Welcome all to the fifth chapter of the Nazarick Triumvirate! I hope you all are doing well. Once again thank you for all of the love and support you've shown this story so far. As I have stated before, this means the world to both myself and my co-author.
Before this chapter starts, I want to apologise to both my co-author and everyone else. I struggled quite a bit with this chapter, both with finding the right words and motivating myself when I was having days when I wasn't motivated for anything. If that is reflected in what's written here then I am sincerely sorry. But know I will always do my best to give you the best possible story that both I and my co-author would be proud of
(daniel: Well, this chapter was incredible as always to do! As one of our favourite Youtubers has stated. one of the most entertaining aspects of Overlord is when the New World Natives approach the denizens of Nazarick, completely full of themselves only to then have their pride and perception of power utterly shattered. Nazarick's presence renders all native conflict fruitless due to sheer power and is so awesome!)
Now that that's out of the way, here we go with Chapter 5! Gazef is here and the Sunlight Scripture is about to get WRECKED! As always, the usual disclaimer that neither I nor daniel own Overlord or any of its characters, locations, events or anything else related to the anime, manga or Light Novels. The only things we own are our OCs, Henry and Fengxian. ENJOY!
Chapter 5 – Taking the Stage
"Hail to you, elder of Carne Village!" He spoke up as he dismounted. "And greetings to you, strangers! My name is Gazef Stronoff! May I enquire as to your identities?"
~TNT~
When Gazef Stronoff, Warrior-Captain of the Re-Estize Kingdom, had arrived at Carne Village he'd been expecting, and fearing, to find a village of the dead with the buildings completely destroyed and the bodies of the villagers rotting on the ground in a sea of blood. So imagine his surprise when he not only found the village still standing, but also with the majority of the buildings intact and most of the population still alive and awaiting his arrival.
He recognised the elder of course, having visited this village many times on patrol, and several of the village folk, but the four figures standing next to the elder were complete unknowns to him. The one at the front and centre of their group was wearing an ornate purple robe as well as a strange mask upon his face, and in his hand was the most ornate staff Gazef had ever set eyes on. To their right stood a figure at the same height, clad in black-and-gold armour and whose head was hidden by a golden helm that was shaped like a dragon's helm, and just behind him stood another armoured figure all in black, their head covered in a horned helm and an axe strapped to their back. And last of all, to the robed figure's left, stood the tallest individual Gazef had ever laid eyes upon. They too were clad in black armour from head to toe, with a helm shaped like a wolf's head, and in his left hand, he held a large halberd that stood as tall as its wielder. With his trained warrior's eye, Gazef could tell this last figure looked every inch the consummate warrior.
His curiosity regarding the strangers could wait. First, he had to make sure the village and its people were safe since that was why he had come here in the first place, having been out on patrol when word of the assault had reached his ears. As he approached the elder and the strangers, his men remained on horseback with swords drawn just in case another battle started.
"Hail, Warrior-Captain Gazef. It always warms our hearts to see you," the elder replied kindly as he strode forward and shook Gazef's hand. "What brings you to our village?"
"I was out on patrol when news reached me of armoured men attacking the village. I came as quickly as I could," Gazef replied. "But judging by the state of your village and people, it looks like I was too late to be of assistance. How were you able to hold off the attack?"
"When the knights started destroying our homes and killing those who tried to resist, I feared it was the end," the elder began before indicating the four strangers next to him. "But then these fine folk came to our assistance and killed every last one of the invaders before helping us rebuild. We owe them a great deal."
"I see," Gazef answered as he turned and approached the robed figure standing at their head. Judging by the authority he seemed to carry himself with, it would appear this one was the leader. "As I stated upon my arrival here, my name is Gazef Stronoff, Warrior-Captain of the Re-Estize Kingdom," he greeted the figure as he offered out his hand. "On behalf of Ramposa the Third, king of the Re-Estize Kingdom, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for keeping these people safe. May I be so bold as to ask for your names?"
"A pleasure to make you acquaintance, Sir Gazef," Momonga replied courteously as he took the warrior's hand and shook it. As he felt the warrior's hand clasp his own, Momonga suddenly found himself thankful he was wearing padded gloves since Gazef possessed a strong, firm grip. "My name is Ainz Ooal Gown. My companions and I are wandering travellers from lands far away, and we were fortunate to be passing by this village when we saw that it was under attack. Thankfully, we were able to put a stop to it before everyone was killed and the village destroyed."
As he and Gazef had spoken, Ainz had cast a silent spell to allow him to view the levels of the Warrior Captain and the men around him and was internally surprised and pleased by their strength. These soldiers were all around the level 15 mark, a good ten or so levels higher than the ones who had attacked the village, and Gazef himself was at level 29…the highest level he had encountered aside from everyone in Nazarick. Judging by the rest of the level spread he'd seen so far, it would appear that Gazef's title was indeed befitting of his strength.
"That is fortunate indeed, aside from the fact that your heroic actions were needed in the first place," Gazef said kindly as he made his way over to where Henry was standing.
(Ki, make sure you use a suitable pseudonym when introducing yourself. Suzi will explain later) Henry quickly communicated with his friend as Gazef offered him a handshake as well. "My name is Constantine," Henry introduced himself as he gave the warrior's hand a firm shake before jerking his head backwards in Albedo's direction. "And the figure standing behind me is my bodyguard, companion and consort, Albedo." The armoured demon, whilst internally giddy at Henry for referring to her in such a manner, showed restraint in merely inclining her head, not trusting herself to speak with the human lest her hatred slip out again, which in turn would upset her beloved Henry further. "Forgive her silence, she doesn't speak much. And there is no need to thank us. We did what we felt was right, and these innocents didn't deserve the cruelty they were being subjected to."
"There is no offence to forgive, Sir Constantine," Gazef told him with a warm smile. "If only more men had such noble reasons for acting as you did. It would mean attacks like this would be less common."
Hearing Gazef's words spoke with such warmth, along with the more-than-positive first impression created by his interaction with the village elder, somewhat reminded Henry of the mannerisms of his idol and friend Touch Me. Not only did Gazef carry himself with a noble warrior's demeanour, but his words and mannerisms oozed sincerity much like the former leader of Ainz Ooal Gown had. This was a man he was sure he could get along with in the future should the opportunity arise. "It's as an old friend of mine once said: 'It is only natural for the strong to save the weak when they are in trouble.'"
"Whomever that person was, he sounded like a good man!" Gazef said with a grin before offering a hand to Fengxian
"You can call me Fen," was all Fengxian said as he and Gazef shook hands. As he gripped the warrior's hand, Fengxian quickly eyed him up and down. His warrior instincts were telling him that this man, though he wasn't as strong as Fengxian, Henry and the other warrior denizens of Nazarick, was still a powerful warrior in his own right and someone he'd be happy to have watch his back in any encounter. But that was something to consider for another day. For now, Fengxian wanted some questions answered about the warriors who had attacked the village. "We've disposed of most of the bodies here, but one or two are still mostly intact. Since we don't know much about the countries around these parts, perhaps you could identify them for us."
"Before you do that, it might be worth setting up a perimeter around the village with the men you brought here," Henry advised. "Just because we fended off one attack doesn't mean we're out of trouble yet."
"Agreed…a small-scale force like that could be the precursor for a larger invasion force," Fengxian nodded before turning back to Gazef. "Is that acceptable, Warrior-Captain?"
Normally Gazef would have been wary of accepting strategic advice from other people, but in most of the cases he'd had to deal with the advice had come from stuck-up nobles who hadn't a shred of tactical knowledge and were only trying to make themselves seem important. Yet the advice these two had given was not only sound but it was also based on one of the basic rules of warfare: Always expect the unexpected. "It is," he agreed, and after giving the order for his men to spread throughout the village in addition to some volunteers from the village, he, Ainz and Albedo followed after Henry and Fengxian as they led him towards the centre of the village. As the towering warrior had said, a couple of the bodies from the invading soldiers were still lying there. As he knelt and examined them, a frown appeared on the stern warrior's face.
"These soldiers are clad in the armour of the Baharuth Empire," he told the assembled strangers. "But that doesn't make sense…why would the Empire suddenly go after villages like this? Normally they restrict their military action against us to the yearly skirmish on the Katze Plains. No…something else is going on here. But what exactly?"
It would seem the towering warrior was thinking along the same lines. "The soldiers I encountered and disposed of didn't mention anything about belonging to an Empire but rather to a nation called the Theocracy. Does that ring any bells?" he asked Gazef.
"Ah…of course it would those zealous bastards…" "The Slane Theocracy…they are the other major nation in this part of the world alongside our Kingdom and the Baharuth Empire," he explained. "Now it makes sense. They claim to work in the name of their so-called gods, but are even more underhanded than even the best spies and military leaders in both the Empire and the Kingdom." He put a hand to his chin as he considered what this all meant. "We've been getting reports of the villages in this area being attacked one by one, but every time we tried to intercept them they've moved on to the next one…" That's when realisation came to him, for if there was one thing that the Empire and Theocracy had in common, they desired to have him out of the way and leave the Kingdom vulnerable.
"Is there something on your mind, Warrior-Captain Gazef?" The one called Ainz asked.
"They are here for me," he concluded, a statement which surprised all three of them. Was this warrior really that famous to be targeted in such a way?
"Hang on a second…you're saying that the reason all those villages were burned and their citizens slaughtered…was just to lure you out?" Henry asked, a hint of disgust evident in his tone.
"Yes…no wonder the nobles were so keen to send me out on this mission with such a small force…" Gazef mused. "No doubt they are hoping this is the occasion where I get myself killed and out of their hair for good."
"Hmmm…it sounds like you have many enemies, Sir Gazef…both within and without your Kingdom," Momonga/'Ainz' pointed out, causing Gazef to chuckle.
"You really must be from a far-off nation to not know about the internal strife within my kingdom. You see, I was born a commoner and actually started out as a mercenary before entering into the service of the King," he explained as he stood up. "As you can no doubt guess, my background doesn't endear me to the nobles who advise His Majesty, but since I am the King's bodyguard and have his complete trust they can't do anything against me openly."
"Nothing obvious for sure, but from the sounds of it they wouldn't mind if you got killed by an outside force," Fengxian considered. "And since you are the King's bodyguard as well as, from the sound of it, the strongest warrior in the Kingdom, it serves all parties to get you out of the way…" He shook his head with disgust at all these accounts of political infighting and backstabbing. To him and Henry, such acts were beyond dishonourable and something that they knew had caused the downfall of endless mighty empires and kingdoms on their home world. They were determined that such a thing would never happen to Nazarick. "I don't envy you being such a hated man in all three countries, Warrior-Captain."
"As a man not among the knighthood who has risen to become the King's shield, along with thwarting several nobles' plots and assassins from both the Kingdom and the Empire, I am used to my life being in peril on a daily basis," Gazef responded with a slight shrug. "And I would gladly sacrifice it to keep His Majesty and the people of this country safe." Such selfless words made the three Supreme Beings respect him all the more, with even Albedo grudgingly admitting to herself that this human wasn't like most of their worthless race.
Before either of them could respond, one of the soldiers in Gazef's entourage came running up to them. "Sir Gazef! Good sirs and lady!" He exclaimed breathlessly. "Our men have spotted a large group of robed figures on the outskirts of the village!"
"How many?" Fengxian asked sharply.
The soldier quickly grew uneasy at Fengxian's tone and bluntness but after a nod from Gazef answered the warrior's question. "There must be at least a hundred, sir. And it's not just humans…they have angels with them too!"
"Angels?" Momonga asked. (You guys heard that too, right? What do you think they are?)
(We ought to take a look for ourselves…if this world was somewhat based on YGGDRASIL, they could either be mobs we've encountered before or complete unknowns) Henry suggested.
(Agreed. After all, it's as Sun Tzu said: Know the enemy and know yourself, and you need not fear the result of a hundred battles). With that internal agreement reached, the three Supreme Beings, Gazef and Albedo followed on behind the soldier as he led them to a large shed where the village elder and a majority of the civilians had taken shelter, guarded by a couple of Gazef's men. Fortunately, this shed also contained a few windows which gave them a good view of the opposing side's forces, and their numbers were as the soldier had said. But what caught the eye of the three heteromorphs were the forms of the angels hovering above the group.
(As I suspected…YGGDRASIL mobs…) Henry summarised. (Looks like the majority are Angel Guardians and Archangel Flames, both of which are low-tier summons)
(I also spotted a couple of Principality of Observations in there too) Fengxian added. (No match for us obviously, but against someone such as Gazef they could be deadly.)
"Shit…of course it had to be them…" Gazef swore from right next to them. "To think the Theocracy would send one of their own Scriptures after me."
This got their attention. "What do you mean by Scriptures, Warrior-Captain Gazef?" Momonga asked.
"How do you…my apologies, it momentarily slipped my mind that you aren't from around these parts," Gazef replied. "The Six Scriptures are the Theocracy's special forces, all specialising in a particular field." He peeked out the window again, and after taking a good look at the attire of the mages his scowl deepened. "And this lot are the worst of the bunch, the Sunlight Scripture. They take care of most of the Theocracy's dirty work and are responsible for many illegal activities throughout the Re-Estize Kingdom. Since they only go after valuable targets, it would appear that our theory of them being after me is correct."
"Then it's as we suspected…those attacks you were sent to investigate weren't just random acts of vandalism. They were coordinated with the purpose of luring you out into the open," Fengxian concluded.
"As you say, Sir Fen…as long as I am at the King's side, they cannot touch me," Gazef agreed. "However, now that I am out in the open without my special equipment and with such few soldiers at my command, I fear that our other suspicions have also been realised…"
"You mean your theory about the Kingdom's Nobles setting you up to get killed?" Henry asked almost disbelievingly. Despite the evidence pointing that way, he still couldn't quite fathom what appeared to be the depths that some of these so-called Nobles would go to in order to dispose of someone they looked down upon, even if they were the one responsible for protecting them.
"Indeed. But even so, I will not allow these people to be slaughtered to satisfy the political games of factions both within and outside the Kingdom. As a warrior bound to his vow to protect those in need, I would gladly give my life to keep it," Gazef spoke fiercely before turning to them all. "Sir Ainz, Sir Constantine and Sir Fen…I know this might be somewhat presumptuous of me, but I would be willing to hire you and your companion to keep these people safe in case I should fall against these mages. Whatever price you wish, I would be more than happy to compensate you."
The three looked at each other for a split second, their gazes conveying their thoughts to one another, even if their expressions were hidden behind helms and masks. Since they all knew each other so well, all three were confident they could guess the intentions of the other two and thus reach the same conclusion. Henry's dedication to compassion and protecting the innocent would see him onboard straight away, whilst Fengxian's sense of honour and dedication to justice would not only compel him to safeguard those who did not deserve to suffer but also dish out a fitting toll on those who would perpetrate such an act. And whilst not as motivated by such noble goals as his friends, Momonga's overarching desire to not only protect the secrets of Nazarick but also to gather information from these people would see him act in their defence as well. After all, they couldn't just hide in the Tomb forever. They had to know more about the people of this world in order to best safeguard the legacy of their guild.
Their decision made, they all turned to face an expectant Gazef. "We will help you and the people of the village, Warrior-Captain. But you will not need to pay us to do so," Henry answered.
"Indeed. I swear on the name of Ainz Ooal Gown that I and my comrades will defend this village to the end. We will not allow any more innocent blood to be spilt," Momonga vowed.
The expression on both Gazef's and the civilians' faces brightened at Momonga and Henry's words. "Thank you, Sir Ainz and Sir Constantine! I and the people of this village will not forget your generosity!"
"Don't thank us just yet, Warrior-Captain… for us to keep such a vow, the attention of those mages will need to be drawn away from the villagers," Fengxian warned him. "If you and the majority of your forces sally forth and confront them head-on whilst leaving one or two behind as escorts, it'll give us time to ensure the people here can be safely evacuated. Once that's done, we can then be in a position to offer you assistance on the battlefield."
(Are you sure about this, Ki? They'll be outmatched and outgunned out there) Henry pointed out.
(We'll only need a few moments to gauge the strength of this Scripture. Once we know for certain how strong they are, we can prepare accordingly) The warrior replied.
Gazef was thinking along the same lines as the colossus. "I see…if I'm out there in the open, their focus will be on us and away from these people, which means they'll be kept safe." Though he was aware of just how much of a disadvantage he and his men would be at out there, he'd still give his all to ensure the people of the Kingdom he'd sworn his life to would be kept safe, even if it meant his own death. "And I have your word that you will keep your promise and protect these people should I and my men fall?"
"We always honour the vows we keep, and this one will be no exception," Momonga proclaimed. Henry and Fengxian nodded in agreement.
"Then should I fall, I have nothing to fear," Gazef smiled as he shook both Fengxian and Henry's hands. "Thank you, Sir Ainz, Sir Constantine and Sir Fen. If we all survive this, I'd be happy to invite you to the capital as my honoured guests."
"Then let us hope that that day comes to pass," Momonga replied as he shook Gazef's hand whilst at the same time handing him a small wooden statue. "Please, take this with you…I can't explain what this does just yet, but you'll see its effects in time."
Gazef looked somewhat confused by this gesture but didn't question it. He pocketed it and gave all of them one final nod before leaving the shed.
"Forgive me for speaking out of turn my lords but…was it really worth vowing on the sacred name of Ainz Ooal Gown just for the sake of protecting this village of lowly humans?" Albedo asked, having remained silent up till this point.
(She's still hung up on that?) Fengxian almost sighed via Message as he took up an observation post by another one of the windows as those of Gazef's men that had remained behind started to organise evacuation efforts. (We really need to try and get her to understand that not all humans are bad, otherwise it'll cause us problems down the line.)
(Agreed, but now's not the time for such a lecture. Can you deal with this for the moment Henry? We need to be on alert for when Gazef runs into trouble)
"Honey," Henry began, knowing that starting in such a way would lead her to be more accepting of his words, and he was right on the money as all three of them could see her blush even with her helmet on. "I deeply appreciate that you held back and didn't make any unprovoked rude comments towards the warrior-captain, but I must reiterate that we need to know more about this world, not to mention that if we let those scummy excuses for warriors prey on these innocent people, we would be betraying the very thing that Ainz Ooal Gown was founded upon in the first place." These words came straight from the Dragonoid's heart.
Eyes widening so much beneath her helm that they nearly came out their sockets, Albedo was quick to wrap Henry in a loving embrace "Your wisdom and eloquence are the spitting image of father's, darling! You only speak the truth and I apologise from the bottom of my heart not to have realised it for myself!"
"It's alright dear, just keep that in mind from now on," Henry reassured as he patted her head, earning a flap from her wings.
Meanwhile, his thoughts were on the man of the hour, Gazef himself, who in the short amount of time they had known him had not only earned their complete respect but had brought to his mind 2 figures he greatly respected: Touch Me and the Spanish general Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordoba, also called the Great Captain for his great service to the Catholic monarchs in their various military campaigns. Unlike Gonzalo however, who was not only made a Duke five times over for his service but also held the office of Viceroy to an entire kingdom, Gazef was very much held back by the classist system of his country, yet continued to loyally serve and protect it, that only increased his respect for him all the more.
"Sir Constantine is right," Fengxian commented, taking care to use their aliases as he watched Gazef and his men ride out to confront the mages. "Whilst most humans are not worth the time of day, Warrior-Captain Stronoff is one of the exceptions. Even from our brief interactions, I could tell he had the air of an honourable warrior, and his willingness to sacrifice himself for these people against impossible odds speaks well of his character."
"We will do our part to ensure we keep our promise then. After all, these humans are our best chance for information on this new world, so it behoves us to keep them safe," Ainz concluded.
"As you say, my lords. I defer to your wisdom," Albedo acknowledged with a small bow as she reluctantly released her grip on Henry
"Just be ready to go. As soon as Gazef is in serious trouble, we will take the stage and show these fools what it means to cross us," Fengxian said last of all. The four of them lapsed into silence as they watched the ensuing conflict.
~TNT~
Nigun Grid Luin, captain of the Slane Theocracy's Sunlight Scripture, was beyond frustrated at this current turn of events. It was taking all his self-control and the teachings of the Six Cardinals to not tear his hair out at the sheer stubbornness of the human warrior in front of him.
It had been such a simple plan that the Cardinals had made in order to ensure the destruction of Warrior-Captain Stronoff: They'd disguised themselves as Knights of the Baharuth Empire and gone around the countryside pillaging isolated villages. These actions would no doubt gain the attention of the Re-Estize King, who would dispatch his strongest warrior to investigate and put a stop to this, with the corrupt Nobles who despised Gazef ensuring that he would be without his gear and with only a handful of men at his command. This would lead to Gazef being unable to stand up to the might of the Sunlight Scripture and give his life in some foolish attempt to save the villagers.
But even though most of the plan had gone off without a hitch, it was currently in danger of being impeded by the sheer stubbornness of the Warrior-Captain who, along with his men, had sallied forth eagerly to put a stop to their plans. Despite the overwhelming gap in numbers, Gazef and his troops had shown no fear and put up a decent fight against both the mages and their angel summons, cutting down a number of them for each soldier of Re-Estize that fell. And yet even as his men were cut down, leaving him all alone, Gazef had refused to be cowed and battled on, cutting down angel after angel and batting away the majority of their spells before he'd eventually begun to tire. But even as he fell to one knee, blood splattered all over his armour and panting deeply, his eyes and posture remained defiant as he held himself up with his sword. Despite the exhausted state he found himself in, Gazef was still able to give Nigun a stare that, had looks been able to kill, would have ended his life a dozen times over.
"Just what the hell kind of man are you?!" Nigun shouted furiously. He couldn't believe that the carefully-laid plans of the Cardinals were being put in danger by the defiance of one lowly commoner! "Your men are all slain, you have none of your special equipment and you are on the brink of death, yet still you remain defiant! How can one who is so unworthy stand against us like this?!"
"I…am the Warrior-Captain of the Re-Estize Kingdom…and I will fight to the end to defend my people!" Gazef proudly stated through his exhaustion as he unsteadily got to his feet, using his sword to keep himself upright. For once, he allowed a spiteful smile to spread across his face…the same sort of smile he'd seen in countless nobles from Re-Estize, especially when they were addressing him. "And even if I die here, you bastards won't lay a finger on these villagers! You see, I've made some powerful friends who are waiting in the village…All of them are infinitely stronger than me, and should they choose to come for you, not one of you will make it out of here alive!"
"Enough! It doesn't matter what allies you claim to have…the only ones who will die this day will be you, these villagers you have foolishly given your life to protect and these so-called 'allies' you have mistakenly placed your faith in!" Nigun spat. "Angels! Annihilate this foolish man and put an end to his pointless defiance!"
"Damnit…looks like this is it…" Gazef grimaced as a mob of Angel Guardians advanced towards him. "But I will not go quietly…If these are to be my last breaths, I will expel them fiercely!" Summoning up his final shreds of resolve, he let out a challenging roar and held his sword out towards the advancing angels. But as they closed in, Gazef suddenly heard three very familiar voices echo one-after-another in his mind.
(Looks like it's time for us to take the stage) Ainz's voice spoke first.
(You have fought well, Warrior-Captain. But this is not your day to die, not whilst you still have a duty to discharge) came the voice of Fen.
(Leave the rest to us. Be proud of what you have accomplished this day, noble warrior) Constantine said last of all. Before Gazef could comprehend what was happening, he was suddenly surrounded by a blinding flash of light, and as his sight returned to him he realised that he was no longer on the outskirts of the village but rather back in the shed with the rest of the villagers who were staring at him with confusion.
"W-What was that just now?" He asked the village elder.
"Your guess is as good as ours, Warrior-Captain Stronoff," he replied. "One minute, the four strangers were standing where you are, and the next you appeared in their place as they all disappeared!" Gazef's eyes widened at the Village Elder's brief explanation as realisation set in.
"I can't explain what this does just yet, but you'll see its effects in time…" Sir Ainz's words floated back to him as he dug into his pocket to pull out the small wooden carving that the magic caster had given him only to watch it fade from existence. Gazef couldn't help but chuckle slightly as his exhaustion and wounds finally caught up with him, causing his legs to give out and him to fall backwards on a pile of hay.
"Sir Ainz, Sir Constantine, Sir Fen, Lady Albedo…looks like they're all yours. Give them hell." These were his last thoughts before he fell into unconsciousness.
~TNT~
Despite his best efforts, what remained of Nigun's usual composure was gradually being eroded away by this unexpected and highly annoying turn of events.
"In the name of the Six, just what is going on?!" He raged internally. One second, his angels had been primed to annihilate Gazef Stronoff and bring an end to his foolish last stand, but then in a flash of light the ailing warrior had vanished, and in his place were four figures he'd never encountered before and whom, apart from the robed figure in the front, were all well-armed and armoured. "Who are you to so foolishly stand before the might of the Theocracy?" He found himself asking before he could help himself.
(Hm, unusually polite for a zealot. We should probably respond in kind) Henry commented.
(Indeed. It's best to show our manners…even if we end up killing them) "Greetings, soldiers of the Sunlight Scripture," Momonga called out regally. "My name is Ainz Ooal Gown, and these are my travelling companions. As to why we are currently standing before you, we have formed an accord with the people of the village you are threatening and have come to ensure their safety."
"Hmph…have you come to beg not only for their lives but your own as well?" Nigun sneered. Even though a tiny part of his brain was blaring at him to take these people seriously, it was drowned out by his confidence in their numerical superiority and the power of their Angels.
Fengxian couldn't help but scoff at these arrogant words. Whether it was because he thought he was better than them or more powerful, it mattered not. He would ensure this fool would be put in his place. "You think we came out here and expended such effort in keeping Warrior-Captain Stronoff safe just to throw ourselves on your definition of mercy?" He didn't even try to hide the disgust behind his tone. "It's not our lives we're trying to save, but yours. If you leave this village and promise never to return, we'll spare you. Resist, and you'll be slaughtered like the dogs you are!"
(You seriously plan on letting them live?) Henry couldn't help but ask.
(If they are smart, yes…but knowing these types as we do, do you really expect them to accept my terms?) Fengxian answered, and he was proven right by the words that came out of Nigun's mouth.
"You…trying to spare our lives?" Nigun couldn't help but chuckle at this show of impudence, as did the majority of the Scripture's soldiers. Who did this warrior think he was demanding their surrender when they were so overwhelmingly outnumbered? "You and your friends would make good court jesters, and that is amusing enough for me to consider sparing your lives. If you step aside and let us burn down this village and its people and that Warrior-Captain you saved, you'll be allowed to leave in peace."
Henry did not find any humour in Nigun's words, and his resulting words came in a sneer of white-hot fury. "You dare make jest about the lives of innocent people?!" He shouted, loud enough for all of the Sunlight Scripture to feel it resonate in their bones. "You bastards have a lot of nerve to claim such acts are in the name of your so-called gods! Your kind are the lowest of the low, daring to use a tool as sacred as religion to inflict torment upon the defenceless which goes against everything proper religious doctrines stand for in the first place! For that, and the arrogance of thinking that you are above anyone else, you will be shown no mercy!" As he spoke, a flaming, golden aura surrounded his body.
Momonga put a hand on Henry's shoulder to try and calm him down so as to prevent him from acting rashly, but he honestly wasn't trying that hard as he too was annoyed by this smarmy bastard. "I'm afraid we cannot do as you suggest," he stated sternly as a menacing black aura proceeded to surround his own body. "You see, my companions and I swore on the name of Ainz Ooal Gown that we would not allow any harm to come to the people of this village. Should you be so foolish enough as to persist in this endeavour, all you will find is death." Fengxian and Albedo had stepped up beside them whilst Momonga was speaking, the large warrior pummelling his right fist into his left palm whilst Albedo unhooked her axe and pointed it towards the assembled mages and Angels.
The rest of the Sunlight Scripture all involuntarily shuddered at these words and the aura the stranger was projecting. With the exception of their leader, they were all experiencing a feeling they didn't felt in a very long time: fear. This feeling also pricked at the back of Nigun's mind, but so confident was he in their numerical advantage that he ignored it and proceeded to make a call that would seal his and his men's fate. "Angels! Attack the tall one in the armour! Show him and his strangers the price of standing against the Theocracy!" At these words, two of the Archangel Flames shot forward straight at Fengxian, holy blades raised and aimed for where his heart was located.
(Perfect. This will be a good chance to test their strength and my resistance) Fengxian chuckled. This was not his only reason for stepping forward as his inherent Nephilim instincts were chomping at the bit to put down these foolish servants of the heavens and revel in their pain. He proceed to place himself in between his companions and the Archangels, arms spread wide as he waited for their attack. As the Angels closed in, he made no effort to get out of the way as their swords plunged straight into his chest.
(WHAT THE HELL, KI?!) Momonga and Henry shouted into his head, shocked at what appeared to be their friend's lack of concern for his safety.
(Huh…mere bug bites) Fengxian mused, causing his friends' shock to vanish as quickly as it came as he visibly remained unmoved. (Despite my high level, I expected these holy blades to hurt a bit more due to my Holy Vulnerability. Such a disappointment…)
"What a fool, allowing himself to be stabbed like that…I guess they were all talk in the…wait, what?!" Nigun's thoughts were cut off, his eyes widening, as the tall figure started to chuckle as he reached down and, grabbing the Archangels by their hands, proceeded to yank the swords right out of his chest before reaching out and grabbing the Archangels by their necks. "I-Impossible! No one can survive an Archangel's blade to the heart, much less two of them!" He shouted in disbelief.
"It's a trick! It has to be!" One of the soldiers cried.
"That thing isn't human!" Another of them yelled.
"Is that the best you fools have to offer?!" Fengxian bellowed as he lifted the two Archangels high into the air. "Let me show you the true meaning of strength!" With those words, he slammed the Archangels down to the ground with overwhelming force, killing them both on impact before dropping their lifeless corpses to the ground.
"Impossible! No one should be able to defeat an Archangel Flame! No matter, I'll simply overwhelm him with sheer numbers!" "All Archangels, attack that blasphemous fool! Ensure that nothing remains!" Nigun bellowed desperately. At his command, the rest of the present Archangel Flames surged forward towards Fengxian.
(Looks like you got them mad, Ki, but please don't do that again…despite not being human any more, I'm pretty sure my heart stopped when I saw those swords pierce you) Henry told Fengxian as he and Momonga watched the Archangels encircle their friend.
"Lord Momonga, Darling…permit me to assist Lord Fengxian in disposing of these fools," Albedo spoke up as she stepped forward, axe raised.
"That's kind of you to offer, honey, but I don't think your assistance will be needed," Henry told her with a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"Indeed…I believe Grand Marshal Fengxian is more than capable of handling these pests alone," Momonga added, and his words were proven to be justified as Fengxian merely unhooked his halberd from his back and pointed it straight at the advancing Archangels.
"Ominous Nebula!" An aura of pure darkness surrounded his body and began to whip around him at immense spends, creating a shadowy vortex that started to pull all the Archangels towards him. Despite their best efforts to pull away, the heavenly beings were helpless before the sheer force of Fengxian's spell, and as they came within striking range they were cut down at blink-and-you'll-miss-it speeds by swift slices of his halberd that were too fast for the naked eye to follow. To everyone apart from Momonga, Henry and Albedo, it was as if the Archangels were all surrounding Fengxian one second and then a pile of severed bodies and limbs the next.
"Worthless," was all the gigantic warrior scoffed as he hocked and spat on one of the angel's corpses.
"Such swift brutality! Grand Marshal Fengxian is truly a warrior like no other…only my beloved could possibly compare to him!" Albedo gushed.
"A truly fantastic display…my confidence was not misplaced," Momonga added with satisfaction. If it were possible, he would be grinning behind his mask.
(You stole that technique from an old manga, didn't you Ki?) Henry couldn't help but tease as Fengxian flicked some loose Angel body parts from the tip of his halberd.
(Guilty as charged, but it did the job didn't it?) Fengxian snarked back as he rejoined their group. (Plus it helped that those Archangel Flames were just as weak as they were back in YGGDRASIL)
"W-What? H-How did that-?" For perhaps the first time in his life, Nigun was rendered speechless by what he'd just seen. One moment his Angels had been poised to eliminate the upstart, but in what looked like a blink of an eye they'd been reduced to a lifeless heap. Just what sort of strength and power did these people possess?! Amid his panic, Nigun heard Gazef's words from before float back through his mind: "I've made some powerful friends who are waiting in the village…All of them are infinitely stronger than me, and should they choose to come for you, not one of you will make it out of here alive!" Having witnessed this absolute slaughter, Nigun and his men were slowly starting to realise this and several of them were starting to tremble in fear. And yet Nigun still foolishly believed that the power of his Angels would be enough to deal with them.
Nigun turned to look at the one Angel who hadn't taken part in the failed attack on the massive warrior. Surely this mighty monster would be enough to deal with these upstarts! "Principality Observation! Crush these fools who dare defy the will of our Gods!" He snapped. Instantly complying with this order, the massive angel floated away from the group of mages towards their enemies as it brought forth a mace and a small round shield.
(Mind if I take this one?) Henry asked the others as they watched it float towards them.
(Be our guest) Momonga and Fengxian replied as one.
"Show them the true meaning of power, darling!" Albedo almost cooed, causing Henry to blush beneath his helmet as he stepped forward to face down the Principality Observation.
"In YGGDRASIL, Principality Observation was a 4th Tier summon," Henry recalled as the angel drew closer, hammer raised and poised to strike down upon him. "If you were a new player and faced with one of these, you were pretty much fucked. But at level 100, they were a pushover. If Ki was right and these summons are at the same strength as they were in the game, this should barely be any trouble at all." As soon as the Angel was in striking range, it brought the hammer down upon the armoured figure with a powerful overhead swing that would have crushed a human opponent. Unfortunately for it and the Sunlight Scripture, Henry was no mere human and easily stopped it with a single hand. "Oh yeah, just as I thought…if these are the strongest enemies we're going to have to face, then nothing in this world will be our match!"
"What are you doing, Principality Observation?! KILL HIM! KILL HIM NOW!" Nigun screamed furiously, still disbelieving what he was witnessing.
"Time to take out the trash…" "Fire Dragon's Purgatory!" He bellowed, releasing a massive amount of flames that enveloped his entire body. And since his hand was still wrapped around the Principality's mace, the angel was also enveloped in these white-hot flames that preceded to burn it to a crisp in the blink of an eye, reducing it to nothing more than a pile of dust and ashes at Henry's feet. "Damn…so weak that it burnt out far too easily. Probably wouldn't have been that good of a snack anyway," he commented as the flames died down.
The silence that followed lasted only a second or two before the majority of the Sunlight Scripture screamed in despair. This was not meant to happen! The Principality Observation was supposed to have crushed this foolish upstart, and yet instead had been reduced to ashes in an instant! Just what sort of monsters were these people that could dispose of these fearsome angels so easily?!
"That was sooooo hot, my love!" Albedo purred as Henry rejoined them. Whether she said those words literally or figuratively, Henry would never know as Nigun's frenzied screams interrupted any reply he'd been about to make.
"No! No! NOOOOOO! This can't be happening! Our angels are all-powerful yet are being disposed of like common soldiers! How are these infidels so strong?!" Nigun thought to himself in a bout of panic. "I never thought I'd have to resort to our strongest summon to deal with them, but it looks like it'll be the only angel that can put them down!" "Soldiers of the Sunlight Scripture, fulfil your duty and rain your magic down on these upstarts! I need time to summon the most powerful angel who will surely deliver us our victory!"
"Yes, Sir Nigun!" Upon hearing their leader's words, the despair that had begun to envelop their hearts was lifted and replaced with hope. Surely the most powerful weapon in their arsenal would be more than enough to slaughter these heathens! Feeling renewed, they proceeded to release a torrent of low to mid-tier level spells in the direction of their foes.
"Fireball!" "Frost!" "Lightning Bolt!" "Holy Ray!" "Poison!" "Torrent!" "Shockwave!" A mixture of spells of all the different elements coalesced upon the three Supreme Beings and Albedo.
(Most sensible move they've done so far…best play it safe and put up our barrier spells) Momonga told them as the spells got closer.
(As you wish, Father) (Understood, my lord!) came their replies as they all proceeded to put up their respective defensive barriers: Greater Magic Shield for Momonga, Dark Cocoon for Fengxian that he extended over Henry as well and Aegis for Albedo. These high-level magical barriers succeeded in blocking the barrage of spells that the Sunlight Scripture sent at them, but this didn't seem to faze the mages at all as Nigun suddenly let out a joyous roar of laughter.
"Finally! Behold, faithful of the Sunlight Scripture, as the most powerful angel in our arsenal blesses us with its divine presence!" He cried out joyously as the crystal in his hand activated in a blinding flash of light. "Enemies of the Sunlight Scripture, I have deemed you adversaries worthy of facing this most divine of beings! Though it is a shame that men of your might and power must be disposed of in this manner, you sealed your fate the moment you made an enemy of the Six Great Gods! Behold, DOMINION AUTHORITY!" The light from the crystal faded, revealing the form of a gigantic blue-and-white angel with eight wings and a golden magical pattern surrounding its head like a halo, clutching a golden, three-pronged trident.
As the men of the Sunlight Scripture cheered at the sight of their supposed salvation, the three former YGGDRASIL players reacted by simultaneously slapping one of their hands against their helms/masks. And judging by the lowering of the tenseness in her shoulders, Albedo also felt let down by what had been touted as an 'all-powerful' angel but was instead merely a 7th-tier summon.
(A 7th-tier angel summon….really? That's their ultimate weapon?) Henry groaned.
(If I was merely let down by their earlier summons, this would amount to being a massive buzz-kill) Fengxian sighed
"Wait…you're telling me that this…is your strongest trump card?" Momonga asked out loud, not even trying to hide his disappointment. When he'd heard the words 'most powerful angel', he'd expected a 9th or 10th-tier summon at least. For it to instead be something much weaker…if Momonga's body could still feel emotions he'd be feeling a wave of embarrassment right now.
Nigun took their silence and following reactions as shows of fear. "That's right, foolish sinners! Tremble before its divine might and beg for mercy as it sends you to hell! Dominion Authority! Grace them with a show of your divine strength and bring an end to their foolish resistance!" Just as the other angels had done, Dominion Authority floated forward, raising its massive trident high in the air.
"I…am at a complete loss for words…" Momonga sighed. He had gotten thoroughly sick of this slime's boastful ranting and was tempted to simply end this foolishness right now.
"This isn't even worth our time, Father….just put an end to it quickly…" Henry requested.
"For all that pomp and bluster behind it, I expected better…so embarrassing…" Fengxian added. Albedo didn't say anything, but judging by her posture she shared these sentiments.
"E-embarrassing?! Not worth your time?!" Nigun's ears couldn't believe what he was hearing…such a majestic sight would put all but a select few people in this world in a state of absolute fear of their imminent death…and these heathens were disappointed with it?!
"Very well…" Momonga strode forward towards the advancing angel and, as it got within range, simply extended a finger towards it. "Black Hole!" From Momonga's finger spawned a sphere of total blackness that rapidly expanded around the angel and proceeded to swallow it whole in the blink of an eye. As the spell faded, they were once again met with a second or two of total silence that was broken by every member of the Sunlight Scripture screaming in unabated terror.
"I-impossible! Dominion Authority is the most powerful of angels! No mere mortal could defeat it!" Whatever composure Nigun had left was now completely gone as he too was reduced to a quivering wreck, beads of sweat pouring down his face as he realised nothing could save him and his men now. "Y-you're demons! The whole lot of you! Only demons and devils could possibly defeat the being that saved humanity from the Eight Greed Kings!"
"Eight Greed Kings, hm? Sounds like some important figures in not only their history but the history of this world too…whoever they were, knowledge about them and the rest of this Theocracy's twisted theology could prove crucial since we'll no doubt be confronting them again in the future. We ought to take a prisoner for interrogation before we leave…" "Demons…is that what you think of us?" Momonga chuckled as he reached up and removed his mask, allowing his aura to flare out. "Not quite, but you'll find our true identities are just as awful. Behold the faces of Ainz Ooal Gown and despair!" Henry and Fengxian did the same as they too removed their helms, allowing the terrified fools of the Sunlight Scripture to behold their doom.
"U-undead…D-dragon…N-N-nephilim…" Nigun could only croak as his men all fell to their knees, screaming their heads off as their minds and hearts were consumed by terror and dread at the sight before them. Before he could even begin to comprehend what he was witnessing, the undead pointed a finger towards the sky, causing the two alongside him along with the still-helmeted figure behind him to look up in that direction. A couple of seconds later, the area in the sky he was pointing at cracked, causing a shattering noise to echo across the pain before the crack vanished once more. "W-what did you just do?!"
"Oh…that wasn't our doing…it would seem your friends in the Theocracy were observing you with Intelligence Magic," the undead commented as though he was commenting on the weather. "Thankfully my Anti-Intelligence Magic Wall was more than sufficient to disrupt its effect, but not before we gave the one who cast it a good look at their fate should they dare to get in our way in the future."
~TNT~
Letting out a deafening scream of terror as her Observation spell was so emphatically detected and shattered, Jemima Arneberg, otherwise known as the 'Thousand Leagues Astrologer' and who held the title of 7th Seat of the Black Scripture, proceeded to empty the contents of her stomach all over the forest floor where she and the rest of the Scripture were currently camped.
"What the hell, pipsqueak?!" growled the 8th Seat, 'Myriad Barriers' Cedran in a gruff voice as he pinched his nose. "Ugh, now this whole area's going to stink because of you!"
"If you're going to have another one of your tantrums, do it somewhere else where you won't be a nuisance," the 2nd Seat, 'Time Turbulence' Dion Brannovich sniffed dismissively as the 11th Seat, 'Infinite Magic' Morgana Lafayette, vanished the pool of sick with a casual wave of her hand.
With another squeak of terror, Jemima ran out of the camp and collapsed at the base of a nearby tree before proceeding to curl up into a shivering ball of fear. Never before had she borne witness to such powerful and terrifying flares of magic, not even from the renowned magus of the Baharuth Empire, Fluder Paradyne. Even just the merest glimpse of what these strange beings were capable of had shaken her to her very core, causing her to start praying over and over again to the Six that she would never have to be face-to-face with even one of them.
~TNT~
"M-my country was watching me? How is that…?" Realisation wormed its way through the panic enveloping his mind. "The Black Scripture! No one else is capable of such surveillance…but why would they be watching me? Surely the Cardinals had every confidence in my abilities to succeed here!"
"It looks as though your friends couldn't trust you to get the job done and so had to watch your every move," Fengxian chuckled darkly. "And now they've just gotten a first-hand look at the terror that will one day come upon them, they'll no doubt be shitting their pants and praying feverishly to their Gods that the devil doesn't come calling."
"If those angels were the last spark of resistance you had, then we're done here. It's time to end your futile resistance," Momonga told Nigun menacingly.
"N-n-no wait, don't kill me, I beg of you!" Nigun shouted, abandoning all logic and reason of thought in a desperate plea for his life. "I am a man of high station, imagine what use I could be for you! These men's lives matter not…take them if you wish! Just spare me, my lords, and I will repay you in whatever manner you wish!" The men of the Sunlight Scripture gasped in horror at their leader's words as they struggled to fathom why their leader would sell them out in such a manner.
"I think you're confused, pitiful mortal," Albedo replied. "My beloved and my lords have no need for snivelling lower life forms such as yourself. All you should do is get on your hands and knees and thank them for granting you the privilege of having your lives ended at their glorious hands."
"I couldn't have said it better, my dear," Henry added, allowing more of his draconic nature to show as his teeth turned into fangs, flashing them in a wild grin that caused several of the mages to piss themselves in fear. "And that goes double your 'great' Leaders who show such blatant disregard for the lives of their soldiers and innocent people in an attempt to save their own. In your final moments, beg your Gods to welcome you into their 'divine' embrace, and weep as instead you are cast into the pits of hell where you belong!"
"Fengxian. Albedo. Dispose of them, but make sure to keep one or two alive. They have appointments to keep in our prison cells," Momonga ordered.
"With pleasure, my lord!" Both replied as they strolled forward, weapons twirling in their hands. With Fengxian's terrifying aura now fully on display, the men of the Sunlight Scripture could do nothing but cower on their knees as their death came for them, and the slaughter that followed was so gruesome and bloody that it could not be adequately put into words. And for those unfortunate souls who lived past it, the sight of their men being sliced up and skewered would haunt their nightmares for the rest of their days.
~TNT~
"Lord Ainz! Lord Constantine! It's good to see you back!" Gazef exclaimed as both Momonga and Henry, having replaced their mask and helm and turned off their racial traits, approached the outskirts of the village. The rest of the villagers standing behind Gazef, including the Elder, were cheering wildly and offering loud thanks for what they'd done.
"It's good to see you on your feet again, Sir Gazef," Henry replied warmly. "How are your wounds?"
"Not the worst beating I've ever taken, that's for sure, but I still reckon I'll take it easy for a few days once I get back to the Kingdom," Gazef waved dismissively before frowning. "Where are Lord Fen and Lady Albedo?"
"They are currently scouting the immediate surroundings just in case the enemy left any more surprises for us," Momonga lied easily. Truthfully the pair were gathering up the enemy corpses and having them, along with the prisoners they'd taken alive, transported back to Nazarick via Demiurge's Gate spell.
"Forgive me indulgence but what the hell happened out there? I was unconscious for most of it," Gazef further pressed.
"We made sure they paid the ultimate price for their crimes. The Sunlight Scripture will never bother these lands again," Henry answered, causing further cheers to erupt from the crowd of villagers.
"Most of the world will breathe a sigh of relief once they know those scum are no longer rampaging about as they please," Gazef said gratefully before lowering himself into a formal bow. "On behalf of these people and myself, thank you for everything you've done today. We are in your debt."
"There's no need for that. We gave our word that we'd protect this village and that's precisely what we did," Momonga tried to wave off, but Gazef wasn't having it.
"You saved not only my life but the lives of several of my men and the entire populace here. That makes you more than deserving of such praise," he insisted. "Please, if there is anything you wish of me or these people, you have but to name it and we'll do our best to uphold it in recognition of the noble acts you performed this day."
"Well since you are insisting upon it…" Momonga shared a quick look with Henry who nodded shortly. "There are one or two things we'd like from you if you are willing to share them…" The discussions that then followed over the space of the next hour or two saw Momonga and Henry have their hands full of maps, documents and many other pieces of information that Gazef and the village elder had been willing to share regarding the wider world. In fact, the amount they gathered got so much that they had to bundle a lot of what they had into several smaller packs so that they'd be able to carry them all!
After bidding their new 'friends' farewell, and thanking them once again for their aid, Gazef and his men departed the village on horseback in the direction of E-Rantel. Once they'd seen them off, and after pledging once again to safeguard the village from any future threats, Henry and Momonga also left the village and, after collecting Fengxian and Albedo once they'd completed their grisly task, transported back to Nazarick.
~TNT~
Several hours later, once they'd safely deposited the mounds of information they'd acquired from Carne Village and checked on the prisoners who were now safely confined in the Frozen Prison on the Fifth Floor, Momonga gathered the rest of the Guardians as well as the Pleiades, along with Fengxian and Henry, in the Throne Room to update them on what had just transpired.
"Before we begin, I would like to apologise on behalf of myself and the other Supreme Beings for acting so rashly and departing the Tomb without consulting you all," Momonga began from the Throne he was currently perched upon, Henry and Fengxian standing once more at his side. "There will be time to fill you in later on all that took place during our excursion, but I want to reassure you all what we did was necessary and we have been able to benefit from it."
"What Lord Momonga means is that due to the actions we took and the resulting consequence from such acts, we were able to acquire information that will allow us to learn more about the outside world, " Fengxian informed the kneeling Guardians, causing them to raise their heads and look at each other with excitement and expectation.
"Once we have deciphered this information, we will commence formulating plans to explore and further our knowledge of this world and use it to safeguard the legacy that we and your creators so painstakingly established over the years," Henry told them. "And once these plans have been made, we shall consult with and inform you all of the parts you will all play in securing the future of our Great Tomb."
"We live to serve at your pleasure, my lords," Albedo spoke on their behalf. "You need only command us and we will give our all to see your divine will be done."
"We live to obey!" The rest of the Guardians and Pleaides cried as one, causing Momonga to chuckle in delight.
"Thank you, my loyal servants! I am sure you will all prove more than worthy of this charge!" He exclaimed. "Before we begin, I have one more announcement I wish to make." He glanced at both Fengxian and Henry who once again nodded in agreement. They were both aware of what he was about to say and had both agreed to it. In their minds, it was more than fitting. Having received their final approval, Momonga lifted a finger and wordlessly cast a spell that caused the banner carrying his personal emblem to vanish in the blink of an eye, much to the Guardians'' horror. But before they make any objections, Momonga spoke up again. "I have decided to change the name that I go by in this world. From this day forward, I will carry on the legacy of those who are no longer with us by taking the name AINZ OOAL GOWN!" At these words, he got to his feet and tapped the Staff loudly on the floor as he looked down upon his servants. "Should anyone have any objections to this change, state them now!"
The room was filled with silence for a few seconds as everyone digested this news before Albedo spoke again: "We have heard your precious name, my lord, and devote ourselves to it…with unwavering loyalty!" She proclaimed reverently as she and the others lifted their heads once more to gaze upon their Overlord's glorious majesty.
"We give ourselves to the Supreme Beings! Utterly and without hesitation!" Shalltear spoke up.
"To the most powerful of all the Supreme Beings, we swear our eternal service!" Aura and Mare added together.
"Everyone in this world will hear of your greatness and tremble before your divine wrath!" Demiurge proclaimed proudly.
"Our. King! Our. Crown. Prince! And. Our. Grand. Marshal! You. Who. Will. Rule. Over. All. Forever!" Cocytus shouted.
"Glory to the Overlord, the Supreme Ruler of Death!" Albedo declared the last of all. "Glory to my Beloved Crown Prince, the Dragon Emperor and Heir of the Great Tomb! And Glory to the Grand Marshal, the Mightiest Warrior in All the Land!
With a nod at one another, Henry and Fengxian also stepped down and got to their knees before their newly christened leader. "The pledges we made at the declaration of fealty, we reaffirm once more as we give praise and glorify your new glorious name!" They spoke as one.
"Glory to my Father, the Supreme Overlord of the Great Tomb of Nazarick! Glory to the name of Ainz Ooal Gown!" Henry declared.
"GLORY TO THE NAME OF AINZ OOAL GOWN! ALL HAIL!" Fengxian and the others repeated at the top of their lungs
"This is an absolute order!" Ainz declared, emboldened by the renewed pledges of all of his friends and servants. "Make the name of Ainz Ooal Gown an eternal legend! Throughout the land, along the sky and across the sea, we will spread the name of Ainz Ooal Gown far and wide until it is known throughout all the lands!"
This declaration was met with a fresh wave of cheers from all those assembled. This day would forever go down in history as the official founding of what would one day become the Sorcerer Empire, the legend of which would never be forgotten throughout all the ages of this world.
(daniel: Well! This was awesome! Momonga has taken his new name and the New World has caught but a glimpse of the supreme might of Nazarick… just you all wait until their full glory and might will be on display for all the world to see!)
Couldn't have put it better myself! I hope you all enjoyed this latest offering and the first showing of our characters' powers. And yes, those were techniques from The Seven Deadly Sins (Ominous Nebula) and Fairy Tail (Fire Dragon's Purgatory) respectively, just to further emphasise that all three of our protagonists are well versed in the weeb culture!
I just also want to take time to acknowledge several fanfictions I've been reading and referencing from to help me write several parts of not only this but all of the chapters that have come before. These are all Overlord stories available on this site and I encourage you to go and give them a read since they are all really good:
'Tiamat: The Goddess of Dragons' by imaweeaboo
'The Supreme Beings of Life and Death' by Ashkar
'Overlord: Reaper of Souls' by The Eternal Winter
'The Antichrist Cometh' by GoodguysRoverated (the story I've referred to the most and my favourite Overlord story on ff)
'Tri'ade Twilight Lord of Nazarick' by Magnus56
'Supreme Beings of Nazarick' by Wacko12
'Heaven or Hell' by Scarabeye3000
As for the next chapter, it will be slightly different from what we've done so far. It'll be a sort of interlude/additional scenes chapter where we'll work in several of the original scenes daniel and I have written alongside the strategy meeting that Ainz, Henry and Fengxian will have in order to decide on their next courses of action. I can't promise when it will come as I have a slightly busier week than usual coming up, but as always, I will do my best to start writing it after taking a day or two off from writing.
All that's left to say is, on behalf of myself and my co-author daniel, thank you all so much for reading and for all the love that's been shown to this story so far, and we'll see you all again in the next chapter of the Nazarick Triumvirate!