Simultaneous Travel: Becoming a Legend in the Heavens.

Chapter 565 Damn! So you all...

"Name?"

“Lucret”.

"What about your age?"

"Seventeen."

"Seventeen...do you know how to play the cello and play 'rich woman's pleasure ball'? Wait, what's your name?"

Lu Ke, who was sitting in the boss's chair with his legs crossed, looked up and glanced at the young man in front of him with a tuft of blond hair. He was passable in appearance, but his mannerisms and behavior were frivolous...

Behind him were three teammates with bright, expectant expressions: two crudely modeled men and a pretty girl who, despite not having any physical attributes, was simply dressed as a man.

"Yes, Lord Luke, it is a great honor to share the same name as you..."

The blond-haired man looked at Lu Ke with admiration, swallowed hard, and began to introduce his team.

"We are members of the 'Black Sword' adventurer group, the weapon wielded by one of the legendary thirteen heroes and now in the hands of Lady 'Blue Rose' Lajus. We are very happy to participate in this interview."

Discovered by scouts with the ability to fly, this floating island high in the sky is rumored to be the source of the "demonic tide" that attacked the royal envoys. It is a demonic realm that must be conquered.

Issued jointly by "Golden Princess" Lana and the two princes, this is the highest-ranking adventurer mission, jointly organized and initiated by the three existing steel-class adventurer teams, "Blue Rose," "Crimson Tear," and an adventurer team that recently gained fame for defeating the demon god and eliminating the demon tide, and guaranteed by the kingdom's warrior captain, Gazef.

Reputation, wealth, power, status... all these are within easy reach by joining a raiding party. Even with warnings of great risks, countless adventurers still respond and eagerly await joining.

However, due to the large number of applicants, a basic screening process was still necessary, so the three elite teams each sent people to conduct "interviews".

"Alright, stop trying to get on my good side. To be honest, you're not even good enough to be cannon fodder."

Lu Ke waved his hand dismissively, then pointed at the female team member dressed as a man and beckoned with his finger.

"You, yes! No need to look anymore, it's you!"

A girl named Nina, dressed as a handsome young man, walked over with a blush on her face, nervously fidgeting with the hem of her clothes.

"Lord Lu Ke, is there anything I can help you with?"

“Your sister has been rescued. Go next door and find the old butler in the suit, the one named Sebastian. Tell him you are Kiara’s sister, and quit your job as an adventurer to live a good life.”

"Eh eh eh..."

Nina was dumbfounded, shocked by the sheer amount of information conveyed in those words, and momentarily at a loss for words.

Even more bewildered than her were the other three members, who exclaimed "Holy crap!" upon hearing the keyword "sister".

Does anyone know what it's like when your best buddy suddenly turns into a girl?
They kept saying things like "adventure groups with women are never united" and "women only drag the whole team down," but when it actually happened, the three of them looked at Nina, who was dressed as a handsome young man, with obvious longing in their eyes.

"Get out of here right now, don't disturb the next person's interview."

Lu Ke waved his hand dismissively, kicking out the weak adventurer team before things escalated into a "brother, you smell so good" situation, and glared at the blond-haired guy before leaving.

"Change my name later. What kind of class do you have, calling me by the same name!"

Luke Lute: "..."

"Next person!"

The door opened and closed with a click, and the newly appeared candidate was not a "person," but a magnificent white-gold suit of armor, with a remarkably calm male voice beneath it.

“Charindulux Whiteion, just call me Charles.”

The Platinum Dragon King, the strongest true dragon king in this world, is now merely an armor controlled by the Platinum Dragon King.

"Excuse me, am I qualified to be the 'cannon fodder' you're talking about?"

Lu Ke didn't even lift his eyelids, put his legs on the table, and casually hummed in agreement.

"It'll do alright. Meet at the designated location at eight o'clock tomorrow morning. You can get out of here now."

The platinum armor fell silent, seemingly surprised that a powerhouse of its caliber... even though it was just a piece of armor being manipulated... would be rated as "barely passable".

Noticing that the person in front of him hadn't left, Lu Ke frowned and looked up, his tone impatient.

"Is there anything else, cannon fodder?"

"...No, this is the first time someone has described me like this, so I'm a little surprised."

Lu Ke replied casually, "Oh, work hard, maybe next time you'll be promoted from cannon fodder to a private."

"..."

A surge of anger rose within the platinum armor. Even though he always maintained "fairness and impartiality" and bore the heavy responsibility of "protecting the world," this attitude was enough to displease him.

But when the controlled soul met Lu Ke's eyes, he felt a sudden tightness in his heart, and a chill ran through his body as the armor connected to his body.

The platinum-clad warrior lowered his head, overwhelmed by an inexplicable sense of fear, and staggered as he turned and walked out.

Lu Ke chuckled as he watched the strongest man's disheveled and disheveled back, stretched his stiff neck, and slowly lay back in his chair.

So far, apart from the "Platinum Dragon King" just now, he hasn't successfully recruited a single adventurer.

If you ask why, adventurers who haven't even reached the "Hero" realm aren't qualified to be actors.

And, the most important point.

…………

"'Dark Codex' is both their name and their team name. I'm their captain. I'm not bragging, but I'm quite confident in my team's strength."

The young man introduced his team with a smile, his tone calm and composed.

"The 'Black Scripture'?"

Ainz pondered as he looked at the group of people before him, recalling the news he had heard about the [Black Scripture]. It seemed that the client had mentioned that they were the ace team of the Slane Nation, with considerable strength, and their leader was indeed a powerful figure.

"You pass."

Next interviewee.

"Elsa, twenty-three years old, is a vampire... a hunter. Well, I'm still a bit interested in the scimitar in my hand. Even the most powerful vampire can have its guts ripped out."

A beautiful woman played with a scimitar in her hand, her voice captivatingly magnetic.

Ainz glanced at Shalltear, who was standing to the side, her cheeks flushed and her expression one of infatuation as she looked at the woman, and wiped away non-existent sweat.

Although he is also an undead, he really doesn't understand vampires' fantasies.

However, just looking at her gave Ainz the feeling that all the bones in her body had been shattered and crushed, making him realize that the woman in front of him was definitely not ordinary, probably even stronger than the previous [Black Scripture].

"You passed too."

The next interviewee.

"We met once by chance at the mansion, so there's no need to introduce my identity. If you can't even remember my name, then you'll just have to be burned to ashes."

The elegant young woman opened her folding fan, looking disdainfully at Ainz and the group of guardians behind him, her voice both noble and refined, yet tinged with contempt. Ainz took a deep breath: "Miss Priscilla, why didn't you join Mr. Luke's team, but instead came to my side?"

"I do not wish to be like the female knight with the silver sword or the brainless high priest, only thinking about staying by Luke's side. Only by constantly improving myself and proving myself can I make that barbaric man understand my charm."

Priscilla raised her chin. "I lost the bet last time, so I'll have to see which team can reach that floating island first. Any objections?"

"……No."

Ainz accepts any powerful character without hesitation.

He not only agreed to join the raiding party with the few powerful interviewees, but also with all other adventurers of some ability.

Ainz never expected to be able to successfully attack the floating island, which was most likely "El's" stronghold, with these adventurers.

Those people are merely tools to attract hatred.

Successfully landing on the floating island and using intelligence magic to detect and confirm the current situation constitutes a victory.

The best outcome would be for Albedo and Demiurge to both be on that island, to be rescued, and for all the Guardians to retire in seclusion.

If Albedo and Demiurge weren't there, this battle, which was even more grand and widely publicized than the "Demon God Extermination," would definitely have spread to every corner of the continent.

If they still don't return, it can only mean that the two guardians have died. The next plan is to try to revive them using the resources of this world.

A sure win!

Thinking about this, Ainz felt a little more at ease about the impact of this incident.

Attacking the kingdom's envoy was a last resort; only by targeting those of high status could he attract sufficient attention. Besides, resurrection magic was cheap in this world, so there was no need for various evil and heretical practices. What he did shouldn't have gone too far...

Maybe.

Feeling a little uneasy, Ainz glanced at Mare, who stood expressionless beside him.

Thanks to this child, the situation didn't get out of control. He truly deserves to be his guardian. Even before I had given any instructions, he thoughtfully understood my thoughts and took action.

As time passed and the sky grew darker, Ainz almost slumped into his chair, breathing heavily with exhaustion, after a day of recruitment.

Skeletons don't have a stamina system, but they still feel mentally fatigued. With the guardians watching him from behind, Ainz forced himself to stand up, maintaining the dignified posture of a superior, and nodded slightly to them.

"You've all worked hard today. Go back and get some rest, and prepare for tomorrow's battle."

"Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty the Great."

The guardians responded with synchronized movements and lines, and everything seemed to be in perfect order, but Aura's body trembled almost imperceptibly.

After Ainz left and the Guardians walked out of the room in twos and threes, Aura looked at her younger brother with a complicated expression.

"Mare, haven't you been acting a bit strange lately? You were the only one who didn't respond to Lord Ainz just now, weren't you?"

Marai replied curtly, "I'm fed up with red tape."

Aura paused for a moment, her expression changing rapidly.
Such words and attitude are undoubtedly a blatant betrayal. As guardians, they disobey the supreme being who is their creator. This behavior...

Mare pursed his lips, his gaze towards Aura sharp and intense: "Sister, must the Guardians obey the Supreme Being? If their will goes against the Great Tomb of Nazarick, must they sacrifice their will?"

“This is not something we should be thinking about, Marey. You never thought about these things before.”

Aura's expression changed several times. She avoided Mare's gaze and lowered her head.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear what you said, but don't let it happen again..."

Regardless, Mare will always be her younger brother, a twin created together by her favorite "bubble teapot" adult, like a reflection in a mirror.

"Sorry, sorry, but I heard Arlins very clearly~"

A mocking laugh echoed in the night as a vampire progenitor, dressed in a gothic gown and with skin as white as jade, suddenly appeared before the two, freezing the twin dark elves in place.

“Mare, how could you utter such treasonous words? You are already a traitor! And Aura, you heard these words but still defended Mare, that's covering up a crime, Arins!”

"..."

Aura's face instantly drained of color, and she looked utterly ashamed.

Unfortunately, it was Shalltear, the strongest among them, who discovered it.

Even if she and Mare could barely defeat Shalltear, they would never be able to kill her. Moreover, the commotion of the battle would inevitably attract other guardians, and then she and Mare would surely die without a burial place.

Aura's hands clenched and unclenched several times, her pale, bloodless face turning to Shalltear with a pleading tone.

"I'm sorry, Shalltear, could you please let us go... I'll handle things with Mare, and I will never disobey Lord Ainz again."

Ma Lei opened his mouth, hesitatingly saying, "Sister... you don't need to do this. This is my problem, it has nothing to do with you."

The vampire progenitor chuckled, saying with amusement, "Oh my, little dwarf, it's rare to see you use such a tone when begging me. You're quite something, Arlins~"

"Please! I'll do anything if you're willing to let me and Mare go!"

Shalltear walked up to Aura, lifted the dark elf's face, looked at the face trembling with fear, seemed to lose interest, and curled her lips.

"Come with me if you don't want to die."

She vanished in a blur, speeding off in a certain direction.

Aura and Mare exchanged a glance and followed.

The surrounding scenery rushed past, but the direction she was heading was strangely familiar to Aura. She was only surprised when she saw the mansion illuminated by warm lights.

This was the workplace where she used to help Ainz clean.

At that moment, the room was brightly lit and bustling with noise, the sounds of which made her feel disoriented.

"Don't be afraid, it's always like this the first time, you'll get used to it."

Shalltear took Aura and Mare's hands, a pleasant smile on her face, and led them into the mansion.

The spacious and bright hall seemed to be hosting a banquet, filled with the crisp aroma of wine and tobacco, and a banner at the top read a line of large characters.

"Warmly celebrate the successful completion of the second phase of the anti-gang campaign in Nazalik!"

At the center of the stage, Mr. Lu Ke, whom we see every day, is now holding a microphone and speaking eloquently to the crowd.

"As soon as our renovation team was mobilized, the Supreme Being was so moved that he voluntarily handed over the property deed... cough, the Great Tomb of Nazarick."

"A seventy-six-year-old dark elf, accepting our transformation, cried and begged that his leader could repent and reform."

"The vampire progenitor with a justice value of -450 never does good deeds. The Bowel Hunters all say there's something wrong with her. After being modified, she gradually learned to be familiar with the people here."

"Understand the applause!"

Aura stiffly twisted her neck, watching the vampire progenitor with great interest, watching the members of Kazuma's team raising their glasses, watching the members of the [Dark Codex] who had just passed their interviews that day, Elsa and Priscilla...

When she saw the reliable old butler, Sebastian smiled at her without changing his expression, she finally let out an uncontrollable scream, like a groundhog.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh-"

(End of this chapter)