New World End
Dungeons being a concept of this world truly caught me off guard, and Gazef being 10 levels above what he should have been was another shock for me. Level 30 should be around the level at which in the original story one was considered a hero, this meant even someone like Gazef who was considered one of the strongest humans alive was barely 30 or level 29.
But he was level 40, which meant that everything I could expect from this world to be completely different. Why was Gazef so powerful? what was the standard of a warrior in this world? If Gazef was this strong, how strong would those who summoned us be while using the dungeons?
But this was the unknown that I loved, although the fact everything was playing the same way as in the anime was concerning. was there something like the concept of fate at play, Momonga was fated to come into this world, at the same time, along at the same spot. At first, I wanted to shake off such things, but then you have to remember that I was within a story, was the Author still writing things out, or did this split off to become a different universe, following a what-if, but was still close to the original universe?
So many questions, and I needed to fully understand if the Author was still affecting this world or not. If so, did I need to gain plot resistance or something? If the author wasn't affecting this story, then how was it possible for the world to play out like this? The kingdoms should have been different thanks to the butterfly effect the dungeons would have caused, the names of those people I was seeing should have also been different... but they were not. From village girls to warriors, and even the king, 600 years and nothing changed? This made no sense and put me on guard slightly. was there a greater power at play here?
"Sir Igneel, I would like to hire you," Gazef said knowing that there was a high likelihood he would die without my support. At his words, I thought for some time before nodding lightly.
"Sure, but not in money, but information on the happenings for the past 600 years," I said calmly, stunning Gazef who looked at me in confusion, before slowly speaking.
"Are you like Fluder who managed to increase his natural lifespan?" He asked, reminding me of Fluder, a human who was over 200 years old, and with the use of magic managed to live longer.
"Something like that, for the past 600 years I have been locked away. So, I'm really confused upon coming out and hearing things like dungeon appeared when we left to go train. So, if it's okay, I would like to come to the kingdom and go through your books." I said to which Gazef hesitated as he didn't have the power to pay me like that.
"I can't say yes, but I will ask the king. But I'm willing to answer all your questions to the best of my powers." Gazef said helpless that he couldn't promise a simple thing like that.
"I guess that would do. I also want to see the changes to this world over the past 600 years, so a higher-grade map would do." I said to which Gazef nodded, a far easier request.
"Bukubuku, I will go deal with them, you stay back and protect the village," I said to which Bukubuku frowned lightly, but still nodded. everyone was so weak, so what was the point in her worrying?
"Someone give him a horse, " Gazef said while looking towards his man, but I stopped them
"I can fly, plus before I make a move or anything, I want you to get information out of them as to what they want with you," I said while floating into the sky and disappearing towards where the battle would take place. Gazef was speechless, but he and his man didn't fear death, as they shot off.
I watched everything from above, mainly taking the time to record Gazef's fighting style. There was also a new concept within this world, a concept known as Martial arts. Gazef went on to show these martial arts, but they were not the same martial arts one might think of back on Earth.
Martial Arts are fighting skills used by warriors who hail from the New World. They are considered as one of the powers alongside Talents, Wild Magic, and Runecraft that did not exist in YGGDRASIL.
Martial Arts is made up of techniques that did not exist in YGGDRASIL. Similar powers in YGGDRASIL were called "skills" and they are acquired mainly by players with warrior classes. When using a particular martial art technique, the effects can boost a warrior's physical abilities, sharpen the person's mind, and so on. Whereas magic casters are practitioners of Tier Magic, Martial Arts are considered to be the magic of the warrior classes in which melee combatants excel.
As for his enemies? they were angels, angels that were summoned, while their caster stood far away where it was safe. So, even when Gazef took down a summon, he found it was pointless as the summoner just summoned another one.
Gazef used many martial arts, which are listed below.
Focus Battle Aura: By pouring the user's fighting spirit into their weapon, this art endows normal weapons with effects equivalent to those of magical weapons. With these weapons, it is possible to break through the special defenses of races such as angels.
Sixfold Slash of Light: An art that allows the user to slash nearby enemies six times with one swing of their sword. This art releases six strikes of light that, even though they may be powerful, can't be directed. This is why the user only casts this when fighting against groups. It is a favorite killing move of tremendously powerful enemies, which Gazef used as his trump card. However, it carries a great burden, so much so that each use takes as much focus as three regular arts, and the user's body is greatly exhausted.
Flow Acceleration: An art that temporarily accelerates the workings of the user's nerves, increasing one's attack speed and movement speed. The downside to it, however, is the extreme exhaustion that builds up in the user's mind.
Instant Counter: An art that forcibly returns the user to their attack stance after they are thrown off-balance by a previous attack. It's effective for dodging enemy attacks but puts a large burden on the user's body.
Body Strengthening: A Martial Art that increases one's muscle strength.
Gazef was pushed to his limit, but even so, he faced off against the angels. he should have been able to reach the summoners, but the summoners had 3 Principality Observations, and those angels had a unique ability. This angel is able to enhance the defensive capabilities of all allied forces within its line of sight, so long as it is stationary.
Yes, Gazef normally wouldn't need martial arts to take down these angels, with his strength and the fact the blade he had wasn't normal, he should have been able to reach the summoners, but those 3 angels, plus the large numbers of angels made that impossible.
"Why? Why are you all doing this?" Gazef asked with a hateful glare,
"Trying to get information out of me? but what's the point? why would a dead man even care? Just stand still like a good dog, I will do you a favor and make it painless." Nigun the leader of the group said with a cold mocking smile. this annoyed Gazef as the information he was after wasn't going to be given to him, but It wasn't like I was after that information, I just wanted to see his martial arts being used.
"Well, I guess that wasn't all too useless," I said while teleporting next to Gazef, before putting my palm on his shoulder. As a Jack of all trades, I was of course skilled in healing magic, and Gazef who was at his limit found himself returning to full health in an instant.
I waved my hands towards the troops who were dead, bringing them all back to life with a bright light that shone like the morning sun. they all came back to life, before standing up in confusion, not understanding why or how they were alive.
With another spell, I teleported them back to the village, allowing me to stand off against the army who were not given time to react to all of this.
"W-who are you? what type of spell is that? how could you bring so many people back to life with none of them suffering any drawback," Nigun was freaked out by what he saw, magic that could bring back the dead normally had drawbacks, be it for the caster or those being brought back to life. yet why didn't he see none of that? Why were things so easy for this person?
"what's the point? why would a dead man even care?" I asked with a bored look, causing Nigun heart to be overwhelmed with fear, but he hid this with rage as he ordered everyone to attack me at once.
The Archangel Flame shot towards me, these were 3rd tier summons, and as they arrived before me and attacked me, they instead suffered a backlash. an invisible wall or barrier flashed for a split second, causing the angels to fly backward while suffering heavy injuries, although not enough to destroy them.
"Attacks of such levels can never harm me, instead you're just harming yourselves. but by all means, keep attacking me until you realize how fighting back is pointless." I said calmly, the army was freaked out by all of that. but they didn't stop attacking, sending their MP into the angels, they healed them and sent them to attack me, but the same thing happened all over again,
But how could they harm me? I wasn't even the strongest tank in the game, that was Bukubuku. but even I could stand still before someone at level 100, and they wouldn't be able to do any meaningful damage to me. of course, if said level 100 is strong enough, then it's a different story.
The army all attacked, some stopped using the angels and started casting spells, but they ended up dying from the backlash of attacking me. Nigun was horrified watching all of this play out, but once all of the angels were gone he asked the 3 Principality Observations to go attack me, and no, not all 3 were summoned by him. he summoned 1 of them, and the remaining 2 were summoned by a group of mages working together.
The 3 angels pulled out their weapon, which was a staff. with a shield in one hand and staff in hand, the angel went on to attack me, just for the barrier to reappear once more, causing all 3 to suffer from the backlash. but although heavily injured, they were not destroyed, but they still kept attacking me, leading to them being destroyed.
"This must be a trick, it has to be." Nigun roared, not wanting to believe it. he wanted to believe that my ability needed me to stand still or something, maybe it needed me not to attack, or maybe it had a time limit which they just had to find out.
"Even if it was a trick... would an insect like yourself be capable of finding it out? but there is no trick, be strong enough and you bypass my ability. but even then, you have to get past my immunity to most damages that are not strong enough, and then you have to get past my resistance, and lastly my physical durability. even if I stood here for years, it's impossible an insect-like yourself could hope to harm me." I said lightly, amazed by just how bored I was.
"But now that you realize how outmatched you are, and the fact you have yet to break down. I'm guessing you have a trump card, pull it out, and once you realize how pointless that is and you start to lose all hope, then we can talk... so hurry up." I said enraging Nigun who pulled out a crystal. He wanted to speak, but seeing as I gave the crystal one look, and lost all interest, he was enraged.
"You forced me... I will summon the highest-level angel." Nigun screamed while using the item to call upon the highest-grade angel, which went on to brighten the sky which was turning dark.
Dominion Authority was the angel summoned, and it was summoned using an item that held a 7th-tier spell. Nigun army almost wanted to fall to their knees in worship seeing such a holy summon, how couldn't they while feeling that holy light? Nigun wanted to make a speech on how I was worthy or whatever, but I didn't care
"Just attack and shut up," I said in annoyance, making Nigun uneasy with just how calmly I took everything. but again, he hid the fear with rage, sending the angel to attack me. a right of light shot from the heavens, raining down upon me, but this level of attack although capable of getting past my passive skill backlash, wasn't capable of breaking past my immunity to such weak attacks, so the barrier appeared to nullify the attack while I lazily stood there, looking at Nigun who felt like his soul was about to escape from him.
"I'm... annoyed. it's like having to lower your intelligence and slow yourself down to that of a kid. the only difference here is that one is a child, and you are a fully grown man. I found out that I'm not patient when it comes to fools who just keep rejecting the reality before them." I said while in my palm, a ball gathered that was in the color of all of the elements
"You want to see power? This is the meaning of true power." I said while turning my attention to the sky, towards those watching this. not Nazarick, but the power behind Nigun. I had turned off my anti-spying passive skills and items, allowing them to watch this... and it was them that I was so patient with.
I threw the ball towards the angel, causing the angel to be sent flying high up into the sky before it exploded. a huge explosion which created such bright light, that some of the soldiers below went blind as they didn't look away fast enough, or they were just too weak.
When the light died down, Nigun looked towards the sky, just to see a huge hole in the clouds. he didn't know the might of that attack, but he was sure if it landed on the ground, he and everyone else were sure to have died.
He looked towards me, just to fall back seeing I stood before him. He was scared, how couldn't he be scared? he wanted to beg for mercy, but I told him to shut up.
"Enter this portal, you will give me all of the information you have on the Sunlight Scripture, or else I torture it out of you. Death isn't a problem for me, so even when your mind is at its breaking point, and your body can't take it, I can just bring you back." I said sending chills down all of their spines as they remembered how easily I could bring the dead back to life. And yes, I showed off how easily it was for me to bring the dead back to life for this fear.
"I-I will speak. I was dumb and didn't know my place..." Nigun began bowing towards me, but I just stepped on his head, pressing it hard into the ground.
"Into the portal or torture, I give you all 5 seconds," I said before I began to start counting backward while getting off Nigun. although they were scared, they rushed into the portal, with a few loyal ones staying back while looking towards me, unwilling to betray their kingdom.
"Have them be questioned away from each other, those that lie give them to Ulbert to deal with. As for these people that remain, they picked what they wanted.." I ignored them and turned to walk away while speaking to Momonga, as I turned to leave, shadows came from the gate, grabbing the soldiers and pulling them into Nazarick. after that was done, and the portal closed, I looked into the sky.
"This backlash i'm giving you all is weak, due to the fact I might just kill you. that whole time I wasn't speaking to that fool but you..." I said while the sky suddenly cracked, countless Km away, a group of people who had been watching the happening, suddenly shot backward, slamming heavily into a wall while coughing up a mouthful of blood. horror filled the room, while they all looked toward the destroyed item they were using to spy on Nigun...
With all that done and said, I returned and I was met by Gazef who couldn't relax, that was even more so when that bright light appeared, swallowing the whole sky. I just explained how I showed off a little, sending chills down Gazef's spine. I explained how I will be coming by the kingdom soon to collect my reward, which Gazef was okay with,
"... before you come..." Gazef wanted to warn me about the nobles, but I stopped him.
"I already guessed your standing within the kingdom isn't the best. your report would go in one ear and out the others in the noble ear. at most, they would say something like i'm equal to 10 Gazef or something." I said with a shrug, making Gazef lower his shoulder in defeat.
"... thank you again." Gazef could only say that before he left with his man, he of course went to where the battle had taken place, just to find the place perfectly fine, and without even a drop of blood from the enemy side. it was like they just disappeared. He quickly returned home, wishing to tell the king about this and have him be ready.
Meanwhile, I returned to the guild with Bukubukuchagama, where everyone met in the throne room. I didn't say anything and allowed them all to speak their idea on what we should do next.
"Now that we know just how strong we are, I believe we should have most of our attention on getting an income. I could start a farm, where I would grow a lot of resources which we could exchange for gold... but is that good enough?" Punitto Moe said. we could exchange stuff like food for the equivalent value of gold. it wasn't limited to food as even rocks and stones could be used. this way we don't need to worry about the money problem and the guild upkeep cost.
"what are you getting at?" Ulbert asked to which Punitto Moe looked at everyone before speaking.
"let's conquer a kingdom, with people paying us tax, and us collecting all types of stuff from around the kingdom, we would no longer need to worry about the money problem. plus, I have reason to believe that dungeons are not just free for everyone to take." He said to which everyone nodded as they didn't mind the idea
"I think we should become an adventure. I like Igneel-san idea of accepting Gazef's payment but for information. but I'm sure there might be more key information out there for us to get. High-ranking adventures should have high benefits, right? they make their living from doing missions and dungeon exploring, that has to come with benefits." Yamaiko said in a low voice, to which a few of them nodded their head in agreement.
"I think we are ignoring the fact that the guy we captured had an item from YGGDRASIL... as well as summons. did they come from YGGDRASIL?" Momonga asked
"I think our number one goal is information, let's torture those guys and get the information out of them," Ubert said with a demonic smile.
"Ubert, you should do some self-control training. I will put you through it later, and I'm not taking no for an answer." I said calmly, making Ubert pout slightly,
"Wait, igneel-san, you wanted me to head out last time right?" Momonga asked remembering that a few days ago I did say something about this.
"Yes, thats because you are the best person for the job. so long as you hide your true appearance. Punitto Moe, Bukubukuchagama, Peroroncino, and Herohero are a good choice as well... although Yamaiko sounds good at first, she isn't too bright." I said calmly,
"Hey!" Yamaiko said offended at my words.
"I didn't mean it in any bad way. you're just the type of person who attacks without thinking things through. plus, you are too innocent, what if someone tricks you into selling your soul or something." I said leaving Yamaiko unable to say anything, so she went quiet.
"Igneel-san does have a good point. why don't we split up? conquering the kingdom will not happen overnight. So, let's split things up into mini-tasks. Momonga can go to Re-Estize Kingdom, while the others wait a few days or weeks before heading out. Oh, we can use this as a chance to train them, have them adapt and learn to the outside world." Punitto Moe said while everyone was quiet, but they in the end nodded lightly.
"Momonga, when you are playing the life of an adventure, take the time to give someone a potion. it has to be with good reason and not because you are being nice." I said while getting up from the throne, but as I was about to leave, I looked towards Albedo
"Do you guys have anything to add? I want to hear if you have anything you wish to say." I asked stunning Albedo.
"... forgive me for my rudeness, but why do you want to give someone a potion?" Demiurge asked softly,
"the potion of this world might not be red, I want someone who makes them approach Momonga, and from there I want Momonga to point them towards Tabula. that way, we can start learning to see if we can use this world's resources to create potions." I said calmly, stunning everyone
"I don't want to be cold-blooded and ruthless where it's not needed... this is something I wish you all to learn. Sometimes the evil route is the best, and sometimes the peaceful route is the best. knowing which and how to switch between the two is important," I said to Demiurge and Albedo.
"I'm going to sleep, after 3 straight days of watching that Mirror, I want a break. Send someone to protect Carne village, it's going to be our test subject. don't go there and tell them what to do, just watch... If I am asleep for more than 3 days, come wake me up." I said with a yawn,
"Also, try hunting down those with martial arts. I want to see if we can learn from them. Don't get cocky, with how dungeons work in this world, it means there should be lifeforms at around or above 100 somewhere. think of us at the center of the world right now." I said to which everyone nodded. what else can they do, for 3 days straight I sat before a mirror just watching mortals running around, while also learning a language I didn't need to learn, but I did so because I was bored.
"Who would be coming with you?" Ubert asked Momonga who looked towards the NPC within the room,
"I will pick, Shalltear, Evergreen, and... Diablo," Momonga said calmly, he picked two of the most troublesome but he also picked the calm and easy-going Diablo to balance things out... and so time passed.