“Too loud!”
“To be so disrespectful in the presence of three Supreme Beings…”
“Shalltear, Aura—the three Lords are watching us.”
A massive blue insectoid creature, its body encased in a hard carapace and possessing four arms, walked toward them from the edge of the arena.
“That’s Cocytus, the Guardian of the fifth floor,” Nai Yuan’s voice echoed in the minds of Momonga and Herohero as he explained.
As an NPC created by Warrior Takemikazuchi, Cocytus had been programmed with a strong sense of bushido.
Consequently, he found the bickering between Shalltear and Aura highly distasteful.
“This little shorty started it!”
“I was just stating facts.”
“Everyone, please, calm down…”
Shalltear and Aura glared at each other indignantly, while Mare continued his futile attempts to play peacemaker.
“If you two are unwilling to stop, then allow me to be your opponent!”
Cocytus watched the two continue their spat.
He swung his massive axe and slammed it into the ground.
The sheer force caused cracks to spiderweb across the floor, and a frigid chill spread from the tip of the axe.
In an instant, the ground began to frost over.
“That’s enough!”
“Stop arguing!”
“Cease this at once!”
Seeing things starting to spiral out of control, the three spectators sitting on their thrones felt compelled to intervene.
“By your command, Supreme Lords!” the three NPCs cried out in unison.
They immediately dropped their aggressive stances and bowed toward the thrones in apology.
“Aura, as the older sister, do not make things difficult for your brother.
Let the playfulness end here,” Nai Yuan said, his tone carrying a note of admonishment for the Dark Elf siblings.
“My deepest apologies, Father,” Aura said immediately, straightening her back and bowing deeply toward Nai Yuan.
Meanwhile, Momonga looked toward the respectful insectoid.
“You did well, Cocytus.
But do not be so impulsive next time.
If we do not object, it means we permit it.”
Momonga first praised him, then advised him to be more observant in the future.
The argument between Shalltear and Aura was something the three had allowed, so he shouldn’t have been so quick to draw his weapon.
It was the classic “slap followed by a sweet.”
“Understood, Momonga-sama.
I shall be more mindful.”
“Mm.
Thank you for your hard work.”
Beside them, Herohero watched his two friends lecture the NPCs in silence, having no desire to participate.
While he could talk and joke with Nai Yuan and Momonga as fellow transmigrators, he didn’t feel the same way about the NPCs.
At most, he added his voice to the initial command to stop, then sank back into his chair to watch the scene unfold.
Seeing that the Supreme Being Herohero-sama had nothing more to say, Cocytus simply gave him a deep bow to show his respect.
Herohero responded with a slight nod of acknowledgment.
“I apologize for keeping you all waiting!”
A moment later, a demon dressed in a red suit arrived.
He wore glasses that obscured his diamond-shaped eyes and possessed a face that practically screamed “backstabber.”
“My deepest apologies, my Lords.
I am late.”
From another entrance, a figure clad in pale blue armor approached the group in the arena.
His eyes turned toward the being seated on the left throne.
“My Great Father, Sephiris offers his heartfelt thanks for your summons,” the armored figure said in a joyful tone, performing an elegant aristocratic salute toward Nai Yuan.
“Sephiris.
It gladdens me to see you as well.
Stand to the side for now; we shall speak more later,” Nai Yuan said, gazing at the figure with complex emotions.
This was an NPC he had created—his child, in a sense.
Seeing him stirred a great deal of emotion within Nai Yuan.
(Note: Sephiris is male.
The protagonist created him considering the possibility that he might not transmigrate.
Compared to a daughter, the protagonist wanted a son.
In the original story, Momonga was guaranteed to transmigrate, but if the protagonist hadn’t succeeded, his physical condition in the real world wouldn’t have allowed him to live much longer.
Creating Sephiris gave him a legacy to leave behind in this other world, ensuring his line wouldn’t truly end.)
“By your command.”
Sephiris acknowledged the order and moved to stand beside Aura.
Then, another figure appeared before everyone: Albedo.
“Now then, everyone.
Let us offer our pledge of loyalty to the Great Supreme Beings.”
Albedo stepped to the front of the Guardians and spoke.
She was the first to drop to one knee.
“Guardian of the first through third floors, Shalltear, pays her respects to the three Supreme Beings.”
“Guardian of the fifth floor, Cocytus, pays his respects to the three Supreme Beings.”
“Guardians of the sixth floor, Aura and Mare, pay their respects to the three Supreme Beings.”
“Guardian of the seventh floor, Demiurge, pays his respects to the three Supreme Beings.”
“Guardian of the eighth floor, Sephiris, pays his respects to the three Supreme Beings.”
“Overseer of the Guardians, Albedo, pays her respects to the three Supreme Beings.”
“With the exception of the fourth floor Guardian, Gargantua, and Victim, who shares the defense of the eighth floor with Sephiris, the Guardians of every floor have arrived at the sixth floor.”
“Please grant us your commands, Supreme Lords.
We, your Guardians, shall respond to your expectations with all our might and offer everything to our three masters.”
As the report concluded, Albedo spoke respectfully from the front.
“Very well.
Raise your heads, Guardians.” Momonga rose from his throne.
A terrifying pressure began to radiate from him; without realizing it, he had activated [Despair Aura].
Nai Yuan and Herohero exchanged a glance and stood up as well, activating similar skills.
[Dragon’s Might] [Corrosive Aura]
Immediately, three immense waves of pressure slammed into the kneeling Guardians, making them dare not move a muscle.
“First, I wish to thank you all for gathering here,” Momonga began.
He couldn’t help but glance at the two beside him.
Seeing their serious expressions, he nodded inwardly.
As expected of his friends, they knew exactly how to help him build the proper atmosphere.
“You are far too kind.
This is our honor,” Albedo said, gazing at Momonga with eyes full of deep affection.
The love overflowing from her made Momonga instinctively take a half-step back.
It was terrifying.
He felt that if they were ever alone, she might actually suck the marrow right out of his bones.
“As beings created by the Supreme Lords, we are your most loyal servants.
We are deeply honored by your praise.”
“To answer those expectations, we shall do our utmost to ensure no shame ever falls upon the Great Supreme Beings,” Demiurge said respectfully, expressing his loyalty as a Guardian.
“We so swear!” the other Guardians echoed loudly.
“Is that so?
I have witnessed your loyalty.
Then, I have a question for you all.”
“To you, what kind of people are the three of us in your eyes?”
Momonga followed the established routine with the Guardians before finally asking the crucial question.
Beside him, Nai Yuan and Herohero also looked on, curious to hear the answer.