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"No! That's definitely a Skeletal Dragon! It must have resisted the detection magic with its complete resistance!"Everyone understood at Envario's shout.So that was it.The Skeletal Dragon, over four meters in size, landed on the ground, causing the fog to momentarily clear before settling back.It languidly turned its long neck, so the composite bone skull atop it faced toward Antwali and the others. The hatred for the living that could be felt in those empty eye sockets was surely no illusion.Its landing presented an opportunity. They had to defeat it here, without letting it take to the sky again."—Let's go!"Antwali and Dietz would confront it head-on. Bunaz and Candelon would stand guard in front of Envario. This formation was probably optimal for the situation.Antwali and Dietz split left and right to charge at the Skeletal Dragon. However, they didn't commit fully, ensuring they could retreat quickly if need be.This was because they did not yet have a full grasp of their enemy's combat capabilities.First, they needed to gauge the weight of its attacks. Then, its attack methods. And — most importantly — its reach. To understand the enemy's effective range of attack.That said, though this enemy was strong, they had no intention of losing.They had faced greater enemies before in terms of size. While the monster before them was certainly a large and formidable opponent, it didn't radiate the unique pressure that came with facing an opponent on a completely different level.The two frontliners slammed their respective weapons into the body of bones.It was hard.But there was a feeling that they were inflicting serious damage.Antwali's lips curved into a faint smile, and though likely not in response, the Skeletal Dragon began its attack. Antwali caught sight of its massive jaws lunging at Dietz from the corner of his vision.Trusting in Dietz, he pushed that sight from his mind.There was no room for such luxury.It closed in on Antwali with its massive white claws.The bite attack targeted Dietz while the raking claws came for Antwali. This attack pattern was favorable for the defenders, since the probability of getting hit would be higher if all attacks were concentrated on a single person.However, the huge claws approaching from both sides were faster than he anticipated.Should he block the hit or dodge?Blocking would be easier than dodging, comparatively. However, if he blocked, he would need to properly redirect the enemy's force to create an opening for attack.Additionally, he only had one shield. While he might successfully block an attack from one side, he would need to parry the attack from the other side with his weapon. A weapon that was tiny when compared to the enemy's claws.So he dodged. Though his heavy armor slightly reduced his ability to evade, he had been focusing his stance and awareness on defense from the start. It wasn't an impossible maneuver to accomplish.He twisted his body to the side as something massive and white passed through his field of vision.Instantly, he ducked low.Without even a moment's pause, tremendous air pressure passed over his head.He gripped his weapon tightly in his right hand and stepped in.Darting into close range, he struck with his weapon.Though his stance was compromised from focusing on evasion and his full strength wasn't behind his attack, he could see cracks forming in the white bone.Of course, for a body this massive, it was a small wound, but certainly more than a scratch.He continued his attacks while maintaining this distance — staying inside the enemy's reach — but this wasn't a stationary exchange of blows.Instead, he moved as if trying to circle behind the enemy. Without needing words, he trusted that Dietz would read his intentions and move to the opposite side for a pincer attack.Perhaps understanding the danger of being surrounded — though it was unclear if this was possible with only a brainless skull — the Skeletal Dragon sank its body low while beating its massive bone wings.These wide wings of bone were as hard as iron, with tips as sharp as blades. To the warriors who had moved to both sides, the wing beats themselves became attacks. Moreover, this wasn't even primarily an offensive motion. While Antwali managed to land one strike while protecting his head despite the danger, he couldn't prevent the Skeletal Dragon from taking flight."Tch!"He clicked his tongue.Fighting in two dimensions against an opponent that could move freely in three dimensions was quite troublesome. Especially when they couldn't prevent attacks on the rear guard. However, with Bunaz and Candelon there, it shouldn't prove fatal.Looking up to track the Skeletal Dragon, Antwali clicked his tongue again.The mental image he had formed was of the Skeletal Dragon taking to the sky. He had pictured himself, maintaining vigilance, straining his eyes to track the enemy's shadow cutting through the white fog, swinging his weapon as it swooped down to attack him before returning to the sky once more.However, it was different in reality.The Skeletal Dragon had merely risen into the air rather than truly taking flight.And now it was plummeting straight down.Its massive body was aiming for him.Hit-and-run tactics were troublesome, but being crushed would be disastrous.He could probably survive a single hit. However, being pinned down by its weight would leave him unable to escape and subject to one-sided attacks.That had to be avoided at all costs.Forgetting about attacking and positioning and everything else, Antwali desperately threw himself away from that spot.He hurled his entire body forward in a diving roll, then used that momentum to raise himself up.The ground shook behind him. Since he felt no pain, he must have successfully evaded it. When he hurriedly turned around, his view was suddenly blocked by a stone wall. He could see the Skeletal Dragon's head behind it.Envario must have cast [Wall of Stone] to prevent Antwali from being pursued when he had completely exposed his back. Indeed, a stone wall extended from Envario's position to where Antwali stood.The problem was that Dietz wasn't visible on Antwali's side of the wall.If Dietz was on the same side as the Skeletal Dragon, it was obvious he would be the focus of all its attacks.Should he run to circle around the stone wall, or destroy it?"Envario! Take it down!"Wall-type spells could usually be dispelled at the caster's will."Wait!"Antwali shot a quick glance at Bunaz. Even though the Skeletal Dragon was behind the wall, he couldn't afford to let his guard down. The [Wall of Stone] only reached two or three meters from the ground and was merely a temporary obstacle for an enemy that could fly. Even so, he turned to look at Bunaz because he sensed abnormal tension in that voice, and moreover, because an ominous intuition was spreading in his heart.While still watching the Skeletal Dragon ahead, Bunaz kept frequently casting glances at the sky. Seeing signs of the worst possible scenario approaching, Antwali clicked his tongue again.Then, upon realizing that Bunaz was restlessly scanning the surroundings —particularly the sky above — he had a premonition of the worst possible outcome, and clicked his tongue once more.Could they win—?"How many?!""Probably two!"Just as he thought.A total of three.—This was dire.The current situation was extremely bad.Antwali's face contorted.A Skeletal Dragon was a powerful undead that one would rarely encounter except in the deepest reaches where the undead extermination efforts weren't thoroughly carried out. For three such undead to be present was far too abnormal.What's going on here? Is this all because some fools ventured too far into the depths? Or— is something else happening?In his mind, Antwali cursed at those three who must have drawn the Skeletal Dragons here. At the same time, he felt respect for their skill and luck in escaping this far.What should we do? What's the right move?The best option would be to flee into the tower. While the undead didn't tire, making an endurance battle disadvantageous in that sense, it was still better than fighting in the open. No, that might be their only chance of survival.He could sense Dietz battling the Skeletal Dragon on the other side of the [Wall of Stone].It would be possible to retreat now, but that would be the same as abandoning Dietz. With his full plate armor, it would be a risky gamble to see whether Dietz could outrun a Skeletal Dragon.They needed someone — or something — to act as rear guard.Therefore, there was only one move."[Summon Monster – 3rd]."His trusted companion cast the spell. Understanding the situation without needing words to be spoken, he had chosen the correct option.What was summoned was a large bear with faintly glowing fur. Just one.With a growl, it charged toward the Skeletal Dragon to take Dietz's place. At the same time, the [Wall of Stone] vanished like a mirage."Retreat! Get to the tower!"He shouted at the top of his voice, and started to run. The shouting was less an instruction to his companions and more of a declaration to those inside the tower.He caught sight of two white shapes in the thin fog.…They're fast!At this point, they couldn't afford to spare Bunaz and Candelon just to protect Envario. With three enemies, Antwali, Bunaz, and Dietz would each need to face one. Whether for their side or the Skeletal Dragons' side, many-against-one would be overwhelmingly disadvantageous, and losing even one person would instantly tip the balance.Therefore, Envario should position himself alone by the tower entrance, ready to escape inside at any moment. Bunaz should run around drawing the enemy's attention while providing support with potions and such. Candelon should maintain overall awareness and use healing magic as appropriate.That would be optimal."We'll regroup inside the tower!"They could freely cast strengthening magic inside the tower to boost their combat abilities.As he shouted instructions and ran desperately, there came repeated heavy thuds, the sound of something massive landing on the earth.Two completely unharmed Skeletal Dragons had landed between Antwali and the tower.Not the worst-case situation, but quite bad nonetheless.The problem was that one of them had landed near the door.The Skeletal Dragons turned their heads toward them, glaring intimidatingly at Bunaz, Candelon, and Envario who had nearly reached the door.The team had been split up.Antwali suppressed his rising sense of urgency while considering strategy. That said, fleeing to the city wasn't an option from this position.Their opponents were flying undead. The chance of successfully escaping were almost none.While they could try rushing past the two Skeletal Dragons to get into the tower, success was uncertain.The best option would be to reduce their numbers while the summoned bear kept one occupied.Earlier he had felt they were split up.But that wasn't it.It was they who had pincered the Dragons.Just as Antwali opened his mouth to give instructions, having made up his mind—"Antwali!"Once again, Bunaz's shout rang out.The overwhelming tension filling that voice made his earlier despair of facing three Skeletal Dragons seem mild in comparison."They're coming! One! No— two!"Two more. Additional reinforcements.What nonsense was this — it was cheating.What's coming?! More Skeletal Dragons? There's no way something this absurd could happen!Antwali was stunned.Skeletal Dragons were not the kind of undead that just appeared in abundance. Or were there countless Skeletal Dragons roaming the depths of the Katze Plains?If any more Skeletal Dragons appeared, it would be the end. All they could do was pray to the gods that these were different — weaker — undead.Soon Antwali could hear the sounds too.From the direction of the city — beyond the wall and fog — came running sounds. Heavy but nimble footsteps, something completely different from the galloping of a horse's hooves. At least it didn't sound like Skeletal Dragons.That wasn't their only stroke of luck.The Skeletal Dragons also seemed distracted by the new intruders, halting their movements. Still, there was no doubt they would attack immediately if anyone made the slightest move. It was just a momentary stillness similar to the brief pauses that sometimes occurred during battle.He swallowed the saliva that had gathered in his mouth.A brief moment passed, and shadows broke through the fog to reveal their true form.Since it was beyond the defensive wall, he couldn't see clearly, but it was something too large to be human.The massive figure leaped, crashed into the wall, and then climbed up it vigorously.A magical beast? But what kind?While horses were the commonly used mounts in the neighboring countries, many special creatures existed too. For instance, there were Giant Lizards, and in some places people even rode large insects — Giant Ants or Giant Mantises. Particularly among adventurers, magical beasts like the eight-legged Sleipnir were dream mounts.Among these, the most coveted were flying magical beasts like Gryphons, Hippogryphs, and Wyverns.So while what had emerged from the fog wasn't a flying magical beast, that didn't mean it was any less impressive. On the contrary, everyone present was captivated by the sight of the beast that revealed itself atop the wall even in the midst of battle.The fact that even the Skeletal Dragons, who shouldn't have been moved by beauty, had stopped moving was proof enough that whatever had appeared was a force to be reckoned with.That was how magnificent and dignified this magical beast was.Its beautiful fur was reminiscent of silver, and in this ghastly land it was like a breeze of fresh air.Its eyes held a deep wisdom, instantly suggesting it was one of the most highly intelligent magical beasts. After skillfully maneuvering its front and back legs to quickly scale the wall, it descended toward Antwali's group with fluid grace that could only be described as elegant.The magical beast began running again."Gozaru gozaru gozaru!"A majestic war cry rang out.Its rider was completely clad in jet-black armor. A crimson mantle flowed from their shoulders.Their left hand confidently held the reins, while their right brandished an unsheathed greatsword.The Skeletal Dragons shifted to face the new arrivals, sizing them up.The warrior and magical beast raced past Antwali and the others, closing in on one of the Skeletal Dragons. Antwali expected the warrior to swing their giant sword. So he found the following scene perplexing."Is it not time, milord!"The magical beast seemed puzzled too, crying out in a panicked voice.Though they seemed to have entered striking distance, their feet didn't stop. It was almost like they were aiming for a body slam."Look out!"The moment Bunaz shouted, the Skeletal Dragon moved.Its massive tail struck the warrior, sending their body flying through the air to slam into the ground and roll away."Goza!"The magical beast let out a strange cry, as if it couldn't believe what just happened.After nimbly slipping past another Skeletal Dragon's attack, the magical beast rushed to the fallen warrior's side."What… was that?"Dietz, who had somehow ended up right beside Antwali, muttered involuntarily.The emotions and feelings contained in those words were ones Antwali shared.After suddenly appearing, rather than avoiding, blocking, or countering the Skeletal Dragon's attack, they had taken the hit and been sent flying.What an utterly incompetent display as a warrior. The stark contrast with their mount's magnificent appearance created such a large gap that it was confusing.Antwali hesitated on whether to approach the warrior who lay motionless on the ground.Taking a tail strike to the chest without defending with their sword was serious. The air would have been completely forced from their lungs, and they'd be lucky if that was all. If unlucky, their ribs might have broken and pierced into their internal organs. Given they weren't moving at all, the latter seemed more likely.If they were going to heal them, sooner would be better.However, while facing three Skeletal Dragons, could they afford to spare any effort on a warrior who might not even be able to help? Or should they have Candelon cast healing magic on them, hoping they could serve as a shield?The time spent hesitating was probably less than a few seconds.Just as Antwali was about to shout, proof emerged that his hesitation had been pointless.The warrior stood up with easy movements. There wasn't the slightest hint of pain in their motions. They seemed to feel no more discomfort than someone who had merely tripped and gotten back up. Even the Skeletal Dragons appeared confused by this strange situation, as they seemed to be watching the warrior more warily than Antwali's team.Considering it ended up without a single scratch, it must be an extraordinarily powerful set of magical armor. Strong enough to absorb all of the damage. Or perhaps they had activated some kind of Martial Art?"This is difficult…"The warrior grumbled while casually brushing the dirt from their armor and slowly beginning to walk.I see! So they didn't take the hit because they were incompetent! They took it because they knew this would happen! Because they had absolute confidence in their defense!Judging from what they muttered, they had clearly been aiming for something. Something that required taking the enemy's attack head on.What that was, Antwali didn't know. However—That magical beast, that set of armor, enduring such a blow unscathed… they're clearly no ordinary warrior. That jet-black armor… I see. So this is the rumored warrior…"Hamsuke. I shall leave this one to you. Gain some experience.""Understood, that it is!"Hamsuke must be the magical beast's name. It swung its whip-like tail, keeping the Skeletal Dragon at bay."I will take care of the remaining two. You adventurers over there, you wouldn't mind if I cut in, would you? If you'd rather I didn't interfere, I can just stand back and watch.""Can you take them?"While maintaining his guard against the Skeletal Dragons, Antwali asked the warrior."It won't be a problem."The warrior made this quiet declaration and began walking.That stride conveyed an overwhelming sense of confidence, even more so than their words. The earlier hit had undoubtedly been intentional. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to show such dignity.No, that was to be expected.If the rumors were true.For that warrior, it would be only natural.The warrior's identity was an obvious answer. Antwali murmured to his gathered companions."That's an adventurer of the highest rank, Adamantite. Momon of 'Darkness'…"He had heard that Momon wielded twin greatswords, but now he held only one. While understandable when he had been mounted on the magical beast, why hadn't he drawn the other now that he was on the ground?Perhaps for this battle he's prioritizing the weight of each strike over the number of attacks?The Dark Warrior replaced Antwali as the one facing the Skeletal Dragons.Hamsuke, who had been fending off the Skeletal Dragons, engaged one in battle, leaving the other free to lunge at Momon.Momon brushed away the blow from its right claws with his sword.The way he wielded such a large sword as easily as if it was a twig was proof that his strength far surpassed normal human limits. He swung with a speed that Antwali couldn't have evaded, deflecting the left claws as well. Then Momon spun in a complete rotation and swung his sword.What?! A spin move?!Momon's strike seemed to be aimed at the Skeletal Dragon's bony arm.Instead, it collided with the long tail of the Skeletal Dragon that had been sweeping through the thin fog toward Momon as it twisted its body — and forcefully knocked the tail flying back.Antwali could clearly see splinters of white bone scattering widely.The Skeletal Dragon's massive body lost its balance.What an incredible strike… no, more importantly, what was the point of spinning around like that? The enemy was right in front of him?! Is he just showing off? No, surely not…Momon was a warrior, and an Adamantite-ranked adventurer.In other words, this meant he stood at the pinnacle of warriors. Someone of his caliber wouldn't make any wasted movements. Just like before — when he seemingly took a hit carelessly — there must have been some hidden intent behind it.Antwali desperately racked his brain.An Adamantite-ranked adventurer was demonstrating his combat prowess right before his eyes. It would be wasteful not to absorb every detail into his very being.Being overwhelmed by the aura of a strong man and just staring in awe while muttering "Momon-sama…" would be the act of a spineless fool. He wasn't some princess from a knight's fairy tale.He wasn't such an effeminate weakling — or at least he wanted to believe he wasn't. That was why he forced his mind to work hard. But even so——Damn! I can't understand it! I can't read his aim!The reason Antwali couldn't grasp Momon's intentions was because he didn't stand on the same level as this supreme warrior. Other warriors at that same height could probably understand the reasons behind Momon's actions.It was frustrating.Extremely frustrating.But still — that was no excuse to abandon his analysis and stop thinking. If he had any desire to aim higher as a fellow warrior, he should try to read even a little of his exemplar's (Momon's) intentions.As Antwali desperately tried to discern Momon's intent, he caught Dietz's inadvertent mutter."A Martial Art, is it?"Something clicked in Antwali's mind. However, he couldn't put it into clear words. It felt like a single piece had finally fit into a jigsaw puzzle that was still largely empty."…But why did he need to do a full rotation?"Bunaz's question was one that Antwali shared.However, the words "Martial Art" did make some sense. Among Antwali's knowledge, there were no Martial Arts that involved spinning like that. Of course, Antwali didn't know every Martial Art in existance. Therefore, it must be either a high-level Martial Art he wasn't familiar with, or one original to Momon.In other words, that earlier move was a Martial Art that called for — no, demanded — a full rotation.However, this raised another question.Why had he chosen to use such a Martial Art?He understood wanting to land an effective strike on the tail… but if he was going to use a Martial Art, there was no need to choose that one in particular. A [Strong Strike] or something similar would have sufficed.And his companion provided the answer."…Probably a Martial Art for countering attacks from all directions.""That's it! I see!"Antwali couldn't help but raise his voice.All the pieces fell into place.He felt the joy of a difficult puzzle finally being completed.That earlier strike hadn't been deliberately aimed at the tail — rather, the tail was the only part it had managed to hit."…I can reckon what Dietz is sayin', but Uncle has a question. Why choose an all-directional attack against a single opponent?""…If we consider his team composition, we can guess the answer," Antwali said. "I suspect Momon only trained counter-type Martial Arts that attack in all directions.""That's right. I hear Momon's team consists of only one other member, a magic caster called Nabe. This means he frequently finds himself surrounded by enemies as the only frontliner. In that case, learning Martial Arts that can attack multiple enemies at once would be his highest priority.""Conversely, Martial Arts that only affect a single target would be low priority. Of course, he probably learned some, but still."Perhaps this was also why Momon chose twin greatswords as his main weapons.Martial Arts that hit multiple targets simultaneously typically dealt less damage than single-target ones. So, he likely chose weapons with high destructive power to compensate for this reduced damage.Once one piece became clear, the overall picture of Momon's combat theory emerged. His equipment wasn't chosen out of mere vanity or simple preference for maximum firepower. He had selected the optimal solution for his circumstances.Truly a warrior of the highest caliber. You might expect a bit more carelessness or playfulness… no, that's wrong. This is exactly why he's Adamantite rank.While admiring this thought, Antwali watched the battle unfold intently, trying not to miss a single one of Momon's movements. It was probably the bad habit of a warrior, but his thoughts involuntarily drifted to consider how he might land a hit on someone like this.The rational part of his mind understood. Don't consider Momon as a hypothetical enemy. It would be pointless to do so.Even just analyzing this brief battle made it clear he couldn't defeat Momon. Not one-on-one, and probably not even with his whole team.Antwali wasn't confident he could withstand those fearsome strikes.In their line of work, Workers sometimes had to fight adventurers.Therefore, they should absolutely decline any requests that might put them up against Momon.And yet — helplessly — there might come a time when they had no choice but to fight him. Preparation for such a time was necessary. He could repay the debt of being saved some other time.These were not contradictory actions.Overwhelming him with numbers… surrounding him would be dangerous, given what we've seen. The best approach would be to frequently switch who faces him directly while fighting? Well, the best approach would be not fighting him at all.Antwali gave a wry smile at his own thoughts along these lines.Still…Before his eyes, the Skeletal Dragon took Momon's blow and reeled backward, scattering fragments of bone. That huge body, recoiling.It was an unbelievable demonstration of strength.That overwhelming physical capability was more reminiscent of a mighty monster than a human. Judging him critically, there might be some flaws in his offense and defense as a warrior — no, Momon was the highest-ranked warrior who undoubtedly chose the optimal solutions.There must be some rational explanation for what appeared to be gaps in his fighting style.Perhaps he was being cautious about revealing all his techniques to Antwali's team.…Did he sense something in my gaze? I feel no hostility towards him, but I can't honestly say I don't feel any desire to challenge him. Is he sensing some potential for violence from that? …Is that… what it means? To be the level of an Adamantite-ranked adventurer?If Momon was sensing such ill intent from him despite having just saved their lives, it would be terribly discourteous.At that moment, whether because the summoned bear had been defeated by the enemy or Envario had dismissed it, the first Skeletal Dragon was freed and began to move. Its target, perhaps deeming him the greatest threat, was Momon.It charged forward, extending its neck to bite him into pieces.Normally, Antwali's party should have tried to prevent this. After all, they were the ones originally being attacked.However, they couldn't intervene. For two reasons.First was fear of getting in the way.Antwali and his companions had experienced it themselves — that feeling of wishing someone would just stay put rather than offering unwanted help. Though usually, that someone was a client.The difference between what Momon, a warrior of the highest rank, could see and what Antwali's group could see was likely vast. What Antwali and the others might deem as being in a pinch probably wasn't even worth calling an inconvenience from Momon's perspective.In that case, acting on their own assumption of danger might only interfere with Momon's strategy.And the second reason was that they didn't even have time to act.It happened suddenly.Like a bolt of lightning, a beautiful woman descended from the sky and swung her longsword downward, capitalizing on her momentum.The sword, still in its sheath and effectively turned into a blunt weapon, struck the Skeletal Dragon's head. While that single strike would have ended the life of any normal monster, those slender arms couldn't crush the skull of a Skeletal Dragon. Even so, taking the full kinetic energy from above caused the Skeletal Dragon's head to slam into the ground below.In contrast, the woman who had dropped from above didn't become a smear on the ground, but instead hovered in the air. She had undoubtedly activated some kind of flight magic or similar ability.Someone muttered her name."So that's Nabe."It was to be expected that she would be here if Momon was present.The high-tier magic caster, the "Beautiful Princess" Nabe.Even from this distance, it was clear that her looks lived up to that title. He had never seen such beautiful features before.Of course, according to rumors, she was more than just that — she was someone who possessed considerable ability. Indeed, she was the sole companion of the Adamantite-ranked adventurer Momon. She couldn't possibly be mere window dressing.After all, here she was, a magic caster engaging in close combat with a Skeletal Dragon completely resistant to magic. If magic didn't work, she must be confident in achieving victory through other means."I see… She was staying back because she was wary of the other Dragon. Or maybe—"He left unspoken the words "She was wary of us.""Even though I was ordered to stand by, I hope this was acceptable?"Though Antwali probably hadn't heard her, the beautiful princess Nabe asked Momon."Yes, perfect timing. —Forgive me. I shall end this one quickly, so please buy me some time."Then Momon made a bold declaration toward their party."Playtime is over."This was not arrogance or an empty boast. It was born of absolute confidence and firm self-assurance. And then — his presence changed.In an instant.His launching foot exploded, gouging the earth.His stepping foot shook the ground like an earthquake.Overwhelming speed.For a moment, Antwali couldn't understand what had happened. A crescentshaped afterimage flashed through the air, and only when the Skeletal Dragon's head suddenly fell to the ground did he realize that Momon had swung his sword. The sight left him speechless.Until now — perhaps partly because he had been watching from a distance —he had been able to track the greatsword's trajectory with his eyes. But this was different. It was as if Momon had stepped into another realm entirely — the sword speed was as though he had become a different person. And such sheer destructive force.Antwali stood silent. It was too overwhelming for words.Was this really the same warrior, the same human as before? How much talent, ability, experience, and magical items would it take to make such a feat possible?Despair welled up inside Antwali as he was suddenly confronted with this insurmountable gap in ability.Preparing to fight Momon? Ridiculous. If they ever found themselves in such a situation, the first thing to do would be to beg for mercy.With dignified steps, Momon walked toward Nabe. Despite his magic caster companion fighting with a sword in close combat, he showed no sign of hurry. That must be because he had complete trust in his partner."One strike."Antwali and the others heard his confident declaration."Nabe. Thanks for keeping this one busy. I'll take over from here.""Yes, Momon-sa—n."And soon it was proven that Momon's declaration had been no lie.

Chapter 3Whoa!As Hamsuke started climbing up the wall, Ainz's body, which was straddling Hamsuke, hung parallel to the ground.If he had not activated the [Fly] spell through a magical item to free himself from the restraints of gravity, this could have been quite troublesome.If he were to fall from this height, would Ainz's body receive any damage? The answer would be a resounding "NO." However, he had to avoid letting any third party see him tumbling off Hamsuke in such an undignified manner.He had to maintain his reputation as Momon, the Adamantite-ranked adventurer.Since he had never fallen off his horse — or rather, his hamster — before, he wasn't sure whether his reputation would suffer from such an act. Perhaps people would be understanding and think it was natural to have such mishaps when riding a powerful magical beast like Hamsuke, but that was probably wishful thinking.Of course, Ainz had quite a few complaints.To be forthright, Ainz's evaluation of Hamsuke as a mount was incredibly low. Soul Eaters were far superior in comparison.As for comfort, if asked whether it was satisfactory, he would have to tilt his head in uncertainty. First off, Hamsuke's fur was admittedly fairly soft under normal circumstances. At such times, one could say the comfort level exceeded the passing mark. However, this appraisal would be completely reversed during combat.This was because when preparing for battle, Hamsuke's fur would harden. Moreover, she was unable to selectively keep just her back soft — her entire body would become like a bed of nails. While this was fine for Ainz, ordinary humans would likely — no, definitely — end up being stabbed by countless thin, hard hairs.Next was the fact that he had to spread his legs extremely wide just to ride her.Though this issue had been improved somewhat with the use of a specialized saddle, it was still extremely difficult to stabilize himself by gripping the horse's — or rather, the hamster's — body with his thighs and knees. Even someone with superhuman abilities like Ainz could barely endure it. An ordinary person would find it necessary to secure their lower body to the specialized saddle with ropes.Despite Hamsuke's faults, everyone considered her an amazing magical beast for reasons beyond Ainz's understanding, which needlessly raised the bar for maintaining appearances.He was extremely dissatisfied.I remember someone telling me before that even elegant… ducks? frantically paddle their feet underwater too.[1] That almost fits me to a tee… Still, if there's a wall, and you're wondering what to do… jumping on it is something you should tell me beforehand… Unlike horses, you can talk, after all…Ainz grumbled, his body being violently jerked back and forth in time with Hamsuke's movements.She should show a little more consideration for the person on her back… Well, since there haven't been any incidents so far, I suppose Hamsuke must have faith in me not to fall off…Even so, he wished Hamsuke would spare him from climbing vertical walls.Perhaps clinging to her back would improve the situation, but what kind of impression would that give to onlookers? Would they understand, or would they think it uncool? Or perhaps maintaining his current posture, perpendicular to Hamsuke, looked even stranger?Having finally reached the top of the wall, Hamsuke leaped into the tower grounds and landed with an appropriate thud. She then once again broke into a run.Riding on top, Ainz's head bobbed up and down vigorously. The shaking was so severe that an ordinary person would have undoubtedly gotten whiplash.While being grateful for his undead nature, Ainz surveyed the grounds of the 1. Ainz is misremembering the saying "Calm as a swan above waters, but frantic feet are paddling underneath."Broken Tower.First, he noticed the three Skeletal Dragons.Next, since the undead appeared to be attacking something, he suspected that there were living creatures here, and indeed he noticed several humans. Based on the information that Ainz had gathered beforehand, the probability was very high that there were other humans inside the Broken Tower as well.Avoiding any attacks that would include the Broken Tower… shouldn't be a problem, right? Though since I'm posing as Momon the warrior, I can't make use of area-ofeffect magic even if I wanted to.Of course, it would be different if he were to use an item, but he had no intention of needlessly revealing his hand. For that reason, it would be better not to have Narberal participate in this battle until the very last moment.How many times has this made it now that Momon the Adamantite-ranked adventurer has helped someone? …Even though Momon isn't particularly friendly with Nazarick, helping people in small ways will never be a waste, and will continue to be important going forward.The reason he had come here was that to reach the interior of the Katze Plains, passing through the locations known as the Broken Towers was the most straightforward route.He hadn't expected to encounter Skeletal Dragons at the very first tower.Ainz tried to assess the situation between the Skeletal Dragons and the adventurers — or those who appeared to be adventurers. If he swooped in to steal their kill, it would be impossible to avoid dispute. However, their formation seemed to have collapsed, and they looked like they would be grateful if he slew the Skeletal Dragons. Also, was that bear squaring off against one of the Skeletal Dragons someone's pet?"Gozaru gozaru gozaru!"Hamsuke charged forward while making embarrassing sounds.The ones he should crush first were the two Skeletal Dragons blocking the escape route to the tower.Whether this thought had been conveyed to Hamsuke or whether Hamsuke had come to the same conclusion herself, she charged straight for them.The Skeletal Dragon exchanging blows with the bear continued its battle, while the other two Dragons began to move. They seemed to be targeting Hamsuke rather than the humans.They were moving to execute a pincer attack.Do they consider Hamsuke a threat? …Considering a single Skeletal Dragon, its level should be much lower than Hamsuke's. Beasts would flee, but I suppose undead that know no fear wouldn't choose the option to retreat.Or perhaps they simply couldn't perceive the difference in their perspective levels, or lacked the intelligence to know when to retreat.The distance to the Skeletal Dragon furthest from the wall — the one nearest to the Broken Tower — was considerable, but with Hamsuke's leg strength, it was covered in an instant."Is it not time, milord!"The Skeletal Dragon was right before them. However, Ainz was unable to swing his sword.He had never fought while mounted before. His lack of experience had caught up with him, and he could not judge the distance. Especially with monsters like Dragons that could attack with their tails — since the tail wasn't visible from the front, his sense of distance inevitably became distorted.Moreover, Hamsuke's large size made it inherently difficult to gauge distances properly.—What do ordinary warriors do when attacking while mounted?Should he attack now? Or should he draw them in closer? With a weapon like a lance, he could simply charge straight ahead, but he wasn't quite sure what to do with his greatsword. Perhaps the best approach was to graze past them, then attack at the point of closest approach?"Look out!""Goza!"A wall-like mass of white bones — the Skeletal Dragon's tail — struck Ainz's chest with tremendous force.However, even though he had deactivated his passive skill, the pain was minimal.The force of the blow sent Ainz flying off of Hamsuke into mid-air. Naturally, since he had the [Fly] spell active, it was easy to control his position in the air, but he chose not to use that power and instead rolled across the ground.Then he jumped to his feet.He considered whether he should act out being damaged a little, but decided that as the hero Momon, it wouldn't seem strange to stand up unfazed."This is difficult…"While he had trained in combat with Cocytus, mounted combat had not been a part of the lessons. He would need to train for various situations like this in the future.Ainz pondered such things while lightly brushing the dirt from his armor. It was probably stuck all over him, but he didn't have time to clean it all off. To be grooming himself in the rear while the adventurers were fighting for their liveswould certainly draw criticism."Hamsuke. I shall leave this one to you. Gain some experience.""Understood, that it is!"Hearing that response, Ainz shifted his gaze toward the adventurers without moving his head."I will take care of the remaining two. You adventurers over there, you wouldn't mind if I cut in, would you? If you'd rather I didn't interfere, I can just stand back and watch."This was a question he should have asked first. Who would have thought that his inability to time his attack would work out for the best?While people probably wouldn't complain about interference if they were being saved from mortal danger, they might criticize such discourteous behavior if their opponents were ones they could comfortably defeat."Can you take them?"A natural question was posed. These were adventurers he couldn't recall seeing at the guild in E-Rantel. Unfortunately, they might not know of Momon's strength. No, even if they did, they had just witnessed him get blown away by the Skeletal Dragon's tail strike. It was understandable for them to doubt his abilities."It won't be a problem."Putting on an act to make his voice sound powerful, he moved to stand before the Skeletal Dragon, taking over from the male warrior.He conceded the first move to the Skeletal Dragon. It felt like he had already conceded the first move earlier, but that must have just been his imagination. He needed to put on a good show here to put the others at ease.While deflecting the approaching claws with his sword, Ainz stole a glance at the other Skeletal Dragon — the one fighting the bear.The bear was heavily battered and showed no signs of being able to fight much longer.Can I defeat it before that bear gives out? No, unfortunately, with just my abilities as a warrior, it doesn't seem likely…With his free hand, Ainz pointed at the Skeletal Dragon fighting the bear, then gave a thumbs up before turning it downward.If the signal was understood, good. If not, it wouldn't matter since he wouldn't lose anyway.Ainz returned his gaze to his immediate opponent.Just as he was about to attack, its claws came rushing in.Ainz snorted in amusement.For Ainz, who had received some training and become accustomed to wielding a sword, deflecting the Skeletal Dragon's claw attacks was a simple matter.However, the truth was that he didn't need to defend at all from the very start.This was because Ainz could nullify all physical attacks below level 60. Barring a few exceptions, there was no point in defending against attacks below that level. However, there were witnesses present. Presenting too inhuman an appearance might arouse suspicion.Well, it turned out well last time, but how will it go this time? Alright! Let's try using a Martial Art!After reactivating [High-Tier Physical Nullification III], Ainz turned his back. He would spin around and deliver a strike empowered by centrifugal force to the Skeletal Dragon.To be blunt, at this distance and timing, performing a full rotation right in front of an enemy was insane. No matter how you looked at it, the enemy's attack would hit first, while his accuracy would drop significantly. That was why he reactivated his skill. Even if he failed and the enemy's attack hit first, Ainz wouldn't flinch at all. The goal was to make observers think, "He must have used a defensive Martial Art while simultaneously using a spinning offensive Martial Art."And then, with his centrifugal force-enhanced strike——Its tail?!The tail and Ainz's strike collided, knocking back the Skeletal Dragon's tail.Ainz was astounded.What an incredible stroke of luck!Since he had been facing backward, he hadn't noticed at all, but apparently the Skeletal Dragon had attacked with its tail just as Ainz struck; his swinging sword had coincidentally collided with it mid-air.It looked like I did that on purpose, didn't it?!Though it had transpired entirely by chance, he had countered his opponent's attack while landing his own. To the onlookers, it must have looked like he had brilliantly intercepted the approaching tail of bones.That's right! If I act like that was what I was aiming for, wouldn't that seem fitting for an Adamantite-ranked adventurer, and also rather stylish? Or wait, would it be considered normal for an Adamantite-ranked adventurer to do something like this?The Skeletal Dragon staggered, pulled along by its forcefully repelled tail.It might have been a little too flashy, but if I say this was a Martial Art, it should be okay, right?He had been asked numerous times by adventurers in E-Rantel about what original Martial Arts he had developed. That was why Momon of "Darkness," the Adamantite-ranked adventurer, needed to produce techniques that resembled Martial Arts.That was how this Martial Art-like technique he had displayed when Demiurge was rampaging in the Royal Capital became——Secret Sword Technique – Turning Wheel![2]Ainz whispered the name he had just decided on for the spinning slash in his mind.Originally — or rather, when he used it in the Royal Capital — it was a technique where he swung his sword with all his might, letting the centrifugal force spin his body around once before returning to his starting position.Though he called it a technique, it wasn't anything of the sort. In truth, it was just an attempt to forcibly regain his balance after accidentally losing it during combat, which resulted in an acrobatic-like movement — it was the kind of technique that deserved a scolding for swinging a sword in a way that would throw him off balance.However, if he didn't prepare at least one technique that resembled a Martial Art, there might come a time when he couldn't bluff his way through, so this was a technique he had mastered through dozens of training sessions.To be honest, it didn't succeed very often, but when it did, it was a pretty cool move. This time, it was an improved version.It was really just a spinning slash, and there was no doubt that simply putting 2. Tenrin (転輪) means "turning wheel," but it also has Buddhist connotations. Chakravartin, the Sanskrit concept for an ideal universal ruler, means "through whom the Wheel of the Dharma is turning," and is translated as 転輪聖王, literally "Wheel-Turning Saint King."proper force into a normal strike would be more powerful. However, by adding unnecessary movements, he could make onlookers think it must have some special effect.…Is that a weird name?Ainz was aware that his naming sense wasn't very good. He couldn't imagine that the first name that popped into his head would be any good.In that case… how about Merry-Go-Attack? Hmm. I suspect that's not much better than the previous one… but well, since it's the second name that comes to mind, I hope it's decent enough…While idly pondering such things, Ainz pressed forward. His next customer was nearby. He couldn't spend too much time on just this one.The slightly larger Skeletal Dragon that had presumably killed the bear came charging in.He wouldn't mind fighting two-on-one, but he had already given instructions beforehand.Just as the Skeletal Dragon extended its neck to bite — Narberal fell from the sky and smashed its head with the longsword in her hand.The Skeletal Dragon's head, upon receiving a heavy impact, was slammed into the ground with great force. The fact that solely the part from its neck forward was knocked to the ground was possible only because it was an undead with a false body construction, lacking skin, flesh, and tendons to transfer force. But to Ainz, it looked a bit cartoonish and made him want to laugh."Even though I was ordered to stand by, I hope this was acceptable?""Yes, perfect timing." It seemed that his signal had been properly interpreted. "—Forgive me. I shall end this one quickly, so please buy me some time."Narberal would win without any issue. However, if the magic caster Nabe were to defeat a Skeletal Dragon using only a sword, it would stand out too much. Having her focus solely on defense and buying time was probably the absolute limit of what would be acceptable. Moreover, if it appeared that the warrior Momon had completely entrusted the role of tank to the magic caster Nabe, his capabilities as a warrior might be called into question.After all, a proper warrior served as the vanguard, acting as a reliable shield for the squishies.After Narberal indicated her understanding with a gesture, Ainz shifted his gaze just in time to see the Skeletal Dragon he had been fighting attempting to sweep at him from the side with its claws.He dodged, stepped in, and delivered a strike to its body with his sword gripped in both hands.Defeating it with just a sword is a bother after all. It would be faster to dominate the undead and have them fight each other, but doing so would arouse suspicion.His opponent was an undead with intelligence only on the order of "kill the living." Without considering retreat, it extended its neck toward Ainz, trying to bite and chew on him.Like a batter, Ainz took a half-body stance, drew back his sword, then took a heavy step and delivered a full horizontal swing.The way the white skull was blown back resembled a grotesque parody of baseball.This time, Ainz had struck with the flat of his blade. Skeleton-type monsters — such as Ainz himself — were completely resistant to piercing attacks but extremely vulnerable to bludgeoning attacks. He hadn't bothered with this until now since he had time, but he needed to defeat it quickly and go help Narberal.—It was farcical that the appearance of his partner had instead left him with less time to spare."Playtime is over."He said this loud enough for the adventurers to overhear. In truth, he didn't consider this to be playtime at all. He only said that because he thought it might make him sound cool, or that it sounded like something an Adamantite-ranked adventurer would say, but that was about it. However, Ainz regretted it immediately after saying it.Even though he had declared that playtime was over, it didn't mean that his method of attack would change. If there was something obvious like his sword bursting into flames, it would be a different matter, but all Ainz could do was simply continue whaling on it.In that case— this is the only option!He cast a spell that had been modified with metamagic.[Silent Magic – Perfect Warrior].Then, being careful not to use his full strength, he stepped in. Even while holding back, his speed was more than twice as fast as before now that he had the stats of a level 100 Warrior. He invaded his opponent's space in less than an instant, faster than the Skeletal Dragon was able to react.Feeling his legs, hips, torso, and chest coordinate effortlessly in perfect harmony, he channeled that momentum into his greatsword as it raced through the Skeletal Dragon's neck.The execution was carried out faster than the eye could blink.Without sparing a glance at the falling skull, Ainz turned on his heel and began to slowly walk toward Narberal.Narberal was following his orders, focusing entirely on defense and skillfully handling its attacks.While he probably should have hurried, he didn't for two reasons: first, he was confident that Narberal would be fine, and second, he thought that walking in a self-assured manner would be more fitting for the hero Momon."One strike."He had forgotten earlier, so he announced it loud enough for the adventurers to hear. His goal was to minimize any suspicion about his sudden increase in strength by declaring that he had done it intentionally.He would be pleased if they thought he had finally gotten serious, or had used a Martial Art. At worst, they would recognize it as something he could do because of the accumulated damage it had been dealt so far — probably. If they didn't accept that, he could just insist on it. He could even resort to pulling rankby accusing them of doubting the judgment of an Adamantite-ranked adventurer.If he had any regret, it was that announcing it beforehand would have been cooler.The reason he had not done so was that he wasn't confident he could kill it in one strike. It would have been incredibly lame to make such a declaration and then fail to finish it in one blow.Come to think of it… pulling rank, huh?While he didn't want to do such a thing to the members of Nazarick, he didn't particularly care about doing it to adventurers that he didn't even know —suddenly, the faces of the Dwarves and the Bareare family floated in his mind.It's probably not good to use it on subcontractors, either… oops.He had gotten lost in thoughts that weren't relevant to the current situation."Nabe. Thanks for keeping this one busy. I'll take over from here.""Yes, Momon-sa—n."Common sense would dictate that he should attack the Skeletal Dragon immediately from the side rather than saying unnecessary things to Narberal. However, as he had been doing until now, he needed to demonstrate the composure expected of an Adamantite-ranked adventurer.As Narberal attempted to fall back, the Skeletal Dragon tried to launch an attack. However, for Ainz, who had gained the physical prowess of a level 100 Warrior through [Perfect Warrior], the Skeletal Dragon might as well have been moving in slow motion.He stepped in and brought his sword down on its extended neck.Its head flew off easily, spinning through the air before falling to the ground.He heard exclamatory shouts of "Ohhh!" coming from the adventurers. Since there hadn't been such impressed cries when he defeated the first Skeletal Dragon, it seemed his declarations were indeed important.Ainz turned his gaze toward the final Skeletal Dragon, the one that Hamsuke should have been fighting.Hamsuke was pushing forward one-sidedly.The difference in raw power was obvious.Making sharp cracking sounds, Hamsuke was swinging her tail like a whip, dealing steady damage. Fine cracks webbed across the Skeletal Dragon's entire body, and it was on the verge of crumbling away. There was no need for Ainz to provide support."This won't even net any XP… gah…"Ainz felt exasperated at himself for thinking such gamer-like thoughts about how many experience points would be earned based on the Skeletal Dragon's level and Hamsuke's presumed level.If leveling up worked like it did in-game, things would be so much more straightforward.While Ainz and the rest of Nazarick appeared to be bound by YGGDRASIL's concept of levels, it was possible that the creatures of this world, such as Hamsuke and the Lizardman Zaryusu they had subjugated, weren't structured according to a level system at all.Well, I have a feeling they might be structured that way… The Tier Magic system, among other such things, is proof of that…That was why Ainz was conducting combat training experiments with the Lizardmen he had subjugated. The fact that friendly fire was now permitted made power leveling possible. By having them defeat the POP undead that spawned in Nazarick and tracking the numbers they defeated, they could investigate whether experience point calculations held true.If there isn't any abnormal increase in ability in the sense of leveling up, rather than natural improvement in physical ability through training, it will be considered a failure… And if there's a level cap, it's all pointless anyway… But since those we've resurrected, like Zaryusu, have reported their bodies moving poorly, there must be something similar to a level down caused by resurrection magic…From the experimental result that Hamsuke had become able to wear armor — had acquired a Warrior class — it seemed she might be receiving the benefits of the level system, but since Nazarick, an entity influenced by the game system, was involved, one could also argue that this involvement was what allowed her to level up.Really, it's all so confusing…While Ainz was considering various methods of strengthening Nazarick in the future, Hamsuke bashed the Skeletal Dragon's head off and gave Ainz a victory pose."Good work, Hamsuke.""Haha, yes, that it is!"The huge hamster came lumbering over on two legs.You're an animal, so run on all fours! Ainz thought, but kept it to himself. Rather, he found himself thinking that it was quite impressive she could stand upright supporting her weight on just her two hind legs. He felt like he had been seeing that posture more frequently since Hamsuke acquired the Warrior class.If she were to pursue a class like Monk, would she be able to use kicking techniques with those legs?Then again, Hamsuke was a magical beast. She was probably capable of such things, unlike ordinary beasts."Now then, are you all over there alright?"Ainz called out to the adventurers who were standing there. A man who appeared to be a warrior stepped forward. Their representative — most likely the team's leader."We are very grateful for your assistance. My apologies if I am mistaken, sir, but might you be Momon-sama of 'Darkness,' the renowned Adamantite-ranked adventurer?"Contrary to his savage appearance, he spoke in a formal manner. Perhaps he just styled his outward appearance this way to maintain an adventurer persona, while inside he was an earnest young man. This was a common practice. Many adventurers used such camouflage to avoid being made light of by clients, business rivals, and fellow professionals. Dyeing their hair was another example.Ainz was quite familiar with such inner workings because of his frequent interactions with adventurers."Ah, it seems that you know of me. Yes, I am Momon. And over there is my companion, Nabe. And this is my mount, Hamsuke.""I'm Hamsuke, that I am."Hamsuke quickly bowed her head, while Narberal merely inclined her head slightly without saying anything. It wasn't even at the level of a nod. She had barely moved her head at all, but Ainz felt deeply moved to see this, thinking look how much she's grown!The Narberal of the past would certainly have responded more harshly. However, seeing how Hamsuke had properly greeted them, he couldn't help but feel that she still had a long way to go."It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Antwali. And these are—"Antwali proceeded to introduce his companions and explain how they had come to be here, while Ainz listened with what appeared to be a thoughtful attitude. Though it caught his attention slightly that they were Workers rather than adventurers, there was nothing in their story that particularly prompted him to ask questions.When that was finished, it was his turn."I see… We came to these plains searching for a ship that sails across the land at the request of Albedo, Prime Minister of the Sorcerer Kingdom.""Y'mean the Ghost Ship of the Katze Plains? Uncle's heard o' that too, but ain't it just a rumor or a tall tale?"The arcane magic caster — Envario, if he recalled correctly — cut in from the side. Antwali shot him a glaring look."Hey now, don't speak so rudely to Momon-sama, the one who helped us—""—Ah, please pay it no mind. Though there is a difference between Workers and adventurers, aren't we somewhat comrades in the same line of work? Besides, in a place like this, why don't we set aside rank and position and speak casually?""If Momon-sama says so, then we have no objections."Within Ainz's mind, Antwali earned one point for being an outstanding salaryman. He liked polite men."Oh, er, sorry 'bout that. Uncle's not very good with matters of etiquette. So then, takin' Momon-san up on his offer — does the Prime Minister of the Sorcerer Kingdom have any special info? Like where it appeared, or somethin'?""No, unfortunately, we received no special information from the Prime Minister at all. Most likely, she just wants to verify the rumor. This land is supposedly territory of the Sorcerer Kingdom, after all… Or perhaps she intends to make it known at home and abroad that they can use me — can order me around at their beck and call — even for something as trivial as investigating idle gossip.""Y'know, Uncle shouldn't say this but… ain't it possible the Prime Minister's got some other goal?""…She might, but since she submitted a proper request, I have no choice but to accept it. As an adventurer… By the way, I'm not asking this to collect on the debt for assisting you, but since you came to this land before us, I'd like to ask. Have you seen or heard anything about such a ship that comes to mind?"They shook their heads from side to side.Unfortunately, it seemed that this wouldn't play out like a game event where the people he had helped would possess special information that would let him easily reach his destination."I see… We're planning to head for the next tower, but what will you all do?"The group exchanged glances—"—We should head back."Antwali said quietly. He wasn't speaking to Ainz, but rather seeking agreement from his companions."…No objections.""Yeah, it's better to play it safe. We don't know how far into the plains the ones we buried made it, but since it ended up in a situation where three Skeletal Dragons appeared at once, our previous knowledge might not be useful anymore.""It is regrettable that we cannot continue on and put more undead to rest, but as Bunaz said, it can't be helped. We need to warn those in the Free City of Vadis. …After all, in a broader sense, those people there are our… yes, our comrades in destroying the undead."Their decision was convenient for Ainz. He had no intention of opposing it. Still, there was one thing he needed to confirm."I have researched this area, but I'm not very familiar with it. This is embarrassing to ask, but could you tell me? Are those Skeletal Dragons such a threat? Surely you could have defeated them given enough time? And yet, you choose to retreat?"In truth, he wasn't sure whether they could have defeated them or not. This was because he hadn't been present at any scene that would allow him to judge their strength. However, he still asked such questions because he wanted to know their benchmark for strength. From that, he could work backward to determine their strength as well."I see… Thank you for evaluating us so highly. I do believe we could have defeated the Skeletal Dragons. However, Skeletal Dragons are undead that have only been reported to appear deep in the interior. Moreover, only a single one has been confirmed at a time. For there to be three of them is abnormal, to say the least. Those who fled here and were wiped out must have drawn them along, but considering they managed to escape here from flying undead, I don't think they could have ventured that deep inside."Antwali took a breath after his long explanation before continuing."Given these circumstances, perhaps something has caused major changes in the pattern of how undead manifest in this land. Therefore, we have judged that proceeding any further would be dangerous at present.""I see…" Ainz understood their thoughts well. "Then, unfortunately, this is where we part ways. Let us see you off."…Did I make a mistake in saying that? Ainz thought immediately after he spoke. That comment had slipped out due to his eagerness to secure this location and send them on their way. No one would be pleased to be hurried along like that.If his desire to say "Just get out of here, you're in the way" had accidentally shown through, the hero Momon might be thought of as an arrogant and egotistical person who threw around his Adamantite rank. There was no need to be particularly considerate of their feelings, but he needed to avoid damaging the hero Momon's reputation.Human relationships are tricky.The remnants of the salaryman Suzuki Satoru within Ainz grumbled about this. Perhaps exceptional people could live while ignoring all such concerns, but these were important matters for Suzuki Satoru, who possessed emotional faculties below those of an average person.Taking little notice of Ainz's inner conflict, Antwali and his companions didn't seem to take offense. However, he couldn't simply trust that at face value.Just because a salesman was smiling didn't mean they were smiling on the inside. Even Ainz himself — though his skeletal face couldn't move — often wasn't smiling beneath his smile."It is as you say. It may be best to leave quickly. Oi!" Antwali called out to his companions. "Call out to those in the tower too, and prepare to leave at once."Their movements after that were swift. Within minutes, everyone had gathered in front of the Broken Tower with their belongings."Momon-sama. Thank you very much for this time. If Momon-sama had not come, perhaps some of us would have died. We shall never forget this debt."As Antwali said this, everyone bowed their heads in unison and said, "Thank you very much." It was such superb coordination that Ainz wondered if they had rehearsed or discussed it inside."No, I am the one who is thankful, that I was able to be of help to you all."When Ainz replied like that, they smiled back at him.Ainz watched them from outside the tower until after they climbed over the wall and completely disappeared into the thin fog. Though he strained his ears, he could no longer hear their footsteps.He wondered if they had refrained from commenting on the fact that he had conducted the entire exchange without removing his helmet — while they had removed whatever headgear they had been wearing — because he was their savior. Or perhaps they had felt dissatisfied but simply left it unvoiced.There was no point in worrying about questions that had no answers."Now then, first— let us enter the tower and make various preparations."Speaking to Narberal, who had remained silent at his side until now, Ainz decided to move on to the next phase of his plan.