One month later. Slane Theocracy.
A religious nation that believed in the supremacy of humanity, once the oldest and most powerful existence on this continent.
But now, with the rise of the Nishikawa Grand Alliance and the Sorcerer Kingdom, this former number one power in the other world was nothing more than a roadside bystander.
The armies of both sides had already spread out across the plain. Looking down from above, the two armies formed clearly distinct black and white colors, like a huge Go board spread across the earth.
The Sorcerer Kingdom's army was primarily composed of undead... skeleton soldiers arranged in neat squares, blue ghost flames flickering in their eye sockets, riding pitch-black skeleton warhorses whose hooves struck the ground with a dull sound, like a spreading plague.
Although there were also human and beastman soldiers mixed in the ranks, before those silent undead, they looked like a few small boats swallowed by a black ocean.
On the Nishikawa Grand Alliance's side, to contrast with Ainz's undead army, they had uniformly changed into white armor before the battle.
Sunlight shone on the silver-white armor, reflecting a dazzling light.
From a distance, the two armies were roughly equal in number.
But if you looked closer, you would find the morale of the two sides was completely different.
On the Sorcerer Kingdom's side, the undead soldiers had no skin, only bones and hollow eye sockets on their faces, making it impossible to read their expressions.
But the undead race originally lacked the emotions of normal groups, and they had no fear of death.
They just stood there, waiting for their master's command.
On the Nishikawa Grand Alliance's side, when many of the low-ranking soldiers saw those silent skeleton soldiers, they couldn't help swallowing their saliva.
Some people's legs were already trembling. The hands holding their spears were covered in sweat.
They weren't unafraid of death. They were too afraid of death, and precisely because they were afraid, they knew even clearer what they were about to face.
Fear spread through the ranks like a plague.
"Fear is a good thing."
Makoto's voice came from the rear of the formation, carrying an inexplicable power that reached everyone's ears.
The soldiers turned their heads. Makoto walked up with Yu, Beam, and the girls of the Crimson Demon Clan.
His pace was neither fast nor slow. A faint, barely perceptible smile hung at the corner of his mouth.
"That's how you know you're alive, isn't it?"
The soldiers who had been fearful just moments ago paused slightly.
Makoto raised his chin toward the undead army across the way. "Look at them. They feel no fear, no dread of death. But they also feel no joy. They simply carry out their master's orders. To them, the outcome of this war is irrelevant."
Makoto's gaze swept over the surrounding soldiers. "You are different. After this war is over, you will receive rewards commensurate with your achievements... land, status, and women."
The soldiers' breathing quickened.
Fear faded from their eyes, replaced by a burning light.
"Only the wine enjoyed after a hard day's work is the most delicious."
Makoto continued. "And only the rewards obtained after experiencing life and death are the most enticing."
After speaking, Makoto gave the men a look that all men understood. "After we win, we'll celebrate back in Axel. The cost of the taverns and the Succubus Den is all on me."
After a brief silence, the cheers of the Nishikawa Grand Alliance army shook the world.
The soldiers raised their spears, banged their shields, and shouted, "Long live the Commander."
The waves of sound rose higher and higher, even causing the Sorcerer Kingdom's skeleton warhorses across the way to stir slightly.
Morale was pulled to its peak at this moment.
Heiji stood in the ranks of the undead army, looking at the white ocean across from him, listening to the deafening cheers.
He felt an indescribable, nameless complexity.
He hated Makoto, hated him to the bone.
But he had to admit, at this moment, a trace of envy welled up in his heart.
Shuichi noticed Shiho in the distance, staring at him like an angry demon, and quickly lowered his head again. His black knit cap hid his expression.
On the luxurious carriage pulled by nine undead unicorns, Ainz sat inside the carriage, looking at the most dazzling figure in that white ocean across the way.
He wondered if his remaining shreds of humanity were being stirred.
"It seems he will be a very troublesome opponent."
He had originally thought Makoto was simply a powerful warrior on par with himself. But now it seemed, leaving aside their actual strength, in terms of leadership, the other was definitely superior.
Ainz was self-aware enough to know that he himself lacked leadership talent, relying entirely on his subordinates' overactive imagination.
Makoto was about to walk forward when Megumin suddenly spoke up.
"Hey, that guy is riding in such a luxurious carriage. You walking over there directly is pretty pathetic, isn't it?"
Makoto paused slightly, then smiled.
Then, Makoto took a Poke Ball from his waist.
A red light flashed. Kurama emerged from the light.
Its vermilion fur looked like burning flames in the sunlight. Its nine tails slowly swayed behind it.
Kurama's face was covered in dark lines. It glanced sideways at Makoto.
'Damn it. Ever since following this guy, it felt like every time it came out, it was to play chauffeur.'
Megumin, Arue, Dodonko, and the other girls of the Crimson Demon Clan all had stars in their eyes.
"You have something this good and you didn't bring it out sooner!"
They climbed onto Kurama's back in a fluster, grabbing its fur, chirping and shouting.
Kurama wanted to hit someone.
Makoto himself also jumped onto Kurama's head. The corners of his coat flapped in the wind.
Kurama walked toward the center of the two armies.
The nine undead unicorns across the way simultaneously snorted, their hooves pawing the ground uneasily.
The carriage door opened, and Ainz stepped out.
His black, gold-trimmed robe billowed in the wind. His skeletal face showed no expression, just fixed firmly on that figure standing atop the golden fox's head.
At the center of the two armies, Kurama and the undead unicorn herd stopped several dozen meters apart.
Makoto looked down at Ainz and smiled slightly.
"I've seen many protagonists who transmigrate and take over the original body, but a protagonist who gets taken over by the original body is rare."
The red pupils in Ainz's eye sockets focused. "What do you mean?"
Makoto didn't answer. His gaze moved away from Ainz and swept toward Heiji, Saguru, Shuichi, and the others behind him.
The bodies of those few stiffened simultaneously, like prey targeted by a beast.
"It's really surprising to see humans in your ranks."
Under everyone's surprised gazes, Makoto sat down cross-legged and started chatting casually with Ainz. "Before the war begins, can you tell me why you took them under your wing?"
"They brought me valuable news about my companions. They have merit, so I took them in." Ainz said.
"Oh?"
Makoto raised an eyebrow slightly.
The only ones Ainz would call companions were the other players who were also Supreme Beings.
That meant Heiji and his group had brought Ainz leads about the Supreme Beings.
He remembered that when he transmigrated, Overlord hadn't been completed yet. Many secrets hadn't been revealed.
He, as a plagiarist, couldn't guarantee that other Supreme Beings hadn't also transmigrated to this world.
'Could it be that Hattori Heiji and his group had actually encountered them?'
"Don't you suspect they might be lying to you?" Makoto asked again.
"Impossible!" Ainz's emotions inexplicably stirred.
They could even accurately describe the appearances of the brother and sister Bukubukuchagama and Peroroncino. How could it be fake?