YGGDRASIL GM

Kaeltharion's lips curled into a faint smile. "This just got interesting," he muttered, his yellow eyes gleaming with anticipation. But as he watched the Death Knight slaughter the soldiers, a thought nagged at him. Why is it here? And why is it only targeting the soldiers? It was too random, too calculated. Something—or someone—was behind this.

As the chaos unfolded, the villagers, emboldened by Kaeltharion's earlier protection, began to emerge from their homes. One by one, they approached him, their faces a mix of grief, anger, and desperation. An elderly man, his face streaked with tears, grabbed Kaeltharion's arm. "Please, kill them all! They took my son! They deserve no mercy!"

A young woman, clutching a bloodied child to her chest, fell to her knees. "They slaughtered my husband in front of me! Make them pay!" Her voice broke into sobs, and others joined her, their cries filling the air.

Kaeltharion's expression remained calm, but his yellow eyes burned with intensity. He understood their pain, their rage. But before he could respond, a deep, resonant voice echoed from above, cutting through the chaos like a blade.

"Death Knight. Enough."

Kaeltharion's head snapped upward, his sharp senses immediately locking onto the source of the voice. Floating high above the village were two figures. One was a fully armored succubus, her demonic aura unmistakable even from a distance. The other was a tall, imposing figure clad in dark robes, his face obscured by a haunting mask. Kaeltharion's eyes narrowed as he took in the sight. The masked undead's attire was familiar—too familiar. It was the same iconic robe and mask worn by one of the most infamous players in YGGDRASIL.

Damn, Kaeltharion thought, a wry smile tugging at his lips. Not even a day has passed, and I've already found the other player. His superhuman senses confirmed it—this was no ordinary undead. This was Momonga, the guildmaster of the legendary Ainz Ooal Gown guild. Of course, to the villagers and soldiers, he appeared as nothing more than a terrifying human mage. But Kaeltharion knew better.

The two figures descended gracefully, landing in the middle of the chaos. The Death Knight immediately halted its rampage, standing motionless like a statue. The masked undead—Momonga—spoke, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable weight of authority.

"I am pleased to make your acquaintance, gentlemen," he said, his tone almost polite, as if he were addressing guests at a formal gathering rather than a battlefield. "I am Ainz Ooal Gown, and I will allow the remaining soldiers to flee—alive. However," he continued, his voice hardening, "if they ever cross my path again, I will not hesitate to destroy their entire kingdom. Make sure my name is well known."

The surviving soldiers, trembling and bloodied, didn't need to be told twice. They scrambled to their feet and fled, their armor clanking as they disappeared into the forest. The villagers watched in stunned silence, their fear of the mysterious mage mingling with a strange sense of relief.

Kaeltharion stepped forward, his yellow eyes narrowing as he studied the mage. "Identify yourself," he said, his tone calm but firm, playing the role of someone who didn't recognize him. "And what's your goal in saving this village?"

Momonga—or rather, Ainz—turned to face Kaeltharion, his glowing red eyes glinting behind his mask. "I am but a humble traveler," he said, his voice smooth and measured. "I saw the village being attacked and decided to intervene. Now, you are all safe. There is no need to worry."

Kaeltharion raised an eyebrow. Damn, you can't read the room, he thought, glancing at the villagers who were still trembling and clearly not reassured by the mage's words. It seemed Ainz realized this too, as he quickly added, "Of course, this wasn't for free."

The villagers visibly relaxed, their fear giving way to relief. Offering a reward was something they understood, and it made the mage's actions seem less suspicious.

As Kaeltharion sheathed his sword, he said casually, "Well, there was no need for your help anyway. But that's a matter for the village chief to decide." He turned to the chief, who was standing nearby.

Ainz tilted his head slightly, his tone polite but probing. "And you, may I ask your name and affiliation?"

Kaeltharion gave a small, respectful nod. "I'm Kael, a copper-ranked adventurer from E-Rantel. I was hired to deal with the goblin and ogre settlement nearby. And I must say, I'm grateful for your assistance, even if it wasn't strictly necessary."

Ainz nodded in return, his expression unreadable behind the mask. "A pleasure, Kael. It seems we both have a shared interest in protecting the innocent."

Kaeltharion turned back to the village chief, who was now stepping forward, his expression a mix of gratitude and sorrow. Kaeltharion reached into his pouch and tossed the small bag of coins Garrick had taken from the villagers earlier. "You are gonna need this," he said, his voice firm but not unkind.

The chief caught the pouch, his eyes widening in surprise. "Why? What of the quest? What happened to the goblin and ogre settlement? And where are the other three who were with you?"

Kaeltharion's expression darkened slightly, his tone somber. "The quest was completed successfully. The settlement is destroyed, and all the goblins and ogres who lived there are dead. But at what cost?" He paused, his voice heavy with emotion. "My dear comrades… they gave their lives to save this village. They fought bravely, sacrificing themselves so that others could live. True legends, in a world that didn't deserve them."

The villagers' reactions were a mix of joy and sorrow. Some cheered, relieved that the threat was gone, while others wept, moved by the tragic tale of heroism. The chief bowed deeply, his voice trembling. "Thank you, adventurer. And thank your comrades, wherever they may be. We will never forget their sacrifice."

Kaeltharion nodded, his expression solemn. "They wouldn't want their deaths to be in vain. Take care of this village, and honor their memory."

With that, he turned and began walking away, his mind already shifting to his next move. He had no intention of lingering in the village any longer. His destination was clear: E-Rantel, where the Adventurers Guild was located.

As he walked, he couldn't help but glance back at Ainz, who was still standing in the village square, surrounded by grateful villagers. This world just got a lot more interesting, Kaeltharion thought, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Once he was out of sight, Kaeltharion stopped and opened his system interface. With a thought, he stored the bags containing the ears of the goblins and ogres, as well as the gear of the three idiots, into his dimensional storage. The bags vanished in a shimmer of light. He then activated a teleportation spell, appearing instantly in his rented room at the inn.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he called up the system again. "System, who was the woman with Momonga?" he asked, his tone curious.

[Answer: The woman is Albedo, the Overseer of the Guardians of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, the guild base of Ainz Ooal Gown.]

Kaeltharion's eyes narrowed slightly. "Interesting. And what about my guild? Where is it, and how are my NPCs doing?"

[Answer: Your guild, THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS, is currently located to the north of the Baharuth Empire. It is well hidden and remains undetected. The NPCs are stable for now, but without your presence, the system predicts a high likelihood of instability within two years.]

Kaeltharion leaned back, his expression thoughtful. "Two years, huh? That's more than enough time. I'll probably hit Adamantite rank in two months at most. I'll return to them after that happens. For now, I want to live my adventurer life to the fullest."

With his mind made up, Kaeltharion retrieved the bags from his dimensional storage, and made his way to the Adventurers Guild. The city's streets buzzed with activity, and the weight of the bags in his hands drew curious glances from passersby.

When he entered the guild, the receptionist looked up from her desk. Her eyes widened as Kaeltharion approached, the two large bags slung over his shoulders. He dropped them onto the counter with a heavy thud, the sound drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

"I'm here to report the completion of the goblin and ogre extermination quest," Kaeltharion said, his voice calm but commanding.

The receptionist blinked in surprise. "Already? That quest was only issued yesterday! And it required…" Her voice trailed off as she opened the bags, her eyes widening further at the sight of the goblin and ogre ears, as well as the high-quality gear belonging to the three platinum-ranked adventurers.

Kaeltharion leaned casually against the counter, his yellow eyes gleaming with amusement. "The settlement has been destroyed. All threats have been eliminated. Unfortunately, my comrades didn't make it. They gave their lives to ensure the village's safety."

He knew she didn't believe him. Everyone in the guild was well aware of the kind of men he had taken with him—the worst scum the guild had to offer. No one would buy the idea that they had heroically sacrificed themselves. But no one would call him out on it, either. No one cared about those lowlifes, and more importantly, no one wanted to challenge the man who had returned alone. Let them whisper. Let them wonder. Fear and respect were two sides of the same coin, and Kaeltharion intended to collect plenty of both.

The receptionist let out a small sigh before nodding. "The evaluation will take a while. You should rest in the meantime."

Kaeltharion gave a casual shrug and made his way to one of the tables, sitting down as he waited for her and the staff to finish their work. The guild hall, usually filled with the sounds of chatter, clinking mugs, and raucous laughter, had fallen into an eerie silence. Every adventurer in the room was staring at him, their eyes filled with unease and curiosity.

He stared back.

Seconds stretched into minutes, the silence growing heavier with each passing moment. Eventually, Kaeltharion leaned back in his chair and smirked.

"It's a good weather today, right?"

No one responded. They just kept staring. Finally, the receptionist called his name. Rising from his seat, he made his way back to the counter.

She looked up, her tone professional but tinged with admiration. "The reward for the quest is 1 gold and 9 silvers. And given the difficulty of the task and the fact that you completed it single-handedly, the guild has decided to promote you to gold rank."

She handed him a small pouch containing the coins and a new golden badge, which Kaeltharion accepted with a nod. The other adventurers in the guild hall watched in awe, their murmurs of disbelief and admiration filling the air. A copper-ranked adventurer completing a quest meant for a full team and being promoted to gold in a single day? It was unheard of.

Kaeltharion pocketed the coins and pinned the golden badge to his chest, his smirk widening. "Thanks," he said simply before turning and walking out of the guild, the whispers of the other adventurers following him.

As he stepped back into the bustling streets of E-Rantel, Kaeltharion felt a surge of satisfaction. "Man, I feel like I'm the main character," he muttered with a smirk.