How strong were world-class items? Until today, many players only had a vague idea.
Even in this hastily assembled party of elites, some of them possessed world-class items. Yet most of their items were functional in nature, like the Eternal Snake Ring, rather than items that demonstrated raw destructive power within the game.
Earlier today, upon witnessing the power of the Self-Destruction Maniac's "Ivan the Terrible," players thought that was the limit of destructive capability.
However…
Ainz Ooal Gown's hero completely shattered that belief.
From the mouth of a pink slime with the ID "Bukubukuchagama," a massive scroll about a meter long emerged. The scroll unfurled as it floated upward, growing larger and larger until it blanketed the entire sky.
A low rumble of thunder echoed from above, followed by an overwhelming suction from the scroll. Every hostile target caught within its range was dragged in without the slightest chance to resist.
Even the Brahma Chant debuff that had been plaguing everyone disappeared completely.
"A world-class item?!"
As overall commander, the World Champion recognized it instantly. He was no stranger to world-class items, having the Eternal Snake Ring himself. But never did he expect Ainz Ooal Gown to open with such a trump card.
"Well, this was supposed to be confidential, but given our united front, I'll explain a little." Bukubukuchagama entered her favorite smug mode.
"This item traps opponents in an interdimensional space. Its coverage is massive, and it contains a hundred varieties of spaces, each with ways to steadily wear down the opponent's stamina. Without protection from another world-class item, there's no escaping it~"
"S-sugoi!"
This world-class item was god-tier for clearing mobs, perfect for this dungeon's endless waves.
"Che, that guy stole my spotlight again." Nearby, Nishikienrai stroked the hilt of his Billion Blades before reluctantly letting go.
Then, a red-skinned gnome stomped up to Bukubukuchagama.
"Hey, you pink slime! Why'd you ruin my fun?"
"Ruin your fun?" Bukubukuchagama tilted what may or may not have been an eye-hole at the gnome. "Want me to toss you inside so you can have your fun with those monsters? If it turns into XXXX.AVI, make sure you let me do the voiceover. Since you're so ugly, I'll even give you a 20% discount."
The Self-Destruction Maniac froze. Slowly lowering his head, his breath grew heavy. Tumors across his body vented even hotter steam than before, and his entire frame flickered with dangerous red light.
"…."
Peroroncino hurriedly grabbed his reckless sister.
"Cool it, sis! You trying to get us all killed?"
And you, calling him ugly—look at yourself! And what kind of scammy shop even gives a 20% discount?!
But Bukubukuchagama was a max-level slime. Even with her brother clamping her mouth, she sprouted three more from elsewhere on her body.
"Hmph! Ever since I became a slime, I've never lost a cursing match! Come at me!"
The Self-Destruction Maniac's eyes glowed a terrifying crimson. The stage was set for a detonation.
"Ahem, Bukubukuchagama-san. Bullying a gnome—that's not what the strong should do."
At the sound of that voice, the Maniac's trembling body froze. The red glow and steam sputtering from his tumors faded away under the weight of those words, as though they carried a strange magic.
That voice…
The Maniac's chaotic eyes finally aligned, focusing on the silver knight striding fearlessly through the crowd.
Behind the towering knight blazed an effect brighter than any nuclear blast. Shielding his eyes with one hand, the gnome peered through his fingers and saw four unforgettable words:
Justice Descends!
With each steady step, the metallic clash of armor echoed, and a red cloak flowed behind him, just as in memory.
The red-skinned gnome immediately abandoned Bukubukuchagama and dashed toward Takemikazuchi.
"Takemikazuchi-sama!" The Self-Destruction Maniac stood before him, face full of emotion. "I've been searching for you all this time. I never imagined you had joined this guild!"
This scene made the surrounding players, now idle after the battlefield was cleared, prick up their ears in curiosity, all gazes turning this way.
"Uh…" Takemikazuchi scratched the back of his head awkwardly. After a brief silence, he finally admitted he couldn't remember. "Sorry, but… who are you?"
"I'm Francis Jacob! Ever since you saved me in Goblin Forest three years ago, I've been searching for you."
"Huh? Did that really happen?" Takemikazuchi still couldn't recall.
"Hold on, I'll check the database. Time lock: three years ago. Character lock: 'Takemikazuchi-sama.'" Warrior Takemikazuchi-no-Kami was already flipping through his notebook.
Nishikienrai snorted dismissively, though his eyes couldn't help but wander toward the notebook.
"Found it!"
Warrior Takemikazuchi quickly flipped to a certain page and began reading: "On July 3rd, three years ago, Takemikazuchi-sama received an invitation to participate in the Nine Champions Tournament of another world. As expected of the goal I respect and strive to surpass, Takemikazuchi-san truly is the strongest…"
"Cough… cough…"
Flustered, he snapped the diary shut, nearly blurting out his embarrassing words.
"Oh, so this was during my invitation to the World Champion Tournament." Takemikazuchi finally understood. "Yes, I was invited to another world back then. That was my first time visiting another world… now that I think of it, it's nostalgic. Though, strangely enough, there weren't that many players in that server."
"That's not the point." The gnome quickly interrupted his idol's reminiscing. "Since I've met you here, Takemikazuchi-sama, I—Francis Jacob, the Self-Destruction Maniac—formally request to be taken in by the guild Ainz Ooal Gown!"
"Oh?~ You wish to join Ainz Ooal Gown?"
A voice full of authority resounded from among the group of bizarre heteromorphs. At once, the members of Ainz Ooal Gown, clad in artifact-grade armaments, stepped respectfully aside. Even the World Champion Takemikazuchi and the World Disaster Ulbert followed suit.
Though Momonga often humbly downplayed his strength within Nazarick, that was only without full preparation or equipment.
Now, adorned in ornate scholar's robes of artifact-grade, with the restrictions on his numerous world-class items lifted, and wielding the guild's Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown, the power radiating from him surpassed even Tabula Smaragdina and Ulbert.
In terms of magical energy, Momonga could now claim the title of YGGDRASIL's number one "skeleton."
Surrounded by overwhelming waves of magical power, he stepped forward toward the Self-Destruction Maniac.
Faced with a caster of such magnitude, even a legend from another world could not help but feel a shiver named "fear."
"To join Ainz Ooal Gown, there are two conditions. First: you must be a heteromorph. Second: you must be a working member of society."
From within his empty sockets, two scarlet points of light radiated a terrifying gaze, fixing on the red-skinned gnome.
"Do you… meet the requirements?"
At this very moment, within the Sixth Heaven of Desire—
A colossal, multicolored cocoon of light, over a hundred meters in diameter, floated where the statue of the Demon Buddha once stood.
Around the cocoon, countless golden Sanskrit characters drifted through the air, while a strong lotus fragrance continuously spread outward. Three GMs, standing in a triangular formation around the cocoon, were channeling their authority into it.
After the devastation wrought by these three GMs earlier, the entire Sixth Heaven of Desire was left a wasteland, the earth scarred and the sky on the verge of shattering.
Now, however, the three GMs—who had originally been dispatched under official orders to raid the dungeon—had changed entirely. Their gazes toward the cocoon brimmed with reverence, their demeanor as humble as devout believers.
"Great Brahma King, you are the most sensitive to energy. Can you sense our Lord's current condition?"
Bathed in golden light, the GM now called the Great Brahma King shook his head. "The nature of our Lord's energy is far too unique and powerful. With my ability, I cannot glean anything at all."
He then turned his gaze toward a small, blue figure.
"Phantom Spirit King, can your [Status Control] ability discern our Lord's current state?"
"I will try."
The petite blue figure let out a low cry, spreading a thread of authority over the giant cocoon.
Moments later, Phantom Spirit King's body trembled violently. His authority began to destabilize as if under backlash.
"Not good! Phantom Spirit King has triggered our Lord's instinctive self-defense! His control ability is being corroded by the power of the Vipralopa[1]!"
The Great Brahma King and the other, the Wheel Yama King, immediately increased their output of authority. Enormous twin-colored beams of light poured into the cocoon.
This sudden surge triggered the cocoon's defense mechanism once more, but the overflow of Vipralopa power redirected its target, restoring a tenuous balance among the four.
Phantom Spirit King coughed violently. "Cough… cough… Forgive me. I am useless, unable to discern our Lord's state."
Had a mortal been present, they might have seen the thick aura of despair surrounding the blue figure.
Meanwhile, drenched in the crimson glow of [Instant Death Authority], the Wheel Yama King spoke heavily: "Before our Lord fell into slumber, she ordered us to bind the Vipralopa power within her body using our respective authority, to prevent it from spreading and destroying the Sixth Heaven. She entrusted herself alone with the task of controlling it. Though the rampages of the Vipralopa have weakened since three days ago, it is almost entirely due to our Lord's effort. For me to struggle so much with my very first mission since my creation—what value do I even hold for our Lord?!"
His scarlet wings flared, the edges morphing into god-slaying blades, which he then aimed at his own back.
"Great Brahma King, Phantom Spirit King, take care of our Lord. I shall step down first!"
At that, this seemingly divine Wheel Yama King prepared to take his own life in shame.
Ugh, my head hurts…
Even the Great Brahma King, the only one thinking straight, didn't have time to retort. He immediately used [Energy Control] authority to restrain the Wheel Yama King.
"Calm yourself, Wheel Yama King, Phantom Spirit King. Our Lord's power and wisdom have already surpassed imagination. Since she created us, there must be meaning behind it. It is only natural we cannot comprehend it. Besides, as our Creator, our lives already belong to her—we have no right to dispose of them ourselves."
Had Satsuki heard these words, she might have praised him: as expected of a seasoned workplace veteran, his rhetoric was spot on.
And indeed, his words worked. The despondent Phantom Spirit King and the grief-stricken Wheel Yama King finally regained their composure.
But once calm, they noticed the anomaly that had occurred in the First Heaven.
As Satsuki's direct puppets, their very existence was an extension of her will, granting them high authority within the Six Heavens of Desire. Thus, the observation window for the other heavens appeared before them as well.
The first thing all three saw was a painting that spanned nearly the entire sky. As the most senior among them, the Great Brahma King recognized its origin at once.
"That is the world-class item—Depiction of Nature and Society."
Phantom Spirit King's eyes gleamed. "But its state isn't normal. It's been tampered with by another authority. Originally, activating it required immense magic power and lengthy chanting. Yet now, it consumes no mana, has instant-cast activation, and covers a far larger area."
"Hmph. They think such petty tricks can defeat our Lord?" Wheel Yama King sneered, then turned to Phantom Spirit King. "Spirit King, I'll suspend my World Protection state. Transfer my status into one of the monsters on the first floor. Let my avatar play with them a while."
In authority matters, Phantom Spirit King required the other's permission to replicate or transcribe a state. The replica would be nearly identical in power to the original, but without authority abilities or the invulnerability of "WORLD."
Weaker than the original by far, but even a GM without invincibility hardly needed much effort to slaughter players.
"Hmm, not a bad idea." Great Brahma King nodded. After all, the invaders had cleared the first floor despite triggering the detection mechanism—proof enough that their strength was extraordinary.
Using an avatar to test the waters was indeed a cautious strategy. Since both the Wheel Yama King and the Great Brahma King found the idea acceptable, Phantom Spirit King naturally voiced no objections—if anything, she was delighted to finally be of use.
She once again split off a portion of her authority. After scanning the Wheel Yama King with several beams of light, the gathered blue glow dove into a portal that Phantom Spirit King had opened.
"Now then, let us enjoy the show."
...
Within Shitennō Heaven—
When the Depiction of Nature and Society sucked in all the monsters overhead, the players on the battlefield erupted in thunderous cheers. Buffs and morale-boosting auras flashed across the crowd in dazzling colors.
The top-tier druid, who had tanked, healed, and even dispelled debuffs throughout the fight, was so exhausted he could barely stand. Yet his contributions were undeniable, and now his guildmates were tossing him into the air in celebration.
Other raid groups also pulled out celebratory items—horn blowers, flashy emotes, premium background effects, and even special dance moves.
The jubilant atmosphere felt as though they had just secured a first clear against a version's final boss.
"We did it—we won!"
"So much for an End-Tier Dungeon. Against us players, it's nothing but hot air."
"Finally, all our effort these past days paid off. My livestream's blowing up with gifts—so sweet."
That was the sentiment of most players present: some rejoicing, some posturing, some simply basking in the moment. And at the center of it all stood Ainz Ooal Gown's party.
Their actions had been the key to turning the tide (and the Self-Destruction Maniac had now joined their ranks), so naturally, they received the most applause and attention.
Their chat windows and mailboxes blinked nonstop with messages and notifications, leaving these "heteromorphs" with a conflicted mix of delight and reluctant pride.
After all, who truly disliked being praised?
"With Ainz Ooal Gown leading the way, we could clear the rest of this dungeon in one go!"
"They're practically the saviors of YGGDRASIL itself~"
"Tomorrow, I'm writing an article about Ainz Ooal Gown and posting it to the 2ch forums. With my editor connections, it'll definitely get traction~"
...
Meanwhile, away from the celebratory crowds, the World Champion commander and the actual guild leaders of the coalition gathered in private.
Takemikazuchi, Punitto Moe, and Tabula Smaragdina stood in for Ainz Ooal Gown. As for Momonga, he wisely left such intellectual matters to his guild's tacticians. Takemikazuchi, close friends with the other World Champion, attended mainly as a figurehead.
"I propose we leave part of our forces here to ensure the dungeon's progress isn't reset. The rest should withdraw in rotation to rest, then call in more reinforcements for the next push."
The suggestion came from the World Champion's guild strategist. It was sound and pragmatic, and those present nodded in agreement.
Though the surrounding players seemed eager and high-spirited, most had been here for days. Even with breaks offline, the constant tension had strained their nerves. Such a state was ill-suited for executing complex strategies. Besides, many had real-life obligations—they couldn't devote unlimited time to the game.
And of course, raid difficulty was never purely about monster strength. Special mechanics and execution demands often mattered more. In high-level raids, precision, coordination, and stamina were critical—keeping everyone in peak condition was essential.
Then it was the second speaker's turn. All eyes shifted toward two "cranes among chickens"—quite literally. In a game where most avatars leaned toward beauty and flair, the heteromorph members of Ainz Ooal Gown stood out starkly: Tabula Smaragdina, a mind flayer with an octopus head, and Punitto Moe, a robed mass of writhing vines.
Meeting each other's gaze, Tabula and Punitto Moe exchanged a wordless signal. Tabula stepped back, leaving the stage to Punitto Moe.
"Our guild agrees with the plan to leave one team as guards while the others rest in rotation. Moreover, we are willing to take on the duty of watch ourselves…"
The surrounding players, though expressionless, expressed their gratitude through emotes and stickers. But Punitto Moe's next words made several frown.
"…Therefore, I propose that Ainz Ooal Gown be granted the right to oversee and collect all loot from the past few days' battles. That is my condition."
[1] Saddharmavipralopa: is a Sanskrit term meaning the "disappearance" or "ruin of the true dharma," referring to the eventual decline and loss of the Buddha's teachings from the world. It is a core concept in Buddhist eschatology, describing the final age after the Buddha's life, known as Mappō (Japanese) or Mofa (Chinese), when the Dharma becomes obscured and eventually lost. (EN: Decline of the Dharma / Final Drahma)