Fallout: New World

by ComeInMeBro

The man who had cheated death in the cemetery outside of Goodsprings, finds his mind muddled and his companion missing after awakening in a forest. With his gear and weapons accounted for, he begins his adventure in this strange New World. Little does he know, he isn't the only one bewildered by his new surroundings. Neutral Courier.

8. Chapter 7

Author's Note:

Another chapter for you boys. In the previous update I forgot to respond to reviews so sorry about that. I'll have them this time at the very bottom of this chapter so look out for that if you're interested. Well, that's all. Read on.

...

Arms crossed and a frown underneath his helmet, Six waited impatiently as the men on the other side of the wall prepared themselves to let the wanderers from the outside in. Though that tune wasn't the one they initially carried with them. The first to arrive at the double gate, he was met with scrupulously and incriminating glares from the guards inside. It was only after Lakyus' arrival and her vouching for him that they decided differently. He wondered just how famous this all-female group of hers actually. Making someone change their decision simply based on another's word looked like insanity to him. Someone's word didn't mean jack to someone in the wasteland. Especially if it came from a stranger. He would honestly need to keep them in mind. It wasn't a crazy thought to believe they had a heavy amount of influence on some of the higher ups. He wouldn't put it past some all powerful adventurers like them to be the ones truly in control. All they needed was the ambition and the ruthlessness.

"Thanks for that." Six said as he shuffled in place. His words had been directed to the blond woman with the oversized sword. He would make an overcompensating joke about it but that didn't really apply in this situation. She is a female after all.

"Don't worry about it." She simply answered with a smile on her face. "It isn't such a big deal, I've done this with others a few times."

"I should worry about it. And it is a big deal." He almost growled out. "Swaying a guard by title and name alone is nothing to gloss over." He turned away from the slowly opening gate and fully addressed her. "I hope I didn't make a mistake traveling with you. Those guards..." The tone Six used implied he wasn't upset.

"Then maybe you should have left when you had the chance." A new voice from behind him caused him to turn around. Red hood and masked face, he now looked down at Evileye. "And what about the guards? Law enforcement makes you nervous?"

"I'm afraid they'll start some gossip about the stranger with a highly regarded adventurer group."

"I doubt they would pay attention to a nobody ike you."

"That's my hope too. But…" He turned to look at his companion, the eyebot. "It's impossible with this guy."

ED-E playfully rammed into Six who barely budged at the contact.

Lakyus couldn't help but nervously smile as she heard the not-so-friendly conversation between Six and her teammate. Six appeared uncaring on the outside but for all she knew he could simply be hiding his anger within. His mask/helmet could certainly help him do that.

"Who cares about the guards?" Tiara on head and giant war pick at hand, Gagaran spoke up. "I'm more interested in the fight between you and Gazeff."

Six focused on the giant of a woman. "You got it wrong. I want him to teach me."

"I'm aware of that, but I also know the man, his type at least. You won't get what you want unless you duel him."

"Words should be enough. But if not…" Six trailed off as he noticed the gates fully open to reveal the capital of the kingdom. "I'm not leaving empty-handed." He gestured to his buddy as he began stepping forward. "Come on ED-E."

The all-female team watched him go on ahead of them at a somewhat urgent pace.

"What a fool." Evileye suddenly said.

"Don't have faith?" Gagaran looked down at her.

"He came here specifically to learn martial arts. That implies he knows none to begin with. His chances of victory would be higher if not for that."

"Maybe you're right. But there's nothing wrong with learning a lesson the hard way. Unless you die of course!" She laughed. "But in all seriousness, I've got a feeling about him."

The short girl couldn't help but scoff.

"Mock all you want but I'm serious. I know strong people when I see them. It's a warrior's intuition. Isn't that right, Lakyus?"

An apologetic smile came over their leader's face. "Ah, sorry, I didn't pick up on anything like that."

"Hah? You should've paid attention then. Just you all wait."

Lakyus decided that now was a good time to break the conversation. "Let's stop standing around. Tia, Tina and I will visit the princess. You two can be on break in the meantime." At Lakyus' words the ninja twins approached their evil boss and began following her.

"Perfect. I know what I'm doing then." Gagaran said as she began moving inside as well.

"I'll come with." Evileye added.

"Curious too?"

"I'll admit, I'm interested in the outcome."

"Or maybe you want to see Six eat dirt?"

Evileye didn't respond to that which earned a few chuckles from her teammate. That was definitely it.

…

Six may not have known the layout of the capital but he sure as hell knew where royalty resided by simply looking at the buildings. And the one at the very center more regal and tall then the others was the location he was heading straight towards. He didn't know it originally, but Gagaran had let it slip that this Stronoff fellow was actually the king's personal bodyguard. The king of course being Ramposa lll but he didn't care about that old guy. He just hoped they wouldn't make anything too difficult for him. Using force to get what he wanted was the last thing he wanted to do. You couldn't force someone to teach you at gunpoint. Or knifepoint. Or with whatever point he felt like using that day.

As he walked he naturally took in his surroundings and noted the bustling community this place currently showed him. Street markets along with their urchins and other folk going about their business reminded him of the New Vegas he had fought for him. The success he had accumulated there and the problems he had solved seemed like it had happened just yesterday. Though he fought long and hard, he wouldn't be able to enjoy the spoils of a comfortable life. Only the weapons he needed to maintain peace. It was here that a wave of melancholy - almost sadness began taking a hold of him. He furrowed his brow and let out a quiet but deep sigh, like he always did. He hated when he was all alone with his thoughts. It never helped his state of mind. He looked over to ED-E who had begun to attract the attention of the people around. Murmurs and not so subtle conversations began taking place. Things such as:

"What is that thing?"

"It's floating in the air…"

"Some kind of metal golem?"

"No way, those things are bulky."

"But what about that guy next to it?"

"Could be a woman underneath that too y'know."

"But their chest is flat…"

"Unfortunately, some are born like that."

But he elected to ignore it all as he made his way closer to the marble white castle. At least, it looked to be made out of marble to him. He didn't assume that this undiscovered land used the same resources as his own. There was much of the Old World that had yet to be discovered. Assuming that you managed to make it through all of the leftover security. He remembered the first abandoned building he entered. Those MFRS (Mobile Facial Recognition Scanners), or simply Mr. Handys had caught him with his pants down and asked for identification. In his panic he could only utter a single word in his panic.

That word of course being "Ice Cream".

He still couldn't help but be astonished at his own luck. He wondered - no - he knew it was and is the reason he stayed alive. You don't survive two point blank shots to your noggin and survive without luck. You don't fight an army of Cazadores over the hill and survive without luck. You don't take on a pack of Deathclaws at Quarry Junction and survive without luck. Lady Luck kept a close eye on him and he was forever grateful for it. But he would admit, he hadn't always been for it.

Six briefly ceased thinking to himself and studied the twenty towers surrounded by the over one thousand meter wall long wall protecting the capital. He wasn't an expert when it came to architecture so he truly didn't know whether the walls were tall and strong enough for an invasion of any kind. If he remembered correctly from some books he read, old school warfare usually sent literal flaming boulders onto the walls or used ladders to climb over the barrier which implied the walls were almost too strong. For the weapons they had back then anyway.

It was at this point that he finally made it to the double doors which spared no expense just like the rest of the castle. Two stalwart men, guards no doubt, stood in place with spears in hand. They immediately took notice of him and purposefully made themselves appear intimidating. An appropriate reaction.

"Halt! No one is allowed inside without-" One of them began before being cut off.

Speech [100/25]

"I'm here to see Gazef Stronoff. I'm expected."

The guards looked at one another and passed along a silent glance to one another as if asking for confirmation. Neither of them received word of such a thing happening.

"Do you have proof of any sort?" The other asked.

Speech [100/40]

"Proof? I sent word to the nobles here - my request to meet with the captain should have been fine enough.

"I apologize but we weren't given any orders to allow anyone in."

Speech [100/65]

"Ah, whatever. I'll just let them know I was denied. I can't believe this kingdom has such poor communications." Six said as he turned to walk away.

Panic quickly went through the two guards. They didn't need a reason to avoid any troubles from nobles. Their livelihoods depended on their satisfaction. If this stranger truly knew them and reported them in particular…

"Sir, please wait! Sir!" One called out to him.

He turned back around and kept his frustrated tone. "What is it now?" He growled out.

"Please forgive us! We were not made aware of such a meeting. It is most likely the info was passed down to the guards prior to us…"

Six let out a sigh. "I did arrive later than intended. But those brigands on the road…" Six bowed somewhat. "Please forgive what I said. It seems I'm at fault here."

The guards almost appeared to be shocked. "N-no we're also at fault as well."

The other man nodded. "It is as he says - we will let you inside." They both moved out of the way and opened the doors themselves. "Please enjoy your stay."

Six, at a casual pace, began walking with ED-E following right behind him. The guards wanted to say something about the creature but held their tongues. They said nothing as he finally stepped inside.

…

Mojave's walker held a shit eating grin as wandered aimlessly through the halls of the castle and the stairs that came along with it. He absolutely loved doing that. There was always something about bullshitting through a situation like that which sent a dopamine rush throughout his body. To say it satisfied him would be an understatement. He had successfully infiltrated the castle but had yet to encounter anyone. That however changed when he rounded a corner and saw a blonde woman with a silver crown in a white dress that Six assumed to be fashionable around here. She looked important. So maybe she knew.

Without hesitation, he spoke up. "Excuse me. Blondie."

Back turned to him, the woman stopped in her tracks and turned her head to focus her sapphire colored eyes on the stranger before her. She wore a smile on her face.

"I'm looking for Gazef Stronoff. We're supposed to meet up. Have you seen him by any chance?"

The woman fully faced him then and quickly glanced at Six's companion. "And who might you be? An adventurer perhaps?"

An amused hum came from him. "Nah. I'm more of a… freelancer. For hire."

Now it was the woman's turn to be amused. At least, that's what it looked like to Six. Her expression barely changed.

"That seems like a contrived way of saying mercenary."

"A merc cares about money. I don't."

A thoughtful look overcame the woman. "Is that so?"

"It is so." Six shuffled in place. "So… you going to answer my question or what?"

"Ah, of course." She suddenly became more apologetic. "I have not personally seen the warrior captain but I do know he is on break. He tends to stay in the courtyard."

"That's cool and all but I literally have no idea where that is." He gestured to himself with a grand flourish with his left arm. "Do I look like I'm from around here?"

The woman kept her smile but didn't answer his rhetorical question. "Continue on that way." She pointed to where he had been walking. "There will be a fork, head left and down the stairs. There will be a door down the hall that leads there."

"Thanks. Appreciate it." He said as he gave a quick thumbs up and turned to leave. ED-E followed afterwards but moved sideways as he kept his stare on the woman.

"Quit looking, creepo." Six said and received a singular beep in response.

The blonde watched him go and stood in place for a few more moments before resuming whatever she had set out to do that day.

Six turned his head to look behind himself for a moment for no real reason other than habit. That woman seemed weird to him. Something was off about her. Should she have been so calm with an armed stranger roaming the halls? The answer was obviously no. He then shook his head. What did it matter anyway? It wasn't important right now or ever most likely. He pushed these thoughts further into the back of his mind before following exactly what the blond had told him. It took him barely a minute to reach his destination without incident or any more encounters. For a castle everything sure seemed quiet. It was only after he opened the doors the woman had mentioned that he found where mostly everybody else was.

In the grassy plains of the courtyard stood a good amount of soldiers. Most seemed to be training with one another via practice duels but others sat or stood on the sidelines watching their comrades have at it. The size of the courtyard itself was impressive, it was large enough for a small army to fit.

Out of all the soldiers there was one in particular that stood out from the rest. More muscular than the rest and with a unique set of armor adorned on his body, this brown-haired man definitely gave off that 'important person' vibe. He wasn't mocking him for it of course. It would be pretty hypocritical of him. Six stood there a few more seconds before deciding to make his presence known.

"Gazef Stronoff!" He shouted so that his voice could be heard from all the sword clashing and conversations taking place.

After being called out, the captain of this troop became a bit more rigid after hearing a voice he didn't recognize. The soldiers around him had ceased as well and stared at the stranger slowly walking to their captain.

Gazef held a serious but somewhat curious gaze at the newcomer. However most of his attention went to the floating creature next to the man who wore armor he had never seen before. The stranger stopped at around ten feet in front of the warrior before looking around himself.

"You're Gazef Stronoff right?" Six tilted his head somewhat after asking his question.

"I am him." Gazef sized the stranger up. He didn't know what the man's intentions were. He entertained the idea of a very brazen assassin. "And who might you be?"

The Courier held one hand up with all five fingers extended while the other only had the index finger out. "Just call me Six."

The warrior assumed the number to be a moniker the armed stranger used. It was obvious he wouldn't be getting a name from this man if he hid his face as well so he wouldn't bother even trying to ask. "I see. And what business do you have with me?"

"I'll get straight to the point. I want you to train me. In martial arts specifically."

Gazef furrowed his brow. The man before him didn't have the appearance of an amateur. Though he had yet to see this Six character in action, he could tell this man was no pushover. His unusual weaponry and the fact that he had such a creature following him spoke volumes of that.

"You wish to know some of my techniques?"

"Some? No. I want all of them. Every last one." Six sagged somewhat and hung his head a little low. "I'm going to be honest with you, I don't know martial arts. Like at all."

The warrior captain narrowed his eyes. Was this a trick of some sort? "I find that hard to believe."

"Then believe harder, bucko. It's true."

"Even if it were so, I don't just train anybody."

Six let out sigh. "Don't tell me you're going to do the whole 'prove yourself' thing. Gagaran said you'd do something like that."

Gazef instantly recognized that name. The capable woman he had fought. She was one of the few people in the world that could actually put up a fight with him. Question was…

"You know her?"

"Eh, barely. I encountered her group in a cave after I killed a Deathclaw. We happened to be going the same way - here in the capital."

Gazef had no clue what a Deathclaw is but he would certainly keep a mental note of it. The name itself implied danger. Regardless…

"I'm afraid you've traveled here for nothing. I'm sorry, but I can't help you."

Six had gone still at these words. "Huh. You won't teach me?" There wasn't hostility in his voice but amusement instead. He then slowly reached inside of his duster and drew Blood-Nap. He made sure everyone there saw the motion. "You say that like you have a choice."

Realizing the stranger's intent, Gazef wasted no time in drawing his sword. The men around him did the same and assumed more serious faces.

"This is a serious crime you're committing."

Though his helmet acted as a mask as well, Gazef watched him move his head in a manner that implied he had just rolled his eyes.

"This is between me and him. Don't interfere." Gazef turned his head somewhat but kept his eyes on Six who had yet to move. The men behind their captain moved out of the way into the sidelines. There was now enough space for their captain so he wouldn't be put into a corner.

Gazef felt himself tense. He knew he had to put his all into this fight or he may very well die. As they stared one another down, a hurried breeze blew through and around them. The men around appeared anxious but there was a look in their eyes - a confident belief that their captain would win this fight in the end.

"Do I have to do everything?" Six said before suddenly breaking into a sprint and raising his knife into the air.

Gazef nearly let his own surprise overtake him. A resounding clang from both weapons rung throughout the area. Their weapons pressed against their respective blades. Six refused to tremble in the slightest while Gazef grit his teeth from the force alone being pressed on him. The captain counter attacked by raising his left leg and going for a kick to his opponent's abdomen. His adversary not only dodged the attack but also grabbed the underside of the limb with his free hand. Six lifted and pushed forward with enough force to send Gazef flying backwards. The captain didn't have control initially but managed to stick the landing in the end, the grass underneath him turned to pure dirt as he made tracks from the slide he had briefly been in. It was here that Gazef felt a burning sensation on his right cheek. Though he couldn't see it, he could feel a minuscule amount of blood leaking from it.

He didn't dare touch at the wound but kept his eyes on Six who had his arms raised and palms extended horizontally.

"Whoops… I didn't mean for that to hit you." Six said sincerely.

Gazef looked somewhat confused before turning around and finding a knife lodged into the ground. It was here that it dawned on him on what had just happened. And he almost refused to believe it. When had the stranger thrown the blade? He couldn't recall the air around him slice or the ground creating a thunk upon the blades impact. It had completely gone out of his radar!? But when? When he was in the air? When he landed? Or was it during the slide? Maybe even before?

"Stop being half hearted." Six raised his blade once again. "I'm not going to pull punches anymore."

Gazef's lips curled downwards along with already furrowed brows. He gripped his sword as tight as he could and drew all the power he stored within himself. He focused all that he could.

"Martial Art…" Gazef said under his breath, but Six managed to pick up the words. With some panic that he might miss something. Six put all of his effort into using his Perception to see what exactly Gazef was doing.

"Body Strengthening, Full Throttle, Pace of the Wind, Mental Enhancement!"

The Warrior-Captain exploded into a sprint and charged Six. Underneath his helmet, Six's eyes went from neutral to full on surprise at the dramatic increase of speed. Their blades connected once again but Six felt a genuine force behind it this time.

"Martial Art: Flow Acceleration!" Gazef disconnected his blade and began attacking. The captain had turned into a blur to the others watching at this point. Every attack he threw at Six was meant to incapacitate him. The legs, shoulders and head were the targets Stronoff went after. Six himself was smiling like an idiot as the man went all out on him. He had never seen something so goddamn cool in his life. It felt like he was experiencing a fight in pre-war comics but only in real life. And he was loving every minute of it. In response to Gazef's attacks, he either blocked it with Blood-Nap or outright dodged it. But he didn't intend to be on defense forever.

Although he hadn't counted, his opponent had at least attacked over sixty times in the span of ten seconds. But he ended the furious blows with a simple but effective blow to Gazef's chest. He expected the man to back off or fly back a little, but was pleasantly surprised when he heard the experienced warrior yell:

"INSTANT COUNTER!"

And in less than a second, he was back into attack mode as he continued his flurry of sword swings. Six raised his brows as he resumed blocking and dodging the attacks. He reeled his free arm back and prepared to punch Gazef.

"INSTANT REFLEX!"

He watched in awe as his punch utterly missed his foe. He had been in such astonishment that he failed to see the bastard sword coming to his side. It was the first blow he had ever received upon arriving in this New World. And he hoped it wouldn't be his last.

Six turned his head to look at where the sword had come into contact and grabbed it with his free hand. In one swift move, he disarmed the captain completely by throwing it behind himself. The weight of the weapon itself was enough to let it bury itself on the ground. In his shock, Gazef had done what Six mistakenly did earlier. He unfortunately wasn't devoid of the consequences. One single headbutt to his head was all it took to knock him out.

Stronoff's body unceremoniously hit the ground as he went completely limp. The team he led went utterly quiet as they realized what had just happened. An understandable reaction. Their boss lost in a one on one. And in one blow no less. The stranger let out a barely audible "oh crap" as he anxiously took a few steps forward and then got on one knee. He leaned forward and placed two fingers underneath their captain's neck. He then placed his helmeted head on the chest.

"Okay, he's still alive. I thought maybe I hit him too hard…"

Six then looked at the men frozen in place but didn't bother trying to get a feel for their expressions. He had other things in mind.

He cleared his throat. "Um, uh, tell Gazef that I enjoyed our duel and… learned much from him." He said and turned away. "Come on, ED-E." He gestured for his companion to follow which earned a beep of confirmation from the bot. The soldiers watched the stranger walk back through the doors he had come from and disappear out of sight.

...

"I saw one come this way. I'm sure of it."

Heavy metallic footfalls echoed throughout the forest. Two powerful white lights illuminated the dense fauna in the surrounding area. The one who had spoken earlier turned to look at the man accompanying him. Composed of lightweight metal alloys along with ceramic castings at important stress points, the one alongside him wore the standard Enclave power armor. Subtlety was something they were certainly not going after. No, they were tracking something inhuman. He hadn't gotten a good look, but the soldier who had reported the initial incident received a second body to aid in the capture of what he believed to be an elf.

"You would think hunting down their kind would send a clear message to them. It's a wonder they've survived this long."

"Guerrilla warfare is all they have." One of them raised his assault rifle and lightly pounded his chest. Though the noise itself implied greater force. "While we have this."

"Yeah, well, don't let it go to your head. We were handpicked for a reason. I don't want the techies on my ass."

"What? Scared they'll file a report?" His question received no answer so he decided to change the subject. "I still remember the first time I put one of these on." He aimed his weapon where he and the light looked at.

"It makes you feel invincible, doesn't it?" His partner looked above himself and then behind.

"Yeah, until you look at the king's."

There was a brief silence as they looked around each other. If there was someone here, they had yet to show themselves.

"I've never seen him take it off. Like ever."

"That's because it doesn't come off."

"...What do you mean?"

"The armor and Horrigan himself? One in the same."

"Oh… so, then, how does he use the bathroom? Does it have metal flaps or something?"

A chuckle came from the other armored man but his response was still serious. "That I don't know."

There was a brief silence as they continued onwards.

"You know, I've been thinking…"

"What?" The other soldier asked him as he turned his head to face his partner.

"Is it really necessary to catch these elves?"

"Whoa, hey now, don't start defecting on me."

The man calmly but quickly waved away at him. "No no, you got it all wrong."

"I get the techies wanting to experiment on them but I don't see the point. Outside appearances set aside, they've got the same guts and stuff."

"Well… they're techies for a reason. Maybe they see something we don't?"

"Like what?"

"I just said they see things that we don't, so how am I supposed to know?"

The soldier was about to respond before the subtle but noticeable shifting of leaves and shrubbery caught his attention. He quickly raised his bent arm and gestured for the other man to halt. The other power armor user complied and raised his weapon a bit higher in anticipation. It wasn't just spying elves around here. The soldier relaxed his muscles when he saw two squirrels chasing one another beyond the shrubs and up a tree. However, he tensed once again when he heard the sound of normal footsteps rapidly smacking against the ground. Both soldiers turned in time to spot a blonde-haired elf making a run for it.

Knowing what had to be done they both broke off into a sprint and began smashing their power armor's feet against the dirt. As they continued their chase through the dense forest they watched the elf effortlessly move through at a scarily fast rate. The trees had proved to be the most valuable ally. There were moments were they lost them among the trees that only to find them in a completely different direction. If this went on the soldiers would eventually lose this being.

"Aim for the limbs! Get it to lose mobility!" One of the soldiers said loud enough for the elf to obviously hear.

"No shit!" Was the response as the other power armor user raised his gun and began his run and gun alongside his partner.

Not a second later, the sound of gunshots soon resonated in the forest. Had anyone else been around, the trees around them would have bounced the sound all over and made it seem like it had come from everywhere. These men weren't trigger happy. Their shots were controlled and brief. They only pulled when they felt they could possibly hit their target. Wasting ammunition was something heavily frowned upon. It was a precious resource. Though they were accurate against other targets these men could not land a single shot on the fleeing elf. Most of their bullets had either gone through leaves, hit bark, or had completely missed. They could only give up when their target completely disappeared in the distance

"Shit!" One of them huffed out. "We lost it."

"We need to report back to base. Let them know a spy is running around."

"They're going to be pissed off."

"This is Brahmin shit - did you see how fast it moved!? That has to be one of the fastest long ears I've ever seen." One of them pointed to his chest. "We've got footage of it. It will be easier to explain."

The other soldier paused for a moment. "Oh yeah… forgot about that."

"Come on. We're wasting time."

A nod came from him. "Right behind you." He said as he approached his partner and began following him.

…

Ainz had never been so stressed in his life. Had it not been for this undead body of his, he would have most certainly broken down from all of the pressure. It didn't help that he had to adopt a certain persona whenever around the NPC's. Though his guildmates' creations believed him to be currently hard at work, the truth of the matter was that he had been intently studying novels pertaining to kings and how one should act. At the moment, he had decided to focus on his movement. He felt his speech was near acceptable but his actions not very much so. It wouldn't look great if he was a bumbling idiot when granting an audience to everyone. One singular act of lameness would be bad to say the very least. It was a worst case scenario to him. Betrayal was all he could think of whenever he looked at the NPC's. Though most had been pre-programmed with a personality, he had no idea if that was subject to change. He couldn't personally gauge it out himself since it was obvious they act differently around him. The Death Knight he sent earlier was a start, but he hadn't really learned much. But if he could fulfill some of the NPC's wishes and reward them for their efforts…

"Raise your heads." He suddenly said aloud but in a normal tone.

Ainz shook his fleshless skull. That wasn't good enough. There needed to be more authority behind it.

"Raise your heads." He said slower and with a bit more oomph than last time.

That was better, but he felt as if he was missing something. Perhaps a gesture to go along? He would say this line when he sat on his throne so…

Ainz proceeded to sit on his bed and stare at the rectangular mirror in front of him. He repeated the line again but gestured upwards with his palm facing the ceiling. He mulled the action over for a moment before deciding that maybe he didn't actually need one.

His body slowly relaxed, his posture slackening as it did so. He placed his bony fingers on the top left of his forehead in both thought and frustration. He couldn't imagine how Six himself did it. Unlike him, the Courier didn't have the luxury of being undead. As such, the shock of seeing NPC's come to life must have had a more pronounced effect on him. He had a feeling that the reason he wore the helmet all the time was to hide the expressions underneath them. His voice may come out composed and neutral but he suspected that the reality of their situation ate away at him.

The realization that he had it much easier than Six motivated him to be better and become more presentable. He looked back at his own reflection and pulled out a black notebook that immediately saw use when he placed a pencil on it and began writing down notes for himself. He didn't get too far before a familiar voice suddenly spoke to him.

[Ainz-sama, there are unknown individuals approaching Nazarick.]

[I understand. How long ago did they enter the perimeter and from which direction?]

Ainz spoke as he summoned the Mirror of Remote Viewing. It initially displayed a bird's eye view of the dummy hills surrounding Nazarick.

[About thirty seconds prior to our conversation. To the northwest.]

She's fast…

Ainz knew having Albedo manage all of Nazarick had been one of his best decisions so far.

[Excellent work, Albedo.]

Ainz's gave her a genuine compliment as he began moving the scrying tool with a lot more finesse than he had done prior to learning with Sebas at his side. He ignored the small giggles the succubus produced as he scoured the area. It didn't take him long to find what he was searching for.

Through his red glowing orbs of light he made out the large and darkened forms of four soldiers in what he initially believed to be powered suits from YGGDRASIL. However, when he zoomed in closer to them, he noticed a distinct difference. To begin with, the suit appeared to be robotic in nature but nothing like a mecha. For lack of a better term, they looked more "realistic". One could honestly say that this was the potential armor could reach in the future. From his world anyway.

He knew not what their intentions were, who they are, and what their suits and weapons were capable of. But there was someone one else who might have an idea. Something told Ainz that Nazarick's guest had information he needed.

[What course of action should we take?]

Albedo's voice spurred the Overlord into action.

[Nothing yet. Standby for further orders. I will contact Six and inform you of my decision afterwards.]

[...Understood.]

If Ainz had brows, he would have furrowed them upon hearing her strange tone. He couldn't quite place it. Perhaps somewhere between frustration and confusion? Was there something he said that upset Albedo? Had she finally seen through his facade? His panicked thoughts soon melted away as his undead nature forced him to calm down. He moved that line of thought and directed his attention to what was important. He cut the connection with Albedo and tried another {Message} spell with the Courier in mind.

[Six.]

He uttered one word but it was enough to get the human's attention.

[Ainz. What's up?]

Six sounded somewhat hushed. Perhaps there were people around him but Ainz didn't waste any time with him.

[There are four people in suits of armor within three miles of Nazarick.] He looked to the mirror to further describe them. [They have orange eye lenses, dark colored armor, tubes stick out from the helmet and they bear an insignia.]

[...And what does that look like? Does it involve a sword and cogs?]

[No. Stars surrounding what appears to be the letter "E".]

[Enclave - you're describing the enclave. Their armor at least.] Six's voice didn't hide any of his awe.

[And who are they?]

[Uh, they practiced a Presidential Republic. They stylized themselves as old America. Y'know, before everything - but their group went defunct a long time ago. They shouldn't be around anymore.]

[What do they strive for? Do you know their goals?]

Six's voice came out somewhat amused. [Well they certainly wouldn't hesitate to shoot anything non-human. Even if you were friendly. These guys are picky to say the least. They even killed humans they thought were "tainted". That's what I heard anyway.]

[Are there any weaknesses in the armor they wear? It appears entirely different to the mecha's.]

[...Yeah, the square holes on the back. It's a small target but if you get a good shot then they're forced to either martyrdom in the suit or get out of it.]

There was silence on Ainz's end.

[And what of their weapons? Anything special in particular?]

[Standard issue on them most likely. I doubt they hand anything important to what I'm assuming are scouts.]

There was a silence as Ainz thought about his next move.

[I take it you've fought people in those suits before?]

[I got ganged up by four of them once one time. So yeah, I'm pretty confident. Armor piercing bullets would be your best friend. Or a big 'ol fireball in your case. Anyway, do you want me over there? Because if you do, then I'm sorry to say, but I can't make it in time.]

[A walk at your leisure is not something I had in mind. I am capable of bringing you here in mere moments. There is no doubt in my mind that you would emerge victorious but it is the repercussions of such an encounter that worries me.]

[Hm, yeah, they'll probably come looking for their missing soldiers. They have trackers on them. Probably.]

[How common is this?]

[Er… pretty good chance I'd say. Even better since they're forward scouts.]

[Then we can use that to our advantage and provide false information.]

[I could try talking to them too y'know.]

Ainz immediately discarded that idea.

[Impossible. It is not an option. Even if you were to somehow convince them to leave the area, they would still report their findings and have the land around Nazarick unaccounted for. That would only make them more curious. Though I am skeptical, there is a chance the tomb will go unnoticed. If not, then I will need you to dispose of them without destroying their armor. If they do indeed have trackers on them then we must make sure they stay intact.]

Ainz only received a thoughtful hum from him.

[Do you think you are capable of this?]

[Yeah. Yeah, I've got some stuff…. how are you going to get me to Nazarick by the way?]

[I will bring you here personally via a {Gate} spell. I will fill you in on the details when you arrive. Find a secluded spot and make sure no one is watching you. Be quick when it appears.]

[Alright, secluded spot. I'm on it.]

Ainz cut communication here and quickly thought of Shalltear as he began another {Message}.

[Shalltear.]

[Ainz-sama? To think I would hear your magnificent voice so soon.]

Shalltear spoke in her usual sultry manner that still made Ainz somewhat uncomfortable. The memory of her complimenting his skeletal structure resurfaced. He was still a little shaken by that. Despite these useless thoughts, he began speaking.

[Time is of the essence, Shalltear. Put a hold on my previous orders and return to Nazarick as soon as you are able. Inform Sebas and Solution to stop as well until I say otherwise. I'll explain more once you arrive.]

[Yes! I will be there at once!]

Ainz let out a [Good.] and cut the connection. He looked back at the mirror and began using it once more with the image of the map Six had acquired for them. It took him no less than a minute to find the Kingdoms capital Six apparently stayed at. He zoomed in greatly and began randomly looking about. He scoured the area for about ten seconds before his glowing red eyes noticed the unmistakable floating metal ball he knew as ED-E but Six himself seemed to be missing. It wasn't until the aired shimmered and Six slowly appeared before in an alleyway that had surely seen better days. Without wasting time, Ainz immediately used his {Gate} spell. He watched the portal appear both in front of Six and himself. Six urged ED-E in first and then stepped through himself.

"So this is what your digs looks like." He could hear the smile underneath his helmet. "Pretty nice."

…

Six smoothly inserted his JFP rounds one at a time but at an impressive speed. He pushed the cylinder back in by simply moving the gun to his right and stuffing the standard magnum rounds back into his many pockets. He looked up at Ainz, Albedo, and Shalltear who all sat near him on their respective seats. It was the same room Six had been in when he had been questioned by Ainz. The seats, tables, walls and decorations all remained at their cleanest. It was the white and goldish coloring of it all that made it seem more pristine than it actually was. At the moment, they were all looking at the mirror reflecting the location of their possible foes.

"Okay, so, if they get too close we bop 'em right?"

A hum of both affirmation and slight amusement came from Ainz. "That is correct. As I have stated before, we should only act if they become aware of Nazarick. It is only a matter of time before we make ourselves known. However, it is simply too soon for such a thing to occur." He paused for a second. "Our complete lack of knowledge on these individuals has once again made me cautious. Unlike those humans we captured, this small group possesses YGGDRASIL-like suits capable of inflicting actual harm."

"What are your orders, Ainz-sama?" It was Shalltear who had asked.

Ainz turned his head to look at Six. "Hall will engage the enemy first should they stray too close."

"That's because of two reasons, yeah? I'm expendable. No loss to Nazarick if I get my ass handed to me. They could have something surprisingly dangerous and Ainz would most certainly rather have me die over losing one of you." He gestured to the women sitting opposite of him. "The other is because I've fought people in power armor before. It increases the chances of my victory."

"Self aware as always, Six. However, I would prefer it if you come out of this alive."

"Aw shucks. You warm my heart, Ainz." He quipped as he placed his right hand right above his heart.

Another amused but restrained hum came from the Overlord and then looked at Shalltear.

"Shalltear you are also vital to this."

A small but elated smile soon blossomed over Shalltear's face. Both men in the room didn't miss the ire it earned from Albedo.

"There is a possibility that this is a distraction from an even bigger force. Perhaps we had been discovered the moment we arrived and I failed to notice. Troops en masse might charge us. If that is the case, you will distract them long enough for Nazarick to prepare for an assault."

"I understand! I will not fail!"

Six was impressed at the rate Shalltear had gone from an elegantly poised woman to a full blown soldier in an instant.

"Shall I prepare Nazarick's defenses, Ainz-sama?"

Ainz let out a "umu" after focusing on the succubus. "You read my mind, Albedo. Do not be lenient with hazards and the like. An enemy that manages to infiltrate beyond the first floor is not something to scoff at. Inform everyone save for Demiurge to prepare for combat."

"Then I will begin at once." She bowed somewhat as she said this.

"I'll get outfitted immediately as well." Shalltear proclaimed.

Ainz nodded at them both. "I know I can count on you both. Show them the glory that is Ainz Ooal Gown."

And with those words, both women left the room as soon as they were able. The Courier didn't miss the looks that both had given him. He heard the grand doors behind him close and shut afterwards. That left only Six and Ainz as the only other individuals within. The Courier was the first to break it.

"Mind if I take a look?"

Ainz flipped the mirror without saying a word and showed the plains where the strangers wandered in. It was the first time Six had actually seen Enclave soldiers. The ones in the standard armor that is. Arcade's power armor was its own unique thing. He leaned a little bit forward and made a note of their weapons. There didn't seem to be anything too unique about them but he knew a laser rifle when he saw one. Interestingly enough, the one at the front of the group held a plasma rifle instead. The leader? Maybe. But there was something about them…

"They're clean - it's all clean." He said aloud. "That's..."

"Is there something you find strange about it?" Ainz turned to look at him.

"Yeah, these guns definitely aren't scavengers. It's nearly impossible to find the appropriate materials not to mention the knowledge needed to actually clean and repair what time corroded. Everything they have looks pristine and newly manufactured."

"Are these sorts of weapons and armors usually found in poor condition?" Ainz asked.

"Almost all the time. Trust me, I would know."

"Hm. Interesting information. But it doesn't change our current course of action. Speaking of which, do you recall what needs to be done?"

Six nodded "Hm. Approach them, try questioning, incapacitate them, search their armor for trackers and dispose of them far away if they have any. That sound good?"

"It does. For now, we wait."

Six let out a grunt of understanding in response. He took one final glance at the mirror before spinning it around so it faced Ainz once again. He let his muscles relax as he leaned backwards and slouched on the regal couch. He raised his arm and began fiddling with his pip-boy. He did this for nearly a minute before he leaned to his right to get a look at his boss.

"You mind if I play some music?"

Ainz stopped controlling the mirror as he thought about the question for a moment. "Do not make it loud." He accepted it on that condition.

"Cool. Thanks." Six said as he chose the song his mood urged him to play. The moment he did, a peaceful mood immediately overtook the more tense air previously around them.

Moonlight Serenade by Glenn Miller began.

Ainz watched as Hall let his arm fall and let out a yawn that came out muffled. He slouched even more in his seat and practically melted into relaxation as he let the music lull him into a quick nap. Others, namely Nazarick's residents, would have scorned such an action in front of their god. Ainz of course saw it differently. Six didn't have the advantages of sleep and hunger that the other NPCs did. Of course he needed some sleep. Gaining some energy before a fight only made sense. Six didn't strike him as the type to ignore a problem that presented itself to him. Far from it in fact.

"What's up?" Six suddenly asked, his voice a touch softer.

Ainz realized he had been staring but didn't feel any embarrassment from being caught.

"Have you gotten enough rest?"

"Honestly?" He chuckled a little. "Not really. Short naps here and there when I can. Like now."

"Then I recommend you resume your nap. You will need it."

"Well if that's your order…" He could hear the smile in Hall's voice. The mailman kicked his feet up and placed them on the couch.

Ainz said nothing more and continued watching their potential foes. Time went along with the preset songs Six had set up. Ainz didn't recognize any of them but appreciated them all for the simple fact that they weren't energetic in any way and simply gave out a soothing aura. Something that he could certainly use in high stress anxiety inducing predicament.

He hadn't known how long he had been eyeing the strangers on his mirror before he heard the door to the room swing open. Six, still napping away some time, didn't react and simply remained motionless. Ainz turned his head and watched Shalltear re-enter but in a full set of armor this time. Crimson-colored and shapes not unlike both a mecha and a dress. Ainz always like the plume of feathers near the helmet and shoulders. It made it feel more complete. In her right hand she clutched a bizarrely shaped weapon Ainz knew as the Spuit Lance.

"I am fully prepared for battle, Ainz-sama! Point me to Nazarick's enemies!"

Six stirred in his couch for a moment before exhaling deeply and settling back into a comfortable position. Ainz was quick to notice the hostile look Shalltear exuded when her eyes landed on Hall.

"Leave him be. I ordered him to rest."

Shalltear's indignation lessened somewhat but she still didn't appear too happy with what she deemed as completely inappropriate behavior by the Courier.

"Come have a look at your foes." Ainz beckoned her to take a seat next to him.

Without hesitating and maybe even being a little too enthusiastic about it. She practically skipped on her way over. It was here that Ainz realized he had made a mistake when she sat uncomfortably close to him. She was close enough that he could even smell some of the perfume she must've applied onto herself.

He cleared his non-existent throat and began speaking albeit with a stutter at the beginning. "Th-There are a few things you must know about these individuals." He thought of scooting away from her but deemed it a bad idea. "Firstly, Hall insists their armor has a weak spot on the back. It's what powers their suits. Destroy that and they are forced to eject due to the impending explosion."

Shalltear nodded vigorously as she became more serious.

"Their weapons are standard but they still pack a punch." Six's voice suddenly came from the couch. "Unlike the other three who have laser rifles, the one at the front has a plasma caster instead. If they hit you right, they can turn you into literal ash or a gross goop of green. The plasma in particular literally melts through armor. But they have much slower projectile speed."

There was a brief silence that Ainz quickly broke. "And what of their tactics? You must have something in mind."

"Hmm… if I was them and saw Shalltear flying around… I would most likely pepper her with laser fire as a distraction so that the one with the plasma gun can land a devastating shot."

A jeering laugh came from Shalltear, though it wasn't directed at Six. "Is that really it? A simple cast of {Force Sanctuary} or {Mist Form} makes this child's play."

"I don't know what those abilities do but you sound confident about them. So I'm sure it'll all be fine for you."

Shalltear narrowed her eyes at the Courier. The way he said that sentence almost sounded like sarcasm.

"Then please tell us about your foolproof plan, Wesson Hall-san."

Six turned his head to look at her and let out a grumble. He didn't know why but he absolutely disliked anyone using an honorific on him. Shalltear's mocking smile aimed directly at him was a clear indicator of her knowledge of that. That and the use of his real name. But he didn't let it get to him.

"...My plan is simple. Beat 'em up."

Ainz's glowing red eyes increased in strength. "Now is not the time for jests, Hall."

"Ok, ok. I was half-joking." He sat up from the couch and did some stationery stretches as he spoke. "You want them alive and I have just the item for that but I'm going to need to be within punching distance."

"You require a distraction then…" Ainz placed his bony fingers on his chin as he looked down. "For how long exactly?"

"Not too long. I just need enough time to catch them with their pants down."

Ainz hummed. "Let's say I do have something to divert their attention. What would your plan look like?"

Six smiled underneath his helmet. "It involves two portals and an invisible mailman…"

…

Normally, if Six wanted to fully commit to being more stealthy, he would have been the mark ll suit to do so. There wasn't anything else that could constantly keep away from the prying eyes of others. But he didn't have the time to go fishing for it inside of ED-E's magical container body. He still had no idea how something like that had occurred without him noticing. Or was it always like that? Six shut his eyes tightly as a way to refocus himself. He looked behind himself and watched the swirling mass of purple quickly evaporate into nothing. His plan was simple but that didn't mean it would go off without a hitch. Even with immense luck, nothing ever goes the way you expect.

He looked down at the wrist mounted device on his previously free arm and turned it on with a single press from his index finger. He instantly felt its effects and blinked his eyes rapidly. Something felt… very off about it. He furrowed his brows and squinted his eyes when he realized that he felt heavier and not in a physical sense. He forced himself to ignore these feelings and take one of his first steps into the plains and fake hills that hid Nazarick from would-be intruders. It didn't take him long to spot said foes in the distance as they explored the area they failed to realize was their territory - Ainz's territory.

Six slowly moved as he looked both around and above himself. He and Ainz both believed that this could be a simple distraction and other unseeable forces could engage the moment he revealed himself and attacked. He made sure to step on the large spots where a giant metallic boot had left its print. Moving ever so slowly, he moved just over a turtles pace as he kept following them. Though Six was utterly invisible to them from that distance, he made sure to keep his eyes nowhere near them. It's a universal law (to him) that a person can somehow know they are being watched if stared at for long enough. Everyone had that sixth sense. Some more strongly than others.

Minutes passed before the Courier found himself nearing the site where Nazarick itself hid. He had been following for well over three minutes and fully expected-

"Anomaly straight ahead!"

Six stopped as soon as they did but quickly began moving sideways to try and see what they were looking at. What he saw was unmistakable. A {Gate} had appeared about 200m away from the soldiers not too far away. The portal itself produced nothing for a few seconds until an individual stepped through. The Courier nearly mistook this being for Shalltear until he noticed that whatever was emulating her was colored entirely white like a marble statue. Armor on and weapon in hand, the figure took a few more steps forward until a yell from the plasma user made it stop.

"Not another step forward!" The Leader motioned for the others to raise their guns. "Drop your weapon and turn around!"

Six hurried his pace somewhat and drew two of his preferred weapons for power armor users. He reached towards his belt and took hold of the Paladin Toaster. He rapidly but smoothly put it on and then focused on the energy pistol tucked in his coat. He drew the Pulse Gun and held it the opposite hand. The Spitting image of Shalltear remained silent and completely still. A few seconds passed before the leader spoke again.

"Do as I say or we will open fire!" The leader began anxiously pressing his index finger on the trigger.

Shalltear's double said nothing and began walking forward once again.

"Light it up, boys!" Was his command. Not a second later, rays of crimson light and flying splotches or green soon began heading the double's way. Shalltear's mimic soon swerved out of the way and began making its way toward the soldiers.

"Switch to CQB!" The Plasma Caster ordered as he tried shooting the mimic ahead of her position. This of course proved difficult due to the slow projectile speed of the plasma gun. His three comrades shared a different outcome. Upon their leader's orders, they switched the fire mode and converted their laser rifles to laser shotguns. Multiple rays from each laser gun shot out and managed to actually tag their foe. The Double did not grimace as it received the blow. Either pain elicited no discernible reaction or it felt none at all. This made it easier for it to simply charge in head first without hesitation.

Six of course didn't miss this opportunity. With the gunfire drowning out most of the other noises, he broke off into a sprint and headed straight for the soldier furthest back. The rate at which he closed the distance did more than just simply shock him. He roughly guessed his foes to be about over 100m. He was utterly flabbergasted at his own speed. Despite the revelation, he managed to put that all in the back of his mind and keep charging forward. It did not take him long to close the distance. Three seconds in and he stopped dead in his tracks when he got within striking distance of his foe.

The poor guy didn't even have a chance to defend himself. Six almost felt bad. But he knew that if it was him on the receiving end of this then this soldier would not hesitate as well. He also believed that if you participated in a "fair fight" then your tactics suck.

One well placed punch was what caused the man to violently recoil to his side on the punch alone. He stumbled, almost falling and clutching the side of his chest where the armor had been severely dented. It felt like an oversized dagger had been shoved in. The soldier turned his failing body to try and see where the attack had come from. He only barely managed to see shimmering air before his body went completely rigid as a blue ray of lightning enveloped his body.

"It's a pincer attack!" The Plasma Caster yelled as he was the first one to notice his comrade fall. He yelled as he reached for his waist and drew one of the many items attached to his person. He raised his flare gun and aimed it into the air and pulled the trigger. The red smoking object propelled towards the clouds but didn't manage to make it far as a bullet shot it out of the sky a second later. Surprised but undeterred, the leader dropped the flare gun and began focusing his fire on Six.

The Courier holstered Lucky as he avoided the viridescent bolts and switched back to his pulse gun. Still running sideways, he swiftly took aim at center mass and fired. Imagine his surprise when The Plasma Caster suddenly rocketed sideways away from the bullet. Despite not having a jetpack, the sudden explosion of force sure resembled something akin to it. He frowned underneath his helmet. Not only did he miss the shot but also wasted ammunition. A resource more precious than any form of money.

Distracted by these thoughts he was almost caught off-guard as The Plasma Caster burst forward once again and directly towards him. He threw himself to his right just in time to avoid the dark blue that nearly rammed into him at ludicrous speeds. He rolled for a moment before aiming his Pulse Gun and pressed the trigger. During this, he barely managed to lean his head in time to dodge the superheated projectile soaring just past his head. The power armor's servos now locked in place, Six took full advantage of the momentary stun and rushed The Plasma Caster. There was nothing the leader could do as the Paladin Toaster came into full contact with his helmet. Instead of a dent, he removed a chunk of the metal near the left side of the leader's eye.

He pulled his fist back once more and intended to strike the soldier again.

"Martial Art: Impenetrable Fortress!"

Those were the words he heard before his fist suddenly and violently bounced off the power armor. The force from his own strike alone nearly threw him on the ground but being the {Stonewall} he is, he managed to stay on his feet. But his mistake was irreversible.

"Limit Breaker: Mind! Gale Acceleration! Full Throttle! Brief Seal! Heavy Blow! Grand Power Strike!"

This was the first time had taken some serious damage from anyone in the New World. An unrelenting series of uppercuts and crosses connected with both his torso and his head. He could do nothing as his body shook from the rapid blows he couldn't even see. Maybe it was his imagination, but he swore he could hear the thunderous roar of lightning every time a blow connected with his body. This merciless combo went on for four seconds before The Plasma Caster shouted:

"SMASH!"

Six was sent almost spinning but slid violently as he quite literally destroyed the ground from the final blow itself. The Plasma Caster let his weapon fall to the ground as he got one one knee and lifted his helmet but refused to completely remove it. He let out a violent cough that produced a minuscule but still worryingly amount of blood. He spit the saliva and blood mixing together onto the ground to his side and on the ground. He moved the helmet back down and finally looked back up.

"I'm glad I took all those chem's earlier."

His eyes went wide open with shock.

There his foe stood, almost completely unharmed save for the shattered visor that revealed his foe's eyes. Despite the Courier's easygoing tone, his eyes told a different story. His pupils had dilated tremendously, his optics were bloodshot and they moved involuntary at random rapid intervals.

The Plasma Caster struggled to move, his body in pain and his muscles tearing from the excessive use of Martial Arts, he failed to grasp the weapon that had fallen away from him.

"How…? I put everything… you should be dead. You shouldn't even be standing!" He managed to huff out.

"Like I said : Chems. Med-X, Slasher, and Battle Brew are up there in my favorites. " Six jittered violently and his exposed eye twitched once. "But it's hard to control sometimes." He began walking up to the The Plasma Caster. "It's a good thing my Endurance is pretty good."

The leader grit his teeth and allowed himself to fall to his right where his plasma gun lay. He reached out for it and almost managed to take hold before a shot suddenly rang out and sent it twirling alongside the ground far away from the man. The leader whipped his head back to Six and watched a ray of blue light travel across the air and hit him directly. Though it only stung he could feel the servos in his power armor locking up completely. He uselessly and fearfully watched as the armored cowboy casually approached. The fear of death soon began slowly creeping up into his system. From the ground he dared to look to his right to where the other soldiers were fighting. His heart sunk when he realized that both of his men were struggling against that winged white being.

The Courier stopped in his tracks and faced to where he was looking at despite not being able to see the leader's eyeballs roam over to them. Six raised his revolver and took aim. One bullet rushed towards the fight and landed exactly to where he had intended. One soldier let out a cry of pain as his left leg gave out. His shin had been utterly destroyed. Shalltear's double almost instantly overtook the other soldier and began battering the gunless soldier without any mercy.

"That should make it easier for her. Or whatever it is." Six said as he turned his head back to The Plasma Caster.

"That's some pretty cool armor. You wouldn't mind lending me it, would you?"

…

Ainz's vision transitioned from a swirling purple to the beautiful and mostly untouched plains and dummy hills that masked Nazarick. In front of him stood a fully equipped Shalltear and an armored Albedo in her black armor. In the distance, he could see Six standing not too far from the restrained group of men who all sat with their backs pressed against each other in only their underwear. Albedo and Shalltear immediately positioned themselves next to Ainz and made sure to keep a vigilant eye on any more enemies. The Overlord thought it unnecessary and fully believed Six and Einherjar had properly eliminated any threat. Even so, both women warily looked around.

"Please do not stray too far from us Ainz-sama." Albedo's tone came out both somber and wrathful. "If something were to happen to you…"

"Be at ease, Albedo. Hall has proven that these were the only forces sent to survey the area. Speaking of which…"

Ainz began walking towards his ally with Shalltear and Albedo following closely behind. Each time he sent the Courier on a task he kept proving himself more and more useful. He looked at the American and watched him fiddle with the four sets of power armor he had taken off the soldiers. He didn't recognize any of the tools that the mailman used to disassemble the unfamiliar armor.

"Anything worthy of mention?" Ainz raised his voice as he approached Hall. Six turned his head gave his boss the backwards nod of acknowledgement but said nothing more. He began stuffing the unfamiliar objects inside his coat and extended his palm toward Ainz. The square items were the size of a ladybug but were still plenty noticeable.

"Those must be…" Ainz trailed off.

"Yeah. Turns out they did have trackers on them." He stopped crouching on the ground and took a few steps forward to meet Ainz halfway. Once they closed the distance, the robed skeleton leaned forward somewhat to get a better look.

"Have they been disabled?"

Six shook his head. "Highly doubt it. I'm sure they're still working." He pocketed them. "And I know just what to do with it."

"Care to give an explanation?"

"Yeah, uh, when I went to the capital, before you called me back, I happened on a cave where a Deathclaw had taken refuge but I didn't know that at the time." He paused. "It came in while I was exploring it and I fought up. I obviously won but the corpse is still there and if I destroy the chips there…"

"Then that's where they think the fight had occurred. I'm pleased you brought this up. I had a similar idea but it required more time." He became silent for a moment. "I assume you still know where this location is?"

Six nodded once. "Yup."

"Go then. As fast as you can and without drawing attention." He turned his head to face the unconscious men. "I will take care of the rest."

"I'm on it then. I'm going to need one of those though." He pointed at the power armor. "Need to make it believable. Deathclaws are known for leaving nothing behind except shredded armor."

"Granted. Depart when you're ready."

Six gave Ainz a thumbs up and said nothing more as he walked back over to the armor.

"Shalltear. Albedo."

""Yes!"" Both beauties stood at attention.

"Take them to Nazarick and leave them in the Frozen Prison. I need Six present at the interrogation. I am needed elsewhere."

The two acknowledged the order in the same manner and began doing as he said. Ainz turned to look at Six who hefted the suit of armor with one hand and the helmet underneath his pit. He watched him continue walking before Hall suddenly stopped. The Courier turned and locked eyes with Ainz. He raised the helmet and used it to wave at him. The Overlord hesitated for a moment before raising his own arm and doing the same but with a little less enthusiasm. Six grinned underneath his helmet and turned back around.

...

Wesson Hall practically smashed himself backwards into one of the seats and let his body sink into one of the seats around the large table the Pleiades used to have dinner. His visor still in need of repair, he locked his exposed bloodshot eyes onto the brown-reddish oval object placed at the center of it. Slightly cracked but no fissures to be found, it was the only left within that cave. He had sworn he had seen more laying next to each other but maybe he had remembered incorrectly due to the accumulated fatigue.

He sat there for a few moments with his head hung back before he felt eyes on his person. He forced his noggin to go back up straight and look at whoever was in front of him.

One emerald eye stared back at his dilated one.

"Hey, CZ." His voice came out fine but a little weaker than he would have liked.

The automaton then focused on the egg sitting innocently on the table. "...What is that?"

"Deathclaw Egg. Had to fight the mother for it." He lazily explained.

The robot girl stared at the egg for a little while longer before commenting: "Let's make an omelette with it."

"Normally, that's what I would use it for but I got the egg Aura." He patted it. "Promised her I would get one."

CZ said nothing more and exited the conversation by simply walking away.

"Yeah, it was nice talking to you too." He quipped as he watched her go. He sat there for a few more seconds before letting out a sigh and forcing himself to stand up again.

He grabbed the egg with one hand and pressed it against his side. He made his way to the door leading to the ninth floor halls and began making his long walk to the Sixth Floor to where Aura was. He encountered almost no one except for the homunculus maids that went about their day doing their jobs. The Seventh Floor didn't hold any noticeable events either except for the usual demons doing whatever demons did. Upon reaching the Sixth Floor he allowed himself within the arena and in search of the tomboy ni doubt lurking somewhere within.

"You're here!"

The Courier nearly jumped as he heard a voice from above shout. He looked up and watched as Aura leaned forward from the stadium seats just outside of his vision. With her usual agility, the girl did a flip as she went over the edge and fell in front of Six. She landed without any trouble on her own two feet and created a small cloud.

"Yeah. Here's that Deathclaw egg you asked for." Six offered the valuable item to the beaming dark elf.

She happily but gently took it from his hands in one swift move Six almost didn't see. She hugged it close to her chest and began caressing it as if it were her own child. "You're going to grow up big and strong!" She outstretched her arms and got a better look at it. "I know it."

"Oh, it definitely will. That's a guarantee."

Aura brought the egg back closer to her chest and hugged while directing her radiant grin at him. Six sighed internally as he realized he had to do something else. This whole "crush" thing needs to be sorted out. He didn't want to do it because he knew it would sour the mood but…

I've got to. Just do it. How bad can it go?

"Hey, Aura…"

"Hm?" She kept rubbing the egg.

"Listen…" He scratched his helmet. "I need to talk to you about…"

Six trailed off after noticing a look of fear - no - shocked disgust on Aura's face. She took multiple steps back so fast that it surprised Six.

"What? What's wrong?" He questioned afterwards as he took a step forward.

"Wait! Stop moving!" She pointed at him with a shaking hand. "C-Cockroach! It's right there! On your shoulder!"

Six turned his head and focused his eyes on his left shoulder. Nothing. He tried the other side and, sure enough, found an innocent roach vibing on his person. "Oh. I thought it was something more serious." He plucked the creature with his thumb and index and raised it in front of himself.

Relief flooded through Aura when Six found the little disgusting thing. She patiently waited for him to crush it.

Six lifted his helmet up somewhat and slightly parted his mouth. She didn't register his actions until he put half of the creature into his mouth and chomped down on it. Her face shifted into a shade of purple in utter horror upon realizing what had just happened.

"AHH! What did you just do?!"

Six chewed his food as he put his helmet back down and looked back at her once again. "What? It's just a cockroach. I eat them all the time."

Aura used one of her free hands to place it on her mouth. She really did look like she was about to throw up.

Six swallowed the parts of the creature and raised his helmet once more. He threw what remained of the creature back into his mouth and began chewing again. This time, however, he exaggerated the chewing and made sure to eat with his mouth open.

It was here that Aura had enough, she made a gagging sound and quickly booked it out of there with the egg still in her hands. Six watched her leave at an impressive rate over the arena in under ten seconds. He stood there for a while before he put his helmet back down again. He turned his back and swallowed the roach. He walked back the way he had come with an extremely happy grin underneath his helmet.

That could not have gone better.

...

Author's Note:

I originally planned for this upcoming portion to be the start of the next chapter but came up with a much better idea after writing but I didn't want to waste it. So I decided to leave it here as a bonus read. Enjoy.

...

"Watch where you're stepping!"

"It would not be so challenging if you could simply follow the tempo."

"It's hard to do when your gorilla feet take up all the space!"

"A laughable comment from someone so short."

Six very much regretted the actions he had taken that ultimately led to this situation. Hours prior, he had been "slow dancing" with ED-E for fun and to ease the bottomless boredom constantly filling his soul. With his guard lowered he had failed to notice Lupusregina watching him from a nearby couch. How he hadn't noticed her presence was something he didn't know. Though he had perfect perception, it only worked when he actively used it to search for other beings. Initially, he hadn't cared that she had been watching him or asked questions about it. That was another mistake. For some reason, she shared the information he had given her with the other Pleadias that somehow made its way to both Shalltear and Albedo. The only reason they cared in the first place was because Six's info revealed that "slow dancing" was frequently used to woo a partner into a romantic relationship. And with the absurd affection both females had for the Overlord, it only made sense that they sought him out since no else knew how to do it. It was absurd just how terrible they were at it too. Of course, he wouldn't ever say that aloud, especially to them.

"Okay, okay, this is not working." Six stepped forward, paused the music and addressed them both. "I should have known better than to think you two would put aside your differences."

"Hmph, I'm perfectly capable of cooperating with this Lamprey."

A growl escaped Shalltear alongside a black mist of violence directed at the Overseer. Before Albedo could respond in kind, Six got in between them but faced the Overseer.

"Stop wasting time. The more you squabble the less time there will be for you to try this with Ainz. He's a busy dude."

Almost instantaneously, the two women held back their competitive streaks and looked at the human acting as their teacher.

"Slow dancing requires compatibility with your partner..." He glanced at them both. "Which is something you both don't have with each other. So I'll have to step in."

He smiled underneath his helmet at his own joke. If the women in front of him got it, they showed no signs of it. Or they simply didn't find it amusing.

"I'll start with Shalltear first with me leading." Six offered his hand as casually as he could. Even so…

"Yuck." She exaggerated her disgust by sticking her tongue out.

A miniscule amount of spite grew within Six. But it was enough for him to disregard her then.

"Okay then. Albedo." He faced the succubus. "You'll get a head start."

A victorious smug swept through her features. Without hesitation, she accepted Six's offer of slow dancing and quickly assumed the proper stance.

"W-wait a minute! I take it back!" Shalltear tried correcting her mistake.

"You'll still learn by watching." Six began fiddling with his Pip-Boy and hit play once more on the song. At a respectable distance and without hesitation, Six placed one hand on her shoulder blade while the other stayed weakly locked in her own hands raised near to her eye level. To Six, this was the best version of the dance since it was mostly used by those who were not well acquainted with one another. The other forms were for couples and such.

Six took the lead and began moving to the pace of the music. He knew this song and dance. Literally. Without an issue he began to lead with Albedo beginning to follow. Much to his surprise, she timed the steps perfectly and moved gracefully to the beat of the music. It was the exact opposite to what had happened with Shalltear. It was here that he realized that the two women trying their hardest to earn Ainz's affections were both trying to lead on the song. He chastised himself for not seeing it sooner. His perception should have made note of it a lot quicker to something as simple as that.

"What is this song called? " Albedo suddenly asked him. Caught off-guard, Six ceased thinking to himself and answered two seconds later.

"La Vie… something. Sorry, a lot of the music here was thrown in recklessly by a guy I know. Or knew. I can't memorize them all."

"It is in a language I have not heard yet."

"Hm, yeah, it's French. I know that much at least."

It was here that Shalltear joined in on the conversation. "Ah, I've heard Peroroncino-sama use that word before." Shalltear went deep into her thoughts. "Although I can't remember the exact words used.

Something about... painting like a French woman?"

Bells rung in Six's head. He knew the saying. He turned his face away from Albedo's "It was 'draw me like one of your French girls' right?"

Shalltear's face lit up. "That's it! But what exactly does it mean?"

Six shrugged. "Depends on how you use it. Most people say it jokingly whenever someone is in an alluring pose. Whether on purpose or accident."

"A joke among the Supreme Beings?" Shalltear nodded twice slowly. "That makes sense. He did laugh afterwards with Momonga-sama."

Six didn't respond but merely continued the dance between himself and Albedo. It was nowhere near a minute in, but the flawless flow between them proved that she did in fact know how to slow dance.

He suddenly let go. "Alright, that's enough. You clearly know how." He didn't bother pausing the music and turned to look at Shalltear. "Your turn." He offered his hand.

The True Vampire gave him a sour look as she looked from his hand to him. Six suppressed a sigh upon seeing this. "I don't like it anymore than you do."

Shalltear begrudgingly accepted his hand and got into position. Once again, Six decided to take the lead and move to the beat of the music. He placed his hands at the appropriate places once more. As soon as they started he noticed Shalltear slightly tilt her head and look down at the ground. He didn't know whether she was making sure she didn't mess up or acting wary of his own two feet.

"I'm not going to step on you." He said as they continued.

All he earned was a piercing red glare from her.

"Maybe I shouldn't bother talking." He thought defeatedly after hanging his head a little.

Six deeply thanked the music for filling up the silence that would have been between them. This went on for about twenty seconds before he spoke again.

"Are you going to keep looking at the ground when you dance with Ainz?"

"Is that a problem?" She said somewhat angrily.

"Yes." Was his initial reply. "It implies that you don't know how to dance properly. People tend to think less of the person that does so." After hearing his words, he could see the worry begin to slowly creep up on her. "Don't worry about being methodical. The beat of the music is supposed to lead you. It's all improvisation between two partners really."

"But you have experience."

"Yeah, but that was when I was a brat."

"So you learned this when you were a child. Are all children taught this in the world of the Supreme Being's?"

"I doubt it. Most would be too busy surviving to learn something considered pointless."

That comment of survival only increased Shalltear's curiosity. "What exactly is the world of a Supreme Being like? Ainz-sama doesn't seem fond of us talking about it."

"I wish to know as well." Albedo added in.

Six stayed silent for a few moments before speaking. "Does Ainz want you to know?"

The two competitors looked at each other in search of an answer. They found none and consequently frowned when they realized they didn't know their master's intention.

"Then I won't say anything. But…" He continued dancing with Shalltear. "It's obvious Ainz and I aren't cut from the same cloth. He is from a land very far away from mine."

Without warning, he let go of Shalltear. "Good job, you stopped looking at your feet." He looked her over and then to Albedo. "You're ready. Both of you."

"Really?" Shalltear didn't seem too confident with herself.

The Courier nodded. "Just let Ainz lead the dance and everything will turn out fine." He looked at them both as he said this. "Now, if you'll excuse me…" He took a few steps backwards before, saluted with two of his fingers, turned away from them and broke into a jog. "Let me know when it's about to happen! I'll run right over to you!" He yelled as he ran.

…

Response to Reviews:

daggercloak000: I'm not abandoning this fic. I think about it quite often. If I do want to abandon for whatever reason because of life then I would let all of you as soon as possible but I don't see that happening any time soon.

Chaosconetic: Fallout 76 is something I heard is bad but I wouldn't give my opinion since I haven't actually played it. Fallout 1 and 2 are both difficult to get into due to the old timey controls and lack of guidance but if you do your research and commit to learning it then you'll like it. They're regarded so well for a reason. As for the Sixth thing I've thought about that as well but failed to come up with something that fits naturally in to the story. I'll get it in. Somehow.

kukuhimanpr: Biowarfare is inevitable in this story. I'm definitely going to take some inspiration from the Lonesome Road DLC. And maybe I'll involve another Courier there.

GunBlade2020: Heavy use of more RPG elements will definitely be showcased in a fight. I want to use more of it too but I haven't had the excuse yet.

A Tin Can: I'm certainly not rushing any chapter and simply go whenever the motivation hits. Rest assured that I put thought on where I want it to go next.

Grinja: The whole solution thing will definitely be addressed in the next chapter which might come sooner than you think.

ptl: Frank Horrigan operates on the Fallout 2 system. So, yes, he is absurdly strong. The Enclave simply existing is definitely trouble for Six. Especially since power armor gives a considerable boost to stats.

TheLandMaster: Joshua Graham will have a bigger role in the story. I didn't throw him in there for no reason. Expect more from the invincible burned man.

RedRat8: I placed Six in the neutral category so that he can do both good and bad. He's supposed to be the voice of reason who doesn't fall within the extremes of pure evil and a saint. He does what makes sense. Even if it screws someone over. Though Ainz himself thinks himself as fair he shows that he's definitely evil lol. But I do think that with Six's opinion, Ainz won't be as awful to the New World.

Fleece Johnson: Nazarick will always be the main focus unless of course someone like Joshua finally gets involved or the other way around. The whole "companion" word thing will be explored soon enough. Six has yet to truly open up to the others in Nazarick. He's got feelings too y'know. I'm not sure how I'll handle Ainz and Joshua but I know they wouldn't hate one another. Six did in fact flay himself. Med-X to remove the pain and a Stimpak to bring the meat back. I'm making chems as strong as the game version NOT the strength in lore. As for Shalltear and Six, I'm very slowly developing a friendship with each - this applies to Albedo too. Lanius isn't very smart. In the lore that is but his stats should just a little more intelligent. But he does have bullshit buffs no other character has like 80% faster nonevent speed.

To the guests: I'm not trying to write a lemon here though I'm not opposed to the idea but it's the last thing on my mind. Evileye's spell is magic so anything considered that has a stronger effect on Six. At some point I do intend to have a Six and Ainz oriented chapter so maybe I'll even make it a lemon (joke). I do have other Fallout protagonists on my mind and plan to incorporate them when it suits the story. Six already has a harem with the Pleiades, a harem of friendship that is! I do in fact want to do something with Arche though I'm honestly struggling to find a way to make it believable but I'm open to ideas. Definitely expect more things with Joshua and Zesshi.

To all those who left nothing but positive feedback: Thank you a crap ton. It gives me the motivation to keep this going. It's nice to know that people actually enjoy the stuff I write. Of course this message applies to everyone else too.