The Gathering of Benling's Leaders
A heavy silence filled the grand council chamber of Benling. The leaders of guilds, high-ranking officials, and hidden rulers sat around a massive obsidian table, their expressions grave. At the head of the table, Chancellor Vargan leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled together.
In the center of the table, a large magic projection displayed Pranimzean—a kingdom built in the once-abandoned lands, now thriving under the rule of a man they knew little about. Ainz, the self-proclaimed ruler, had done the impossible. His kingdom was not only strong, but it had united species that had never before coexisted.
It was an insult to the natural order of the world.
Vargan's golden eyes scanned the room. "I assume you all understand the severity of this situation."
A guild master scoffed. "What's there to discuss? This kingdom shouldn't exist. Ainz is playing god, bringing together monsters and outcasts. It's a blasphemy against humanity."
A sharp voice cut through the room. "Blasphemy? You mean power."
All eyes turned toward Lady Seraphine, a woman draped in black robes, her silver mask concealing her face. She tapped her fingers on the table. "I have seen his forces. They are no mere gathering of beasts. His army is well-trained, disciplined. Do you know what that means?"
She let the silence hang before answering herself. "It means Pranimzean is no longer just a settlement. It's a rising empire."
A hush fell over the council.
Labeling Ainz as the "Demon King"
An elderly man, Minister Halden, adjusted his glasses. "His power is unknown, but the rumors are disturbing. Some say he can control elements at will. Others claim he is immortal, that no wound can truly kill him."
Another member clenched his fists. "That is exactly why we must act now. If we allow this kingdom to grow, soon we will be the ones at its mercy."
Vargan smirked. "Which is why we will not allow it to grow any further."
He tapped the table, and another magic projection appeared—this time, a public decree being drafted.
"We will declare Ainz a threat to humanity. He will be named the Demon King, and his kingdom will be branded as a cursed land. Any nation that shelters his people will be considered an enemy."
A sinister chuckle echoed through the room.
"But that alone will not be enough."
An Unexpected Ally – The Monster King
The doors to the chamber opened. Heavy footsteps echoed, and a new presence entered the room—a towering figure wrapped in dark armor, his crimson eyes glowing beneath his helmet. His aura alone made the weaker council members tremble in fear.
Vargan smiled. "Let me introduce our ally—Zargoth, the Monster King."
A hush fell over the chamber.
Zargoth, the ruler of the strongest monster factions, was a living nightmare. He was not just a beast; he was a warlord, commanding legions of creatures from the darkest depths of the world.
A deep, rumbling voice broke the silence. "Ainz… has become a problem for both humans and monsters alike."
Seraphine tilted her head. "And why would the Monster King care?"
Zargoth growled. "He is meddling with the natural balance. Monsters do not unite with other species. They dominate, they conquer. But he?" His red eyes narrowed. "He tames them. If this continues, even the monsters that follow me may begin to question their place."
Vargan chuckled. "Then we share a common enemy."
Zargoth's armored hand clenched into a fist. "I will lead my armies. We will bring destruction upon Pranimzean. And I will tear Ainz apart myself."
The room erupted into murmurs. If the Monster King's army joined forces with Benling's elite, even Ainz's hidden strength might not be enough.
The Plan to Eradicate Pranimzean
Seraphine's masked face turned to Vargan. "A direct assault would be unwise. We know too little about him."
Vargan nodded. "Then we weaken him first. We send spies. We spread fear among his people. We make him the villain in their eyes."
A council member grinned. "Assassinations? Kidnappings?"
Seraphine's voice was cold. "No. We will break his foundation. We will destroy the alliances he has built. We will whisper doubts into the minds of his followers. When the time comes, he will stand alone."
Vargan turned back to Zargoth. "And once he is weakened, you will finish him."
The Monster King grinned, revealing rows of sharp teeth.
"It will be my pleasure."
The Beginning of the End
As the council finalized their dark plans, the fate of Pranimzean had already been sealed.
The war against the Demon King had begun.