Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight.

The icy air blew through the hall, and through the gaps in the barrier, it reached the mercenary group "Death-Spreading Sword Group" behind them, and all forty-two remaining mercenaries.

The cave is centered on a long, narrow hall at its deepest point, from which several smaller caves radiate outwards.

At this moment, this place has become a temporary fortress. The makeshift table has been overturned, and boxes have been piled up to form a barrier. Several ropes, reaching up to the waist, have been tied between the entrance and the barrier.

All personnel were dispersed behind the barrier, holding crossbows and waiting for orders, forming a formation known as the Crossfire.

However, unease was evident on the faces of those inside the position.

Just now, a loud laugh came from the entrance; it was the sound of Brian Anglaus going out to meet the enemy.

Brian's strength transcended that of ordinary people; he could kill an ogre with a single blow and charge into an army of goblins single-handedly. But such a man was defeated. What did that mean? Everyone understood, but no one dared to say it aloud.

Just as the tension was building, the sound of running footsteps grew louder as they approached.

Brian dashed in from the hall entrance. The mercenary leader shouted, and cheers erupted in the hall, but Brian's expression was as if he were searching for something. The cheers slowly subsided.

Ignoring his companions' shouts, he forced his way through the barrier, rushed into the warehouse, and slammed the door shut.

Light footsteps sounded. A stranger appeared from the entrance.

There was only one person. The hunched figure appeared to be a young girl, her hands hanging limply at her sides, her head completely bowed, and her neck seemingly three times the length of a normal person's. Her smooth, long silver hair trailed on the ground, and her black dress shrouded the darkness.

No one spoke.

The head slowly began to move. On the silver-haired face, two red lights flickered, gradually becoming as thin as needles; the other person was smiling.

The girl quickly raised her head, revealing a beautiful face. But her features resembled those of a mask sculpted by a top-tier artist.

"Hello everyone, my name is Shalltear Bradfordren. Is this the end? So, tag is ending too?"

She looked around but couldn't find her target, and her beautiful face wrinkled.

"How about we play hide-and-seek this time?"

A series of chuckles rang out, gradually growing louder.

"Hahaha, hahaha, hehe, hahaha, hahahahahaha!"

The girl slowly raised her head; her face was no longer beautiful. Her eyes were completely stained blood red, her mouth revealed countless rows of needle-like sharp teeth, her oral cavity emitted a pink glow, and saliva dripped from the corners of her mouth.

"Hahaha, hehe, hahahahahaha, hahaha!"

The air in the hall seemed to groan.

That is the embodiment of fear.

"Wow!"

A mercenary screamed as he pulled the trigger of his crossbow. The arrow pierced deep into Shalltear's chest.

"emission!"

At the commander's order, all the mercenaries fired simultaneously. Thirty-one of the forty arrows hit their mark, four of them piercing the head. For a human, this would be absolutely fatal.

"Defeated..."

Someone whispered.

However, Shalltear moved. She slowly opened her arms, and the arrows that had pierced her body slowly came out, falling to the ground without even a drop of blood on them.

Shalltear grinned maliciously.

Countless crossbow bolts shot at her again, piercing her eyes, tearing through her throat, and embedding themselves in her abdomen. She, however, was merely somewhat impatient, as if she were being drenched in a light rain.

"Even though it's useless, you still try so hard..."

She took a step forward and leaped lightly over the barrier. As her high heels touched the ground, all the arrows fell from her body.

Throw a punch.

The mercenary who was hit was pierced through the body and blasted away along with the barrier.

Shalltear extended her index finger and wrote the Blood Pool skill in magical script. She activated the tenth-tier spell—Internal Detonation. The bodies of the ten mercenaries expanded from within, exploding like bursting balloons.

"Hahaha! Fireworks—! So beautiful—!"

"Go to hell!"

An armor-piercing sword pierced her heart from behind, twisting and turning. A broadsword severed her head in two. Three mercenaries continued to hack and slash, but Shalltear stood unmoved, her terrifying smile still on her face.

She casually pulled the broadsword from her head, and the wound healed instantly. The sword began to rust and crumble. With a casual flick of her wrist, three heads rolled to the ground.

"Run! Run!"

The mercenaries fled in panic. Shalltear grabbed one of them from behind and forcefully ripped off his head, causing it to crack open and his brains to spill out.

"Hahaha! What's that face? Scared? Wait, I'm a ghost!"

A mercenary tripped and tumbled to her feet, begging for mercy. Shalltear's lips curled into a cruel grin. She grabbed the man by the back with one hand and gently tossed him toward the ceiling. As he fell, she caught him tenderly.

Before them was a gaping maw, large enough to swallow a human head whole.

"Hahaha, so happy! You think you're so tough? Stick out your tongue, lol—"

"Spare me... Spare my life..."

"No... because I haven't had a cigarette in a long time..."

No one knows that in YGGDRASIL, the True Ancestor is the embodiment of disaster. His mouth, gaping open to his ears, reveals two long canine teeth reaching his chin, and his red eyes glow with a blood-red light. That is the True Ancestor's true form.

Shalltear bit the mercenary's throat. The sound of blood being sucked away rang out.

She discarded the shriveled corpse, licked the blood from the corner of her mouth, and smiled broadly at the remaining mercenaries.

"There's still so much food!"

Wailing, screams, and cries echoed through the hall.

Shalltear stood in the silent hall, the blood clot on her head swelling to be only slightly smaller than her head.

"This is so enjoyable!"

"You seem very happy, that's wonderful, great master," the vampire bride said, bowing her head.

"Time for the main course!"

Shalltear forced open the warehouse Brian had escaped into. The scent of fresh air wafted in, revealing the escape route. The human presence gradually faded away.

“Guaaaa!”

She roared. A hole appeared behind the cargo, but less than a meter in front was blocked by sand and gravel.

They escaped.

This sentence surfaced in her blood-red train of thought. Shalltear vaguely understood that part of the mission she was tasked with had failed.

Shalltear, enraged, revealed a ferocious expression.

Why do these mere humans not act according to the wishes of the Guardians of Nazarick?

"Lady Shalltear!"

"What is it?"

"Several people are coming this way."

"The remaining followers? Then let's go and meet them!"

Shalltear jumped onto the log at the entrance and looked toward her target.

Before them stood a well-organized team. Three warriors led the way, followed by a red-haired female warrior, and finally, a magic-wielding sorcerer and a priest, a total of six.

"Not bad."

"The opponent might be a vampire! Only silver or magical weapons will work! Retreat! Don't look her in the eyes!"

The call of a magic caster rang out. The team reacted swiftly, assuming a defensive stance. The female warrior began to draw her mithril weapon—a small, silver-plated dagger—which she had saved up to buy.

The group retreated while simultaneously holding the enemy back.

Shalltear set her sights on the team leader, but the urge to kill gradually overwhelmed her. Unable to suppress the urge to wreak havoc, her breathing became erratic.

[Anti-evil defense], [Low-level mental defense]

Two magic chanters cast defensive spells.

Such adorable resistance became the final straw, breaking Shalltear's faltering self-control.