Overlord (WN) Chapter 51

The lizardmen traversed the wetlands, forming up between the enemy skeleton army and the village.

　There was no particular formation, the lizardmen simply gathered randomly as they waited for the upcoming battle. The only clear arrangement was that the various tribe chiefs, Zaryusu and the two swamp elementals were standing in front.

　Among the lizardmen, there was the delicate atmosphere of tension in the air.

 

　The skeletons suddenly banged on their shields and marched forward.

　If the timing was even slightly off, it would just sound like random noise from a marching army, but the movements of the 5000 of them were in sync and the sound was as one. In a different setting, this performance would be worthy of applause and praise.

　While the sound drew the attention of the lizardmen, to the rear of the skeletons— several trees in the forest fell.

　The trunks of trees were not thin. They could be called large trees. Someone cut them down.

　This caused a commotion among the lizardmen. The sensible and the quick witted ones were the first to notice.

　As they couldn’t see how it was done, it might be possible that this was a handiwork of several beings. However, the timing between the felling of each tree was too tidy. The feeling that this was the work of just one being.

　In addition, there was no shaking of the tree, proof that a blade was cut into it,  before it fell. It seemed impossible, but it was being cut down in one slice

　Bisecting trees.

　Just how strong did one have to be to make this possible.

　The sounds of the skeletons banging on their shields and the sound of trees falling reached the lizardmen.

　Anxious feelings welled up. This was expected, how could anyone keep calm in such a situation.

　Even Zenberu, Zaryusu and Shasuryu were shaken.

　Moments later, the one opening a path in the forest revealed itself. At the same time, the banging of the shields stopped.

　It was a smooth blue mass. If not for the thick clouds, there was no telling how bright his reflection would be.

　That large body of 250cm in height looked like an insect standing on two legs. The appearance was like that of an ant or mantis, a hybrid born of a twisted devil. His face also looked like the mix of an ant and mantis.

　Its hard exoskeleton had a frosty air about it, sparkling like diamond dust.

　It had a spiked tail that was twice its height and powerful jaws that looked powerful enough to chew off a human arm in one bite.

　He had four clawed arms with shiny gauntlets gracing each one. He was not holding any weapons, so they wondered how the trees fell. The questions never ended.

　A round golden necklace was worn around its neck.

　The powerful being made its appearance.

　So this is Cocytus?

　Zaryusu’s heart raced and his breathing became ragged.

　Their instinct was rampant, telling them they were in front of something they could not defeat. That they should run away.

　None of the lizardmen spoke. Their eyes were drawn to the monster that showed itself, unable to shift their gaze away. They understood that if they did, it would be the end.

　Several unconscious stepped back. No, not several. Almost all the lizardmen did.

“Do not fear!”

　Shasuryu’s shout of rage rang. Many lizardmen seemed to have electricity run through their shaking bodies.

“Do not pull back! Warriors! If we defeat that, it’s our victory! Do not fear and face forward!”

　The lizardmen regained their fighting spirit. However, Zaryusu understood. There was a slight wavering of fear in his b rother’s voice.

　Cocytus drew near slowly.

　He walked into the wetlands, passing the skeletons with swagger—

　Cocytus stopped about thirty metres before the lizardmen, on top of a small knoll. Cocytus then moved his insect like face on his long neck. He seemed to be searching for someone.

　Zaryusu felt Cocytus’ gaze rested on him for a brief moment.

“—Alright, Ainz-sama is watching, so show your might..”

　Cocytus extended one of his arm, bending a thin finger, gesturing at them to come at him. Facing the taunt of the enemy, Shasuryu yelled at the top of his voice.

“Charge—!”

“Warrghhhh!”

　While roaring from the bottom of their hearts, 321 people, (316 warriors, 4 chiefs and Zaryusu) ran towards Cocytus across the wetlands.

　Cocytus looked coldly at the warriors charging him.

“….There are many. I should first cut down the numbers.”

　Cocytus released his sealed aura.

　[Frost Aura] was a skill of the Knight of Niflheim class. That enhanced extreme cold instantly covered a 100 metre radius circle.

　From the extreme cold, the sudden change in temperature, the atmosphere screamed.

　As if a shockwave occurred, the wall of air from Cocytus smashed into Zaryusu’s body. The winds rapidly stole his body temperature, and an extreme cold covered Zaryusu’s body.

　A sharp pain assaulted Zaryusu.

　There was not much physical shock, but the change in the air, the extreme cold caused a pain that could rival it.It penetrated through Frost Pain’s cold resistance, and damaged him. To those without it, this place was hell.

　The cold damage was not as bad as the ability of Frost Pain which could be used thrice per day [Icy Burst]. It could be described as half of that.

　However, compared to Frost Pain’s Icy Burst which was instantaneous, this extreme cold was like a poison covering their body every second. As time passed, having this cold penetrate their body would bring them close to death.

　Then, attack or retreat.

　There were only two ways to deal with it. And there was no way to retreat from the beginning. If they did, then everything would disappear.

“—Goho!”

　Attack. Zaryusu was about to shout that, when the cold entered his lungs and choked him. The pain in his throat calmed Zaryusu down.

　Zaryusu and the chiefs had already made their decisions. However they brought the ignorant lizardmen here. A strong sense of guilt attacked Zaryusu.

　The opponent’s goal was not to annihilate them. It was just to show an overwhelming difference in strength.

　Then, just this should have shown that. If Zaryusu and the chiefs sacrificed themselves, it might be enough. It might be a naive thought, but the thought surfaced in Zaryusu’s heart.

　Originally he naturally understood that it would be wrong to leave Shasuryu behind to command.

　However, Zaryusu changed the words he should have said.

　Of course, this action was wrong.

　He understood that this was sitting on the fence. He understood everyone gathered here, the village, were all sacrifices. That was why they were gathered. However, he did not wish for any sacrifices.

　If there was the possibility of no one dying, he would have wanted to choose that one.

　That was why, he said this.

“Retreat! Retreat back!”

　—However, it was too late.

　The lizardmen heard his words, and started to retreat away from the pain. However, the radius of Cocytus’ Frost Aura was 100 metres. It was not a distance weak existences could pass.

　Several metres. That was the limit of the lizardmen.

　Firstly, their movements were dulled, and they fell into the cold water where ice seemed to be able to form. They had no ability to move, and only froze to death.

　The 316 warrior class lizardmen. All of them fell weakly. And they easily welcomed death.

　Yes, even approaching Cocytus was not forgiven.

“Hmm. About this.”

　Following Cocytus’ bored voice, the freezing cold disappeared. As if everything up to now was a lie. However, the corpses of the 316 was the proof that it occurred.

　Only five lizardmen could still move.

　 They were the five strongest people among the lizardmen.

　They immediately began moving as one.

　A rock flew through the air. A lizardman in full body armor led the charge with two lizardmen following behind. The swamp elementals moved slowly behind the two lizardmen with their bodies that had cracked in the cold. The last lizardman at the back kept chanting spells.

　The first strike was the rock aimed at Cocytus’ throat. However, that attack was meaningless because—

“—The equipment on all we Guardians provides absolute resistance against projectiles.”

　—An invisible barrier seemed to deflected the rock.

　The leading lizardman followed next, wearing one of the four treasures passed down from generation to generation— White Dragon Bone.

　It was tough enough to block Frost Pain which was also one of the four treasures, the hardest armor known to lizardmen.

　Cocytus who was facing him drew a sword out of thin air.

　As if the blade was already there.

　The oodachi Cocytus drew was 200 centimetres in length, and the blade was 150 centimetres. It was the Royal Blade God Slayer. It was the sharpest of among the twenty one weapons Cocytus possessed.

　He then slashed at the lizardman before him.

　The blade that sliced through the air made the air howl— a calm sound. In a different situation, one might want to listen carefully to this clean sound.

　After that sound, the body of the tribal chief split in half together with the armor, falling to the left and right into the wetlands.

　Royal Blade God Slayer was not damaged after cleaving the hardest armor of the lizardmen.

　The two lizardmen behind weren’t fazed by the gruesome death of their comrade, attacking from either side with their weapons raised.

“Shyaa!”

　On the right side was Zenberu’s chop, powered by ‘Iron Natural Weapon’ and ‘Iron Skin’. It was directed at full power towards Cocytus’ face.

“Warrgghh!”

　On the left side was Frost Pain, aimed at his abdomen.

　This melee attack took advantage of the logic of long weapons being hard to use in close quarters.

　And of course, that only applied to normal people.

　Cocytus slightly turned and used his blade to block Zenberu’s arm from the right. His movement was smooth and elegant, as if the weapon in his hand was a part of his body.

　With the ability of ‘Iron Skin’, Zenberu was on par with steel in term of hardness. But the clash with the armor earlier showed how sharp Royal Blade God Slayer was.

　The blade slid into his arm smoothly as if it was slicing through water.

　As blood spurted from Zenberu’s right stump, Cocytus’ other hand was already pinching Frost Pain that was aimed at his abdomen.

“Ugghhhh!”

“— Oh, I see. This is a nice sword…”

“Tch!”

　Zaryusu gave up on the Frost Pain that couldn’t be moved and kicked Cocytus in the knee cap. Cocytus did not dodge and took the blow. In the end, it was Zaryusu who landed the blow that suffered intense pain.

　It was the same sensation of kicking an iron wall with all your might.

“<over>!”</over>

　After exhausting a large amount of mana, it enabled the use of higher tier magic that was not usually accessible— Shasuryu cast a mass healing spell boosted by magical enhancement.

“Fumu…”

　Cocytus seemed intrigued as he stared at Shasuryu who used a spell modifier he did not know, but the two swamp elementals blocked his view. The swamp elementals moved in front of Zenberu, whose arm was regenerating from magic, and attacked Cocytus with their tentacles. Before their attacks even landed, Cocytus slashed at them impatiently.

　As the swamp elementals crumbled into dust, Zaryusu’s fist landed on Cocytus’ solar plexus, abdomen and chest. And of course, the one injured was Zaryusu. The skin on his fist was torn and bleeding.

“Annoying.”

　Cocytus swung his spiked tail hard at Zaryusu’s chest.

“Guuahhh!”

　Zaryusu flew like a ball hit by a bat with a cracking sound, flying high and far before rolling onto the wetlands. He finally stopped after rolling on the wetlands, but the pain in his chest and the blood spilling from his throat made it hard to breathe.

　The broken bones probably pierced his lungs, he couldn’t breathe in even if he wanted to, feeling like he was under water. The warm liquid spilling from his throat made him want to throw up. Zaryusu looked at his chest and saw blood bleeding from his wounds that was gored by sharp spikes.

　—Just one hit, he was in this state. If only took one hit. One hit caused him to be in a half-dead state….

　Zaryusu felt like a fool for underestimating the sheer strength of Cocytus’ existences. Zaryusu tried to breath with all his might glared with spirited eyes at Cocytus who might move in for the finishing blow.

“Since you still have the will to fight, I will return this to you.”

　Frost Pain was casual thrown next to Zaryusu, who was covered in mud. Cocytus ignored him, and faced the rest.

　Shasuryu cast healing magic on Zenberu who had regenerated his arm but lost a lot of stamina.

　Right before Cocytus reached them, another rock came flying at him to divert his attention— But it was in vain as it was deflected easily.

“— Irritating.”

　Cocytus mumbled and extended his arm at the ‘Small Fang’ chief.

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