Hi hi! I just wanted 2 say smth rq: "Email Alerts are now only active if Email Opt-in is enabled in account settings." -This website.

It seems as if you're only notified of a new chapter release if you turn this on... I think it's set to off on default, so please go and change it! That way, you'll know when I post a new chapter, I only figured this out myself as I'm writing this, and I wanted to let u know. This piece may not make sense as I'm currently sleep deprived (Not the chap, this author's note). Anyhow, please make sure 2 read the author's note the near end as well, as it holds some important info.

ALSO! It seems that this site did smth wrong when uploading the 6th chapter (this one), so I'm uploading it again.

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Fishing a roll of parchment from a nearby shelf, the Acting Grandmaster placed it upon the round table before her. As the aged paper was unrolled, it revealed three bright red circles clearly marked upon it.

The item that Jean placed atop the tableland was a map of the surrounding region, Mondstadt. There were a few locations that caught the Overlord's interest, such as the frozen-over mountains to the southeast, and -what seemed to be, ruins in the west. Ainz couldn't exactly tell what these areas were anointed, as the penmanship on the map looked more akin to runes than words.

"Around one week ago, something, or someone, prompted Stormterror to leave his home in Old Mondstadt," Jean pointed at the ruins that had caught Ainz's attention. She then turned to look at the knights' official Librarian.

"Oh don't look at me like that, honey. I'd be able to detect Stormterror's source of power if it were to get close enough, but we've had no such luck." Lisa clarified with displeasure.

"We should be thankful for that," Jean sighed, "During the past three days the Dragon has been sighted on the plateau west of Windwail Highland, Starfell Valley, and more recently, Windrise," The three regions all resembled each other, they were nothing but highlands and grass-filled plains with a few rivers sprinkled in here and there.

Jean raised her head and inspected the faces of those around her, "Does anyone here notice a pattern?"

The eyes of a certain Cavalry Captain lit up, "Yes… Stormterror seems to be circling back around. If this continues, it'll either end up in Windwail Highlands, Dragonspine, or… Right over Mondstadt," The faces of those around began to contort in an ugly manner once faced with the Cavalry Captain's prediction.

"Precisely so, that's what I previously came up with…" Jean sighed.

"Question," One of the only two non-humans in the room raised his hand. The Acting Grandmaster nodded her head, urging Ainz to continue, "How well is this city protected against aerial attacks? If Stormterror were to attack, how well would Mondstadt's defenses be able to hold?" The Overlord asked the obvious. He could already infer that this region had not advanced past the medieval era. Oddly enough, he had yet to see any ballistae or catapults. Could they be keeping them hidden in this time of what he assumed to be peace? Perhaps, perhaps not.

'Maybe they don't need such contraptions… Could they use these Visions in ways I haven't thought of? Does a Vision's power scale off the user's level? Bah- I'm getting ahead of myself again… Back to the topic at hand… If this city is not properly barricaded then I'm afraid that it won't last long against that Dragon. I'm actually surprised it's still standing.'

Most Dragons in Yggdrasil -that weren't World Enemies, had a thirst for blood that couldn't be quelled by the mere slaughter of a village. The largest Dragons would often soar above the clouds in pursuit of splendid cities or civilizations. These targeted areas were mostly uninhabited or abandoned by players, which is why the beasts sought them out. As strong as these Dragons were, they weren't mighty enough to raid Yggdrasil's safe zones. These tasks were left up to World Enemies like the Eight Dragons who once managed to destroy nearly 30% of the game's safe zones.

There was once a time when an Undead Dragon of unparalleled might glided over Nine's Own Goal's first stationary base. When the guild's original members heard of this, they were frightened to log in, fearing the destruction of everything they had cared to build. Thankfully, the creature had only eradicated the surrounding cities, leaving their small cliff-side abode undamaged. Perhaps it wasn't worth the attention of such a mighty being?

Jean looked over to Kaeya and a stern-faced woman, "We are still in possession of a few cannons, though they don't number over ten. Our ballistae were scrapped a few years ago due to being outdated," The woman seemed to age another decade thanks to circumstances presented before them, "I'm afraid that as we are now, there's no chance of felling Stormterror."

Kaeya continued on where the Senior Military Officer concluded, "We're no better than sitting ducks," He swatted away an invisible fly with his right hand, "We may survive over 10 seconds if "Sir" Gown here decides to help. Who knows, maybe he can throw that little fairy at the Dragon, perhaps it'll be satisfied with that."

"Hey! Paimon's not some sort of emergency food! Apologize right now!" The little fairy bellowed in irritation.

This sly comment brought Ainz back to reality, "I'd appreciate it if you didn't threaten my companion like that," The Overlord's crimson beads stared deep into Kaeya's furtive soul.

"Let's not get distracted gentlemen…" Lisa tried to de-escalate the situation, "We've had no real need for such gadgets, Mondstadt hasn't taken part in any major conflict in over 200 years. Any weapons that we do have are centered around land combat… Still, I may have my facts mixed up. Care to double-check me, Lena?" Lisa looked at the same woman as before.

"You're not far off…" Lena, the commanding officer of the knights' 7th company spoke up, "Most of the resources lent to us by the 6th company go to improving both the equipment and training of our soldiers. The remaining budget goes to what Sir Gown is bringing up, artillery. I've already discussed this with the Logistics Company, the Investigation Company, and the Acting Grandmaster. The 7th and 2nd companies are working together to develop more effective weapons for the case of either a siege or war,"

Lena was interrupted by Hugo, "How come we hadn't heard of this?" He furrowed his brows in frustration. Such information was critical; how was he supposed to properly cooperate with the other departments if he didn't even know what they were up to?

"Originally, Albedo was supposed to bring it up during this meeting, but it seems that something urgent occurred in Dragonspine. I already gave him my permission to remain in his lab, so this job was delegated to Lena," Jean explained the situation to the knights' General of Military affairs.

'Albedo? Could it be? No, they used: Him and he… Still… I must investigate this matter sometime in the future,' Ainz raised his eyebrow at the mention of a familiar name.

"That makes sense, still, when was this project initiated? You just told Sir Gown that we've got under a dozen artillery machines," Hugo turned towards Lena once more, "Could it be that this undertaking has yet to bear fruit?" The man sounded vexed, but most within the room knew of his true intentions. If the knights were placing funding in a project that achieved no results, then they might as well simply throw the mora into the lake surrounding Mondstat.

"We're still in the research and development phase. By using the remnants of those old ballistae we're creating something even stronger. Results should come in well under a month. This city will become more akin to an impenetrable fortress soon enough," Lena tried to give the project some saving grace in the eyes of her colleague.

Hugo decided to leave the matter there.

Jean moved on to the option next in line, "Hugo, Kaeya, how well would our troops stand against Stormterror if we were to besiege its lair," Jean pointed at some ruins northwest of the city, "We'll be able to fight to our fullest if we don't have to worry about destroying Mondstadt."

The Cavalry Captain was the first to react, "We'd need over 20,000 men, most of which are accompanying Grandmaster Varka. We can't guarantee that our arrows or swords will be able to pierce Stormterror's scales either. We'd need specialized weapons capable of damaging it."

"Not only that, but we'd also need to consider all of the resources that'd be put into this. If any of those men were to perish then their equipment would most likely end up misplaced somewhere in those accursed ruins. Compensation fees are also necessary if there are any casualties. I don't even want to get into the cost of such an expedition either… traversing those mountains would bring a heavy weight upon the shoulders of my men. Getting there would be a challenge in and of itself," Hugo continued.

"What if Lisa, Kaeya, Jean, and I were to go there?" Amber spoke up for what appeared to be the first time during this meeting, "We'd only need Lisa to get close enough to Stormterror to locate its power source. It may very well be located in Old Mondstadt itself, but we must be 100% sure. After that, we'd only need to deal with it. Stormterror should retreat back into Old Mondstadt once that's done."

"Oh, oh! Can Klee come along?" The little Elf asked with pure, unbridled joy.

Jean -who was sitting next to her, put a wet cloth over that fire faster than Ainz could cast [Grasp Heart]. "Such an excursion would be too dangerous to bring you along. Alice would chase me to the ends of the earth if anything were to happen to you while under my jurisdiction," Jean sighed, "Either way, such a plan is both risky and reckless… We can't leave the city undefended when there's a chance that it might head this way."

"Sir Gown-" Jean began to speak.

"Please, call me Ainz," The skeletal lord interrupted.

"-Ainz, I know that as the Acting Grandmaster, this is most unbecoming… But would you ever consider helping us in this dire situation? I know that you already agreed, but I have to ask. This endeavor will be both arduous and difficult; we're dealing with one of the Four Winds, after all."

"Four Winds?" Paimon asked with curiosity.

Jean didn't answer until she noticed that Ainz shared the young fairy's curiosity, "The Four Winds are beings that the Anemo Archon entrusted the safety and protection of Mondstadt to. As the name suggests, there are 4 members: the Wolf of the North, the Lion of the South, the Dragon of the East, and the Falcon of the West. Stormterror is the Dragon of the East as well as the one who fended off another Dragon around a millennia ago. Only a select few know this, as this secret has only been passed down through the books of the library and nowhere else. I cannot fathom why Mondstadt's protector has turned against us… Still, this is something I can ponder in the future.

"...How interesting," Ainz placed a hand upon his chin, 'Yeah… I'm definitely NOT fighting that. What do I do… Aha! I'll just start making unreasonable demands. Yes! Brilliant! What do I ask for though?' That's when he noticed the map laid out before him, 'Sasuga, me!'

"Fine, I'll help-"

Jean smiled, "In that ca-"

"-On a couple of conditions," Ainz pointed at a specific spot on the map, "You mentioned that Stormterror lives over here, correct?" Ainz's claw-like finger dug deep into where Decarabian's tower was in Old Mondstadt. Jean nodded; she wanted to see where Ainz was going with this. "I wish to obtain ownership over this land once Stormterror is dealt with. I also want to isolate it from the rest of the world. No one will get in or out without my noticing."

"Oh my," Lisa smirked with interest.

"Preposterous! Even if you managed to defeat Stormterror, Old Monstadt is still within our borders; we will not allow you to take it!" Hugo stood up at an unforeseen speed; a look of pure hatred marred his visage. He looked more akin to a rabid beast that hungered for blood.

Ainz nodded. Although, those around him were too shocked to notice. 'I know, right?! Jean will never allow me this, so when she denies my ultimatum, I can simply stand up and leave! This way, the fault won't lie with me! Man, I'm so smart! Good job, Suzuki.'

And that's when the sky turned black.

"I believe our time has run out," Ainz stated.

One of the soldiers nearby rushed to open the curtains, and that's when the people in the room saw what was going on outside. The once dark-blue sky had drained of its color and life, and the earth rumbled as the mighty Dragon crashed into a nearby building in its mad craze. It roared, its powerful cry accompanied by a trio of far-reaching tornados. The turbulent winds dug deep into the city's pavement, destroying street upon street.

Ainz sighed, "And with that, I believe that my presence is no longer necessary," the Undead rose from his imposing throne as it dissolved into tiny particles, and turned towards the door. Some of the more courageous guards gathered in tandem to stand between him and the room's exit. They brandished their weapons whilst eyeing the Overlord with glares that spoke of caution Yet, with a single glare from death's master, they parted like the red sea.

Beep Beep

A familiar feeling suddenly crept inside Ainz's mind, '...Someone is trying to communicate with me… Could it be another player?' The Overlord thought, "[Silent Magic: Time Stop]."

"Wa-" Amber stood up, but she wasn't able to finish her sentence, as the dark and mysterious magic enveloped the room.

Everything turned into a mesh of black and white as the world lost its color in the most awful of ways. Many would think of [Time Stop] as a malignant and sinful spell, yet for people like Ainz; it was more akin to a simple tool. Ainz had no moral problems with chronomancy, but it's also a widely used type of spell in Yggdrasil, with most high-level players having countermeasures against it. "[Yes? Who is it?]" Ainz asked into the mental communication channel. It was more than obvious, at least to him, that whoever contacted him wasn't one of his summons, as the feeling was… different. The Overlord already had a sneaky suspicion about who it was though.

"[Before that, what did you just do?]" The voice on the other side resembled that of a young woman. It was squeaky and high-pitched, but Ainz had a feeling that he was talking to a man…

"[I stopped time. Now, you better present yourself if you wish to have a proper conversation]." Ainz took a peek at the window, the world froze in place. Bricks were flying around as a result of the ravenous tornados outside, 'Huh?' Ainz jumped back; there wasn't much room with the place filled to the brim with knights, but he managed.

What had made the fearsome Undead step back was the materialization of something within the room. Small, mint-colored particles began to form in the center of the chamber, eventually taking the shape of a human being.

'Wait a minute… This is the boy I saw hanging out with Stormterror earlier. Could it be that he's in control of the beast? It wouldn't be too outlandish… I guess one could compare it to Gargantua.'

"Greetings. I am Barbatos, the Anemo Archon," A grand, majestic aura filled the room, like a noxious gas filling a small and enclosed chamber. The boy was dressed in an extravagant mint and white getup, which combined perfectly with the two heavenly braids on each side of his child-like face.

"... You're that boy I saw this morning," Ainz whispered to himself. The boy's claims seem genuine enough, 'If what he's saying is true, then it'd make sense as to why he was with Stormterror earlier. Was he perhaps trying to calm the beast? It would be the most logical reason for him to have gotten that close to it. Anyhow, what does he want from me? Did he spot my summon in the forest?'

"I had a sneaking suspicion that you were the one spying on me," Barbatos sighed. "I guess I was right." Although he seemed annoyed, he bore a smile that reminded Ainz of a toothless infant.

"One could say the same about you? You've been spying on me ever since I entered the building."

"Ohoho, people often say that death can see anything and everything. It's both a curse and a gift to know that it is true," Barbatos chuckled to himself. Then suddenly, the hue of his eyes turned a dangerous color.

"Regardless, why did you seek me out? I doubt a mere Undead such as myself is worth the attention of the very gods," Ainz wasn't particularly interested in Barbato's answer; what he truly wanted to know was how he found him. Ainz cloaked his presence through a rather high-tier item; if the Anemo Archon was able to find him, then he was nothing to scoff at.

"Your very nature is one of the reasons why I sought you out, but… that is a discussion for another day. We don't have much time, so I'd prefer to get to the point." Barbatos began to circle around the Overlord in a somewhat friendly manner. "I was in the process of quelling Dvalin's fury when a certain someone interrupted," The boy stopped and stared deep into Ainz's eyes.

"I- Um… I was merely doing some reconnaissance. Yes, I merely wanted to know what was going on. Not every day can one see a Dragon soaring above," Ainz pathetically justified.

"Through the wind, I heard that you were willing to assist with repelling Dvalin. "Something feels different about you. Almost like you could accomplish such a feat… You exude an overwhelming aura that reminds me of a terrible tempest swaying over the land," The little bard went off on a poetic tangent.

'Did he not listen to anything I already said? It's barely my first day here, and I've already gotten myself involved with both a god and a Dragon! I don't even know if I'm able to respawn, and what's worse, I'm basically defenseless! I don't have any of the guild's combat-oriented World Items in my possession… Maybe I'd be able to fight this thing if the NPCs were here with me…'' Ainz's mental stamina was beginning to run out. It was only a matter of time until he fell over, exhausted, like the boiling of a kettle. "Oh my, you listened in during our whole conversation, yet you still ask this of me?" He tried to act tough; maybe the Anemo Archon would give up his persuasion if he maintained a steady and confident stance.

The Anemo Archon's eyelids drooped low, "I see…"

Then, the boy slapped his cheeks with a surge of newly-found vigor; it was almost as if something came crashing into the foremost area of his mind.

"Please! I'll ask once again, please assist me in the quelling of Dvalin. I only need you to roughen him up, I may not be able to cure him in the state that I'm currently in, but that may change if he's more vulnerable." Barbatos took a deep breath, "You hold enough power to overwhelm my friend. Rest assured, you won't be in any danger. "I'll help any way I can; I know Dvalin, I'll make sure we succeed."

Ainz was but a second away from refusing when an insectoid silhouette appeared behind the bard look-alike, 'Touch Me… "Helping someone in need is always the right thing to do, "That's what you always said, no?'

Ainz took a second to ponder the situation, 'Having the backing of a literal god would be more than beneficial if I want to take that oversized lizard out of the air. I may be able to stand a chance if I use my daily summons… Perhaps Pale Riders will work… No, they may not be able to use their ethereal abilities to the fullest in this case… Still, their weapons could chip away at its health. Maybe a couple of Doom Lords will be able to protect me whilst I cast it. On the other hand, I can summon Envy or Wrath to lower its HP… I should also check whether it's resistant to Instant-Death Magic' The level 100 Overlord examined the different alternatives at hand. 'Either way, if something goes wrong, I can always teleport out of there, and I could sacrifice one of the people here if Stormterror holds some sort of anti-teleportation abilities.'

"Very well…," Ainz relented.

Barbatos' eyes lit up like the full moon on a starless night, "On behalf of everyone in Mondstadt, I thank yo-" Ainz interrupted the young-looking bard before he could get another word out.

'I won't hesitate to retreat. I'm merely dipping my toes into the water, I hope these people don't expect me to sacrifice myself for a place that I'm not even familiar with,' the Undead Overlord thought to himself. His crimson daggers dug deep into the ancient spirit's soul, "Felling a beast such as Stormterror will be as easy as taking a piece of candy from a child… I"

Barbatos let out a soft smile, "I understand, I'll be waiting for you outside." The boy began to disappear into a myriad of elemental particles, but he managed to let out a couple more words before dissipating: "Oh, and if you ever spot me waltzing around the city, call me Venti." The boy's final expression was that of a wink.

'That was… Unexpected…' Ainz felt as if the weight of an entire skyscraper had been freed from off his back, 'Anyhow, I should probably dispel [Time Stop] now, I need to conserve as much mana as possible if I wish to defeat Stormterror.'

"-it!" Amber finally stood up after what seemed to be an eternity.

She'd only begun to make her way over to the skeleton's side when the Acting Grandmaster spoke up, "Fine," Jean sighed, "We shall bequeath Old Mondstadt onto you if you manage to vanquish Stormterror. The safety of Mondstadt outweighs such compensation. Without the blessing of the gods, I don't see any other way to do our duty."

"I must agree with Hugo on this one, Master Jean, relinquishing territory as expansive as the Brightcrown Mountains without Grandmaster Varka's awareness or approval sounds foolish."

Kaeya couldn't think of a sly remark to make, he wasn't dumbfounded or speechless. He was… troubled.

"My judgment stands. The area surrounding the Brightcrown Mountains shall be handed over to Ainz Ooal Gown if he can best, repel, or kill Stormterror." Jean's figure resembled that of a towering fortress; there truly was no better person to act as Grandmaster in Varka's stead.

'Perfect. I was about to relinquish that part of the deal, but it seems that it's fallen right into my hands,' Ainz stopped his advance towards the door, "I thank your understanding of the situation, Acting Grandmaster. Now, it seems I have a Dragon to defeat." Ainz had no intention of killing the beast, the Anemo Archon had requested that he merely beat it up, so that's what he was planning on doing.

"Before I go, please keep these as a token of remembrance," Ainz pulled out a couple of items from his inventory, "Please have these guards hold onto them until I return, it'd be quite catastrophic if they find their way into anyone else's hands."

Ainz turned to his left, where a silver-haired soldier stood. He carefully selected one of the items from his palm and handed it to him. The small wooden artifact bore strange cravings, and the youthful guard couldn't distinguish it between some sort of leaf or a bearded man. Its appearance could very well change depending on who looked at it.

Ainz then handed some sort of orb to the man on his right.

Both items were teleporters. The first was named Exchange Puppet, a middle-tier teleporting item that possessed the capability to swap the location of the holder with the other. In Yggdrasil, this item was used by solo players who delved into dangerous dungeons or situations for a fast escape. The other item, the Orb of Recognition, had a near identical usage.

"Oh, oh! Can Klee have one?!" The young girl excitedly asked.

"What- No!" Ainz began to panic.

He had handed these items out as a means of having a backup plan. For example, he would shatter the wooden statue that remained on his person if the battle proved too overwhelming. This would cause him and the guard he had handed the other sculpture to, to swap places. The fight would likely take place up in the sky, so he'd be dooming the man to a rather-long fall. Giving Klee this sort of item would be akin to immolating her, and as indifferent as Ainz now was, he wasn't about to go as far as to kill a child.

"I-I mean, I'll give you something even better when I return!" Ainz quickly tried to salvage the situation. This, of course, seemed to work, as the girl's young elven ears rose to the sky like radio antennas.

"Now, I need to make some preparations before leaving-" Ainz looked around the room, "-and I'm afraid that this room won't do. Is it ok if I borrow the first floor?" He turned towards the Acting Grandmaster, "I won't be destroying anything if everything does according to plan, but the entities I'll be summoning might overcrowd this room," Ainz intended to use up most -if not all, of his daily summons on this fight, who knows if he'll survive otherwise. The Overlord was a wildcard in every sense of the word, yet he still specialized in both summoning and instant death magic. Fighting without his summons was akin to getting into a fistfight whilst having a bandana over one's eyes.

"Sure," Jean successfully managed to reply whilst hiding her exhaustion with impressive ease. This flabbergasting situation was slowly chipping away at her. Mondstadts fate was currently atop the shoulders of an Undead whom she barely knew. All of her problems would be resolved if Ainz managed to fell Stormterror, but if he didn't… The Acting Grandmaster shook her head in an attempt to shake those unwanted thoughts away.

The Overlord walked towards the door and tried to open it, yet he was stopped by one of the measly humans before him. He was about to speak up in curiosity when the soldier opened the door in his stead. Ainz was both shocked and confused as he'd never received such courtesy. Nevertheless, he tried to act in a subtle manner. He bobbed his head both up and down smoothly while exiting the room, a polished way of showing gratitude back in his home world.

"Uhhhh… What are you planning on doing, Ainz? Are you going to summon more of those spooky skeletons?" Paimon worryingly asked her traveling companion. She wanted her friend to succeed, but those monsters he created always brought some sort of dread along with them.

Ainz burst out in laughter, "Hahahaha!" It took a moment for him to regain his composure, "No, no. I'm not going to summon Death Knights for this," he wiped an invisible tear off his zygomatic bone, "I assume that they'd last for less than a second if I were to pin them up against that Dragon. I plan on summoning even stronger monsters and demons."

The small pixie backed away in displeasure, "Paimon just wants a guarantee that Paimon won't be turned into grilled meat."

Ainz turned to look at her as if she was speaking some sort of ancient tongue, "What are you talking about? You'll be staying here. You'll turn to ash if you were to go up there with me," Paimon looked at him as if he'd just said an overly-hilarious quip, "I'm not joking. I want you to stay with Amber and company whilst I deal with Stormterror."

Paimon's eyes began to water, "Awwww, to think you'd care so much about Pai- no, wait a minute! I'm not letting you go up into the sky alone!" She declared this in an annoyed manner.

"You'd be closer to a burden than another set of hands," Ainz waved off her attempts and conviction.

"What exactly will you be doing down here?" Lisa asked in an overly-curious fashion as the group reached the first floor.

"I'll be summoning some monsters, they'll be helping me during the fight. Most of them hold an unflattering appearance, so I suggest keeping your weapons tied to your waists," Ainz directed this quip at both the surrounding guards and a certain Head of Military Affairs.

"Will they possess a similar appearance to yourself?" Hugo asked with curiosity.

"Quite so, some of them will hold some… Unpleasant features whilst others hold none. Now, I'll be starting… I highly suggest that you all back away," The body of people did as they were told without hesitation.

"Now, let's see if this works…" The Overlord whispered to himself, "[Rite of Darkness]!"

A dark mist began to circulate around Ainz. It spawned from within every dark corner of the room: the corners, the cracks underneath the doors, and the shadows of those around. The inky haze began to circulate around the Undead's skeletal feet. Like a puddle of water, it began to arrange itself into varying different shapes, there were stars, circles, and triangles. Countless of these formations littered the ground, it got to the point where the walls began to turn black.

"What sort of dark sorcery is this?" Hugo asked, perturbed.

"Pay it no mind, this is merely aesthetic… I think," [Rite of Darkness] possessed the natural ability to boost the level of Undead monsters created through [Create Undead]. Monsters of a lower level gained 5 to 7 levels, whilst mightier Undead like Doom Lords and Death Emperors gained either 2 or 3. Back in Yggdrasil, the dark smog permeating the room was nothing more than a visual effect. But here, in this new world, there were two possibilities, either it would dissipate after he was done with his summoning, or it would forever stain the walls of the Knights of Favonius' Headquarters.

"What do you mean: me-"

Ainz began to chant once more before the man could get another word in, "[Summon Two High Tier Undead: Pale Riders]!" The burly skeleton spread his arms apart in an extravagant manner, such motions befitted a king and no other.

Some of the black sludge began to gather in front of Ainz before turning into two monstrous shapes. The ink popped like a helium-filled balloon before revealing two horse-riding undead. They were both gowned in extravagant sets of armor.

The first wore a mask that resembled Hippika gymnasia. The mask's emotionless features conveyed a sense of indifference similar to what its master, Ainz, exuded. The eyes of the false face were but gaping holes that released some sort of marine-like smog. The plume atop its helmet could only be described with one word: Corrupted. Unlike those of the birds outside, the feathers that made up this plume were black and ashen, those around had the feeling that if they touched it, their fingers would be set ablaze.

The lorica segmentata, its chest plate, was stained with innumerable splatters of dried blood, and unlike those of the real Roman Empire, it was composed of bones. One couldn't tell where its armor ended and body began, as the plates were nothing more than a mangled mess, still, it held a recognizable-enough shape.

The Hasta -spear- in its right hand contained several sharp blades protruding in all directions. A sharp obsidian crystal lay atop the weapon's head, proudly standing above all the other shards. The Gladius on its waist looked as if it had been split in half by a well-mannered blacksmith. This left the weapon with two blades instead of one, each was coated with a thick layer of negative energy.

The aura that the being emitted was enough for it to demand respect, truly, a terrifying creature.

The second Pale Rider couldn't have looked any more different. It looked as if it had some ties to the Knights of Favonius.

Perhaps it had taken some inspiration from its lower-leveled counterpart -Death Cavaliers- as its entire armor set was coated in some sort of black paint. It may have looked as if its head was left uncovered as no black armor protected it, but this couldn't have been the furthest from the truth. What those around saw wasn't its head, no, it was a perfectly-chiseled skull. No one knew what it pertained to, but it certainly didn't look natural, it was too perfect. Its visor was coated in some sort of red warpaint that instilled fear in the rider's enemies.

The armor's surface was etched with mind-boggling drawings, one included a scene that depicted a mighty army marching into a floating glass castle. Another showed Ainz casting a magic-defying spell. There was an innumerable number of these portrayals.

The monster's sword was the spitting image of a Death Knight's signature blade, a Flamberge. Its hilt nearly reached the skeleton's shoulder, it alone would have served as a bat, yet the blade itself was twice its length. The shank wiggled like ocean waves on a full moon, it was a magnificent blade, that it was. Yet its rusty texture portrayed its true identity, even a minor cut from it would be enough to leave a normal human paralyzed for life.

"Care to explain, Ainz? What exactly are these monsters?" Kaeya's eyes loomed over the Undead caster like a hawk eyeing its prey.

"Hm?" Ainz turned to face the Cavalry Captain, "Oh, right. These two are a subclass of Undead called Pale Riders. They're high leveled monsters who specialize in aerial combat. They're also able to inflict heavy damage upon enemies who've felt the sting of their poisoned blades."

"Dear Barbatos… " Lisa's eyes were trained on the skeletons' steeds, "Their horses alone have the power to level an entire building," The librarian tried to close in on the Soul Eaters.

-Pale Riders had the technicality of being two-in-one summons. There were the riders who were in charge of most of the damage dealing. Their special abilities allowed them to inflict negative-energy-related attacks that dealt nearly twice the normal amount of damage to organic opponents. They also possessed a specific class that allowed them to control their loyal mounts, Soul Eaters.

Soul Eaters, the bane of low-leveled players. Their skeletal nature allowed them to take in an astounding amount of punches. In extension, they bore an endless amount of stamina which allowed them to outlast nearly every living being. A misty blue fog replaced the horse's flesh and blood. It could use this fog as both a defensive and offensive weapon, as it retained an instant death property. The Pale Riders use these mounts to slaughter any pathetic weakling that challenges them before they can ever approach them.-

"Are they really that impressive?" Ainz asked himself in disbelief, "Anyhow, please don't touch them, I've already ordered them to stay still for the moment through mental communication, but I can't guarantee your safety," He tried to caution Lisa, but the librarian only gained another library's worth of curiosity.

"Mental communication?" Her eyes lit up.

"Damn it… It looks like I've run out of high-tier summons for the day…" Ainz tried to summon yet another monstrosity but was stopped by a caster's unpretending enemy: Cooldowns, 'Think Ainz, think. Using mid-tier summons would be a waste. If only there was an aerial equivalent of a Death Knight… I can summon Cerberus, but he'd be as useless as a wet rag that was left out in the cold.' Ainz was then forced to rely on something he'd hoped to keep hidden for as long as he could, the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown, 'The guild weapon never tasted the sweet nectar that is combat, yet it's equipped to deal with a couple of players at a time…'

Ainz sighed, 'I should test whether its summoning capabilities are the same. Perhaps I can still place it back into my inventory once I summon an elemental. I shouldn't use it otherwise, as I don't know if Nazarick still exists,' Ainz shook his head, 'I can't rule out the possibility of it being destroyed if the staff is somehow damaged.'

"...Is something wrong, Ainz?" Paimon asked in confusion. The Overlord had been standing still for the last minute, could he be panicking? "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll do fine," The fairy patted one of his oversized shoulder pads.

"Hm?" Ainz came back to reality, "Oh, it's nothing, don't worry," He then extended his hand to the left, was he beckoning someone to him? No, this was an attempt to open his inventory.

Those around had already seen this once before when Ainz gave out those two items, yet it hadn't ceased to amaze them. Every known law in Teyvat should've prevented the skeleton from tearing open a rift in space, yet here he was, acting out the scene before them as if it was mere child's play. The knights were anticipating Ainz to pull out one of those little trinkets again… Oh, how wrong they were. Their faces paled when they caught a glimpse of what he drew out of that abyss.

What was now in the Overlord's left hand was a staff of unparalleled power and supreme quality. Its golden hue glistened in the shower of white light that reflected off its surface. At the same time, it belched a ravenous aura that manifested countless bellowing faces. Three cerulean orbs rested on the stick's handle. The diminutive amount of mist within each of them swirled at a leisurely pace.

The staff's body was composed of 7 deformed snakes assembled at its head. Their fair interpretations bent at impossible angles, giving the staff a relatively distinctive figure. Their mandibles went off in two different paths as a result of the jewels in their maws. Each one bore a distinguishable and diverse color, one was a crimson red whilst the others were azure, white, purple, deep blue, mint, and golden.

The minister of civil affairs nearly fell to the floor awestruck. Each of those colored orbs could pass off as a national treasure, he couldn't fathom someone owning seven. Its supreme quality would baffle any merchant and collector that stood before it. It took every atom in his body to keep himself afloat.

"[Summon Primal Fire Elemental]!" Ainz called out into the never-ending abyss.

A dark shadow spewed itself out of the staff's red gem. It crawled into the floor before molding itself into a figure that towered over everything and everyone in the building. Its imposing appearance easily surpassed 2 and a half meters. The torrential elemental possessed a skull that resembled a Dragon's.

"Head for the mountain east of here. Do not let yourself be spotted by the Dragon outside. I'll teleport to you once I'm ready. Hold that position until I arrive," Ainz commanded with impressive ease.

The monster nodded before dissipating.

"Huh?" Paimon looked around, "Where did it go?" The little fairy began to circle the room in a worried state.

"Most if not all Primal Elementals can go into both an ethereal and invisible state. They're only able to do this a limited amount of times though…" Ainz put away the majestic staff back into his inventory with a speck of uncertainty.

"What about them?" Paimon pointed at the Pale Riders.

Ainz nodded, "You two w-"

Bang!

A bellowing thud echoed out across the building. Ainz turned to his left before witnessing the fall of a windmill. The Dragon outside had crashed into it during its mad frenzy, "It seems as if we don't have much time… I must be quick if this city wants to stay standing…" Ainz began to reiterate what he was about to say, this time, he got straight to the point, "You two will be leading the Dragon to my location after I teleport to the Elemental's side. Try to outmaneuver it to the best of your abilities."

"Great! Now we can get going, are you ready, Ainz?" Paimon cracked her knuckles in anticipation.

Ainz raised an invisible eyebrow, "Who's we? I already told you that you'll turn to dust faster than I can save you if you go with me. You won't last 10 seconds out there. I don't mean this in a rude way though… I only have your best interest in mind."

"What?" Paimon looked baffled.

"-I'll treat you to some steak if I come back," Although the Overlord had spent but a day with the fairy at his side, he already knew her interests like the back of his skeletal hand.

"Oh, It seems that I have developed an unfathomable hunger, Amber, would you be as kind as to show Paimon the kitchen?" Paimon began to speak in a somewhat civilized manner.

'It's really astounding how quickly she's able to switch sides…' Ainz mused.

"Before you go, Ainz," Jean walked closer to the almighty Undead, "Mondstadt's fate rests in your hands." The Acting Grandmaster raised a hand up to her sternum, a show of insurmountable respect.

The eyes of those around grew twice their average size, but it wasn't long before they mimicked their superior's actions.

"I'll try to be quick," Ainz feigned some confidence, "I'll see you when I return, [Gate]."

The Overlord strolled into the abyss without any other parting words.

"Begin the evacuation procedures," Jean commanded once Ainz vanished.

"Hm? You don't think Ainz'll be able to beat Stormterror?" Amber asked conflicted. Had the Acting Grandmaster sent the Overlord off into an unwinnable fight just to buy them some time?

"It doesn't matter what Master Jean thinks. We can't put all our eggs into the same basket. What'll happen if he loses? Are we supposed to stay idle and watch from the sidelines? No, we have to prepare in case the Dragon is stronger than him."

Amber tried to retort but she knew that the Cavalry Captain was correct.

"Prepare for evacuation, we'll leave in 30 minutes if Ainz has yet to return by then," The Knights of Favonius Handbook explicitly stated what to do in situations such as these, so it came as no surprise that the knights already knew what to do. Everyone began to move at the same time, the room started to resemble a complicated machine with everyone being a vital and important piece.

Starfell Highland

"Ah, there you are…" Ainz greeted the Primal Fire Elemental, "I assume that you already know what to do?" He asked the tornado-like monster.

The Elemental nodded.

His summons gained a glimpse of his knowledge when they came to life. They would be aware of the situation without him having to explain it to them, a rather useful feature.

Ainz looked to the west, where he could barely see the cutout of his two remaining summons. They looked rather comedic, as the insurmountably large Dragon on their tail made them look as small as flies.

The Primal Fire Elemental placed itself between the incoming beast and its master. Now, with a level 87 monster to protect him, Ainz began to cast, "[Body of Effulgent Beryl], [Body of Effulgent Heliodor], [Fly], [Magic Caster's Blessing], [Infinity Wall], [Magic Ward: Wind], [Greater Full Potential], [Freedom], [False Data: Life], [Resistance], [Greater Resistance], [Mantle of Chaos], [Sensor Boost], [Luck], [Greater Luck], [Magic Boost], [Greater Hardening], [Absorption], [Penetrate Up], [Magic Shield], [Greater Magic Shield], [Greater Magic Seal], [Perfect Unknowable]," A myriad of colorful hues began to manifest themselves into the Overlord, each representing a different spell. Now invisible, Ainz teleported away. Aside from the Elemental, he left a small yet deadly present for the incoming Dragon.

It took Stormterror around a minute to reach the Primal Fire Elemental. At an ear-shattering speed, it thrust its arm forward. It clawed at the fearsome spirit in an attempt to kill it.

Then, a cacophony echoed out as Ainz's sealed magic took effect. [Vermillion Nova] had been the spell sealed within the Overlord's magic. It had been released when Stormterror came into the [Greater Magic Seal]'s range.

An endless white rod that pierced the heavens stabbed the beast. The bright pillar of flames was tall enough to reach the ground, and as a result, the small forest below was set ablaze. The pathetic humans below saw it with tear-ridden eyes. The power that those above them displayed was far above their comprehension.

[Vermillion Nova] was strong enough to steal Dvalin's balance, and so the monster descended into the vast hills.

Ainz used this magnificent opportunity to analyze the creature, "[Life Essence]," The skeleton nearly jumped out of his non-existent seat, "What!? This is supposed to be the direct underling of a god!" Many would share Ainz's reaction after witnessing what he'd seen. Stormterror was a Dragon, the most dreadful of races, yet it shared the stats of a level 75 monster.

"Crap… I should probably re-evaluate my plan… Although its health and attack stats are nothing to scoff at, I'll still end up killing it if I were to go at it as I would with a player," Ainz's non-existent pupils then dilated, "No, it must be using something akin to [False Data Life]... Yes… that must be it…" Ainz tried to reason as his Emotional Suppressor came into effect once more.

"Now, let's dance!" Ainz spread his arms in a welcoming manner, "I should probably start with something easy, test the waters. [Vermillion Nova] did a fair amount of damage, so let's go with something weaker… [Gravity Maelstrom]!" Ainz forced his arm back as if he were throwing a baseball. A somewhat extensive orb of twilight manifested in the Undead's hand before flying towards the Dragon.

It flew with impressive swiftness, as it reached Stormterror at blazing speeds. The ball of darkness twisted the Dragon's flesh when it landed on its belly. Dvalin bit his monstrously-large tongue in an attempt to resist the pain, its efforts were concentrated on regaining his equilibrium, after all.

His strive of resistance actually bore fruit, as he managed to spread his wings once more. With a thirst for revenge, it looked around, trying to find the one that dared to harm it. It then spotted Ainz. An amount of hatred that could eclipse the moon above manifested inside of Dvalin. It darted for the Undead at never-before-seen speeds.

"Predictable," Ainz mused.

Such an attack was easily foreseen.

"What?!" Ainz then panicked as the Dragon narrowly avoided him, he had expected it to charge at him, yet it didn't. His hand then flinched as he saw what Stormterror had planned. The Dragon summoned a couple of comets sometime during its ascension, and they hit him before he could react.

"Tsk," The Overlord clicked his tongue in annoyance. Stormterror actually managed to deal harm to his as its comets didn't include any damage that [Body of Effulgent Heliodor] or [Body of Effulgent Beryl] could nullify.

"Roooar!" The Primal Elemental howled in despair, what kind of summon leaves its master out in the open without protection? It -alongside the two Pale Riders, charged at Dvalin with uncontainable fury. The two riders of despair jumped off their mounts and onto the beast. They dug their weapons deep into its flesh, earning a terrorous scream from Stormterror.

Dvalin flipped itself around, trying to rid itself of the two bugs on its back. The riders began to fall into the dark abyss below when their mounts caught them.

The Dragon went off to try and eliminate them both but was stopped by the incarnation of flame. The summon propelled its arm forward. Its fists were coated in a thick and dense flame, so it came as no surprise when the Dragon's scales fused themselves onto Dvalin's skin.

Stormterror reacted by slashing away at the elemental. The fiery tornado was swept away by the wind, yet it didn't go far, as some unknown force prevented it from flying away into the horizon. The Anemo Archon, perhaps? It tried to punch Dvalin once more, but the Dragon was already out of his range by then.

Stormterror still hungered to see Ainz dead, it roared into the star-ridden night as it launched itself at him.

"[Thousand Bone Lance]!"

Yet another magic circle appeared before the Overlord. This one summoned an uncountable amount of divinely-made spears that thrust themselves at Dvalin. Ainz expected them all to burrow their way into the Dragon's muscle tissue, but that isn't what happened. Dvalin used one of its wings to protect itself from the incoming danger. Some of the cartilage managed to injure him, but the attempt to shield itself largely succeeded. He then halted his advance before sending his enormous tail toward Ainz.

"Damn it!" Ainz was sent flying toward the ground after the large appendage of the opposing beast hit him. Unlike the Dragon's comets, this specific attack dealt no damage to him. He could thank [Body of Effulgent Beryl] for that. He truly revered that spell, as it nullified any and all bludgeoning damage that an enemy threw at him. Of course, this spell only eliminated such damage once, it had to be cast again once its effects were triggered.

Seeing such strength from an opponent, Dvalin decided to step things up a notch. It retreated to a somewhat safe distance before unleashing a devastating spell. Hundreds upon hundreds of thin needles composed of a heavenly-blue light rained down from the heavens. These small missiles flew toward Ainz and company at speeds unknown to humanity.

The Primal Fire Elemental dashed to protect its summoner. It hurled a sea-like wave of fiery flames toward the incoming projectiles in the hopes that it'd melt them. Some of the comets were vaporized, but others were stronger and unfathomably durable. They stabbed the Elemental over and over again, lowering its health to an uncomfortable range.

Ainz couldn't stand by as his protector took in all of the approaching bolts of light, "[Triple Maximize Magic: Chain Dragon Lighting]!" Three imposing Drakes slithered past Ainz's skeletal arms before soaring off toward their target. They flew with grace and arrogance. They tore into the Dragon's face, earning a squirming cry from it.

In a fit of rage, Dvalin resumed its unrelenting advance by throwing itself onto Ainz. It gripped the Undead as they both descended to the ground. It slashed away at the Overlord with its serrated claws. The first hit was rendered invalid by [body of Effulgent Heliodor], but the rest began to hurt Ainz.

Ainz didn't have time to admire the Dragon's divine talons, as he had to retaliate, "This'll hurt, but, [Napalm]!" A bright explosion filled the gap between Dvalin and Ainz. This unexpected counterattack prompted the mighty Dragon to let go of him.

The duo had fallen quite a distance, but they were still high above the City of Freedom. Dvalin lunged at Ainz once more, but its speed was nothing like it was before, "Good. It seems that the Pale Riders have done their job," The blades of the two Undead held the special property of gifting a myriad of debuffs onto those that were punctured by them.

"Veni, vidi, vici." Ainz serenely expressed himself to Dvalin. He had learned this specific phrase from his friend, Ulbert, after an impressively swift victory against some enemy players.

"It's been fun, but I shouldn't keep the knights waiting, [Meteor Fall]!" A large magic circle appeared above all. Its sheer size would amaze even the most powerful of magic casters, such was the power of 10th-tier magic. A large object then began to exit the thousand-runed circles. It ripped through the sky with unfathomable ease, and the shimmering light that accompanied it was enough to blind a beast such as Stormterror. Ainz released the judgment of the gods onto the one before him.

The Dragon launched one last attack to spite the Overlord. It used up all of its remaining power to summon dozens of those previous blue comets.

"Oh my…" Ainz applauded Dvalin's will, "I should probably let these ones land. I shouldn't return with my health bar mostly intact…" Ainz spread his arms and deactivated "Fly". Dvalin eyed the Overlord with a glare of pure hatred after the enormous meteor clashed against him. Both attacks hit their intended targets. The fearsome Stormterror was propelled towards the lake below whilst the Guildmaster of Ainz Ooal Gown was sent flying towards the City of Freedom.

Ainz crashed against a statue in the center of Mondstadt's plaza, completely shattering it in the process. He didn't have time to fully evaluate the wonderful sculpture, but it did resemble the god of this region. He could only hope the bard didn't hold it against him in the future. At the same time, the ruler of tempests collided with the lake below. It took less than a second for its body to become submerged under the shimmering water.

Ainz extended his arm forward, clasping at a fallen piece of the statue that now rested both above and below him. He pushed the rubble away, which finally allowed him to see the moonlit sky once more. The fall hadn't injured him, but he had to act as if he was on the brink of defeat. He stood up with feigned exhaustion and cleared his divine robes of any dust the impact had left him with.

"Ainz, Ainz!" The Overlord turned to his left, where he saw his ever-approaching companion. The fairy was able to waltz around the city thanks to the disappearance of the cyclones. Paimon circled her friend in worry, "Are you ok? Are you injured?" She checked his ribcage, trying to find any cuts or cracks.

Ainz swatted the young girl away, "I'm fine. That last attack took me by surprise, but I managed. I honestly expected Stormterror to put up more of a fight…"

*Clap, clap, clap*

"An impressive presentation," Kaeya genuinely smiled for what seemed to be the first time that day, "Now that everything's been dealt with, on behalf of the Knights of Favonius, I thank you for your indispensable help," The Cavalry Captain bowed to the Undead before him. He doubted Ainz's strength from the moment that Amber introduced him, but after seeing that astounding display, Kaeya had to at least thank him.

"Such words of gratitude are unwarranted, I merely did this for what you knights call Old Mondstadt," Ainz brushed off the Captain's show of appreciation, "Still, I'd prefer it if we returned to your Headquarters," The Overlord motioned to those around. The knights weren't the only ones present. Ainz appeared to have attracted a crowd of curious yet weary citizens. Those around began to whisper in an alarmed manner. They feared the one before them, a skeletal abomination that held the power to bring down the heavens.

"People of Mondstadt," The incoming Jean began, "Fear not, this man is but the one who saved us in this unforeseeable crisis! He single-handedly brought down the beast that assaulted our home! He has returned the freedom that was once handed to us by none other than the Anemo Archon," The Acting Grandmaster assured those before her that the monster to her left posed no threat, "I know that many have suffered thanks to Stormterror's attack, but I promise you this; We will move forward and rebuild our city to its once prosperous state."

The crowd began to clap, first, it was the children. Their innocence blinded their hatred for inhuman monsters. They began to shout things like; "Way to go, Mr. Skelly!" and "Teach me how to do that!" It wasn't long before the rest joined it. The plaza now echoed with the sounds of enthused praise.

'Sweet… I can take this as a chance to improve my social credit here…'

Ainz raised a hand, "People of Mond-"

"Rooooar!" The defeated Stormterror rose from the depths below. It soared up toward the sky until it eclipsed the entirety of the moon. Those in the plaza gasped after seeing the state of the bruised beast. The flesh on the right side of its humongous maw had been completely devastated.

Dvalin cried into the horizon before releasing one last attack upon the City of Freedom. Using such a technique would leave it an inch closer to death, yet its abhorrence for the one who overpowered him obscured its decision-making. With a roar that would send even the mightiest of monsters into hiding, it summoned over a dozen house-sized comets. They flew past their summoner and down into the civilization below.

"This… Could prove disastrous…" Ainz pondered on what to do… 'Those things could certainly leave a mark upon this place, but what worries me the most is the gathering of people here. Wait… I can actually use this to my advantage!'

Ainz thrust his arms forwards whilst creating another of his spells, "[Maximize Magic: Wall of Skeleton], [Maximize Magic: Wall of Stone]!" Several pillars of human remains rose up into the sky above. They moved like an octopus' tentacles, ever contorting and writhing. At the same time, a magnanimous dome encased the people of Mondstadt. The earth rumbled as the projectiles impacted against the protective crown.

The people began to shake in fear, but it wasn't long before the pounding stopped. Ainz canceled the spell only to bear witness to the scene before him. Most of the damage was prevented, but a few houses collapsed. Stormterror was nowhere to be found…

"Hmm… Seems as if the hunt is not yet over," Lisa scowled.

"And so it would seem…" Ainz frowned.

There we go… Finally done w this chapter! I hope that you guys have enjoyed it! It took me longer than expected as this chap is nearly 10k words. I would also like to thank: I_LOVE_RICE, BlitzNeutral99, Ashkie, PoliticallyIncorrect, DeathlyJazzHands55, Big Zero, Solidorex, and StarStriker404 for their incredibly useful help! I couldn't have written this chapter without you guys!

Please make sure to visit my profile to vote on a pole that I'll put there, it'll set the tone of the entire story, and I want to c what you guys think :)

On another note, I also wanted to mention some playable characters WILL die. I know that some people won't like it, but the addition of Ainz to Teyvat means incredible changes.

I also got, C2 Tighnari, Yelan, Staff of Homa, and Aqua Simulacra all in 200 F2P pulls! If you haven't wished on these banners then I wish you all luck! The only reason that I didn't pull on Hu Tao's banner is bcs I alr have her (she's best girl 2, fight me).

Somewhere within the Grand Goth Hotel, a few minutes ago:

"My lady!" A lonely Fatuus opened the door that led to her superior's quarters. No natural light reached this place, it was almost like the shards of ice that permeated the room sucked all of the incoming moonlight in.

"Did no one ever teach you to knock before you enter?" The pale blonde woman within raised her voice in annoyance. The madam stood up from her bed's side and walked over to her subordinate. She stared her down with unmistakable disdain.

The hooded agent bent the knee and profusely apologized, "Forgive such unsightly display, master. I just wanted to inform you of the situation."

"Do you take me for a fool? Only a cretin would be ignorant of what's transpiring outside," The woman turned towards the window to her left. A being of unfathomable power had engaged the Dragon of the East not a second too soon, "Recall all agents in Windrise," She commanded with absolute authority, "Things are bound to take a few unwanted turns with this new variable in play…"

"I shall do so right away!" The female agent stood up. She was about to exit the chamber when her master spoke up once more.

"And bring me a piece of parchment, we must inform her majesty, the Tsaritsa, of this new development…" The ashen maiden turned around in disinterest after relaying these new orders to her lowly lackey.

"Your will is my command, my fair lady…"