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Chapter 226 ~ Breakthrough (2)

Arche followed Ainz and Zero while Sebas walked along by her side, while Solution, and CZ walked behind her. 

The way they’re “escorting” her by having her be at the center with Sebas by her side made it seem like they’re surrounding her, preventing her from doing anything that might cause harm to the two Supreme Beings, as Sebas and the “maids” had mentioned in passing. No, perhaps that was exactly the reason. 

She felt a bit nervous and anxious. They still did not trust her, despite having vowed solemnly to offer everything that she was in service of the God of magic and the savior of her sisters and life. 

But, those unsettled feelings soon turned into determination to prove herself. She would show it through her actions. 

With those convictions in mind, her tenseness diminished, and her eyes began to wander, marveling at the sight of all around her. 

She was surrounded by luxuries that would make even the royal palace of the Empire seem like a regular, peasant home. 

Then, to her marvel and shock, they arrived in a room, which teleported them to another part of the seemingly endless halls. No, perhaps, it wasn’t even the same halls she had been walking through this entire time. 

After a few more teleportations, they finally stopped in front of a double door. 

Sebas, having walked ahead of his masters, pushed the massive and heavy double doors open with seeming ease, belying the heavy groan that the doors made, and gave way for Ainz, Lelouch, and herself to enter. 

It was a massive room with smooth floors and a high ceiling. Its walls were dark, yet shimmered as magic lights from chandeliers hanging up above illuminated it. Several tables with papers and writing utensils littering it, as well as book-filled shelves, were placed all around the perimeter of the room. 

Then at the very center was a massive magic circle, which immediately caught Arche’s eyes.  

“What in the world…?! I didn’t know magic circles could be so complex!”

Arche was one of the most distinguished students within the Imperial Academy, and one who had received tutelage from the known greatest human magic caster. She was even praised to be talented by such a figure. 

She was well versed in the arcane, including arcane magic circles which is the basis of all arcane magics. 

But this… This was unlike anything she had seen before. 

Even the most complex arcane circles her former teacher had created would seem like simple arithmetics before such a thing. 

And standing in front of it was a tall figure with a  silver tail, covered with metal plates and six long spikes at the end. Even at a glance, Arche could tell that the figure wasn’t human. However, adorned in an impeccable suit with his sleek hair tidily combed back, he was the epitome of a gentleman. Though… a different kind than Sebas. 

Simply by looking at his back, she felt immense unease. That she was being looked at and observed closely, despite him not even turning to her yet and seemingly busy as his hands seemed to manipulate something in the air. 

As soon as they entered, the figure turned, revealing the handsome, bespectacled gentleman who wore a smile upon seeing his masters.

“Welcome, Ainz-sama, Zero-sama. I have been awaiting your arrival.”

“Mm. Good work, Demiurge.”

“Is everything ready?”

“Yes, Zero-sama. I have prepared everything as you have instructed.”

The fallen angel walked forward to approach the magic circle and stood beside Demiurge. His hands similarly began to manipulate something Arche couldn’t see in the air.

Soon, they were engaged in a conversation. 

Arche stood in silence, waiting. Sebas and the maids have moved to the side of the door, standing by for whenever their masters needed assistance. 

Meanwhile, Ainz stood slightly in front of her, watching in silence. 

‘This will change everything, if it works… Though, the amount of gold that’d be needed…’

Ainz grimaced inwardly at the sheer thought of the amount of wealth it’d require to break someone’s limits. 

Through plenty of research, hard work, and moments of brilliance, Yuuji, Lelouch, and Demiurge had managed to create a device that could break the limits of one’s potential; their level cap. 

However, they theorized that it’d require a tremendous amount of not just any regular gold, but Yggdrasil Gold, to operate. 

The Yggdrasil Gold was required to resurrect NPCs without the use of spells, “recruit” extremely powerful mercenary NPCs, and operate many, if not all, of Nazarick’s defenses, traps, and upkeep. 

Although it was impossible to raise the level cap of 100 in the game, the new world with its new laws and freedom unconstrained by programming codes could possibly break the very limits of their innate potential. 

The device before them, the magic circle which was the culmination of their brilliance that stemmed from that single theory, now laid before them, ready for the testing. 

If it’s a success, then they could possibly use this breakthrough device to recruit people with potential from the new world, make them loyal to Nazarick, and make them bring benefits for Nazarick.

“A-Ainz-sama…”

“Hm?”

Just then, Ainz was snapped out of his daze and turned to look at Arche. 

“I understand that… You did this for me… because you have some use of me. Did you not?”

Ainz tilted his head slightly, confused by her sudden words, but nodded nonetheless. 

“Then… If you’d allow me. My comrades. My closest friends… Would you allow them to come under your wing as well?”

The members of Foresight. For Arche, they were not mere members of the same party. 

They were her trusted comrades, one who she knew would give their own lives for hers as she would for them. In fact, they had numerous times before. Not only during combat, but even before that. 

Knowing her circumstances, they would intentionally take more rewarding jobs, even if they were more risky and dangerous. Then, they would give her a part of their share as well. 

They were her friends. They cared for her more than her own parents ever had. And now that she came upon this fortune, she wanted to help them just as they’ve helped her!

Rather than going for dangerous jobs, risking their lives for petty amounts of gold, wouldn’t it be better if they were to join her in serving these Gods? These literal Gods who walked the very earth they were on right now? 

“They are people of character, that I assure you. We all would lay our lives for each other without a second thought, and they’ve done so more times than I could count for me… They are also all very capable. I’m sure they would be of great use for  you!”

Ainz observed her closely as his geass instinctively activated, confirming the truth in each and every single word she had uttered

And for a moment, figures of his own old guildmates and his current closest friends of the group chat flashed across his mind. 

His gaze went towards Lelouch, before returning towards Arche.

But just then, Lelouch’s voice resounded, just before he could offer any response. 

“Ainz, it’s ready.”

He responded with a nod and gazed down at the little blonde girl. 

“It is time. Are you ready to be reborn?”

Arche felt her heart palpitate once more, partly out of excitement, partly out of nervousness, but mostly anxiety. 

But, the flash of her sisters’ figure snapped her out of her daze, and she nodded with determination. 

“Then go.”

Arche approached the handsome, black-winged man and the devil, and towards the magic circle with slow, anxious, yet determined steps. 

She glanced at the fallen angel, the one named Zero. And to her surprise, there was a small smile on his handsome visage. 

“Stand in the center of the magic circle.”

“Yes!”

She walked briskly and stood at the center as instructed, and faced the others. 

Slowly, the magic circle beneath her feet began to hum with power as it slowly glowed, and lit up with a brilliant light. 

Magic began to fill the air around her, almost encompassing her like a thick mist. 

“Ainz, look at this.”

Ainz approached, and Arche looked at the robed magic caster who seemed to be looking at something invisible to her curiously. 

Meanwhile, Ainz saw a panel before him, similar to the game panel he was so familiar with in Yggdrasil. It denoted Arche’s current level, level cap, and the amount of Yggdrasil gold required to increase her level cap by 5. 

‘50,000 Yggdrasil gold, huh… That’s not that bad. But it’ll increase the higher the level…’

“Mm… Well, it’s not bad. We have plenty of yggdrasil gold, and we can use the Exchange Box to get more. Yuuji is already gathering a lot of things that produce quite a bit of Yggdrasil Gold from it.”

“Mm. Demiurge, find out an estimation of how much gold each increase in level cap would cost for each 10 level intervals.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Demiurge bowed, his brilliant mind already racing to formulate plans and experiments to achieve what his master ordered. 

“Then, let’s start.”

Ainz looked at Arche once more, and feeling the gaze, Arche understood the question he left unsaid, and nodded.

He nodded in response. Then, he clicked the button labeled “Breakthrough” on the panel. 

Arche immediately felt weightlessness as her body lifted up from the ground, carried by the tremendous winds of arcane magic. 

The magic circle below her grew brighter and brighter, almost filling the entire room in brilliant light. 

She could feel her body filling with more magic than she ever felt before. Mana coursing through her veins like rushing rivers as she felt imaginary shackles, one by one, shattered. 

She could tell… Her limits were being broken one at a time through the sheer force of magic. 

Then, a few moments later, she fell back onto the ground like a feather, and immediately tried to catch her breath. 

It was then that she realized… her breath felt lighter. 

She stood up straight and began clenching and unclenching her hands, and a surge of power unfamiliar to her coursed through her body.

It felt… miraculous.

Seeing her fall back down to the ground, Ainz quickly used his geass to see her level. 

Her level cap, previously 23, had now risen to 28. And her level, most likely due to the accumulated experience points, also shot up to 26. 

A success.

“How do you feel?”

Arche looked up at the God of Magic before her, and nothing but smiles graced her face.

“I feel amazing, master… I feel so powerful!”

“Good. You’ve grown more powerful, but you have not reached the limits of your new potential.”

Arche’s eyes widened in shock. 

She felt so powerful, but she hadn’t reached the limits of her potential? Just how strong could she be?!

‘This is… beyond miraculous!’

Ainz turned towards the butler standing by the side of the door. 

“Sebas, train her until she hits her level cap. Then bring her back here to break her level cap again. Do so until she reaches level 35.”

“Yes, my lord.”

He then turned back towards Arche.

“Grow stronger, and you shall be capable of protecting your little sisters with your own strength. As for your previous suggestion, I shall put it under serious consideration.”

Arche immediately fell to her knee and bowed deeply. 

“Thank you very much for your grace, master. I shall not disappoint.

Ainz nodded, then left along with Zero, Demiurge, and the maids, leaving Sebas behind. 

“Do you wish to rest? Or do you wish to start your training now?”

“Now, please, Lord Sebas. I feel invigorated, and I do not wish to keep Master Ainz waiting for long.”

Sebas nodded in satisfaction with her answer, and led her to the Amphitheatre on the Sixth Floor of the Underground Tomb of Nazarick.