Chapter 3: Fateful Encounter (2)
"Something's here… something's definitely here."
Kaiser muttered under his breath.
Ever since they had drawn near the border, he'd felt it — a faint evil aura that made his skin prickle. At first, it had been little more than a vague sense of malice, but with each step closer to the frontier, the sensation grew thicker, heavier… until it became impossible to ignore.
Part of him wanted to sprint ahead and assess the situation, but since Gazef was the mission's leader — and likely the target of their enemies — acting alone would be reckless. Moreover, Kaiser had learned restraint. If there was no need to fight, then not fighting was best.
A small sigh escaped him. I've really changed, he thought.
There was a time when he would have charged headlong into battle simply because a strong foe was nearby. Once, he was a battle maniac, eager to test his strength against anyone powerful. But now… now he was calmer, more cautious — or perhaps, as he bitterly admitted to himself, more passive.
A guardian, unlike a conqueror, bore countless chains of responsibility. He couldn't fight purely for the thrill anymore.
Please don't tell me it's one of the Eight Greed Kings… or one of the Six Great Gods, he thought grimly.
He absently rubbed his left arm — a habit he'd picked up when tension gripped him. He knew from experience that legendary beings always appeared without warning — abruptly, absurdly, as if they had always existed in that very spot. Each time, they defied reason and left devastation in their wake. Not all of them were monsters… but enough were.
If this presence truly belonged to one of those "players," he had no intention of provoking them. He knew better than anyone how dangerous they could be.
If the being were benevolent, this tension would be unnecessary — but this aura, this overwhelming malice that even from afar made his instincts scream, was anything but good.
If they could coexist peacefully, that would be best.
If the entity didn't threaten humanity, Kaiser wouldn't start a fight. Perhaps — just perhaps — they could even communicate.
"We'll be arriving at the village soon," Gazef said.
"Yes," Kaiser replied quietly.
It's here, he thought again. Something's here.
He could sense it now — two powerful presences, massive and oppressive enough to distort the air itself. Even if they weren't of the Eight Kings or the Six Gods, their sheer might demanded caution. The world is vast and full of strong beings, Kaiser mused, but beings from another world? That's cheating.
He sighed, tightening his grip as he prepared to draw his weapon — just in case.
....
Momonga.
Or rather — Ainz Ooal Gown — was utterly bewildered.
The game Yggdrasil had ended. The servers had shut down. The Guild Tomb of Nazarick was supposed to fade away with it. Yet… here he was. It hadn't ended.
He had been transported — to another world.
The NPCs moved. They spoke.
And he… had become his in-game avatar — the Overlord Momonga.
Maybe… maybe his guildmates were here too.
With that faint hope, he'd begun using the guild's name as his own — Ainz Ooal Gown — while gathering information from a nearby village he'd saved.
Still, beneath that calm exterior, he was reeling.
He didn't have a stomach anymore, but if he did, it would have churned.
He didn't have a brain, but his skull throbbed with the weight of countless questions.
Was this world safe?
Were there other players here?
Could he ever return home?
None of it made sense yet.
After fighting the local soldiers, he'd concluded they were extremely weak — but he wasn't naïve enough to assume the entire world was. There could be monsters, players, or warriors capable of crushing him like paper. Or worse — someone wielding items as powerful as his own.
If he wanted to protect Nazarick, to honor his fallen comrades, he had to move carefully. Every step was for Ainz Ooal Gown.
"I am called Gazef Stronoff," said a broad-shouldered man approaching on horseback. "Warrior Captain of the Re-Estize Kingdom. Forgive my intrusion, but may I ask your name?"
"Of course," Ainz replied smoothly. "My name is Ainz Ooal Gown. Merely a humble magic caster. I saw this village under attack and lent my meager assistance."
"Is that so…? You have my deepest thanks!" Gazef said, dismounting immediately and bowing.
Ainz was startled.
He'd expected arrogance from someone of high standing — especially a "Warrior Captain." But Gazef's eyes shone with genuine gratitude. The undead overlord found himself… oddly impressed by the man's sincerity.
"Then, Sir Gown," Gazef continued, "may I trouble you to tell us what happened here — who the attackers were?"
"It's no trouble at all. I—"
Ainz paused.
He felt a strange presence — a gaze.
He turned.
A young man stood before him, perhaps in his early twenties, wearing a clown-like mask — not as ornate as Ainz's own, but strange enough to draw the eye. His hair was pure white, neatly arranged, and he wore loose black clothes that seemed to flow with the wind.
The aura around him was unmistakable.
Ainz, for the first time since arriving in this world, felt a faint twinge of unease.
And Kaiser — standing there in silence — quietly thought,
Found you.
'When did he—?'
Ainz froze.
Even with his enhanced undead perception — far beyond human senses — he hadn't detected the man's approach. Not a single step, not a single trace of presence.
"Sir Ka–Kaiser-! That mask… what is it exactly—?"
Sir Kaiser…?
Ainz's thoughts raced. The man before him, Gazef Stronoff, was a warrior captain — clearly someone of rank. Yet this Gazef was addressing the newcomer with honorifics, as though he were the superior. That alone was strange. The white-haired man gave off no noble aura, no trace of regal arrogance. But judging strength by appearances alone was dangerous — especially in Yggdrasil. Many monsters had feigned weakness before revealing their true power.
"You must have faced trained soldiers," Kaiser said calmly. "Impressive. You called yourself a magic caster, yet…"
"I was simply fortunate," Ainz replied evenly. "And I did not act alone."
"I see. Admirable, Lord Ainz."
Standing a short distance behind Ainz was a woman clad entirely in black steel. Her weapon — somewhere between a massive axe and a war hammer — gleamed ominously. Even at a glance, Gazef knew: this woman was no ordinary fighter. If she'd helped annihilate an entire platoon, she was someone any nation would covet.
Kaiser tilted his head. "Still, that mask of yours… rather amusing, isn't it?"
Oh, that's rich coming from you! Ainz thought irritably.
His own skeletal visage was hidden behind a smooth, ivory mask — while Kaiser's clown-like mask was equally unsettling. The two were practically competing for "Most Suspicious Headgear."
"Is there a reason you hide your face?" Kaiser asked, watching him.
Their gazes met — glowing eyes beneath masks, red light clashing with faint golden flame.
For a brief moment, time itself seemed to still.
Then Kaiser glanced toward Albedo, smirked, and spoke with deliberate mischief.
"Or perhaps you're hiding a hideous scar? Or maybe you're just that ugly beneath there? Or is there another reason — something inside that mustn't be seen…?"
CRACK!!
The sudden impact echoed.
"Albedo!!!"
Ainz shouted before he realized it, voice trembling with both anger and alarm.
It wasn't that the outburst surprised him — it was who had provoked it. The jab had been so blatant, so obviously intended to incite violence, that Ainz instantly understood it had been deliberate. Yet it hadn't been directed at him.
From the moment Kaiser had approached, Albedo's killing intent had been rising. Kaiser had sensed it — and had aimed his provocation directly at her.
The result was instant.
Albedo, unable to restrain her fury, swung her weapon and struck Kaiser with monstrous force, sending him flying.
He might be dead.
Ainz's thoughts raced — If he dies, then we'll have no choice but to fight. We'll be branded as enemies of this kingdom.
"HOW DARE YOU! YOU INSIGNIFICANT INSECT! HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO MY LORD, FILTHY LOWER BEING!!"
There was no turning back now.
Ainz felt a dull ache — the phantom throb of a skull without nerves. He fought to suppress his emotions, forcing himself into cold calculation.
Whatever happened, this had to end peacefully.
They knew too little about this world to start a war.
Please… be alive, he prayed silently, preparing to cast a healing spell—
"Now, now. Calm down."
A soft, relaxed voice drifted through the air.
"What—!?"
"...M-My… body…"
Albedo froze.
Before anyone could react, Kaiser was behind her. A pitch-black sword rested in his hand — its tip buried in her shadow.
Her body trembled violently, unable to move.
Gazef didn't gasp — he only widened his eyes slightly, realizing the man's intent.
Smiling faintly, Kaiser spoke behind her ear.
"You're strong — more than enough. But right now, you can't move, can you? Not that proud strength of yours, not even that blessing — whether it's from a god or a demon."
His tone was calm. Almost gentle.
And infinitely terrifying.
Albedo's voice began to tremble with murderous intent.
Ainz immediately understood what was happening.
Kaiser had effortlessly countered Albedo's surprise attack — even moved faster than Ainz himself could track.
And now Albedo stood frozen, unable to move.
Was it the sword?
Ainz's glowing red eyes flickered toward the blade stabbed into Albedo's shadow. It must be the weapon's ability — sealing movement through the target's shadow.
Dangerous.
That was Ainz's conclusion.
This man — this "Kaiser" — was dangerous.
The air thickened, tension coiling like a serpent ready to strike.
Then, with a light tap, Kaiser withdrew his blade. The oppressive weight vanished, and Albedo staggered forward. The sword was gone — completely.
"Haha," Kaiser chuckled, removing his clownish mask.
"Maybe I went too far with the teasing? But come on — she tried to smash my face in with that hideous weapon of hers. Let's call it even, yes? Honestly, if I hadn't blocked that, my face would've been a mess!"
He dusted his hands casually as if nothing had happened.
So that's it, Ainz thought, piecing it together.
He'd expected Albedo to strike — Kaiser must have, too. The man had deliberately fallen back to absorb the impact, likely mitigating most of the damage. But that didn't make him any less terrifying.
The danger he radiated wasn't from arrogance or bloodlust — it was from absolute control.
Their eyes met.
Kaiser studied Ainz silently.
He's calm, Kaiser thought. Annoyingly calm. Not the impulsive type — calculating, logical. Probably learned to suppress emotion after becoming undead. And judging by his movements, he's new to this world, but sharp.
That reaction to Gazef's gratitude — he's no fool. He's got the bearing of a leader… and, interestingly, not hostile toward humans. To him, they're probably more like pets than prey.
Meanwhile, Ainz's mind raced just as quickly.
Fast — impossibly fast. Even Albedo didn't react in time. So that's why those soldiers died so easily… The people here aren't weak; it's him. If there are more like him in this world, I'll need to be cautious. "Kaiser"… that name doesn't sound common. Still, he doesn't seem eager to fight. He's joking to defuse the tension — that means he's trying to avoid hostility. He probably already knows we're not human.
Both came to the same conclusion.
Strong.
Dangerous.
That understanding was carved into both their minds.
Kaiser, the guardian who had survived countless battlefields, could immediately tell that both Ainz and Albedo were extraordinary. Their very presence screamed danger.
Likewise, Ainz and Albedo had recognized from that one instant of movement that Kaiser was no ordinary being — someone even Albedo shouldn't underestimate.
Albedo's glare was venomous, her teeth clenched. Only Ainz's raised hand — a silent command — kept her from acting.
"My apologies," Ainz said, bowing his head slightly.
"My companion lost her composure. Please forgive her outburst."
Good. He wasn't provoking further hostility.
As long as Kaiser didn't intend to attack, Ainz had no reason to push the matter. He needed information, not enemies — especially not of this caliber.
Besides, though Kaiser had taunted first, Albedo had struck first. The fault was technically theirs.
Kaiser nodded, his expression unreadable.
"No, I should apologize. Everyone has their secrets — I was the one who lacked restraint."
He wasn't smiling now — merely watching, assessing.
He'd met many powerful beings across centuries, but the most troublesome weren't the arrogant ones.
They were the careful ones — those who wielded strength without pride.
Ainz was one of them.
An opponent like this couldn't be fought recklessly — not with Gazef here, and not without knowing what kind of enemy he might truly be. For now, it was best to match his tone.
Their eyes met again.
Both men thought the same thing at once:
"A dangerous one."
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