Magic Tree

"More or less."

Higashino Makoto did not deny it and gave his own guess.

"After that war, the Argland Council State was established. Rather than ruling, the dragons were more likely trying to protect themselves."

"Protect themselves..."

Ainz turned the phrase over in his mind.

"They're afraid. Afraid that beings like 'players' will appear again and wipe them out completely."

The room fell silent once more.

After a moment, Ainz spoke. "Do you think the Platinum Dragon Lord knows we exist now?"

Higashino Makoto considered it seriously.

"Most likely not."

"Nazarick's concealment measures are excellent. No matter how strong the True Dragon Lords are, they aren't omniscient. I tried using a World Item to obtain information on Nazarick and failed as well. But—"

"But?"

"I heard Demiurge and the others say that you're planning to establish a nation?"

There was some uncertainty in Higashino Makoto's voice as he asked.

"If you keep expanding, such as annexing the Re-Estize Kingdom and the Baharuth Empire, you'll enter their field of vision sooner or later."

Higashino Makoto looked Ainz directly in the eye and reached his conclusion.

"So you intend to strike first?"

Establish... a nation?!

How did I not know about this?

Ainz rose awkwardly without answering immediately.

He got to his feet and walked to the window—though outside was nothing but the rock wall of the Great Underground Tomb, with no scenery at all.

Should I deny it outright?

But if establishing a nation is Demiurge and the others' wish, shouldn't I go along with it?

After thinking for a long time, Ainz decided to skirt around the matter with an ambiguous answer.

"This matter has not been confirmed yet. It still requires careful consideration."

"Any new news from Sebas and Pandora?"

Higashino Makoto nodded and continued asking.

"Not yet."

Ainz sat back down in his chair.

"However, I plan to send out another group specifically to investigate the Council State and those True Dragon Lords. This time, we'll dig deeper."

"Who will you send?"

"To be safe, we'll use hired monsters directly—"

Knock, knock, knock.

The knocking interrupted Ainz.

"Lord Ainz."

Yuri Alpha's calm voice came from outside the door.

"Lord Sebas has sent an urgent message. He says he has made an important discovery."

Ainz and Higashino Makoto exchanged a glance.

"Come in."

The door opened. Yuri held a dark communication crystal in both hands and respectfully presented it to Ainz.

Ainz accepted the crystal, his skeletal finger lightly touching its surface.

Sebas's steady voice echoed through the room—

"Lord Ainz, based on the information provided by Lord Higashino, Pandora and I followed the legends left behind by the Thirteen Heroes and the True Dragon Lords. We discovered the existence of a monster known as the Catastrophe Dragon Lord."

"It is said that it was defeated by the Thirteen Heroes and sealed deep in the northern reaches of the Great Forest of Tob. Please issue your instructions."

"The Catastrophe Dragon Lord?"

Ainz murmured softly.

Higashino Makoto stroked his chin, recalling the information concerning the Catastrophe Dragon Lord.

It was a gigantic plant-type monster from another world. Its trunk stood roughly one hundred meters tall, its branches stretched over three hundred meters, and it was above Level 80.

Though it was nothing compared to Nazarick, to the humans of this world—and even to most living creatures—it was a legendary force capable of effortlessly destroying a nation.

This level should barely be enough to draw Ainz's attention.

Should I reveal a little more information and demonstrate my usefulness?

No problem.

Higashino Makoto came to that conclusion. At most, his intelligence-gathering abilities would seem unusually impressive and might provoke Nazarick's greed.

But first, he was not afraid. Second, Ainz placed great importance on matters involving "companions," so he most likely would not turn hostile.

"This thing isn't a Dragon Lord."

Higashino Makoto spoke with certainty.

Ainz turned his head, as if asking how he knew.

"What did you say?"

"The Catastrophe Dragon Lord isn't a dragon."

Higashino Makoto folded his hands on the table, as though recalling something.

"It isn't a dragon at all, much less a True Dragon Lord. It is a gigantic plant-type monster from another world. Its trunk is about a hundred meters tall, and its branches extend over three hundred meters."

He paused, then added,

"It is above Level 80. By the way, I learned the name Catastrophe Dragon Lord from the nearby treants."

"Apparently, it was given that name because people believed it possessed the power to destroy the world."

"The place where I first descended was relatively close to it. However, it was sealed, and my level was too low, so I ignored it."

Ainz fell silent for a moment, his skeletal fingers lightly tapping the armrest.

"Level eighty..."

In Nazarick, a monster of that level could not be considered a top-tier threat—quite a few Guardians could solo it.

But that was not the issue.

The Council State had five Dragon Lords. If they were all around the Catastrophe Dragon Lord's level, that meant five dragon-type bosses above Level 80.

If they reached Level 90, even Ainz could not be certain of victory.

Besides, who knew how many Dragon Lords still existed in this world?

And there was the unstable factor of World Items...

Fortunately, he had not acted rashly just because the nearby humans were weak.

This was the perfect chance to probe those Dragon Lords.

At that moment, Sebas's voice came through the communication crystal.

"Lord Ainz, if it is merely a monster around Level 80, Pandora and I should be able to handle it."

"Sebas, do not act rashly with Pandora for now. Wait until I arrange personnel, in case a Dragon Lord launches a surprise attack."

Upon hearing Ainz's order, Sebas obeyed without hesitation.

"Yes, Lord Ainz."

After the communication ended, Yuri Alpha also chose to leave. Once again, only Higashino Makoto and Ainz remained in the room.

Higashino Makoto was not particularly interested in the Catastrophe Dragon Lord.

A mere monster in the low eighties was not worth much attention.

Higashino Makoto's primary target was the World Item, Downfall of Castle and Country, which the Slane Theocracy intended to use to control the Catastrophe Dragon Lord.

This item could freely control any enemy that did not possess the buffs World Protection or World Enemy.

That included Level 100 NPCs and game bosses.

In the original story, Shalltear had been controlled by Downfall of Castle and Country. After killing her controller, she became a wild monster and fought Ainz.

To keep his own NPCs from falling into that trap, it would be better to keep this item in his own hands.

At that moment, Ainz looked toward Higashino Makoto.

"Higashino, will you join us? It may be dangerous, but a Level 80 monster should provide you with quite a bit of experience."

Higashino Makoto tugged at the corner of his mouth. He had nearly forgotten about that.

After all, in this world, he relied entirely on Sin Silver Coins to level up and had barely leveled through fighting monsters.

And this Grem could not level up either.

There was no helping it. For the sake of maintaining his persona, he could only go along.

"Fine. Notify me when the operation officially begins."