Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight.

Rune stood by the window of his study, watching the town below the hillside gradually light up in the twilight.

A knock came at the door.

"Come in."

Hill pushed open the door and entered. Her steps were a little quicker than usual, but her face still bore the same dejected expression as it had for thirteen years. Only her brown eyes seemed to hold something more than usual.

She walked to the desk and placed a stack of papers on it.

"News from Ye Lantier."

Rune turned around.

"The Sunlight Scripture has lost contact." Alice's voice was flat, as if she were reading an insignificant report. "Three days ago, the Sunlight Scripture team, which the Theocracy sent on a mission to the northern plains of Ye-Lantir, failed to return on time. Subsequent search teams have also found no trace of them."

Rune paused for a moment.

"And then," Alice pulled another sheet from the stack of papers, "data on the newly registered adventurer party of Ye Lantier."

She placed the paper on top.

Rune looked down.

The handwriting on the paper was neat, recording the names of every new team that had registered the day before. His gaze swept over the names, then stopped.

"Momo" - Warrior, estimated rank unknown.

"Nabe" - a magic caster, presumed rank unknown.

The "Darkness" duo is registered as a bronze-level adventure team, but their specific strength is unknown.

Rune's fingers lightly traced over those lines of text.

"The coordinates of the Sunshine Scripture's lost contact." His voice was very soft, as if he were talking to himself.

"Northern plains of Ye-Lantir, near the village of Kahn," Hill replied.

Rune closed his eyes.

"Momo" and "Nabe," the Sunshine Ceremony has lost contact, and the timing matches up.

Ainz Ooal Gown.

Has come.

Furthermore, the initial plot trajectory remained unchanged, which was very important to Rune.

Rune opened his eyes and looked out the window. It was completely dark, and the town's lights shone like stars in the sky.

He just stood there, looking at the lights, and remained silent for a long time.

Then Rune turned around.

Hill.

"Um."

"Send a message to the High Priest." Rune's voice was so calm that even he was a little surprised. "Just say that 'the God of Judgment is aware' and tell him to proceed according to plan."

Hill nodded and turned to leave.

The door closed gently.

Rune was the only one left in the study.

The lights outside the window were still on. The light fell on his face, creating a play of light and shadow, casting his long shadow on the wall behind him.

As Rune looked at the lights, he suddenly remembered what Lajus had said to him under the moonlight many years ago.

"It's starting," Rune said softly.

-----------

Having accepted the mission to protect Enfreya, "Feifei" and "Nabe" embark on a new journey.

As they set off from Yelantier, the sky was just beginning to lighten. The sound of the carriage rolling over the cobblestones was particularly crisp in the early morning, startling a few sparrows foraging for food in front of the city gate.

Enfreya sat in the driver's seat, holding the reins, occasionally glancing back at the carriage crammed full of medicine bottles.

The north gate of Ye Lantier cast long shadows in the morning light, stretching the shadows of the group of people into thin, elongated lines, like ink marks drawn on the ground.

Once outside the city, the road became bumpy. The wheels crunched and creaked as they rolled over gravel and mud. The fields on either side of the road were gradually replaced by wild grass, and the distant forest stretched out like a dark green wall on the horizon.

Enfreya sat in the driver's seat, Peter walked on the left, Daim and Nina on the right, and Ainz and Narberal behind. This was Peter's arrangement; the rear of the carriage was the most vulnerable to attack, so the strongest person needed to cover the rear.

Just past noon, heavy footsteps came from the woods ahead.

"Something's up." Lukeluth stopped and drew his longbow to its full extent.

Four ogres and more than a dozen goblins emerged from behind the tree line. Peter quickly deployed tactics: he and Dain would hold off the enemy from the front, Nina would defend against magic, and Lucrete would snipe from a distance.

"Does Mr. Feifei need any support?" Peter asked.

"No need." Ainz reached behind his back and slowly drew two greatswords. The blades reflected a dazzling light in the sunlight, causing everyone to gasp.

Lucrete fired an arrow, deliberately landing it ten meters away from the goblin. The goblin sneered and charged forward recklessly, the ogre close behind. The formation split during the charge, with the ogre taking the lead.

Dain cast a spell, and plants grew from the ground, entwining the foot of an ogre.

Ainz met the ogre charging at the front. With a flick of his right hand, his greatsword drew a silvery arc, and the ogre's upper body slid to the ground, leaving only his half-body standing.

Cut in two with one stroke.

The battlefield fell silent instantly.

Without pausing, Ainz swung his other sword horizontally with his left hand, slicing the second ogre in half at the waist as well.

"A monster..." Dain murmured.

The remaining two ogres turned to flee. Ainz didn't give chase, but calmly said, "Nabe."

"Lightning strike."

A thunderous roar erupted as two bolts of lightning pierced through the fleeing ogre, also wiping out the one that had been entangled. The goblins screamed and scattered in all directions, but were quickly eliminated one by one by the members of the Black Sword.

After the battle, Nina skillfully severed the monster's ear. Ainz looked around the ogre's corpse, as if searching for something.

"What's wrong?" Nina asked.

"Ah... I was wondering if these monsters would drop items, especially crystals or something."

Nina looked puzzled, but still replied, "I've never heard of ogres carrying gems."

"Just as I thought." Ainz nodded.

"However..." Nina said while cutting his ear, "Mr. Feifei is really amazing. Although I knew you were a warrior who was very confident in your skills, I didn't expect you to be this good."

Peter and the others gathered around, expressing their admiration. Nabella stood to the side with a proud expression, while Ainz simply waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "You flatter me, it was just a coincidence."

"Coincidentally..." Peter smiled wryly, "This battle has made me truly understand the saying that there are always people more capable than you, and there is always something beyond your understanding."

"At my level, everyone can easily surpass me."

These words deepened the bitter smiles of Peter and his group. To them, Ainz's position represented the pinnacle that only a select few could reach.

As the sun began to set, Peter looked up at the sky and gestured for the group to stop.

"Let's call it a day and set up camp in that open space over there."

Everyone responded and began skillfully unloading their equipment and setting up the tents. Ainz also helped by hammering in wooden stakes and pulling up warning ropes, while Narberal followed behind him, her face full of reluctance, but she did not disobey.

By the time the campsite was set up, it was completely dark. The campfire was lit, and the orange-red flames danced on everyone's faces, casting shadows that were sometimes long and sometimes short.

Enfreya took out dried rations and jerky from the carriage, and Dain took the ingredients and began to cook soup. Soon, the aroma of smoked meat and wild vegetables wafted from the pot.

Everyone sat around the campfire, holding wooden bowls in their hands, eating and chatting.

As usual, Ainz did not remove his helmet or eat anything. He sat there holding a wooden bowl, the soup inside untouched.

"Mr. Feifei, aren't you going to eat?" Enfreya noticed his unusual behavior and asked with concern.

"Ah..." Ainz paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully, "No, it's just for some personal reasons. Because of religious rules, on the day of killing, no more than four people can eat together."

"I see." Enfreya nodded, without asking any further questions.

Peter smiled understandingly: "The world is vast, and there are all kinds of religions. Mr. Feifei, there's no need to force yourself."

Ainz breathed a sigh of relief, feeling fortunate for the group's understanding.

"By the way," Ainz suddenly spoke, his gaze falling on Peter, "I've always wanted to ask, why is your team called 'The Black Sword'?"

The moment this question was asked, the atmosphere subtly shifted.

Lukeluth was the first to laugh out loud. He nudged Nina next to him with his elbow: "Did you hear that, Nina? They're asking you."

Nina's face flushed red in the firelight.

"Stop talking," he said softly, turning his head to the side.

"What's there to hide?" Dain's voice was deep and chuckled. "This is our team's pride."

"Exactly, exactly." Lukeluth put down his wooden bowl, his expression brightening. "Mr. Momo, do you know about the [Thirteen Heroes]?"

Ainz nodded.

Although his understanding of this world was limited, he did know the name of the "Thirteen Heroes"—the superheroes who had vanquished the demon god who ravaged the world two hundred years ago. He had heard some scattered tales about them from the villagers in Carne Village.

"That makes things easier." Lukelut lowered his voice, adopting a posture of revealing a secret, "Among the Thirteen Heroes, there is a guy named 'Black Knight,' and it is said that the sword he used in his lifetime was called 'Black Sword,' no, it should be said that he had four swords, each with terrifying abilities."

“Our Nina,” Dain chimed in, patting Nina on the shoulder, “has idolized the Black Knight since he was a child, and has always dreamed of finding those four swords. So when we formed a team, he insisted on using that name.”

"It's not 'dead or alive'," Nina retorted softly, but Lucrete drowned out her voice.

"It's more than just worship; I think Nina might be the reincarnation of the Black Knight!"

This sentence made Nina stop in his tracks.

"That's enough..." His voice was even lower, and his ears were already bright red.

But Ruklut clearly wasn't going to let him off the hook. Instead, he turned to Ainz and said seriously, "Mr. Momo, I don't know if you've ever heard of the legend that after those powerful people die, their souls will cross the Ocean of Souls and return to the human world."

"And innate abilities," Dain interjected, his tone becoming more serious, "are something engraved deep within the soul of the strong, a gift that comes with birth."

"So," Lucrete leaned back in his original position, crossed his legs, and grinned at Nina, "our Nina might really be the reincarnation of the Black Knight. Look at his innate abilities—"

"That's enough!"

Nina suddenly stood up, his voice much louder than before. The firelight shone on his face, making his young face flushed red, it was hard to tell whether it was from the firelight or from shame and anger.

"That...that kind of thing...how could that be..." His voice lowered again, as if he himself felt that this rebuttal was not very convincing.

Peter laughed and tugged at his sleeve, pulling him back to his seat: "Sit down, sit down, no one will laugh at you."

Nina sat up straight, burying his head so low it almost touched his knees.

"Speaking of which," Lucrete suddenly turned to Ainz, with a hint of curiosity, "Does Mr. Momo believe in reincarnation?"

Ainz did not answer immediately.

The firelight danced on his full-face helmet, reflecting a flickering light. He sat there, motionless, like a statue.

"Mr. Momo?"

"Ah... I'm sorry." Ainz finally spoke, his voice so calm it betrayed no emotion. "I was just thinking, if souls could truly traverse the Ocean of Souls and be reborn..."

He paused.

"That is indeed a very romantic thing."

"See!" Lucret slapped his thigh. "I knew it—"

"However," Ainz's voice suddenly interrupted Rukrut, "that Black Knight... what kind of person is he?"

This question brought a moment of silence to the campfire.

Peter thought for a moment and then said, "There aren't many records about the Black Knight. Some say he was a cursed warrior, others say he had demon blood flowing through his veins. But one thing is certain: he was incredibly powerful, powerful enough to confront a demon god head-on."

"And," Dain added, "it is said that he ultimately died protecting his comrades."

Nina raised his head slightly.

"So," Lucrete patted Nina on the shoulder, unusually without a teasing tone, "if you really are the reincarnation of the Black Knight, that's not bad. At least it shows you're a good person at heart."

"I've always been a good person," Nina muttered, but a slight smile appeared on her lips.

A burst of laughter rang out from around the campfire.

Ainz watched this scene without saying a word.

Beneath the helmet, the skull face had a flickering light in its skull eyes, as if it were deep in thought.

Reincarnation.

Innate superpowers.

Ocean of the soul.

These concepts were somewhat unfamiliar to Ainz. In YGGDRASIL, players could revive at a base after death, which was a kind of "reincarnation".

But this world is different. In this world, when the strong die, their souls, carrying traces of their past lives, descend upon their newborn bodies.

If this is true...

Does that mean that those companions who disappeared when YGGDRASIL shut down might still exist in this world in some form?

Ainz's fingers tightened slightly.

The campfire was still burning, sparks crackling as they rose into the night sky before going out.

Late at night.

Peter was the first to stand up, yawning, "Time to sleep, we have to travel tomorrow."

The others gradually got up and returned to their tents. Ainz was the last to leave the campfire; he stood there and looked up at the night sky.

The stars are very bright.

"Mr. Feifei?"

Enfreya's voice came from behind. Ainz turned around and saw the boy standing in front of his tent, holding a blanket, looking at him hesitantly.

"Aren't you going to sleep yet?"

"She went to sleep." Enfreya nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Mr. Feifei...do you really believe in reincarnation?"

Ainz was silent for a moment.

"Why do you ask that?"

"Because..." Enfreya lowered his head, his voice becoming very soft, "If people really can be reincarnated after death, then there might be some things... that could be made up for?"

Ainz did not answer.

He simply looked at the boy, at his face that appeared somewhat forlorn under the starlight.

"Go to sleep early," Ainz said. "We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow."

"Okay." Enfreya nodded and went into the tent.

Ainz stood there for a long time.

Then he turned and walked toward his tent.

A night breeze blew across the grassland, carrying the scent of earth and grass. The embers of the campfire still glowed faintly red, like a half-closed eye, slowly dying out in the darkness.

Ainz stopped in front of the tent.

He glanced back at the road he had come from.

In the darkness, nothing could be seen. Only the stars shone silently overhead, one by one, as if they would never go out.

He bent down and crawled into the tent.