Ainz let out a groan as he pulled himself upright.

Whoosh— Gray dust scattered in every direction. His legs had given way without him realizing, and as he sat slumped on the ground, the settling ash rained down upon his body. At that same moment—crack!—the mask on his face shattered and fell away.

"Ainz-sama, are you unharmed?"

"Mm. I am fine, Albedo."

But his skeletal hand trembled. To hide it, he clenched it into a tight fist.

For the first time since arriving in this world, Ainz had felt the raw, overwhelming sensation of death. As he remembered Monkyspanner, drenched in blood and sweat, body wreathed in golden light and sparks, driving forward a fist filled with annihilating power, Ainz couldn't help but think for an instant: Ah, this is it. I'm going to die.

The shockwave alone had been enough to shatter the mask on his face. Considering that the "Jealousy Mask," for all its ridiculous appearance, was an absurdly durable gag item, the fact that just the aftershock had broken it told him all he needed to know.

But in the end, it wasn't Ainz who died—it was Monkyspanner.

Damn… he still had such a trump card hidden.

When Ainz had approached to apply Mind Control, convinced Monkyspanner was fully subdued, the ape had erupted in golden brilliance. His fur flared with power, and his strength multiplied severalfold. His speed alone had seemed beyond even Sebas, the fastest of Nazarick.

It must have been some kind of last-resort awakening skill, trading his own HP and MP to unleash it. He had perished only because Albedo countered him at the critical moment, but for that instant he had truly been terrifying. If Albedo hadn't struck back, perhaps that blow would have killed him outright. Ainz shuddered unconsciously.

"Stand down, Albedo."

"Ah—! Forgive me, Ainz-sama! You had ordered that he not be killed, but my body moved on its own…"

"No, Albedo. This was my own failing."

Looking back, the entire capture operation had been doomed from the start.

With Shalltear, Ainz had gone into battle knowing every detail of her strengths and weaknesses, prepared with countermeasures for her instant-death spells and vampiric powers. Without that knowledge, he might have struggled far more—or even lost outright.

But with Monkyspanner, they knew next to nothing. Only that he was the head of Dragon's Dream, likely held Sage or Immortal classes, and was level 100. Nothing about his favored weapons, his fighting style, his trump cards.

Even if they had set more elaborate traps, capturing Monkyspanner alive had always been impossible. His NPC loyalty and hidden trump cards were underestimated.

A painful failure… but one I'll remember. I was far too arrogant.

Yes, he had learned his lesson. He had grown complacent, intoxicated by Nazarick's reputation as supreme in Yggdrasil. But that was when the 41 Supreme Beings still walked together. Now, Nazarick was a shadow of its former self—barely a tenth, perhaps even a hundredth of its original power.

He had underestimated this world. And now he had paid the price.

"Still… thank you, Albedo. It's only thanks to your shield that I stand here now."

"Never! Protecting you, being your shield and armor at all times—that is the duty of Albedo. You need never thank me, Ainz-sama!"

"No… this time was truly dangerous. You have my gratitude, Albedo."

At least he hadn't died. At least Monkyspanner's strike hadn't landed. If it had, even if he survived, Monkyspanner might have escaped with vital intelligence about Nazarick.

In that worst-case scenario, Nazarick would have been forced to retreat underground and shut itself away entirely.

As it stood, the result wasn't all bad. They had confirmed remnants of other Players might still exist.

They had reaffirmed the absolute loyalty of the Guardians. And—

"These are…?"

"The items he dropped upon death, Ainz-sama," Demiurge said, brushing away the dust and presenting the equipment.

Ainz's eye-lights flared as he cast All Appraisal Magic Item.

"…Hoh?"

He had suspected Monkyspanner bore relic-class items at minimum, perhaps even divine-class, given his strength. His hunch was correct—several divine-class artifacts glimmered among the spoils.

But what surprised him most was that relic-class items were actually in the minority. Nearly everything was at least legendary, with numerous pieces of divine-class weaponry and armor mixed in.

And beyond that—scrolls, potions, rings, strange trinkets. But Ainz's gaze fixed only on the divine treasures.

The weapon called Ruyi Jingu Bang was so famous that even Suzuki Satoru, once a lowly salaryman, had heard its name. A legendary relic drawn from ancient myth, it more than lived up to its reputation as a divine-class item.

It could freely shift between maximum and minimum length, change its size and weight within a wide range, and, befitting its tier, it came with additional powerful options.

One of its unique features allowed its damage and speed to scale with length.

Even in the treasury of Ainz Ooal Gown, such weapons were rare.

Among the arms once wielded by the 41 Supreme Beings, it would not be considered inferior. Within the divine-class itself, it was counted among the very finest.

And yet—a level 100 top-class combat NPC wielded such a weapon? In a one-on-one battle, even a Floor Guardian would find victory uncertain. The fact that he had resisted six Guardians for an entire hour under unfavorable conditions proved it. But seeing the item only deepened the mystery.

"A guild that could equip an NPC of this caliber… how could I not have heard of them?"

Monkyspanner had left a powerful impression. His final trump card defied belief. It must have been a hidden skill, or perhaps a special event skill—but Ainz could not recall anything like it.

Perhaps the Great Library would hold some record?

Yet even Ainz Ooal Gown had never catalogued every secret of Yggdrasil.

Ten years of history. More than a thousand events. Countless hidden classes. No one could remember them all. At best, one might deliberately seek specific events, but not every fleeting collaboration or oddity could be tracked.

"Still, it's strange. Perhaps they truly were a great guild, one of the powers."

An NPC with such abilities, equipped with such gear—it suggested not only wealth but a guild of considerable stature. Hidden classes and event rewards were one thing, but this… this was something special.

To grant such a class to an NPC was no ordinary matter. Ainz's own hidden class, Eclipse, was obscure and required an unusual build path to obtain. To align such a class and then bestow it upon an NPC was unthinkable.

At that moment, Demiurge's words returned to him:

—"Might it be possible, Ainz-sama, that they changed their name?"

The idea clawed at his mind. Could it be true? Could these Players, upon arriving in this new world, have abandoned their old guild names and taken new ones?

A chill he should not have felt crept down his spine.

He had considered the possibility before but dismissed it unconsciously, assuming no Player would ever discard the identity of Yggdrasil, their legacy, their foundation. And so he had underestimated the name Dragon's Dream, treating it as something minor, unfamiliar, beneath notice.

He had believed in that assumption. And it had led him to undervalue his opponent.

Was he… arrogant? Overconfident because every foe until now had been weak? Because everything had gone so smoothly?

Even Shalltear's brainwashing, though troublesome, had been dismissed lightly—after all, she could be resurrected. After all, they possessed world-class items.

And above all, because his power seemed to work perfectly in this world, his confidence had grown unchecked.

Yet… what if the enemy was more than he imagined?

The darkest possibility flickered through his mind—then faded.

Ainz pushed it aside. No, he would not assume the worst.

"Well, he did say no Players remained. That only he, a single NPC, was left."

Two hundred years had passed. For Ainz, it was difficult to grasp, but two centuries was enough for the world to change twice over. Human lifespans, elf or no, would long have expired. Demi-humans perhaps—but Monkyspanner did not seem like one born of such a guild.

"And besides, Demiurge will surely produce the wiser answer. He always does."

Yes, just as with the Thirteen Heroes—Player or not, few could escape the limits of mortality. The Six Great Gods, the Eight Greed Kings … too ancient to compare. But the Thirteen Heroes were recent enough.

Perhaps Monkyspanner's master—or a member of his guild—had once walked among them.

And now, they were all gone. Perhaps they had vanished from sight, but in truth only memorial stones remained in their honor.

If graves had existed, he might have attempted resurrection experiments or converted them into undead.

Yet without a proper tomb to anchor them, that too was impossible—a regretful fact.

"I cannot be at ease, but… at least the minimum condition has been fulfilled. …Mm, perhaps I can allow myself a little satisfaction?"

Monkyspanner was dead. No further information would spread. And the plan to absorb the remnants of Dragon's Dream was proceeding smoothly.

The appearance of such a powerful demon, strong enough to kill Dragon's Dream's head, followed by the rise of a new hero, the Dark Warrior Momon, who repelled that very demon—this tale would spread beyond the royal capital, beyond the kingdom, into the entire world.

The corpse had dissolved into dust and could not be displayed, but the fact alone—that Dragon's Dream's mighty leader had vanished—was proof enough.

By the logic of supremacy, perhaps Momon could even take the position of Dragon's Dream's new master.

Indeed, that was precisely the outcome Ainz desired. Out of respect for Monkyspanner, who had died with honor, he wished for the organization he left behind to be absorbed peacefully.

It had been dangerous, yes—but in the end, he had gained much.

It felt like completing an event raid. Divine-class and legendary-class items had been secured, along with the Dragon's Dream faction itself.

He had nearly died, true, but the rewards were great.

Consoling himself with that thought, Ainz ran his skeletal hand down his ribcage as if to calm his beating heart that no longer existed.

Before him, the Guardians had already assembled, kneeling as one. Ainz's crimson gaze passed over them, and he spoke.

"Very well… with this, the plan enters its final stage. Demiurge?"

"Yes, Ainz-sama. All that remains is for you to 'defeat' me outside. I have already ordered the demons: once I am struck down, they are to cease their summoning and return at once to Nazarick."

"Good. Once the Sanctuary of Ash and Blood dissolves, we shall begin the play immediately. After that, spread the rumors through our collaborators. …And to the rest of you, you performed admirably. Take today's events as a foundation—strive harder, refine yourselves further."

"Yes, Ainz-sama!"

"As you command, Ainz-sama."

"We shall."

"Well then… Albedo, take the others back to Nazarick. Deliver these items to the treasury. Leave the miscellaneous goods to Pandora's Actor for appraisal and storage. Once all is settled, I shall grant rewards befitting each of your merits."

"Yes, Ainz-sama!"

At the word rewards, the Guardians trembled with joy. Watching them, Ainz felt an odd warmth, though he masked it with his usual regal bearing. He turned to Aura.

"Demiurge, are the preparations complete?"

"At any moment, Ainz-sama."

"Good. But I cannot appear unscathed. To have battled a 'demon' for an entire hour and emerge without a scratch would be suspicious. Demiurge—use your claws to mar my armor. Leave convincing wounds, that the fight may carry weight. This was not crafted by magic, so strike it freely."

"As expected… you anticipated even this scenario. From beginning to end, every step has been within your grasp. Monkyspanner, the royal capital, all of it… resting in the palm of your hand. Forgive me, Ainz-sama, for ever daring to compare my paltry wit against your supreme wisdom."

"Mhm… very well."

The endless respect and awe reflected in their eyes made Ainz want to avert his gaze, but he forced himself to endure. He had no mask now, but he resolved to wear the mask of dignity upon his very skull instead.

"Time grows late. The final act must begin. Demiurge, strike the armor. Mare—remain for a moment and shake the earth, set the scene."

"Y-yes, Ainz-sama!"

"Good. Aura, release the Sanctuary. Let the stage be the chamber where Demiurge and I once conversed. Now… this is the last step. Let us see this plan through to its flawless conclusion."

The six voices of his Guardians rose as one in assent. Ainz allowed himself a smile, and together they departed the artificial world.

Behind them, only gray dust remained—drifting silently, bidding farewell to the fading realm.

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