Mare himself was not an expert at detecting presences like his sister, but even he had a certain range from which he could detect almost any creeping enemy.
Unless the foe was a top level assassin-class he would never be able to sneak up on Mare.
There was no response from the hidden lifeforms. Perhaps the shock that they had been detected caused them to lose the ability to answer or perhaps they just didn't have it in them to reply to this young elf boy that they were going to take him hostage and use him to escape the ambush.
"Twin maximize magic: [Entangle]."
With a face completely devoid of emotion, Mare cast his spell and watched as two sets of green vines sprouted from the ground and rapidly coiled themselves around the two hidden figures. The two managed to draw their swords out, but even that was useless.
As much as they struggled, the more they resisted the tighter it wrapped around them, never letting go of its grip and retracting further back into the ground, forcing the two to fall down. No matter how much they tried to cut through the vines the cuts would simply mend themselves instantly and make the vines wrap even tighter around their bodies.
After they had been fully subdued they released their cloak ability as it was pointless to keep it up anymore. The two twins, who had been allowed to join the Black Scripture in place of the traitor Clementine, who boasted that their assassination skills were superior to even the agents of Izaniya, had been captured like amateurs.
Mare casually walked up to the two assassins and stared at them with a slight sense of curiosity. Unlike the rest of the guardians he was timid and shy but also a bit interested in the creatures called humans.
"Then… I will have you sleep for a-a bit. OK?"
The light in Mare's staff glowed for a bit again and the two assassins felt as if they were being pulled into a deep slumber while the strength of their bodies left them completely and their eyes felt heavy. Very quickly the two had been put to sleep and left to the mercy of Nazarick.
Seeing this scene, Cocytus sneered. Another two fools had tried to bypass him and attacked Mare instead. Naturally he had sensed the two of them disappearing but they had gone around him in such a wide detour that even his senses could not detect their location until they reappeared thanks to Mare.
"Everyone, get back!"
Augus, Alyssa and Palyntana stepped up as Cocytus began his approach once more. The three magic casters had understood that this opponent outclassed them when it came to martial prowess. If they continued to fight with brute strength and skill they would only lose more members.
Then the obvious answer is to bombard him with magic instead.
"Confusion!"
Palyntana let out her spell and aimed at Cocytus. Though she excelled at illusion magic she had to make sure that her comrades' spells would hit the target. Thus her first spell would stop his movements.
As soon as she cast the magic she felt it disappear without a trace and Cocytus was left completely unaffected.
A measly third tier spell like this would not make Cocytus so much as dizzy. It simply bounced off of him and vanished.
"He's got magic defense! Use your strongest spells or we won't stand a chance!"
Not taken aback by the development, the other two mages changed the spells they were going to use and prepared their next attack as fast as possible.
Cocytus, meanwhile, stopped his advance as watching what these magic casters were capable of was also amusing.
Augus clicked his tongue as he could clearly feel that unless he and Alyssa went all out they would not be able to best this monster but if they did they might not have enough power left to fight Ainz afterwards.
"Can't be helped we have to first beat this creature. First spell orb release, seal spell [greater hold species]"
One of the six orbs behind Augus glowed as he unleashed his spell. This was his greatest trump card. These orbs possessed the ability to store mana inside them allowing a person to unleash it later in order to use a much more powerful spell. Augus just now had unleashed a 7th tier spell that even Cocytus was not immune against.
A sigil of light appeared around the waist of Cocytus' body. Glowing with bright markings it prevented him from moving his body even an this scene Alyssa who was standing next to Augus smiled slightly.
"Then I'll join in, First prayer, in the name of the god of life and light bind this foul beast with thine holy chains [Divine Seal]!"
A sigil of light appeared beneath the feat of Cocytus as strings of light began wrapping around his feet and torso, appearing to try and strangle him.
Looking at this scene Ainz could not help but feel nostalgic. These techniques and items were the same as the players of YGGDRASIL used when the level cap was still 40.
At that time super tier spells and world class items had not even been announced and the highest level spell that anyone could perform was 5. However by using items that could contain magic power like the one that Augus used or by storing divine energy for a long time like Alyssa and her fellow priests had done it was possible to unleash a higher tier spell than was expected and it became a tide turning strategy for guild wars.
However against Cocytus it would be far from enough.
"Alyssa let us finish this thing. Second spell orb release, seal spell [chaos flame strike]!"
As another orb started glowing, the palm of Augus his hand lit up and fired a giant fire bolt whose flame emitted a dark luster. This spell could level an entire village and even burn a city if left unchecked. Against Cocytus who was of the ice attribute it would be especially effective.
"I'm on it! Second prayer, in the name of the god of light and life vanquish this creature from this world! [Archangel Arrow]!"
At the same moment an enormous bolt of light shot from Alyssa's hand as it traveled towards Cocytus in the shape of an arrowhead. This was her greatest single target spell and she firmly believed it would be capable of bringing down even a demon god.
Cocytus remained calm as he watched the two spells simultaneously close in. Although they could hurt him they would cause very little damage to him as they were just seventh tier spells. He could have asked Mare for help and already been free of his restraints, but in the end it was not even worth asking.
"How. Annoying. Skill. Activate. [Mass Magic Dispel]!"
A majestic wave of indigo radiated from Cocytus and spread out around him.
As soon as the energy got into contact with the power of the magic casters that had bound him it disappeared. As the wave travelled towards the Black Scripture it did the same to the two magic spells that had been fired at Cocytus.
Without even a sound the spells that the Black Scripture thought could finish even demon gods disappeared without a trace and left them without words as Cocytus stood proudly and unharmed in front of his foes.
When targeted by multiple magic spells at once this skill that Cocytus used could dispel every magic spell that he was afflicted with, was being cast, or was fired at him. Although to use it to cancel out only four spells was overkill, it was the best possible action as his opponents only had this many magic casters.
The Black Scripture was in a state of utter shock. They had gone on numerous dangerous missions and had killed creatures the likes of which would scare even seasoned warriors to death but never had they encountered someone as overwhelming as Cocytus. The Seventh tier spells that cost decades and a fortune to prepare had been erased in an instant along with all the labor that the citizens of the Theocracy had performed to be able to use them.
Cocytus had seen enough of his opponents' magical capabilities. These spells could damage him if only a little so it would be a hassle to enjoy a good fight while having to deal with these pesky magic casters. In that case the solution is simple.