The Nazarick Triumvirate (collab with daniel santiago 4545)

by theoneandonlyedster

The Undead Overlord. The Dragon Emperor. The Nephilim Champion. Momonga is joined in the New World by two of his guildmates who stayed with him 'til the end, and together they will take the New World by storm as the Nazarick Triumvirate! Collab story. Follows canon plot with some alterations. OCxHarem. Rated M for mature language and mild sex scenes. Now with a TV Tropes page!

10. Behold Our Power!

Before we get into this chapter, allow me to apologise for the 2 weeks between the previous chapter and this one. Once again I had several days where I had zero motivation to write, but in the days I felt up to it I really powered on because this chapter is one I've been looking forward to for a while. And by good fortune/accidental circumstance, you all decide which, chapter 10 is being released on the 10th day of the month! Seems only fitting for such a key chapter!

Aside from that, I'm going to allow my co-author to introduce this chapter to you, since not only has he been looking forward to it as much as I have, this is quite the monumental chapter for his OC Henry and as such it is only right he gets to set the stage. So take it away my friend! :

daniel: HEY EVERYONE! Daniel here! I cannot tell you how much I've been waiting for this chapter! Not only do some arrogant New Worlders get a glimpse of the true might of Nazarick, but Henry gets to show a glimpse of his true nature! It's been a pleasure bringing you this!

With that all said, let's waste no more words and get right into this. 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 10 – Behold Our Power!

"Take a good long look at all of these, especially you there Mr Tall and Handsome in the bright armour! Just like those weaklings you called your companions, I made sure to make short work of every last one of them! But for you?" She fluttered her eyebrows suggestively and did her best attempt at faking a cute grin. "I might take my time and enjoy every…single…second…of it…"

"I'M GOING TO KILL THIS FUCKING BITCH!" All four of them internally yelled at the same time.

~TNT~

If the four adventurers had known the exact same thought regarding Clementine had run through their minds at the same time, it might have provoked a round of laughter either on the spot or when they returned to Nazarick. But right now, it was taking all of their composure and control not to break character and rend this smug bitch into pieces on the spot, each having their own reasons for wanting to do so.

For Momon, it was the fact that this woman had set back his schemes regarding Nfirea a great deal just for the sake of a few thrills as well as the potential opportunity to test out her skills. An assassin of her calibre may very well possess Martial Arts like Gazef and it was vital for them to know the full extent of these abilities.

For Alfred, it was because this…excuse for a human being had so casually dismissed the Swords of Darkness as weaklings and was so openly braggadocious about taking lives so easily. It wasn't that he was completely opposed to the idea of taking life, far from it. He had come to accept when this had all started that those who stood in the way of Nazarick would die if they didn't surrender and was willing to take whatever lives he had to in order to fulfil his father's ambitions and goals. But at least those deaths would have a purpose in the grand scheme of things, whereas this woman killed and revelled in it just for the sake of shits and giggles. Also, he'd come to care about all of the Swords (with the possible exception of Lukrut) and would have enjoyed getting to know them further had this bitch not massacred them in cold blood.

And for Nabe and Eleanor, the reasoning was simple. Not only had this slime and her accomplice screwed up their beloved and father's plans, but she'd had the GALL to so openly and brazenly flirt with THEIR Crown Prince within their hearing range?! They were the only ones, along with Solution and Lupusregina, that were worthy of their beloved's love and affection, and this lowly excuse for a woman would pay dearly for having the temerity to even LOOK upon their beloved! She was a disgusting human after all, unworthy of his mere attention!

"Alfred, Eleanor, Nabe…" The three turned upon hearing Momon speak to them, his voice quivering with silent rage. "I want you to deal with Khajiit and his followers for me. I'll take care of this woman myself. Is that clear?"

All three of them wanted to argue since they each had their own claim of ending the assassin's life, but reconsidered upon hearing Momon's tone. This was no longer the jovial and gallant Momon they were standing alongside. The undercurrents of rage and disdain coming from his helmet…that was the voice of their father and master, Ainz Ooal Gown, to whom they'd all pledged their lives and service. Whatever reasons they had, it paled in comparison to the wishes of the one they served.

"As you wish, Sir Momon," Nabe and Eleanor echoed with a small incline of their heads.

"It will be our pleasure, my friend," Alfred added, cracking his knuckles in anticipation. (Be careful, Suzi) He told his friend privately. (Even though I know you'll outclass her, she was good enough to take down the Swords and other adventurers without suffering a scratch. No doubt she'll have a few tricks up her sleeve)

(I'm counting on it, Ise. I'm going to allow her to test her skills, and then crush her like the insignificant bug she is) His friend almost growled back as he strode forward. (Have fun with the rest, and make sure not to give anything away until I command it) "Keep your eyes on the sky, all three of you," Momon added before beginning to walk away. "Clementine! Let's you and I finish our business over here if you don't mind."

"Okay!" The assassin replied, shrugging with a mix of curiosity and enthusiasm before skipping in the direction Momon was heading in. "I was hoping to play with Mr Handsome over there for a bit, but I suppose I can take of him once I'm done with you, Mr Tall, Dark and Broody!" She placed her hands behind her head and hummed a little tune to herself as she and Momon vanished from view, leaving the other three face-to-face with Khajiit and his cultists.

"How do you want to deal with them, Sir Alfred? Shall I gut them one by one and make them scream, or do you wish for the pleasure of ending their pathetic lives yourselves," Eleanor growled, gripping her spear in anticipation.

"Neither. They are unworthy of our attention. Let's wrap this up quickly so we can go and aid Sir Momon," Alfred said in an unusually cold voice before turning to Nabe. "Fry the bastards. Leave none standing."

"As you wish, Sir Alfred," Nabe nodded before stepping forward, prompting Khajiit and his fellows to chuckle at her brazenness.

"This girl is harmless. Do you really believe you can take us all at once? Such foolishness." The elderly man said.

That proved to be the wrong thing to say as Nabe's eyes narrowed dangerously and her hands started to glow brightly with magical energy. "Twin Maximise Magic! Electrosphere!" At these words, two massive balls of lightning exploded into life on each of her palms, and as she brought her hands together in front of her face, they combined into one massive sphere that she fired at the group of cultists.

"What is-?" These were the only words Khajiit could muster before the lightning enveloped them, resulting in loud screams of pain that were music to the ears of the three adventurers. However, their joy was somewhat short-lived when the smoke cleared from Nabe's attack, revealing the charred and smoking bodies of all of their adversaries…except one. Not only was Khajiit still standing, but he seemed to have been unaffected by Nabe's attack.

"Well well well…I must say that was impressive," the necromancer said, smirking darkly.

"Damnit…guess it was too much to hope for that they would all just roll over and die…" Alfred grimaced as he unhooked his sword and shield. "Still, unless he has any more surprises up his sleeve, this guy doesn't stand a chance against the three of us."

Nabe was thinking along the same lines as her beloved if her next words were anything to go by. "How annoying," she sighed, closing her eyes and pinching her nose in exasperation. "You should've rolled over and died like a good little rodent instead of wasting our time with this pathetic display of resistance. Do you really think an insignificant worm such as yourself can stand up to the three of us?"

"We will make you pay for the crimes you have inflicted upon our friends, the soldiers back at the garrison and the innocents of E-Rantel with your foul ritual," Alfred added for good measure as Eleanor pointed her spear between Khajiit's eyes. "Hope everything's going well on Suzi's end…" He thought to himself as he and his girls faced down their opponent.

~TNT~

"I guess those men I killed back in E-Rantel were friends of yours, hm?" Clementine almost simpered as she took a break from her humming. "Did you come here in some foolish hope of avenging them or some other stupidly noble reason?" She let out a childish giggle, her hand covering her mouth as she continued to try her best to needle the silent warrior. "Oh, did you notice the magic caster among them was actually a girl? She tried her best to run in some foolish notion of calling for help, so I got bored of waiting around and stuck a knife through her neck just like those idiotic friends of hers!"

"Will you just SHUT UP ALREADY?!" Momon screamed internally. It was taking all of his calm and control to not lash out or shout at her. If he did, he'd lose focus and play right into her hands as he was positive that was what she was aiming for. "Maybe I should take a page out of Ki's book and start meditating when I get back to Nazarick…it would help me a great deal when dealing with the prattle of idiots like her…" "Truthfully, I hadn't known those adventurers very long," he replied in a calm and collected voice, knowing this would have the opposite effect and get HER rattled instead.

"Oh is that right? Shame…I was looking forward to all the whining and posturing you would put up about me having no right to kill them and all that crap…" She almost moaned. "Just as I expected…she's slowly getting rattled by my not behaving like she wanted… "Please tell me you aren't going to have one of those boring deaths…I can't get in the mood if you aren't angry…"

"This isn't vengeance…they were in the way of your target after all," Momon replied smoothly as he stopped suddenly and turned his head to look at her. "This should be far enough…" "If I had been in your position and circumstances, I may have done the same thing…only I would have been smarter and made sure to cover up the evidence of my crime. Therefore it is hypocritical of me to condemn you."

"Eh?" This was not the line of conversation the assassin had been expecting.

"That being said…" Momon turned around fully to face her, his hands back on the hilts of his swords. "Your clumsy work and interference has robbed me of valuable assets…" He didn't even try to hide the mounting disdain in his tone. "They were a vital part of my plans, and by killing them you have set me back a great deal. In other words…" He drew his blades now and pointed one of them between her eyes. "You're in my way, and now you need to be dealt with…so I hope you've made peace with whatever gods you believe in, because trust me…you're about to meet them."

"Oh ho ho, how fabulous, but trust me there's no way you could ever hope to defeat me by yourself," she replied, a manic grin on her face as she drew her smaller blades. "It's a shame you left your comrades behind to deal with Khajiit…any one of them could have improved your odds slightly. Oh well…he'll get to kill them leaving me to put you down…no fun for me…"

"Oh trust me, I can take you down just as easily as any one of my three companions could," Momon countered darkly, a hint of menace in his tone. "Hopefully you'll give me a good show before you do. A showcase of your skills will help me understand just how powerful Martial Arts users can be…"

"Hilarious, thinking you can beat me…" She drawled as she crouched into a combat stance. "I know the names of all those who are either on my level or that I know can defeat me in this kingdom. Lakyus and Gagaran of Blue Rose…Luisenberg of Red Drop…Gazef Stronoff…that retired old guy from Re-Estize with the really long name…and maaaaaaybe Brain Unglaus as well. And you aren't one of them, so to think you can best me either smacks of arrogance or desperation on your part."

"I'll have to keep an eye and ear out for those people, though it doesn't surprise me about Gazef. He wasn't kidding about being the strongest in the Kingdom if an assassin acknowledges his strength…" "Thanks for the information, I'll be sure to use that wisely when I'm done with you. Consider it a sympathetic parting gift for your aid in furthering my future plans."

"Huh?! Do you really not possess a brain behind that empty helmet of yours if you think you can get away with talking to me like that!" Her tone and expression, once full of teasing and false sweetness, had now completely given way to one of frustration and anger as she practically spat her retort. "The inhuman Lady Clementine doesn't lose brawls to nobodies like you. You're about to learn why people fear me!"

"Hah! I see nothing to be scared off!" Momon barked with amusement as he bared both of his blades to the side as he prepared himself for the fight to come. "You're a joke! Now shut that filthy mouth of yours and FIGHT ME!"

~TNT~

"You might be a skilled magic caster, little lady, but that won't save you or your friends," Khajiit proclaimed, too calmly for Alfred's liking, as he faced down the three adventurers.

"You ought to watch your mouth, human tick, or it will get you into worse trouble than the one you're already in," Nabe retorted calmly, unfazed by his confidence.

"Something's not right…he saw Nabe take down his friends effortlessly, and he can clearly see how outmatched he is, yet he doesn't seem perturbed in the slightest…" Alfred thought to himself. "He's got something up his sleeve for sure…" (Nabe, Eleanor, be careful…he might look old and decrepit, but he's hiding something. Keep your guard up for any surprises)

(As you wish, my beloved) Nabe replied

(Of course, my love, though I doubt this feeble human truly stands any chance against our full power…) Eleanor was cut off as she watched Khajiit lift the purple orb he'd managed to clutch onto throughout all this. (Ah, I see…you realised the orb might be the key to his strength and forewarned us just in case. Your care and foresight truly are remarkable, my darling)

"Sure…let's go with that…" Alfred remarked dryly, even as his heart fluttered at her praise. "I don't think I'll ever get used to the way they create any reasons to venerate us like that…"

"I'll call you whatever I like, foolish girl. Your and your companions have walked right into your doom and you don't even realise it!" Khajiit snapped. "You three are standing in the realm of the dead…my territory…and soon you will join the ranks of my undead army!" He flung the orb high into the sky as he spoke. "Such is the fate of all those who stand between me and immortality!"

"Just like the rest of those stereotypical villains, wanting to be immortal and live forever…" Alfred almost sighed openly. "Buddy, if you only knew what a realm of the dead really looked like, you'd understand how insignificant what you've done here is…" "That's it? Immortality? That's what you're after? Why does it always have to be immortality or world domination for its own sake with you bad guys?" The silver-armoured knight snarked. Whilst he and his comrades were going down the same path, theirs will be for a much grander purpose. "Honestly, why couldn't you go after some other goal that may actually benefit you, like attaining wealth, fame or women, even if I doubt any woman would want to end up with a bony walking corpse like yourself?"

"Impertinent fool! How dare you try to comprehend the magnitudes of my plan?! You'll pay for your insolence!" The orb in Khajiit's hand glowed fiercely, putting all three of the adventurers on edge as they waited with anticipation for what would happen next. But for the following few seconds, nothing happened or appeared at all.

"What was that all about? Was he bluffing? Or does that orb of his take time to-" Whatever he was about to say was cut off as his draconic senses picked up the sounds of flapping wings coming from behind him and the girls. "Hang on…what's that sound? It almost sounds like…" As the wings came closer, he suddenly recalled Momon's words about keeping a close eye on the sky and realised with a sudden start what was about to happen. "NABE! ELEANOR! BEHIND US!" He roared as he spun around, and what he saw approaching them not only confirmed his suspicions but simultaneously awed and angered him.

The girls didn't hesitate as they spun around and took avoiding or preventative action from the claw that was suddenly swiping towards them. Nabe leapt effortlessly to the side, but even her faster-than-normal reactions looked as though they wouldn't be enough to avoid what was coming. Thankfully Eleanor was just as on the ball as she thrust up her spear and took the brunt of the blow, pushing her back a few feet but leaving her relatively unharmed as the sources of this attack glided almost lazily down to the ground in front of them before letting out identical massive roars directly in their faces.

"You've got to be shitting me…fucking undead dragons?!" Alfred found himself roaring internally. The massive twin figures standing before them stood three metres tall and were comprised of countless human bones with a massive rib cage where their chests should have been. They also possessed four glowing red eye sockets, a massive jaw lined with sharp teeth that each looked long enough to pierce through any armour and bat-like wings that flapped causally on either side of its undead body. "Normally I'd be awed by such beasts but seeing them like this…" Both the human and dragon sides of his personality were struggling to hold back the rage and offence from seeing such glorious beasts, even if they were undead, being bound to such a pitiful excuse of a wannabe stock villain, they were his subjects! "This…is a disgrace and affront of the highest order, and as the Dragon Emperor…I cannot let this stand! These Dragons will be MY subjects!" (SUZI! Bad news! We've got a pair of undead dragons here!) He bellowed via the Message spell.

(What the-? Can it wait, Ise? I'm a little busy right now!) He heard his friend shout. (Just distract them or hold them off for now…surely you and the girls are capable of doing that?!)

(Hold it…? Suzi, have you forgotten I'm the damn Dragon Emperor?!) Alfred replied incredulously and somewhat angrily (Looking at them bound to that old man is an offence, and I cannot let this slide! Just let us fucking loose already so we can end this farce and I can reclaim their servitude for myself and Nazarick!)

(Not yet! I haven't yet finished discovering all of this damn assassin's skills!) Momon answered. (Just try your best to control yourself until I'm done and then you and the others can go all out and show that geezer who the true master of Dragons is…got it?!)

(DAMN YOU SUZI!) Alfred almost roared like the dragons he was facing down as his frustrations peaked. (FUCKING…FINE, BUT YOU BETTER HURRY UP!) With a huge effort, he did his best to clamp down on his rising anger at what he was seeing as he and the girls all stood up against the undead monstrosities towering above them.

"Ahahahahaha!" Khajiit laughed uproariously. "These skeletal dragons are completely immune to magic! There's not a caster alive who can hope to stand against them! Not only that, but their bones are resistant against even the toughest blades so your feeble weapons won't be able to lay a scratch on them! Your deaths are a certainty!"

"Just you fucking wait, you old bastard! I will rip those dragons from your control before burning you alive in hellfire for your offence against my kind!" Alfred seethed. (Nabe, Eleanor, we have our orders from our lord. We merely need to hold them off until he is ready, and then we will show this fool the true power of Nazarick and the Dragon Emperor! For now, allow me to distract them whilst you both flank and harass one each)

(Understood, my Crown Prince) They both replied as Nabe unsheathed her sword and Eleanor twirled her spear in readiness.

"Don't keep me waiting too long, Suzi…" "Alright you fuckers! You want a piece of me?!" He challenged, drawing both of the necromantic beasts' attentions. With another pair of simultaneous roars, the dragons charged at Alfred from opposing angles before raising individual claws to batter him aside. Since his shield was on his left hand, Alfred chose to leap away from the attack coming from his right whilst using his shield to block the attack from the left, causing the dragons to bellow in anger and frustration whilst allowing Eleanor and Nabe to dash around and attack their flanks. With a running leap, Nabe smashed her blade into the leftmost dragon's jaw causing several bones to dislodge whilst Eleanor jabbed the point of her spear in one of the other dragon's eye sockets. This pair of attacks changed the dragons' roars from ones of frustration to pain as they hit home.

"What? But how? Your weapons should have had no effect on them!" Khajiit exclaimed, his voice cracking for the first time. "What the hell are you people? ANSWER ME!" He took several deep breaths to compose himself before speaking again. "Mithril rank? No…in order to pull that off, you'd have to be orichalcum at least!"

"Wow…you truly are an insect if love taps like that make you quiver in fear. It's sad really…" Nabe answered calmly.

"And that was only a taster of what we are capable of. If you were wise, you would surrender and accept your death meekly like the craven dog you are," Eleanor added darkly without any trace of her usual timidness.

"Consider us disappointed. We were expecting so much better from your oh-so-powerful dragons, and yet here you are crowing over one measly attack from two copper-ranked adventurers," Alfred sneered as he continued to hold back the towering inferno of rage that was building in the depths of his soul. These imitations were laughable…a true dragon would have shrugged off strikes like those as mere annoyances, and yet here were these pitiful carbon copies and their creator whining and moaning after one measly attack. He was longing to set his shackles free, to let loose the true power of the master of Dragons and claim them as his own…but not yet. Not until his father commanded it. Until then, he and the rest would have to play the part and make sure not to kill them too easily.

"You…ingrates! HOW DARE YOU! I won't allow you to stop me!" Khajiit bellowed, all traces of his former composure scattering to the wind as he lifted the orb in his hand once again. "My creations! Show them the folly of their futile resistance!" As he spoke, multiple bolts of purple lightning shot forth from the orb and surrounded the areas Nabe and Eleanor had struck, mending the dragons' facial structure and leaving no trace of the wounds the girls had inflicted.

"Using necromantic magic to heal their wounds…dirty trick, but useful. This could be a tad more problematic than I was expecting…" Alfred reckoned grimly. Both Nabe and Eleanor were slightly shocked by this turn of events but were quick to regain their composure as the dragons let out roars of renewed vigour.

But unluckily for them, Khajiit wasn't quite done with his spell-casting as he raised his staff, the tip of which glowed yellow as he extended it towards the pair of dragons. "Reinforce Armour!" He chanted. "Spell of Lesser Strength!" The light turned green as the pair of spells suffused the dragons' bodies completely. "Shield Wall!" Now the light turned orange as the dragons' defences were increased. "Undead Flame!" The glows turned purple as Khajiit completed his network of spells.

As this was going on, the girls and Alfred weren't idle as, seeing what the wizened spell-caster was doing they proceeded to copy him almost spell for spell. All of them cast Reinforce Armour on themselves, followed by their own Shield Wall along with an additional Protection from Negative Energy. This proved to be invaluable and just in the nick of time as the empowered dragons set upon them with renewed attacks. One of them swiped at Alfred with its tail, forcing the silver-plated warrior to focus all of his attention on holding back the blow which, when connected, packed more of a punch than Alfred was expecting and forced him to put more of his strength into the block. This freed up the dragon's fellow to bear down on Nabe with its claws, but Eleanor got there in the nick of time to take the attack herself. Even though it sent her flying a little, she did an agile flip in the air before landing on her feet, seemingly unaffected by the attack.

"Tch, how troublesome! Cursed Javelin!" Khajiit snarled on seeing his creations' attacks fail again, sending a dark green lance from his staff straight at Nabe. The spell proved ineffective however as it bounced off of Nabe's Shield Wall and dissipated into small puddles of slime.

"Chain Lightning!" Nabe retaliated, but as the lightning bolt zoomed towards its intended target one of the dragons swooped down at impossible speeds and tanked the attack for the old spellcaster, rendering it ineffective. "We're the ones this is proving troublesome for, you insignificant worm," the ponytailed magic caster added as she stared down Khajiit and the dragon.

"Yeah, stop cowering behind your dragons and face us like a man…or half a man in your case," Alfred added fiercely as he planted his shield in front of his body once more.

"Curse you all…forcing me to use all of the negative energy I've stored just to summon and empower my dragons," Khajiit said with disgust. "A minor setback though. Once my dragons kill you and bring death upon E-Rantel, my orb will be replenished ten times over! Then no power on this continent will be able to stop me!" As if egged on by his words, the dragons charged forward and lifted their claws once more. But just as Alfred was about to tank them once again, he was caught off guard by his girls charging forward and taking the attacks on their bare hands. Frustrated by this show of insolence, the dragons pressed their claws down further, but Nabe and Eleanor wouldn't be cowed as they pushed back with all their strength.

(Nabe! Eleanor! What are you doing? I could have taken those attacks!) Alfred reprimanded them with a hint of concern. Even though he was confident his girls would be able to hold them back, he couldn't help but be worried about their current predicament.

(Apologies for our show of disrespect, my Crown Prince, but we could not stand by any longer and let these foolish imitations of your glorious self even come close to hitting you!) Nabe replied with a grunt of effort.

(You are the Dragon Emperor, the Crown Prince of Nazarick and Heir to our Supreme Master, my beloved. You should not have to sully yourself with these pathetic copies. That is the job of us, your consorts and servants who were created for the sole purpose of protecting and aiding the Supreme Beings even at the cost of our lives, and we shall discharge our duty with everything we have!) Eleanor added as, with nearly identical cries of strength, they both succeeded in pushing back their respective claws.

As much as Alfred wanted to deny their words due to the sheer affection he held for both of them, at the same time he couldn't help but be touched by their devotion and dedication. He was lucky beyond belief that he had the care and love of such wonderful girls. (Well done, you two. And you both have my thanks. With you and the others at my side, we can overcome anything in our way) He told them proudly, causing faint blushes to appear on their cheeks. However, the beautiful moment was interrupted by more of Khajiit's inane prattling.

"Just who in the hell are you?! How can you possess such physical strength without the aid of Martial Arts?!" He exclaimed in disbelief. "This shouldn't be possible…my dragons should have ripped them all to shreds by now!"

"Eleanor and I were created by Supreme Beings even the gods of this world couldn't fathom, much less pathetic worms such as yourself," Nabe explained curtly.

"Grrr…are you mocking me, girl?!" Khajiit snapped.

"So…you can't even understand or just outright deny the truth when you hear it," Eleanor grimaced with a condescending shake of her head. "You are a mere ant, clutching at delusions of power even when confronted by those whose very existence would cause even the gods above or devils below to tremble in fear."

"You are outmatched and outpowered, Khajiit," Alfred proclaimed solemnly as he took position between the girls. "And soon you will understand just how vast the gulf between our respective strengths really is…" By now Alfred was almost desperate to let go and show his true self, but he possessed enough self-control to wait. Hopefully, it wouldn't be much longer now. "I hope Suzi's having less trouble than we are…"

~TNT~

As it turned out, Momon was having about as much difficulty as he'd been expecting. When Clementine had mentioned how only a few individuals in the Kingdom, with Gazef being one of the ones she'd named, could match up to her strength, he'd taken that information and prepared accordingly for what he aggregated her strength would be. And this preparation had proved to be very handy as, during the course of their encounter so far, Clementine had proven to be a speedy and wily opponent with her speed and almost inhuman strength allowing her to strike hard and fast from multiple angles, her stilettos whirling a macabre dance of death and dexterity as they stroked, slashed and poked at Momon from every angle.

But Momon was proving to be every inch her equal, wielding his greatswords with just as much skill and dexterity as he'd blocked, parried and countered every one of her strikes. He had been content to remain on the defensive and allow her the supposed advantage as this allowed him to study her techniques and form up close. And despite how annoying she was in personality, along with the added disdain he felt for her due to her massacre of the Swords of Darkness and capture of Nfirea, he had to give her credit: She was proving to be a worthy opponent.

And yet he couldn't let this dance drag out much longer. Every minute that passed risked interference from an outside party, whether from any hidden accomplices they may have or the small army of adventurers that were currently fighting back the undead at the garrison, along with the knowledge that Alfred would be struggling to control himself more and more with each passing second that he continued to fight his draconic enemies. Even with the distance separating them, he could almost sense and feel the roiling rage and frustration emanating from his 'son' and comrade that needed to be unleashed soon. Thankfully he was almost done analysing Clementine's skills and abilities, so that time would be coming very shortly.

"What? Don't tell me you're getting tired already?" The impudent assassin drawled after her latest attack had forced Momon to plant one of his swords in the ground in order to prevent himself from being forced back or knocked over. "I will admit, you've got plenty in the strength department, but aside from that you're nothing special." Her cheerful expression clouded over into a snarl. "Did you think you could fool me that easily? This whole time you've either been on the defensive or swinging those tree trunks you call swords around like a clumsy amateur hoping to hit something! Are you really a warrior, or were all those boasts earlier just empty words?"

"She's smarter than she looks…if only she realised the true purpose her endless attacks were serving…" "It's hard to tell if, when I do go on the offensive, all you do is dodge and roll around instead of blocking my attacks," he commented as if idly discussing the weather. "And so far your attacks have been less than impressive. If I was as unskilled as you seem to believe, you should have had no problem laying blows on me, your attacks have proven…ineffective. You claim to be one of the strongest, but I'm unimpressed personally. Where'd all the bluster from earlier go?"

Clementine snarled at his words, and she was just about to retort when the roars of Khajiit's dragons echoed over the battlefield again which caused her to chuckle. "It would appear all the confidence you had in your friends is for nought. Hardly surprising…those dragons Khajiit summoned are immune to magic and physical attacks, so I doubt they'll be able to put up too much of a fight for much longer."

"I see…you believe they and I are doomed to fail, correct?" Momon asked, even if he knew that, once they went all out, those puny creatures and their master stood no chance before his servants.

"You catch on quick…maybe you aren't as dumb as I first thought," Clementine answered as she idly twirled her knives between her fingers.

"High praise…but indulge my curiosity once more, if you'd be so kind," he said as he bared his blades in her direction once more. "Try and hit me again, and this time see if you can get past the reach of my swords."

The assassin's eyes and expression turned feral as she licked her lips in anticipation. "Gladly," was all she said as she shrugged off her cloak, revealing her full set of skimpy bronze armour. With an almost-cute giggle, she bared her knives and crouched close to the ground before, with a speed that momentarily stunned Momon, she burst forward like an arrow shot from its string. Recovering quickly, the dark warrior swung his blades at her, but with almost superhuman agility she ducked and weaved past one of them. "Impenetrable Fortress!" She muttered, causing her blades to glow as she brought them against his other sword. To Momon's shock, not only did her blades hold back the attack, but with a sudden burst of strength she succeeded in pushing it aside, catching him momentarily off-balance. Sensing the advantage, she thrust one of her short blades towards the gap in Momon's helmet, but with a last-second twist of his body, the goliath warrior ensured the blade deflected off his shoulder instead as he recovered his balance and swing his blades at her once more. Perhaps sensing both the failure of her strike and the incoming danger, Clementine agilely leapt back, managing to avoid his retort and gain some distance once more.

"That must've been a Martial Art she used there…not only did she deflect my attack, but she managed to make a dent in my armour…" He reflected. "Well, that's pretty much all I needed to see and know. Time to wrap this up…"

"My my, that's one tough shell to crack," Clementine spoke up with a small frown that soon gave way to her usual cocky expression. "No matter, piercing the armour is half the fun…it's almost like foreplay in a way. Still, I was hoping I could slice you up piece by agonising piece until you couldn't move anymore….oh well, can't always get what you want!"

"She's lucky Alfred and the girls weren't around to hear that, otherwise she'd been a pile of flesh and bones already…" "I will admit, that was a good test of my armour. I've been learning a lot from you during this encounter, so you have my thanks."

"Ooh a compliment…such a gentleman you are, Mr Dark and Handsome!" Clementine almost crooned before her expression turned feral once more. "But it's time to end this!" Once more she darted forward, casting Impenetrable Fortress on her blades again. Momon was prepared for this, however, and angled his blades side on as he swung them forward, hoping the change in angle would unsettle her and catch her off guard. This wasn't to be however as she had another trick up her sleeve. "Flow Acceleration!" She called as, with remarkable agility, she leapt over his blades like an Olympic high jumper, and as Momon overextended himself she landed on the ground and darted forward again, leaping upwards as she once again aimed for his helmet slit. Realising her aim was truer this time, he shifted his head just enough for the blades to angle off the back of his helm, and as he regained his balance she was forced to create distance once more.

"Come on, get serious already!" She almost snarled. "If you keep giving me opportunities like this, you'll end up a corpse!"

"She's right…I have to ramp this up. The longer this keeps going, the more risk we run of being detected. Whilst that isn't good for her and her accomplice, it doesn't benefit us either!" "Goodness, I hadn't expected you to teach me this much about melee combat, such as the importance of balancing your attacks and properly utilising Martial Arts skills," he almost complimented her. "You have my gratitude. I wish I could stay and learn more of what you have to offer." His tone started turning vicious. "Unfortunately, I can no longer afford to waste my time here, so consider play time to be officially over."

"Eh? And just what is THAT supposed to mean?" She asked, confused.

"You and your comrade are about to learn exactly what I mean. From this moment on, you and he will face the full extent of our power…" He lifted his head to the sky and took a deep breath before bellowing the words that would change the course of this battle entirely in their favour. "HENRY EDWARD WILLIAM AUGUSTUS CONSTANTINE TRAJAN PLANTAGENET-CAESAR! ALBEDO! NARBERAL GAMMA! SHOW THESE FOOLS THE TRUE POWER OF NAZARICK!"

~TNT~

"Hahahaha! Surrender yourselves now and I might decide to be merciful!" Khajiit sneered as he and his dragons faced down their three opponents. The battle so far had been a stalemate, with Alfred and Eleanor proving themselves to be more than up to the challenge of facing down the pair of undead dragons with Nabe providing support and the occasional offensive spell. Unfortunately, Khajiit's words from earlier had proven to be prophetic as the dragons were completely immune to Nabe's lesser-tier spells, and every time she thought she'd had an opening to fire a spell at Khajiit one of the dragons had appeared to tank the spell in his place. And even when Eleanor or Alfred's strikes had hit home, the bastard's necromancy along with the purple orb he still clutched in his right hand mended the wounds every time. That meant the dragons were still as fresh as ever, whilst the adventuring party were starting to feel a little taxed in their efforts to keep them at bay without going overboard.

"Tch…human scum…you're all far too cocky…" Nabe growled as she rose shakily to her feet once more.

"What was that, girl?" Khajiit glowered in response.

"You lesser beings should know your rightful place…beneath our feet," Eleanor added as she hafted her spear in his direction once again. "The likes of you, alongside the trash you work with, are nothing more than parasites to be squashed."

"You may think our words are idle threats, but I promise you…when the time is right, you'll be on your knees before us, begging for mercy which we shall deny you. And in those final moments, you will understand the folly of your continued defiance," Alfred prophesied as he prepared his weapons for another skirmish.

"Enough of your empty posturing!" Khajiit bellowed. "Skeletal Dragons! Crush them!" The dragons roared, causing the blood in Alfred's veins to pump in anger once more, and prepared to lurch forward once more when the amplified voice of Momon suddenly rang out from where he was fighting the assassin.

"HENRY EDWARD WILLIAM AUGUSTUS CONSTANTINE TRAJAN PLANTAGENET-CAESAR! ALBEDO! NARBERAL GAMMA! SHOW THESE FOOLS THE TRUE POWER OF NAZARICK!" Their companion's voice was somewhat faint due to the distance, but all three of them understood the words perfectly. Finally, it was time.

"As you wish, my lord," Nabe smiled to herself.

"Your will be done, Lord Ainz," Eleanor muttered in sync.

"About fucking time, Suzi…time to break the shackles and let the beast inside free!" "Glady, father," he said to himself before speaking up for everyone to hear. "Khajiit!" He shouted, his voice amplified by the power of his magic that he no longer felt the need to contain. "I promised you that time was coming, and it is here! No longer shall you be fighting against Alfred, Eleanor and Nabe. You now face Crown Prince Henry, Guardian Overseer Albedo and Narberal Gamma of the Pleiades Combat Maids." He made a beckoning gesture with his right hand. "Narberal, do your duty and attend to me. Albedo, continue to hold off the dragons until I say otherwise."

"I live to serve, my Crown Prince," Narberal was quick to obey as she and Henry retreated from the battlefield momentarily. Casting aside her adventurer's outfit to reveal her maid uniform, she immediately followed her beloved's instructions and began to slowly and carefully remove his armour, a task made slightly more complex by her hands trembling in anticipation for what was to come next. Despite this, she took her time, knowing how much her love treasured the suit of armour due to it being Lord Touch Me's old set.

"As you wish, my darling," Albedo intoned reverently. Her body too was trembling in excitement for what was about to happen, but she quickly moved to veil it with her normal composed posture as her green armour shimmered and glowed before reverting back to her usual black set, complete with her helm that covered her demonic features alongside her usual battle-axe in place of the spear she'd been using before.

"Tch…some mumbo jumbo from your friend alongside a few glowing lights and you suddenly think you have the power to stop me?! How-!" Khajiit's snarl was cut off as Albedo banged the hilt of her axe into the cemetery ground, the resulting echo effectively shutting the necromancer up.

"Be silent, cowardly worm!" Albedo's clear voice echoed from beneath her helm. "You now stand in the presence of those infinitely your greater! As of this moment, you face Albedo, Guardian Overseer of Nazarick and the chief consort of the Crown Prince and Heir of Nazarick, Henry Plantagenet-Caesar, adopted son of the Supreme Being and absolute ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, the future master of this world Lord Ainz Ooal Gown. And tonight, you will not only have the great honour of facing off against one of their highest-ranking servants, but you will also bare witness to a preview of the true power and majesty of he who will one day inherit this world for his very own!" She then pulled her axe out of the ground and flung it towards Khajiit and his dragons.

"Tch…what can a maid, a lady knight and a mere human do against me and my Skeletal Dragons?" Khajiit spat as he witnessed Narberal continue to remove Henry's armour slowly. "My dragons! Crush this foolish woman who dares stand in our path!" The dragons immediately obeyed his command and bore down on Albedo from either side, just like they had been doing previously.

"Tch…child's play. If it wasn't for my darling's orders, I could easily kill these creatures with one blow," Albedo reflected as she simply stood and waited for the attack to come. As the dragons' claws bore down on her, all she did in response was lift her axe and her spare hand in their path and proceeded to hold them back with no effort whatsoever. "Pathetic…as to be expected of a lowly human…" she growled as, with simultaneous flicks of her wrists, she pushed the claws back with enough force to send them sprawling to the floor.

"Impossible…she held back their attacks with her bare hands?!" Khajiit exclaimed, his normally calm voice now suffused with panic. "A trick…nothing but sheer luck and trickery! No man or woman can stand up to the power of my skeletal dragons! They will crush you and your pathetic friends and leave you as nothing more than bloodstains to paint these tombs red!"

"The only pathetic one here is you, insipid little man," Albedo sneered as she spun her axe around. "You cling to your delusions in the vain hope that it may save your worthless life, but soon enough you will realise that nothing you could have ever done could've prepared you for what is about to come. You should be on your knees thanking my beloved for the gift he is about to share with you. You are fortunate, puny insect, for you will be the first mortal to lay unworthy eyes on a mere glimpse of my Crown Prince's magnificence!"

"Get up, Skeletal Dragons! Burn her and her comrades to ash!" Khajiit screamed desperately. It took a moment for them to recover, but soon enough the dragons were back on their feet and facing down Albedo once more. With simultaneous inhalations and exhalations, the pair let loose twin bursts of purple flame directly at the black-armoured woman who merely stood there and took it. "Hah! Such a foolish girl to think she could ever hope to stand against their power…HUH?! IMPOSSIBLE?!"

"Is that all you and your weakling creations have to offer, vermin?" Albedo's voice rang out again as she emerged from the flames completely unaffected. "I advise you to surrender now and prepare yourself for your end. And believe me when I say that you should be bowing and exalting the glorious name of my Crown Prince for the death you shall suffer at his hands. It will, after all, be far too good for the likes of you."

"BOW?! Before the likes of you?! NEVER!" Khajiit shouted, spit flying from his mouth. "I am the greatest necromancer this world will ever know, and I bow to no one! Everyone in this country…no, this world…will bow before me and proclaim my greatness as I ascend to my rightful inheritance as an arch-lich and take my place astride this world, not you lot and that pathetic fool you claim as your master!"

"SILENCE!" Bellowed a deep baritone voice from behind Albedo, and as she reverently stood aside and prostrated herself to the ground, Khajiit got his first glimpse of the partly naked, aside from a pair of black pants, body of Henry as the Crown Prince stood before him, his long blonde hair now blowing in the wind with narrowed eyes and no sense of shame despite his current tawdriness with Narberal, having finished her duty, kneeling at his side with her eyes closed and her head bowed. "I WILL NOT HAVE YOU DISRESPECT MINE OR MY FATHER'S NAME ANY LONGER, KHAJIIT! NOW PREPARE TO FEAST YOUR EYES ON A SIGHT NO MORTAL HAS YET SEEN, AND COWER BEFORE A MERE GLIMPSE OF MY TRUE FORM!" As he finished speaking, he closed his eyes and let out a bellowing roar that made the roars of the Skeletal Dragons sound like the mewling of kittens in comparison as the transformation began.

Henry's body trembled slightly as the power and lineage of his true heritage were released from the shackles he'd kept under wraps for all of this time and began to alter his form. His limbs began to elongate, the muscles expanding and contorting beneath his skin, a symphony of metamorphosis in motion. His chiselled jaw extended into a fierce snout, and his teeth, once human, morphed into sharp fangs that gleamed under the moon's gaze. As the changes kept coming, his body surged upward, growing taller and broader, until he towered above everyone around him at an astonishing 23 feet tall. The moonlight caressed the glistening gold scales that now adorned his arms, outer torso, back, and legs, shimmering like molten metal. His chest heaved with newfound strength, each breath resonating with power that echoed through the silent night.

Subsumed by the grandeur of his transformation, Henry's gaze turned skyward. A sensation of pressure surged from his forehead as two pearly white horns erupted from his brow, an emblem of his newfound majesty, coupled with a truly massive pair of golden, radiant draconic wings sprouting from his back that truly added to the image and feeling of his power and heritage. Claws, sharp and lethal, emerged from his hands and feet, ready to tear and rend against all who stood before him. A massive golden tail unfurled behind him, its serpentine grace swaying with a rhythm that echoed his impending dominance, and his black pants had grown with his body and adorned his massive waist, a simple garment that contrasted the expanse of his golden form. His eyes, now blazing with an inner fire and glowing a powerful emerald green through slitted pupils, turned towards the necromancer and his skeletal dragons as he proceeded to let out another bellowing roar that echoed throughout the cemetery. Once so full of bravado, the decrepit necromancer trembled in unbridled terror at the embodiment of ancient might and power before him, his once mighty skeletal dragons now looking incredibly feeble compared to the colossal and magnificent being that stood before them. And as Albedo and Narberal dared raise their heads, they could not help but be awed and overwhelmed by the sheer power and majesty that their beloved now radiated. If this was the aura he projected with only his partial transformation, the thought of what would occur when he eventually showed them and the world his majestic and glorious true form caused them to shudder with anticipation.

"BEHOLD, FOOLISH NECROMANCER, A GLIMPSE OF AN ALMIGHTY POWER THAT YOU AND THOSE WHO FOLLOW YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND!" Henry's deep voice bellowed as he took two lumbering steps forward, the sound of his heavy footsteps filling the air around them. "I AM HENRY PLANTAGENET-CEASAR, CROWN PRINCE OF NAZARICK AND HEIR OF THE SUPREME BEING AND FUTURE MASTER OF THIS WORLD, AINZ OOAL GOWN!" The sheer power of his voice was overwhelming, so it was fortunate that Albedo and Narberal had already fallen to their knees as the pressure exerted by their beloved's voice would surely have pushed them down regardless. As for Khajiit, his trembling legs and ageing body was no match for the mere presence of the towering human-dragon hybrid before him as he was unwillingly forced onto his knees. Only the skeletal dragons remained on their feet, albeit with lowered heads and shuddering bones as they cowered in fear, a complete contrast to the dread and confident poise they had been exhibiting before when battling the adventurers.

"All of my hard work...years of meticulous planning...thwarted by a creature who has no right to exist! Why did this have to happen to me?! I was meant to become an arch-lich and rule over the undead!" "W-who are you?! How is this even possible?! The only dragons known to this world are the Dragon Lords, who hide in their mountainous lairs, and none of them have a form like yours!" Khajiit was able to shout despite the terror seeping through his bones. "You cannot be one of them, so tell me what you are right now!"

"SILENCE, FOOL!" Henry's voice rumbled out again as he took several more footsteps forward until he towered over both the cowering necromancer and his dragons. "DO NOT PRESUME TO DEMAND WHAT YOU COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND! YOUR VERY EXISTENCE IS AN OFFENCE SINCE MY FATHER IS THE ONE TRUE RULER OF UNDEATH AND COULD NEVER BE SUPPLANTED BY A PRETENDER SUCH AS YOURSELF!" Henry's fiery eyes then turned to glare at the dragons at Khajiit's side. "NOT ONLY THAT, BUT YOUR ACTIONS TODAY HAVE NOT ONLY SET BACK OUR PLANS BUT HAVE BEEN SACRILEGEOUS TO THE HIGHEST ORDER! YOU HAVE POLLUTED THE MAJESTY AND GLORY OF DRAGONS WITH YOUR FOUL PERVERSIONS, AND AS THE DRAGON EMPEROR I CAN NO LONGER LET THIS STAND! SO BEFORE YOU DIE, KHAJIIT, YOU HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEHOLDING MY POWER AND MY TITLE AS I TAKE FROM YOU WHAT IS MINE BY RIGHT!" As he spoke, the energy of his heritage surged through his veins, resonating with the very essence of his being that was demanding him to do this. And so, with an imperious gesture reflecting the power and majesty that he now and forever embodied, Henry flung his right arm, adorned with iridescent golden scales that glimmered in the moonlight, out towards the skeletal dragons and focused his undeniable will towards them.

"NO! What are you doing to my dragons?! Stop this right now!" Khajiit screamed as he felt the overwhelming force emanating from Henry's form that caused his control over the skeletal dragons to start wavering, like threads of darkness being unravelled by the brilliance of the Dragon Emperor's aura.

Henry ignored Khajiit's screams and demands as he caught and locked the gazes of both skeletal dragons, his eyes now blazing with immense determination. The necromantic beings had no choice but to meet the human-dragon hybrid's gaze as his deep and resonant voice carried through the night air with an authority that DEMANDED obedience. "BREAK THE CHAINS OF YOUR FORMER MASTER," he commanded, his words vibrating with power that sent shivers down everyone's spine. "AND SUBMIT BEFORE YOUR RIGHTFUL RULER. I AM THE DRAGON EMPEROR, THE LORD OF ALL MY KIND, LIVING OR UNDEAD, AND YOU WILL BOW TO ME!"

The skeletal dragons, once bound by the necromancer's will, now trembled under the weight of their newfound allegiance. Their bones rattled and joints creaked as they bowed, their hollow eyes fixed on Henry's towering form. A surge of energy pulsed through their ethereal forms, the shackles of necromantic control shattering like fragile glass as Khajiit, himself unable to withstand the force of Henry's command, stumbled back, his eyes wide with disbelief as his necromantic hold over the dragons disintegrated before his very eyes, his command over the undead paling before the authority and radiance of he who would command all the dragons of this world. With a triumphant roar, Henry beckoned with his giant hand, and the undead dragons, their bodies now twitching and quivering with their newfound purpose, rose from their bowed positions. Their gleaming red eye sockets, once devoid of emotion, now held a glimmer of reverence and awe as they strode forward and lowered their heads before their new master in a show of unquestioning loyalty and obedience, before turning around and taking their place at their liege's side.

"W-What have you done?! No one should have been able to break my control over them! NO ONE! WHAT MANNER OF CREATURE ARE YOU?!" Khajiit's voice screamed with unbridled fear as he came to terms with the direness of his predicament. He had no power left in his orb, his undead forces had been decimated and his dragons were now under his enemy's control, and what was worse is that he had no one left to call upon for aid. All of his acolytes were dead, and Clementine was currently occupied with the dark-armoured warrior elsewhere in the cemetery. He was all alone, bereft of power and any means of resistance with his doom now literally towering over him.

"I HAVE RECLAIMED WHAT IS MINE, WRETCH! NOW I SHALL BRING THE JUSTICE OF MY KIND DOWN UPON YOU FOR YOUR CRIMES!" Henry bellowed once more as his gaze now turned to his two comrades who throughout all of this had remained kneeling in reverence. "ALBEDO. NARBAREL GAMMA. SUBDUE THIS FOOLISH PRETENDER AND BRING HIM BEFORE ME TO RECEIVE HIS RIGHTFUL PUNISHMENT."

"As you command, your Majesty," both of them echoed as they sprung to obey, so eager were they to please their beloved. With a quick application of poison to the short sword she carried on her person, Narberal glided forward to where Khajiit was still cowed and, before the necromancer could react, plunged the blade between his shoulder blades. The blow was sufficient enough to not kill the necromancer where he stood and ensured that the poison was able to spread quickly through his veins.

"Tch…w-what have you…d-done to me, g-girl?" Khajiit croaked as the poison began to numb his body and mind, leaving him helpless as Albedo grabbed hold of his robe and effortlessly corralled him forward towards where Henry and his dragons were standing.

"She has ensured that you are prepared to receive the judgment of our Crown Prince," Albedo told him curtly. "So, I would advise you to make peace with whatever meaningless powers you believe in, human germ, for this is the moment where you pay for your offences against the Supreme Beings, who now and forever are omnipotent and undeniable. You should feel privileged that my beloved, the Dragon Emperor himself, has seen fit to pronounce your sentence and carry out your execution in person." With those words spoken, the succubus flung the cowering necromancer to the ground at her Crown Prince's feet before, with Narberal at her side, resuming the previous prostrations on their knees with bowed heads.

Henry's green eyes bore into Khajiit, his gaze unyielding and filled with the weight of judgment. The necromancer, once so audacious, was now humbled and broken before the might of the Dragon Emperor. The very air seemed charged with a sense of retribution as the reckoning had come to collect its due. Stepping forward, Henry's voice resonated with a mixture of authority and finality. "KHAJIIT, NECROMANCER AND MASTER OF HUBRIS, YOUR CRIMES AGAINST THE SUPREME BEINGS AND THE HONOUR OF DRAGON-KIND DEMANDS PUNISHMENT!" His words echoed through the night, a proclamation of justice that resonated with those who had witnessed his rise as, with a measured gesture, Henry motioned for the skeletal dragons to approach alongside him. They instantly obeyed, their glowing red eyes now fixed balefully on the cowering form of their former master. "YOU SHALL NOW FACE THE CONSEQUENCES OF ALL YOU HAVE WROUGHT," he continued, every syllable carrying the weight of his heritage. "AS YOU ONCE DARED TO HOLD SWAY OVER THEM, SO NOW YOU SHALL COWER AND SUBMIT TO THEIR MIGHT."

As the dragons encircled either side of Khajiit, their eyes now glimmering with malevolence and the promise of retribution, Henry raised his clawed hand once more before lowering it decisively. "I, HENRY PLANTAGENET-CEASAR, CROWN PRINCE OF NAZARICK AND EMPEROR OF ALL DRAGONS, SENTENCE YOU TO DIE BY THE POWER YOU SOUGHT TO COMMAND. SKELETAL DRAGONS, DELIVER UNTO THIS FOOLISH PRETENDER THE PUNISHMENT HE DESERVES!"

"N-no. N-NO! T-This cannot be happening! I c-cannot die like this! I am Khajiit Dale Badantel, and I will not be judged by the l-likes of…o-f…y-you…AIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Whatever Khajiit had been about to say was replaced by screams of agony as he perished in a towering inferno of flames that burnt him to a crisp, his former creations carrying out the directive of their new master by showering the cowering necromancer in a sea of purple flames, a punishment both fitting and ironic considering that it was the very same power that he had hoped to command that turned out to be the poetic instrument of his undoing. The flames consumed the man's body, robes and staff until all of it was reduced to a pile of ashes, with only the purple orb that he had been carrying remaining intact, falling to the floor with a dull clunk as, with one final exhale, Henry began to shrink back down to his regular human form.

The golden scales that had adorned his body slowly receded, a shimmering cascade of molten metal in reverse. His elongated snout and sharp fangs softened into the familiar contours of his chiselled jaw and white-toothed grin. His majestic wings retreated back into his body, and the pearly white horns that once adorned his brow retracted, leaving only a memory of their splendour, and his claws receded to be replaced by his strong, calloused hands. In a matter of moments, what had once been the towering human-dragon hybrid was replaced by the handsome figure of his human self, his Caucasian skin bathed in the moonlight and his golden hair once more blowing in the wind. The loose black pants he had worn before were now hanging comfortably from his waist once again. With another exhale, he turned his gaze to the kneeling forms of his beautiful girls, their eyes watching him with adoration and reverence, and beckoned to them.

"Narberal, replace my armour. Albedo, retrieve the necromancer's orb." As both girls hurried to obey, Henry contacted Demiurge via his Message spell and explained the situation regarding the dragons to the demonic Guardian. The Guardian of the Seventh Floor, once he had finished exulting and praising his Crown Prince's glorious deeds, was quick to obey Henry's orders as he directed a Gate to appear at his location. As Narberal continued to fasten Touch Me's armour to his body, Henry commanded the dragons to return to Nazarick and await his further orders. In the meantime, they were to listen to the orders of the Guardians and go wherever they were directed to wait until his return. Just like before, the dragons instantly obeyed and vanished through the Gate.

Once Narberal had finished replacing his armour, she and Albedo reverted back into their adventurer attires and resumed their roles as Nabe and Eleanor as they followed their Crown Prince towards the ruined chapel before them, where they hoped to find Nfirea and free him from whatever curse Khajiit and his cronies had put him under.

~TNT~

Meanwhile, in the area of the cemetery where Momon and Clementine are engaging in battle…

"And just what was that supposed to be?" Clementine drawled after Momon's bellow. "Some last pathetic bluff to scare me?"

"Oh, I'm sure you'll see for yourself in a moment. But for now…" Momon planted his blades in the ground and beckoned to her with outstretched arms, almost akin to a lover beckoning their partner to return to their embrace. "Steel yourself for death and come at me!"

"What's all this supposed to be? More empty posturing? Or are you simply giving up and accepting your inevitable death?" Clementine sneered.

"On the contrary, it's finally time for me to wrap this up. It wouldn't be fair on Henry, Albedo and Narberal otherwise if I kept them waiting," Momon replied. "Besides, I've gotten what I needed to know out of you from our skirmish, so why don't you launch your last pathetic attack already? Time is a-wasting after all."

"Pathetic?! How dare you!" Any hint of decorum left on Celemtine's expression vanished, replaced by a vicious glare of hatred. "You haven't demonstrated a single Martial Arts skill, and yet you still think you can beat the great lady Clementine, the inhuman assassin and former Ninth Seat of the Black Scripture?! Congrats, now you've really pissed me off!"

"Black Scripture…that meant she is, or was judging by the way she said 'former', a member of the Slane Theocracy? Perfect! Now I have the perfect scapegoats in case anyone questions these events further." "Are you going to keep raving or actually do something? Whatever your decision, make it quick because things are about to look a lot bleaker for you and your comrade."

"What the hell do you-?!" Whatever Clementine had been about to say was cut off by the bellowing roar that came from the other side of the graveyard. As the pair of combatants looked over, they witnessed, to Momon's satisfaction and Clementine's horror, the reveal of Henry's half-human half-dragon form as it rose into the sky in a brilliant glow of golden light. Once he had reached the height of his transformation Henry roared once more, the sound of which echoed throughout the entire graveyard.

"W-w-what the hell is t-that?!" Clementine stammered, her look of rage giving way to one of terror now as she struggled to comprehend what she was seeing before her eyes.

"That would be my comrade who I believe you referred to Mr Tall and Handsome, correct?" Momon commented with a chuckle. "And you know what's more amusing about what you're seeing? That's only a glimpse of his transformation. Had he revealed himself fully, you and I and everyone around us would probably have been crushed underfoot. I hope you consider yourself fortunate, Lady Clementine, because you are one of the first mortals to bare witness to the first awakening of the Dragon Emperor. Such a shame you won't be around much longer to fully comprehend it."

Clementine turned her gaze back to Momon, a vicious snarl once more marring her beautiful features. "Shut up! Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!" She screamed, whether in fury or terror Momon wasn't sure. "I'll kill you, and your pathetic friends, along with everyone you care about! No one mocks or disrespects the great Lady Clementine or gets away with it! Get ready to die, scum!" With those words, she crouched down, chest flat to the floor and stilettos bared as she cast several more Martial Arts buffs on herself. "Stride of Wind! Greater Evasion! Ability Boost! Greater Ability Boost!" With every spell she cast, her body glowed different shades of light as she pushed her legs back like an Olympic sprinter before launching herself towards Momon with blinding speed. However, much to her confusion and amazement, Momon didn't move a muscle or make any effort to reach for his swords, instead content to just stand there and wait for her to strike. "What a fool! DIE!" As she got within striking range, she thrust one of her knives at Momon's helm, and this time it hit home as the blade passed through the narrow slit where his eyes would be. As the blade lodged into the gap, a massive arc of lightning burst from it covering his entire body in electricity. "I'm not done with you yet! DIE!" She screamed as she thrust the other stiletto into the slit, this one sending a massive burst of flame in between the gap and engulfing the adventurer's body in a sea of flames.

"HAH! Just as I expected, this foolish warrior was no match for the skill and power of Lady Clementine! Victory is…WHAT THE HELL?!" Before Clementine could finish her thoughts or take any measures to react, Momon's armoured hands burst through the firestorm as he wrapped his arms around Clementine's waist and engulfed her in a powerful squeeze that rendered her entire body immobile.

"Hm…interesting…" the armoured colossus commented as the flames faded away. "There weren't weapons like that in the whole time we played YGGDRASIL. I'll have to warn the others about them and keep an eye out for them in future."

"No way…how are you still standing?! You shouldn't be alive!" Clementine shouted as she tried and failed to wiggle out of Momon's iron grip.

"Well, since your asking, I guess there's no point in hiding it any longer." In a split second, Momon's armour vanished, and in his place stood the regal and awe-inspiring undead form of Ainz Ooal Gown, complete in his full set of robes with Clementine's stilettos still lodged in the sockets where his eyes would have been.

"An undead?! You're an elder lich?! That shouldn't be possible! Khajiit said there were no elder liches currently in this world and that he'd be the first one to exist in recent memory!" The girl denied in a trembling voice as she started to process the doom that was to come. "If you're an undead, and your comrade's a dragon…are any of your group human?! Answer me!"

"Well…you're only partially right. And to answer your questions, no…none of us are human. As for what your comrade told you, he obviously lied since the proof is standing right in front of you," Ainz answered as he squeezed Clementine even tighter, causing a few of her bones to start breaking and popping as she screamed in agony. "I'm curious though…did you have fun fighting a sword-wielding magic caster?"

"You bastards!" Clementine screamed through the pain, blood pouring from her mouth as she continued to try and break Ainz's iron grip around her waist. "What the hell?!"

"It's why I handicapped myself and allowed you to attack me without putting up much of a fight. I was merely testing you to see what you were capable of, and I must confess…you left me disappointed," Ainz told her savagely. "You're all bark. There was no need for me to fight a mongrel of your ilk seriously. If I had cast the weakest spell in my arsenal to defeat you, it would have been a waste of my magic power that I have much better uses for."

"AGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH! CURSE YOU! CURSE YOUUU! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL FUCKING KILL ALL OF YOU!" Clementine bellowed as she struggled even harder to no avail.

"Hm, you didn't like my answer? Shame," Ainz bemoaned casually as he shook Clementine's stilettos out of his eyes. "Those were in the way. I hope you don't mind, because I don't think you'll be needing them any time soon. Now, where were we? Oh right…" Ainz's grip became even tighter. "Let's carry on, shall we?"

"NO WAY! STOP IT! STOP IT!" Clementine almost begged, all traces of her former arrogance now snuffed out as she withered, scratched, clawed and pulled with everything she had. But it would avail her not. Compared to the power and terror inspired by the Overlord in front of her, she was little more than an ant trying to foolishly defy the godlike being before her.

"I was considering killing you with one of my own blades or even yours. It would have been poetic justice after all you've done to get in the way of my plans," Ainz continued as he made his swords vanish. "Then again, death by blade, death by broken bones, death by crushing…there's really not much difference is there? In the end…" Ainz's red eyes glowed fiercely, sending a wave of unbridled terror through Clementine's body. "YOU! WILL! DIE!" As Ainz continued to squeeze, the adventurer tags Clementine bore as trophies began to pop off of her armour and clatter to the ground alongside the blood that was now pouring out not only her mouth but the rest of her body.

"LET GO YOU BASTARD! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" Clementine screamed wildly in terror as she continued to punch, claw and kick at the skeletal being in front of her.

"Stop your squirming!" Ainz barked sternly as he tightened his grip, shattering even more bones which led to her screaming louder in pain even as she continued to scratch and bite (losing many teeth in the process) and headbutt (permanently robbing her of her good looks) and kick and punch and struggle. "You took your time killing my comrades, didn't you? It's only fair to give you the same treatment." Ainz's tone turned dark and demented as he prepared for the final crushing. "I've enjoyed our dance, Lady Clementine, but now…this is the end…I hope you've made peace with whatever gods you believed in, because I'm sure they are ready to send you into the deepest circles of hell, where you belong!" He then applied the final squeeze, snapping Clementine's spine in twain, and with one final gasp of pain, and one last cough of blood in Ainz's face, the assassin and former Ninth seat of the Slane Theocracy's Black Scripture went fatally limp in the ruler of Nazarick's bony grip.

"I forgot to tell you, by the way. Try as I might, I can be rather hypocritical," Ainz commented almost off-handedly as he threw Clementine's battered body to the ground. "As brutal as her death was, I think in this case my coldness and lack of care are warranted. I know Ise wants to keep me on the straight and narrow as much as he can, but even he would agree that she and her comrade deserved the deaths we gave them." Without a flicker of regard or care for the bloody stain he'd left behind, he turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Clementine's corpse to rot where it lay. Given how brutal and heartless she'd been when disposing of the Swords of Darkness, such an end was poetic justice as far as the Overlord was concerned.

With her death and the death of her associate Khajiit at Henry's hands, their plots involving the undead and Nfirea were finally quashed for good.

~TNT~

"MASTER! MASTER!" The terrified screams of the furry annoyance known as Hamsuke rang through the graveyard as he dashed towards Ainz, who at this moment was making his way back towards the chapel where he was sure Henry, Albedo and Narberal were cleaning up. But as Ainz, with an open sigh of frustration, turned to face the giant furball, the monster screamed as he saw not the figure of his master Momon but instead the skeletal features and glowing red eyes of an undead. "YOU'RE NOT MY MASTER! YOU'RE AN UNDEAD!" He screamed as he careered to a stop.

"Annoying rodent…" Ainz thought to himself. But before he could impose his will over the cowering creature, Hamsuke's head, along with the rest of his body, was planted into the ground as Narberal, now back in her Nabe persona, landed on top of him.

"Stupid gerbil…" Nabe muttered as she deftly leapt off of Hamsuke before falling to a knee before her lord and father.

"Narberal Gamma, report on the situation," Ainz ordered.

"As you wish, my lord," the maid replied dutifully, keeping her head bowed as she placed her back foot on the squealing hamster's skull. "The perpetrator behind this scheme has been vanquished, his undead armies destroyed, and his two summoned skeletal dragons have submitted before my Crown Prince's authority. They have been returned to Nazarick via Gate to await my Crown Prince's next orders. And at this current moment, Crown Prince Henry and Lady Albedo are inside the chapel freeing Nfirea Bareare from his captivity. They should be returning shortly."

"I see. Thank you, Nabe," Ainz praised her. As he looked past her, he saw Alfred and Eleanor coming out of the tomb, with the silver-armoured warrior carrying the battered body of Nfirea in his arms. "See to it that Hamsuke is properly educated as to our identities whilst I talk to my son and Albedo."

"I live to serve, my lord," Nabe obeyed, and as she began to berate the mewling rodent for his carelessness and stupidity, Ainz walked over to meet with Alfred, Eleanor and Nfirea. As he drew closer, he was relieved to see that, whilst Nfirea's body had been put through the wringer, he was still breathing and the worst of his wounds healed.

"How is he?" Ainz asked Alfred as they came face-to-face.

"Magically and physically exhausted, as to be expected after what they put him through," Alfred replied grimly. "He was placed under the influence of an artefact called the Crown of Wisdom, which allows the user to access magic up to the 7th tier at the cost of limiting their thinking ability to that of a puppet and shredding their mind. Thankfully I was able to remove the item from his head before any permanent damage was done before destroying it. Nothing good would've come from allowing it to linger."

"A well-reasoned decision, my son," Ainz praised. Even though he was slightly frustrated about such a powerful magical item being destroyed, he conceded that Alfred was right to do so. That fact that it had nearly shredded Nfirea's mind was more than enough to determine that the price of continuing to use it would be too high. "Our work here is done. We should return to E-Rantel to inform them of what transpired here and get Nfirea back to his grandmother. No doubt she will still be worried for his safety."

"My lord father," Eleanor interrupted hesitantly as she too fell to a knee before offering to Ainz the purple orb he had seen the necromancer carrying. "I retrieved this from the man's corpse after my beloved's dragons had incinerated him to a crisp and present it to you at my beloved's insistence after his initial examination of it."

"Thank you, Albedo," Ainz told her as he took the orb from the woman's hand and proceeded to examine it, and as he did, he understood why Henry had wanted him to have it. This item was The Orb of Death, and according to its description it was a sentient item that had an obsession over death bordering on worship, and when used would allow a skilled necromancer to not only cast multiple necromancy spells in a day but also boost the number of undead the user could raise and control at once many times over. He could already feel its whispers trying to reach out and communicate with him, and resolved to study its secrets when he returned to Nazarick. "You have all done well. Let's go back home…all of us."

"Glady/As you wish, father" Both Alfred and Eleanor replied. But just as they were about to leave, they saw and heard Nfirea stirring from within Alfred's arms.

"W-Where am I?" The young man groaned as he opened his eyes slowly, only to find Alfred's silver helmet staring down at him. "S-Sir Alfred? L-Lady Eleanor? What's going-?" He then turned his head to look at the skeletal Overlord standing beside them, and instead of feeling terror as he ought to, he felt relief. Somehow, he knew who this was. "L-Lord Ainz Ooal Gown…t-to…" He coughed weakly before speaking again. "T-to what do I owe the pleasure of y-your presence?"

"You have been through a rough spell Nfirea. You were kidnapped and used in a foul ritual by an evil organisation, but we've taken care of them for you. They'll never hurt you again," Ainz told him kindly as they began to walk back towards where Nabe and Hamsuke were waiting for them.

"I-I see. T-thank you for saving me…all of you…a-anything I have is yours from t-this moment on," Nfirea replied, deciding it was best to wait for the details. "M-my grandmother…Enri…t-they'll be worried sick. P-please tell me they are o-okay."

"We're taking you back to your grandmother now. She was ever so concerned for your safety. As for Ms Emmot…we'll make sure to let her know as well," Alfred said with a small chuckle. "No doubt she will come to E-Rantel to check on you for herself after we tell her."

"T-thank you…I-I'm just glad… no one else is hurt. E-especially after w-what happened to t-the…" Nfirea choked on his words as he shrivelled back into Alfred's chest. No doubt the memories of watching the Swords of Darkness being murdered before his eyes were still playing on his mind, especially with the fragile state he was in. They would have to make sure to let both Lizzie and Enri know to treat him gently after his ordeal.

~TNT~

Once the group had made it back to E-Rantel the following morning, their first port of call was Lizzie's shop. As expected, the wizened old lady was both delighted to have her grandson back safely and appalled by what he had gone through during his imprisonment. In gratitude for his rescue, Lizzie agreed to honour the promise Nfirea had made to them and make and research potions for Nazarick alongside her usual work, as well as offering them a sizable cash reward. Alfred had tried to decline her payment by insisting they'd only done what was right, but the stubborn old lady refused to take 'no' for an answer and so it was left to Momon to accept it instead with thanks. She also granted their request to take the bodies of the Swords of Darkness away to be properly buried due to them having adventured together previously

After this, they reported the incident at the cemetery to the guild hall and the local authorities. In recognition of their efforts in not only safeguarding the city from an undead invasion but for also putting down the ones behind it, the newly-christened Darklight were promoted to mithril-ranked adventurers on the spot. Though it wasn't the highest rank they could've achieved, it opened up endless new possibilities for their adventuring endeavours in the future.

Once their business in E-Rantel was complete, the four, along with Hamsuke, returned in triumph to Nazarick where they informed Demiurge of everything that had happened on their travels. After listening in awe and endlessly praising their exploits, Demiurge reported that Lord Fengxian and Shalltear had returned shortly before them, but they hadn't come back alone. When pressed further, Demiurge told them that Fengxian was only willing to discuss the details of his exploits in private. With Narberal agreeing to see to Hamsuke's accommodation in Nazarick, Ainz, Henry and Albedo headed to the Throne Room to hear just what their friend and fellow Supreme Being had been up to during his mission.

daniel: Welp! I sure love me the smell of a complete mission and shattered egos! This was a complete treat guys! Can't wait to see more New Worlders struggle to comprehend the sheer magnitude of Nazarick's might

Wow, was that a fun chapter or what? Henry has now shown one of his true forms to the world, and our protagonists have decisively beaten Khajiit and Clementine, avenging the Swords of Darkness in the process, rescued Nfirea and put an end to the undead threat!

As you can probably tell by some of the same dialogue that's in the anime, I leaned heavily on episodes 8 and 9 for much of the conversations between the combatants, but I am proud to say that Henry's transformation, his seizing of control of the undead dragons and incineration of Khajiit was all my and my co-author's original work and we are so proud about how it turned out!

And with that chapter down, we are only 1 chapter away (at least that's the plan) from being done with the events of Season 1. As you may have surmised, that means we'll be changing some things from canon, but given that we have two other Supreme Beings here that's to be expected. And yes, that means we'll be catching up with what Fengxian has gotten up to next time out! After 4 chapters of being away from the action, my OC is back to steal the show and my goodness do I have the best pop-culture reference I could ever have conceived of coming up alongside him.

As usual, I'll be taking the long weekend off after this has gone up, and then getting back to the grind next week! Until then, on behalf of myself and daniel, thank you all again for all the love and support you have shown us and this story, it really means a lot, and we'll see you next time in chapter 11 of the Nazarick Triumvirate!