Chapter 5: Fateful Encounter (4)
He ran.
He ran without thinking.
Nigun didn't look back—he couldn't afford to. Even as he sprinted, he tried to deny what he'd seen. It couldn't have been real.
The man he'd faced couldn't possibly have been the real Kaiser.
But the calmness, the overwhelming power—if none of it was a trick, what else could explain it? Could a mere trick really cut down an angel? And not just any angel—one of the Theocracy's greatest treasures, a being revered for having once slain a Demon Lord.
The Radiant Dominion Angel had fallen in a single strike.
That fact alone shattered Nigun's mind.
He kept running until his legs gave out and he fell forward, coughing and groaning in pain. The ache proved it wasn't a dream—but his mind refused to accept it.
"C-Captain Nigun!" someone called.
"It's impossible! He can't be real! Kaiser doesn't exist! That blasphemous thing—he can't exist! God—God being killed by a human!? Ridiculous! Lies! A fake! It has to be a fake!!"
Nigun clenched his teeth.
Even if it was a fake, what changed? The result was the same.
But he tried to convince himself otherwise. Fake or not, that overwhelming power was real. There had been no deception. Even if there had been, no trick could ever defeat the Radiant Dominion Angel. Kaiser had truly cut it down.
"I—I must warn the Theocracy! That man is dangerous!"
Nigun wasn't stupid.
He knew that if the Theocracy had its own "ultimate weapon," then other nations might have their own. Perhaps this being was the Kingdom's hidden trump card. Nigun had seen that strength with his own eyes. He had to deliver the report—everything he'd witnessed—for the sake of the Theocracy and of God.
He forced his exhausted body to move again.
Ordinarily, he would have felt humiliated.
Kaiser hadn't even acknowledged him as an enemy—just toyed with him, then spared him out of pity. And now he was fleeing without looking back. But Nigun had no room for pride; his mind was consumed by terror at that impossible power and fear that such strength might someday be turned against the Theocracy. His devotion to faith twisted into raw patriotism. He had to survive.
Kaiser said he'd let them go, but what if it was a lie? What if he changed his mind? Nigun had to get back now.
"Run! You saw it too—you know how dangerous that man is! This information must reach the Theocracy!"
As he ran, Nigun's fevered mind turned over Kaiser's words.
He had spoken as if he knew of the Theocracy… and mentioned "Panda." Who was that? Nigun knew of the Theocracy's secret weapons, even those he had no access to—but what if Kaiser knew of one that even he didn't? That possibility made him run even faster.
"He's not real… He's a fake! No human could ever defeat a god!!"
But that thought wasn't about the angel anymore.
It was about the legend—of the man said to have slain one of the Six Great Gods. The ancient battle, said to have been a duel so fierce that either side could have won—yet the victor had been Kaiser. That alone was enough reason for the Theocracy's hatred.
"Yeah… No human could live that long. There's no way Kaiser is real!" Nigun told himself, repeating the lie as he ran toward the Theocracy.
....
The blue sky had vanished, replaced by a night filled with countless stars.
The starlight blanketed the world in gentle radiance, guiding travelers through the dark. Kaiser sat beneath it, quietly watching.
Perhaps he'd gone too far.
There were still people in the Theocracy who knew he existed—people who denied his legend for both religious and political reasons. Honestly, he found it tedious. He could defeat them easily, but it would be such a bother.
And especially her.
He didn't want to see Panda again. Not because he couldn't win—just because he didn't want to. She probably felt the same way.
Kaiser sighed and looked behind him.
"Do you like this world, Mr. Ainz?"
Ainz turned slightly. "You seem to know more than I expected."
"I'm not just strong," Kaiser said lightly. "Knowledge is its own weapon. A brute with power alone is the easiest kind of fool to deal with."
Kaiser rose to his feet. Behind Ainz, Albedo's sharp gaze was fixed on him, full of barely restrained hostility. Not only from their earlier clash—no, it was deeper. It was the gaze of one who simply despised humans. Kaiser could feel it—the mark of hatred engraved into her very being. Ask her why, and she'd probably give vague answers: I just do. They're pitiful. Disgusting.
"Was it wise to let him go?" Ainz asked calmly. "For you, that might not have been the best choice."
"They were soldiers fulfilling an order," Kaiser replied.
"They didn't act out of malice, nor are they inherently cruel. People driven by faith can become monsters, yes… but life itself is precious."
He couldn't condemn a soldier for following orders.
If he did, then even Gazef would be guilty. And by that logic, every patriot serving their nation would be, too.
Kaiser understood that human wars sometimes erupted for the pettiest reasons. Occasionally, he'd lend his strength to prevent a massacre—but he never took sides. Because if Kaiser chose a side, it would no longer be a war.
It would be a massacre.
"You know I'm not human, don't you?" Ainz asked.
Kaiser smiled faintly. "An undead. An Overlord. And the lady beside you isn't human either. To be honest, I only picked a fight earlier because of the foul energy surrounding you. My apologies, Mr. Ainz."
"No harm done," Ainz replied. "Gazef mentioned you, briefly. So the legend is true—you're that Kaiser?"
"My name is Kaiser," he said. "Just as your name is Ainz."
"You dare speak Lord Ainz's name so casually!—"
"Albedo."
Ainz removed his mask. Beneath it was the polished skull of a lich, terrible yet strangely noble. The red light in his sockets blazed at Albedo.
"Don't speak out of turn."
"M-my apologies, Lord Ainz!"
Kaiser watched silently.
He'd seen this before — the same kind of loyalty among the followers of the Eight Greed Kings.
That twisted devotion, that pride in being created by their master—it was powerful, unbreakable, and irritating. It left no room for betrayal or doubt. That kind of faith was stronger than any weapon — and far more troublesome.
"He definitely called them NPCs, didn't he? Created beings, unlike Players. From the atmosphere, it doesn't feel like those two came alone… troublesome. Best to keep secret how much I actually know."
If there were many beings this powerful, even Kaiser would be in danger.
Fortunately, Ainz still possessed reason. He wasn't exactly friendly toward humans, but he wasn't openly hostile either.
From here on, how humanity treated Ainz would determine how Ainz treated humanity in return. Of all people, Kaiser thought, why did it have to be me he met first? He could feel a headache coming on. He wasn't usually one to overthink—but someone called a "guardian" couldn't help but consider the implications.
....
As Kaiser observed Ainz, Ainz was studying Kaiser just as intently. He's strong, Ainz thought—but after watching him annihilate the Theocracy's soldiers, he was certain. This was no one to underestimate, no one to take lightly. Ainz hadn't been in this world long, yet he already knew—this man was dangerous.
If Gazef was right and this truly was the legendary Kaiser, then there might be only a few beings like him in the entire world. Still, there must be others of considerable strength as well. Information was too scarce. That lack of knowledge made Ainz's skull ache… and at that moment, Kaiser met his gaze.
He didn't look strong—slight build, kind eyes, the sort of man you wouldn't expect to hold a sword.
He's a threat nonetheless, Ainz thought. And if he really is Kaiser, then the knowledge he's accumulated over such a long life is worth more than any treasure.
Fortunately, he doesn't seem to discriminate against other races. That means I should maintain a good relationship with him—treat him as an ally rather than an enemy.
Kaiser was strong—and dangerous.
But he also knew things Ainz didn't.
As a living legend, he possessed knowledge unreachable to ordinary beings. And most importantly, even after realizing Ainz was an undead Overlord, he showed no hostility.
Would Ainz ever meet another human like this again?
Even if he did, would the conversation be this civil?
Perhaps not. Depending on circumstances, their next meeting might end in battle—something Ainz wanted to avoid at all costs. He almost felt saliva pooling in his mouth, though he no longer had any.
"Don't make such a tense face," Kaiser said lightly.
Wait—he can read my expressions? Ainz thought in surprise.
Kaiser scratched his head. "I don't want to fight you either, Mr. Ainz. If we did, the damage would be enormous. Fighting here, in this village… that would be a tragedy."
Ainz exhaled softly. He hated gambling on uncertain outcomes. Cautious to a fault, he was the kind who would tap every stepping stone before crossing the river. Normally, what he was about to do would be unthinkable. But if he missed this chance, he might end up turning one of the world's strongest—and most dangerous—beings into an enemy right at the start.
So Ainz extended a hand toward Kaiser and said,
"Mr. Kaiser, how would you feel about visiting my home… the Great Tomb of Nazarick? I would like to formally invite you as a guest."
"Ah—Lord Ainz!?" Albedo gasped.
This is a gamble, Ainz thought, watching Kaiser's mildly surprised expression. Then Kaiser shrugged and clasped Ainz's hand with a grin.
"Well, why not? Let's go."
Ainz, who despised uncertainty, and Kaiser, who rather enjoyed it—two opposites who had just shaken hands, sealing a fateful alliance.
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