Chapter 77: Setup
I had to admit the sight was beautiful. The myriad of colors exploded with each light crashing against the barrier. There were colors that weren't even visible to normal humans, but I could see it. I could see it all. It was a strange feeling. My mind told me that it shouldn't be able to see it and it was causing my human memories to itch in discomfort. Fortunately, I was already used to such sights.
It wasn't like I had suppressed this realization, but the sight put things into perspective. I was so much more than a human where the simple act of seeing something as I do would render normal humans insane. I wasn't sure whether it was good or bad to still retain my human memories in such moments, but I didn't feel too bad.
I glanced at the edges of the tear trying to expand but being restrained by the barrier before I turned my attention to Yggdrasil, which was now swaying slightly again as it continued to bombard the barrier with origin energy. Origin energy was just chaos energy with an extra pep of life and creation in it. Fancy, sure but not that much more powerful than the chaos magic I had already begun to wield.
My gaze moved down to the soldiers who were flying toward the barrier. All kinds of races I didn't even know existed were marching or flying toward the barrier. As I watched them, I couldn't find any World Enemies, which made sense since the World Enemies are beings beyond the World Tree's control. They were just like me, only lesser. Obviously, they couldn't be commanded, but they could be persuaded.
Even though they were missing from the battlefield at this moment, it didn't mean they would remain absent. However, with a level 130, I was already beyond most World Enemies. If Yggdrasil was willing and managed to convince one of its mortal enemies to cooperate with it, then I would still be able to come out on top.
To be fair, Yggdrasil itself could crush me. Its weight was more than just a few worlds, luckily it couldn't truly arrive at this place - not without uprooting and exposing itself in the process, which would destroy its remaining worlds and accelerate its deterioration. It would be a sure way to kill me, but would also pave the way to its doom, Ragnarok.
So, the soldiers it sent weren't the subordinates of World Enemies'. They were the unorganized rabble, mercenaries, or beings that were intricately linked to Yggdrasil - all of whom wouldn't be able to bridge my barrier, at least for now.
I would be safe for now. Of course, there might be some exploits, but no one could find them in a span of days. Until then I needed to prepare more than I had done since arriving in this world. I needed an army, more power, weapons, and a defense line.
It would be best to unify the world so that Nazarick wouldn't be spread thin. We could use the inhabitants of this world as the first line of defense... "I'm really preparing to go to war with a tree." I couldn't keep the sigh any longer before I turned away from the barrier.
Suddenly a hand rubbed my back, "There, there..." Albedo soothed, urging me to pull her into a hug. I commanded the earth of the elemental to morph into a chair before sitting in it. Albedo was swept off her feet and placed onto my lap. I was about to push my face into her glorious mounds but noticed the plate armor.
She sat upright, an arm wrapping around my head before being pulled into her soft bosom as the armor disappeared. "You should keep your armor. It might become dangerous." I muttered though I was pretty sure no one could understand my words that were muffled by these tits.
"I know... but you will protect me, right?" Albedo asked in a gentle whisper as her hand started to massage my head. I digested her words for a moment. After all, she was here to protect me, not the other way around. I would have thought that protecting me would rank higher than pushing me into her bosom. "Besides the greatest threat here is you overthinking that this mere tree is a threat to your greatness."
She answered as if she sensed my doubt. Either way didn't she seem a bit too confident in my abilities? This wasn't just any tree or treant. This was the World Tree holding entire words in its domain. "The foundation of your divine domain will surpass anything the World Tree could hope to achieve. Your victory is assured." Her answers were truly well-timed, answering my every thought.
I pulled my head out of her breasts to look at her in contemplation. The loving and gentle smile told me how much she loved me, her eyes bore into me as if she could read my thoughts through my eyes, as if she directly stared into my soul. It carried a weight to it. She truly saw me and I could feel how high in regard she held me. No wonder Ainz always shied away.
Such sincere and deep emotions were overwhelming. "Of course, I will protect you even if it costs me my life." Her expression turned into a worried and reproachful frown, though to me she looked rather cute at this moment.
"That won't do." She sounded harsh and I would have winced if I didn't expect the reaction. "Your safety and your life is paramount. Nothing can compar- mmhm mh ngh~ St-stoop~ Mhm, mmmhhm I'm s-serious~" My lips sealed hers and even as she weakly pounded against my chest, I didn't let her get a chance to escape.
It didn't take much of a fight until she gave up. Her mouth surrendered to me, welcoming me as my tongue explored her mouth. Her tongue searched mine, stroking it and I was once again reminded that she was indeed a succubus. Her tongue heatedly wrapped around mine, desire filled her motions as her tongue started to jerk my tongue.
It was a strange sensation but nonetheless, especially once I broke free of her entanglement and started to earnestly wrestle against- suddenly a call connected.
"Azazel? Are you alright? It seems like your ward worked. I have already sent your maids, Fubuki, and Tatsumaki to secure the surroundings. There seem to be no problems..." I couldn't help but groan slightly as I extracted myself from Albedo. The bridge made out of our saliva broke, signifying the end of our little make-out session.
The demoness looked at me with flushed cheeks, though her eyes were clouded with lust, some sense of urgency struggled to make its way through her daze. "Ainz calls. They secured the surroundings." I simply explained which caused her worries to vanish.
I turned my attention back to Ainz's words as he spoke of his intention to integrate the elves into a village or create an elven village. "Ainz," I called out solemnly. "I will have to remain in this array at least until I'm sure no accidents will occur," I announced, which caused Ainz to sigh heavily.
"Yeah, I figured as much. Do you need something specific?" Ainz asked thoughtfully. I could tell that he was worried.
"Naw, I will be fine. I will hash out the details with the rest later. However, for the next two days, I will concentrate on making sure everything is fine. Please tell the others that no one is to enter the range of the array until my explicit wishes."
"Sure, I will convey it." He answered before hanging up, though I had the feeling that he was now questioning why I gave him orders and decided when and who would be able to meet me. I chuckled slightly as I thought about the tangents that the man could get lost in.
"C-can we continue?" Albedo asked nervously, her eyes not able to meet mine. I flicked her nose, getting an exaggerated ouch in return. "Mouu" She pouted while covering her nose with both hands.
"Man, you are too cute." My words made her freeze before she suddenly buried her face into the crook of my neck while hugging me tightly. For a moment, I considered everything that I needed to do before deciding on the sequence of actions. I tried pushing her slightly to look into her eyes, but she wouldn't move. I sighed slightly before standing up with her still attached. "Are you seriously going to stay like this?" Her legs crossed behind my back, while her hands wrapped around me tightly as well.
She truly resembled a koala not wanting to let go. Of course, I knew she was doing this because she was too embarrassed to show her face after being called cute. I could imagine that her entire face would be either completely red or she had one of those deranged smiles on her face.
I just let her be since it felt nice to be hugged like this. It seemed to ground me, calming me from all this anxiety. She was warm and smelt nice. If I didn't have to check up on the array, I would just start fucking her.
Either way, I couldn't postpone checking the immortal array even if I was confident that it wouldn't be bridged easily. Although it seemed to be holding strong now, I wanted to triple-check every node and thread that formed this complex array as well as make sure that nothing would get through even after months. I wasn't going to die because I was too lazy to check. Of course, I was pretty confident in what I created, but I wasn't like Albedo, who put her full trust in my abilities.
It took me a few dozen minutes of intense scrutiny until I had checked the setup, which should be enough. There were no obvious signs of weakness or flaws through the usage of Celestial Uranium and with my mastery over this array, I couldn't deduce any either.
Next, I turned my sight to the rift itself, wanting to see that there wasn't any gap. My gaze pierced through the veil of reality and looked upon the cluster of threads and shapes that made up the higher dimension or the Between.
The Heavenly Verdant Repelling Array was an ingenious piece of mysticism. However, looking at how it interacted with the borders of reality made it clear that there was a serious problem with it.
There was a reason why it was one of the few things that could help me in this scenario, but this effectiveness had its price. Unlike the separate barrier that protected the array itself, the array was highly specialized to work against World Trees or Primordial Trees as those of the cultivation world would describe it.
Everything that was spawned by the tree should be repellable. They would be unable to bridge the gap. So, even those World Enemies that were spawned by the tree wouldn't be able to pass through without restrictions. However, everything that wasn't from the tree could walk through it as if it wasn't there.
So, now the question remained whether Yggdrasil would search for external help to deal with me. It was something I heavily doubted as anything that would willingly deal with me would be a threat to the tree as well and an ownerless Primordial Tree would be something certain powerful entities would have an interest in.
There weren't many things this powerful in the void, but there were certainly some that would be interested in spreading chaos and death and feasting on the natural resources that could be found in the New World and Yggdrasil. This was something Yggdrassil knew as well.
Yggdrasil obviously wouldn't close the established connection since it knew I would hide this world away once it did. So, here we were, in an impasse. The only option Yggdrasil had, would be to wait until I exhausted my resources or the array was destroyed by the things that entered through the void.
The situation was certainly disadvantageous. Fortunately, I was able to use Prismatic Ore specifically Celestial Uranium, a divine ore that I could influence with my natural disposition. With these resources, the problem of the void dwellers was easily fixed. My divine domain connected with the Celestial Uranium, causing the 108 nodes of the array to glow in a light not visible to the mortal eye.
I was careful as I linked my domain to the array as I didn't want to accidentally broadcast my divinity to the void. Who knew what I was attracting with such a brazen action? It would be provoking anything that cared to listen. It took me a moment until everything was set up, but once I was done I could feel a certain weight.
Although my domain wasn't directly in touch with the void and the destructive energy inherent to it, I could still sense it. I felt like a paper boat in the middle of a storm. Every moment could spell my doom. I continued to sense the situation for a moment before I retracted it. The connection with my domain didn't change the array by much. It didn't even add protection against those void dwellers as it still functioned as before.
However, now that my domain was linked with the array, anything that entered the range of the array would step inside my domain. Indeed, anything that entered the world would first arrive inside my domain. It might sound suicidal to invite anything from the outside into my domain, but I was the strongest there.
Inside it, I was practically omnipotent. I could create life and destroy it as I saw fit. I could manipulate souls and time however I desired. Obviously being practically omnipotent wasn't a sure way to victory, but it gave me the best shot regardless of the minor limitations....
If there was something that could beat me inside my own domain then it didn't matter where I was in the New World. Such a being would have to be omnipotent themselves or be infinitesimal close to it that the differentiation wouldn't matter.
I sighed slightly, thinking that my playground, that was the New World, had been ruined. I had been playing on easy mode this entire time and having the difficulty raised out of nowhere certainly sucked. Seriously, I just wanted to fuck every hot woman in this world, was that too much to ask for?
I turned to the edge of the protective barrier of the array and saw someone waiting for me. I teleported toward them. "Hey, Fubuki," I called out as she waved at me happily.
"Hey, Az! Everything alright?" Her eyes flickered toward Albedo for a moment and opened her mouth before closing it with an audible click and opting to look me in the eyes as if she didn't feel jealous at Albedo's closeness to me. I was also pretty sure that she wanted to scold Albedo for not properly protecting me.
"Yep. Don't worry I will make her listen to you." Her eyes widened as she realized that she had been found out. Though to my surprise she shook her head. "How can I scold her for making you happy?" She fondly responded, leaving me stunned for a moment.
I was about to retort her words when I thought back on how it made me feel to have her cling to me. It looked like feeling embarrassed was just one of the reasons to wrap herself around me... And did Fubuki just deduce the reason for Albedo's actions that I hadn't even caught on even though she wasn't there when that happened?
"It was just a guess." She answered as if she read my mind and the way she smiled at me. How were the two suddenly able to guess my thoughts? Was that what you called womanly instincts? Scary stuff...
I coughed, "Right. Good. Have you secured the surroundings and the elves?" I asked, getting a positive answer in return.
"Yes, my d-dear. Everything is set up and the elves are currently gathered by Mare and Aura under Ainz's command." I nodded at that. Would have used the twins to interact with the elves as well. Even though the two were dark elves, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. At least, I hoped so...
"Good job. I will take another two days to keep an eye on the array with Albedo after which we can make a plan for the next few months and my absence for the plans. Especially my plans with Jaldabaoth." Her eyes widened in realization.
"Y-your Highness, does that mean you will remain here for several months?" She asked a bit rattled. Unfortunately, I could just nod at her question.
"Indeed. Despite having set up the array, I'm not sure what future ploys the tree will start, so I want to watch it until the array can't be sustained any longer. I will also need the time to grow stronger. So for now I will leave it to you to come up with a plan of rotation. One of you can remain with me in here, but the others need to be out there and prepare some things for me."
She took a moment to take it in before nodding resolutely. "I will do my best to arrange everything." After conveying her determination, she opened her mouth again before she closed it again. She looked at the ground, biting her lip before turning around. "Stay safe." She said before she teleported away.
I sighed slightly. Yeah, she was definitely jealous that she couldn't be the one to be stuck here with me. The others would feel the same and I would need to make some time for Tatsumaki to seal the deal. I shook my head and turned my attention to the royal tree of this elven capital.
I waved my hand, sending a dimensional cut through it, and with a snap of my finger, the top combusted in golden flames. Then I extended my palm toward it [Create Fortress]. Originally a level 10th spell, but now with an extra oomph of Chaos Magic a glorious divine fortress appeared on top of the tree trunk.
I had to crank up my head to see the roof of the building. "Damn, that's impressive," I muttered as I noticed that the walls were reinforced with magical wards. Usually, the fortress would have a time limit, but with chaos magic, I just needed a small amount of energy to supply it.
"How long are you going to pretend that you are sleeping?" I asked Albedo, who was still firmly holding on to me, though after a few moments, I still didn't get any response.
I rolled my eyes and continued to walk inside to carry her to the bedroom. It didn't take me long until I found it and started to lay her on the bed. Once I dropped her off on the bed, I was surprised to find her asleep. "Huh, she really fell asleep?" I muttered dumbfounded.
It wasn't like she couldn't fall asleep, but it was quite difficult for her to do so as a level 100 demoness. Usually, I would need to fuck her unconscious and even then she could recover quickly. Was she still pretending until I would tuck her in? I nudged her cheek slightly.
"Hey, Albedo. Wake up." She groaned slightly, pushing her face into my hand. "If you open your eyes, I am going to fuck your brains out," I whispered soothingly, causing her eyes to tremble slightly as if she was struggling to wake up. "Okay, now you are scaring me." Her eyes suddenly opened up as soon as I said that, though they were still glazed over in a daze.
"I-I'm sorry. Was I bad again?" She asked drowsily, causing me to feel a pang of guilt. Although I wasn't the one who put that lore into her, I still had said some harsh things to her.
"Of course not. You didn't wake up, so I got worried. Are you alright?" I answered which didn't seem to calm her.
"Yes, I'm sorry. I'm just so tired." She answered and I couldn't help but frown at her words. Thoughts raced through my mind before I came to a sudden realization. This array was filled with divinity, additionally, it connected with my domain, amplifying the divine nature of this place. Of course, she wouldn't have a good time here. She must be severely weakened.
"You should have told me that you are uncomfortable-" I began before she pressed her lips against mine. For a moment, we shared a chaste kiss before she disengaged.
"Would you have allowed me to stay if you knew how I felt?" She asked, certain that I would have denied her.
"Probably." My answer surprised her. Her eyes widened like a dog turning into full listening mode, so I explained. "With you, this weakened, you would probably choke on my dick almost instantly. If I fucked your face you would probably pass out in a minute of struggle. It would be a glorious sight with you completely out of it as cover you in my seed." Her mouth hung open for a moment as she digested my words before a blush took over her expression as lust filled her eyes.
Oh, she was ready to go this instant, which made me want to punch myself. There were still some things to do and here I was unintentionally turning my wife on. "Sorry, but we can only go in a few hours. I still need to do some things." I looked at her apologetically though she didn't seem too hung up on it despite what the pout would convey otherwise.
"You don't need to apologize. I will just sleep here for a moment- aahhh" She yawned heavily while rubbing her eyes before catching herself doing something 'inelegant'. "I'm sorry-"
"You also don't need to apologize, especially for something that I find adorable." Her face turned completely red and I could already imagine smoke coming out of her ears. I petted her head which short-circuited her, causing her to pass out and fall onto the bed. "I guess that was a bit too much."
I watched her for a moment longer before I pulled out my Whispering Tome. This time I needed a cultivation technique that would accelerate the growth of my tree and domains. I could probably search for a magical ritual as well, though most of them had some serious drawbacks. Cultivation usually didn't, at least most of the ones I had read about and a quick search through the tome revealed them to me.
After filtering the many possibilities I quickly cut down the technique to those that were most suitable. I smiled wryly at the one called the Ethereal Harmony Technique, which was practically tailored for the type of angel I was, especially with the combination of my succubus wife.
"Well, I would have done it either way..." I quickly memorized the technique of how to stir my inner energies while fucking. When Albedo woke up I would need to teach her how she could benefit from it as well.
With a technique chosen as well as a ritual for some immediate gains, I stepped out of the fortress and landed in the middle of the array. From my inventory, I pulled out the Astralroot Scepter. It was something I had almost forgotten about since I always thought about it in combination with the Worldforge stones, which allowed me to cut out a part of reality and turn it into an independent world.
I had placed the Worldforce stones around the Royal Backyard to cut my losses and hide away my home and everything inside it if shit hit the fan. However, given the description of the scepter, it could enhance my powers as well as the array's.
'Azazel gained the ability to traverse dimensions, manipulate cosmic energies, and shape the very foundations of existence. This manifestation of power aligns with Azazel's inherent nature and emboldens his quest for dominion beyond the limitations of Yggdrasil's rule.'
Just this section of lore allowed me to isolate this world and deepen the effect of the immortal array to an almost absolute level. A perfect setup to keep the World Tree outside. To be honest, it was almost overkill. Even Yggdrasil at its height of power wouldn't be able to beat such a setup.
Satisfied with my idea, I planted the scepter in the middle of the array. As soon as it touched the ground a green burst of energy spread throughout the array like a gas filling up the space.
It quickly settled into the Between and I felt its influence almost instantly. Array and my domain almost felt like it turned into part of this world, solidifying to be point I imagined merging with the world. With a thought, I could shape this world and the barrier to the outside. The sense of omnipotence that I only had inside my domain now seemed to extend to everything it interacted with.
The influence of the Astralroot Scepter used the array as a medium to enter the border of the world and enact my influence on it. It was slowly spreading, but it continued steadily unperturbed. My mind connected the dots. With this, I turned this world into part of my domain. I was claiming this world as my territory...