-Kyuketsuki-

As he pushed open the door to the tavern, he was greeted to the suspicious stares of the crowded shady pub. Keeping his hood up with Shalltear close to his side in her own hood. The customers Whispered all around them. Few people came up to Re-Ulovale this close to the Argland Council State border.

Grimacing at the work of the past two months, he had gotten lucky finding so many players just hiding in the sorcerer kingdom. Twenty players, half of which were below the mid-level danger of 50. Ten of the humanoid players found where around level twenty, so Kyuketsuki had shadow demons watching them. Sadly not all of them were put on the watch list ten. Which were near or at level 50 rejected his offer and became a possible enemy the dragon lord could recruit against him. Forcing him to kill them quietly so they couldn’t become a danger in the future.

Taking a few steps in, he faked a stumble as Shalltear caught him. Making many ignore them while Jester alerted him to a five-player party, they were around level 40 too high to be left alone. He had Shalltear help him over to the table. All still young by his standards, the oldest couldn’t be more than 39.

Once they were close enough, she saw all of them had drinks. [silent: time stop] standing upright at everything frozen around them. Kyuketsuki didn’t want to kill them, not because he cared but his only disdain for unneeded blood and death. They could be random travelers. If not for the brightness dragon lord headed here, he might believe that.

‘I can’t take the chance they could be here for the dragon lord.’ Taking out five potions of [Harmonizing condition: indoctrination] This would be temporary total loyalty. Still, as long as they killed each other, it was a super tier potion well worth using. Emptying each mug and filling it with the brew followed by a [Delayed: false odor] [delayed: false taste].

Shalltear smirked, staying in place while he got back to his position before freezing time. “Remember to get them to drink first. Before moving to plan B if that fails.”

As time restarted, someone yelled about being wet on the far side of the bar. “Hello, good travelers. How can we help you?”

Watching three take a sip, unnoticed by the two focused on them, who mindlessly started to guzzle the drink.

“We…just came up from the Roble kingdom, escaping…the demon emperor with our lives. Only to find undead roaming the road. Perhaps you could tell us what’s going on.”

The second woman sipped her drink, clenching her fist as she began to be affected by his brew. She spoke up in an angry whisper. “The undead king is what happened almost as bad as the demon emperor.”

The fiery redhead hushed her harshly, whispering back. “Quiet, you know we need to stay low a little longer. They could be spies.”

Kyuketsuki wanted to smirk as he faked a fall on the “injured leg.” Falling in a way that spilled some of the drink but got the fiery red head man to down some of the potion. With all of them at least partly under the influence, he could get on to phase two. As long as he made it look believable.

“So sorry, my leg, you see, is badly hurt, and if not for my dear wife, I probably would have died. I kept telling her to leave me behind, but she was stubborn as a mule.”

Shalltear played her part, helping him stand again. “Of course, I could never leave you, darling.”

“No, it's ok. We know how hard it is these days.” The red-haired warrior drank more of his drink to show it was fine.

Most of then dropped their guard as one offered to heal his leg. Offering him a seat, which he took, but. “Save your healing for those who need it. I am only one old man. Now, please tell me why such kind and strong strangers are doing out here.”

One at the back answered, entirely unable to fight the super tier elixir. The combined lack of passive poison detection, time stop counters, and high-level mental defense items doomed them. Which would make this go better than the last encounter. Kyuketsuki wouldn’t even need to pull out his Therus marrow mask.

“Well, after surviving waves of the demon emperor. We saw the undead walk-in commanded by someone going by Ainz Ooal Gown took power, like the name of the evil guild. Emperors rumored to be worse with a vampire lord. Anyway, we got contacted by some guy saying-

“Lestra, stop, they don’t need to know that. They might not even be headed the same way.”

Messaging the fourth one with green and yellow hair to force the redhead to finish his drink. Three were entirely under the effects the brunette woman was now guzzling down the last of her drink.

Shalltear waved away the waitress, telling them they were ok. With the last of them done choking down the potion, the act was only for the onlookers now. “Please, my old ears need to hear all of this story, youngin.”

“The messenger said some man would pay us enough to get to the safety of the Argland Council State. If we could rescue the great-granddaughter of the Brightness Dragon Lord. Some lady named Draudillon Oriculus.”

The closest brunette woman slammed her drink down. “Can’t wait for the guy to show up and get us out of this undead infected town full of cowards!”

All the customers glanced at them before looking away. Smart move by the dragon lord sadly, he found this little plan. This was mostly why a dragon lord was headed here. He could respect this, but neither could he let this chance go.

Smirking under his hood. Having all of them whisper before commanding them to follow Shalltear and do as she says. “Thank you for the table, please be gentle with my wife and thank-k you for allowing me to travel with you lot.” Faking a fearful, desperate, and defeated voice.

Many began to whisper as Shalltear brought them out to the back alley. Where they would be killed and added to the pile of dead mid-level players for Ainz and himself to use in creating undead.

Ordering one drink to make the act work while Kettor waited for Shalltear to return. The only thing he could think of was that they would become his enemies anyway. It was still odd to consider some of the new players didn’t know the name Ainz Ooal Gown. Some older ones did either fearing the name or avoiding it. Had they been less hostile, he might have put them on the watch list or offered them his deal.

Their body language told him all he needs to know. It wasn’t too long before Shalltear came back with the fake limp. Some of the cloak torn. His mistake before had been not having a real back story for the mask he realized. Combined with his lack of knowledge, made the act obvious.

Now after a few tries, he had a pretty good back story. The Roble Holy Kingdom had no way to confirm or deny his word. None would question travelers on it or want to go there for fear of the demon emperor. Plus, the lost old couple guise was strangely working for him.

Plus, few onlookers would question the honor of travelers doing horrible acts. The good deeds could work too, but it was a bit more showing and only for those he didn’t plan to kill.

“My lord, how long are we going to be waiting.”

Kyuketsuki sighed at Jester's answer in the message spell. “A few hours Shalltear the dragon is having coitus, Jester stop describing it. I don’t need to hear details about how dragons have sex!”

Shalltear had an envious glare at the table, knowing that only being a few feet apart, the act required staying proper.

{I pay that I can defend all those close to me.}

{Rita why are you messaging me.}

{Wait, my emperor, prayers are really [message] spells? So, what is a message spell between gods count as.}

{What no why would you think that.}

{Well, I started praying and got connected to you like a message spell. Why did you never tell me supreme one or was this another test by lady Kathrin?}

{What no Rita prayers are not [message] spells. Besides, we have been over this; supreme beings are far above gods. I have hunted and slain hundreds of them.}

{Oh, I get it, so your naturally divine because you have taken the power of hundreds of those that abuse their power on weak mortals. That is so dreamy I only hope I can reach that same power level one day.}

Kyuketsuki slumped his head on the table. Rita had finally been infected with the crazy logic all of Nazarick had. He tried for the next few hours and only succeeded at securing Rita's idea about [message] spells and praying.

-Three hours later-

Kyuketsuki didn’t know what annoyed him more waiting. Having Shalltear start to tease him with dirty whispers or Rita confusing praying with the [message] spell and his divinity. He tried to correct her, but somehow Jester had had a statue with a message spell to activated upon praying. Making it impossible, He would admit it was a good prank if it didn’t give him a headache.

His plan was to use the ploy of both Ainz and him being gods to build up more trust to their people, mostly Kathrin’s idea. Supported by Jester testing and growing her power, it seemed like a good idea. Only now he would have to deal with Rita really thinking him a god or some divine being.

He didn’t have time to think about the unexpected results of the plan as a man in a fancy suit walked in. He could see the aura of the Dragonlord soul. Something he was glad Jester taught him to do.

Kettor waved him over with [triple: mimic archetype], creating three near-perfect replicas of three of the Five dead players. As a way to test the dragon and confuse onlookers. The man in the suit narrowed his eyes before walking up to the table. “Hello old friend, I believe you had a deal for us.”

The blonde man narrowed his eyes, taking the seat. “I was expecting other people, not monsters. Perhaps you would like to wait a little longer for the others to arrive.”

It was a danger being this close to the border. Kettor wasn’t sure how dangerous multiple dragon lords would be at once. Luckily, he had a trump card for this prepared to lure the dragon lord into the non-wild magic zone. Which would make the dragon lord practically helpless in a fight.

“We could. But if in 30 minutes, we aren’t back in my empire, your great-granddaughter will die. I will be leaving at that time, as well.”

The Brightness dragon lord hissed under his breath as Shalltear hushed him. He had more to risk if the death knights found him, which would aid the emperor in the fight.

“You are just like Tsaindorukusu said. Proving players can’t be trusted. What's to stop me from fighting you right now.”

Kyuketsuki smirked under his hood. “And you are just like every other dragon so prideful. Has it occurred to you that She would be dead before you got there even if you killed me? Even if you did get there, your powers would be useless. That’s why every dragon lord hasn’t rushed my palace all at once, even after two months.”

The blonde humanoid settles back in his seat, unable to fight the truth. They both valued families too much to risk losing them. “What do you want to spare her.”

Kyuketsuki might actually feel bad if he knew the dragon wouldn’t do the same to him. “Your dragon lord soul and all the information you know about the other dragon lords.”

“You expect me to die and betray my kin. Dragons are already a dying breed thanks to destroyers like you. Or worse, slaves used like cattle to carry your goods. Once I am dead, what's to stop you from killing her?”

At this, Kyuketsuki gave a fanged smile of respect. This dragon was smart. He almost reminded him of Peroroncino based on what Jester told him by not shutting up about the perverted dragon. Which actually made him halt for a second. He knew his friend wasn’t coming back. No matter how much he missed him feeling the familiar desire to learn. He could almost see the phantom of his lost friend.

Fighting with it, no, he wouldn’t resort to that. It would just be a false mirror. ‘Is it because it would betray someone who left you or your own fear of this class.’ Kettor mulled over everything he knew. Could he really count on the dragon’s trust? It could rejoin the other dragon lords against him later. The idea in his head was horrible on so many levels, but Jester had a point there was too good a chance he would end up killing this dragon later. The only way to ovoid that was altering it into something else entirely. What caused him to hesitate the most was the fear the deeper he got into understanding the world-class, the greater Jester could control him. She had already proven that by tricking him into being blood-related to her

‘Don’t fear me; I only did that to prove your trust. I would never do anything to hurt my onii-chan. Trust me, please, I promise not to do something like that again.’

He should know better than to trust her only his resolve could not hold hearing the gentle wavering voice of his little sister. What remained of his heart washed the resolve he had away.

“Well, are you just going to sit there or give me a reason not to stall you longer?”

Kyuketsuki put up an illusion for onlookers of a gray-haired scarred old man, as he lowered his hood. The dragon either saw through it or had an item to allow him to. “There are three things I value above all else dragon: my word, my family, and living better than my past-self. This process won’t end you; I will not harm either you or your granddaughter so long as you side with Nazarick and me. Finally, if you agree to my terms, I will ensure you both live long and happy lives till you die of old age.”

The disguised dragon lord leaned close. “What proof do I have she is even still alive. Let alone that I should believe a destroyer of worlds like you.”

Kyuketsuki reached into his inventory under the table, pulling out a hand mirror. Sliding it over to the blonde humanoid dragon. “This is a unique mirror Think of someone you hold close to you to see them so long as you are on the same plane as them. It can last one hour every day and can only be used twice a day, recharging off your mana to use it.”

The dragon lord eyes him before using the mirror, seeing Draudillon, he guessed. He was silent, but listening now, Kettor was glad he could avoid the blood bath. The people of this town would suffer the most if a fight broke out.

The dragon lord was very uncomfortable agreeing; his eyes reflected the battle in his mind, between the survival of his kind and his great-granddaughter. Finally, his family won out as he let out a long deep, ragged breath. “You act like a devil for an undead.”

Kyuketsuki smirked at him as if to confirm the accusation. “For those I hold dear, I will become your devil if it means I keep them safe and away from war.”

-Palace courtyard-

Kathrin had the royal guards waiting as the dragon lord came through his illusion magic failed, showing his true dragon form. Followed by Shalltear and Kyuketsuki coming through as the [gate] closed.

Kyuketsuki turned to the dragon pulling out the tiny world gem shard smaller than most. Which had been created still, it shined with the telltale sign of the void colors. Which only Kyuketsuki could make out. The dragons face soured at the small gem shard.

“I found a way to remove the essence of a dragon lord soul. This is Draudillon’s shard smaller than most, but she only had a little dragon blood in her. As you saw, she is still alive, as will you be.”

The brightness dragon lord scowled, staring down Kyuketsuki with suspicion. “So what would you like to know first? I assume since you haven’t removed my soul, you want me to talk first.”

Kyuketsuki hummed in thought as if thinking about it; he knew once he did what he was planning. All the information not gotten would be lost, and he didn’t know how much time he could give Carnival. Even with the 25 players either under watch or dead. How many had he missed in the sorcerer kingdom? How many might be in the empire already?

“How many dragon lords are there besides yourself.”

The Brightness dragon lord sat there a few minutes, probably contemplating lying to him, before gaining a glint in his eyes. Kyuketsuki couldn’t be sure what it was. “Eleven that I know of, and one is actually flying near here. The heavenly dragon lord, would you like to go fight him.”

Kyuketsuki narrowed his eyes at the dragon, realizing what may have brought down the flying city of Alvanle city. In fact, the gashes on the sides of the city walls were reported to look a lot like some kind of giant claw or tail cuts. If that was true, how large could some of these dragon lords get if that thing hit the ground after he killed it then it could devastate his empire. He would need to be careful.

“Nice try, but I see what you are trying to do.”

“Next question, where are all the dragon lords located and names, please.”

The brightness dragon lord hesitated. He knew giving away that information would allow Jester to find them. Before sighing at Kathrin’s growl. Listing off the Diamond, Platinum, Heavenly, Sea, Forest, Storm, Steel, Fairy, Infernal, Winter, and Whip dragon lords, “Nine have gathered at the greed kings castle. I doubt you know where that is. Two are too large to meet them there, so they are roaming around.”

Kyuketsuki had to keep himself from showing that He, in fact, did know thanks to Jester and Nigredo divining magic, they had seen the castle. The trouble was the emperor didn’t know what kind of traps or pop monster and other creatures would be defending it. If they had another one of the twenty W.C.I., it could be his downfall. He needed a way to draw them out to gain an edge.

They wouldn’t come anywhere near his empire or Nazarick with the non-wild magic zone in place over them. What Kettor needs is an area that they would think would give them an advantage but could be used against them. It also had to be an area that he didn’t mind getting destroyed in the fight.

Jester shimmered into view, removing her mask Kyuketsuki knew right away this was her avatar. The real Jester was helping keep an eye on everyone. Having to keep her main focuses on Ainz, Simmira, and Clemvet, not that he was too worried about the last one. Clem-chan was probably having a blast teaching the Slane Theocracy a lesson for all the past attacks.

“I am not surprised your working with this scum. Carnival honestly had no idea of how dangerous you really were back then. Had I known, I would have killed you there and then.”

Jester scowled at the dragon bringing her hand down, which forced the dragon to the ground by some unseen force. “I remember, I also remember how I asked you for help, and you rejected me.”

The brightness dragon lord smirked with a laugh. “I don’t do loli spider women, walking corpses with a flat ass, or bloodsuckers that can’t suck.”

Jester's face turned a shade of red. While Kathrin raised an eyebrow at this. Kyuketsuki himself felt a rising boil inside at this ungrateful dragon lord. He would lose information, but he felt a newfound rage at the sight of the dragon lord, which could only be quelled by a punishment.

“Oh, my champion, I like that idea, don’t worry, I can gather the information we need. Please, onii-chan, let's do this!”

The dragon lord gained a panicked look glancing between the pure evil looks. “Hey! Hey, now we have a deal, and I only touched her a little bit. She agreed to it. That’s part of the reason I spared her. You liked it. I remember you screaming that out!”

The perverted words only increased his rage, followed by Jester smirking at the dragon with a sad look right at her big brother. “It was nice…up until I woke up to find it was a one-night stand. With my partner gone in the morning.”

Kyuketsuki snapped his fingers as Kathrin stepped forward. [lighting storm chains] reaching out chains of crackling light tightly trapped all the dragon lords’ limbs and wings. The royal guard encircled the dragon magic enchanted spears out behind a wall of shields. The air guard circled above with the newly installed siege weapons looked with huge bolts at the ready.

“You know I had reservations about this till I found out you left my sister heartbroken. Peroroncino would have at least stayed the whole night. I won’t kill you; this will be much worse.”

Approaching the dragon as Kyuketsuki focused his mind envisioning Peroroncino seeing his friend. Every moment together, all the good and bad times, everything that was part of Peroroncino. The world darkened around him as the courtyard lost its color covering everything in shifting shades of darkness.

Seeing a ghost of his friend materialize not a copy or some double but the real one. As if it had been transported here with him, reaching out a hand hesitating this action would take something from him. He could feel it, but then Momonga wouldn’t be the only one here with him. He could talk with his friend again. It would be like they never left.

Taking a deep breath, and a whisper escaped his undead lips. “[Muketsu eternal curse: source distortion] [Muketsu blood blessing] [Blight rebirth]”

The world rippled around him in slow motion as his hand reached into the colorless rainbow colors of the void into the ghost of his friend. As he did so, he felt his knowledge of spells lessen, checking the mental list watching the number drop till 90 spells where missing. The world pulsed as his hand grasped something in the numbed coldness of the void.

It felt like thousands of eyes were watching him the whole time, slowly and carefully pulling out his arm with a sickly glowing data crystal. Hearing the forgotten whispers of the void walking towards the dragon. With each step, he got closer to some invisible line halting only a foot in front of the dragon.

Glancing back at Muketsu, the darkness was edging closer, yet it had not moved in this colorless view. ‘Don’t hesitate, this is what you and her desire, what you crave. The toll has been taken, and the pact is accepted.’

This wasn’t Jester, nor was it himself. It was something else the source of Jester's power. “Who are you?”

The invisible eyes all around him blinked, and he found himself blinking as well. “We are The Unnamed Darkness, which stares back from the abyss—the endless void which sees all and grants your unspeakable wish. Child of Cainabel, all you would have to do is ask, and it would be so.”

Kyuketsuki got the feeling Tabula would love talking to this what would he even call it. Some cosmic horror, some outer god, or something else entirely. This only raises his question of what were its limits? If he could fight and kill it, would he be able to use its powers freely? Even if he couldn’t kill it, the fight it would offer would be monumental. It got his blood pumping faster.

“Curious child of Cainabel We will not tolerate such hesitation much longer. Use the gift, or give it back, and we shall return what you have sacrificed.”

Kyuketsuki refocused on the dragon lord seeing tendrils reaching only he could see. Moving quickly, he pushed the shining data crystal into the dragon’s head. There was a blinding flash of void colors, and color rushes back into his vision. Kettor was pushed back off his feet by the unseen pulse of darkness.

The dragon lord let out a shrill cry that didn’t fit with a dragon but more like a bird. As scales melted off into black sludge, the wings went limp as it struggled to get free. Even hearing a few bones snapped in the wild rush to get loose. Unable to get free as its body melted away into nothingness.

As it did, he started to see feathers the dragon snout slimmed down into a bird-like beak, its body shrinking in size, losing mass. Becoming more humanoid but keeping a bird's wings with bird talons for hands and feet with feathery arms and legs. Shalltear gasped, watching in shock as this wretched dragon lord was turned in to her creator.

Even this person's energy grew to match his old friends, but this wasn’t done. Peroroncino started to cough, spitting out a small void gem that Kyuketsuki picked up. The remains of the dragon lords power. Drinking a mana potion and fusing the two world gem shards into one with [tainted fusion].

Stepping back as he saw his Old friend get to his knees before standing up. Fearing this might be a mistake watching him take in the strange surroundings. Would he hate him for selfishly pulling him here? Would he be angry?

“Hey Kyuketsuki, where are we. I was in the middle of work thinking of how to score a trap for this new H-game, which just came out. Then I found myself here. Why do I have my YGGDRASIL avatar body? This is different. Wow, I can feel my wings, and I have all my senses. Is this another dream?”

Shalltear rushed up and hugged her creator with happy tears in her eyes. “Lord Peroroncino! Lord Kyuketsuki somehow brought you back.”

Kettor was happy only he had so much to explain, and his friend would need his weapons and gear back to help. With the two of them, they were sure to win with the plan he had in mind. It wouldn’t matter what players Carnival could gather if he could kill all the remaining dragon lords at once in a two-part trap.

“Before I tell you, we should get your clothes. Shalltear you do realize you're touching him naked, right?”

Shalltear didn’t seem to mind as Peroroncino gave a rather lewd hug. “Kyuketsuki, have you changed my cute little Shalltear while I was away. I remember her having fewer curves and a slightly smaller bust.”

Kyuketsuki gave a proud smirk at his friend. “Oh, I have no idea how that happened, but I did conquer Shalltear’s cute little heart, among other things.”

“Oh, I need to see this. You could be lying like with T.I.T.S. tricking me into revealing the trick to get them. Where is Bukubukuchagama?”

Kyuketsuki was torn between telling him the truth and trying to pull the others here. Pulling Peroroncino here already dropped his spell list by 90 of them, he would have to check to find out which ones were lost.

-Rita-

She was reading through the small book. Which somehow had enough pages worth of information of a book ten times its size. Covering hundreds of years of knowledge hidden as the guise of a holy book of the four undead gods. Jester was a master of deception. Even this small plain-looking book with her name held even the past accounts of the emperor's memories in the original world earth. Even more is magically hidden inside notes, which required her magic sight to see. The talk with the vampire priest, Dullahan priestess, and lich priestess had shown her the positives to the supreme being’s plan. Also, she now had to question since message spells were prayers to him and Kathrin. What did that make message spells between Ainz and Kyuketsuki?

Hearing the doors open as the many people came out of the service for today. Closing the book, thankful for the magic, which made the book unopenable in groups of enormous people or while being watched by a person or far-seeing magic. Spotting Arche and the others coming out.

Arche's eyes spotted her new neckless of a skull on a cross with small bats circling it. The symbol of the new four gods. “I see you started following the religion.” Her friend pouted at her, which was a little odd given the earlier conversation, which led them here.

Watching the others, each had a similar neckless. “I have believed in supreme beings long before coming here. Don’t you believe in them.”

Arche let out a long breath. “I will admit the emperor and empress are powerful. Becoming gods after not even a full year of ruling the empire seems a bit much. Even more shocking is just how many people now follow it. Even Roberdyck started pursuing them days after joining a group of roaming priests and priestess of the undead four gods. As if the old four gods never existed. Doesn’t that sound strange to you?”

Rita knew far more than her friend, information she couldn’t share for her safety. “What is Hekkeran’s and Imina's stance on it.”

Arche glared at Rita, making her remember that Hekkeran was the last person in the beta packmate project. Imina was the second to be changed. ‘That’s my bad she can’t ask them, nor has she seen than in the last week.’ “Sorry, I can ask them later.”

“I would rather not know I am grateful to Kyuketsuki, but he is just an emperor to me, not some god. Even if my friends changed their mind for some reason. I am more concerned with taking care of my sisters.”

Rita frowned; she could tell them that part of the reason was a blessing and helped further the supreme beings' understanding of magic. This wouldn’t change her friend's mind, which meant she would only have a mortal lifespan. While Rita had no idea how long she would live or if she could still die of old age. Which as the book, the vampire priest gave her an understanding of why the supreme being made her immortal (immune to old age and sickness).

Vowing that she would look after the Eeb Rile Furt line. It was the least she could do for her friend. Putting the dark thoughts away for now. “So, kids want to get something to eat and hear more of my stories.”

The children cheered while seeing Sinadra and Normick sneak off for personal time together. Leaving Rita to show the children the right way, she wouldn’t allow them to be swept up by evil groups like eight fingers.

“How are you so hungry all the time? It has only been a few hours after lunch.”

Rita rubbed the back of her head. She couldn’t say that her magic core was still only a little above half empty. “Training and shapeshifting take up a lot of energy.”

Arche huffed before pouting again. “You're overworking yourself again, aren't you? You know it’s not healthy. You can sometimes relax, Rita.”

Rita was thankful she took the lie. She wasn’t sure if she would ever accept the truth. This is what it took to fight evil, even if it cost her humanity. “You know I can’t do that. If I am not on guard at all times, I could fail to protect the people of the empire like an elite knight should. Now come on, I don’t want to waste an off day with my friend fighting.”

Arche grumbled but accepted as Rita put an arm around her shoulder. Before, an invisible wave of energy passed through her. Kathrin informed Rita shortly after not taking too long to get back to the palace for some critical celebration.

-End of Chapter-