Starting from Ainz Ooal Gown, simultaneously traveling through time

Ainz Ooal Gown slowly closed his five fingers, feeling the two completely different forces surging within him intertwining and resonating deep within his blood and soul.

The authority of ice and fire, the majesty of the ancient dragon, along with their own original magic, incantations, and alchemical knowledge, are all merging, transforming, and sublimating.

An unprecedented sense of fullness, as if it could move the very foundation of the world, filled my mind and body.

Such immense power...

Who in the world can stop us?

Who in this world can stop me now?!

A surge of pride welled up within him, and he almost blurted out that classic line.

But reason prevailed in the end, suppressing that childish thought—after all, there were three "selves" watching in front of them.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

He finally burst into laughter, a genuine joy at escaping the pressures of survival and taking control of his life.

Dragon King Leylin glanced at him sideways and curled his lip: "Oh no, has our Crown Prince finally been blinded by power and started having an epileptic seizure?"

Ainz Ooal Gown's laughter stopped abruptly, and he glared back at Ainz Ooal Gown, annoyed. "You're the one who's acting crazy. I'm just in a good mood, understand?"

At this moment, Game of Thrones' Leylin and Lord of the Rings' Leylin also stepped forward and, in turn, shared their power with Monster Hunter's Leylin, who was curiously observing them.

Game of Thrones' Rayleigh closed his eyes for a moment to sense it, and when he opened them again, a flash of ice and fire seemed to appear in his eyes.

He clenched his fist, his tone filled with amazement and eagerness: "Incredible... Is this the power to control natural disasters?"

"With this power, even if I claim to be Azor Ahai, the Hero of Light, who has returned from the Land of Smoke and Salt, I doubt anyone would dare to question me, would they?"

Dragon Leylin immediately launched into a吐槽 (tu cao, a Chinese internet slang term for sarcastic or critical) mode: "Hero of Light? Your style has changed way too fast! I'm supposed to be the Dark God of Ghunara! Why don't you just say you're the real King of Light, R'hllor?"

"Not at all," Game of Thrones' Rylin smiled.

"However, with this power, simply riding dragons and hacking and slashing is indeed too limited in scope. Perhaps... it's time to consider some grander goals."

Dragon Leylin raised an eyebrow: "For example? Slaying dragons and hacking and slashing? Or perhaps riding dragons and...slaying gods?"

Game of Thrones' Rayleigh frowned slightly: "You seem particularly fixated on those background gods? Why do you always want to touch them?"

"It was out of curiosity," said Leylin, a dragon, shrugging.

"Don't you think? Those beings high above, weaving destiny, yet always shrouded in mystery..."

"Just how powerful are they? What form do they take? I'm really itching to see them for myself."

Game of Thrones' Rayleigh pondered: "If you're talking about depictions of deities, perhaps you could refer to Elden's Circle, written by the same author."

"The worldviews may have something in common. I've heard that the world of Ice and Fire and the borderlands may share some deep-seated settings."

"Elden Ring!" Dragon Leylin's eyes lit up.

"Yeah! And that other world! I heard they might share the same cosmology?"

"Hey, Game of Thrones me, why don't you try flying out of your planet and looking beyond the stars? Maybe you can find a stargate leading to the Intergalactic Frontier?"

Game of Thrones' Rayleigh shook his head and chuckled: "I don't have the leisure for that right now. Conquering the world beneath our feet and smoothing out the chaos in the Seven Kingdoms are the most pressing matters. As for the stars... we'll talk about that later."

On the other side, after completing the sharing, Lord of the Rings Rylai quietly contemplated for a long time, but finally sighed softly, a hint of helplessness on his face.

"Is it still... not working?" he muttered to himself.

Ainz Ooal Gown noticed his unusual behavior and asked, "What's wrong? Is the power not compatible?"

Lord of the Rings, Rylai's, nodded, his tone calm yet tinged with a barely perceptible regret: "I can clearly feel the immense power that has been added to my body, the authority of ice and fire, the majesty of the dragons, the mysteries of magic... it has everything."

"But when I try to mobilize them, I feel an omnipresent, gentle yet absolutely irresistible suppression."

Ainz Ooal Gown, Rayleigh, understood: "The suppression of rules in Central Continent?"

"I remember those Maiar who came from Aman, like Gandalf, whose powers were also greatly limited, to the point that the guy was often mistaken for a berserker who only knew how to use light magic."

"Not just the Maiar," Rylaik of The Lord of the Rings added.

"Since the end of the First Age and the westward migration of the elves, magic, or rather, supernatural power, in Middle-earth has been declining as a whole, and the environment has become less friendly."

"In the Third Age, to wield power beyond the mortal realm, one needs to pay a greater price or rely on specific vessels such as the Three Rings of the Elves or the Sphere of True Knowledge."

Ainz Ooal Gown stroked his chin: "The more fundamental reason is probably that the world itself is a story, a grand symphony composed by the supreme creator god Ilúvatar."

"You weren't originally a note in the symphony, but you've squeezed in now. However, if you try to play a loud, disruptive note... you'll probably be muted or even erased."

Lord of the Rings Rylai smiled: "It's not so bad that I'll be erased. I'm now a member of Gandalf's dragon-slaying team."

"He has officially been embedded in the epic narrative, becoming a supporting character with lines, but this supporting character cannot possess any overpowered abilities beyond the script's design."

Ainz Ooal Gown, Raelin, concluded: "Therefore, The Lord of the Rings is an epic fantasy world that emphasizes destiny, courage, friendship, and sacrifice."

"The main theme is that the wisdom and unity of the weak can overcome seemingly invincible enemies."

"If you suddenly had the ability to freeze mountains and boil rivers and seas at will, it would become a 'fantasy overpowered protagonist' script, which probably wouldn't fit Ilúvatar's aesthetic."

"That's right," Rylaik of The Ring readily accepted.

"It is a pity that we have a treasure mountain but cannot make full use of it. However, even if we can only use the superficial aspects or learn from its knowledge and ideas, it will be of great benefit to me."

"Besides, with my talents and what I've learned over the years, I should be more than capable of dealing with Smaug and the journey ahead."

Ainz Ooal Gown asked curiously, "Then, how effective will my magic system be on your end?"

"It's not a complete ban," Rylai's Lord of the Rings said thoughtfully.

"Some basic life-related magic, involving subtle manipulation of elements or mental assistance, can be used normally."

"But powerful offensive magic either fails to take shape at all, or its power is reduced to one-tenth or even less."

"Your world's concept of rank-based magic doesn't quite apply there."

Ainz Ooal Gown shrugged: "It seems your creator god doesn't quite like the simple and brutal 'leveling up' model."

Instead, Raelin comforted him, saying, "It's alright. There's more than one path to power. It's you, the 'me' of the Ainz Ooal Gown world, who bears a heavier burden."

Lord of the Rings, Leylin, patted Ainz Ooal Gown on the shoulder and continued, "The plight of humans where you are... is truly heartbreaking."

"In other worlds, even if humans are not the sole dominant species, they are the most intelligent of all beings and the beacon of civilization."

"And in your world, you have been reduced to a lowly race that is wantonly enslaved, slaughtered, and even used as food."

Ainz Ooal Gown's gaze calmed, and he nodded: "This is malice etched into the fundamental rules of the world."

"It stems from the creator's somewhat bleak preconceived notion about the characters. Unless they have some kind of cheat code, the original inhabitants of that world would hardly be able to reverse it on their own."

Lord of the Rings, Rylai, looked at him and smiled, "So, aren't you using cheat codes right now? And the cheat codes are getting bigger and bigger."

Ainz Ooal Gown, Leylin, clenched his fist, ice crystals and flames dancing and flickering between his fingers, his voice firm and clear:

"That's right, so it's time to change the status of humans in that world."

While they were talking, Monster Hunter Leylin was enthusiastically testing his newly acquired abilities.

He would rub a small ball of [Monarch Flame] between his fingertips, and then try to construct a simple alchemical matrix, having a great time.

Its enormous body made various attempts, appearing somewhat...endearing?

A moment later, he stopped, satisfied, and said in a loud voice, "Brothers! The abilities you gave me are really interesting! When I get back, I'm going to show them off to my comrades! I'll give them a real shock!"

"Companions?" The other Leylin looked over with interest upon hearing this. The ancient dragon's companions were probably other ancient dragons as well.

Dragon Leylin couldn't help but remind him, "Hey, you Fiery Frost Dragon, don't just play around! You should also learn something from your world and bring it over, so we can all improve together!"

Monster Hunter Leylin's massive dragon head tilted slightly, revealing a thoughtful expression: "Learn? Learn what? How do I learn?"

Ainz Ooal Gown, suppressing a laugh, suggested, "You could consult your fellow ancient dragons about the deeper mysteries of energy manipulation."

"You can also observe the combat skills and weapon usage of those top hunters. They can fight against natural disasters with mortal bodies, so they must have something unique about them."

"If all else fails, I can learn from the Palico how to make 'Palindrome' meals that can instantly restore stamina and even provide buffs! There's always knowledge that can be shared."

Monster Hunter Leylin suddenly realized, his dragon eyes lighting up: "You're right, how come I didn't think of that!"

"Alright, guys, I'm going back to test out my new abilities and pick up some local specialties while I'm at it. See you later, everyone!"

His massive body gradually became transparent in the gray mist, and soon completely dissipated, leaving the shared space.

Dragon Leylin looked at the spot where he had disappeared and muttered, "That guy, he ran fast. I was planning to spar with him after I got to know his strength characteristics."

Ainz Ooal Gown, Leylin, glanced at him and delivered a precise blow: "Don't do what you did before, getting beaten so badly that you have to self-destruct to save face."

"You..." Dragon Leylin was speechless, then his eyes darted around and he looked at Bone King Leylin.

"He's gone, so come and fight me! Let me see if your newly acquired ancient dragon power is any fake!"

Bone King Leylin immediately took a half step back and waved his hand: "No need, no need. I am a proper ranged mage and not good at close combat. Leave this kind of rough work to you, the Dragon King War God."

"Tch, boring." Dragon Leylin curled his lip and stretched his limbs as well.

"However, I should go back now. With this ancient dragon power as a foundation, plus my newly acquired authority..."

"Things that I was afraid to touch before, or that I wasn't confident about taking, I might be able to try now."

After he finished speaking, his figure quickly disappeared.

The remaining Ainz Ooal Gown, Game of Thrones, and Lord of the Rings exchanged a few words about their recent situations and plans before leaving this strange space that connects the heavens.

A wisp of gray mist rises, and the campfire burns quietly, awaiting the next time the "Leylin" will meet here again.