Chapter 5 - Loyalty's Thin Line

I didn't want Askuna to become a murder hobo, but I simultaneously realize that readers of this genre aren't here for reading about wimps and their emotional problems. Therefore, I made Askuna into an ultimate hedonist.

Additionally, some of you may be surprised by how the characters are changing, but I heard about dynamic characters and decided to give it a try.

Long story short, Climb is going to do his Pokémon's punching bag evolution, and J'zargo is going to flip from betrayal to being bros to stealing Askuna's wife—

"Pfft," snorted Askuna. "As if any true hedonist would willingly shoot an arrow into their knee."

A group of women carrying pitchforks assembled before Askuna, so wanting to placate them he raised his hands saying, "Ladies, ladies, it was just a joke!" His smile strained as they approached, and he started backing up. "You are really awesome, right J'zargo?" he turned to J'zargo for support, but he was nowhere to be found. "J'zargo?" he repeated, confused.

Meanwhile, J'zargo abruptly rose from his bed, his eyes wide as he looked around the moonlit room. He saw his two companions sleeping peacefully and glanced at the used stash of Skooma he had taken for good sleep.

"Yes, J'zargo thinks he will save the last one for later," he muttered, still shuddering from the weird dream he had just had. He took a gulp of water and tried to sleep again.

..........

As Askuna perched on the rooftop of the small church, he spotted a figure moving furtively through the shadows. The person seemed to be looking around carefully as if to ensure that no one was watching. He felt a sense of curiosity about what the individual was doing out so late.

Using his telekinesis, he floated from roof to roof and quietly followed the figure from a distance. The person moved quickly and silently, their movements betraying practised ease that suggested they were no stranger to the art of stealth.

He could see that they were getting closer to a small house at the edge of the village. The observed target paused for a moment and looked around, then resumed their path towards their destination. Askuna floated closer, staying on a nearby tree branch and scrutinized the development.

Looking closer, he could see that the person was a young boy, no more than fifteen or sixteen years old. The boy appeared to be searching for something around the ground, before picking up a small pebble and throwing it at the window. With a whispered shout of "Kalina!", the boy repeated the process again and again, with a look of determination on his face as if he knew that this was the only way to reach his beloved.

Askuna watched as the boy tried different tactics, throwing the pebbles harder, then softer, before differentiating the pattern. With each throw, the boy's confidence seemed to grow, and Askuna could almost sense the hope and excitement building up within him.

As the boy continued his efforts to capture Kalina's attention, Askuna couldn't help but chuckle to himself. The boy remained unaware that he was being followed by a telekinetic werewolf-vampire hybrid. As he made a series of desperate attempts to capture his girlfriend's attention, his efforts were both endearing and awkward to witness.

The moment the boy had been waiting for finally arrived when Kalina opened the window, shushing him before engaging in conversation. It was apparent that she was delighted to see him, and they began talking about endearing topics that Askuna had no interest in hearing.

Askuna's discomfort grew as the boy's attempts to win over his girlfriend continued, and he began to feel restless. He realized that his decision to stalk the couple was both inappropriate and a waste of his time. With a shake of his head and a smirk, he silently slipped away into the night, leaving the young couple to their own devices.

As he walked away, his mind wandered to the world of Skyrim, recalling a potent spell that he believed could be of great use. With a spark of excitement, he began to prepare the Clairvoyance spell in his hand, its power surging between his fingers and he almost used it on Nazarick, however, he hesitated, realizing that casting the spell on the tomb would be a reckless decision.

"Ainz has something akin to a nuclear spell defence on him, and Nazarick has Nigredo," he muttered to himself. "Who knows what kind of chaos she could unleash on the town if my experimentation backfires."

With a shake of his head and a deep breath, he reprimanded himself for even considering such a foolish act. Instead, he decided to aim for easier targets, ones that carried lower risk.

Instead, he focused his mind on Climb and invoked the spell, watching as the wispy blue trail snaked its way through the building. He followed it with a sense of satisfaction, watching as it led him to the room where they were staying.

He then tried it on Renner, but as expected the spell's trail remained unchanged, so he moved on to other potential targets.

Curiosity piqued, he visualized the Dremora Merchant, but the spell didn't seem to have any effect, even after a few seconds. The thought of trying it on Zesshi crossed his mind, but the risk that it might change Slane Theocracy's plans if he were discovered made him hesitant.

His attention turned to J'zargo, but the spell had no effect, likely due to his gloves' resistance to magic. With a shrug, he quickly moved on to try the spell on the members of the Blue Rose, pleased to see that it worked, although he noticed a slight delay.

As Askuna continued to experiment with the spell, he tried it on Jincriv, noticing that the delay was still short but more noticeable than before. Though he didn't know the exact rules governing the delay, he made a mental note that both magic resistance and distance could be the main obstacles. He remembered how invoking the spell on Marquis Raven, a relatively unprotected person, had gone quickly and decided to test his hypothesis further, on a more... arbitrary target.

As he closed his eyes and focused his mind on visualizing a goblin, Askuna waited for the spell to manifest. It took a little longer than before, and he realized that the precision of his visualization might also be impacting the spell. Eventually, a blue trail materialized and led him out of the city. "This is almost too easy," he said to himself with a chuckle, feeling satisfied with his new toy. He followed the blue trail as it led him out of the city and into the surrounding wilderness.

As he flew through the air, he noticed that the spell's trail seemed to descend to the ground before leading to the intended target, "Hmm, it is a little annoying to follow" he remarked to himself, frowning slightly. However, his frustration was short-lived, as the trail suddenly straightened into a direct line towards the target. "Well, now that's more like it," he said, a satisfied grin spreading across his face.

As he pondered the limitations of the spell, a sudden idea struck him. "What if I change the colour of the trail?" he mused aloud, and with a flick of his wrist, the trail turned from blue to red. "Interesting," he murmured, before closing his eyes and visualizing the iconic to Skyrim's community person from the "it just works" meme pointing him towards his desired location. Alas, it did not work, and Askuna let out a disappointed sigh.

"Seems like there are some limitations," Askuna muttered to himself as he made his way towards the goblin. After a while, he spotted his target wandering through the woods, unaware of his presence. Feeling like a ninja, he silently stalked the goblin through the underbrush, inching closer and closer until he was standing right behind it.

"Gotcha!" he exclaimed, spooking the goblin. Without giving it a chance to react, he quickly cast a paralyzing spell on the creature, freezing it in motion and causing it to awkwardly fall to the ground.

With a mischievous grin, he imagined a goblin that looked completely different from the one he had just caught. After some trial and error, he was successful, and the trail led him elsewhere.

Looking at the helpless creature, Askuna granted it swift mercy with a swing of his Soul Trap enchanted sword, expecting to absorb the white soul released from it. But they didn't seem to enter him no matter how long he waited.

Perplexed by the cosmetic effect, he retrieved the Black Star to inspect it further. Suddenly, almost as if guided by instinct, he absorbed the souls into the object. It was as if the Black Star was operating as a glitch in the game, allowing him to take white souls.

While examining the Black Star, Askuna couldn't help but muse to himself about the strange mechanics of soul trapping in this world. "It's curious," he thought, "if upon entering this world the black souls it contained were created only for them to be enslaved here." He wondered if he would ever feel confident enough to test the limits of the item, as the thought of trapping himself made him hesitant. "Perhaps I'll wait until I have a better understanding of the magic here," he concluded with a shrug.

Conseqcutevily, he hunted a variety of different ogres, lamias, and trolls in various hidden caves and darkened caverns, knowing that some of the souls he had absorbed were of greater classification. However, he had yet to encounter a sufficient monster of the highest grand one.

As he exterminated the monsters, The memory of his conversation with Renner kept nagging at him, and he wondered if he had truly lost his moral compass. He had always been ambitious and driven, but he had never considered himself ruthless before.

The transformation into a vampire-werewolf had changed him, no doubt about it. But how much of his current behaviour was due to his new nature, and how much was simply a result of his own choices? As he plunged his sword into the heart of a particularly smelly troll, he couldn't help but wonder if he was becoming something he didn't want to be.

Askuna paused his hunt and found himself at the edge of a serene, dark blue lake, illuminated by the moon's shimmering reflection. His mind drifted as he pondered the nature of power and its alluring yet corrupting influence. He questioned if his unquenchable thirst for strength and dominance was an inherent aspect of his being or if it was a product of his circumstances. Was he simply justifying his actions, no matter the cost, in the name of ambition? Like a little child, who got lucky with power beyond their qualifications?

As he stood there, lost in thought, he realized that the answer wasn't clear-cut. His experiences had certainly played a role in shaping his desires, but he couldn't deny the primal urge to be the strongest and most dominant creature in the land. He had always been a competitive person, even before coming here, but now it seemed like it had been amplified tenfold.

Askuna sighed deeply, feeling the weight of his conflicting thoughts. On one hand, he wanted to not hurt anyone, but on the other, he craved the feeling of power and control. It was a constant battle within him, and he wasn't sure which side would win out in the end.

He contemplated the morality of his past actions, questioning the fairness of leaving a father in despair over the kidnapping of his daughter. Was it justified to humiliate the Blue Roses for his own ego? Was it right to shatter the dreams of Ainz and his children? And was it ethical to harm innocent people for the sake of satisfying his thirst for dominance?

As he pondered these questions, he realized that most of them were merely distractions. "Overthinking," he concluded, "leads only to the despair of the thinker." Yet, he couldn't ignore the one thing that truly mattered to him: the life of the adventurers. He didn't want to 'kill' innocent lives for his own selfish gain.

Call him weak, insult him as a hypocrite, and condemn his past and future actions, but Askuna didn't particularly fancy becoming a murderer. 'And few other things.' he mentally added.

Yet, logically speaking, without human or grand souls, he wouldn't be able to enchant his apparel further, limiting his ability to sell and upgrade his battle gear. He was torn between his desire for power and his moral conscience.

As someone who had never faced such a choice before, Askuna felt like a blank slate. He wrestled with the question: should he be ruthless to increase his chances of survival or should he embrace moral values and risk losing the edge he needed to succeed?

As he gazed up at the starry sky, Askuna realized he was too exhausted to continue analyzing his conscience. He felt a need for a dramatic, almost theatrical decision, something that would make him feel cool and empowered!

"To be a wimp, or not to be, that is the question," He mused as he paced in a circle on the shore of the dark blue lake, his arms gesturing in a dramatic fashion while holding the skull of a troll in his right hand. "Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles and, by opposing, vanquish 'em, becoming an epitome of darkness myself?"

His voice echoed across the water, amplified by the stillness of the night. Then, he halted, gazing intently at the troll's skull clasped tightly in his hand, imagining the moon casting an eerie glow on its hollowed-out sockets. He held it there for a moment as if communing with some unseen force, before unleashing a passionate 'yol' shout, immolating the object in a blaze of flames that streamed and seared through the air, rudely disrupting the once serene picture of the lake.

After the fiery display, Askuna stood there in silence, the remnants of the troll's skull smouldering in his hand. He knew what he had to do. He would continue to sow chaos and destruction, unleashing waves of mayhem in the path of Ainz Ooal Gown and anyone who dared to cross him. The pull of the dark force was too strong, and he could no longer resist it. He needed the power that only the darkness could provide, hence no longer denying his truth he would stop at nothing to claim it. The thirst for power burned within him like an eternal flame, and he would stop at nothing to sate it.

Feeling resolute in his newfound conviction, Askuna surveyed his surroundings and realized he was lost. However, the realization did not faze him, as he calmly activated a new spell visualizing Renner to aid him in his return home. He knew that time was on his side, for he still had several hours until dusk.

But when he followed the wispy blue trail, it became apparent that they were already awake and active. He caught a glimpse of Renner and Climb, both dressed in inconspicuous cloaks, in the midst of gathering information with shady individual. Keeping a low profile, Askuna revealed himself in the background to Renner.

Renner glanced over at Askuna, and if she was surprised that he was able to locate them, she hid it well. Instead, she quickly finished up her business dealing with the informants and approached him with a sly grin.

Askuna extended his hand towards Renner, revealing the intricate blue misty glow that enveloped his palm. The glow pulsed and throbbed with otherworldly energy, continuously performing its animation.

"I can find you anywhere in the world, at any time, don't forget that," he warned, his voice filled with amusement as he watched Renner's lips pursing in response to his display.

Renner's eyes narrowed slightly as she took in the sight of the spell surrounding Askuna's hand. She didn't know the limitations of the spell, but the threat implied by Askuna was not lost on her. However, she quickly composed herself, masking her apprehension with her usual cool and collected demeanour.

"Of course, I appreciate the reminder," she replied calmly. "But I assume you have a reason for coming all this way to find us."

"Yes, I wanted to talk more about the strategy," he said, emphasising the word 'strategy'. Renner seemed to understand his intention and turned to her knight, a smile creeping onto her face. "Climb, thank you again for waking up so early and escorting me."

"Princess, you don't have to..." Climb began to stammer bashfully, but Renner interrupted him with a warm smile.

"But I want to," she said kindly. "You have been working so hard to protect me, and I want to make sure you have the opportunity to continue your training." then she added, "How about you go and train now, while I discuss potential plans with Askuna?" She reached out to touch his face, feeling the warmth of his skin "Are you sure you haven't caught a cold?" she asked with concern. "You feel hot."

Climb shook his head, trying to reassure her. "No, Princess," he said. "Excuse me, I'll go and do some training now!"

He walked away with a rigid posture, trying to hide his embarrassment at the attention he was receiving from the princess. Renner watched him go, then turned back to Askuna, ready to discuss their plans in further detail.

"These are the people you'll be taking souls from," she said as she handed Askuna a list of names. "No one should become too suspicious in the next four days." But what surprised him was when she added, "I will accompany you on this endeavour."

Askuna took a double-take at her offer, surprised by her willingness to join him on this task. Yet he didn't care much so he shrugged and said, "Sure. I also wanted to test something." He rummaged through his inventory and tossed her a sneaking ring with magic resistance while taking out a potion for himself. "Activate it for around sixty seconds," he instructed.

As she disappeared from his view, he activated clairvoyance, but to no effect. He wasn't scared of her running away now since she wouldn't be able to save Climb from potential retribution unless she somehow learned how to replicate the second ring. But then he sweatdropped when he thought about the possibility of her stealing a ring from J'zargo.

Nevertheless, he drank a fortify illusion potion and tried his clairvoyance again. After around a second of much brighter and more potent visual effects compared to before, the spell activated as if writhing a path from reality itself and coming to Renner, who had apparently moved five meters to the right.

Their eyes met, and although he could barely see her, their gaze locked. A silent message was sent and received, and Renner deactivated the concealing effect of the ring. As the effect faded, the surroundings seemed to dim slightly, yet his spell still seemed agitated, probably a testament to the ring's magic resistance.

He gestured towards Renner, indicating the glimmering ring. "See the glint on the ring? That indicates that it can resist my magic," he explained, while toggling the spell on and off and observing the visual effects with keen interest. Soon as it dimmed completely, it was clear that Renner knew how to disable the protection if necessary.

Renner nodded thoughtfully before teasingly remarking with a smile, "I assume you want me to hold onto it while I accompany you. A ring made of gold with ruby, though? Still so old-fashioned."

Ignoring her comment, which made her pout, he searched his inventory, hoping to find some stat enchantments he could give her. Unfortunately, he found none, so he decided to give her a set of some random gloves and a chestplate he has bought from Dremora Merchant. He watched in amazement as the armour magically appeared on her and adjusted to fit her frame.

He was hesitant to give Renner his previous armour as he didn't feel confident that he had enough power to restrain her if necessary, not that he thought she would betray him, but he wanted to be cautious.

They decided to travel by flying. He lifted her with telekinesis and could control her movements as long as she didn't activate her magic resistance. As they soared through the air, the wind rushing past them, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of guilt when he glanced at the list Renner had left him with. All he really wanted was to have fun, and he knew that what he was about to do was the very definition of getting his hands dirty.

Before he knew it, he was lurking in the shadows with his sword at the ready, waiting for his target. He knew he had to act, but he found the whole situation distasteful. When he realized his target had already escaped, he muttered, "This is bullshit."

Renner's soft chuckle caught him off guard, and for a moment, he wanted nothing more than to be alone. But he turned to face her anyway, and her amusement quickly turned to disappointment. "I see who you are now, Askuna. You're weak, and you can't even do what's necessary to protect yourself. If you can't bring yourself to do it, then let me handle it."

Her words stung him to the core, but he knew she was right. Without a word, he handed over his dagger with the soul trap and one of the copied Black Stars before retreating into the shadows. He was immune to the enchantments of the sword anyway, and he doubted she could enslave him with the Black Star, as any foreign attempt would likely be dissipated by his powerful spell absorption.

As Renner carried out the task he should have done, Askuna sneered at her first stealth kill. 'Defeating Overlord and Ainz Ooal Gown sounds like fun, but doing this? It's sick and revolting,' he thought, pondering the situation.

He knew he was not a protector of justice, nor did he care if anyone judged his moral compass or actions. He was simply a young man who had not matured enough to value anyone or anything beyond his own existence.

'Why do I have to mature? Why should I be anyone other than myself?' he mused. 'I feel perfectly fine behaving as I do. Sure, there need to be boundaries to my behaviour, but why should I evolve as a person to bear additional responsibilities?'

He wondered what awaited him if he didn't change. 'A sad life without anyone who understands me? No, I know people, and I don't want them to die... sort of. J'zargo is a cool dude, and we could have some fun together. Then, who knows? They'll probably go their own way.' With a shrug, Askuna resigned himself to his hedonistic lifestyle, content with living in the moment and not worrying about the future.

Renner, meanwhile, appeared unfazed by the carnage they were causing. With each target she eliminated, she tossed their body into the black portal of storage that Askuna had opened. When she glanced at him, her eyes seemed to say, 'They're dead. Does it really matter who did it? Stop acting like a sissy.'

Afterwards, he left Renner with the rings and the armour. Although they were undoubtedly powerful, she didn't have the ones he considered truly overpowered, like the regeneration rings. These rings allowed the wearer to regenerate their entire pool of health, magicka, or stamina in a split second, effectively rendering them immortal.

His ego bruised from Renner's mocking and his soul not feeling any better by still participating as an observer of the deed, he hurried to the enchanter to use some of his newfound spoils and take a much-needed break.

...

Backtracking a little bit, let's start a day from Renner's perspective. She and Climb woke up at four am and dressed in cloaks and light armour enchanted for them by Askuna.

'Cheap knockoffs, he said.' she scoffed, remembering him casually creating armour that bested the National Treasure of her kingdom in just ten minutes. And to make it even more unreal, all he used was some leather and what he called "petty sized souls."

Why were they going out so early? Renner had always been fascinated by the intricate web of power and politics that governed her kingdom. But being a princess, she had to be cautious about how she sought information, as any misstep could jeopardize her position.

So, she often turned to the street urchins and orphans who roamed the city, using their resourcefulness and invisibility to gather information about the happenings of the kingdom and the movements of certain groups. One of these street teens had caught her attention, and she had hired him to collect information over the days, from eavesdropping to working odd jobs and chatting with other orphans.

Over the years, Renner had given Climb countless excuses for her secretive activities, causing him to become desensitized to her actions. This allowed her to speak freely with the informant while Climb kept watch at the entrance of the alley.

She had to admit, the teen was smart, and she decided to make him the leader of the information network she had been building over the past few days. Although it seemed too short a time to establish anything, she knew that the kid had a knack for recognizing opportunities.

'Well, until he becomes too prideful and I have to replace him,' she thought to herself as she handed him a sizable amount of gold to continue his operations. Speaking of smartasses, in the corner of her eye she caught sight of Askuna waving to her.

She ended the conversation and found a way to ditch Climb. She knew what they would be doing today; for this occasion, she had been accompanying her knight to inns and shady places, and she had been building a steady list of people who wouldn't be missed, at least for a few days.

To be honest, she didn't like Askuna. He was acting as if he knew her, and if that was all there was to it, she could have lived with it. But what was more terrifying was that he somehow knew her thoughts, and he didn't even realize he was implying it.

That's why she called him a smartass. He didn't realize which information he conveyed to her through vague remarks and his manner of speaking. Unlike anyone else, instead of challenging her in a battle of wits, he knew she would obtain more information than he intended to share from the beginning.

'What an infuriating piece of shit,' she mused, analyzing his actions. 'From the beginning, he knew that I would analyze whatever he said and obtain more information than he wanted to disclose. Therefore, his strategy was to give up from the start, playing dumb, hoping, no... knowing that I would figure out too much.'

'What mistakes has he made? Well, let me list them,' she thought to herself. 'The first is the way he stops motionless when he's about to speak some bullshit. From this, I recognize that his talk about seeing the future and coming to this world was mostly him obfuscating the real information.' She continued her rant in her mind as she asked to accompany him. She wanted to see how ruthless he really was.

'Interestingly,' she pondered as he handed her a stealth ring for testing, 'when he talked about me, Ainz Ooal Gown, and others, he spoke with absolute certainty that we were who he said we were. From the way he presented our motives and how we behaved, I'm almost certain that he had seen our true thoughts at some point.'

She couldn't help but wonder if she would ever break the facade in the future. 'Honestly, yes,' she thought to herself. 'When I'm alone in my room, smiling creepily at the mirror, or when I've accomplished my dream of... Climb.'

She activated the ring and moved slightly to the side, still pondering. 'And that's where the next clue comes in. The way he worded that he's afraid of me betraying him and joining Ainz Ooal Gown implies that he's seen me doing exactly that. Based on other clues about their domination of the world and how careful he is with me, I suspect that in those visions, I've already succeeded or played a significant role.'

She met his eyes as he finally succeeded in revealing her position. "It means that this mot******ker had potentially robbed me of my desired future for his silly quest." She hated him for that, and this test confirmed that he could find her even if he granted her his own concealing items. She needed to ascertain his true character and evaluate the dangers of working with him.

In a few minutes, they were already in their positions, and Askuna was about to perform a stealth kill. Renner observed that he didn't need to use his ring; he was unnaturally good at stealth as if he had been an assassin his whole life. She suspected that if he ever wanted to kill her, she wouldn't even realize when she had been struck.

However, when she expected the killing blow, nothing happened. He stayed hidden in the shadows, with his hand on his trembling dagger. "This is bullshit," he remarked.

'Again, a contradiction,' Renner rolled her eyes, now used to his antics, but it made her chuckle, which caught his attention.

She couldn't see his face, but she had become adept at reading his body language, and he seemed annoyed. She, on the other hand, was relieved. It meant that in case she betrayed them, all his threats could be just words, and he wouldn't have killed her.

Nevertheless, her chances of survival were higher if he acquired those souls, as he had said he would make good items for her and Climb. She considered, 'It seems that he also didn't realize that the way our plan is made, there is no danger of her and Climb getting exposed to Ainz Ooal Gown.' It was his potential mistake. He seemed to have assumed that their participation in Shalltear's subjugation would make it impossible to switch sides.

Yet she had to admit, if Nazarick had people as smart as her, the whole kidnapping of her and Climb would be revealed, and they would automatically assume them to be associates of the traitors. She gave him points for that. Though there still may be a way to salvage the situation or at least run away and convince J'zargo to find a way to hide them from Askuna. She couldn't help but notice J'zargo's jealous stares towards Askuna.

Returning to the situation at hand, when she proposed to do it herself, she was surprised that without a single objection, he handed her everything, including the supposed dagger that would gather souls and Black Star that would collect them.

'That is a lot of trust,' she remarked. From their conversations about strategy, Askuna had revealed that enchantments on the weapon activate even if someone blocked or parried the attack. However, when she looked at him, covered in armour and lost in his thoughts, she had to admit that he could allow himself to do that. There was not a place she could potentially nick on him, nor did she know how she could have killed him to make the enchantment work.

She had never killed anyone directly before, and frankly, she didn't care much about what she was doing. It was natural to her; she needed something, and she had seen it done. 'Yet why do I feel that instead of being grateful, this annoying bastard is annoyed with me?' she scathed. 'Unbelievable, truly unbelievable.' She was sure to send him one of the coldest stares she ever could, and was satisfied that it seemed to have some reaction, as he looked sideways.

When they finished putting the last corpse in Askuna's inventory, she marvelled at how useful it was. Frankly, doing all that physical work had broken a lot of her sweat, so she would have liked to clean herself, alone, which she wasn't used to, having always been cleaned by maids.

As they parted ways, Askuna left her with the ring. Whether he had forgotten or not, she would use it today. With the ring's ability to conceal her and resist magic, coupled with the protection from her armor, she could hasten the building of her information network without Climb's vanguard. As she looked at the ring, a sly idea formed in her mind to sneak into the bathhouses with it as her top priority.

...

After finishing the enchanting, Askuna attempted to adopt a more positive outlook and enjoy the emerging light of the day, avoiding overthinking. However, his tranquillity was short-lived when he stumbled upon Climb's training place. They stared at each other, and Askuna noticed a glimmer of determination flash through Climb's eyes.

It was then that Climb approached him with a request. Apparently, he had asked J'zargo to train him to become stronger, but the mage said he could only teach him magic. Climb hoped that Askuna could help him improve in the physical department.

Askuna considered the request, his mind racing with ideas on how to quickly become stronger. He knew that in the world of Overlord, one could theoretically overcome impossible odds and even regenerate from the brink of death to become stronger. Essentially, after the ordeal, One would receive a "zenkai" power boost if they survived, much like the Saiyans.

However, the main limiting factor was always mana, health, and stamina regeneration. Even with the ability to heal oneself, those resources weren't infinite, and eventually, they would run out. He considered this as he contemplated how to help Climb.

In all honesty, were he to be transported to this world without any powers, he would likely attempt to overcome the proverbial steep learning curve by mastering the art of regeneration. His goal would be to push himself to the brink of his limits, facing impossible odds and grinding endlessly, all in the hopes of levelling up and growing stronger.

He even started to wonder if he could somehow increase his own strength through training beyond his limits by rapidly regenerating from the damage. And with Climb by his side, they had a way to test his theory.

However, a sudden doubt crept into his mind. 'Perhaps our regeneration could be too fast,' he thought to himself. 'We won't fully experience the pain of being pushed.'

Nevertheless, he decided to have a bit of fun with Climb, so he chose to power-level him by beating him down with high-levelled gloves while encouraging him to get back up and fight. But he needed to motivate Climb to keep going, and he had just the thing in mind. "Renner's safety," Askuna thought to himself. With that in mind, he presented his solution to Climb.

With a mischievous grin, Askuna handed Climb a set of rings, a necklace, and some enchanted clothes. "Put these on," he said, tossing them to Climb like a game of catch. "They'll heal your mind, stamina, and health continuously, allowing you to push through your limits." he couldn't resist a playful tone.

Climb barely caught everything and eagerly put them on, feeling an electric surge of energy course through his body as weariness and exhaustion due to his previous training has vanished. His mind felt crystal clear, and he felt more powerful than ever before.

"These three pieces," explained Askuna, pointing at the enchanted apparel, "are made with grand soul gems and will boost your health, so you can endure my devastating strikes." which made Climb feel honoured yet apprehensive at the choice of words.

But before he could say anything, Askuna's devilish smile turned into a threat. "But here's the catch," he said, holding up a finger. "To motivate you, I will try to take back the things I gave you. And if I manage to do so, I will go and snap Renner's finger for any item you didn't protect."

Climb's face turned from excitement to panic, but before he could protest, Askuna punched him full-force in the stomach, making him fall to the ground and spew blood. It was all in a spirit of good fun, of course.

Askuna narrowed his eyes, realizing that Climb still had too many health points to dip into lower levels during his attacks. With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he snatched the health necklace back from Climb, waving it out of reach.

"What? No fair!" protested Climb, reaching for the necklace.

"You want it back? Come and get it!" replied Askuna before punching Climb in the head with his Daedric gauntlet, destroying his nose and teeth.

Climb regenerated before he could even register the damage, but before he could react, Askuna kicked him into a nearby tree. Climb tried to muster a defence, but before he could do anything, Askuna shouted "Fus! Ro! Dah!" sending Climb crashing into the dirt with a painful snap.

Askuna marvelled at the tenacity, as not even a second later the ever so serious boy lunged towards him, determined to retrieve the necklace, but Askuna was too fast. He dodged and weaved, hopping around like a jester taunting Climb with every step.

"You're too slow!" laughed Askuna, twirling around Climb and landing a swift kick to his backside.

Climb stumbled forward, but he refused to give up. He drew out his sword, before charging forward and swinging it wildly, but Askuna easily sidestepped and gave him a not-so-playful 'tap' on the head with his gauntlet.

However, Askuna soon grew bored with his playful act and at one point, he tossed the necklace into his inventory and began relentlessly pummelling Climb, with the intention of evolving him into the ultimate punching bag.

The idea behind it was that the difference between the power of Askuna's attacks and Climb's level and statistics would reward him immensely through the hidden game system running the world. To benefit the boy as much as possible, he utilized his entire arsenal.

He bombarded Climb with fireballs, ice spikes, and electrical damage, continuing the beatdown. He even used illusions and paralysis before shattering them with a punch, all to build Climb's resistances. Despite the pain, the young knight was determined to push through his limits and stop this madman

But in truth, Climb felt his body growing stronger with every received strike. In one instance, he charged forward with his sword raised high and swung down at Askuna. But Askuna was too quick, dodging to the side and countering with a swift strike of his own.

Climb stumbled backwards, but regained his footing and launched another attack. The cheap swords and shields clashed, the metallic ringing filling the air with each collision. Askuna had provided basic weapons, as he didn't want to accidentally destroy his armour or kill Climb.

As the fight wore on, Askuna ramped up the pressure, using his supernatural speed and strength to keep Climb on his toes and push him to evolve his ability to take blows. But Climb refused to give up, his determination fueling his every move. With each passing moment, he grew more confident and skilled, his once-shaky strikes becoming more precise and powerful.

Askuna had another theory in mind. He believed that by power-levelling Climb through their intense training, he would gain warrior-related classes and knowledge on how to fight, which would be granted directly by the game system. As a result, Climb's stats would increase, bringing nothing but benefits.

The best part was that there was no usual exhaustion of the mind or body, nor any permanent injuries involved. They just kept going, with Climb getting beaten down to the ground and each time coming back with even more vigour.

As time passed, Askuna realized that he was also benefiting from his training. He was able to tap into his warrior's instinct derived from his classes and transition from brute force to technique, gaining years of experience in mere seconds.

He quickly surpassed Climb's skill level, expertly controlling him while adjusting his blows to exploit his weaknesses. Soon enough, he began offering Climb advice, imparting it in the most reliable method possible: through pain.

With each strike, Askuna could see Climb's form improving. He was becoming quicker, and more agile, and his strikes were becoming increasingly precise. It was as if the pain was a catalyst for his improvement, and Climb was rising to the challenge.

As the hours ticked by, Climb's progress was undeniable. His movements were fluid and almost effortless, and he was moving at a speed that even surprised Askuna. The once-feeble warrior was now a formidable opponent, and the two continued to spar relentlessly.

Despite Climb's improvements, Askuna still held the upper hand with his superior technique, staggering skills, and powerful blows. But even as he landed hit after hit, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in Climb's growth. He had transformed the once-inept fighter into a skilled and confident warrior, all through the power of pain, perseverance and bullshit gameworld logic.

And he was forced to take notice of this game logic, as suddenly there was a transition as if Climb has broken through some barriers, which surprised him when he found himself slower than Climb.

Askuna pondered, 'Did he break through to level thirty or thirty-five?' It appeared that surviving thousands of strikes from devastating attacks in his level 20s had granted Climb some powerful classes and evolutions compared to his previous ones.

Therefore Askuna adjusted his still superior technique to match Climb's increasing speed, but in a moment of miscalculation, he made a mistake, and Climb landed a punch on his protected face.

The blow had no effect on Askuna, but it invigorated Climb, who had endured hours of gruelling training. "That was amazing, Askuna! I've never felt so alive!" he exclaimed.

"Good job, Climb," Askuna praised, nodding in approval. "But we're not finished yet. We'll continue to train until you become the strongest warrior you can be."

Saying so, Askuna quickly pulled out the enchanter from inventory and enchanted two sets of gloves, each giving a boost to one arm and brawling. He gave one pair to Climb and kept the other for himself. To benefit from the exercise, he took off the rest of his armour.

As they stood bare-chested, gloves at the ready, the tension between Climb and Askuna was palpable. They circled each other, both waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

In a burst of energy, Climb charged forward and threw a powerful punch, but Askuna quickly sidestepped and delivered a swift blow to Climb's side. The young man grunted in pain, but quickly recovered and retaliated with a series of jabs and hooks.

Askuna blocked each blow with little difficulty, as his newly acquired skills made him an expert in hand-to-hand combat. However, Climb was also improving his skills, with his strikes becoming more fluid and precise with each passing moment. It seemed as if he was adapting to the new instincts from better classes.

Soon, the two were locked in a fierce battle, exchanging blows and dodging attacks. The sound of each punch and kick landed with a resounding thud, echoing through the forest.

Despite the intensity of the fight, the two soon began laughing and joking with each other, their spirits high from the thrill of combat. It was a strange sight to behold: a hideous-looking man and a teenage boy, dressed only in gauntlets and pants, brawling in the middle of the woods.

But for Askuna and Climb, it was a moment of pure joy and exhilaration, a chance to push themselves to their limits and become the strongest warriors they could be.

But all the fun came to an abrupt end when, in one of the strikes, Climb accidentally shattered one of Askuna's Talos necklaces along with two others he had enchanted himself, which had shifted a bit to the side and were caught in Climb's blow.

As the necklace shattered into pieces, his health returned to normal, leaving him vulnerable for a brief moment. The sudden loss of health caught him off guard, and he stumbled backwards, struggling to regain his balance.

Climb immediately recognized his mistake and hurried over to assist Askuna by offering his support. "I'm really sorry, sir. Breaking your necklaces was not my intention," he apologized, his voice laced with genuine concern.

"It's okay, Climb," he reassured him, trying to appear nonchalant. "I have others. But I need to be more careful from now on."

He couldn't believe how close he had come to death and on top of that, he had lost the 100% reduction in shout cooldown that the Talos necklaces had given him. It was a significant loss.

However, upon testing his shouts, Askuna found that he could still manage with the four remaining necklaces, thanks to a bug in the Necromage perk that increased all enchantments by 25%, not just anti-undead matters. As a result, 125% of the original 80% cooldown meant he still had 100%.

Despite this stroke of luck, Askuna decided to call off the training for the day. With the sun setting, he knew it was time to find Renner and J'zargo before their departure the next day. Climb could also benefit from some sleep before they set off.

...

Previously, during the time Climb and Askuna were engaged in their intense training, J'zargo remained back at their base, studying the Oghma Infinium that Askuna had given him. Askuna had warned him not to give the book to Renner, as she could not be trusted, yet.

During one of their conversations, Askuna revealed that he had given up his ability to summon creatures through conjuration magic in exchange for invulnerability to anything non-physical. J'zargo found this intriguing and useful, and he was eager to learn more. Askuna also revealed that he could still shape Daedra into weapons, which piqued J'zargo's interest even further.

When J'zargo asked how Askuna had acquired this ability, he simply mentioned his superior variant of spell absorption before giving him the book, which led J'zargo to explore the school of magic known as mysticism.

As J'zargo delved deeper into the subject of mysticism, he discovered powerful spells such as teleportation, dispel, reflection, absorption, and detection. He realized that many of the concepts he had previously studied in other schools of magic were incorporated from this school of magic

When he questioned the book further, it presented him with information on different theories discussing how the schools of magic were simple categorizations and should not be treated as truths.

Following the chain of questions, he found himself exploring countless paths beyond the origins of magic in Tamriel, including the tiered magic of Yggdrasil and other systems based on different concepts and restrictions.

As he delved further, he began to realize the vastness of magic and how he would never be able to master even a single school. Countless different systems and paths existed, and he was left with questions like what it meant to be the best mage.

His previous feelings of jealousy towards Askuna's magic slowly began to fade. He felt as though both of them were insignificant in the grand scheme of things. The impossible genius on the insurmountable pedestal now felt human, just like him, striving to be better.

Suddenly, some noise interrupted his reading, and he was annoyed that he had to divert his attention from the book. Then he realized whose voice it was - his own maniacal laughter. Yet he realized he wasn't alone.

J'zargo quickly snapped the book shut, his heart racing as he looked up to see Renner standing there with a stunned expression on her face.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude," she stammered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"It's alright," J'zargo said, trying to sound nonchalant. "It's just a book of endless knowledge. J'zargo went too deep into the mysteries of magic," he added, realizing that it was already late afternoon and he had lost track of time.

Renner's gaze lingered on the book, her curiosity getting the best of her. "That sounds fascinating," she said, moving closer to him. "How does that work?"

J'zargo hesitated, recalling Askuna's warnings about not giving the book to her. But he reasoned that Askuna's main concern was her running away with it, and he could understand why. He had almost betrayed Askuna for the book himself. However, showing it to her should be alright, shouldn't it?

"Just think of any knowledge, and it will appear before you," he said, handing her the book. But as she reached for it, he stopped it in place for a moment and repeated Askuna's previous warning. "But be wary, as it can capture you inside it for eternity."

She nodded, and as she sat on the bed and opened the book, she quickly became engrossed in its pages, searching for answers to countless questions that had been plaguing her. Sometimes she grew frustrated, while other times she was filled with joy at what she discovered. Her true curiosity was reflected on her face.

As J'zargo observed her, he found it difficult to reconcile what Askuna had told him about her with what he was seeing now. She seemed like an innocent child, perhaps misguided, but he couldn't help but wonder what lengths she would go to achieve her goals and what lay beneath her seemingly innocent façade.

Lost in his thoughts, J'zargo tried to meditate on the world as it was explained in one of the mysticism books, pondering how everything he understood about magic and the world was just him making fake generalizations of concepts. As he delved deeper into the subject, he realized that the more he learned, the less he knew. It was both exhilarating and frustrating at the same time.

Hours passed until a shadow fell on Renner, who was completely engrossed in her book. She had been so absorbed in the endless knowledge contained within its pages that she hadn't even noticed the passing of time. "Enjoying your reading?" Askuna asked with mirth in his voice, Climb right beside him.

Startled, Renner let out a yelp of surprise, snapping the book shut.

"Sorry to startle you," Askuna said with a grin. "But it's time to sleep for all of you. We're leaving at first light."

Renner nodded, still a bit dazed from the intense reading. She closed the book and set it aside, feeling a sense of loss at having to stop. As she gathered her belongings, she couldn't help but think about the information she had just absorbed. It was overwhelming, yet exhilarating at the same time.

The trio settled in for the night, exhausted from the day's activities, while Askuna went to do his own last minute preparations. Climb immediately fell into a deep slumber. Renner and J'zargo, on the other hand, found it difficult to sleep as they were still engrossed in their thoughts.

Realizing that Renner was still awake, J'zargo raised himself up and asked, "Are you thinking about the book?"

She looked at him and confirmed, "Yes, among other things."

Seeing her interested he decided to share some of his thoughts, "You know, Renner, reading this book has given me a new perspective on Askuna. I used to think he was unfathomable, but now I realize that we are all nothing but specks of dust in the grand scheme of things."

Renner looked at him with a deep frown, not sure how to respond to his comment. "I suppose you're right," she said finally, trying to keep the conversation going. "But it's hard to imagine someone like Askuna being just a speck of dust."

J'zargo nodded and shuffled back to lie down. "I know what you mean. But it's humbling to think about it. We can only do our best with the time we have."

Renner hummed ambiguously in response, lost in thought about what J'zargo had said. She couldn't help but feel a sense of unease at the thought of someone as powerful as Askuna being supposedly dwarfed by Ainz Ooal Gown in terms of strength, firepower, and resources.

In the next chapter, we can look forward to the appearance of Shalltear.