Reincarnated as Itsuka Shido: Collecting Spirits as Lovers

"Create Middle Tier Undead: Death Knight!"

"Create Middle Tier Undead: Death Warrior!"

"Create Middle Tier Undead: Death Wizard!"

"Create Middle Tier Undead: Death Assassin!"

Ainz began mass-summoning undead, the arena quickly filling with around two hundred of them. He would have summoned more, but the size of the colosseum was limited, so two hundred would suffice for now. Although they were only middle-tier undead, they would serve well enough to gauge Shido's strength.

After finishing the last summoning, Ainz turned toward Shido, who was calmly walking up to him.

"You will be fighting them. Can you handle it?" Ainz asked, curious about Shido's response.

In truth, Ainz felt a flicker of excitement. According to Aura and Shalltear, Shido's abilities were similar to him, and Ainz was eager to see the true extent of his power.

If Ainz's power was the dominion over death itself, then Shido's ability was the rule of darkness, a related branch, yet fundamentally different.

"It should be easy." 

Shido nodded calmly, as if the two hundred undead before him were nothing more than a swarm of ants. In truth, that was exactly how he saw them. Even if there were so many, these undead were only around level 35 to 40 undead which Shido could eliminate without effort.

However, while he maintained a calm exterior, inside, Shido was quietly cheering. He hadn't expected Ainz to let him fight a group of middle-tier undead, especially when so many of them were Death Knights. If he wiped them all out, he would complete another of his quests, leaving only the last two and those were the hardest, meant for the main event.

"Haha, I like the confidence, but I hope you won't disappoint me."

Ainz laughed, though he knew this battle would be easy for Shido. He was already aware that Shido possessed dark attributes, but like Shalltear, Ainz could also sense a faint holy energy surrounding him, a combination that granted Shido a distinct advantage against undead and demon opponents.

Unlike Shalltear, who possessed holy skills due to her Cleric class despite being undead, Shido's holy ability seemed to be an innate talent, something he was born with rather than something acquired.

"I will watch you from the audience seat."

With that, Ainz floated upward, gliding toward the stands where the Floor Guardians and Pleiades were gathered, ready to watch what Shido could do.

"Shalltear, you said he was very strong, right?"

Cocytus turned to Shalltear, seeking confirmation. As a proud warrior, Cocytus had an unyielding desire to face strong opponents, and he was curious about Shido's capabilities. If possible, he wanted to spar with him someday, but for now, he would watch closely, eager to witness Shido's power firsthand.

However, based on what Shalltear and Aura had shared, Shido's abilities were overwhelmingly destructive. Cocytus couldn't help but think that this battle might end too quickly for him to see the full extent of Shido's true strength.

"Of course." Shalltear replied proudly, her crimson eyes glinting as if Shido's achievements were also hers. "He was able to completely erase that massive tree from the Great Forest of Tob, you know. All that was left was an abyss so deep you couldn't even see the bottom."

"Hm, then this will be an easy battle."

Cocytus nodded, he believed Shalltear and was convinced that there wouldn't be much of a spectacle to witness.

Albedo and the others remained silent, quietly observing Shido while listening to Shalltear and Cocytus' conversation.

Even Demiurge found himself thinking it would be an easy victory for Shido. He couldn't help but wonder why Ainz had chosen to summon middle-tier undead rather than high-tier ones. If Ainz had summoned even five Doom Lords, it might have made for a far more interesting fight.

However, Demiurge reminded himself that the thoughts of a Supreme Being were beyond what a lower life form like himself could fully comprehend.

'Don't tell me!'

A sudden realization sparked in Demiurge's mind as he pieced together Ainz's true intentions, quickly analyzing the situation and the potential merits it could bring to Nazarick.

He felt a surge of admiration for Ainz's intelligence. Even if Shido was only fighting a group of middle-tier undead, it would still allow them to observe and analyze some of Shido's abilities, granting Nazarick invaluable insight into what a player was capable of.

After all, aside from Ainz himself, none of them had ever encountered another player before. This would be a rare and precious learning opportunity.

And if Demiurge's guess was correct, then this would not be the end of Ainz's tests for Shido, it would only be the beginning.

There might even be something else Ainz was planning while using this chance to gather information about a player's abilities through Shido.

'As expected of Ainz-sama!'

Demiurge smiled inwardly, filled with admiration at how far ahead Ainz always seemed to think. His master's brilliance never failed to amaze him.

However, in truth, Ainz had no such elaborate plan at all. He simply felt that using middle-tier undead would be enough to gauge Shido's abilities, and perhaps see if he would reveal any secret weapons like a World Item, though Demiurge doubted the probability of Shido possessing one.

It was just Demiurge thinking too much as always.

While, Demiurge was thinking of what Ainz plan was, the battle already started.

"Abaddon."

Shido summoned his angel. In the next moment, a pair of gauntlets appeared on his arms, one jet-black, the other pure white, radiating holy light.

"Is that..."

"He really has them..."

The Floor Guardians were shock seeing the item that appeared on Shido's arms. Ainz on the other hand scanned the gauntlet on Shido's arms and he became sure of it.

"That's right… it's a World Item."

Hearing Ainz's confirmation, the Floor Guardians couldn't hide their shock. None of them had expected their new member to possess a World Item, and a few couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy.

"Hm? It looks like Avarice and Generosity…"

Albedo narrowed her golden eyes, carefully studying the gauntlets on Shido's arms. At a glance, they seemed similar to Nazarick's own World Item, but she could feel it, Shido's World Item radiated an essence far stronger than theirs.

"You're right. They look similar, but the essence is completely different," Ainz nodded, sharing her assessment. Although he was surprised that Shido possessed a World Item, excitement stirred within him.

After all, Shido joined Nazarick, it meant they would gain another powerful World Item within their arsenal.

World Items had been notoriously difficult to obtain back in YGGDRASIL, being the strongest weapons any player could possess. For Shido, who had never joined any guild, to have one was truly surprising. Ainz could only assume that Shido must have triggered a hidden quest to acquire it, especially given his strength.

If Shido could hear their thoughts, he would have laughed. They were mistaking his angel for a World Item. Although World Items were indeed powerful, they were nothing compared to his angel. After all, his angel grew stronger alongside him, its value surpassing any World Item by leagues.

Still he didn't have time to explain it since the Death Knights and Death Warriors were already charging at him.

Shido, clad in his spirit form, charged into the swarm of undead, beginning his onslaught without hesitation. His long silver hair, like a river of stars against the night, swayed with each swift movement as he danced across the battlefield. White Reiryoku enveloped his right gauntlet while black Reiryoku cloaked his left, swirling with dense spiritual energy.

Behind him, the divine ring on his back glowed with a radiant golden light before spinning at an impressive speed, greedily devouring mana from the world.

Shido attack the Death Wizard first since they were annoying sending lighting and fireballs on him. With a stab and slash of his hand towards the undead, they immediately perished, either turned into ash by his left hand of being purified by his right hand.

Ding!

[You gained 10,000 Exp]

[You gained 500 SP]

[You gained 1 SF]

Each kill brought a satisfying chime in Shido's mind, the generous rewards making his eyes glint with excitement.

The battlefield turned chaotic as the Death Assassins and Death Warriors lunged toward him, their blades and claws slashing through the air. However, each attack was either dodged with effortless speed or blocked by a barrier, rendering their assaults useless.

Shido's speed was very fast and the undead cannot keep up with him. In a flash, Shido repositioned himself at the center of the arena, the horde of undead frantically turning and charging at him all at once.

This was exactly the moment Shido had been waiting for.

As the Death Knights, Death Warriors, and Death Assassins charged in unison, Shido suddenly vanished from his location, reappearing ten meters above their heads.

His right gauntlet pulsed, radiating pure, blinding light. In an instant, a concentrated sphere of holy energy formed in his palm, humming with unrestrained power. Without hesitation, Shido thrust his hand downward toward the cluster of undead below, his crimson eyes glowing sharply.

"Yad HaOr!"

BOOOOOOOOOOOM!