The air was unnaturally still in the Throne Room of Nazarick.Time was running out, but Momonga didn't move.
The vast, ornate hall was silent. Gone were the lively voices of his guildmates. The Great Tomb, once bustling with strategy meetings and dungeon-building debates, now stood like a monument to a bygone era. Only the click of the clock and the soft, endless hum of magical circuits remained.
00:00:10.
He sat upon the throne, draped in his usual black robe, but underneath—unseen—he wore something new.Something... completely unlike the skeletal overlord image he was known for.
It had been a last-minute decision.One final, utterly indulgent act of vanity.
"Bloodlord of Elegance."The name had mocked him with its pomp.Twelve thousand yen. For a skin.
He could still remember HeroHero's voice:
"Wait, wait, wait… You just dropped 12,000 yen on a skin? I thought you were into the undead overlord thing, not—what is this—some anime vampire lord?"
He had laughed it off then.
"It just looks cool, alright? It reminds me of someone I used to like. From… a long time ago."
Raizel. From Noblesse.The hair. The eyes. The noble restraint. The quiet power.It was pure aesthetic. No stats, no buffs. Just elegance. Just memory.
And now...
00:00:00.
...the shutdown didn't come.
He blinked. Or he thought he blinked. Could he blink as a skeleton?
But he felt something move behind his eyelids.
Wait. Eyelids?
Ainz slowly raised a hand to his face.
Gone was the polished bone.He touched skin. Cold, smooth, impossibly flawless.He rushed to the mirror near the throne—not part of the default dungeon design, but something Touch Me had jokingly placed long ago. "Every ruler needs a place to admire themselves," he had said.
And there he was.
Tall. Imposing.Flowing black hair framed a regal face with crimson, glowing eyes. His robes flowed elegantly over a lean, almost princely build.
Not a monster. Not a lich.
He looked... human.
No. Not quite. He still couldn't feel hunger. Or warmth. His heartbeat was absent. Yet the reflection wasn't lying.
The skin—the damn skin actually stuck.
"That was supposed to be cosmetic only," he muttered aloud.
The voice that came out was deep, smooth, regal.Raizel's voice. His voice.
He felt a sudden surge of panic. Not fear—but a weird kind of disbelief.
Could the game truly have become... real?
"Touch interface, log out," he tried.
Nothing.
His heart—if he had one—would have raced.
But instead, he stood there. Still. Calm. The way the new form seemed to demand. Even when the world made no sense, he looked composed. Serene. Untouchable.
"...I need to check on the NPCs," he said quietly, a plan forming. "If this is still a game, they'll act as scripts. If not..."
He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't need to.
Because deep down, something told him this was no longer Yggdrasil.
This was something else.
And he was no longer Momonga the undead king.
He was... Ainz Ooal Gown, the Crimson Sovereign.
***********************
The echo of his footsteps filled the vast corridors of Nazarick as he made his way toward the central chamber.
The grand halls were exactly as he remembered them—rich with detail, down to the placement of each decorative artifact, each column carved with obsessive precision. But somehow, everything felt more real now. The walls pulsed faintly with magical energy. The air held a scent—subtle, old like parchment, mixed with an otherworldly stillness.
It unnerved him.
Not because it was threatening. But because it was so perfectly preserved, so flawless—it was like walking through a memory.
He stopped before the massive obsidian doors leading to the Chamber of the Floor Guardians.
This would be the true test.
If they act like AIs... then maybe this is just some strange post-server event. A cinematic or hidden developer prank.
But his gut said otherwise.
He raised his hand, cloaked now in a tailored black glove, and gave the mental command.
"All Floor Guardians, report to the Throne Room."
The air trembled faintly as the magical communication echoed through Nazarick.
He turned. Walked calmly back to the throne. Sat down.
And waited.
Moments Later...
The heavy doors creaked open.
Aura and Mare entered first, dressed in their usual contrasting outfits. Aura stepped lively, confident. Mare followed with shy, careful steps.
They even walk like real children now, Ainz noted. That wasn't animated before.
Then came Demiurge—refined and calculating, eyes sharp behind his glasses.After him, Cocytus—towering, armored, ever the warrior.Shalltear glided in next, expression unreadable... until she saw him.And finally, Albedo. Her dark wings folded neatly, golden eyes locked onto the figure on the throne.
But then, a beat of silence fell over them.
Their eyes had widened. Every one of them.
Ainz said nothing.
He let them look.
The tension thickened.
Shalltear's mouth opened slightly. Mare looked like he was about to faint. Aura's eyes sparkled with awe. Even Demiurge was momentarily frozen, brows lifted. Cocytus stopped mid-step.
And Albedo—
She trembled.
"A-Ainz-sama…" she whispered. Her voice wavered with something between reverence and shock.
"Is... is that truly you?" Shalltear asked, her voice unsteady. "Your appearance…"
"Magnificent," Demiurge finished, voice low with disbelief. "Beyond description. Truly befitting the supreme ruler of Nazarick."
"Your beauty... it rivals even the gods of the old world," Albedo added, visibly blushing. "I... I cannot express the honor I feel, to witness your perfected form."
Ainz kept perfectly still. Back straight. Eyes narrowed just enough.
But inside—
W-What the hell!? I didn't think they'd react this strongly! I just picked this skin because it looked cool!
C-Calm down. Maintain composure. You're their ruler. You can't let them think you're panicking.
He slowly nodded, resting a gloved hand on the armrest of the throne.
"This form," he said, voice deep and composed, "is the embodiment of my will. A symbol of the eternal perfection Nazarick must strive toward. You are not to question it."
A pause.
Then—one by one—they dropped to one knee.
"Incredible," Demiurge whispered.
"So radiant... I'm going to faint…" Mare murmured.
"Perfection..." Shalltear's eyes sparkled, dangerously so.
Albedo didn't speak. She simply knelt—head bowed, wings trembling, fingers clutching her dress to contain whatever storm was boiling within her.
Ainz remained quiet, expression unreadable.
But behind the mask, Suzuki Satoru was screaming.
Damn it, why are they reacting like this?! This is just a cosmetic skin!!
Still—he had to admit.
It did feel kind of cool.
****************
The Floor Guardians remained kneeling for a time.
None dared to move until Ainz—still seated with regal poise—gave the faintest nod. It was enough. The atmosphere loosened, just slightly, as they slowly rose.
But none spoke.
None wanted to be the first to break the silence.
Until Demiurge, ever the tactician, stepped forward. He bowed once more, then straightened, glasses glinting.
"Ainz-sama," he said, "may I ask… is this form your true body, revealed at last to us?"
Ainz didn't flinch.He couldn't. Not after that buildup.
They're already assuming this is some divine transformation… If I deny it now, will that lower their respect? Or make them think I'm testing them?
"…Yes," Ainz answered evenly. "This form reflects an aspect of me beyond your understanding. One that the world has not yet earned the right to see… until now."
The reaction was immediate.
Demiurge placed a hand over his chest, eyes narrowed in awe. "As expected of our Supreme One. You hide not only your might, but your appearance as well. A perfect deception. Truly, you walk a path only the greatest can follow."
Cocytus gave a low grunt of approval. "The form… suits you, Lord Ainz."
Mare could barely look up. Aura nudged him to speak, but the boy just squeaked.
Shalltear, however, stepped forward slowly. Her crimson eyes were wide, cheeks flushed, and her voice barely above a whisper.
"Forgive me, Ainz-sama… but… if I may be bold… this form…"She hesitated, eyes shimmering.
Albedo's gaze sharpened instantly.
Shalltear pressed a hand over her heart, bowing deeply. "It has… utterly captivated me."
Oh no.No no no no no.I should've stayed a skeleton!
Albedo's wings stiffened.
She spoke next, and her voice was dangerously serene.
"With all due respect, Shalltear... do not let your emotions blind you. Ainz-sama's form transcends mere attraction. It is divine. To even comment on it so casually…"
They're going to start fighting again, aren't they?
"Enough," Ainz said, letting just a hint of force into his voice.
They froze.
He stood. Slowly. Gracefully.
The long black coat of his new form billowed slightly as he descended the steps of the throne.
...Okay, that looked really cool. I think the cape physics are even better now.
He stopped just before them. His crimson eyes swept over the Guardians.
"This world… may be different. But Nazarick remains. As do all of you. Know this—my appearance may change, but my will is unshaken. I expect the same of all of you."
They bowed as one, voices in perfect sync.
"Yes, Ainz-sama!"
Elsewhere – Guardian Discussion Chamber
Later that cycle, Demiurge, Albedo, Cocytus, and the others gathered in one of the side chambers for strategic discussion.
But the topic was not troop deployment.
It was Ainz.
"This change… I believe it marks a transition into a higher phase," Demiurge said, fingers laced. "A form suited not merely for conquest, but for divinity."
Albedo sat with hands folded neatly, but her expression was unusually intense. "It is a reminder… that we know only a fraction of his depths. He has hidden this form for so long… perhaps out of mercy for our unworthy eyes."
Shalltear leaned forward slightly, lips curled in fascination. "He looked… so perfect. My heart still hasn't calmed."
"Tch." Albedo's golden eyes narrowed.
"Demiurge," Cocytus rumbled. "What… do you think… it means?"
The demon's grin sharpened. "It means… the world will see a new face of Ainz Ooal Gown. One that commands not only fear… but awe."
Mare, quietly sipping juice in the corner, nodded softly. "He looked like a hero… from those human books…"
Aura raised a brow. "Hero? He's more than that, Mare. He's what those humans wish their heroes could be."
The room fell silent again, filled with reverent weight.
Meanwhile – In the Throne Room
Ainz sat back on the throne, alone once more.
He let out a slow, silent sigh.
That… could've gone worse, I guess.I need to figure out how much of this world still runs on Yggdrasil rules.But more importantly... I need to make sure none of them find out this whole form was just a skin from the cash shop.
He stared at his gloved hand, then toward the mirror across the room.
Still… damn, I really do look cool.