Ainz sat upon the grand throne of Nazarick, the kingdom now fully bearing the name of his Great Tomb, symbolizing the merger of his past and present. The opulent chamber was filled with an eerie, calm silence, with only the quiet hum of magical energy filling the air. The floor guardians, his most loyal subjects, were lined up before him, waiting for their master's next command. Though everything seemed serene on the surface, Ainz's mind was swirling with thoughts of how to further secure his dominion.
Becoming king had only been the first step. He had united the kingdom under his rule, summoned the Great Tomb of Nazarick into this world, and defeated formidable foes. But for Ainz, simply ruling was never enough. The title of Demon King was what he truly coveted—a title that would strike fear and reverence in the hearts of everyone in this world. But the path to ascension required more than just physical strength or territorial control; it demanded an overwhelming amount of souls.
Though the Orc Lord's army had provided some souls, Ainz knew it was far from sufficient. The scale of power needed to become a true Demon King went beyond simply collecting them from battles. No, Ainz needed to manipulate the world on a larger scale, to turn conflict into a soul-harvesting operation without ever appearing to be directly involved.
Ainz tapped the skeletal fingers of his right hand against the armrest of his throne, his mind racing with a dark idea. It wasn't enough to merely collect souls through the enemies he fought; the process was too slow, and his ascension needed to be faster. He needed a pawn—someone capable of gathering souls without realizing they were merely serving his purpose.
Suddenly, the inspiration struck him.
He could summon someone—not a servant of Nazarick, but an unknown figure from beyond, someone expendable, someone who could wreak havoc across the world while collecting the very souls Ainz needed for his ascension. The summoned individual would be manipulated into believing they were growing stronger, gaining new abilities, while in truth, their power and collected souls would be secretly funneled into Ainz's vast dimensional energy.
He would create a system.
The summoned individual would believe they had been blessed with power—a system that allowed them to absorb the souls of the fallen, gaining strength from the dead. Little would they know, every soul they claimed would actually be transferred to Ainz, furthering his own goal of becoming a Demon King.
A dark chuckle escaped Ainz's skeletal mouth. "Demiurge," he said, his voice deep and commanding, "I believe it's time to put a new plan into motion."
Demiurge, always sharp and attentive, immediately stepped forward. His ever-present smile widened with anticipation. "Of course, my lord. What brilliant strategy do you have in mind?"
Ainz explained his plan to Demiurge, and the more he spoke, the wider Demiurge's grin became. By the time Ainz finished, Demiurge's eyes were gleaming with admiration.
"My lord, your intellect is truly beyond comprehension. To create a system that fools someone into believing they are gaining strength, while secretly collecting souls for you… It is an act of pure genius."
Ainz nodded. "The individual we summon will believe they are being granted a rare gift. The system will allow them to absorb souls from the dead, but in reality, every soul will be channeled back to me. The world will view them as a threat, an enemy to be vanquished, and in their destruction, I will reap the benefits."
Demiurge's admiration knew no bounds. "And once the system is in place, no one will ever trace the origins of this power back to you. Truly, a flawless plan."
Ainz stood, his regal black robe flowing behind him as he walked toward the center of the throne room. "I must prepare for the summoning. I will need to use my dimension's power to create the system and shape the summoned individual."
**---
The Ritual of Summoning**
Ainz entered the heart of Nazarick, a vast chamber deep within the tomb where he could conduct the ritual without disturbance. The room was dark, its only light provided by the glowing sigils that adorned the stone walls. In the center of the chamber, Ainz began to prepare the complex summoning ritual.
He extended his hands and summoned a vast barrier, powerful enough to block any form of energy from escaping the room. The barrier pulsed with dark energy, crackling as it settled around the chamber. This was necessary to ensure that no one, not even his own guardians, would sense the dimensional power he was about to harness. The magic he was using was foreign to this world—an energy born from a place that only Ainz had access to. To let others sense it would raise too many questions.
"Now," Ainz muttered to himself, "let's begin."
He formed a large ritual circle on the floor, a complex design of runes and symbols intricately drawn with his magic. The circle glowed with an eerie blue light, illuminating the dark chamber. As the summoning began, Ainz channeled the energy from his dimension, feeling the raw power course through him.
The air grew thick with tension, and soon the summoning circle began to react, distorting the space within it. Slowly, a figure materialized, emerging from the swirling energy like a wraith pulled from another plane of existence.
The man who stood before Ainz was young, unassuming, and clearly confused by his sudden appearance. He stumbled forward, his eyes wide as they took in the dark chamber and the imposing skeletal figure that loomed before him.
"W-Where am I?" the man stammered, his voice shaking with fear.
Ainz regarded him coldly, his glowing red eyes piercing the man's soul. "You have been chosen for a great purpose," Ainz said in his deep, commanding voice. "You will be the instrument of my will."
The man's confusion only deepened, but before he could protest, Ainz waved his hand, weaving the magic that would bind the system to the man's soul. The man's body glowed faintly as the energy of Ainz's dimension seeped into him, invisible to the naked eye but ever-present, a dark force that would drive him in ways he couldn't even comprehend.
"This system," Ainz continued, "will grant you the power to absorb the souls of the dead. Each time you claim a life, your strength will grow."
The man's fear gave way to a glimmer of hope. Power. Strength. It was what everyone in this world craved. "I… I will do whatever you ask," the man said, trembling but resolute.
Ainz smirked inwardly. "Good. Now go, and spread chaos. Use your newfound abilities to carve your own path. But remember, every soul you take will bring you closer to greatness."
The man nodded eagerly, unaware that every soul he absorbed would actually be feeding Ainz's own power, bringing the lich one step closer to becoming a Demon King.
With a final wave of his hand, Ainz dismissed the man and erase his memory, sending him out into the world. The summoning was complete. The system had been created, and soon enough, the world would be engulfed in chaos as his pawn harvested souls, unaware of the true puppet master pulling the strings.
As the barrier around the chamber dissipated, Ainz stood in silence, contemplating the events that were now set in motion.
---
The Guardians Gather
Ainz returned to the throne room where the floor guardians awaited his return. Albedo, Demiurge, Cocytus, and the others stood in a semi-circle before his throne, their eyes filled with anticipation.
"My lord," Albedo said, her voice soft but filled with reverence, "is everything in place?"
Ainz took his seat once more, resting his hands on the armrests of the throne. "Yes. The plan has begun. Our new agent is out in the world, unknowingly serving my purpose."
The guardians all shared a look of admiration. Demiurge, in particular, was beaming with pride. "Once the world realizes the threat this individual poses, they will move against him. And when they do, my lord, you will reap the benefits."
Ainz nodded. "Indeed. But until that time, we will continue as normal. Keep your focus on the surrounding kingdoms. Once the chaos begins, we will need to act swiftly."
---
The Path to Demon King
Alone in his throne room once again, Ainz reflected on what he had set in motion. The individual he summoned would become a public enemy, hunted by all sides. In their desperate attempts to stop him, the world would pour their strength into defeating a foe they didn't understand. And when that foe fell, it would be Ainz who stood to gain.
The system he created was a work of art—powered by his dimension, undetectable to anyone who wasn't familiar with its energies. No one would suspect that Ainz was the true beneficiary of the chaos that was about to unfold.
Soon, the souls would flood into his grasp, and with them, his power would grow exponentially. The title of Demon King was now within his reach, and with it, he would cement his place as the ruler of not just Nazarick, but of the entire world.