“What Rob said makes sense. Who know, maybe it was made five hundred years ago.”
“Ah, there were more advanced magic techniques in the past.”
“Are you referring to the beings that dominated the continent and whose country shattered almost immediately, of which only the capital remains today?”
“—The Eight Greed Kings. They are considered to be the ones who spread the existence of magic further through this world. If this is a relic of that era, then perhaps…”
“…I see. Then I am in favour of heading out to the arena. In any case, since we were brought here by a trap, they would not allow us to escape.”
In response to Roberdyck’s statement, everyone nodded as they resolved themselves, and began moving.
When they got close to the latticed gate, it rose upward with impressive speed, as though it had been waiting for them all this time. The first thing they saw as they entered the arena were rows upon rows of audience seats around the arena.
The arena was no less impressive than the one in the Empire. In fact, it might have been even more so, given that it was covered in lanterns enchanted with ‘Continual Light’, which lit the grounds up as brightly as if it were the day.
Everyone in ‘Foresight’ was astonished, especially when they glimpsed the audience above them.
This was because sitting there were innumerable clay figures, the dolls known as golems.
Golems were inorganic creatures created through magical means, who would obediently carry out their master’s commands once they received them. Without the need for food or sleep, and never suffering from fatigue or even the ravages of time, they were treasured as guardians and labourers. Furthermore, because their production took considerable time, effort and cost, even the weakest ones would cost a considerable amount of gold coins.
Even Hekkeran and the others, who were paid well, would find it hard to purchase a golem.
They were valuable constructs, and this arena seemed to be overflowing with them.
To Hekkeran, it spoke of how wealthy the person who owned this arena was, as well as how lonely he felt.
As though they had already come here many times before, they looked briefly at each other’s faces before silently walking towards the centre of the arena.
“Outside?”
Reacting to Imina’s voice, all that could be seen when looking at the sky was darkness. Because the light from the surroundings was too strong, it outshone the light from the stars, but even so, there was no doubt that above the arena was a vast expanse of open night sky.
In response to Imina’s voice, they looked up, and saw the night sky. The surrounding illumination was strong and eclipsed the light of the stars, but even so, it was impossible to miss the fact that this arena was open to the night sky.
“Then, we could use flight magic to escape—”
“TOOOOOH!”
A figure jumped from the balcony of the VIP box, in time with the voice that had interrupted Arche’s words.
The figure somersaulted in mid-air as it descended from a height that seemed roughly equivalent to a six story building, making people wonder if it might have wings as it gracefully landed upon the ground. There was no magic at work here, only pure physical ability. Even the rogue Imina had her breath taken away by the perfection of the movement.
The figure who had absorbed the impact with a mere flexing of its knees smiled brightly.
Before them stood a young dark elf boy.
The long ears which emerged from amongst the golden strands of his hair twitched slightly, giving rise to a glorious impression like that of the sun.
He was fully dressed in a suit of tight-fitting, light leather armour, made from jet black and deep crimson dragon scales, over which he wore a white vest embroidered with golden threads. A coat of arms was sewn onto the breast of the jacket.
Seeing his heterochromic eyes, Imina let out a gasp of surprise.
“—Ah!”
“—The challengers have arrived!”
The boy spoke into the rod-like object he was holding in his hand, and his amplified words resounded throughout the arena.
The arena trembled and shuddered in time with the boy’s bright and cheerful voice.
Looking around, it seemed that the golems which had remained motionless so far were stomping on the ground to make noise.
“The challengers are four reckless fools who have invaded the Great Tomb of Nazarick! And, facing them is the master of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, the Supreme King of Death, Ainz! Ooal! Gown-sama!”
The portcullis on the opposite side of the arena rose upwards at the same time as the dark elf’s voice rang out. From the darkness of the path beyond, a being stepped into the light. In a word, it would be skeletal.
A crimson radiance flickered within the eye sockets of the white skull.
It was dressed in a gown-like vestment, and because there were no muscles where the robe was cinched about the waist, it appeared too skinny for belief. Judging by the lack of weapons on hand, it was probably a magic caster of some kind.
“Ooh! And walking in behind him is our Guardian Overseer, Albedo!”
The members of Foresight held their breath as they saw the woman who followed behind like a servant.
She was a peerless vision that surpassed even the ‘Beautiful Princess’ of Darkness. Hers was a comeliness that could never be reached by human beings, and two horns curved out gently from both sides of her forehead. At her waist were a pair of black wings. They looked so realistic it could not possibly have been artificially created.
The arena quaked with stomping, as if to welcome the debut of these two new entrants, before turning into thunderous applause. It was a reception befitting the arrival of a king.
The two people approached ‘Foresight’ amidst the thunderous applause from the surrounding golems.
“—I’m so sorry,” Arche muttered. “We ended up like this because of me.”
What would follow was probably going to be the most grueling battle Foresight would ever have faced. In all likelihood, one or more of them might die. Arche probably felt that they had been plunged into such a dire circumstance was because of herself. Without her debt, perhaps they might not have accepted this task to go investigate a tomb they so obviously did not know enough about.