[The Throne Hall]
"Lord Ainz!"
The moment the Skeleton King fully materialized, Sebas and Demiurge dropped to one knee in perfect unison. Their heads bowed low, their postures radiating absolute submission.
Ainz Ooal Gown did not speak immediately.
Instead, a deep, majestic orchestral swelling—a magical effect synonymous with his presence—echoed through the vast hall. On the surrounding walls, massive tapestries unfurled of their own accord.
The golden crest of the Guild—41 distinct symbols united—shimmered in the candlelight.
In this suffocating atmosphere, the two points of dark red fire in Ainz's eye sockets flared brighter.
"Kneel."
The word didn't come from the throne. It came from the side.
Demiurge spoke the command softly, but his voice was laced with a power that bypassed the ears and struck the nervous system directly.
[Skill: Command Mantra]
Coulson and Natasha didn't have time to process the order. Their motor functions were hijacked instantly. Their knees slammed into the red carpet, and their foreheads were forced down to the floor in a prostrate bow.
They tried to struggle, but their muscles were locked. They were statues of flesh, forced into submission.
Panic surged through Coulson. This isn't just magic. It's absolute control.
"Do not be rude, Demiurge!"
The deep, regal voice of the Overlord boomed from the throne, breaking the spell.
Demiurge flinched, his head snapping lower. "My apologies, Lord Ainz! I... I merely sought to teach them their place."
"Rise!" Ainz commanded.
The invisible weight vanished. Coulson and Natasha gasped, scrambling to their feet, their hearts hammering against their ribs. They were shaking.
Coulson quickly reassessed the situation. His optimism was dead.
'The Master is friendly? No. The Master is a God. The subordinate is the executioner.'
Coulson's mind raced, analyzing the hierarchy.
'He called himself the Guardian of the 7th Floor. If there is a 7th floor... logic dictates there are at least six others. And below ground?'
Coulson visualized the potential scale of this fortress. If this hall was merely an entrance, the true base was a subterranean city.
'An organization with seven layers of defense? High-level magic users? Undead armies?'
This wasn't a terrorist cell. It was a sovereign power.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents," Ainz spoke, his voice smooth and surprisingly calm. "Coulson. Romanoff. Welcome to my abode."
"I am the Master of the Great Tomb of Nazarick."
"Ainz Ooal Gown."
Coulson straightened his tie, forcing his hands to stop trembling. He had to be strong. He represented humanity.
"It is an honor to meet you," Coulson said, his voice steady. "Mr. Ainz."
Crack.
The stone floor beneath Demiurge's feet splintered.
"Mr... Ainz?" Demiurge whispered, the air around him distorting with heat.
"You lower life forms... you dare address the Supreme One as an equal? In my opinion... this is a capital offense."
"Silence, Demiurge," Ainz said, raising a skeletal hand.
"My apologies, guests," Ainz said, tilting his skull slightly. "My subordinate is... passionate. He forgets that in this world, we are the strangers."
Coulson nodded stiffly. "Apology accepted, Mr. Ainz."
He noted the dynamic. The Skeleton is the leash. The Demon is the dog. If the leash breaks, we are dead.
"Your Excellency," Coulson pivoted to business. "The main reason for our visit... is to ask your purpose. Why have you descended upon New York?"
Ainz leaned back on his obsidian throne.
"Purpose?" Ainz mused. "I merely sensed a fluctuation in the Void. I did not expect it to be a set of Cosmic Coordinates."
Coulson froze.
Coordinates.
It was exactly what John Constantine had said.
The theory of the Multiverse—of distinct realities vibrating at different frequencies—was no longer a theory. It was a map. And someone had leaked Earth-199999's location.
"Do you know the Joker?" Coulson asked quickly.
"The Joker?" Ainz paused, the red lights in his eyes dimming for a second as he searched his memory (and the memories of Satoru Suzuki).
"I have no memory of such a being," Ainz replied truthfully. "The Multiverse is infinite. But obtaining coordinates is no simple matter. If he is here... he is dangerous."
Coulson fell silent. Ainz wasn't allied with the Joker. That was good. But it meant there were two separate inter-dimensional incursions happening at once.
Coulson took a breath. He had to deliver the message from Fury.
"Your Excellency, Ainz Ooal Gown," Coulson said formally. "My visit today also brings instructions from my superiors at the World Security Council."
The temperature in the room plummeted.
"Instructions?" Demiurge's voice was a low growl.
His tail lashed out, cracking the air like a whip.
"You are too arrogant, human!"
Demiurge stepped forward, his eyes glowing like embers.
"To think a lower life form dares to give instructions to the Supreme Being!"
"You should be grateful we allow you to breathe our air!"
Demiurge raised his hand. Magic gathered in his palm, ready to incinerate the agents where they stood.
"Halt."
Ainz's voice cut through the rage. He raised his golden staff.
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