"Entering dungeon 'Overlord'. Please select a faction, host."
Here was a path wrapped in faint blue light, surrounded by endless darkness. Chu Lian could not even tell where her body was.
"Is this a physical entry?" Chu Lian focused for a moment and immediately realized that she had entered the dungeon with her own body. It seemed that even if changes were to occur, they would begin with fundamental transformations to her physical form.
"Ayase, if my body changes into another race, can I change back?" she asked, thinking that if she couldn't, she might have to choose the human faction.
She didn't want to alter the bloodline of this body. She didn't know why—she just felt that once changed, something beyond her imagination would happen.
"You can. This is equivalent to a transformation state and won't affect your original self. However, within 'Overlord', that form will persist. Once you return to the real world, you'll revert to your current self. Of course, any skills of that transformed state won't be retained when you return. You can only use them while in that form." Ayase's explanation made sense to her, but there was still one thing that bothered her—something she couldn't rest easy about until it was resolved.
"The racial form I choose—can it only be used in 'Overlord'? Does that mean I can't transform elsewhere?" If so, that would be quite wasteful.
"In theory, yes. But if you can request the system to retain the form and complete a certain task, then you'll be able to use that form anywhere you wish. Of course, when you transform, your skills will also adjust accordingly. If your stats aren't high enough, the damage of those skills won't be strong either. So, if the racial form's attributes don't align well with your base stats, it's not a big deal. In fact, it might just add unnecessary complications."
Ayase's words came from a practical perspective. In her view, the most suitable abilities were the ones truly worth having. After all, that had been her own path—defeat anyone who challenged her until no one dared to stand against her. That was her greatest strength: her abilities were singular yet pure, unshakable by anyone.
However, that style didn't suit someone like Chu Lian, who possessed a system. Chu Lian herself lacked any foundational power—everything she had was built up through layer upon layer of enhancements.
For Chu Lian, as long as a power didn't cause instability to herself, she could integrate it into her personal system and combine it freely in battle.
So, if she could obtain suitable skills, she would keep that form—even if it meant completing a difficult quest.
"In that case, no problem. I was worried I might waste whatever I get." Chu Lian sighed in relief and opened the system's faction selection menu, tapping on the option 'Great Tomb of Nazarick'.
"Confirm faction entry: 'Great Tomb of Nazarick'. Confirm?"
"Confirm/Cancel." Chu Lian was slightly amused by how rigid the system's settings were, but she still chose confirm.
"Please select a race." Hearing this, Chu Lian couldn't help but chuckle. "Pfft... this really feels just like an online game."
"Let's see... Mage types—excluded. Warrior types—excluded too. I'll look under hybrid types." Chu Lian browsed for a moment, eliminating the first two categories and leaving only the hybrid races.
"Hybrid races: Gynoid, Succubus, Elf, Fallen Angel, Medusa, Fox Spirit." Looking at the six available races, she thought that aside from Medusa, which didn't fit her at all, the others seemed fine.
If she chose Gynoid, she would gain enhanced mobility and vitality, and even be able to use the S-rank item 'Seraph-Type IS Armor'. Her combat power would instantly leap from half-step Earth level to true Earth level—an excellent trump card for survival and ambushes.
Unfortunately, she still hadn't trained in how to properly use the 'Seraph-Type IS Armor'. Even if her mechanical control improved greatly as a Gynoid, there was no guarantee she could operate it skillfully.
She wasn't naive enough to think that just because she had obtained the IS Armor, she could use it as effortlessly as an anime protagonist. That kind of mastery was something authors granted through plot armor, not actual skill. In reality, operating an IS wasn't that simple.
Otherwise, why would the system have prompted her to train first? It was practically warning her outright: this thing is difficult—if you try to use it without training, you'll die miserably, rookie.
Ayase suspected that Chu Lian was just using this as an excuse to avoid equipping the IS Armor and ending up in one of those revealing, fanservice-heavy suits. But, to be fair, she wasn't wrong. If it were that easy to control, why would academies even exist to train IS pilots?
"Succubus, excluded. Fallen Angel, excluded…" These two races completely clashed with her personality. She worried that transforming into either might lead to some strange side effects, so she decided to skip them.
Even though she truly envied the Succubus' 36W figure and the Fallen Angel's freedom of flight, she still gritted her teeth and gave up on them.
"Elves too—excluded. After all, Nazarick already has two Heaven-level elves. It'd be pointless for me to join as another one, so…" Her gaze locked onto the last remaining race—"Fox Spirit."
"Host has selected race: Fox Spirit. Confirm?" The system once again prompted her for confirmation. Since Chu Lian had already made her decision, she didn't hesitate and confirmed.
"Character generation in progress…" The words made her blink. Character generation?
"Character generation complete. Beginning fusion…" A silver-haired fox-eared girl suddenly appeared before her. She was the same height as Chu Lian, with identical features, but looked younger—her aura a mix of purity and allure.
More strikingly, her chest was noticeably fuller than Chu Lian's own. Her eyes gleamed with golden slit pupils, and nine snow-white tails swayed elegantly behind her. She wore a set of traditional Japanese clothing, her bare feet spotless and delicate.
Then, the fox girl opened her arms and embraced the immobilized Chu Lian. A brilliant light erupted through the tunnel…
When the radiance faded, Chu Lian had taken on the form of the fox spirit—adorably charming and almost too captivating to look at directly.
"Why… does this feel so strange?" she muttered, her nine tails unconsciously swaying behind her, reflecting her complicated emotions.
"And these fox ears… eek…" Curious, she reached up to touch the new pair atop her head. But the instant her fingers brushed them, her whole body went weak, her knees trembling, and her cheeks flushed bright red.
"Ahhh! Why are they so sensitive?!" she cried out, frustrated. Just touching them made her feel the same kind of heat as being caressed somewhere far more private—it was way too embarrassing!
"My, my, looks like my Little Lian'er has gained quite an interesting trait," Ayase teased with a knowing smile, watching her reactions. "The young maiden is blooming~."
"I don't want this kind of trait! It's way too hentai!" Chu Lian fumed, pouting angrily. But there was no way to change it now—once chosen, it was permanent. All she could do was grumble in defeat.
"I wonder if my tails are the same?" she thought. If her ears were that sensitive, maybe her tails were too.
Worried about potential mishaps in battle if someone accidentally touched them, Chu Lian hesitated for a moment, then brought one of her snowy tails to her face. She brushed her fingers gently along the soft fur.
"Whew… good. The tails don't react—only the ears do. That's a relief." She exhaled in relief. She didn't want too many vulnerabilities exposed; otherwise, her combat efficiency would suffer.
"Here, wear this," Ayase said with a playful grin, handing her a black choker with a silver bell attached.
"Huh? What's this for?" Chu Lian blinked, confused.
"This is your IS Armor. I modified it to have three non-combat forms. This one's for your fox spirit identity—put it on." Ayase's eyes gleamed mischievously. She had done it without Chu Lian's permission, knowing full well that if she'd asked, the girl would've refused—and that would've ruined the fun.
"Ayase! You did this on purpose! You definitely did!" Chu Lian puffed up her cheeks, glaring at her in mock anger.
"So, are you going to wear it or not? The IS Armor can be used in any world, you know. Though it might draw unwanted attention if someone sees it, at least it gives you some protection. Don't assume you'll be completely safe just because you're entering the Great Tomb of Nazarick. That world isn't as simple as it seems. Look at the quest level the system assigned—SSS-class. Even I would have to handle something like that with caution."
Ayase's words warmed Chu Lian's heart. Although she had her fair share of mischievous tendencies—and her fondness for teasing Chu Lian was beyond question—everything she did was ultimately for her sake. All the things Chu Lian failed to consider, Ayase had already thought through and prepared in advance.
"Alright, alright, I'll wear it." No matter how grateful she felt inside, she couldn't show it. If she ever showed her emotions too openly, who knew what weird ideas Ayase might come up with next?
She reached out, took the choker, and hesitated for a moment before lifting her silvery hair and fastening it behind her neck, making sure the bell rested neatly at the center of her throat.
"So cute! You might not be a flat-chested loli anymore, but as a fox-eared, bell-wearing little beauty—you're irresistibly adorable!" Ayase giggled, floating in the air around her.
Chu Lian was certain that if she weren't currently untouchable, Ayase would've already shoved her face straight into her chest. After all, the word adorable sounded far too suspicious in this context.
Sure, it felt nice, and she wouldn't deny she enjoyed that warmth—but this situation was way too embarrassing.
Thinking about what could happen next, Chu Lian decided it was best to just ignore Ayase's nonsense for now.
Her priority was to understand her new fox spirit attributes and her current in-game status.
This very first dungeon was already turning out to be a total headache.
"Lian'er, did you forget something?" Just as she was about to examine her stats, Ayase's sudden question made her blink in confusion. Forget something?
"Back in the Origin Land, didn't you trade your 'Dragon Bloodline' to that big guy for a certain piece of equipment? Something that's very compatible with your new fox spirit race—don't you think you should equip it?" Ayase sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead. "This girl... always forgetting things."
"Ah! The Devourer's Soul Orb! How could I forget that?!" Chu Lian immediately understood what Ayase meant. She opened her inventory in a hurry and began searching.
"Hopeless," Ayase muttered, watching her frantically rummage through her storage.
"Found it! Whew... I can equip it now, right?" Chu Lian held the faintly glowing blue orb in her hand. It was about twenty centimeters in diameter. The moment she infused her consciousness into it, her surroundings changed entirely.
She found herself standing in a forest. The trees were enormous, their trunks glowing faintly with strange light. The hues were ethereal and enchanting—she could tell that it was the glow of magical elements.
Looking down at herself, she saw two small, white, furry paws. Her steps made no sound as she moved—she was... a fox?
"So I've turned into a little fox, huh?" For the first time, Chu Lian had become something truly non-human. Everything felt fresh and fascinating.
As she padded through the emerald grass, a faint voice suddenly called out to her from somewhere deep within the forest.
Sensing the direction instinctively, she didn't hesitate and began running toward it.
Her small limbs moved swiftly, the trees blurring past as she raced forward. Her golden eyes stayed fixed on the destination—a cave up ahead.
Time seemed both long and short as she ran. Before she knew it, she had reached the cave entrance.
Inside, resting atop a stone platform, floated a softly glowing blue orb. Chu Lian immediately knew—it was the source of the call.
"The Devourer's Soul Orb?" She raised her front paw and gently touched the orb. Suddenly, her mind linked with another consciousness.
A voice asked, "Who are you?"
"I'm just a little fox. Who are you?" Chu Lian blinked in surprise—she hadn't expected the Devourer's Soul Orb to contain another consciousness.
"Me? I... don't know. It feels like I've been here since the beginning. Until you arrived, I had never seen anyone else." The voice carried a tone of confusion, but its words made Chu Lian begin to understand something deeper.
"The Devourer's Soul Orb is the weapon used by Ahri of Valorant. It's said to have been with her since the moment she first appeared. Neither her official description nor any of her lore explains where the orb came from. Yet Ahri herself always felt she wasn't truly a fox and kept searching for a way to become human…"
"So you mean, Ahri is actually the spirit of the orb itself? That the orb gave birth to her? Maybe, for some unknown reason, she was born into the world as a fox and later, by chance, absorbed a human's soul essence and mutated—becoming half-human, half-fox. From then on, the Devourer's Soul Orb became her weapon and the tool she used to hide her origin?"
"I can't say for sure if that theory's true… but everything happening right now makes it hard not to think about it."
She didn't voice her thoughts, though. Instead, she asked gently, "Whoever you are, would you like to be my friend? I can take you out to see other places."
"Really? I don't want to stay here anymore. It's so boring," the voice replied, filled with sudden joy.
"Yes, really. Be my friend, and I'll take you to have some fun." Even though it sounded a little like she was luring a naive young girl away, Chu Lian didn't care—as long as the other agreed, that was enough.
"Alright then. From now on, we're friends. Come play with me…" As soon as those words left the voice, the Devourer's Soul Orb shone with dazzling light. A stream of soft blue energy flowed from it into Chu Lian's body, and she immediately felt it—she could now use its power.
Then everything went white again, and she found herself back in the tunnel.
"Ayase, I can use it now." The Devourer's Soul Orb floated above Chu Lian's palm, and her heart was pounding with excitement.
It wasn't just because she had gained a powerful new artifact, but because the being within the orb truly was Ahri—the very same fox spirit, now in human form. Though for now, she couldn't take physical shape, existing only as the spirit within the orb.
Chu Lian knew that if Ahri were ever to regain a body and walk the world again, she would need countless soul essences to nourish the orb's growth.
In that sense, the Devourer's Soul Orb was indeed ominous—a weapon that required endless souls as sustenance to evolve.
"Check its abilities. Can you use them?" Ayase reminded her, pulling Chu Lian back from her excitement.
"All functional—and their power far exceeds what they had in the game. It seems that after entering the academy, the heroes' abilities were restricted." Chu Lian sensed the information transmitted from the orb. All four of its skills were usable.
"That's good. Now, check your character panel," Ayase said with relief, her tension finally easing as she prompted Chu Lian to review her new attributes.
Real Name: Chu Lian
Character Name: Deloris
English Name: Dolores
Title: The Soul-Stealing Fox Spirit
Position: Princess of Nazarick; Younger Sister and Personal Maid of Ainz Ooal Gown
Residence: Royal Suite, 9th Underground Floor
Alignment: Neutral ~ Extreme Evil — [Justice Value: 0 ~ -500]
Race Levels: Fox Spirit — Lv5; Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox — Lv10
Class Levels: Valkyrie — Lv10; Soul-Devouring Mage — Lv10; Pursuer — Lv10
Total Level: 45
Stats:
HP: 35
MP: 45
Physical Attack: 45
Physical Defense: 35
Agility: 30
Magic Attack: 45
Magic Defense: 25
Overall Resistance: 32
Special Trait: 45
Equipment:
Seraph-Type IS Armor (Divine Artifact)
Devourer's Soul Orb (Divine Artifact)
Seven Illusions Bow (World Item ???)
Skill List:
Ordinary Punch (Super-Tier)
Mystic Eyes of Death Perception (Super-Tier)
Teleport (7th Tier)
Orb of Deception (7th Tier)
Demonic Foxfire (7th Tier)
Bewitching Sorcery (8th Tier)
Soul Assault (10th Tier)
Spiritual Bullet (3rd Tier)
Spiritual Explosion (4th Tier)
Miss Dolores' Dignity (3rd Tier)
Head-Hug Squat Defense (Super-Tier)
Titles:
Zombie Slayer — B-Rank
Taboo of Life — A-Rank
Dragon Slayer — S-Rank
Auras:
Depart, O Dead — S-Rank
Depart, O Weaklings — S-Rank
Restrictions:
Certain Techniques, Items, and Skills Sealed
Partial Equipment Lock
System Notice: Host attributes have changed. Please compare the updated data.
Below that was a comparison chart—but Chu Lian didn't even look at it. Her eyes widened, her nine tails bristling in disbelief.
She needed an explanation. Right. Now.
"Ayase!"