The sky above the Great Tomb of Nazarick did not darken with clouds.
It darkened because something arrived.
Space itself bent.
The illusion covering the surface ruins shattered without warning, torn apart by an overwhelming foreign authority. A vast shadow fell across the land, blotting out the sun in absolute silence.
The Black Dragon Fortress decloaked.
Two kilometers of black alloy and violet energy materialized in the air like a descending judgment. Its hull was etched with runes, conduits glowing as power circulated through its spine. Compared to it, the surface ruins of Nazarick looked like a forgotten outpost—irrelevant, small.
Inside the Throne Room of the Great Tomb, the temperature dropped by several degrees.
Ainz Ooal Gown sat upon his throne, skeletal fingers wrapped around the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown. Below him, the Floor Guardians knelt in absolute loyalty.
Then—
The tomb trembled.
A low, deep vibration rolled through the stone like a warning bell.
Albedo snapped to her feet, wings flaring open as crimson warning sigils lit the chamber. "Alert! A massive energy signature has appeared directly above us! It bypassed the surface illusion entirely!"
Ainz's nonexistent heart skipped.
A player? A raid boss? A GM?
For the first time in a long while, genuine fear crept in beneath his Emotional Suppressor.
"Guardians," Ainz said calmly, his regal tone flawless despite the internal chaos. "Defensive formation. Let us see who dares knock on our door."
---
The Descent
A pillar of light pierced the sky.
From within it, Su Chen descended.
Alone.
No escort. No army. No theatrics.
He wore his black trench coat, but his aura was fully unleashed—layer upon layer of authority colliding violently with Nazarick's defenses.
[Lich Bloodline.]
[Gold Body.]
[Dragon Might.]
He landed in the courtyard of the surface ruins.
Stone cracked outward beneath his boots.
Instantly, he was surrounded.
Shalltear Bloodfallen descended first, crimson armor gleaming, lance pointed forward. Cocytus followed, four blades humming with killing intent. Aura and Mare flanked silently, eyes sharp.
Then came Albedo.
She dropped from the sky like a falling executioner, black armor immaculate, bardiche resting against her shoulder as killing intent flooded the courtyard.
"Lower your weapon, intruder," she hissed, her presence alone enough to crush weaker beings. "State your name before I feed you to the roaches."
Su Chen didn't flinch.
He looked at them.
And scanned.
"I am Su Chen," he said calmly. "I wish to speak to the Master of this Guild. Momonga."
The air froze.
The name hit like a curse.
Only one kind of being knew that name.
A player.
"Let him pass."
The voice came from the tomb's entrance.
Ainz Ooal Gown stepped into the light, dark aura coiling around him like a mantle. Externally, he was the image of absolute composure.
Internally—
He knows my name. He knows my real name. He has to be from Yggdrasil. Is he a GM?
Ainz stopped ten meters away.
"I am Ainz Ooal Gown," he declared. "Welcome, guest. You smell… familiar."
Su Chen smiled faintly.
"I smell like Death," he replied.
Green Lich Fire ignited in his eyes, mirroring Ainz's crimson flames.
"Because I walk the same road."
He summoned the Book of the Undead.
The spectral tome floated beside him, orbiting beneath the crushing presence of the Divine Gold Ring. The pressure rolled outward like a tidal wave.
Shalltear dropped to one knee without realizing it.
"A World Item?" Ainz whispered. "No… it feels different."
"Let's talk, Ainz," Su Chen said evenly. "I have information about this world."
He paused.
"And I have a way to leave it."
Ainz's Emotional Suppressor activated automatically.
Green light washed over him.
Leave… this world?
That thought pierced deeper than any blade.
"Albedo," Ainz said after a moment. "Stand down. Prepare the guest chamber."
Albedo hesitated—but obeyed.
"We have much to discuss."
---
The Trade of Kings
The guest chamber of Nazarick was lavish beyond reason.
Su Chen sat across from Ainz at a massive obsidian table. Albedo stood behind her master, eyes burning with hostility. Demiurge watched silently from the side, adjusting his glasses.
"So," Ainz said, folding his skeletal fingers. "You claim you can travel between worlds."
"I don't claim," Su Chen replied. "I do."
He raised a hand.
[Space Authority.]
Reality peeled open like fabric.
Through the window, they saw space—stars, orbiting debris—
And the Black Dragon Fortress, hovering above Earth.
Ainz froze.
A spaceship.
An actual spaceship.
"I am forming an alliance," Su Chen continued. "I need resources. Specifically—your magic system."
"My… magic?"
"Tier Magic," Su Chen said. "It's structured. Efficient. My power is vast, but inefficient. I want your spellbook."
"And in exchange?" Demiurge asked softly.
Su Chen reached into storage and withdrew a crystal.
"This contains data about your origin world. I can tell you whether your friends are here. And I can locate other World Items."
Ainz leaned forward unconsciously.
"Are… are my friends here?"
"No," Su Chen said truthfully. "You are alone. But others came before you."
The Six Great Gods.
The Eight Greed Kings.
Ainz exhaled slowly.
"I accept," he said. "But if you harm Nazarick—"
"I won't destroy a profitable asset," Su Chen interrupted.
He stepped closer.
"May I?"
Ainz hesitated—then nodded.
Su Chen placed his hand on the skull.
Knowledge exploded.
Spells layered atop spells. Systems, tiers, cooldowns, metamagic, death concepts refined to surgical precision.
His Lich Bloodline screamed in delight.
[Skill Acquired: The Goal of All Life is Death.]
Su Chen staggered back slightly.
"This spell…" he murmured. "It kills existence."
Then his eyes flicked to the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown.
"One more thing."
He touched it briefly.
Blueprints. Enchantments. Authority.
Ainz recoiled. "You touch the symbol of the Guild?!"
"Just observing," Su Chen smiled. "I'm done."
---
The Manager
Su Chen turned to Albedo.
"I need a manager."
Ainz's eyes flared. "Absolutely not."
"Not take," Su Chen corrected. "Borrow."
He met Ainz's gaze.
"Send your best watchdog with me. Let her observe my power, my enemies, my technology. If I betray you, she reports back."
Demiurge's glasses flashed.
"A masterstroke," he murmured.
Ainz straightened. "Yes. Exactly as I planned."
He turned to Albedo.
"You will accompany Lord Su Chen."
Albedo bowed deeply, wings trembling.
"I will watch you, Human."
Su Chen smiled.
"Please do."
---
Departure
The fortress rose into the sky.
Ainz watched it vanish.
"Demiurge…"
"Yes, my lord?"
"Do we know what just happened?"
"No idea," Demiurge replied cheerfully.
Back aboard the ship, Albedo surveyed the bridge with disdain.
"So this is your tomb."
"It has air conditioning," Su Chen replied.
He leaned back on his throne.
The game had escalated.
And the board was finally crowded.