Chapter 282: Punklorde Mentality 『 Part Eight 』
「 "Leaving? Why? Aren't you going to arrest me, put me in shackles, and throw me to some distant place of exile?" Silver Wolf asked tentatively.
Screwllum: "Your imagination is quite interesting. However, the grievances between you and the space station have nothing to do with me. Logic: I will not stop you."
"Then I'm taking this cartridge with me." Silver Wolf smiled slightly.
"That is merely a copy. Correction: Not just the one in your hand, but the one stored here as well. The true Curio was moved at the beginning of the plan. Conclusion: You are free to share this data."
Silver Wolf's expression gradually turned serious. She threatened to attack the space station again and destroy the Simulated Universe, but both threats were ruthlessly refuted by Screwllum.
Although Silver Wolf's methods were superb, Aether Editing was not omnipotent. It could not destroy a universe, especially not under the noses of two Geniuses.
"What is this? You went to all this trouble to set a trap, and yet you don't intend to do anything?" Silver Wolf felt that the other party was simply being unreasonable.
Screwllum admitted it graciously: "Yes. Now, this game you painstakingly prepared has finally come to naught, has it not? Without fun, a game loses its meaning."
"Silver Wolf, I know your demands. The IPC's shackles cannot hold you; a prison is but another stage for a game. Herta and I have reached a consensus: we will no longer indulge your needs."
Silver Wolf suddenly felt completely disappointed: "Tch, how boring…"
"However, Herta felt this result was too gentle and wanted to add a few more strokes. For example… at this moment, through reverse hacking, she has located all your interstellar network accounts— 76 in total, a substantial number."
"How about letting the IPC freeze them all? Along with the game records inside."
Silver Wolf's expression froze instantly.
The galaxy's most dangerous hacker finally showed an expression like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
"What! Hey, wait—" 」
「 ..... 」
〜OVERLORD World〜
After trying and failing to understand terms like "game records," "accounts," and "hacking," Demiurge showed a rare expression of confusion toward Ainz.
As NPCs created by other Supreme Beings, Demiurge, Shalltear, and the others could not understand these terms that only modern people would know.
Ainz, on the other hand, was very clear about the meaning behind these words. So, when he heard that Silver Wolf was about to have 76 accounts banned in an instant, he couldn't help but gasp.
All the game accounts? These two are really ruthless…
"Ainz-Sama, please forgive your subordinate's ignorance."
Demiurge bowed respectfully.
"Looking at your reaction, Ainz-Sama, do you perhaps have some understanding of these 'game accounts'?"
"Hmm."
On this point, Ainz did not intend to deceive them. However, he certainly wouldn't explain terms like "online games" one by one, so he swapped to a metaphor that the Guardians could better understand.
"You can understand those accounts as… 'World-Class Items'."
In Ainz's view, his own game account was even more important than a World-Class Item—after all, when he was fighting in "YGGDRASIL," precious items were just a part of the game data. The problem was that the Guardians were completely ignorant of his psyche.
He did not expect his casual metaphor to stir up such a massive storm. Although a few Guardians barely maintained their composure when he finished his sentence, some were already starting to stand unsteadily.
The entire Throne Room fell into a dead silence.
Sensing the wrong atmosphere, Ainz immediately realized the flaw in his metaphor, but at the moment, he really couldn't think of a more suitable one.
"L-Lord Ainz… 76 World-Class Items, t-this is a joke, right?"
Mare's face turned pale with fright, and he clutched his staff timidly.
One must know that the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick only housed 11 World-Class Items.
If Silver Wolf really possessed 76 such powerful "items," how should her strength be measured? And how monstrous must Herta and Screwllum be to freeze 76 items so casually?
"It's just a metaphor, or let me put it another way…"
Ainz's mind was in a mess as he tried to fix his mistake, but he couldn't think of a more reasonable explanation right then.
At this moment, Demiurge stepped forward.
"Ainz-Sama, your meaning has been fully understood by your subordinate."
"Is that so? That's good."
"To make that notorious Stellaron Hunter so nervous… presumably, these 76 accounts refer to 76 extremely destructive weapon-type items?"
Demiurge said with full confidence.
"The reason this Miss Silver Wolf can traverse the universe, besides her Aether Editing technology, is that these 76 weapon-items are her trump cards—the very foundation of her survival."
"Uh…"
After all that, you didn't understand at all?!
—
「 Silver Wolf's hologram vanished with a "pop."
"…She logged out. Quite impatient," Screwllum said meaningfully. "In a child's eyes, a game is certainly about joy. But for adults, games are not the only way to solve problems."
As soon as Stelle exited the Simulated Universe, she heard Herta's triumphant voice: "Hmph, a total victory—little one, do you know how formidable Herta is now?"
"As expected of Madam Herta!"
"As long as you know." Herta lifted her chin proudly. "I don't care about the space station's affairs, but anyone who dares to provoke me, I will repay them a hundredfold. I've already had the IPC guys freeze all her accounts. I bet that little girl is hugging her computer and crying her eyes out right now, haha!"
…
Meanwhile, on a certain planet.
Silver Wolf was holding a game console, watching grey-and-white notification boxes pop up one after another on the screen, her teeth gritting audibly.
"Gone, they're all gone…" Her fingertips poked the screen fiercely, her nails making a harsh scraping sound on the glass. "Not a single thing left… This is too much, too much!"
The rare equipment, hidden achievements, and limited skins she had spent countless hours grinding for—all vanished into thin air.
"Alright, stop throwing a tantrum. You're not a child anymore." Kafka sat on a nearby railing. It sounded like comfort, but it felt more like a finishing blow.
"…I am not throwing a tantrum."
Kafka shrugged helplessly: "Yes, yes. So, what do you plan to do next? Find a nearby IPC branch to hack into and get your accounts back?"
"Sigh, if it were just one or two accounts, sure... I kind of overdid it this time — I lost basically everything. A branch office probably won't be enough. I'm gonna have to make a trip to Pier Point."
"You're going alone? That's the IPC's headquarters." Kafka arched an eyebrow.
"Just me. Don't worry, I've already got an idea. You see that cloud diner just two kilometers from here? A few temps from the Building Material Logistics Department just stepped in. I'm gonna go and become their 'friend.'"
"Getting a move on already? I would've thought you'd at least wanna spend some time with that cartridge you were obsessing about."
"I told you, I'm not obsessed with it... Besides..."
Silver Wolf stuffed the game console into her jacket pocket and walked briskly toward the distant White Cloud Restaurant. Who knew what kind of game lay ahead, but in any case, it wouldn't be too boring for her. After all, when it comes to games…
"There's fun to be had along the way!" 」
「 ..... 」
( Translator-kun: I just noticed when editing this chapter. In this Companion mission, already foreshadowing Silver Wolf as her Former Path is 『 Elation 』. Like how Screwllum said, 'Without fun, a game loses its meaning,' and Silver Wolf itself, 'There's fun to be had along the way!' )