Chapter 10

Ainz and Dary found themselves in a large white room. Ainz quickly looked around and looked back at Dary.

"You don't have to worry! Here we can have a nice long chat without having to worry about anything... time flows differently here."

"W-what happened to you, Daion? I thought ... no, I saw as you died!"

"After I died, at least I think after; I was summoned to a new world by a strange entity. That entity gave me a mission and promised that if I managed to complete my first task, I would be able to reunite with my friends... My mission is to kill strange creatures that appeared in the world, just like that butler. They have their own unknown motives; all I know is that they must be killed."

While Dary was talking, he waved, and a marble table with two chairs appeared, and the two of them sat down.

"So it means... that you have finished your first task, right?"

"Yes, that is right, and I have learned quite a bit... And I am sure you have also noticed one very important thing that has changed..."

"Yes, I am sure you are beyond level 100... but how?!"

"You know me... I like grinding and farming. And there were quite a lot of enemies with quite high levels; thus, I could get quite strong. Although it sounds quite great, I was lucky that I did that... Even the weakest among these strange enemies are at least level 100. And the worst part is that even if they are level 100, their real power is beyond that... They have two phases. A suppressed and a real."

"That is quite worrisome..."

"Yes, and that is why I invited you here. I am worried that the ones here are much... much more powerful than the ones I have encountered before. We must be prepared, and everyone in Nazarick must be able to surpass level 100... Also, I have noticed that the NPCs seem to be quite alive, almost as if they were also players. So if possible, they should prepare as well."

Declared Dary as he was staring into Ainz's eyesockets. Ainz, on the other hand, started tapping on the table with his right index finger, and soon a green aura appeared around him for a split second.

"I think there is something you must know... We are probably the only two players in this world."

"I see..."

"By the way, Daion, how will you make us level up again? I have tried, and I don't seem to be able to progress beyond level 100."

"As far as I know, there are only two ways it can be achieved. First, the way I did it, you are being pushed beyond your limits and staying on the verge of death. The second is through a special item, which I have collected a few, but I don't know how much I have and whether it will be enough or not; BUT I have been told that it is very painful. It is said to bring you to the verge of death. But other than that, I don't know what it does or how it does it. The moment I arrived I had to deal with one of these targets... I will just call them "abomination", and I nearly died in that fight; that is how I learned that level 100 is not the highest level."

Said Dary and leaned back on his chair. After Dary finished speaking, another green aura appeared around Ainz and, soon after that, dissipated.

"Going beyond level 100... it sounds fascinating, but are you sure it is true and will do as it should?"

"Yes, one of my followers tested one and said it works, and of course, proved it. All he said is that it is very painful, so be prepared."

Replied Dary, and as he extended his hand, a tiny yellow crystal appeared in it. Ainz looked at it, and Dary placed it on the table.

"This is one of those items. This one should give you one extra level, as it was the hardest to obtain, so if you think you trust me, here you go; I must go back and defeat that butler. Before you do or say anything, you will stay here. There are three ways you can enter. The first one is simple; I finish my fight, and I stop the spell; if that happens, you will teleport outside the way we came in. You won't even be able to notice. Second, I am unable to bring you out because something happened to me. The spell will reach its end, and the whole perimeter around you will crack and shatter. Third and worst case scenario; I die... in taht case, everything will crumble and explode, and you will receive some damage."

"Wait, how do you know all that, and why must I stay here?!"

Asked Ainz as he jumped up from his seat. Dary stood up as well and looked into Ainz's eyes and, took a deep breath, then added.

"Because I have experienced all three of them."

As Dary said that, he vanished, and Ainz was left alone in the white room

"Why do I have a strange feeling about all this?! We just got reunited, and you already rushed ahead into danger?! Wait and see; this time, I will not let you die!"

Ainz grabbed the crystal, looked at it and then laughed.

"Will this pain really be taht bad? Do you know how painful it was to lose your back taht? For me, you were and always will be a brother! BRING IT ON!"

Declared Ainz and crushed the crystal. His hand turned yellow, and a surge of yellow energy rushed through Ainz's body, changing him completely yellow for a few seconds, but then the light dissipated. Ainz fell to his knees.

"This... is...NOTHING!"

Shouted Ainz as he pushed himself up, but the moment he was about to stand up, suddenly, everything around him became black.