As for why the Platinum Dragon Lord was considered potentially stronger than "Zesshi," the reasoning was simple.
Both of them were monsters capable of contending with level 100 NPCs.
However, the Platinum Dragon Lord wasn't even present in his true body—he was fighting remotely, manipulating a suit of armor through some unknown magic.
And yet, even under those conditions, he still possessed enough power to stand toe-to-toe with Shalltear in her normal state.
That alone spoke volumes about just how terrifying he truly was.
Compared to the mysterious Slane Theocracy, the Platinum Dragon Lord—one of the Thirteen Heroes from two centuries ago—was likely someone who understood far more about the truth of this world.
When he had encountered Shalltear before, he had already realized that she was a being from YGGDRASIL.
And he had drawn a conclusion.
This new group that had descended upon the world… was aligned with evil.
That was right.
The Platinum Dragon Lord knew they weren't the only ones who had crossed over from YGGDRASIL—and he had even begun to discern a pattern.
The first group to arrive had been the Six Great Gods. Whatever the current state of the Theocracy, those original figures had undoubtedly been on the side of justice.
The second group—the Eight Greed Kings. The name alone was enough to tell you they were anything but righteous.
The third group—the Thirteen Heroes from two hundred years ago—had defeated the Demon Gods and stood firmly as champions of good.
And now…
The Great Tomb of Nazarick.
A faction made up entirely of non-human races, ruled by an undead king.
Judging by Momonga's actions so far… he was hardly a "good guy."
Ren hadn't expected that this battle between the Kingdom and the Sorcerer Kingdom would draw in so many powerful figures.
But when he thought about it, it made perfect sense.
The Slane Theocracy already had a grudge against Momonga's alias—Ainz Ooal Gown.
As for the Platinum Dragon Lord, once he suspected that Nazarick might be the latest "villain faction" to arrive from YGGDRASIL, it was only natural that he would come to investigate their true strength.
In truth, neither the Black Scripture nor the Platinum Dragon Lord had any intention of interfering in the war itself.
They were here to observe.
To assess what kind of entity this newly emerged Sorcerer Kingdom truly was.
And Momonga's opening move—preparing a super-tier spell—had already sent a chill through both parties.
Until they were certain of victory, they would never reveal themselves lightly.
What they didn't know…
…was that on Nazarick's side, there was someone with a unique ability who had already detected their presence the moment they appeared.
Perhaps in the original course of events, the Platinum Dragon Lord and the others had also hidden somewhere on the battlefield—but Momonga simply never noticed.
Otherwise, it wouldn't make sense.
After all, the Platinum Dragon Lord had actively sought out Shalltear once he learned of her existence…
Yet he had shown no reaction at all to a nation ruled by undead.
It simply didn't add up.
—
Tens of thousands—no, hundreds of thousands—of Kingdom soldiers surged forward like a tidal wave the moment the order to attack was given.
Albedo and Cocytus stepped forward, ready to engage—
—but Ren raised a hand and stopped them.
"I'll handle this."
His tone was calm, almost casual.
"You're a defense-type, and you're a melee specialist. Neither of you is particularly suited for dealing with overwhelming numbers."
On the Empire's side, the army remained completely still.
Their supreme commander, Ren Kuroda, had issued no orders.
And yet, the soldiers showed no sign of panic.
If anything, they felt… reassured.
Those Death Knights standing before them might look terrifying—but as long as those monsters were on their side, an inexplicable sense of security settled over the ranks.
—
"Still no movement from them? Could it be some kind of trap…?"
Inside the Kingdom's command tent, Marquis Raevan frowned as he observed the motionless Empire forces, urging caution.
But before he could finish speaking, the corpulent noble leading the army let out a mocking snort.
"Marquis Raevan, don't tell me those undead decorations have frightened you senseless."
He sneered.
"Our Kingdom holds the advantage in numbers. And I've already gathered intelligence—the Empire's commander this time is nothing more than an adventurer."
"Sure, he might be strong as an individual. But leading an army? What could a mere adventurer possibly accomplish?"
On paper, the duke's words weren't wrong.
But Raevan—and the Warrior Captain Gazef—had both met Ren before.
And neither of them believed he was some reckless fool who relied solely on brute strength.
Just as Raevan was about to argue further—
A guard burst into the tent, breathless.
"There's movement from the Empire and the Sorcerer Kingdom!"
The guard's voice trembled slightly, as if even he couldn't believe what he was saying.
"Their commander—Ren Kuroda—has taken the field personally!"
"And… and… he's alone!"
The guard swallowed hard.
Facing an army of hundreds of thousands… a single man stepping forward.
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would have dismissed it as nonsense.
After all, against such overwhelming numbers, it wasn't even a matter of fighting—just a few spits from that many soldiers would be enough to drown a person.
And yet…
It was real.
Raevan and Gazef rushed out of the tent—and saw it for themselves.
Far in the distance, a lone figure stood before the advancing tide.
—
"Has the Empire's commander lost his mind?"
From the shadows, the Fifth Seat of the Black Scripture—known as One-Man Army—clicked his tongue in disdain.
"To think he'd try to face hundreds of thousands alone… what a clown."
He had earned his title because his combat power alone rivaled that of an entire battalion.
But if this man truly possessed the strength to defeat an army of hundreds of thousands single-handedly—
Wouldn't that make him something beyond even that?
A walking army of a million.
A one-man legion.
—
The First Seat of the Black Scripture also wore a look of contempt.
Arrogant as he was, even he hadn't expected to encounter someone even more absurdly overconfident.
Zesshi, on the other hand, tilted her head with visible interest.
If he really can do it…
A faint smile tugged at her lips.
…then maybe he deserves a place on my list.
She had no grand ambitions.
But shaped by her lineage, her worldview was… distorted.
To her, weakness was a sin.
If she were to bear a child, its blood had to be strong.
And if the man was powerful enough—
She didn't care whether he was human… or something else entirely.
—
Elsewhere, the Platinum Dragon Lord continued to observe in silence.
His gaze remained fixed on Ren.
Analyzing.
Measuring.
Determining—
Whether this man… was also a player from YGGDRASIL.
And if he was…
Just how confident did he have to be—
To stand alone before an army of hundreds of thousands?