"The ninja world continues to reveal new trump cards. Sending more forces out of the Great Tomb now would only mean using our weakness to confront their strength."
As the four guardians listened, Ainz spoke slowly.
Hearing this, Sebas showed a hint of relief, while Albedo could not hide the trace of reluctance on her face.
The beautiful succubus spoke.
"Ainz-sama, with the enemy's destructive power, if they manage to enter the guild base, the buildings of the guild will certainly suffer severe damage. At that time…"
"If they dare to come," Ainz interrupted calmly, "then the Great Tomb will become the burial ground of the ninja world."
His voice carried authority and certainty. The four guardians could almost picture Ainz sitting upon the throne, imposing and dignified.
"And we," Ainz continued, "will take control of this continent… the ninja world beyond the sea… and eventually, this entire world."
After ending the communication spell, Ainz turned toward a figure floating nearby.
It was Victim, the guardian of the Eighth Floor.
Among all the guardians, Victim possessed the weakest direct combat ability but the most unique special skill.
Victim's appearance resembled a small embryo about one meter long.
Its skin was bright pink, and a long tail extended from its body.
A glowing angelic halo floated above its head, while a pair of small, dried wings grew from its back.
Because Victim had no neck, it had to rotate its entire body to look around.
"Victim," Ainz asked, "are you prepared?"
If he still had a human face, Ainz suspected he would look exactly like the strict supervisors he once disliked before his arrival in this world.
Was this also part of growing into a leader?
Ainz briefly wondered about it.
But he did not want to become someone who simply forced others to sacrifice.
So he explained the situation honestly.
"Demiurge, Cocytus, and Pandora… have all fallen in battle. For reasons we still do not understand, they cannot be revived."
Ainz looked directly at Victim.
"So whether you choose to sacrifice yourself… or are defeated by the enemy… there is a possibility that you will not return."
"Ainz-sama, please do not worry."
Victim's voice carried sincere devotion.
It had been created for sacrifice and felt pride in fulfilling that purpose.
"My life exists only to protect the Great Tomb. Being able to contribute in this way is the highest honor I could receive."
Ainz remained silent for a moment.
Then he gave his order.
"The Eighth Floor is our final line of defense. When the time comes… I will be counting on you."
"Yes, Ainz-sama."
Victim's halo glowed faintly.
A moment later, it passed through a spatial gate and returned to the mysterious and dangerous Eighth Floor.
Everything had been prepared.
Now they only had to wait for the ninja world's next move.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield—
The barrier surrounding the Great Tomb slowly faded.
The sudden change surprised both Uchiha Hikaru and Uzumaki Mito.
"What does this mean?"
The same question arose in everyone's mind.
In the end, all eyes turned toward Uchiha Soren.
Dim starlight fell upon the devastated battlefield.
Silver moonlight illuminated the ruins, revealing a scene of exhaustion and silence after the intense battle.
Broken armor and scattered weapons lay across the ground.
The battlefield bore clear traces of the fierce conflict that had taken place.
Burned trees still stood in the distance, their twisted branches dark against the night sky.
The once-mighty Golden Dragon now lay motionless, its scales dim under the moonlight.
Fragments of defeated demons were scattered across the battlefield.
Nearby, torn angel feathers drifted across the ground, carried by the wind.
The battlefield was quiet—too quiet.
At Mount Myoboku's side, Shima and Fukasaku stood silently.
Shima gently placed her hand upon the bodies of two fallen toads—Gamaken and Gamahiro.
Tears glimmered faintly in her eyes.
Fukasaku's expression seemed to age several years in that moment.
The surviving serpents of Ryuchi Cave gathered nearby, their cold eyes unusually solemn.
Their low hissing echoed softly across the battlefield.
The Royal Court Ninja Army of Konoha had also suffered heavy losses.
The surviving shinobi stood in silence, their expressions filled with fatigue and sorrow.
Many companions had fallen in this battle.
Memories of those who fought beside them lingered in their minds.
One young ninja knelt on the ground, holding a broken kunai.
He stared quietly at the body of a friend beside him.
Not far away, Sakumo Hatake stood with lowered head.
One of his arms had been poisoned by an undead creature earlier.
To stop the poison from spreading, he had already removed it himself.
A fragment of the Slug Sage remained attached to him, slowly treating his injuries.
Despite the pain, Sakumo did not make a sound.
Simply surviving this battle was already fortunate.
Nearby, Might Dai had pushed his body to the limit by opening the Sixth Gate of the Eight Gates Technique.
After collapsing from exhaustion, he had barely been saved by the Slug Sage's healing ability.
With proper treatment, recovery was possible.
Above the battlefield, several undead crows circled through the night sky, letting out harsh cries.
The wind blew across the battlefield, carrying dust and the lingering traces of battle.
Standing quietly in the center of it all, Uchiha Soren surveyed the exhausted forces around him.
Then he looked toward the now-unprotected entrance of the Great Tomb.
He also sensed that the spatial restriction around the area had already been lifted.
Ainz's intention was clear.
He was inviting them inside.
But Soren had no intention of accepting that invitation.
He raised his hand.
In an instant, space itself seemed to shift.
"Super-Tier Magic — Greater Teleportation."
Through his constantly evolving mastery of spatial abilities—enhanced by the power of Amenominakanushi—Soren had already developed a super-tier teleportation spell suitable for large-scale use.
In the next moment, the battlefield seemed to blur.
The world flipped as if space itself had turned upside down.
Before anyone could react—
The exhausted forces of the ninja world vanished from the battlefield.
Moments later, they reappeared safely within the Royal Court Ninja Army's base.
Read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon → [email protected]/lucarioTL (replace @ with a)