Welcome back to Chapter 14 of the Nazarick Triumvirate. I hope you are all doing well and that the past two weeks have been good for you. Before I begin, I just want to thank everyone again for all of the support you have shown to this humble of story of ours. We are coming up to 200 follows and 170 favourites and have amassed 22,000 views throughout the 13 chapters we've put up so far, and both my co-author and I appreciate every single person who has stayed with us on the journey we're on.

As of writing, the Fall season of anime has just begun and several new and returning shows have already aired, including Ragna Crimson and the 2nd Season of Eminence in Shadow, and once this chapter has gone up the 3rd season of The Rising of the Shield-Hero will have kicked off as well which I have been eagerly anticipating for a long time! Alongside Ragna Crimson, the other new series I'm going to check out this season is Shangri-La Frontier which looks and sounds like it'll be a fun watch.

daniel: Hello guys! Good to be here! Had a great time working on this! The lizardmen are truly one of the most fascinating New Worlders and we really enjoyed giving them their time to shine!

Now that that's all said and done, let's get on with chapter 14 and the beginning of the Lizardmen arc. 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 14 – Bloody Their Nose

If he weren't there on a mission of invasion and conquest, Fengxian would have gladly vacationed in an area as picturesque and temperate as the Great Lake. Given how he was used to a desolate world full of pollution and choking gas that could kill you if you ventured outside without the right protection before coming to the New World, any location that was an improvement on that was automatically beautiful in the Nephilim's eyes.

Located in the northern region of the Great Forest of Tob and extending to the southern end of the Azerlisia Mountains, the lake in question, according to CZ's reports, was approximately twenty kilometres in width and bore a very distinguishable shape which, when CZ presented her rough sketch of the area to him as part of her findings, bore resemblance to a common ladle from the warrior's previous world. The climate was fresh and cool which gave rise to the constant mist that hung just above the marshy floor, and the height of the trees and depth of the forest that made up a good portion of the Great Lake area did its job of blocking out a good portion of the sunlight that seemed to hang constantly above the region thus creating its temperate climate. Owing to its unique weather pattern, the Great Lake region also had an interesting ecosystem and predator/prey dynamics as it played home to a wide variety of unique creatures including many different species of birds and fish, mud crabs, Dermes frogs and, perhaps most interestingly of all to Fengxian, hydra. Alongside these creatures, the Great Lake was also inhabited by several more intelligent races, including the toadmen that dwelled in the northeastern regions and their current target the Lizardmen who made their home in the southern regions.

After receiving the blessing of their Overlord and Crown Prince, and being informed that Ainz had pre-emptively sent the Lizardmen a warning of their impending doom, Fengxian, Cocytus, Shalltear and CZ Delta had departed the Great Tomb. After transporting to the area of the Great Forest of Tob where Aura and Mare were busy constructing their dummy version of Nazarick, the four, alongside the small undead army that had been provided for them, had slowly and carefully made their way to the borders of the regions where the Lizardmen dwelt where they proceeded to set up a small camp to serve as their base of operations.

~TNT~

After some of the undead in the service had set up the necessary tents that would house them during their time here, Fengxian had sent a pair of Shalltear's Vampire Brides on another scouting mission in order to report on how the Lizardmen had reacted to his lord's opening message. Whilst they waited, Fengxian proceeded to personally set up their command tent complete with chairs and a large table on which rested a more detailed sketch of CZ's original map of the region (courtesy of Jemima) surrounded by all of their notes on the Lizardmen, their tribes, notable individuals and other miscellaneous notes that Fengxian believed would be useful. As he was setting up, he noticed the ever-growing confusion forming on Shalltear's expression at all of this meticulous preparation and waved for her to speak her mind.

"Forgive my offence, my lord Grand Marshal, but why is there a need for all of this setting up and information gathering?" She asked, indicating the sheaves of paper and the war table in their midst. "Surely with the power we have at our disposal and the armies Lord Ainz has granted us we can subdue the Lizardmen with ease?"

Cocytus bristled slightly at Shalltear's apparent disrespect, only for Fengxian to hold his hand up and shake his head as he regarded the curious vampire. "If we were in familiar terrain and dealing with a foe we considered our enemy then I would agree with you Shalltear," he told her. "But in this case, we are in a strange locale engaging an enemy we are planning to win over through a show of, or if necessary, a display of arms, and as such it is prudent that we gather and read up as much about them as we can before we make our next move. If we are to attack, it must be as swift and decisive as possible in order to wrap this campaign up quickly…after all, 'there is no instance of a nation benefiting from prolonged warfare', and 'quickness is the essence of war'. Whilst our Lord indeed wants this done with as much haste as possible, he also understands that it might take longer than planned to achieve the results he desires and at the end of the day he'd rather us get it done right than have it unnecessarily drag on." His helmeted gaze then turned to Cocytus. "What is the other advantage of gathering information on the enemy, Cocytus, along with the disadvantage of not being prepared?"

Cocytus gave his superior's question a small thought before the answer came to him, having had this drilled into his head by the Grand Marshal many times over their lessons together. "If. You. Know. The. Enemy. And. Know. Yourself, You. Need. Not. Fear. The. Result. Of. A. Hundred. Battles," he recited the famous quote of Sun Tzu that Fengxian insisted on every military mind in Nazarick knowing. "If. You. Know. Yourself. But. Not. The. Enemy, For. Every. Victory. Gained. You. Will. Also. Suffer. A. Defeat. And. If. You. Know. Neither. The. Enemy. Nor. Yourself, You. Will. Succumb. In. Every. Battle."

"That is the self-evident truth of warfare, yes, but what does it actually mean?" Fengxian posed to them. Cocytus shook his head, not having an answer, and neither did Shalltear or CZ so the warlord continued. "Simply put, it means that we have to know the enemy – their strengths, weaknesses, traits, battle tactics, magic techniques and so on – to be able to combat and defeat or subdue them in the most swift and efficient manner possible. If we do this whilst understanding our strengths and limitations, along with the capabilities of the forces under our command, we can create an appropriate strategy using all of this alongside knowledge of the surrounding locale to exploit their weak points whilst blunting their strong ones to ensure our triumph. Is that clear enough, Shalltear?"

"I admit, to my shame, that I am still struggling to master some of the concepts that yourself, Cocytus and our Crown Prince are well-versed in, but since you are wiser in these military matters than I, I will defer to your wisdom in these matters," Shalltear answered with a bow. "Forgive my rudeness, Grand Marshal. I asked only to seek clarification and will devote myself all the more to your lessons so I may one day understand them more clearly."

"There is nothing to forgive, Shalltear…it is good to ask questions now and learn from any misconceptions you might have developed rather than remaining silent and not knowing the course to take. That will help you grow," Fengxian told her magnanimously. "In any event, as Cocytus and I explained, it is prudent we go over and commit to memory all of the knowledge CZ gathered for us in order to plan for how best we can combat the Lizardmen." He nodded to the robotic Pleaides maid, indicating the papers in front of him. "Whilst we wait for the Brides to return, why don't you give us a rundown of the tribes we might be facing and any key warriors or figures of note among their ranks?"

"As you command, Grand Marshal," CZ replied dully as she walked up to the strategy table and laid out some of the information she'd gathered before her. "Each of the five Lizardmen tribes is led by a chieftain, who is selected every few years through a test of strength in order for the strongest individual to rule. These chieftains have absolute authority over all matters concerning the activities and welfare of the tribe and only assemble the rest to discuss matters which would affect the lives of each individual member. Owing to the fierce beasts living in the area and the difficulty in gathering the food and resources required to survive, we have calculated that this is the most optimal way for each of the tribes to survive.

" 'Survival of the fittest'…" mused Fengxian almost absent-mindedly, his mind recalling what he remembered about the biologist, geologist and naturalist Charles Darwin's famous theories on natural selection which described the process by which organisms that are best adapted to their environment are able to survive, reproduce and thrive, thus being able to pass the lessons they learnt to their next generation.

"As you say, Grand Marshal…your wisdom and insight are only matched by our Overlord and Crown Prince," CZ said reverently as she bowed to the Grand Marshal before continuing. "Below these chieftains are other tiers of hierarchy that assist their respective leaders in maintaining order within the tribe, starting with a Council of Elders who answer to the chiefs, then the warriors and lastly the rest of the tribesmen themselves, although there are other orders that do not pertain to this hierarchy. There are the druids, magic practitioners who assist their tribes with magical cures and weather forecasts to predict and avert dangers. The hunters, who are responsible for hunting, fishing and gathering timber from the forests and as such are given more autonomy due to the hazard of their tasks, reporting only to their respective chieftain. And finally, there are the travelers. They are unique individuals who leave their tribes to see the outside world, often never returning. However, those who do return often do so with new ideas that can be used to strengthen their tribe and the people as a whole."

"For. Such. A. Calling. To. Not. Only. Be. A. Part. Of. Their. Culture. But. Also. As. A. Way. To. Advance. Their. Knowledge. In. Order. To. Better. Survive. This. Harsh. Environment…These. Lower. Lifeforms. Are. Proving. To. Be. Quite. Resourceful. And. Intriguing." Cocytus spoke up. "Even. With. Our. Superior. Might. And. Leadership, We. Could. Still. Learn. From. Such. An. Example."

"Which is why Lord Ainz wishes to ally with them…knowledge of their culture as well as what they have learnt from others stands only to benefit us in the long run," Fengxian agreed before turning back to CZ. "What can you tell us about each of the tribes and their leaders?"

"First, there is the Green Claw tribe. From my observations, they are the most progressive of the five due to their acceptance of foreign magic and technology and incorporating it into their daily lives, an example of which is their specialisation in aquatic farming and 'fish farms' which provides them with a stable food source. They are characterized by their dark green and charcoal grey scales, and their current tribal chieftain is Shasuryu Shasha, a striking and large warrior even among their kind and who is covered by many scars from years of battle."

"Next is the Dragon Tusk tribe, a particularly savage tribe who are the strongest in terms of manpower and are willing to use violence to solve any disputes if given the opportunity, but who also show appreciation for other cultural facets such as wine and feasting. Their tribe possesses one of the Four Lizardmen Treasures, artifacts that are sacred among their people, known as the Great Wine Pot which serves a never-ending supply of alcohol…"

"Never-ending?! How is such a thing possible?" Shalltear almost demanded, her curiosity spiking despite herself as an enjoyer of alcohol, much to Fengxian and Cocytus' amusement.

"…and they are led by a towering warrior named Zenberu Gugu who stands as tall as Lord Cocytus and who wields a halberd much like your own, Grand Marshal Fengxian," CZ finished, ignoring Shalltear's interruption.

"Interesting…looks like they'll give us a good challenge after all…" Fengxian noted, waving CZ to continue.

"Next is the Red Eye tribe, who specialise in druid magic, logistics and medical expertise. What they lack in military strength is compensated by having magic casters who can heal and imbue magic to strengthen their warrior's weapons, thus aiding their warriors on the battlefield. They are led by an albino female named Crusch Lulu who is rumoured to be the strongest of all the magic casters in the Lizardmen tribes and whose specialization lies in controlling nature and summoning spirits."

"After them comes the Small Fang tribe, who specialise in reconnaissance and long-range combat and are led by a small yet physically capable chieftain by the name of Sukyu Juju. Lastly, there is the Razor Tail tribe who, despite specialising in troops with heavy armour, are unique in the method they choose their chieftain by having them go through a test of wisdom to see if they are worthy of wielding the White Dragon Bone Armour, another of the Lizardmen Treasures. Their current leader is named Kyuku Zuzu whose weapon of choice is a spear."

"Very nicely summarised, CZ," Fengxian said approvingly. "Are there any other lizardmen of note aside from these chieftains?"

"One, Grand Marshal…a traveler by the name of Zaryusu Shasha," CZ said after a moment of thought. "He is the younger brother of Shasuryu Shasha, the leader of the Green Claw tribe, and not only wields a magical frozen blade known as Frost Pain, another of the Lizardmen Treasures, but also possesses his own tamed hydra as a pet. In addition, it was from his travels to the outside world that the knowledge of aquaculture was brought to and spread throughout his tribe, thereby preventing another war for resources that caused the complete extinction of two other Lizardmen tribes."

"I see…a most remarkable individual and one worth keeping an eye on…" Fengxian stated after some thought before turning his gaze onto his subordinates. "Do you now see the value of such information, Shalltear? Instead of jumping in blind and risking getting outmanoeuvred by the Lizardmen on their own land, we now have the means to fight them on equal footing at a time and situation we can dictate."

"Yes, Grand Marshal…I understand clearly now. Thank you for this and all of the lessons you have taught me so far," the vampire replied with a deep bow.

"Now. That. We. Have. All. Of. This. Information, What. Will. Be. Our. Next. Move. Lord. Grand. Marshal?" Cocytus asked.

"For now, we do nothing but set up our base camp whilst continuing to scout the area surrounding us," Fengxian replied, raising a hand to forestall any protests from the Guardians. "I know what you are thinking…why are we doing nothing when our Lord Ainz has given us direct orders to subdue the Lizardmen? And in answer to your unspoken question, I want to reassure you we are doing anything BUT nothing." Even below his helm, his piercing gaze was enough to cow both into silence. "We have Shalltear's scouts out there gauging their reactions to Lord Ainz's declaration, and CZ will go out and personally make a report on the terrain…"

"As you command, Grand Marshal," CZ intoned dully, which again did a good job of masking her excitement at once more being able to be of us to the Supreme Beings.

"Once we have these two pieces of information in our laps, we can begin to make a move. Until then, I don't want either of you to make a move in provoking the…" Whatever Fengxian was about to say was interrupted as Shalltear pressed a finger to the side of her head, a signal that she was in mental communication with either another of the Guardians, Supreme Beings or one of her Brides. "Is everything alright, Shalltear?"

"Yes, Lord Grand Marshal…my Brides have returned from their mission and wish to make their report in person. Shall I permit them entry?"

"You may…let's see what they have to say," Fengxian acceded with a wave of his hand. A moment later the two Brides entered the tent and knelt before the Grand Marshal's seat. "What did you two find out?"

"After Lord Ainz's message was delivered, the Green Claw tribe immediately held a meeting with every member present in order to discuss what their response should be," the first Bride reported. "The one named Zaryusu brought up how in the past the alliance of the Green Claw, Razor Tail and Small Fang tribes went to war against the Yellow Speckle and Sharp Edge tribes and wiped them out in order to put an end to the overpopulation and food shortage problems plaguing their entire race, and that another such union between all the current existing tribes would be enough to form an army that could defeat those who would try and destroy them."

"I see…and how did the rest of the tribe take that suggestion?" Fengxian asked, resting his chin on his steepled hands whilst processing this new information.

"Some among them did not believe it would be possible, given how several of the surviving Lizardmen from the defeated tribes had been absorbed into Red Eye and Dragon Tusk and may still hold a grudge against the Green Claw tribe and those who allied with them," the other Bride reported. "But they were in the minority since most seemed inclined to agree with Zaryusu's suggestions, and in the end, the chieftain Shasuryu agreed with what his brother had suggested and appointed him the emissary of the Green Claw tribe with the aim of forging an alliance with the Red Eye and Dragon Tusk tribes."

"Hmmm…I see," Fengxian mused. "Given how they only mentioned those two tribes, I imagine the alliance between Green Claw, Razor Tail and Small Fang is still as strong as ever and that those tribes will immediately join up together without any convincing…" "Did Zaryusu already leave before you two came back here? And if so, which tribe has he gone to first?"

"Zaryusu departed almost straight away, Lord Fengxian," the first Bride confirmed. "After a private audience with his brother which we could not risk spying on, he left on the back of his pet hydra in the direction of the Red Eye tribe."

"You have done well. Leave us," Fengxian dismissed them with a casual wave. With a bow and repeated prostrations, the two Brides left the tent, leaving Fengxian again in the company of Cocytus, Shalltear and CZ. Even though he already had his plans for how to handle this, he decided to test his apprentices, as they were, and see how much they had really learned. "Now that we've received word of this development, do either of you three have any suggestions for how we proceed?"

"This unworthy servant has no knowledge in these matters. I will obey and carry out whatever you deem our next course of action to be," CZ immediately demurred.

"If I may make a suggestion, Grand Marshal, it is my humble opinion that we should attack one of these tribes and make an example of them to the others," Shalltear spoke up first of all. Though her tone was measured and considered, Fengxian noticed the faintest hints of bloodlust and an eagerness for carnage in her expression. "Once they have borne witness to our overwhelming might and how easily we can crush them, the rest will surrender in order to save as many lives as possible."

"The direct approach…as expected from her, but with a methodology that is quite logical…" "Very well. And how about you, Cocytus? How would you approach this?"

Cocytus took a moment to consider before giving his answer. "Though. Lady. Shalltear's. Suggestion. Has. Merit, I. Do. Not. Believe. It. Would. Lead. To. The. Results. We. Are. Trying. To. Achieve. In. This. Campaign," he explained. "If. We. Achieve. Victory. Through. Terror. And. Slaughter, It. Would. Only. Fester. Resentment. And. Ill. Will. Towards. Us. From. Those. Who. We. Are. Hoping. To. Rule. Over, And. May. One. Day. Lead. To. Problems. Such. As. Insubordination. And. Rebellions. If. We. Did. Not. Take. The. Necessary. Precautions."

"Thinking through both the positives and the negatives of the other approach…it shows an open-minded approach and a willingness to consider other avenues rather than his own…" Fengxian thought with approval. "Shalltear didn't hesitate and plunged straight in without considering other approaches, and though her idea was well-reasoned, she needs to stop and consider other solutions as well. Thankfully Cocytus is unintentionally providing that lesson for me…""And what would you suggest we do instead, Cocytus?"

"Allow. Them. To. Form. Their. Alliances. And. Gather. Their. Forces," Cocytus began to explain, only to be interrupted by an irate Shalltear.

"Why would you even think that, Cocytus? We want this campaign done quickly as Lord Fengxian stated earlier, which means not sitting around and waiting whilst they get stronger. That will just make things harder for us, even with our superior might!" The vampire protested.

"Let him speak, Shalltear," Fengxian interrupted sharply, causing the vampire to stop and bow contritely. "But she does make a good point, Cocytus…why should we sit back and wait, allowing them to consolidate their strength in the process?"

Cocytus didn't seem flustered in the least by either Shalltear's outburst or Fengxian's question. "From. What. I. Understand, We. Wish. To. Prove. Their. Worth. As. Potential. Allies. Or. Subordinates, Do. We. Not?" He continued. "The. Quickest. And. Most. Ideal. Path. To. Doing. That. Is. Allowing. All. Five. Of. The. Tribes. To. Assemble. As. One. Combined. Army, And. Then. Testing. Their. Might. In. An. Initial. Skirmish. With. Our. Forces." He paused to gather his thoughts before continuing. "Once. We. Know. Of. Their. Capabilities, We. Can. Then. Challenge. Their. Leaders. To. Combat. Against. Either. Myself. Or. You, Grand. Marshal. And. Once. They. Have. Seen. How. Futile. Their. Strength. Is. Compared. To. Our. Own, They. Will. Surrender. Willingly."

"Exactly what I had in mind…just goes to show how quickly Cocytus is learning…" Fengxian nodded with approval. However, he still had one last question for the Vermin Lord. "You would have us sacrifice manpower to test the Lizardmen's strength with your proposal. Explain how that would be beneficial to us?"

"If. Our. Forces. Were. Living, I. Would. Not. Suggest. Such. An. Action," Cocytus answered straight away. "However, Since. Our. Forces. Are. Undead. And. Easily. Replaceable, We. Can. Afford. To. Lose. Some. In. The. First. Conflict. In. Order. To. Better. Understand. The. Lizardmen's. Warriors."

"And a solid justification for such an endeavour…all I needed to hear…" "Thank you both for your plans," he said after a few more moments of thought. "Shalltear, your plan does have some merit, but at the same time it could also lead to several protracted skirmishes that could end up dragging on for longer than we need it to, especially if we fight it on their terms and in terrain they are familiar with which is what I believe they are expecting, hence the rush from the Green Claw tribe to form their alliances. You also offered no alternative if we did run into those problems, instead pinning our apparent success on our individual power which, depending on the circumstances we could have ended up in, may not hold as much of an advantage as you think. In the future, I want you to not jump in with what your gut instinct is and instead consider all approaches rather than just the direct ones, even if such an approach is viable depending on the situation."

"I understand, Grand Marshal…I shall endeavour to give more thought to my plans in the future," she conceded gratefully. "Thank you for correcting and imparting your vast wisdom for me to learn from in the future."

"As for you Cocytus, not only was your plan also well thought-out and considerate of the circumstances and resources we have at our disposal, but you also took the time to think about the alternatives and assess their own merits and faults before presenting your own plan," Fengxian told the Insectoid Guardian. "And though your plan would require a slight delay to allow for the alliance to be formed, your perception and anticipation of how it might end were both logical and sound, and it most likely will be the optimal way for us to achieve the conclusion we desire. Furthermore, it allows us to dictate the conflict on our terms which is a move I doubt they will be expecting, and for that reason along with the others is exactly why we are going to implement your plan."

"You. Honour. Me, Lord. Grand. Marshal," Cocytus spoke in an awed voice as he and the rest bowed low. "I. Shall. Endeavour. To. Keep. Living. Up. To. And. Achieving. The. High. Expectations. You. And. The. Other. Supreme. Beings. Expect. Of. Us."

"As your humble servant, I will serve your will and give my all to see this task carried out if that is what you desire," Shalltear spoke up, only for her expression to turn into a frown. "And though I would not dare to perceive the will and intent of the other Supreme Beings, but won't my beloved Lord Ainz and our honoured Crown Prince be upset at you, Lord Grand Marshal, for advocating a delay such as this, especially if it hinders our plans going forward?"

"They may, but I'm sure once I explain the situation and the circumstances to them they will understand," Fengxian reassured her, even though he was certain his friends wouldn't mind one bit. The explanation was purely to put Shalltear's mind at ease. "For now though, we proceed with Cocytus' plan. CZ, I want a detailed scouting and report of the surrounding area. We want an advantageous location for the battles ahead."

"I live to serve, Lord Grand Marshal. I shall depart at once," CZ intoned.

"Cocytus, I want you to inspect the force Lord Ainz and Crown Prince Henry provided for us and assess their strengths and weaknesses, thereby giving us an idea of how we can deploy them for the first battle," he then ordered Cocytus.

"As. You. Command, Lord. Fengxian," the insectoid Guardian replied.

"Shalltear, I want you to send out your bats this time to shadow Zaryusu Shasha's movements," Fengxian told the powerful vampire. "Make sure to emphasise that they are only to observe and report on his progress and not do anything to arouse suspicion. Is that understood?"

"Completely, Grand Marshal. I shall give the orders straight away," Shalltear answered.

"Let's hop to it then, and see what the next day or two brings," Fengxian concluded, and with those words, their small council concluded as they each departed on their individual tasks.

~TNT~

The reports that came to him over the next few days proved to very incredibly useful for Fengxian's plans to get the Lizardmen on board.

Per his request, Shalltear had dispatched a swarm of her vampire bats to observe Zaryusu's movements, and in doing so had learned a great deal about not only the enigmatic traveler but also the leaders of the two tribes he'd gone to negotiate with. To his slight amusement, he learnt that, upon laying eyes on the albino leader of the Red Eye tribe, Crusch, Zaryusu had immediately proposed to her which had startled not only the only female chieftain but also the bats themselves to the point where they'd struggled to compose themselves, a mean feat given their undead nature, due to the surrealism of what they had just seen. What had been even more unreal was the sight of Crush's body giving away her own sudden attraction to him in what appeared to be the true definition of 'love at first sight'. Fortunately for both them and their observers, they'd moved on to the pressing matter of the undead threat. Crusch had initially wanted to evacuate her tribe to avoid them being slaughtered to a man but had been talked around by Zaryusu who had pointed out that the other tribes would have retaliated had Red Eye tried to escape to a new habitat to the point of starting another intertribal war, which was the last thing any of the tribes needed with the undead threat on their doorstep. Understanding the seriousness of the danger as well as the veiled threat behind Zaryusu's words, Crusch had agreed to ally her tribe with the Green Claws.

After spending the night getting to know one another better, Zaryusu and Crusch had then moved on to the last outstanding tribe: Dragon Tusk. But unlike the rest of the tribes, the pair had gotten a frosty reception when they arrived at their camp owing to the survivors from Yellow Speckle and Sharp Edge being hostile to Zaryusu due to his role in their tribes' downfall, with their chieftain, the massive Zenberu Gugu, refusing point blank to even consider being part of the alliance unless Zaryusu could defeat him in a duel. The resulting clash between the pair had been ferocious, but Zaryusu's skill with his weapon Frost Pain ultimately won the day. After the duel, Zenberu had held a feast for his two guests where he officially pledged Dragon Tusk's aid to their cause, but not before asking Zaryusu if he truly believed they could win. In a show of strategic intellect that, once he had heard those words, had impressed Fengxian, Zaryusu had remarked that he didn't know for sure as he believed that their adversary must possess overwhelming strength and power if they were arrogant enough to deliver a warning to the tribes regarding their impending doom, and intended to exploit such when their forces met. Crusch tried to argue that surrender would be preferable to extinction, even at the risk of enslavement, but Zaryusu had countered that by pointing out that if they chose enslavement they may risk losing much more than just their freedom. Their way of life itself would be at risk, and he was not prepared to allow that to happen. Crusch had backed down at this, even though she had held onto the view that it was in their best interests to surrender.

The day after that, the trio had travelled to the Razor Tail tribe's village and had sent out the call for all of the tribes to meet them there. Once they had all arrived over the next twenty-four hours, the five chieftains and Zaryusu had all come together and officially declared a united front of all five tribes against the invading undead army, and thus the Lizardmen Alliance was born. Pooling all of their armed forces together, the combined strength of the tribes totalled approximately 1,300 troops, including 430 warriors, 26 druids and 45 hunters. With these numbers, the chieftains had separated the army into two separate units, the main bulk of whom would engage in melee combat whilst protecting the rear unit comprising of the druids and hunters who would harass their enemies from range with arrows and tier 2 and 3 spells. In addition, the chieftains formed their own autonomous unit comprising the five of them, Zaryusu and his pet hydra which would be deployed to assist any of their units that were in danger of running into trouble. To compensate for this lack of leadership in the field that would result, they assigned their respective Head Warriors to serve as commanders with responsibility for the battle lines and deployment of their units.

The outcome of these reports pleased Fengxian who saw the combining of the five tribes as a sound strategic proposal that would give them the greatest challenge to date in the New World, but at the same time would allow him to achieve a quick victory over them when he decided to grace the battlefield himself. Once the location of the Razor Tail tribe had been uncovered, Fengxian had ordered CZ to scout the outskirts around it in order to understand the lay of the land of their potential battleground. It had only taken her a few hours as CZ quickly reported back that the area around the village was a mix of open grassy fields and swampy marshlands. This had also pleased the warlord as it would give him a chance to see how well the lizardmen fought on an open battlefield without any strategic advantage save for their knowledge of the terrain.

In terms of the forces they had at their disposal, Cocytus had gone through the small army that Ainz and Henry had provided for them and had come back to his Grand Marshal with the following composition: The undead army, consisting of low-levelled undead creatures that were automatic spawns from the Great Tomb of Nazarick, numbered approximately 4,950 individual troops that contained the following: 300 undead beasts, including wolves, snakes and boars that maxed out at level 20 and would no doubt be a ferocious opponent given their tenacity and agility. 2,200 skeletons that would serve as the rank-and-file foot soldiers, along with 150 skeleton archers and 10 skeleton riders, the latter of whom were equipped in low-tier armour and weapons and rode upon undead skeletal horses that emitted a blue aura. Last of all came what Fengxian termed as the 'cannon fodder', 2,200 zombies who would only be a danger should they swarm upon their foes in large numbers. All in all, it was a none-too-spectacular force, a fact that Fengxian didn't mind too much given how their purpose was to test the Lizardmen's might and magic.

Despite their numerical superiority over the Lizardmen, they weren't expected to achieve victory. However, Fengxian wasn't about to make things too easy for the Lizardmen. He would allow them to whittle down the undead's numbers and give the Lizardmen hope of an easy victory, and then he would ultimately test their mettle and resolve by deploying the sub-commander Ainz had sent with the army: the undead magic-caster Iguva=41. Should they prove to be capable of defeating this semi-powerful undead, Fengxian would be convinced of their opponent's worth and move on to the next stage of the plan.

On the seventh day after Ainz had dispatched the first messenger to warn the Lizardmen of their imminent invasion, Fengxian decided it was time to make good on his friend and lord's word and dispatched the undead army towards the Razor Tail village. Soon after their departure, Fengxian took Cocytus, Shalltear and CZ with him to an elevated position not far from the battlefield where they would watch for themselves just how well the Lizardmen Alliance fared against the undead forces. As the experienced warriors and generals they were, both Fengxian and Cocytus were eager to see how the Lizardmen would fight and what sort of magics and combat techniques they'd utilise in order to achieve victory.

~TNT~

The seventh day came upon the assembled Lizardmen forces under a blanket of sunshine and clouds, and without wasting time they quickly took their fast before getting into their formations. Having had the advantage of knowing what day the enemy would attack, they'd taken those precious days and used them to shore up the area around the Razor Tail clan's village. Wooden palisades adorned with sharp spikes protected the hastily assembled watch towers and patches of earth that served as elevation for the archers and druids which would also allow them to spot the enemy coming from a fair distance.

As the time ticked on, every Lizardman became restless. Every minute felt like an hour as they awaited what they knew was coming. If this was a tactic by the undead forces to unnerve them, then they were doing a very good job of it. The tension in the air was so thick one could cut it with a knife as the assembled army continued to stand and wait.

And then it came. As the sun reached its apex, a sudden black cloud suddenly amassed over the forest in the distance and roiled towards the Lizardmen army, covering them all in darkness. At the same time, a large mob of shapes suddenly burst forth from the forest where they had been lying in wait for the appointed time and started shuffling towards them. Those with the best eyesight among the scouts were able to identify what manner of forces were coming towards them: an unruly mob of skeletons, zombies and what appeared to be undead beasts dotted throughout their ranks.

"It begins," both Zaryusu and Fengxian spoke from their relative positions.

"Alright everyone, listen up!" Shasuryu shouted as he and the other chieftains turned to face their assembled kin. "We've been preparing for this moment ever since their first warning came. We know the enemy is great, but there is nothing to be afraid of! For the first time in our people's history, we have ceased to be separate tribes, and through this Alliance, all Lizardmen are now one!" He took a moment to choose his next words carefully before continuing his address. "I know our ancestors would be proud of what they are seeing today, and they will protect us! For them, we will send these bastards back to the grave! TO VICTORY!" His passionate declaration brought a resounding cheer from all the assembled warriors who were now more than energised to beat back these undead and protect their homes and loved ones.

Emboldened by their leader's inspiring words, the rank-and-file of the Lizardmen's warriors and fighters charged forward to meet the undead, and as the opposing sides clashed the skill of the living warriors over their foes was immediately apparent as the skeletons and zombies began to be swept apart in droves, with only a few of the Lizardmen falling in return as a result of being swarmed by packs of zombies who instinctually sought to use their numbers to their advantage. Yet despite these losses, the opening exchanges of the battle belonged to the Lizardmen.

~TNT~

"Impressive! I. Was. Expecting. Them. To. Put. Up. A. Good. Fight, But. Instead. They. Are. Decimating. Our. Forward. Ranks!" Cocytus exclaimed from the vantage point where he, Fengxian and the others were watching. Owing to their size, the Grand Marshal and his lieutenant were able to watch the battle directly, whereas the diminutive Shalltear and CZ had to make do with a copy of the Mirror of Remote Viewing that Lord Ainz had lent them.

"They do have some skill, I'll give them that," Shalltear remarked.

"Let's see how they handle a sudden rush on their flanks," was all Fengxian contributed.

~TNT~

As if summoned by their Grand Marshal's words, the shock forces of the undead army were unleashed in order to try and swing the momentum back in their favour. Ten skeleton riders suddenly burst forth from the back ranks and charged towards the Lizardmen's flanks, their unholy steeds emitting a cacophony of demented screeches as they sought to catch their foes unprepared.

"They're going to use the cavalry to flank our lines and crush us in a pincer attack," Sukyu noticed as his keen eyes spotted their approach from where he and the rest of the chieftains were lying in wait.

"Then it's time for us to make our move as well, don't you think?" Zaryusu asked his brother. Though it had been by his efforts that this Alliance had been forged, his brother was still his chieftain and so he deferred to his command.

"Not yet. Let's see how they like the taste of our arrows! Archers, bring them down!" Shasuryu shouted. In response, the Lizardmen archers and slingers unleashed their missiles towards the advancing cavalry. Caught by surprise, the undead riders wilted under the arrow storm and were defeated as quickly as they arrived. But just when the Lizardmen thought they had seized the momentum back, the undead started deploying their own archers to try and thin the Lizardmen infantry. Though their scales were tough and should have easily shrugged off the incoming missiles, the sheer number of them succeeded in piercing the fleshier areas of the Lizardmen's skin, resulting in more casualties on their side and forcing the leading warriors to switch tactics. Whilst the majority of those still fighting continued to engage the skeletons and zombies, a select few braved the storm of arrows and got up close and personal with the archers, negating their ranged advantage and leaving them helpless to the clubs and blades of the valiant warriors.

"Are they thumbing their noses at us? It's like they don't even care they're on the back foot!" Zenberu scoffed as they continued to observe the battle.

"I can't make sense of their strategy at all. They're just throwing bodies at us thinking their superior numbers would be enough," Shasuryu commented. "I guess they must've really underestimated us."

"It's possible that they are currently acting without a commander and are just mindlessly attacking with purpose," Zaryusu pointed out.

"Bastards are mocking us…" Zenberu growled.

"Still, we ought to reduce their forces as much as possible before they make their next big play," Sukyu advised.

"Damn right! I hate waiting around…let's get in there and have some fun ourselves!" Zenberu exclaimed.

"Patience, Zenberu. A rash move on our part will only play into their hands." Kyuku replied calmly.

"Kyuku's right. Our forces seem to have their measure for the moment, so we'll hold off on committing ourselves until their commander graces us with their appearance," Zaryusu agreed. "When he shows up, I have no doubt you'll get all the action you want and more, Zenberu." The Dragon Tusk chieftain growled in frustration but reined himself in as the commanders watched the next part of the battle involved.

With the tide turning back into the Lizardmen's favour due to their archers and skeleton riders being effectively neutralised, the undead forces unleashed their packs of beasts into the fray. Caught off-guard by these new foes, those Lizardmen who had committed themselves in their rush against the skeleton archers were now being set up upon by all manner of decomposing animals. The wolves used their agility to flit between the mass of skeletons and leap out of seemingly nowhere to clamp down on Lizardmen throats, whilst the boars used their tusks to sweep aside all in their path. But the greatest threat by far were the two massive bears who reared up on their hind legs and used their massive claws to bowl aside all those who were foolish enough to try and get close.

"What despicable perversions of nature's beauty…" Zaryusu couldn't help but mourn at the sight of these once majestic beasts in such an unholy state.

"There's nothing we can do for them except end their pain…" Crusch growled with uncharacteristic fury as the normally placid and calm shaman's anger spiked upon seeing these crimes against the natural world she treasured so dearly. "Druids! Use your magic to neutralise these beasts!" Responding instantly to her cry, all of the gathered spell-casters pooled their magic together to form two massive Swamp Elementals that seemed to surge forth directly from the risen earth. Wasting no time, the Elementals were unleashed into the midst of the zombie beasts and assaulted them with their massive tentacles, ripping them apart with minimal effort. With the ranks of undead beasts crumbling before their very eyes, the Lizardmen whose courage had been waning from the undead beasts' assault now found themselves filled with renewed vigour as the battle once again swung in their favour. Though they were still outnumbered, the warriors trusted in their skill and began to once again carve apart the mass of zombies and skeletons still in their path, resulting in massive casualties to the undead forces whilst only suffering minimal losses in return.

~TNT~

"Amazing! Rather. Then. Crumbling. Under. All. Of. Those. Assaults, They. Persevered. And. Found. Ways. To. Counter. Everything. We. Threw. At. Them!" Cocytus couldn't help but shout in amazement. "Such. A. Remarkable. Display. Of. Courage. And. Might!"

"I thought for sure our mass of undead beasts would be their downfall, but those massive swamp creatures ended up sweeping aside like they were nothing. They may actually defeat our forces after all!" Shalltear added, her growing appreciation of the Lizardmen's display subsuming her usual disdain for all those who weren't undead and/or part of the Glorious Tomb of Nazarick.

"Current calculations show they will soon achieve total victory over our forces," CZ commented.

Though he maintained a calm and collected outward expression, Fengxian was inwardly sharing his subordinates' assessment of their opponents. "I've seen enough to know that they'll be worthy additions to our ranks…but I want to see what their leaders are capable of. Time to play our last card…" (Iguva! It's time for you to advance! Show the Lizardmen your might!) He commanded via Message.

(I obey, Grand Marshal!) came the Lich's dull reply.

"They've done well so far…but now the true test awaits. Let's see how they match up against the power of an elder Lich," Fengxian spoke. As a level 22 monster with command over the 3rd tier of magic and greatly buffed stats as a result of being summoned directly by Ainz, the Grand Marshal had no doubt the undead creation would prove to be a much greater threat than anything they'd thrown at the Lizardmen so far. If they managed to defeat it…that would be the icing on top of the proverbial cake as far as the Grand Marshal was concerned.

~TNT~

"Incredible…summoning such powerful Swamp Elementals so quickly is no mean feat," Crusch marvelled as she and the rest of the leaders continued to watch the massive creatures lay waste to the undead ranks. "It just goes to show what amazing things we can do together when we combine our strength and resources like this."

"Indeed. After that last war, all we did was exchange small bits of information between the tribes, but there was never any real unity unlike what we are seeing now," Zaryusu agreed as the two leaders caught each other's gaze, causing them to blush simultaneously. "Once this battle is behind us, there are many things I'd like to try…" As he spoke, his and Crusch's tails intertwined, their tips caressing each other's in a gesture of affection.

"I couldn't agree more…" the albino chieftain replied happily as the remaining chieftains and Rororo the hydra all made varying sounds of exasperation at this over-the-top and sickly-sweet display of affection. But before any of them could comment, their attention was violently diverted as from out of nowhere a massive fireball shot through the Lizardmen's ranks, burning several of them to a crisp whilst forcing the rest to dodge aside in order to avoid suffering the same fate.

"What the hell was that?!" Zenberu exclaimed.

"A Fireball spell! It came from that cloud of mist over there!" Crusch shouted, pointing towards the curtain of fog that had suddenly appeared at the opposite end of the battlefield from where they were standing. As the leaders and Rororo all watched, the mists suddenly parted to reveal a hideous undead magic caster whose very aura reeked of death and decay. He had glowing red eyes and was clad in an old, luxurious robe that hung off of his mass of skin and bones, and as the chieftains took in his unsightly appearance he shot off another Fireball that once again decimated several Lizardmen at once.

"Retreat! This one's not like the other rabble!" Came the yell from the Head Warrior of the Dragon Tusk tribe. Taking up the call, the other Head Warriors waved their weapons back towards the Razor Tail village, and in response the surviving Lizardmen turned tail and ran back towards their encampment.

"Running won't save you, pests! I will ensure victory in the name of the Supreme Ones!" The elder lich shouted in a gravelly tone of voice as he continued to shoot Fireball after Fireball at the retreating Lizardmen. Most were able to nimbly leap aside even as they ran, but an unlucky few weren't so fortunate as the Fireballs hit their mark.

"Looks like we're finally up!" Zenberu exclaimed.

"Yeah, that one is way more powerful than anything we've faced so far. That must be the commander we've been waiting for," Shasuryu agreed. "But even if he isn't, it's obvious that's their ace they've been holding in reserve."

"But how are we going to get close enough to be able to defeat him?" Crusch asked worriedly. "The range of his spells has to be 100 metres at least."

"Hmmm…" As Zaryusu pondered what to do, he suddenly felt a few of Rororo's heads gently buffeting against his skin, and as he turned around he saw his friend looking at him expectantly. Several unsaid words passed between the pair as the traveler caressed each individual head, the two of them reaching a very quick unspoken agreement. "You're right…there is a way."

"Zaryusu?" Crusch asked with confusion. But before she and the other chieftains could say anything more, the massive hydra charged down the hill in front of them as he began to sprint straight towards the lich.

"Crusch! Zenberu! With me! Brother, you and the other chieftains tend to the wounded and get the retreat under control!" Zaryusu shouted as he dashed after his friend. Rather than wasting time trying to argue and debate these orders, the other chieftains moved exactly as the traveler had directed them to, with Crusch and Zenberu doing their best to match the rapid pace that had been set by Zaryusu and Rororo.

"Fools! My hellfire will make this beast succumb long before he can close the distance!" Iguva growled as he threw another Fireball at the charging hydra, only to be startled as the hydra seemingly shrugged off the spell without slowing at all. "Insufferable brute!" Two more fireballs bounced off of Rororo's body, but even though the hydra continued its charge it was obvious the three spells had done more damage than it was showing: Scorch marks coated most of its body, and two of its heads were hanging limply with their eyes closed. But despite the massive amount of pain he was in, the brave creature kept charging towards the Elder Lich.

"Why won't it stop?! Why does it keep coming?!" Iguva bellowed as he unleashed another Fireball which would have surely finished the beast off had Zaryusu not acted to save his friend. With a loud cry of "Icy Burst!", Rororo's master leapt from behind the charging beast and smashed Frost Pain into the ground, bringing up a small ice wall that blocked the Fireball.

"Thank you, Rororo! You did well! Now go and get yourself healed" Zaryusu called out to his friend as he, Crusch and Zenberu continued to close the gap between themselves and the Elder Lich.

"Impossible!" Iguva threw another Fireball that was again countered by Zaryusu's Icy Burst.

"Throw as many as you like! I'll counter every one of them!" The traveler shouted as he and the others crossed the 30-metre mark between themselves and their opponent.

"Then I'll have to switch things up, won't I?!" Iguva retorted as he extended a skeletal hand. "Lightning!" An arc of thunder burst forth from his fingertips aimed directly at Zaryusu.

"I've got this! Massive Resistance!" Zenberu shouted as he stepped in front of the spell and took it square in the chest. The massive warrior seemed to initially curl up from the pain, but then his body emitted a strong crimson glow as it shrugged off the effects of the spell entirely.

"Nice save!" Zaryusu praised the Dragon Tusk chieftain.

"Heh, that was nothing!" Zenberu scoffed as the two, along with Crusch, continued their charge.

Seeing how his magic wasn't availing him at present, Iguva decided to switch tactics "Summon Skeleton Warriors!" he called, and from the ground in front of him rose four skeletal undead much like the rank-and-file soldiers used in their initial assault. "I am an Elder Lich in service to the Great Ones, you cannot defeat me! If you bow your heads and meekly surrender, I will ensure your deaths are quick!"

"I think I speak for myself and the other Chieftains when I say this: Go to hell!" Zaryusu retorted as he and the others got to within 10 metres of the Elder Lich and his skeletons.

"Foolish ingrates! That was your last chance for mercy!" Iguva raged, perturbed by what he perceived as pure insolence on their part. "It matters not, as after the suffering I inflict upon you you'll find yourselves begging for death!"

"Not if we send you back to the pits you crawled out of!" Zaryusu shouted as they closed in on the summoned skeletons. Using his meaty fists, Zenberu easily swatted the pair that came for him. As for the other two, they tried to get in Zaryusu's way but were hindered by Crusch who used Earth Bind to entangle their feet and hold them in place.

"Succumb to fear! Terror!" Iguva screamed as he backed off from the charging demi-human. All of a sudden Zaryusu found himself pitched into inky blackness as he felt his resolve begin to wane. But just before he was about to succumb to his fear, Crusch's strong voice broke through the numbness plaguing his mind.

"Lion's Heart!" the albino chieftain shouted, causing a yellow glow to surround Zaryusu's heart that broke the illusion surrounding the traveler and brought him back to reality. "You're okay!" She exclaimed, relief etched all over her face.

"Pestiferous harpy! Lightning Strike!" Iguva snapped as he fired off another lightning arc at Crusch who screamed in agony as electricity coated her body.

"Crusch, no!" Zaryusu exclaimed, charging at the elder lich with a ferocious growl. He swung Forst Pain at the Elder Lich's chest, only for the undead to simply float back and avoid it. This did not deter the traveler however as he swung again, closing the distance between them. "Magic won't help you at this range!" He declared.

"Don't underestimate me, Lizardman! Take this!" At such a close range, the Magic Arrows the lich shot were unavoidable. Despite his best attempts to parry them with his blade, the missiles sunk into Zaryusu's flesh, but since the traveler had honed his body through many battles over the years the pain was tolerable. But the undead didn't let up as he struck Zaryusu with the magical projectiles over and over again whenever the Lizardman got close, and after several rounds of this repeated cycle the veteran warrior's movements began to slow down as the build-up of pain began to take its toll. The only crumb of comfort he had whilst enduring this onslaught was not having to worry about the lich's skeletal summons as Zenberu had been able to deal with them at the cost of his considerable strength and endurance, causing the Dragon Tusk chieftain to collapse to the floor once he'd finished with them.

"Middle…Cure Wounds…" Crusch ground out in her weakened state, healing Zaryusu's wounds and erasing his pain before her strength gave out as well.

"Zenberu…Crusch…thank you…" Zaryusu told them softly as he felt Crusch's magic revitalise his fighting spirit, before fixing his furious gaze upon his opponent. "I won't let you best me!" He shouted as he swung at the undead once again, only for the lich to do as he'd done countless times so far and simply float away from his attack.

"How dare you look down on me! I'll make you pay for your insolence!" Iguva growled as he prepared another Fireball spell.

"An AoE spell at this range will wipe us all out if I let it hit! Looks like I have no choice but to counter it!" "Icy Burst!" Zaryusu cried, lighting up the runes on Frost Pain as he once more brought it down on the wet terrain beneath them. Instead of the shield it had produced previously to protect Rororo, the spell brought forth a towering vortex of freezing fog that engulfed both combatants. Though it did its job of obscuring the undead's vision, the Lizardman was forced to take the brunt of the spell and growled in discomfort as he felt the ice begin to coat his skin.

"Ice magic doesn't work on me, simpleton! It affects only yourself," he heard the lich call out from the gloom. "Once I find your frozen corpse, I'll feed it to the bugs."

"You fool…all that posturing and vanity has just cost you!" Taking advantage of the undead desperately trying to find him and following the direction in which his voice had come from, Zaryusu summoned up his remaining strength and, yanking Frost Pain out of the ground, leapt high into the air before swinging the blade downwards. "Please let this find its mark…" he prayed, and to his elation, he felt the blade hit its target and bury itself into the lich's skull through its eye socket.

"AGGGGGGGGH! Damn you!" Iguva screamed as he staggered backwards, Frost Pain firmly lodged where Zaryusu had planted it. "I am a creation of the Supreme Beings, and I refuse to fall to a filthy reptile like you!" As he spoke he suddenly shot forward and grabbed Zaryusu by the neck, aiming to choke the life out of him. The Lizardman did his best to try and escape, but even in his death throes Iguva's necromantic strength was too much for him to overcome. "I will feel your bones crush between my hands as you die!"

"Rororo…Zenberu…Crusch…" Spurred on by the belief his friend, his comrades and his people had placed in him, Zaryusu summoned up the dying reserves of his strength to lift his hands above his head and clasp them together, his eyes fixed on the hilt of his blade.

"Impossible! How are you moving?! Tell me how!" Iguva screamed, but his plea fell on deaf ears as with one final roar that echoed across the plains, Zaryusu brought his clenched hands down upon the hilt and drove it straight through the undead's skull and out the other side. "Lord Ainz…Crown Prince Augustus…Grand Marshal Fengxian…please forgive me…" he cried out as he finally expired, his body fizzling out of existence as Frost Pain clattered to the ground where the Elder Lich had once stood.

"We did it…we beat them…" Zaryusu reflected triumphantly as the victory cries of the other Lizardmen began to ring out. These turned out to be his last conscious thoughts as his strength finally gave out causing him to collapse to the icy ground.

~TNT~

"Impossible…they managed to defeat a powerful undead summoned by the Supreme Beings themselves…" Shalltear finally remarked after a while, the four observers having gone deadly silent upon seeing Iguva fall at Zaryusu's hands.

"A. Remarkable. Display. Of. Teamwork, Endurance, Fighting. Spirit. And. Magical. Power!" Cocytus praised. "These. Lizardmen. Are. Truly. Exceptional. Warriors!"

Though he didn't give any outward reaction, Fengxian was inwardly pleased at what he saw. It had been a close-run contest against a powerful foe, but with determination and ingenious tactics, the Lizardmen had come out victorious in this fight. Though it marked Nazarick's first defeat in this New Word, the Grand Marshal was not upset by it as this had been his intent all along: to gauge their strength and prove their worthiness as potential allies. "I bet Suzi and Ise will be just as pleased once they hear of this…speaking of which, I probably ought to let them-"

"Grand Marshal." CZ's monotonous voice broke Fengxian from his thoughts. "Lord Ainz and Crown Prince Constantine are requesting an update and demand you return to Nazarick to speak with them. Do you wish for me to convey a response?"

"It's as if they were reading my mind…" "No need, CZ. I will return straight away and personally answer for my defeat," he replied.

"But my Lord Grand Marshal…surely this wasn't your fault? You could not have known the Lizardmen would be as strong as this!" Shalltear exclaimed.

"Allow. Us. To. Bear. The. Shame. Of. This. Defeat. In. Your. Stead, Grand. Marshal, For. Surely. The Blame. Lies. In. Our. Failings. Rather. Than. Yours," Cocytus tried to protest.

"I appreciate your willingness to take the fall for me, but I cannot allow that," Fengxian told them, his hand raised to stifle any further protests. "As the appointed commander of these forces, I am the one who must shoulder the blame for this defeat. All I can hope is that the Master and Crown Prince will be forgiving of my failures. Whilst I am away, I want the three of you to return to our encampment and observe what the Lizardmen do next. Do not make any moves against them until either myself, Lord Ainz or Lord Henry command you otherwise."

"As you command, Grand Marshal."/"As. You. Command, Grand. Marshal." They all replied at once as Fengxian used his Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown to teleport back to Nazarick.

And that's another chapter squared away! Despite having days where I was flat and unmtoivated as is normally the case for me right now, this was still a lot of fun to write. I have lots of time and love for this arc and the Lizardmen and can't wait to write from them again in the next chapter as well as the future. And they sure made a good impression on Fengxian and the others as they banded together to beat back the opening salvo from Nazarick. But Fengxian, along with Ainz and Henry, will definitely not take this loss lying down and you can be sure they'll soon bring the full scope of their might and powers to bear against the tribes!

Not much to say in terms of changes from canon aside from the obvious one of Fengxian taking charge instead of Cocytus. As detailed last time, Shalltear was there to learn some essential battlefield tactics and I'm sure she took away a great deal from the first battle between the undead and Lizardmen and how meticulously Fengxian prepared for it. And our boy Zaryusu came in clutch as to be expected to deal with Iguva=41 and his magic, with aid of course from the good boy Rororo, the beautiful Crusch and the beastly Zenberu. Let's see how the rest do when they face off against the best Nazarick has to offer next time out!

daniel: This was amazing! I also stand with my partner in that I have a lot of affection for the Lizardmen and so it was great to write about their triumph but this war ain't over yet, test time is over and they will feel the true might of Nazarick next time!

Chapter 15 will be coming, as is the case by now, in the next two weeks maximum. Hopefully a weekend away in a week's time will clear my head and do me some good, but I'll make sure to write a good chunk of the next chapter by then. On behalf of myself and my co-author daniel, thank you all once again for all the love and support you've all shown this story, it really means the world to us, and we'll see you all again in the next chapter of the Nazarick Triumvirate!