Summary: My version of multiple people being in Yggdrasil on the final day. Not much else to say, so talk to you again at the author's note at the end.
AN: Edited.
Humanity by 2138 had survived a tumultuous century from our own time, barely.
The closeness of that survival was evident in the deep scars that had remained from almost extinction level events, ones, which as a society, humanity had been forced to choose in the face of civil and external strife.
Comparing the world that now existed to our own, some might be tempted to call it a dystopian prediction of what is to come, but for the survivors, the monotony and pressure of the current atmosphere was an improvement.
One must also remember that adding another world war to the pile of human tragedy had been just another few pages in the book of humanity on Earth. The world outside the walls of metal was no longer a place humanity to could long survive naturally. Acid rain and environmental destruction had merely finished the job of the axe man on the plants of the world
Yet, despite this, the old saying of the more things change, the more things stay the same, rang true.
People still lived their lives despite this after all and old habits are hard to break. Corporatism had run wild in this world, even with incidents like the Mumbai Uprising of 2090 not being unique. Such was their power and control that it was then possible for these corporate entities to be able to preserve parts of society in a manner that would be immediately recognizable from a time traveler's perspective.
It may or may not be a surprise that game publishers were frontrunners for the dubious honor of most unchanged in practice, not to mention name during this time.
One only needed to view the new releases that had come out over the past year and see that titles such as Final Fantasy, and Call of Duty were still finding their way out onto devices worldwide. Branding having come to the same value as gold in the eyes of corporate bodies.
It was in this spirit that instead of going quietly onto the shelves of gaming history that a series of unknown backdoor negotiations with the parent company of Yggdrasil that had been long rumored and speculated about made a crucial breakthrough at the eleventh hour.
The salaryman Satoru Suzuki, however, still couldn't believe it.
Yggdrasil II would finally begin heading on its way out of development hell with a planned release date for the 2nd anniversary of the closing of the original's servers. And with this came a dramatic shift in focus as the final month arrived.
Pre-orders.
Yes, it's true! A century may pass, and the gaming world will still be haunted by that corporate sales tactics. Did you really expect the much maligned shitty devs to be replaced by competent, non-greedy masters after selling out for a huge profit? Of course not!
Now switching a free-to-play game to a full priced release was not exactly a great first PR move, and the new parent company acknowledged as much. Something would have to be done to ensure that this new, expensive toy wouldn't flounder under the weight of their ambitions.
Getting a positive reaction from the community while not endangering the bottom line came as a masterstroke of thinking.
Video games as a market are constantly in motion industry in terms of popularity, and even a (mostly) successful dozen years might build a name, a crippling stagnation had set in among the player base. A large portion simply moved onto fresher experiences, and high skill and item gaps made it harder to attract new players. The worlds of Yggdrasil felt truly barren and settled instead of a place where exploration could be rewarded.
It was here that they found their solution. A full-on corporate blitz to reinvigorate a dying player base to try and reignite an addiction that would fuel sales for the next installment.
The rest as they say, was marketing.
Starting at level 20 for first time players, limited time offers for gacha rolls with pre-order, and a 5% gold retention percent for Yggdrasil II. Those were the offers that had been listed at the end of the announcement trailer.
Making sure that more than just those few diehards that had stuck through a decade of change would be willing to spend couldn't be taken for granted, and by pouring fuel into the quickly fading fire of the original Yggdrasil would remind those of what gamers could be experienced with a tantalizing opportunity to continue with more features in two years with their hard work saved.
Speaking of those diehards, an average Japanese salaryman had finished with his meal and was preparing for his last day in his favorite game. Having been taken full advantage of this new wave of video game money sucking was the head of Ainz Ooal Gown himself, Saturo Suzuki.
Not like I'm complaining too much. Saturo admitted to himself as he finished preparing to enter the virtual world. It would have taken me months to get even half that stuff.
Maintaining Nazarick had cut dramatically into his ability to acquire rare items, outside of these monetary purchases. Being able to re and overstock his character brought a certain hoarders joy to Saturo just thinking about how much his inventory had ballooned over the past month. Everything but divine items had doubled in his personal stock it felt. The gold rush to cash out before the final date had led to an almost unprecedented transaction. The selling of [World Items] for gold. Of which, he had won two such affairs.
I pretty much had to spend my last bonus check just to make sure that the gold stores weren't too effected, but I just couldn't help myself. He thought sheepishly as he stretched before logging on.
Saturo knew that most sane people would feel more then barely any shame for blowing the kind of money he did on a game. Let alone for something that he could only use for a few weeks. His justification had been the same as it always had been. That's just the way he had played. It had been the way his friends had played.
Fully committed.
To not would dishonor those cherished memories of going all out in the name of being the ultimate villains. These offers had certainly changed the feel of the game, from dying underpopulated worlds to about a four-year high.
Fully accepting that this corporate pitch had succeeded in causing both this and the drop in his bank account was something that Satoru had been willing to accept. But their existed one that had given him hope, one which would change his life in ways he couldn't yet know.
That being the outstanding offer of Full Player Restoration.
Six Hours till Shutdown
As Yggdrasil's HUD materialized before him, Momonga blinked his eyes impatiently as the room finished loading in. The familiar round table of the Guild Meeting Room greeted him first as the rest succinctly followed. This area had been his start location since the Golden Days of Ainz Ooal Gown.
Being available at predictable times and places was an important quality of a manager, at least that was what Momonga had concluded at the time, and nothing had changed his mind since.
It's how the last few people were able to say goodbye to me before logging off for the last time.
Keeping his 'office hours' at this point was as natural to Momonga as the times he ate his meals at, or when Momonga was expected to be at his office. Something that he slipped into with a comfort that came with a worn but still cozy sweater.
Even as Momonga began the process of shifting through his administration duties as guild leader he couldn't shake this feeling off. As guild leader, he had access to several menus related to guild management that required his attention pretty much every time he entered the game.
Haaa, leave it to those shitty devs to instead of fixing that the Guild Leader can get a broken item, to just make it a pain to deal with the consequences.
Most were very simple tasks that were designed to discourage rivalry for the position and made to be just busy work to do this. In addition to this, his menu now held two additional sub-menus that had been seeing a lot more use since the changes from the start of the month had taken effect.
These were the interesting ones to Momonga, but habit dictated that the older ones were answered first. Momonga could almost hear his fingers strumming along the table as requests for membership flickered across the screen.
The digits of bone, however, remained firmly in place. Hands being just one of the parts of the body that could only listlessly move from their positions with a robotic lifelessness.
Maybe that will be one of the new features they keep talking about for the next game. Giving a grunt somewhere between amusement and boredom, the words continued to flow on the screen.
Years passed, and this had never really changed, outside of admittedly this process becoming much shorter than it had once been. Ainz Ooal Gown did have quite a reputation, but years of either being rejected or the lack of players had calmed down the flood of invitation requests. Since it was now impossible to pass the second requirement for membership now, Momonga just had to endure the alert notifications before being allowed to scroll down to the delete all option.
Fifty-seven since I last logged in, a normal day lately then.
The next sub-menu focused on information relating to the status of the guild members of Ainz Ooal Gown. Which were sorted into four categories; online, offline, transitioning and retired. Online and offline had been there since the start, but the other two had been released with the last major update.
That was what? Plotting the date out on his mental calendar, Momonga paused as the date struck him.
A little over two years.
Transitioning and retired were two of the more unique features about guilds in Momonga's own personal view. Transitioning players were those that had left an existing guild within the past month.
Guild hopping had been one of the biggest epidemics within the game as players could float between guilds stealing things items as they went. It created a certain level of fear within guilds as they could quickly crumble from the fluid nature of some of their members. This feature existed after a [World Item] had been used by one particularly angry guild to complain directly to the directors after losing their other one.
It allowed for guilds to be alerted to two things. One the betrayal that had occurred, and the new allegiance of the member for a week after the fallout. This menu might as well have not existed for Ainz Ooal Gown as no names of its members had ever graced it since it had been added.
Pride blossomed in Momonga's chest as he reflected on that he had managed to keep that list empty. That feeling didn't linger as it was immediately smothered by the next category that contained by far the largest number of names.
Retired players meet one of two requirements; A, they had not played the game in over a year, or B, they had chosen to delete their character. Momonga dreaded opening this category usually. It had been added as a desperate attempt to try and get guild leaders to bolster the dwindling player base, believing that it would be harder to refuse them. It hadn't been that successful.
Even now looking at that list I still feel like having a drink. He thought. Now at least it might be shorter again.
Character restoration had so far removed four names from this list. Turns out, the rumors about how obsessive the developers were, were in fact understated. They had started compiling all the different characters level data together in a database to help them with game balancing decisions a long time ago. The number on the screen caused Momonga to sigh in disappointment.
34
Of the 41 members of the guild, four had never deleted their characters and with the restoration, five members had returned to the game. Ulbert Alain Odle, Takemikazuchi, Peroroncino, Bukubukuchagama, and Yamaiko would be joining himself and Tabula on this final day at least. Still he held onto hope that more of his friends would join him, especially Blue Planet or Herohero who had also never officially 'retired'. That hope now fizzled out before like an impatient driver, waiting for his passengers he checked again.
33
Blinking Momonga took a breath, before seeing if he had begun going delusional.
33
Switching back to the active roster he saw Herohero's name status being online. Closing it he cast
[Message].
"Herohero-san, this is Momonga. Are you here about for the gathering I mentioned in my email?"
{Ah, Momonga-san. Yes, I got the email! I couldn't miss the last day, even with the way my work has been. Are the others here yet?}
"Umu, that is unfortunate to hear about work. And no, they are not. I am in the Round table room. Peroroncino and Bukubukuchagama texted me that they should be on in a few minutes."
{I'll be up soon then. I'll check on the maids before they come, Whitebrim's style has changed so much over the years that seeing some of the originals will really take me back. Maids are Justice!}
Did you really need to tell me that? Momonga couldn't stop himself from sighing as he buried his head into his hands. Ahhh, I guess Herohero hasn't changed much.
"Yeah, take your time. Feel free to enjoy yourself, it is the last day after all."
Ending the [Message], Momonga felt himself sitting up straighter. Perking up that soon his lonely vigil would be ended.
I know that I'm really lucky that so many people are coming today and it's great that Herohero could make it. But that selfish part of me wants everyone to be here to send off this place together.
A black void of a [Warp Gate] had activated inside the room. It would seem Ainz Ooal Gown's infamous sibling duo had arrived a little early. Standing up so that he could face the [Warp Gate]. These thoughts left the overlord as he could only do one thing when seeing some of his dear friends again. He smiled.
Three Hours till Shutdown
Turnout was much better than Momonga had dared hope. All those who had said they could make it did and a slow trickle bolstered those numbers beyond even that.
Nine others had had come to join him in this room, bringing them to almost a quarter of the entire guild celebrating its end. Ten friends that had changed in the in between years, but now found themselves easily regaining that lost camaraderie.
Even Ulbert had cheered when their last unexpected guest Touch Me had arrived.
Though it would have been weird for their rivalry to be so intense with how much time has passed.
In many ways this gathering could be mistaken for a normal meeting of Ainz Ooal Gown a few years back. Some dream of the past made it feel to Momonga like a moment captured in time. Only a few minor changes to the appearances of those assembled showed any of this passage of life.
Granted some, such as Bukubukuchagama and Herohero who were gathered around the formers brother, couldn't exactly do much to change their outward appearances considering the nature of their races. The two of their character models had been the same since before the conquest of the Great Tomb even. What with them having long since lost the need to change with their particular brand of specialized slime builds.
On either side of the brazen birdman, they made an interesting pair with their looks contrasting each other well next to the white and golden feathers of Peroroncino.
The brightness of Bukubukuchagama naturally drew the eye of everyone in the room to her, a fitting thing for the pink tank that had so masterfully manipulated the hate-system of the game. Some might be confused on first seeing her that this waxy top-heavy spindle was one of the most effective tanks the game had known.
Her eyes that seemed to be on a warm yellow-pink mass below a crest that seemed to have an almost jelly like quality to it. Dripping smaller spires seemed to have cooled into various semi-solid tendrils that moved and shifted around. Each one corresponding to a class ability that could sacrifice them to absorb damage. The color of pink being brighter closer towards that central yellow mass, allowing almost a clear view through it to what could be considered her spine. The portions that pooled towards the ground were darker pools that retained though color but though without the glow that seemed to permeate from her center.
Such brightness and flexibility contrasted perfectly with that of her companion slime that had gotten into a stare down with her birdbrain brother. A solid blob of a dark purple-blue substance that played a slowly changing colors around the mass of his body. Massive front arms given it the appearance of a hunchback contrasted strongly with a pair yellow-green hazy light that served as eyes. An ominous feeling seemed to radiate from staring for too long at his slowly shifting exterior.
This visual effect had been a cash shop item, in fact it had been one of the most expensive on the market when Herohero had been bought it.
Herohero fell so in love with that slow-moving shimmer that I don't think he could ever bring himself to destroy it. Or at least that is what Momonga thought as his friend left the duo behind in disgust.
I really should get a start on things soon. It's been almost an hour since Touch Me showed up. Even though he knew these thoughts to be true, Momonga still couldn't' bring himself to speed things up towards the end. Even though these talks weren't holding time still, it just felt easier to push it off
Besides since the business of the day was more ceremonial than anything else, it was easy enough to convince himself to just let his friends hang out in a loose semi-circle that had formed around the wall near the [Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown].
Momonga been sticking the closest to the staff once he got through with his greetings. His eyes crinkled with emotion as he stared out happily across the room. Content with just chiming in with a few comments here and there as duos and trios slowly changed around him. Never really joining in but never trying to hide. Merely basking in the return of his friends, and letting their conversations wash over him like a soothing balm.
Ainz Ooal Gown had been created under the idea of hard-working adults kicking back and relaxing among themselves. Adults that could understand each other's problems, and with that empathy offer advice or sympathy. It was Yamaiko that had helped to choose the school that Touch Me's daughters had went to. And judging by their dialogue, they were both very happy with how it turned out. The Nephilim had rejoined the game two weeks prior after a boring day at Yamaiko's school.
That or as an excuse to escape that one senpai crazed student she mentioned last week. Setsuko was it?
Yamaiko's race being a subset of giants caused her to tower over the world champion who was decked out in a simple full plate armor that revealed none of Touch Me's features. Not that Yamaiko's character was showing much outside her baggy bright yellow and black armor set. Her distinctive red gauntlets were in storage to hopefully help with room.
The two murky grey eyes occasionally appeared out from under her hat, and she waved over to him politely.
I wonder if she would have been as happy to see me if I'd used any of the wishes on her [Shooting Star Ring]
The large height of her character model was the only other indication of her race visible at a glance.
Touch Me's youngest daughter had apparently just completed her graduate degree, and ever noble, wished to invite Yamaiko to the graduation party for the part she had played. Yamaiko had responded yes with the same enthusiasm that had led to them dubbing her their muscle brained sensei.
Thousands of these stories had gone into the building of these halls, and thousands more had adorned them through these years. The guild members were first and foremost friends with each other in those days. Twelve years was a long time to know anyone, even though most of those here had quit for some time. But when you spend day after day, year after year in each other's company, some things are never truly lost.
Ulbert and Takemikazuchi were beyond an exemplary pair regarding this ideal. Today, just as hundreds of times before, they planned to go on a drinking outing after logging off. Momonga had participated in one of these outings when he had tagged along on a business trip to the city the two coworkers lived in.
Man, that evening is just a blur for me. Apparently according to Ulbert I swore to never let Touch Me have control of the guild again. Upon waking up the next morning, Satoru might have believed he imagined all those hazy shots he took were it not for the receipts in his coat.
A mad dash to the station and an awkward ride where he was sure everyone in the cabin could smell the booze on him later and it was like it never happened. I'm still surprised I caught that train.
The same dull full plate grey armor that enclosed Touch Me too hid Takamikazuchi's much larger frame from the rest of those assembled. At least everyone was limited to facial emojis already or else his lack of face would stand out even more.
Ulbert Alain Odle looked even more ostentatious in comparison. A grey-black pelt blended into the genteel evening wear that was accented with bursts of gold. Completing the look, a blood red cloak moved dramatically as its visual effects corresponded with certain movements. Which in turn were complemented by the golden claws of his hands. A paradox that mixed grace, violence, control, and savagery.
The archdemon had made sure to keep himself angling in front of Takamikazuchi's armor since he had teleported in the world. Using the blank canvas to further highlight his demonic style.
Knowing him that might be intentional.
The rest of those in attendance could be divided between two clusters on opposite sides of the table.
Bukubukuchagama had inserted herself as a referee for the series of animated debates that had broken out between Herohero and her brother about Whitebrim's latest issued chapter.
The heat of the argument was hard to notice by their profiles what with the too robotic, repeated motions that the friends could make at each other. Maximizing the creative liberty of the system at its development more than 12 years ago had resulted in drawbacks like this. Precise motions and inputs were needed for greater variety. The voice which came from the still beak of the white bird man with half brown wings alternated between a whining and righteous anger at the slime before him. Who, surprisingly enough, was responding in an equally emphatic manner.
I'm surprised Bukubukuchagama hasn't stepped in yet since Peroroncino has Herohero this riled up. This is the fourth time they've started up again now. Normally she's a bit more proactive in her distaste of her brother's ways.
Though Bukubuku and Peroroncino would appeal to him with a big bro Momonga, Satoru stayed above their squabbles usually. To them his opinion was just another way of trying to one up each other by having him judge the results. Momonga felt his dodging skill must be better than what he thought it was given the amount of times he had avoided becoming entangled.
In contrast to the heat of those three, Momonga enjoyed the stilted conversation that was going on between Tabula and Blue Planet the most, however. Watching two of the most passionate members of the guild try and make a conversation work about nature and horror work had devolved rather fast.
Filled with awkward pauses when either the Treant or Brain Eater lost a step in the conversation. At best they would talk about the sublime aspects of natural disasters, or some terrifying breed of animal that had vanished. Today was not one of those days though. Rather, Blue Planet seemed to want to talk about his new pet hamster, and Tabula being the understanding person he was, was busily quizzing him on all the ways he may have forgotten to protect Mio.
Blue Planet actually had a variety of character models that he could switch between. The Treant had combined his racial abilities with classes that primarily focused on increasing his race's natural abilities as a druid-tank hybrid. Resulting in him having the ability to shift between three preset transformations. Each had their own drawbacks and he tended to stay in his smallest form outside of combat.
Shivers ran down Momonga spine as he recalled the memory of a maniac voice gleefully explaining every detail how each needle was supposed to represent a different tree which had inspired each part of Blue Planet's body still haunted Momonga to this day.
Momonga had taken from that fateful encounter only two pieces of knowledge that Blue Planet might be in the running for scariest personality, and that the trunk of his design was apparently a conifer.
Outside of the naturalist orgasm that was the smattering of pines and leaves that served as his clothes, the look was rounded out with a shovel that may as well have been a part of the avatar which rested loosely in his left hand.
Eyes and a mouth had been carved or was it more accurate to stay eroded into the bark. Reflecting a passage of time that should not be measured in mere human years, but the infinite dance between the sun and the trees of the world.
Or did Blue Planet include rain when he explained it to me? It really has been a long time since we've talked about that… Good.
Sighing, he let the thoughts pass over him. Today wasn't a day to let old pains fester. Suddenly tired of watching the room, Momonga's attention was drawn back to the floating staff resting near him. Something that always brought a comfort to him when he had those thoughts.
As the guild weapon, the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown represented the power of Momonga and his friends dreams for this game. For experiencing everything together and crafting something that was possible only with the greatest of devotion. Momonga had grabbed it without really knowing why, wondering how the weight of the staff would feel in his real hands. The cool metal might be too much for him to bear under normal circumstances but now felt right.
Seven jewels sparkled with light, as though welcoming his hand. The action caused its visual effect to activate, a miasma of spirits caught in a silent scream poured from the jewels in the mouths of the snakes, shrouding the top of the overlord briefly until bending around the counters of his body to rest.
Such an unexpected dark show did not go unnoticed by the others in the room. Conversations dried up as they took in the little show. Maybe taking it as a que that Momonga wished to officially start the meeting, the nine assembled members made their way to their seats.
By the time Momonga had pulled himself out of his reverie, the rest of the room was already seated and looking at him with blank faces. Jolted into action Momonga knew that it was too embarrassed to tell them that he hadn't meant to do anything, and too shy to be the only one left standing. Instead he just joined them seated around the circle table. The staff lightly impacting the floor with a trail of zeros until his avatar was firmly in place before the eyes of the other monsters assembled before him.
Anything that Momonga thought he would say if he ever got this chance fled from his mind. Only the simple truth remained to be said.
"Umu, it would appear to be the time to call this final meeting to a start." Giving voice to those words made the dreadful reason that this occasion had been possible even more real to him. Momonga couldn't allow himself to stop there though, his friends deserved more.
"It would be dishonest of myself to say that I have not feared this day for so many years, but having you all here again makes it hard to regret anything that made this possible. Ainz Ooal Gown was always about friends exploring and enjoying this world together, and as Guild master, it was my joy to preserve this place so that it may be as you remembered it."
Speaking in front of an audience that was incapable of facial expressions was a weird feeling, having almost no way to determine how they were reacting as he talked. Still the few thumbs up or smiley faces some sent warmed his heart. Selecting the 'bow' emoji, Momonga finished his impromptu address.
"Therefore, there shall be no official business conducted today outside of this, and all items can be used for the remainder of the time before servers shut down. Please enjoy these final few hours and thank you for the great years."
The smattering of clapping and Touch Me reaching over to pat him on his shoulder made him feel like that he had done enough. It took a few minutes and then the return of the easy conversations from before they had taken their seats. The tension in his shoulders relaxed with the companionable chatter. It was with this comfort that he joined a conversation between Yamaiko, Tabula, and Touch Me about what moments had made them the most jealous of each other.
"That staff you got in your hands there is so OP man, like do you remember how powerful it was compared to the gear we had when we started grinding for it?" Tabula launched the first salvo that had brought him in. The Soul Eater pointing at Touch Me. "Only our resident [World Champion] had something that could compare."
"Eh, Tabula you know that I've never used this. Could you imagine the chaos off what would happen if I broke it? No, no. I don't think that this could be in the same category. Too big of a drawback."
"Momonga is correct. I could probably destroy if I was able to land two [World Break] on it. Which means we would be homeless in this game. Again. Were you around when we lost [Atlas]?" The full-plated warrior sighed. "Busiest week I ever had as Clan leader. Non-stop following up on leads that just kept going nowhere"
Thank you, Touch Me. The old fear of abusing his power had been one of his greatest worries, and sometimes he wondered what role he had in everyone leaving if those played a part.
"Maybe you got Tabula there, I think only Ulbert would be willing to argue him out of that hole."
Everyone at the table understood that Ulbert would only bother to do that, just to give him an excuse to join a side opposed to Touch Me. Striking a thinking pose he made some hmming noises as if contemplating the question before decisively shaking his head.
"Fine, fine. Point to you, Mr. Guild Leader man." Tabula didn't even look at the skeleton as his attention remained on Yamaiko, or more precisely her hand. "Momonga actually let you have that back? I still can't believe that you got the shooting star ring on your first try for it Yamaiko, I think everyone else in the guild was ready to die when it happened."
"You think I didn't notice Tabula? Most women have to worry about men staring at their chest, to have it at my jewelry instead is a rarer experience. I only took it off when I originally left the game for fear of someone stealing it."
"No, you'd never have anything to fear like that Yamaiko. We aren't one of those guilds that prey on its members."
"From you, maybe yes. It's so weird to see your character without the [World Champion Armor] on Touch Me, this is the first time I've seen you without it since you got the damn thing."
The Nephilim turned to face Momonga, and thought it was impossible to do in this game, he couldn't help but imagine her head tilting questioningly to him.
"Speaking of [Compliance with Law], do you still have it, or did you sell it to increase the gold supply? I imagine you could refurbish the entirety of the ninth floor if you had. Or is there another reason Touch finally got tired of equipping it?"
"Oh, uh, no. I know that you guys told me to sell your gear if I wanted, but I ended up being kind of a hoarder again. Which seems to have worked out this time."
Momonga left out the part that it would give a certain finality to them never returning, and that he could not bear to do such a thing. Time after time he found himself standing before those equipped statues in the [Mausoleum] with the intent to finally move some of the items out. His resolve never holding out long enough for a single piece of their equipment to leave Nazarick.
The expectant looks that the three others were giving him allowed Momonga to move onto the more pressing matter before him.
Damn, I knew I forgot something. Getting Takemikazuchi and Touch Me there stuff back didn't need to wait this long. The clear tapping sound of the staff on the floor again got the attention of those seated.
"Sorry for interrupting, however, I forgot to mention that the [Treasury] contains any items you might be missing, and now that we are getting closer to the shutdown time, we might want to do something as a sendoff?"
Seeing how quickly Ulbert rose up made Momonga think that he had been waiting for this moment. Not one to shun attention, Ulbert dramatically spread his arms to the seated people.
"We are villains, are we not" Barely waiting for a challenge to his statement, Ulbert pressed on. "The greatest this game has seen. Should we not then take our place at our Throne which none had forced us to give away? Though two of you seem a bit underdressed for the part." His eyes didn't need to move for them to sense whose focus he had shifted too.
Momonga could feel his hands clasp in his mind as he silently prayed that his little barb wouldn't start another fight as Touch Me rose from his chair to respond to his longtime rival
Please, please, please don't get into another argument! Please don't take the bait Touch Me.
And luckily for the panicking overlord he didn't, in fact shockingly he agreed with him! Perhaps Touch Me in his older age didn't have the energy or merely just wasn't quite as susceptible to being annoyed by the demon after such a long break. Either way, Momonga felt like collapsing in his chair with relief.
That was impossible really as everyone else began to rise, perhaps a desire to accomplish one final task before their fast approaching deadline.
Not surprising since not everyone had haunted this place like their own tomb in preparation for this last hurrah. So some splitting off would be expected and Momonga could just wait and collect himself in peace in the [Throne Room]
Sounds like a plan. He could use a break from acting like the boss. Deciding to walk it, he reached the door before things started to go wrong. Some indescribable horror had decided to stalk him, and with a breathy, quick voice shot out question after question.
"Had Momonga given any thought to if he wanted to reform the guild?" "How many floors he thought they could make the next base?" "Should they go for a more non-traditional color scheme? More subtle or in your face scares?"
Sometimes, Momonga wondered why he ever appreciated Tabula's commitment to roleplaying and utilizing every inch of a space. But now, as he wanted a few quiet moments to prepare himself to say goodbye, picking up an excited cthulhu puppy as a party member wasn't what he had in mind.
No amount of short answers or distractions could save him from this fate. Everything that even had a little chance of slowing down the barrage of question like adding on the Pleiades maids and Sebas in tow in a last-ditch effort to slow down Tabula's questions and distract him were tried.
None of it worked.
One Hour till Shutdown
If there was one solitary area of the Great Tomb of Nazarick that made Momonga both amazed and proud about how far he and his group of friends had managed to come in this game, it would have to be the [Throne Room].
[The Doors of Judgement] opening to the sweeping marble halls, ravished in gold, and every jewel that can be found of the earth. No luxury was spared as gold served to accentuate the true treasures of the room. The heraldry of the forty-one Supreme Beings escorting the visitors to the very seat of power of the whole guild.
Our own monument to everyone's hard work. And for Momonga, there was nothing more worthy of such reverence or a splendid tribute.
It would also give him something else today besides for these feelings as fate, or his companion's own nature, conspired to give him an easy out once they had entered the [Throne Room]. Beside the throne, stood an NPC who was in violation of one of the basic tenants within the guild. Two in fact, as NPC were not allowed to have a [World Item] and withdrawing a [World Item] from storage required the permission of at least himself given how few members where around anymore. Giving such a powerful item to your own NPC was even more taboo
Maybe embarrassment could do the trick to get some peace? Momonga couldn't tell, but he had a feeling that Tabula's eyes would be widening as he noticed the mistake he had left in the room.
Now to just slightly play up and this realization.
"Eh, is that what I think it is? Because I don't remember authorizing any [Word Items] to be withdrawn from the vault"
Momonga could hear the blush in his voice as Tabula responded in a low-muttering tone.
"Well I did always imagine her with it, I practically designed Albedo around both [Ginnungagap] and her abilities just worked so well with it. It seemed like such a shame to never complete her design with us being so close to the end that I couldn't help myself. Dammit know everyone else is going to know too. Wh-"
Success!
After trying to waive off his rambling, Momonga with a hard rap of the staff against the ground produced a clear crack that interrupted his tentacled friend.
"Its fine, I get it. Today's the last day so I won't tell the others you did something like that without permission. If they asked, I allowed it. Just try to be more aware in the future alright, or at least ask."
"Y-yeah, and, um, thanks for that Guild Leader. I, uh, won't do that again for at least two years."
Rolling his eyes at the cheekiness of the response, before feeling his attention brought back to Albedo due to her various other 'assets'. Momonga cleared his throat before asking something that would have his face blazing in embarrassment if it could.
"Umu, do you mind Tabula-san if I check out her with the staff? I'm curious about Albedo's settings"
I've forgotten so much about the different NPC's. I can barely even remember the Floor Guardians names anymore.
"Mmm? Oh yeah, no problem, go for it."
One thing instantly popped into his mind upon using the console command to open her settings.
Yep, this is Tabula's work alright. I think the only one who comes close to his solid wall of descriptions is Peroroncino, though for a different reason. Still don't know how he survived Bukubuku learning what he wrote for Shalltear.
Shuddering as Momonga remembered the screams of that day, he kept scrolling through line after line of character qualities and how his friend had formed the core of his NPC from an RP standpoint. These were essentially flavor texts that had some minor restrictions placed on them. To put in this much work for something that would only ever be able to be seen by a small amount of people really showed how dedicated Tabula had been to create a larger framework for his creations to exist in. Momonga was very impressed by the detail, at least, that was until he reached the last line.
'She is a slut.' Really Tabula, you too?! I have to deal with this enough with our resident bird person, not you too. Thinking over whether to bring it up or not, Momonga eventually decided that it might be better to try and nip one more argument in the bud. At least avoid making Peroroncino feel more justified in his perversions.
"Umu, I don't think this line is very appropriate Tabula. Your love of Gap Moe s is well documented, and that NPC design is up to their creator, but this might be taking it to far right? Shouldn't you have toned it down some, just think of all the trouble it could cause if certain members of the guild would learn about this little addition."
"Hmm?" Tabula came to stand next to him then read the line the lich pointed at before sending him a bashful emoticon before speaking.
"Oh, I had half thought that I just made that up in my mind later. You're right we could change it, else I might be sacrificed by a being that inspires more dread then the rest of us put together. But ending that passage there would just look to weird, and since you have offered your opinions so readily perhaps you can fill it in for me?"
"Ah, then as Guild Leader I have no choice but to take charge of my actions in requesting a member to change their NPC"
Momonga dramatically intoned before turning to face the open console before thinking about what to add in. Drawing a blank on what to replace it with, Momonga eventually decided to through caution to the wind and go full out on making himself look stupid in front of his friend. Typing in 'She is in love with Momonga' while chuckling, he moved his avatar, so his friend could see his handiwork before forcing out. "I-it is done"
"Yes, it is" Tabula managed to choke out in a mock-official voice before joining the other player.
"H-how embarrassing! I wouldn't be able to log in for a week if any of the others found out." Such was the way these two were with each other. Only Ulbert was in the same area as RPers as they were.
Momonga not being particularly good at scaring people or playing the part had relied heavily on Tabula to show him the ropes. Sighing he turned to face the empty hall.
"Ainz Ooal Gown has had a good run. I'm glad that I can share this moment with you guys"
"Me too, I didn't originally want to be here. It would have felt too much like a funeral. With the others here though" Tabula trailed off.
Nothing else needed to be said. They understood their shared fear well enough. For years, they had watched the number of people dwindle as they stayed as devoted as ever. Tabula could best understand that loneliness that Momonga felt, but even he had mostly been gone by the time the announcement happened.
They waited in silence only for a minute or two before the doors of the throne room were opened again by the two slime characters.
Hmm. I'm surprised that Bukubukuchagama is here without her brother, though Herohero being one of the first to come back makes sense. Perhaps I should ask? Momonga turned to face them.
Instead of having to make up his mind or finding a diplomatic way to satiate his curiosity, the pink blob had already begun onloading on them as soon as the doors had shut.
"Why on the last day does he insist that he needs to find every bikini or other inconvenient armor type to hoard? Why, why, why was I cursed with such an idiot brother?"
An easy way to tell when her brother had successfully irked her was her when she talked in her actual voice. "I'm sorry for his shameful behavior. I just had to leave though after he tried putting a bra on your creation, Momonga."
Placating the slime now could hopefully stave off a long rant that would just eat away at what little time they had left.
"Ah, what can you do though? They were just going to waste there anyways. Really, it's fine. Peroroncino is lucky to have such a dedicated older sister"
After several calming breaths during which Tabula and Momonga looked nervously at each other before Bukubukuchagama spoke again in one of her high-pitched voices that caused Momonga to shiver.
"Of course he's lucky Momonga-oniichan! Just because he's a lucky bastard however doesn't mean that I won't be showing him what happens when he embarrasses his sister"
That was an okay result Momonga supposed. Bukubukuchagama would win the award for scariest member of the guild when she got like this. Letting her simmer for a bit was better than trying to talk her down. No reason to take a bullet for the birdman just so he can take two more from making her friends have to defend Peroroncino's pervertedness.
Her mind works in mysterious, dangerous, and violent ways when she's not trying to tease us by acting like one of her characters.
Though her words had an unintended effect, as Herohero was shrinking away more than usual. Feeling the pair of eyes on him since the Herohero was slowly backing his way away from his counterpart.
Probably wanting to avoid being questioned in such a voice, Herohero produced what looked to be a regular maid's outfit, albeit missing some of the usual ornamentations.
"It was the first one Whitebrim made, I just couldn't leave it there hanging uselessly on the wall y'know."
The other slime sent out the eye roll emoji when the others turned towards her, acting like a bomb squad checking to see if they had accidently pulled the wrong wire.
"What are you looking at? I've even been asked to voice one of Whitebrim's characters. His art style is very good. An early work of his like that has more meaning than just making sure you can doll up your next 10-year-old NPC to match your disgusting fetishes."
Satisfied that they weren't in danger of the volcano in the room, they were content to just talk away the time as one by one the other members emerged from the great doors. The hall was massive, but the group of them by the stairs felt cozy. A warmth had spread from Momonga's stomach to the rest of him as eased himself in and out of conversations with his guildmates.
Until the fuse finally reached the explosive. Peroroncino had arrived.
A disturbingly familiar sweet voice greeted the birdman as the pink blob turned to face him. Mimicking that of Peroroncino's favorite new loli, Bukubukuchagama began her inquisition on a slightly less aggressive note than usual.
"Oh little pervert, you've got some explaining to do to big sister again. I hope you haven't forgotten those manners I've tried to teach you again."
This is one of those times we're I don't need to see a change in facial animations to know exactly what look is on Peroroncino's face.
He recoiled as if physically struck, before sputtering and if it were possible, he would have turned a deathly pale. Bukubukuchagama stalked towards him, shifting into her second form that was essentially a larger version of her base. Dwarfing the cowering pervert. Momonga could feel him desperately trying to think of a way to save his skin as he retreated until Peroroncino's back knocked on the door.
The contact seemed to snap him back into control of himself. As if it reset his brain so that he could remember his original plan.
"Hey, uh, we've only got like five minutes left. Why don't we look like the final boss and stand in front of the throne? It'd look so cool! Plus, we never did get to use this room for anything."
Peroroncino's words, suddenly made a lot more of his actions make sense, as he had barely arrived
five minutes before the server shutdown. Realizing that she had been played for time,
Bukubukuchagama merely sighed before agreeing that he wouldn't ruin everything. The noise of his back clinking off the column behind Peroroncino showed how badly he was shaking as his form was shifting back and forth a couple steps. Before angling himself to stand as far away as possible from his sister.
Surviving in the now didn't mean that future torments did not await, and Peroroncino didn't trust his sister to not want to get a head start.
But that is his problem. Momonga thought as he took his place on the throne while everyone else worked out an order for standing in front of the throne. Somewhere between an awkward high school shuffle and dramatic posing they settled in.
The arrangement working out to being two rows before the throne with Touch Me and Ulbert on his left and right, and Momonga relaxed into his chair. Shifting around trying to get every detail of the scene in front of him before sighing contentedly. These were his friends, and they had come back after all.
And who knows? Maybe when the game restarted, they could meet up again to have more moments like this. This felt closer to the end of a party then the funeral he had feared.
I can accept this, Momonga closed his eyes. It's been a blast Yggdrasil, see you again in a few years.
"All Hail Ainz Ooal Gown"
[11:56]
[11:57]
[11:58]
[11:59]
[00:00]
…
Before there existed this new world and the many worlds that preceded it,
Their existed forty and one beings that transcended realities united under one name.
These beings, supreme and heavenly wrested under their control a new dominion,
Created to be perfect in all aspects, a suitable home for their distinguished selves
Upon which they created Guardians, and many minions to protect their treasures.
As ages passed, most of them grew beyond even that world,
Until one remained, tending with His august self for a day that only His eyes could see,
And when He raised the call, Nine heeded His summons to return to the Great Tomb,
Fulling the prophecy of Nine's Own Goal, as foretold by the great Paladin of Silver Himself
So that the glory of His great name, and those who returned might be revealed.
-Testaments of the Supreme, Book of Ascendency 1:1-10
…
AN: Hey, hope you enjoyed the start.
As stated,this is my take on the multi in New World setting. It took me a while to figure out how many people I wanted and which guild members to include, while I didn't take a particularly radical approach to the inclusions I'm satisfied with the group as a whole. And hopefully you will enjoy their perspectives as well as their failures. Large group decision making dynamics, how plans can be foiled unintentionally, and the NPCs reacting to their creator antics are some of the things that I want to explore. I changed some things about the cannon end to Yggdrasil in order to make it more believable that so many would be willing or able to return.
I based appearances more of the drawings by So-Bin(the official artist for the LN) then the anime. If you haven't checked out his work, please do! Outside of the light novels he has a bunch of other really cool stuff. The only exception being Blue Planet. I thought that an Ent was an appropriate choice of race for such a nature obsessed man. Herohero, Bukubukuchagama, and him will have multiple forms they can change between is another idea that I'm working with. The announcement of Yggdrasil II and the various add on rewards serve the purpose of being able to vary some things in the new world as well as hopefully making it make sense why so many showed up. Similar things will happen at different points in the story. And if I decided that those who didn't delete their accounts were Momonga, Tabula, Herohero, and Blue Planet. I debated about adding him in for a while. As for why this chapter was so long for a prologue, I felt the need to cover some ground before shit hit the fan. I cut out a scene with Takemikazuchi and Touch Me for the sake of not wanting to overstretch the beginning, and I am deciding on whether I want to include honorifics, so you'll see them spread throughout.
Please review or send me a PM if you want to talk to me about anything so far or if you think of anything I should work on. Shoutout to Big Robot for helping me to bounce a few ideas off. And thank
you for reading. Until next time.
Speaking of which, the title is: Rerouting to New Server
-InkBlotches37