The voice originating from the shadows were otherworldly, cruel and unforgiving. They didn't catch much of it, but they didn't have to. The intent to kill was conveyed clearly.

The greed kings finally gathered the courage to meet the gaze of the monster. Cold sweat ran down their backs, their body shivered. When they met the adamant stare, they realized something. This monster they feared was nothing more than a heteromorph like Surshana, the same bone structure, the same crimson orbs, and yet so different. He exuded a pressure unlike anything they had ever felt.

They nodded to each other. They wouldn't dare attack a true monster, but if it was a heteromorph from Yggdrasil, a player like them, then they would finish him off. Their moral compass demanded it.

They instantly moved into formation, the 5 warriors rushed the skeleton, while the 3 mages in the back line readied their spells. They would eradicate this monster, as they did with Surshana in the past. They would not fall for such an obvious bluff like that. They knew the power of a level 90 Overlord. Even if this one was level 100 they could manage.

Abruptly the air changed, and despair overwhelmed them. Their bodies quivered, and were unable to stand straight, much less move. Something is not right, wh-why won't our bodies move? They stared deep into the abyss that was Ainz Ooal Gown. The dancing crimson flames only promised suffering.

They soon felt it. Their battle-hardened high-level bodies started to shrink, their muscles dissolving, their mana depleting. In no more than 5 seconds, they were nothing more than a husk of their old selves. Each of them had become a level 1 human. No muscles were visible under their skin, and that was saying something, considering 5 of them were bulky warriors just a moment prior. Their bones were only covered by a sickly pale, grey skin.

Looking over their frail selves, realizing what is lost, despair overwhelmed their senses, and they lost consciousness.

Ainz was hovering over a girl in lavish clothing. He had learned to call her Ellee, though naturally she couldn't hear him. He spent long hours by her side, learning about the elven customs, and a ruler's duties. He didn't aspire to become a King of course, but after he thought on the matter at length, he had realized that in the end someone will place him to a ruler's position due to his power.

He didn't like the sound of that, but he thought that if he could effectively outsource his obligations to his vassals, then there would be no problem, and he could confidently pretend to rule, while minding his own business behind the scenes. He grabbed every opportunity to learn from the young elf. She was a queen, a leader of a nation after all.

Time flew by in a hurry, and before he knew years passed. At this time, he had already observed the ruler persona closely, and he was confident in his ability to imitate if the need ever arised. Today, he was hovering over her when she met the so-called Greed Kings. He already knew about their arrival, as his loyal minions had already reported their approach. However, he didn't feel the need to act. He would remain in the shadows as always, and observe.

…

He felt anger boiling inside of him. The kings were the kind of people he hated the most. Arrogant, vain, and straight up disgusting. They had already massacred a good chunk of the common people and the entirety of the military, yet they still wanted more. They wanted the live elves to serve them as slaves. He was disgusted with the idea of slavery, he still recalled the painfully long days in the office. He worked day and night without rest, in addition for a shit salary to top it all of.

He was so consumed by rage, that by the time his emotional suppressor managed to calm him down he noticed that his spell {invisibility} which he swapped with {perfect unknowable} after confirming that it is enough to evade the eyes of the people was fading due to his earlier outburst.

"Shit! Not now!" He was so caught up in the happening that he unknowingly activated his despair aura, which was further boosted with a power foreign to him. He didn't have time to react, due to the shock of the course of events, or he simply decided not to we will never know.

He appeared, slightly floating above ground with the dark mist obscuring a great deal of his body. He peered through the darkness and kept a close eye on each of the greed kings. He achieved this feat by rapidly moving his orbs, and keeping eye contact for a brief moment, before quickly switching to his next target. He couldn't let his guard down, a single 10th tier spell would be enough to finish him off, he didn't like the sound of that.

Still, he didn't want to run away, he had confidence in his newly acquired powers, as well as his ability to utilize them. The idea of having players as his experimental subjects was also an attractive offer. Up until now he could only experiment on himself, however if he could acquire them it would be much easier, and the tests would go a lot faster.

He decided he would acquire these filthy people. They were not humans in his eyes. Anyone who would massacre without a cause, and murder children was not fit to be called human, but an animal, a mindless beast. Still, he couldn't help it, and anxiety welled up within him, thus his aura of despair was further empowered. He watched as the rushing kings abruptly froze not moving an inch.

He lifted a skeletal hand, and mutter to himself. "Let's try this, I haven't had the chance. If I wasn't holed up until know it is possible that I would have totally forgotten about this ability. Moreover, the eldritch corruption had lifted many of the drawbacks of my other spells. Let's see, if I no longer have a maximum use limit on a single target." He called out in a cold voice. "Maximize boosted magic: {Energy Drain}"

Then, he kept repeating the spell inside of his mind. He observed how the forms of the greed kings shrank. He monitored their hp, and when he deemed, that they were level 1 or close to it, he ceased this action. He wouldn't want to kill his new test subjects after all.

He cast the spell {Eldritch Prison} on the enemy. He really liked the eldritch property of his spells, and the pure eldritch ones which he developed as well. One of their most useful property proved to be that he could store even living beings in his dimensional storage if he covered them with eldritch energies. That is how this specific spell was born.

…

Ellee fell to her knees, shivering as the shadow greater than death turned its ghastly visage towards her. It was a skull, with hellish fire burning in the place where the eyes are normally located.

She shut her eyes forcefully and squeezed her hands tightly together. She couldn't believe this was really happening. She didn't want to believe. It couldn't be possible. Beings on par with dragon lords were defeated just like that, with a stretch of a hand.

She faintly recalled the form of the skeleton who battled the towering aberration threatening the world, destroying their previous home. Could it be really possible? Could they be one and the same person? Then it could explain how he could deal with dragon level threats so easily.

This however, only raised her alertness; wh-what does this being want form her? What can she do to please him, and beg for her people's safety? She had a plan to stall the greed kings, while the others escaped through a hidden underground passage, however she didn't believe that it would be enough to deter the skeleton. It wouldn't lose its prey with such overwhelming might, he certainly has a way to track down and find anyone he wishes. Then, how? Her thoughts were halted when a skeletal hand reached out to her.

When it finally touched her, she flinched. She felt her body burning up, and her sweating intensify. She forced one eye open to look to the point where the skeleton had touched her. There was a grey decaying patch of skin on her arm. It caused her great pain, but she didn't dare raise her voice. She had an ominous feeling that it would only anger the undead, the bane of the living. Still, she couldn't control her body's instinctual reactions to pain, and her sudden flinch didn't go unnoticed by the Undead Lord.

Ainz looked down at the poor girl. He had forgotten to turn of his negative touch passive skill, so of course it would hurt someone so below him in power. He pulled back his hand, cursing inwardly at his foolish mistake. He reached into his inventory and pulled out a potion, offering it to the elf.

The girl was hesitant, her eyes pulsated, as she carefully took the potion and took a sip of it. Feeling its rejuvenating effect, she quickly gulped down the rest of it.

Ainz asked in a grave voice, although he tried to conjure up his friendlier tone.

"Are you alright?"

…

Ellee looked up to her savior, an enemy of the living in confusion. Was he really here to save her? Not to kill her? Not to do cruel, and painful experiment on her? Not to turn her into one of the undead? She didn't understand the undead's motives, but she gave thanks to mother nature that said being didn't try to instantly end her. It would give all the more time for her people to escape.

"I.. I…" She tried to speak, but the words died in her mouth.

"Do not worry child, no-one will hurt you now." Said the specter of Death.

She looked at the skeleton questioningly. She wasn't a child anymore. She was over 140 years old! However, if he spared her because he thought of her as a child, then she would not refute the idea.

She lowered her head and broke out crying. It was a strange idea, an undead caring for the living. But if he really did, then she would grasp for him with both hands if she could. She would try and earn more sympathy from the undead before it changed its mind. Yes, this was a good plan. She thought, while she cried miserably.

…

Ainz stood there, next to the crying child, wondering if it was something he did. No, it couldn't be. He already healed her. Ah, it came to him. She must have lost her friends, relatives, family. He could understand her if that was indeed the cause. Though, he could bring back the dead, he wasn't sure if he should. Of course, it would be a different story if this girl provided value to him. An equivalent exchange, yes that would be perfect.

…

Ainz was hovering high above the capital city of Dryadalum. He was ready to cast his spell, and make good on a promise he had made to the ruler of this nation. He didn't know how it came down to this, but in the end he was to be crowned king of the elven nation: Dryadalum.

He let out a deep sigh, which was strange considering he had no lungs. Soon a dome of light encompassed the entirety of the capital as he finished casting his spell. {Boosted magic: Mass True resurrection}