ensem got to about twenty meters from Cocytus before he halted his steps and got in position. Cocytus himself simply stood still as allowing the enemy the first move was the least amount of courtesy that he could give them with the gap in power being so large.
"Well then! Activate, [Time stop lancer]!"
As soon as he called out the name of his weapon a wave of energy emerged from the spear that covered the entire battlefield.
Everything was frozen. Not a single thing moved, and not a single sound could be heard. In this world the only one capable of moving around was Ensem.
This weapon was quite capricious and had the power to match it. The ability to stop all movement of time in a certain area was considered something only the gods themselves should be capable of and so was kept a secret by the Theocracy for multiple reasons. In all of history only three people had managed to tame the power of this lance as all those unworthy would have their minds break from it.
The mental strain of activating this power had ruined more than one capable fighter as once activated one would feel as if ten years had passed without being able to do anything other think. That was unless they were deemed worthy. Ensem was one of those few worthy who did not experience this mental torture and thus wielded its power flawlessly.
Without a care in the world he approached Cocytus who was likewise standing still inside this timeless world.
Of course, Ensem already knew while he was in this world he would not be able to physically harm another opponent while this ability was active. But that was of no consequence.
As he was about two meters from Cocytus he activated the second weapon skill of his lance, "[Storm form]!"
The entire spear began to crackle with hundreds of tiny lightning bolts as the electric energy within was released. Unlike Clementine's stiletto's this was not a spell sealed within a weapon but a power that was already inside the weapon from the beginning and was comparable to a fifth tier lightning spell.