The Realm of Mist
Ainz's surprised expression upon meeting the Death Emperor for the first time would be evident to anyone who could decipher the meaning behind his gaze.
Since no Player has ever summoned the Death Emperor, there is no information available regarding his appearance. However, today he, Ainz Ooal Gown broke this wall.
The Death Emperor's appearance perfectly embodies his role as a lord of death and was in line with most people imagine a lord of death or shinigami to be.
Back in Yggdrasil, as a dedicated roleplayer, Ainz had research many things about the game, including mythological lore that could be used to gain an advantage. Every Player knows that information is power and would all seek to obtain as much as possible.
All members of Ainz Ooal Gown followed this logic, which explains why most, if not all their items were given names from various myths and legends.
The Necromancer Job Class offers a variety of powerful undead creatures that a Player can summon, each possessing unique skills that could potentially intimidate even the most skilled high-level Players.
The Death Emperor serves as a prime example; according to his lore, he was once a high-ranking royal of a powerful empire and was expected to ascend to the throne. However, on the fateful day of his coronation, his closest friends betrayed him, forever altering the course of his life.
As a result of the betrayal, his family was ruthlessly slaughtered, the once-united empire crumbled into chaos, and to add to his misery, his wife was abducted.
The love and ambition he once held for transforming the empire into a paradise was twisted into a seething hatred after his betrayal, so much so that Death itself descended and offered him a deal. In exchange for the destruction of those who wronged him, and the creation of a world soaked in crimson, Death promised to grant him and his wife eternal life.
As a member of royalty and a lord of death, the Death Emperor possesses the unique ability to command all undead creatures, regardless of their level, with the exception of those who summon him. Under his leadership, these undead soldiers gain unparalleled power, growing beyond their expected level cap and becoming a formidable force. Due to the extent of his power, he was designated as a summoned NPC in Yggdrasil. Had he been a normal NPC, it is likely that he would have achieved the status of a World Enemy due to his broken abilities.
As a skilled magic user, the Death Emperor possesses a mastery of instant-death spells that make it effortless for him to neutralize high-level players, even those who were well-prepared. In fact, taking down a level 100 player would prove to be a trivial matter for him.
Similarly, it should be noted that Death himself is no less formidable than the Death Emperor. In fact, it could be argued that he possesses power equal to, if not greater than, that of a Raid Boss - a status that could be attributed to his ranking as second in command only to Hel, the Goddess of the Helheim.
As Ainz observed the Death Emperor, he spoke, "I assume you are aware of the purpose for which I have summoned you, Death Emperor?"
Kneeling before Ainz, the Death Emperor spoke with a frigid and detached tone, "I am aware, Great One."
Nodding with seriousness, Ainz cautioned his summoned, "Exercise caution - there's something off about the structure of the mountain. As you venture further in, the intensity of the flames only increases."
"Understood, Great One! I shall obtain the treasure, even if it means sacrificing my unlife!" With these words, the Death Emperor transforms into a ghostly vapor and vanished into the mountain with great speed.
Although his demeanor remained aloof, the Death Emperor's internal tremors betrayed his excitement. It was a sensation akin to meeting one's idol in person.
During his time in the Realm of Mist, the Death Emperor gained significant information regarding his summoner, Ainz Ooal Gown. From this knowledge, he realized the extent of Lord Ainz's immense power, surpassing even that of Death himself.
One constantly grows and the other remain stagnant, it's obvious who was stronger of the two.
In the Realm of Mist, where souls journeyed to their final destination, the extent of Lord Ainz's influence was made evident by the multitude of shrines and temples erected in his honor - a testament to the huge following behind him.
As the number of shrines dedicated to Lord Ainz grew, so too did the waning faith in Hel. With each passing day, the faction worshiping Lord Ainz continued to expand, while the reverence once held for Hel diminished.
Within the Realm of Mist, Lord Ainz was known not merely as an Overlord, but as the Supreme Being of Death - a title that his living subordinates aptly bestowed upon him.
Unlike when the people of the living world attempted to summon an undead from the Realm of Mist, which could be rebuffed by the undead creature, when Ainz summoned the undead, they willingly served him because he is the spiritual ruler of the realm.
Without an undead of Lord Ainz strength, the undead within the Realm of Mist would cease to be. After the destruction of Yggdrasil and the disappearance of Hel, the once prosperous realm sinked into darkness and decay, which seems odd considering the realm in question.
If not for Lord Ainz's eminent status and the precarious situation regarding his homeland, he would never submit and kneel before anyone.
As he watched the fading form of the Death Emperor, Ainz couldn't help but grimace at the astonishing accuracy of his 'cosplay', resembling the very image of Hades.
Despite feeling slightly infuriated by the inherent injustice of death, Ainz reminded himself that it was he who had crafted his game avatar to be a skeleton in the first place.
Had he known that he would eventually manifest as his game avatar, he would have opted for a different form other than that of a skeleton, even if he was to become an undead.
Who knew, perhaps he could have opted to become a living being instead, say an Angel specializing in instant death magic, becoming an Angel of Death - as opposed to his current title as the Master of Death.
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As the Death Emperor, reigning supreme over the Realm of Mist alongside a select few powerful entities, he couldn't help but develop a sense of overbearing pride and arrogance. And why shouldn't he be arrogant with the power at his fingertips?
Despite his haughty demeanor, he was more than willing to do anything it took to be of service to the Great One's orders.
His unswerving loyalty towards Lord Ainz was cultivated through observing how he had risen to the great heights that he had achieved.
Through his journey of traversing mountains of corpses and valleys of blood, Lord Ainz had earned the title of Master of Death. This prestigious designation enabled him to govern aspects of death itself, which even he, with his status as the Death Emperor was unable to achieve.
The prestigious title of Master of Death promised bright and magnificent prospects for Lord Ainz' future. It was a remarkable feat that he had surpassed entities that had existed for billions upon billions of years within less than a thousand years - this accomplishment went beyond that of a mere Overlord.
Given his present level of power, Lord Ainz was without a doubt qualified to claim the title of the Supreme Being of Death!
The Death Emperor cast one of his spells, summoning a cloud of black smoke that hosted hundreds of undead waiting to materialize. However, to his disappointment, the fog vanished into thin air as soon as it appeared. This caused the Death Emperor to frown in frustration.
The Death Emperor remarked wryly, "As expected, my power is limited only to worlds under the direct influence of Yggdrasil. Dominion, an amusing concept - it hinders me from utilizing my power to its full potential, while allowing the leeches, the gods, to do so at their whim." Despite this setback, the Death Emperor's face broke into a knowing smile. Having explored numerous worlds in the past, he understood the necessities of adapting and overriding the laws of the world to employ one's power.
Due to the lengthy process of adapting to the Dominion, the Death Emperor was resolved not to disappoint the Great One. He knew that failure to please the Great One would merit much scorn and derision upon his return to the Realm of Mist - and it would take many thousand years for them to eventually forgive him.
Heaving a sigh, the Death Emperor resorted to using one of the skills he preferred to avoid but had no other option in the current predicament. This ability was one he had acquired upon transforming into an undead.
Utilizing this skill, he could disperse his consciousness into an infinite number of fragments, which he could distribute among the bodies of his extensive undead army. While in this state, he was impervious to any attacks directed towards him, as long as his undead minions remained active.
The disadvantage, however, was that he became incapable of using spells or magic for the next hour. It was not a significant concern, as the rules of the world he was in didn't allow him to use magic anyway.
He imagined that he gained this skill because of the fact he was betrayed. He wanted to watch his own back and have eyes everywhere, never to be betray again.
As he descended into the fiery depths, the temperature gradually escalated, causing the Death Emperor's expression to darken. To his dismay, the once white-hot flames were now transforming to a bleak shade of black.
The blue flames alone were already incredibly ominous, warranting the Death Emperor to maintain a constant state of vigilance. To encounter the black flames, which were two levels above the blue, was a truly terrifying prospect.
Despite being a formidable high-level entity, the Death Emperor couldn't help feeling apprehensive at the sight of the black flames. Nevertheless, he steeled himself and pressed forward, driven by the thought of the Great One.
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"When will the Great One summon us, Wiseman? That brat, the Death Emperor, was summoned before us." The voice was dispassionate and remote, as potent as the ever-present black smog that permeated the Realm of Mist.
"Death, envy serves no purpose. It is not our place as servants of the Great One to question his will. Besides, our presence here is of great significance," Wiseman uttered frostily, observing the condemned souls being tormented by the soldiers of the Realm of Mist. "The Great One had ordered these sinners to reveal his name to us, indicating he is fully aware of our existence."
"Indeed, the Great One is all-knowing," Death replied in his customary detached tone, and the atmosphere became hushed once again.
"What are your thoughts on the Great One's scheme? Is it robust enough to withstand our own plans?" the Wiseman inquired again, terminating the stillness.
"The plan is viable. Yet, prior to his power surge, the chances of failure were exceptionally high. But now? Success is practically guaranteed," Death eventually answered, pausing briefly and appearing to weigh his words carefully.
"Excellent. I have no desire to stay here any longer. This is not our domain. Hel has vanished, and she cannot detect or return to this dimension. Considering the current course of events, it's only a matter of time before we sink into the maw of the World Eater," Wiseman stated with resignation, exhaling deeply, aware of what was to come.
"He will summon us, marking the initial phase of both our plans a success," Death affirmed before continuing. "Let us penalize the transgressors while we still have the opportunity."