Valkyrie Memories

Valkyrie Memories (ワルキューレメモリーズ) is a game event in Mass for the Dead that was released on December 15, 2022 to December 31, 2022.

Background
Shalltear, who was visiting the Azellisian Mountains for a certain purpose, coincidentally, while there, she meets a girl who gives off signs of being a strong person who stands out from the crowd.

Shalltear having been ordered to search for information on a girl who may be related to a "Player", she however has an unexpected situation with the girl――

Incident
Shortly before the brainwashing incident in the Katze Plains, Shalltear Bloodfallen together with Lupusregina Beta, both wearing Christmas Costumes find themselves at the Azerlisia Mountains, escorted by a pair of Vampire Brides. The group are in the mountains for a certain purpose, prompted by Shalltear and it is revealed she purposely had Lupusregina guide her to the cave where the Pleiades had their last adventure.

The cave area where the Pleiades had battle a powerful Chaos Beast is devoid of snow as the beast has long since been defeated. The area is now under the control of Nazarick. with summons standing guard at the Crack where the Chaos Beast emerged. One of Demiurge's subordinates, Evil Lord Envy is in charge of managing the area. The group enter the cave where they are greeted by the Evil Lord who has been keeping the number of Chaos Beasts that emerge from the anomaly in check. The reason for Nazarick's interest in this particular Crack in the mountains is that unlike the other Cracks discovered by Nazarick, this one is unique in that it does not spawn regular Chaos Beasts, but "Ice Chaos Beasts" in the very image of the Frozen Giant that the Pleiades had previously defeated.

Shalltear having heard about the Crack, wishes to use the monsters it spawns as training to regain her levels. Due to the aforementioned strength of the Ice Chaos Beasts, defeating one of them requires at least three people and are quite stronger compared to the other run of the mill Chaos Beasts. According to Cocytus, he hypothesized that it could be due to the Ice Chaos Beasts being a different type and specialize in gaining experience in battle. What make this Crack appealing for training purposes, is that multiple Ice Chaos Beasts can emerge. This is made possible due to Demiurge experimenting in partially burying the Crack with dirt, and combined with the quality of the miasma-contaminated causes multiple spawning. Unfortunately the technique has only been achieved at the Crack in the Azerlisia Mountains as when tried in the Crack in Nazarick, only was met with failure to produce a similar effect. Hence why Shalltear traveled this way to train.

Before the Crack explodes to releases its monsters, Envy compliments the Floor Guardian's attire, asking if she selected to wear it against the Ice Chaos Beasts' ice attacks. Shalltear admits that she wore it for cold resistance and is a costume given to her by Peroroncino. From what she garnered from Momonga her costume is related to something called "Christmas". Not only that Shalltear's costume gives her a bonus to experience gained when defeating ice-type monsters which the vampire believes is proof that her creator anticipated a situation where she might need to regain her levels.

In Nazarick, Momonga sitting in his office contemplates on Shalltear's choice of equipment, particularly Peroroncino Christmas Costume. He dismisses the idea that his friend had foreseen such a situation when he gave Shalltear the equipment, as NPCs don't normally do leveling. Most likely the guild member of Ainz Ooal Gown acquired it because he liked he design and bought it from another player, ignoring its abilities. Since Shalltear thinks too highly of her creator, Momonga refrained from telling her as he didn't want to take away her joy.

Back at the cave, Shalltear with her Christmas Costume and also a collar given to her by Momonga hopes to gain enough experience to restore her levels in the battles to come. Soon enough the Crack explodes, releasing three Ice Chaos Beasts. Lupusregina seeing the number gets nervous as the last time she fought this type of Chaos Beasts was a hard time. Shalltear tells her not to be afraid as they are fighting for their master and tells her subordinates to begin the hunt.

Due to Shalltear's enthusiasm, the group slay a decent number of Chaos Beasts, and end their culling session more quickly then expected. Shalltear is disappointed that the training is over as she and her team leave the cave and into the mountain wilderness. Lupusregina admits that it may have been quicker this time, because last time she had CZ2128 Delta sniping at the Frozen Giant, and whose bullets don't penetrate that deep, which explained why the Pleiades took longer to defeat it. The Vampire Brides take this as a sign of Shalltear's superiority and begin complimenting their mistress, when sounds of blades clashing are detected.

Shalltear curious of the nature of the sound orders, the Vampire Brides to hide whilst she and Lupusregina go invisible to investigate. Creeping towards the sound the ladies, hiding in the shadow of a rock, find a battle in process between a strange human girl with white hair wielding an axe and fighting two vultures. The two note the unusual appearance of the girl, unsure if she is fully human, and curious as to why a human would be in the mountains where the dwarves dwell. Shalltear wonders if the girl might be a member of a new race they do not know of yet. The mystery girl's battle continues, who slaughters a pair of perytons. The speed and level of strength displayed by the stranger shocks Shalltear. Lupusregina noticing her shock, is told by the Floor Guardian that the girl is incredibly strong, and maybe could even surpass the Pleiades which stuns the maid.

The axe wield by the strange girl continue to be swept around, slaying numerous foes which appear to be Contaminated Beasts. After kill a peryton and a vulture, the girl muses that the situation outside is more worse than reported, and not a outright lie or exaggeration by her superior who previously told her to be careful. Thinking back the girl wonders if the person's concern was genuine, though given the level of strength of the foes' she is facing the girl dismisses that there could be anything that dangerous. Her train of thought is interrupted when another rabid vulture tries to attack her, and is quickly silenced. The noise of the beasts she is fighting is irritating her, but is at least grateful that she decided to equip herself in her current apparel as a countermeasure against the cold of the mountains and allow her to enjoy the scenery.

The girl detects that she is not alone when another girl appears. Studying her the girl asks who she is, wondering if the stranger was following her. The stranger apologizes for appearing before the girl in a disrespectful manner, offering her name Shall, a rookie adventurer.

Whilst Shall makes her introductions to the mystery girl, in the Great Tomb of Nazarick, Momonga and his aides, Demiurge, Albedo and Aura gather in the Round Table Room, secretly observing the encounter in the Azerlisia Mountains. Momonga viewing the progress Shall is making, is content that they avoided a situation of a battle. Demiurge standing beside his liege is of a different opinion of Shalltear's assessment of the mystery girl, as the Floor Guardian is not a full warrior type, hence declaring that the she could be stronger than Lupusregina could be just an exaggeration. In Albedo's opinion, the fact that Shalltear senses that possibility about this strange girl, should be more than enough to regard her as a threat.

Momonga and the others are taking Shalltear's opinion that this newcomer could be on par with the Floor Guardian of the 1st through 3rd Floors. There is a possibility that they dread, that this girl could be in a player so they must use caution. Albedo praises Momonga's shrewdness as the best would be to gather as much information from this girl even if it means risking Shalltear's life. Momonga privately has no intention of sacrificing Shalltear, even if it means obtaining valuable information that could benefit Nazarick as he will always choose to safeguard what is precious to him.

Aura raises a question as to why her master allowed Shalltear to initiate contact with the girl as the dark elf is worried that the vampire could do poorly in collecting information directly rather than indirectly. Momonga admits that is a good point, though unlike Aura, Shalltear is not very good at stealth thus would be noticed by the stranger and most definitely be hostile. Plus if the girl is a player and watch from a distance, there is a strong possibility that they could lose track of her. Albedo supports her master's decision for initiating contact hence why the Overseer Guardian reached out to her sister Nigredo to set up this surveillance so that they could monitor the situation and place magical countermeasures against detection. Demiurge comments that this will in a way obstruct the surveillance of this possible player, providing her false information on Shalltear. Aura now understands that with both sides using anti-surveillance tactics the only way to read this new target would be to permit direct contact.

Additionally Momonga hopes that Shalltear can put her acting skills she cultivated in E-Rantel as "Shall" to good use. Not only that her identity as an undead will not be compromised as she possesses equipment that prevents undead detection. From Demiurge's observation of the reaction of the mystery girl, she appears not to be an enemy as she is perplexed by Shalltear's presence and is in the midst of looking for a rational course of action. For now they will allow the two ladies to converse to obtain any useful information, while the rest of Shalltear's team in the mountains hold back in a safe distance until they they believe it is safe to withdraw.

Aura still wants to help Shalltear in some way, though is cautioned by Demiurge from doing so as they need to stay vigilant as there is a remote possibility that this could be a trap and the girl is bait to draw opponents like the Floor Guardians out and attack Nazarick. Truthfully Momonga believes that they need not worry as an undead like Shalltear cannot be affected by mental magic or special skills. Even so he wants to play it safe, hence why Aura was included in this meeting, as she is to provide them insight on Shalltear's condition and alert them to anything that seems amiss.

Aftermath
TBA