When Chu Lian emerged from the spatial gate, what she saw was Momonga using the skill Grasp Heart on a soldier. His skeletal hand was covered in blood—vivid crimson contrasting sharply against white bone, an especially jarring sight.
"I was thinking that if even my strongest necromancy magic—high-tier, ninth-circle magic—didn't work, I'd have no choice but to escape with them. Looks like it can still kill people after all." He was satisfied that his magic had taken effect, yet at the same time, he seemed unsure whether to accept or feel resigned about his own complete lack of feeling toward killing. He said lightly, "Heh, killing people doesn't evoke any sensation anymore? As expected—not just my body, but even my soul no longer belongs to humanity."
He took a few steps forward and stood before the remaining soldier. "You had the courage to hunt down women and children, but not the courage to face an unusual opponent? Since I've finally come out for once, accompany me for a few more experiments."
Hearing this, the soldier finally collapsed mentally. His courage completely shattered, he threw down his weapon and shield and turned to flee.
Momonga extended his hand toward the man's back and softly intoned, "Dragon Lightning." A dazzling bolt of lightning condensed at his fingertips and instantly blasted the soldier. With just that single strike, the soldier fell dead.
"Too weak. Fifth-circle magic is enough to kill so easily." Perhaps shocked by how feeble the opponent was, Momonga remained silent for quite a while before turning to look at the two girls.
At that moment, Chu Lian stepped up to him and asked, "Big brother, how should we deal with them?"
"Heal their injuries first," Momonga replied. He had no intention of killing them. After answering Chu Lian, he turned and cast necromancy on a fallen soldier. "Mid-tier Undead Creation—Death Knight."
A mass of purple-black energy appeared, enveloping the corpse, then vanished into his body.
Immediately afterward, the corpse stiffly rose to its feet. Seeing this, Momonga was surprised. "It comes directly out of the corpse? That's quite different from the game."
As he thought that, the body was instantly wrapped in pitch-black, mud-like energy. A pair of eyes shone with terrifying red light, and then it transformed into a tall, armored, powerfully built skeletal knight with withered flesh.
Looking at the Death Knight standing before him, Momonga pointed toward another soldier's corpse and said, "Death Knight, eliminate enemies like this throughout the village."
The Death Knight let out a low roar toward the sky, as if responding, then strode forward, abandoning the one it was meant to protect and charging toward the village.
Chu Lian ignored that and walked over to the two girls huddled together. Squatting down, she said gently, "I'll heal you. Please don't be afraid."
Her voice was soft and light, like a spring breeze. The girl who had still been afraid immediately relaxed. Although the little girl in her arms continued clutching her clothes tightly, she still replied, "Then I'll trouble you."
"Hare, heal her." The pure-white girl responded within Chu Lian's mind. Light bloomed in the void at her fingertips, and a ribbon wrapped around the blonde girl, healing the wound on her back.
"This way, Momonga won't need to use a healing potion, and it will reduce the chance of people discovering that he's the one who saved Carne Village." Chu Lian was naturally planning ahead. In her plan, Momonga's identity could not be exposed. If there was any possibility of that happening, it needed to be eliminated in advance.
"Thank you for helping me—and thank you as well to that lord for saving me and my sister." Feeling her body recover, the girl hugged the little one in her arms and thanked Chu Lian. The latter part was directed toward the tall skeleton.
"Since Big Brother saved you, it's only right that I do this," Chu Lian said with a smile. Hidden beneath the hood, only the lower half of her face was visible, yet that smile alone still stunned the blonde girl and her sister.
"Th… thank you…" Perhaps because of Chu Lian's strong affinity, even the younger sister was no longer afraid. After hesitating, she spoke her thanks.
"Oh? Deloris can even use healing magic. With such strong affinity, she really is worthy of being my sister," Momonga thought happily as he watched. This sister truly had never disappointed him.
He did not notice Hare Menjou's presence—not due to a lack of strength, but because as Chu Lian grew stronger, the pure-white girl could also use void power within her mind. Of course, that power was only used for healing, and its effect was far inferior to Hare's true abilities. The advantage lay in secrecy.
"By the way, do you know about magic?" Seeing the two girls gradually relax, Chu Lian asked.
"Yes. Although we can't use magic ourselves, we know about it. There's an apothecary who occasionally visits the village—he's my friend, and he knows magic," the blonde girl answered without hesitation.
"That's enough. Big Brother and I are both magic casters." Chu Lian handled matters on Momonga's behalf—after all, compared to a towering skeleton, she was far better suited to communicate with people.
"Then stay here for now. Big Brother and I will take care of the enemies in the village for you." Standing up, Chu Lian walked over to Momonga and nodded lightly. "Big brother, I'll leave it to you."
Momonga extended his hand, palm facing the two girls. A green magic circle appeared. "Reject Life Cocoon." Another ring-shaped magic circle appeared further ahead. "Wall of Arrows."
As he cast the two spells in succession, a green hemispherical barrier formed around the girls. "I've set up defensive magic. Stay here and you'll be safe. And just in case—take this."
He tossed two horns into the barrier, landing before the girls. "Blow these and goblin troops should appear to obey you. Use them to protect yourselves."
After doing all this, he turned to leave. Chu Lian nodded to the girls and followed him.
They hadn't gone far when the girl's voice stopped them. "Um… thank you so much for saving us." Chu Lian turned slightly and saw the two girls kneeling on the ground. The chestnut-haired younger sister also spoke up, "Thank you very much."
"No need to mind it. We simply couldn't stand by. Besides, those people were truly despicable—being so ruthless toward the weak," Chu Lian said lightly, not taking it too seriously.
"May I ask your names?" The girl asked, feeling more at ease after hearing Chu Lian's words.
"Our names?" Momonga hesitated, then thought of a way to quickly let any potential players know of his existence. Turning to the girls, he said solemnly, "Remember my name well. I am Ainz Ooal Gown."
"You may call me Deloris." Seeing the girls' dazed expressions, Chu Lian added before following after Momonga.
"Lord Ainz Ooal Gown…" Holding the horns, the girl watched their departing backs. Her gaze lingered on Chu Lian's small figure wrapped in robes, her face faintly red. "Deloris…"
"Big sister, that big sister is so pretty," the little girl said. Their gentle demeanor had dispelled her fear, and after they left she became lively again, commenting on Chu Lian.
Even though only half her face had been visible, the child's innate sensitivity told her that she must be a very beautiful big sister.
"Yes… she's very pretty…" Clutching the horn tightly, the girl hugged her sister. "Lady Deloris…"
Meanwhile, within the village, a brutal massacre was underway. Obeying Momonga's orders, the Death Knight attacked only the armored soldiers, slaughtering those once unstoppable among their own kind. None could halt its advance.
The ugliness of human nature was laid bare. Faced with an invincible non-human enemy, their resolve collapsed. When all attacks proved useless, anyone who confronted it scattered and fled.
The villagers watched as it butchered the soldiers, feeling both relief and fear. It was too powerful. After killing all the soldiers, would it turn on them next? Every villager feared this and prayed it would not happen.
Not all soldiers were cowards. Some dared to face the powerful enemy—but courage without matching strength led only to death.
Just as the Death Knight finished killing the last soldier who dared resist and was about to slaughter the rest, Momonga's voice descended from the sky. "Death Knight, that's enough."
Hearing this, the villagers looked up and saw a tall figure wearing a strange mask, shrouded in robes with gloved hands—and beside him, another robed figure, far smaller and more delicate.
Descending slowly from the sky, Momonga spread his arms toward the remaining soldiers. "Nice to meet you all. My name is Ainz Ooal Gown."
Seeing the soldiers tremble, he continued, "I'll spare your lives. Deliver a message to your superiors—your masters. If you dare cause trouble nearby again, I'll wipe out your entire nation."
Growing impatient, he added, "Now get lost. And don't forget to report my name accurately." As his words fell, the soldiers finally broke. Weapons and shields were thrown aside as they fled.
Watching their retreating backs, Chu Lian spoke with a tone of admiration. "Big brother intends to use them to spread his name, so other players will hear of it and come looking for you? Such far-reaching planning—truly worthy of you, Big Brother."
Even as she said it, she was laughing inside. How do you make a siscon happy? Obviously by having his cute, well-behaved little sister admire him. Still… saying this out loud is really hilarious.
So this is what it feels like to be admired by your little sister? This is amazing! Chu Lian's words nearly sent Momonga floating into the clouds, but he still replied seriously, "The name Ainz Ooal Gown—I will make it resound across the entire world one day."
At that moment, a villager's voice interrupted them. "Um… my lord…"