5

Half an hour later I received a message from my hanzo watching the future General. "Its time. Have Nazarick enter lockdown." I say to Raven who touches the bracelet on her wrist to send a message. [Gate] I cast stowing the books and withdrawing my weapons. Spear and shield in hand I step through the void.

I stepped out to see a young farm girl try to pick her sister off the ground. Behind her was a man in plate armor raising a sword to swing down on the girl. Moving in a blur I stepped forward launching my spear like a missile skewering both knights in the chest killing them instantly. All Black then shadow traveled to retrieve my weapon to my hand. 'Thats a nice feature.' The girl held there protecting her sister from the imminent blow she thought she was fated. "Miss, you are safe now." I stated in my rumbling voice.

She fearfully looked up and saw my giant figure a few paces from her. She looked over her shoulder and saw the two dead men. "THANK YOU FOR SAVING US." She shouted tears streaming down her face as she examined her sister.

"Your welcome it sounds like more fighting is up ahead. Bella." I say and she approaches I reach into the bag on her back and withdraw the two horns of the goblin general. Tossing them to her I explain. "I must be moving the horn will summon a troop of goblins under your command. Stay safe and wait for the fighting to stop before returning to the village."

"Wait! What is your name my lord?" She asks hope on her face.

"I am Quake Ooal Gown." I say running to the village pulling my bow out on the run.

As I reached the village with Tink on my heels, I saw knights corraling the villagers to the center of town. [Rapid Shot] I chant as time seems to slow down and I pick targets like I had entered VATS. Picking anyone still fighting the villagers I rapidly ended 15 lives from my vantage point. Stowing my bow, I readied my shield and spear and hustled down to the village square.

I was an intimidating sight rolling into the village like a red steam roller. It was especially apparent after I saw someone shout at me to stop and proceeded to shield bash him so hard he flew 30 feet in the air dead before he hit the ground. I shouted like a clap of thunder "SURRENDER."

Some shitty noble started screeching commands and I gave Bella a nod to shut him up. [Forest's Grip] she said and all plant life in 10 feet of him lunged at him growing to monstrous proportions. The plants held him and started suffocating him as he thrashed silencing him by covering his mouth as he was pulled to the ground.

"I wont say it again, surrender." At this the fight was lost on them and they dropped their weapons. "Secure them while I talk to the villagers." I command Tinker Bell.

[Summon Plant Elemental] she said behind me as I approached the village cheif. The plant elemental would walk up to the knights and bind their hands and feet. It would then easily pick them up and put them in a pile.

Walking up to the group I stored my shield and spear on my back and removed my helm. As the chief knelt and said thank you for saving them. "Rise." I said standing near the man. "Is anyone injured?" He nodded and those who were injured were brought forth. I whistled for Bella who was supervising her summons. "Heal them please." I said.

"Yes Lord Quake." She said with a nod. [Mass Cure Minor Wounds] the expressions of the people who were hurt went to instant relief as well as little scratches on the others who were in the area of effect. Cheers and praises came up from the small crowd.

"Now I assume you are this village's leader. Can you tell me what happened?" I address the man at my side.

He explained how they were having a normal day when the knights started their raid. He stated that they were in the armor of the Baharuth Empire. I said I would be finding out what their orders were when I interrogated them. I dismissed the man to take care of burying the dead and leading his village.

I went to the captured men and dragged them away one by one to "ask questions" before knocking them out. I found that my racial ability to read minds was super useful in this. While Doppelgängers can pick up surface thoughts to better blend in Master Doppelgängers could go through a mind like watching a movie. I actually figured out how to read the local language by tearing through the minds of my victims.

After I was done with my mind search, I went to the hill the villagers were burying their dead on and watched the ceremony. Seeing the crying Enri Emmot and the other villagers. I was surprised to witness Tink cast a spell over all the new graves. [Nature's Beauty] The ground around the graves exploded with flowers in bloom. 'Thats the girl I made.' I thought with satisfaction and rubbed her pixie cut under her cap.

The villagers were in awe of the magic done to honor their dead. We were saviors to them and now we are true heros from legends. People with power have always looked down on villagers. Now someone with power rescued them and then honored their loved ones.

An hour or so after the ceremony the village was starting to clean up and put together the town. I had Bella guard the prisoners and I was helping by lifting the largest pieces of rubble. A little while later as the sun was starting to hide behind the mountains the chief approached me.

"Lord Quake, I know we have no right to ask but it seems a group of knights are on their way here. Could you offer us your protection my lord?" He asked bowing deeply.

I chucked the large beam into the pile for wood then nodded my head. "You are now under the protection of Emperor Quake Ooal Gown ruler of Nazarick. We will discuss what my protection means after dealing with this threat if you wish to stay under it. Lead the way."

Walking through the town I put my helmet back on and equipped my spear and shield. Bella joined me and the village chief as the others were sent to hide. We stood and watched the approaching horsemen until I shouted. "Halt and state your intentions!" My voice echoed out.

Gazef slowed then stopped his band of men. He shouted out "I am Gazef Stronoff, the Warrior-Captain of the Re-Estize Kingdom. I am here by the order of his majesty to investigate raids on the villagers in his domain. Who are you?"

I look to the chief and he says quietly to me. "The Warrior-Captain should be trust worthy."

"Approach Warrior-Captain we can discuss in detail." I shouted again. "I am Quake Ooal Gown. I saw this village was under attack by vile cowards dressed as knights and therefore slayed and subdued them. This village has asked for my protection. If you can keep your soldiers outside the village, so they do not need to be directly near men with swords, I'm sure all parties would appreciate that." I say as he approaches in a normal volume.

He dismounts his horse and immediately bows. "Thank you for saving this village."

Behind him his vice captain comes running up and states that another group of magic casters has come to the village.

"It seems this entire situation was a trap for you. Now it makes sense. I didn't figure the false knights had the ability to ambush any warrior of merit." I say eluding to the bigger plot.

"It seems so." He replies a look of determination on his whole stance.

"I have given my protection to this village and will not be made a liar by cowards who slaughter the innocent. Gazef if they have come for you that means they are prepared to kill you or worse." I say. "That means they were not prepared for me. Let me do a favor for your king, monarch to monarch. I would be certainly pissed if someone tried so hard to kill one of my servants. Guard the village Bella. I'm going to show these idiots how bad they fucked up."

"Aye, aye." [Fly] she casted on me with an ear to ear smile.

I pulled my shield and spear and walked out to the obvious leader of this gaggle of punks.

"Who are you?" The blond idiot asked.

I looked up at the sky where I was sure there was someone watching. "I am Quake Ooal Gown Emperor of Nazarick. All these men have forfeit their lives. Let that be a lesson to you." I say activating a ring I wore that broke scrying magic in the area. The sky cracked like a mirror.

At that moment I proceded to sprint at full speed abusing a flight run mechanism to maximize speed and maneuverability. I started by cutting a leg off each of the mages before they could react and both arms off of the leader. I quickly took all the gear he had including the crystal with the summon in it. I messaged Demiurge as soon as I was done. 'I have some subjects for you and Neuronist to go over. Before you start make sure to dispel all magic on them and search for a way to stop them from killing themselves.'

I then proceeded to knock out all the wailing men on the ground. Occasionally a angel would attack me but I would stab it with my spear and it would disappear. They were incapable of ordering them around while I did that. I then flew slowly over to Bella landing beside her. I handed her my helm and ran my fingers through my hair. The cheif, captain, and all the soldiers stared at me like I was in my monster form.

"Well I could use a beer. I'll let the Warrior-Captain handle the false knights and I will deal with any of the mages that don't bleed out. Chief can I trouble you for an ale?".

The sputtering group followed me into the village center where all heard me say the conflict is over and all are now safe. I spent the rest of the evening talking with Gazef and the Chief. I told them I have been traveling on vacation and was enjoying the great forest when I heard Enri. After Gazef told us what happened to the other villages many cried in relief from the escaped fate.

Enri had come over to thank me again, she had her sister asleep in her arms. "Sit with me Enri." I said to the girl.

"Oh you know my name?" Instead of panicking like the boney boi I lied as easily as breathing and said "Your neighbor told me. How is your sister?" I asked making room on my left sliding closer on the bench to Tink.

"She is as well as we could hope thanks to you my lord." She said humbly nervously taking a seat.

"Just Quake is fine I'm on vacation right now sit. Have you had anything to eat?" I asked the girl. Earlier I had shot an arrow into the forest and sent a plant Elemental to grab the boar I shot. That is what we have been eating on for the time being.

"I'm okay m-Quake." She said demurely.

I laugh at the slip up. "Oh my Quake~ thats awfully forward of you. I don't mind though you are a cute girl." I laugh again as she turns cherry red. "Mrs Chief, could you take care of Enri's sister for a bit she still hasn't eaten."

"Oh my lord of course here deary give her to me nothing to worry about." The old woman came over and took the girl from her arms. Enri looked on as if she might disappear if her eyes weren't on her.

"Relax Enri, eat get some strength. You will need it to help look after her. She is safe you have my word." I said to the girl as she got a determined look on her face. I slid a plate over to her and she went to town after the first bite realizing how hungry she was.

"So Gazef how are you going to punish those who went against your kingdom?" I asked the man across from me.

"I don't have the authority to do so. The different factions would be up in arms if a commoner like me tried to prosecute a noble." He said looking down at the table with clenched fists.

"You're kidding me are you really the strongest warrior in this kingdom?" I ask with a false bewilderment.

"I am." He says.

"And your king he supports you a commoner enough to make you the head warrior?" I ask.

"He does." He said finally looking up at me.

"Then where is your loyalty." I growl out. "You are your king's sword and shield. You found evidence of someone attacking your king through you. It is now your responsibility to end this threat or do you plan to shirk your duties." I say arms crossed against my massive chest breaking him down with my stare.

"I would put him at greater risk if I did that." He says trying to meet my stare. The rest of the town square where the tables had been set up have all gone silent.

"Your king is wise but you are a fool. Whomever set up this ambush is a traitor to your kingdom. They worked with foreign powers to subvert your king. He put you a commoner in a place of power because he realizes that the only thing that matters is MERIT. Not birth, not blood. Now boy, you know of a threat to your king. You know the threat has not been taken care of. Oh sure the enemy's tool has been defeated but what will the real enemy do next. Do you think I was born a royal? I was born a commoner. I was born like anyone else from this village. They say that the first king was a lucky soldier. Well you are looking at one. I filled my council chambers with people of merit. I gave no qualms to blood nor birth nor race nor anything else. Pure ability is what a leader needs to surround themselves with. Your king said to put a stop to the threat to his realm. What will you do?"

"And how far should I go? Should I kill every member of the noble faction." He says like he would have to purge half the kingdom.

"The question is not how far. The question is do you possess the constitution, the deepth of faith to go as far as needed." I said in a low rumble and stood to leave the table.

Bella and I walked away under the awe filled gazes of every villager and soldier.

We walked up the hill towards the graves and and the forest. Two hanzos showed up and I informed them to continue with their missions. One was to watch Gazef and the other was to protect Enri and Nemu.

"So Bella what do you think of everything?" I asked my little pixie as I looked out over the village.

"I don't understand why you bothered to educate that stupid meat head." She said tapping her finger to her chin. "I get why you helped the girl obviously." She said pushing her small breasts together at me.

"Haha while she is cute that girl has impressed me. She knew that she was going to die but she embraced the ethos of Ainz Ooal Gown. It is not for no reason engraved in Nazarick is the statement. 'No greater love hath man then this to lay down his life for a friend.' I educated the meat head for the same reason he was willing to charge straight into that ambush to protect that village. I just planted a seed and pointed him in the right direction. We will see what he does now and all it cost Nazarick were a few words." I said to the girl with a smile. "By the way your spell with the flowers was beautiful."

"Thanks daddy." She said with a mischievous smile.

"Oh don't you start now." I smirked "In the morning we will tell the villagers that we are going to check out the nearest city. We will go back to Nazarick and spend a few days there before showing up at the city."

I sat and leaned against a big tree in the area. Tink sat next to me and I pulled her in close and stared at the beautiful starry sky.