A/N: Thank you for reading and my lovely followers who have put up with me and my delay. And without further ado, the journey begins!
If you don't like, don't read, and don't comment? Lol, it takes zero dollars and effort to not say anything. Not calling anyone out, but you know who you are.
EDIT: Some things have been tweaked
Chapter 8 - Rendezvous?
"W-what?" A few voices full of confusion greeted Momonga as he stepped through the dark portal.
The scene before his eyes was the same of what he had seen earlier.
Two terrified girls were in front of him.
The one who looked like the elder sister had a braid of straw-blonde hair that reached down to her breasts. Her skin, healthily tanned from working in the sun, was now deathly pale from fear, and her dark eyes were wet with tears.
Momonga gazed coldly at the knight standing before the two girls.
Perhaps he was shocked by Momonga's sudden appearance, but the knight simply stared at Momonga, having apparently forgotten to swing the sword he was holding.
Momonga had grown up without knowing the touch of violence on his life. He did not think that the world in which he currently resided was a simulation, but the real thing, Even so, he did not feel the slightest bit of fear at the knight before him who held a sword.
This calmness allowed him to make a cold, cruel decision.
" [ Grasp Heart ]. "
Momonga reached out an empty hand and cast his spell.
A feeling of something soft crushing beneath Momonga's fingers traveled up his arm, and the knight collapsed silently to the ground.
Momonga looked down upon the fallen knight and then back onto his bony hands that are dripping with bright, crimson blood.
How terrifying.
He had just executed someone in the most inhumane way possible, and it did not faze him one bit. It would seem that even killing someone did not stir any emotions within him. There was no guilt, fear, or confusion in his heart. His state of mind was like the surface of a calm lake. How could this be?
It appears that in both body and mind, he was no longer human.
Momonga huffed once at the irony as he then walked past the two trembling girls. They were afraid, frightened by the horrible fate that has befall their enemy. And Momonga has to raise his nonexistent eyebrows at that. He had come to rescue them. However, they were very confused by Momonga's sudden appearance and actions. What could they be thinking?
Although he had his doubts, Momonga did not have time to worry about them. After verifying the wounds on the elder sister's back through her tattered old clothes, Momonga put the girls behind him and glared at a knight who had just emerged from a nearby house.
The knight saw Momonga as well and took a step back in fear.
Momonga scoffed as he took a step forward.
"What's wrong? You're all in it when it comes to chasing women and people with no weapons. But you can't even raise your hands to someone who could fight back? Raise your swords, you coward. Fight." Momonga said in an attempt to intimidate or provoke the trembling knight.
Apparently, it does both. A wonder what fear could do to people's resolve. When a person is afraid to die, they will do anything to stay alive, it seems. The knight took a moment to move, but when he does, he raised his sword and charged towards Momonga with a battle cry, despite it still sounding like he was going to pee his pants at any given moment.
Momonga did not know what other spells to use next, for his first spell was one of his favorite. So he raised his golden Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown as he then prepares for a direct confrontation. Perhaps when the knight was within a decent range and radius of him, Momonga could test out his debuffing spells that impair movements or have a stun effect. Or he could use one of his lower tiered spells. He wanted to test out how strong the inhabitants of this world are. And since his attack spells aren't as destructive, he could verify his own power.
However, before he could even do anything, a sound of something whizzed past the air. It flew right from behind him and past his ear, and Momonga raised his eyebrows as he began to feel a little bit cautious and alarmed. The object had struck something or someone, and the sound upon impact thundered out like a striking hammer, intensifying his worries. It was followed by two more of the same noise. However, upon seeing what exactly happened, a sense of ease then settled into Momonga's heart.
The knight has a bolt of arrow surrounded by a surge of electricity lodged in his throat as he gurgled, choking on his own blood. It was a very precise shot that went straight through the center of the man's throat. It was almost perfect, worthy of being captured and recorded in the world's record book. The one exception that made it imperfect was the part where the man dies and the sound of him slowly dying spread throughout the vicinity, accompanied by the crackling sound of lightning.
Another arrow was embedded in the knight's chest armor, blood was leaking from that spot as well as it drips onto the ground beneath him. And one other arrow were seen stuck in between the man's abdomen. The arrows shot has formed a line pattern going across the man's body, pinning him to a trunk of a tree. It was a beautiful and seemingly well-planned execution.
"...Don't touch him, salope." A voice spatted out venomously.
Momonga smiled as the owner of the voice stepped through the portal.
In his full glory, Peroroncino majestically and gracefully made his appearance known as he proudly spans his wings out in a display of his power. His golden mask glowed brightly under the sun as he carries himself through the field like a war general. And he held his golden-copper bow by his side like a symbol of his greatness with pride.
"...That's too close for comfort! Don't scare me like that!"
"I could've handled myself, you mother hen."
"I know. But still! He can't just come at you like that. The great Peroroncino is here, rest assured! No harm will ever befall your lovely body, mon chéri!"
"...Hah. So I take it you three have sorted it out among yourselves?"
"Yup. The goat's staying back."
Momonga chuckled with amusement, raising his nonexistent eyebrows at that statement. "Him? Staying back? That doesn't sound like him. He must've protested to it strongly?"
"Mon Dieu, yes! He kept nagging and nagging and nagging. But then our beloved alchemist, being the mature person he was, sorted it out for us." Peroroncino said, shaking his head with a chuckle of his own. Then, he crossed his arms together in front of his chest as he then stared amusingly at the skeleton. "Besides, he always gets to do things with you. I can't believe you two went on a date together yesterday and didn't invite me."
"...Well, he said you were 'busy'. He didn't tell me what you were doing, though." Momonga said, rolling his eyes at the avian with a smile. "What kept you away from stargazing with us? Are you that busy?"
"O-oh, yeah! I-I was busy. I was so busy that I didn't get to hear what he was saying."
"What were you doing?"
"T-things."
Momonga snorted, shaking his head as he then decides to drop the subject. They came here to save people, not to have a casual chit chat. A metallic smell permeated the air as Momonga brought his gaze down onto the fallen knight who was pierced by Peroroncino's three bolts of arrows.
From the looks of it, Peroroncino had shot the man in his stomach first, then slowly making his way up. The man shouldn't have died just by an arrow to the stomach. It was probably penetrated really deep in to cause an instant death, or it is because of the second bolt of arrow connected to the middle of the man's chest. By the looks of it, that one has gone in deep enough to make a mortal wound, but if the man's armor was really impressive, then he couldn't have possibly died by that. Or could he?
The arrow to the throat was an instant death factor, yes. But Momonga wondered, did the man actually come close to dying or have already died before that?
"Earlier, what skill did you use?" Asked Momonga as he inspects the fallen form of the knight.
" [ Arrow of Electricity ]. It's tier three, by the way."
"Hah. So weak. He died by a mere tier three skill?"
"I didn't know how strong the people of this world was. So I decided to be cautious and use low-tiered skills as much as possible. I was starting to worry that it might not be enough. But apparently, my worries was for nothing." Peroroncino said, letting out a short laugh of disbelief and relief at the same time. "He actually comes close to dying the moment I shot my first arrow. But I don't want to risk it. So I went ahead with the other two arrows."
Momonga nodded, pleased at the discovery of this new information. Now that he knew the knights were weak enough to be finished off by third-tier skills, Momonga's tension vanished in an instant. Of course, it could be that these two knights were especially weak among their kind, but still, it was a great relief. However, the plan to retreat with magic had not changed.
These knights might be focused on offense. In Yggdrasil, a blow to the neck counted as a critical hit and dealt extra damage, but in the real world, it might well be fatal. And it is. Instead of relaxing, Momonga raised his guard. It would be too foolish to die because he was careless. Plus, his carelessness might cause his friend his life as well. So, he ought to continue testing his powers.
"—[ Create Mid-Tier Undead, Death Knight ]."
"Awww! Death Knight-chan is going to be summoned? Yay!" Peroroncino said with a small laugh. That particular summon has managed to save his own life a couple of times before. And at this unknown place, the monster could prove to be quite useful, since it has two special abilities.
One of them was the ability to draw away enemy attacks. The other was that just once, they could survive any attack with 1 HP. Momonga told him that he liked using Death Knights as shields because of these two skills.
This time round, the skeleton was also looking forward to using the Death Knight in a similar way.
A cloud of black fog appeared. The cloud headed straight for the body of the knight whose heart had been crushed and then enveloped it. The mist slowly expanded, and melded with the knight's body. After that, the knight wobbled before slowly rising to its feet like a zombie.
"Eeeeek!" Screeched the two girls. But Momonga and Peroroncino paid no attention to them, as they both were surprised by what they were currently seeing.
"...This is... bizarre." Peroroncino said, cringing a little at the metamorphosis occurring right in front of him.
With a wet, dripping sound, several rills of black ichor oozed out from between the gaps in the knight's helmet. It must have come from the knight's mouth.
The black fluid flowed out without end, until it covered the knight's entire body. It looked like a human being that had been swallowed by a slime. Completely surrounded by the black liquid, the knight's body began to twist and change. After several seconds, the black liquid fell off the body of what was now a Death Knight.
"Interesting." Momonga voiced his thoughts out loud. Much like he had with the Primal Fire Elemental and Moonlight Wolves he had summoned, Momonga used the mental bond with his summoned monster and pointed to the corpse of the knight who had been slain by Peroroncino's lightning arrows. "Exterminate the knights who are attacking the village."
"OOOOOOOAAAAHHHHHHH!" it roared. So mighty was its cry that it shook the air, and it was so filled with bloodlust that everyone who heard it broke out in goosebumps.
The Death Knight ran, fast as lightning. The way it charged forward without hesitation was like a hunting hound that had scented its quarry. The undead's hatred for the living made it sensitive to the prey that it would soon slaughter.
As the Death Knight's silhouette shrank into the distance, Momonga was keenly aware of a difference between this new world and Yggdrasil.
The stark difference was... the concept of "independence".
Originally, the Death Knight should have stayed by its summoner's side to await his orders and attack any enemies which approached. Yet, it had disregarded that order and launched an attack of its own accord. This difference might be a fatal vulnerability in an unknown situation like this one.
At a loss for words, Momonga scratched his head and sighed.
"...Well, that kinda defeats the purpose of a defensive monster, isn't it? But whatever, I guess. I told it to do that, after all."
Although he could make quite a few more Death Knights, it was best to conserve limited-use abilities while he was not sure of the enemy and the situation. Still, Momonga was a back-line mage. Without a front-liner to run interference for him, he was practically naked.
"Hahaha! Look at him go!" Peroroncino laughed as the creature disappeared from sight, running off to the village's direction. "You should've seen your face when he ran off. It was hilarious!" The archer said gleefully.
"It was?" Momonga said, feeling suddenly insecure. He thought skeletons couldn't convey expressions or emotions! What have his face been doing this entire time?!
"Yeah. It was certainly 'jaw dropping'." Peroroncino said, shoulders trembling as he felt a laughing coming up.
"Ohhhh." Momonga said blankly, feeling like someone had slapped him across the face. He loved Peroroncino and his antics that never fail to make him smile, but that pun was just... He sighed internally. But he can't help the chuckle that escaped him despite it not being funny. Good ole Pero.
"Yeah, 'ohhhhh'." Peroroncino snickered, crossing his arms in front of his chest with amusement.
"Psch. Whatever. I'm glad I tickled your 'funny bones'." Momonga said deadpanned.
"I-Is that a skeleton joke? Bwahaha!"
"Hehehe. Alright, Pero. Since you're here, would you mind surveying around the perimeter? Since you're still a rogue, you should have [ Sense Enemy ], right?" Momonga asked, hoping that the avian would cooperate for the time being.
The archer must have wanted to stay by his side, but better safe than sorry, right? If the enemy was around, and they only happen to see Momonga, then his friend wouldn't be put in immediate danger. Plus, if something happens, then Peroroncino would be able to help out or report the situation to Ulbert since he's quick on his feet.
"...Yes. You'll be ok, right?"
"Mhmm. Don't worry about me. If something happens, even to me, report it back immediately. If you can handle it, then try to keep noises down to a minimum. We don't want to alert our enemies."
"...Got it. Then, be safe, alright? It ain't a request."
Without another word, the avian stretched and spans his wings out widely. And with a few flaps of his wings, Peroroncino then took to the sky with a whoosh. The avian's armor and equipment that was covered by a metallic surface gleamed brightly as he flew up high, and it looked very beautiful. Like an angel soaring at the heavens above.
"I-Is that an angel?" Asked the smaller one of the two sisters, voice shaky but full of curiosity and wonder.
Momonga had a silent smirk as he contemplates on whether or not to reply to that query with: "No, it's a really big bird" in a sarcastic voice.
"I d-don't know, Nemu." Said the elder sister, eyes not leaving the sky, even though the form of the archer is already gone.
Momonga trusts that Peroroncino will have his back. Now, he might be half-listening and half-not when he was using the mirror earlier, but Peroroncino was right when he called himself Momonga's eyes and ears. Nothing escapes his vision once he's in his natural habitat: The sky. Even before Yggdrasil turned into this reality, Peroroncino was already like a true bird of prey. His hawk-like eyesight made him a great sniper, and he could see things even kilometers away.
Still, it'd be nice if there was someone here acting as his shield. He wished that tanky individual like Fang, Leviathan, and Bukubukuchagama was here. Their presence would make him feeling more at ease and make his life easier.
"Apologies for the delay, guild leader." A smooth and familiar voice said.
Momonga smiled and turned around as the figure cloaked in a lustrous looking cape and clad in complicated looking high-heels stepped through the portal with a bow of his head. Momonga waved his hand in front of his face, dismissing the statement as he moved past the two small girls, closing the distance between himself and the figure that are now fully visible.
"You made it."
"I always make time for you, guild leader. And besides, I suggested the idea. So it made more sense if I myself came, doesn't it?"
"Yes. Ha. So he really did stay behind, eh?"
"Yes. Yes he did. He would not stop complaining. So I came as quick as I could. He's watching us right now, but I don't care." Tabula chuckled. He really wanted to flip the bird at the person who is currently watching them. But doing so at the air would seem quite... idiotic. So he held himself back as he then looked around him, noticing that a certain someone was not with Momonga at the moment. "Where's our 'beloved' archer? I thought he came here before I did."
"He was here. But he went off to do a bit of reconnaissance."
Tabula 'hmmed' for a moment as he took his chin in his hand. "Reconnaissance? By himself? Are you sure he'll be alright? Why didn't he wait until I arrived?" The alchemist asked with a bit of concern. Sure, that was what Tabula has planned out for him in the first place. There are plenty of things that Peroroncino can do in order to defend himself or to avoid a direct confrontation, and his strength and power are unquestionable. But he doesn't know this world or what lurks behind every corner or shadow, and why couldn't he waited for him?
Momonga laughed for a moment before nodding his head. "Don't worry, Tabula. I know it's his first time, but I trust him. Besides, what a better way to learn than this? He spent enough time with Nishiki. So I'm pretty sure that nothing will escape his eyes. And he definitely won't be discovered if things went South."
"...That's true. He's still a rogue, isn't he? Yes. Wonderful. Then, what is the situation like here?"
"I'm not sure yet..." Momonga said, stroking his chin for a moment before remembering the pair of sisters that were attacked by the knights. He looked down, and was greeted by faces that were filled with immediate fear upon realizing that he was now looking at them. What the shit? Why are they still so scared? Momonga thought. If he wanted to kill them, he would have done so ages ago. Why are they so frightened? Did he eat their parents or something?
Tabula followed Momonga's gaze as he then let out a small 'Ah' of acknowledgment. The girl with blond hair was that one girl that got slashed in the back earlier. Speaking of which, Tabula now saw the streak of crimson that is forming on the ground behind the girl. "Girl. State your name."
"Ah! A-Ah, m-my name is Enri E-Emmott. Please don't kill us!"
"If you keep talking to us like that, maybe we will." Tabula said coldly and without hesitation as he glares at the girl named Enri.
"I-I'm so sorry!" She squeaked, hugging her sister close to her.
"Alright. Settle down." Said Tabula with another sigh. "You are wounded. Turn around. Let me see your back. Does it hurt?" The alchemist then said with a doctor-like tone as he then swirled his index finger in a circular motion, indicating that the girl should follow his instructions.
"O-Ok." The girl, Enri, said in a meek voice as she quickly complied with the command. "I-It hurts."
Momonga cringed a little at the looks of the wound. It was not a cut deep enough to cause intense blood loss, but it was deep enough to severe muscle tissues. Judging by looks alone, he could say that the cut was about three centimeters deep.
"If you do not get this treated, the wound will be infected and you will probably die of infection." Tabula said after examining the wound. If his hunch was right, this wound is minor and are extremely easy to cure with a Minor Healing Potion. He happened to have some with him, and it was personally crafted by Tabula himself.
Reaching into that inventory place in a space of void, Tabula grabbed his finished concoction as he then told the girl to turn around. "Here, drink this." Said Tabula with a calm voice like how one would sound like when trying to pacify a frightened animal.
The reason for Tabula being so nice was because he wanted to test the effect of his potions. Did he get everything right? Will it actually heal people? Or would it have the opposite effect? If he ended up succeeding in creating his potion, but they are poisonous, then he will have to do something to fix that.
He didn't have any test subjects that would give him the best results and data in the Tomb of Nazarick, since every single being in there is all inhuman. And creatures summoned by him or Ulbert or anyone else will just be monsters or grotesque species. So, no. Not a very wide range of audience or experimentation subjects for him to... test his potions on. And of course, he would never ask his friends to try it for him. Momonga will be very mad if Peroroncino or Ulbert dies of—was it alcohol or food?—poisoning.
This girl will be the first one to test out his concoction.
"Drink. It's not poison." Tabula said, urging the girl to drink it when she hesitates a little. The little sister was looking at him with very curious eyes, despite it having a bit of fear in him. Perhaps Tabula's appearance wasn't as scary as Momonga's. The alchemist chuckled internally at that.
"...O-Ok." Enri said, gingerly taking the potion away from Tabula's grasp as she uncorks the cap, taking an immediate gulp of the red liquid down her throat. Her eyes went wide and she gulped the potion down. After that, a look of surprise filled her face. "No way…" She touched her back, then wiggled her body in disbelief and patted the spot where the wound was in wonder.
"See, is that so hard?" Tabula said with a small chuckle of delight. Success! Tabula cheered silently in his mind.
Though, he found if slightly amusing to imagine the scenario when his concoction failed. What would happen then? Would they die? Or some other side effect, he wondered. But that's an experiment for another day.
"You made that, didn't you?" Momonga said with an amused voice as he watches his friend's inner emotions being expressed through his eyes.
"Mhmm. How did you know?" Tabula said, chuckling at the overlord's tone of voice.
"Only a perfectionist like you would put the lowest class of health potion in such a fancy bottle." Said Momonga, staring at the stark difference between a regular low-class health potion versus Tabula's own creation.
"Hahaha. You know me so well, guild leader." Tabula replied, eyes smiling as he has to agree with that statement.
"T-thank you f-for your kindness!" Enri said, as she and her sister bowed their heads to the alchemist.
Tabula raised an eyebrow at the elder sister as he scoffed for a moment, before shaking his head. "Do not thank me. Thank my leader. If not for him, I wouldn't be here." The brain eater said, voice filled with disinterest as he fiddles with another small bottle of health potion in his webbed hand.
The two girls then scrambled in their spots as they turned their attention to Momonga. They had a look of fear on their faces as they redirect their gazes at the ground instead of looking at the skeleton. They must be afraid of Momonga's ghastly appearance.
Tabula frowned deeply at that.
"Girl. Look at someone when you are speaking to them." He said in a reprimanding voice, feeling very disapproving of their disrespectful behavior. "That is proper etiquette, is it not?"
"I-I'm sorry! I'm really s-sorry! And t-thank you so much, for s-saving us!" Enri said, finally looking directly at Momonga for a few seconds before bowing her head down to him, her sister following suit.
Tabula seemed pleased at that, and he nodded his head in temporary approval.
"Do not be afraid. We only wished to help..." Said the skeleton, holding his hand up. Help ourselves. Momonga internally added. "Well then, it is dangerous to go back there right now. So stay here."
"I-is it alright if we do?" Enri tentatively asked with an unsure look on her face.
Momonga chuckled a little. "It will be fine... Do you know what magic is?"
Enri nodded. "Yes, yes I do. The alchemist who comes by our village… my friend, knows how to use magic."
"...Is that so. Well, that makes things easy to explain. I am a magic caster." Momonga then looked to Tabula, then he pointed a finger towards his direction. "And so is my friend. Do not worry, I have a plan in mind. [ Anti-Life Cocoon ] , [ Wall of Protection From Arrows ]. " Said Momonga as he casts his spells.
Tabula stared curiously at Momonga.
These spells... though it was effective as a defense mechanism against assassins, unseen threats, or direct confrontations, it will prove useless if the enemy, by any chance, was over level sixty. But then again, Momonga didn't really want to save them in the first place. So this must be enough in the skeleton's own opinion.
But if he was going to save them, why not go all the way?
"I have cast a defensive spell that keeps living creatures from coming near you, as well as a spell that weakens the effectiveness of shooting attacks. As long as you stay here, you should be safe. Ah, just in case, I will give you these as well." Momonga said.
Tabula then internally went 'Ah' when Momonga has drawn out an item with the shape of a horn, tossing them to the pair of sisters. He has to snicker a little, though, at the very particular choice of the item that Momonga have granted to the girls.
"These are called the Horns of the Goblin General. If you blow them, Goblins—in other words, small monsters—will appear. Order them to protect you."
Those items are trash. Tabula knew that was the very reason why he has tossed them away. The girls were just an excuse for Momonga to say that he didn't discard them for no reason. The skeleton was a hoarder, and he didn't like using things very much. However, if he didn't need something, he will either throw it away or just stash it at some place, forever untouched.
Tabula almost laughed at Momonga's sneakiness. The girls are unaware of that, but he knew. And the knowledge couldn't keep itself away from his mind, and he had a hidden smile on his face.
Momonga smiled, feeling quite smart for being able to put this unneeded item to good use. A good point about this item was that the summoned Goblins would linger until they were killed instead of vanishing after a while. That could at least buy the girls some time. So his efforts won't be wasted.
"Shall we inspect the village now?" Tabula asked, tilting his head in the direction of the village.
"Yes. Let's go."
"W-Wait!" Enri spoke out as the pair of magic caster turned to leave the scene. "Thank you, truly, for saving us!"
"Thank you!" The little sister then said with a small blush.
Those words stopped Momonga and Tabula in their tracks, and when they turned around, they saw the two girls, their eyes brimming with tears as they thanked Momonga and the alchemist.
"Think nothing of it. We are on the way to your village, and you happen to be in the way and in need of help." Momonga said, nodding affirmatively at the two girls.
"And, and this may be thick-skinned of us, b-but you are the only one we can count on. Please! Please save our parents!"
Tabula sighed internally. He knew it. This is what happened when you come out and save someone. They're going to start relying on you like you're some kind of freelance savior. It was such a bother. But, oh well. What can they do? They have already come out all this way. And saving whoever they can was the purpose of this trip, was it not?
"Assuming they're alive, then we might." Tabula said, reassuring the two girls as their faces lit up. The sisters' eyes went wide as they heard Tabula's words. Their faces reflected the disbelief in their hearts, but soon they came to their senses and lowered their heads in thanks.
"Th-thank you! Thank you very much! And, and, may we know…" The girl's voice trailed off, and then she asked in a mumble. "May we know your names...? The names of our saviors?"
Tabula paused as he glanced at his friend.
What will happen if they gave out their names so publicly? If some hidden enemies were around, listening to them, speaking out their names would be a huge mistake. What will Momonga say? The truth? Of course, he could just lie. But Tabula will leave this up to their guild leader. He trusts his decisions and will stay with it until the end, even if their names were given out.
Momonga almost responded to the question by reflex, but in the end, he did not state his name nor the name of his friend. There were a few reasons why he did not do so. But then... what should he say?
His name was Momonga. The guild leader of the great guild of Ainz Ooal Gown.
The skeleton glanced at the person standing next to him, and said person tilts his head as he looked at Momonga curiously.
His name was Tabula Smaragdina. He is also a part of Ainz Ooal Gown. The perfectionist who refuses to use a damn tome because of his pride.
Ulbert Alain Odle. Forever one of their most powerful and loyal member. A secret tsundere, but of course, he wouldn't admit that.
Peroroncino. A showoff... but dependable and faithful to his own guild. The guy's a damn pervert, but he has a sincere heart of gold.
And his other friends... They might not be here today. But their spirits and memories are, aren't they? The very relic that he held in his hands is the reminder of that, isn't it? This is what makes the guild of Ainz Ooal Gown itself, isn't it?
They're all a part of Ainz Ooal Gown, are they not? And they're not ashamed to call themselves that, either. Even when they go down dying, the name of their beloved guild will never falter from their lips.
Not all of them are together, but some of them are here right now, in the new world.
He was not alone. They are here, as one with him.
...Perhaps...
Perhaps... Just maybe...
"...We are Ainz Ooal Gown. You shall remember who we are, and make sure you do not forget our name."
Peroroncino clutched his chest and heaved out a heavy sigh as the winds above brushed past his hair and wings.
"Damn it, Momonga."
He still feels his heart pounding from when he got to the Gate and saw his guild leader stood there as a dude with a sword charged at him. In pure reflex and with a bit of anger, he sniped down the bastard where he stood. And he doesn't want to admit it, but it felt good seeing the man choke in his own blood. There was a sense of satisfaction and pride that surged within him at that moment. And though he doesn't quite understand why, it didn't scare him as much as he thought it would.
His heart was still pounding, for some reason. It was especially stronger when he was in the other's presence. And he beat his chest a couple of times, attempting to quiet it down as he then sighed out with a shaky breath. This was not the first time that he has encounter his friend, so why does it feel so... different? He cannot explain it. And he frowned, feeling agitated.
"Be still, my beating heart." Peroroncino said softly, but still scolding himself a little bit as he then looked around and under him. His passive was activated as he scoped out his vicinity. There was no one in the sky, of course. Unless they know how to fly like him. But he should still look, nonetheless. This was his first time going out to do a scouting mission, and Momonga and his friends' safety depended whether or not he is doing good in his job. So he can't goof or slack around. Not today.
The sky was... refreshing to see. He can't believe that this was real, sometimes. He has left his life from the other side behind, and with that, a whole new world has opened up to him. Peroroncino is seeing a lot of new things that he would never have seen IRL if he was never stuck in this situation. There were clouds, birds flying, and the sky itself with the sun shining so brightly from above. You can't see that over there. All these is gray sky and clouds of pollution.
Ah.
The wind smells good. Fresh and pure.
He can't help but feel a little bit wistful and sad, as the memory of his old life brought back the face of a particular person into his mind.
"Sister..."
He wonders where she is. Would she miss him? Or is she still continuing on with her new career? Did she have a boyfriend or a girlfriend yet? It's been a while since he's been updated with her whereabouts.
He snickers a little.
Well, now that she have changed her job, he would never have to hear her voice in an H-game ever again. But then... He let out a mournful sob at that. No more H-games for him, now that he's staying in this life. How horrible!
But that's that. Peroroncino shook his head as his wings took him forward. This is not the time to get distracted.
His eyes scanned the forest below, and he has confirmed that his was quite a sizable place. It was big. An ambush could happen just about anywhere. And who knows what type of enemy could be hidden within these gigantic trees? He has to be careful. And using his class spell that would make him invisible, he flew himself closer to the top of the trees.
This would let him see more what could be underneath, and at the same time, if someone tries to shoot him down, given that they could see past his camouflage, then he could still get a big enough distance and time to dodge the incoming projectiles.
There was a different smell permeating the air. It was very old and faint, but he could still sense it. Peroroncino followed the trail of the scent, and it resulted in him stopping above a patch of great trees. It was below. He would have to descend down from the sky in order to inspect what was going on.
There was no enemy below him. He could tell. And plus, [ Detect Enemy ] was on.
He thinks that it is safe for now, to come down just for a few moments. He must know what this scent of smoke and ashes are. The forest did not burn, that was for sure. So why was those particular scent lingering around?
Peroroncino withdrew his bow as his feet landed on the ground, and swiftly, he rolled himself to duck behind a bush, just in case somebody heard him.
The archer waited for ten seconds for a sign of some lifeforms. Anything. Even the briefest rustling of the leaves, or the sound of someone else's breathing other than his own. But there was none. So with that, he rose from behind the bush as he then inspects his surroundings.
He widens his eyes in surprise.
There was a patch of rocks shaped in a circle to resemble a campfire. It didn't look too bad, either. Whoever done this must have had some experience beforehand. Peroroncino kneels down on the ground as he then took a closer look at the campfire. This was probably what the smell of the smoke and ashes were. There was still the slightest trace of ember left behind, so the fire was extinguished not too long ago. But that was probably not true. His sense of smell was sharper than usual, so he couldn't really rely on that fact just yet.
Peroroncino looked at the rest of the place, and he has just now noticed that two small wooden logs were placed on the sides of the campfire, standing up straight, like it was a support for something. And upon looking at another place, he found two discarded wooden sticks and stood up to pick them up.
Somewhere in his mind, a voice screamed to him that this was disgusting. But he ignored it as he took a whiff of them. This was... not really necessary, but it is at the same time. The two feelings canceled each other out as he continued on with his inspection.
Thyme. Garlic. Pepper. Salt.
Sniff sniff.
A little bit of basil. Onions.
Whoever made this sure knows their stuff.
He took another whiff, feeling slightly hungry. Maybe he could identify what the food was. Upon looking at the instruments used, it should be some kind of steak. And it was definitely beef or pork, he was sure of it.
Sniff sniff.
...Well, that was kind of a useless thought. How the fuck was he supposed to be able to identify a piece of food based on just scent alone? He laughed at himself for his silliness and discarded the two sticks aside.
Just then, a sight caught his eyes as he turned his body around so that he could walk towards it.
Two very odd looking white sticks.
Upon a closer inspection, it reminded him of Momonga for some reason...
"AH! Bones!" Peroroncino said in a realization. He then picked the two up as well and inspects the two leftover bones. Picked clean. Those who ate these were probably really hungry. Probably two dudes, but if the person who ate this have his sister's appetite, then girls are a possibility too. Heh. The thoughts of beautiful girls ravenously consuming food sent a shock of excitement to his spine. But then he waved the thoughts away.
"Heheheheh. Momo-chan will scold me if I slack off on my job!"
Back to the bones.
It looked so familiar, he swears. But this doesn't tell him anything either. He wasn't a bone expert, unlike Fang and Tabula. Why, he doesn't know. But one thing for sure, he cannot waste any more time lingering here. Whoever stopped here last probably didn't go too far yet. And something tells him that he should find out who they are.
Activating his camouflage again, he took off to the sky.
Peroroncino once again scanned his surrounding. Again, nothing but the clouds and the sky here. Feeling that it was safe to proceed, Peroroncino continued on forward. Until he saw a big trail of smoke in the distance.
That wasn't where Momonga was. And with slight caution and curiosity, he flew closer to where the smoke was coming from. And as he flew, the forest ended, and it took him to a clearing with a destroyed and burned down village.
"Wow. That's rough!" Peroroncino said, feeling pity at the sorry state of this village. No one was here anymore. Its only inhabitants were the cinder and ashes, accompanied by the partial remains of what was supposed to be houses. It's such a pity. This could have been a good place to live.
But then, probably not. There were monsters and creatures alike residing in the forest near them, wasn't there? Or if the enemy managed to make a good site in the confines of the trees, then that would be just as bad. It's better if you were completely exposed. It means you're more likely to see the enemies coming. So even if you can't fight back, you have time to run. Having part of the forest in front or behind you will guarantee a potential ambush from humans and monsters alike.
Whoever decided that this was a good place to place a village in, they were really dumb.
Peroroncino sighed, landing atop of a roof of a house that somehow survived through the catastrophe. Barely. His wings flapped a few times, appreciating the small break from the constant activity. And he looked around him as the scent of ash and dust filled his nose.
"...Haa... I thought I'd find something new. Turns out just an abandoned place." Peroroncino said, feeling slightly disappointed at his discovery.
Well, it's something new alright. But it seems that he came a bit too late to find out who could have inhabited this place. This happened not too long ago. By the trail of the smoke and the faint touch of burning ember, this was... say, no longer than two or three hours prior. How suspicious. And it happened not too far away from the place where Momonga was at. It took him about thirteen minutes on wings to make it here. Though it might take longer on foot, whatever wreck havoc here were definitely making its way to that village his friends was in judging by the trails of the wreckage. He must go back and warn them. Something, or someone, came through here, and they did this.
His ears then picked up something. And with a hurried pace, he did a somersault and back-flipped himself off of the building, landing gracefully on the ground as he then hid himself behind the wreckage.
There was someone.
He listens closer. There were sounds of multiple footsteps, but one sounds... sloppy. It almost made him cringe a little bit. Like when you hear someone say the word 'moist'. The sound accompanying whoever it was sounded exactly like that word; 'moist'.
He readies his bow. And with his invisibility still on, Peroroncino carefully moved out from behind an open window, quickly drawing back the strings of his bow as he then held his breath. His heart pounded in his ears as his eyes moved itself to find his targets. His fingers tightens itself, ready to give his enemies their rightful judgment if they prove to be threatening.
It was terrifying, yet exhilarating at the same time.
Two figures entered his radius of vision.
Peroroncino activated his lightning arrows.
If these two were stronger than the previous knights, or if they have resistances to lightning attacks, then they'll be fine. But it will definitely stun them. And that's good. He wanted to see who they are before he either captures or kill them.
His enemies drew closer, and he could make out the shapes of the two figures.
His grip on the arrow tightens.
These two looked very strong and dangerous. Judging by the shape of their figure alone. One was large and bulky looking, due to their armor, probably. Peroroncino think that it might take some effort to finish off that one. And the other was... unidentifiable. He couldn't find any words to describe that other figure at all. And this leads him to be a little bit more cautious and careful in his approach. He could just attack them on sight, but there's no guarantee that he would come out the victor. Or perhaps he might. He has his full armor and items equipped, and if he planned his moves right, nothing can survive his sniping skills.
His avian sense of hearing was tickled as his ears picked up a few sounds.
"...so sad!"
"...I don't think there's anything we could have done, we slept in."
"Hahaha. You're right. But... I wished we could have done something. It was so close!"
Female voices.
It's faint. But he could tell that they belonged to two beautiful ladies.
Now, Peroroncino usually would have immediately drop his guard upon hearing such lovely voices. But his survival instinct and his duty to keep his friends safe activates itself, and he was feeling more alarmed than ever. He is now ready to kill, now that he has confirmed that there are indeed people here.
Peroroncino decided to not act just yet, though, and listens more into the very faint conversation of the two females.
"I'm hungry..."
"Unless you want coals for breakfast, I don't think we can find anything here..."
"Uwa..."
"Yama-chan! It's going to be alright! Don't cry! I promise I will find you some food! Just hold my hands and walk to the sunset?"
"...No."
"Awww!"
The avian couldn't really make out most of the words they were saying, but as they got closer, his ears picked up a certain phrase.
Yama-chan? Peroroncino thought with a frown and narrowed eyes. That sounded way too familiar for his comfort. What irks him is that it while it really was familiar to him, but he could not tell when or where he have heard such a name before. Or was that just a nickname?
Peroroncino's eyes could now scope out the general appearance of the two females.
He could make out a small bit of what appears to be... something bulky. The first female was seemed to be covered from head to toe with armor.
Ready for combat, it seems.
Tch.
He's prepared, too. His bow is ready and his arrow just on the verge of releasing itself out of his death-like grip. The bolt of arrow sizzled with lightning, ready to char its opponents and fry their innards. And he let out a small exhale before inhaling a deep gulp of air and holding his breath once more.
If that female was by any chance a tank, she will meet her death in his hands. His weapon and gears were optimized for armor penetration. And, he have a ninety-five percent chance of critical strike. If she thinks that armor can protect her, she is deadly wrong. He will shred through that armor like a hot knife cutting through a piece of paper.
The only thing that he was concerned about was whether or not the second person was a mage. Because for some reason, no matter how hard he tries, he could not make out what the other female was supposed to look like. It was as if the second person was just a blob of something. It's blurry, and he can't make out the shape of any other types of heavy armor used for warriors.
Though he loved mages—nyehehe, Peroroncino giggled delightfully at that thought—, those whom are not his allies were just simply annoying. There were too much stunning abilities, too much buffs and debuffs, too much DPS, too much crowd control, and too much et cetera et cetera. He especially dislikes enemy mages with similar abilities to Tabula. Poisoning and lingering attack effects are very annoying to deal with, especially when his class was not built for longer magic damage sustain.
But he'll just have to wait and see. He'll cross that bridge when he gets to it.
"...Do you think we might find them here in this world? Nothing seems to be the same anymore. And we can't contact any of Ainz Ooal Gown's members... or Momonga..."
Momonga? Ainz Ooal Gown? Once again, he couldn't hear completely every part of the conversation. But his ears are good at picking up on the important pieces. Who are these people? Why do they know of their guild?! And most importantly, why do they know Momonga?!
His grip on his arrow tightens, and he could tell that his next attack would be a critical strike.
Aim for the head, Peroroncino. Aim for the head, go for the eye. He reminded himself.
"I think we might. He said that he waited for us, didn't he? If... If he was still the same old guy we know and love, then he would probably stayed until the server shuts itself down. And... I know that this might be far-fetched, but perhaps he is somewhere in this world. I might be having a little bit too much hope in me, but I really think that he might be here. I can feel it. You believe me right? Yama-chan?"
...The more he heard of the conversation, the stronger this suspicion inside of his chest rose. There are two possibilities that popped up in his head. And if the first one was true, then he will have to exterminate these two. There will be no time to come back to report this to his teammates. He must act on his own and do what's best.
But if the second one was true... then he wonders. Could it be?
But who?
Peroroncino smiled humorlessly. No wonder why only people like Nishikienrai and Venom do reconnaissance. This is some stressful shit, and they have to decide what to do on their own, believing that what they do is the right course of action to take. If they messed up, then all the blame would go to them.
"...Yeah... I believe you, Buku-chan! Then, let's get out of here. There's no food left to loot."
"Alright! Then, we should probably head in that direction over there. The trail of wreckage should lead us somewhere."
"Yeah. I don't want to see the sad state of this poor, unfortunate place any longer."
B...Buku...chan...?
As the two figure drew nearer, about less than two kilometers away, Peroroncino's eyes widens with shock.
Pink.
Girly, feminine pink.
Translucent.
Chubby, gelatinous, translucent, and pink.
These are all synonymous to only one thing. Or to be more precise: One person.
He could see the other female figure too. But right now, his eyes were fixated on the person next to the female instead.
Sis...sister?
Peroroncino was shocked. In fact, he was so shocked that he accidentally releases his arrow. The bolt then went with a frightening speed, as fast as lightning, sailing straight for the head of the taller one standing next to his sister.
"Fuck!" Peroroncino cursed when he realizes what he have done. Rising up from his hiding spot, he then shouted with all the air in his lung. "GET AWAY!"
"Yeah. Who could have done this though? What a horrible thing to do." Bukubukuchagama shook her head with disappointment. Perhaps the human society of now wasn't a loving one. But everybody are too absorbed in their own things to do arduous business like this. Technology was the peak of humanity. Crime rates was really low due to the pollution outside. So they rarely see things like this. Perhaps not at all.
Humanity is slowly dying. But at least not by their own kin any longer. That was kind of a relief. She guessed.
"Are you sure you don't want to hold my hand, Yama-chan? It's gonna be just like the old days!"
"Buku-chan..."
"Don't be shy! This is a scary time for you, I can tell. Hold my hand! I'll protect ya!" Bukubukuchagama said. Then she gave her friend a grin, even though she can tell that Yamaiko won't be able to see. "I'll jump through fire any time for you, princess. All that this noble female knight requires is that you give her your hand." She said with a fake male voice as she bowed her upper body, extending out a hand for the healer.
"...Hehe, ok then. But if something happens, you gotta promise not to let go, ok?" Yamaiko giggled, shaking her head at her friend's antics.
"Of course! Duh! I'm the one who suggested it after all!" Bukubukuchagama giggled as Yamaiko tentatively placed her un-gloved hand in Bukubukuchagama's slimy ones. The hand has a weight and a noticeable heat, and she smiled as she gripped her friend's hand, appreciating the warmth that it radiated out.
"You can be so shameless, Buku-chan..." Yamaiko said, sounding oddly shy and embarrassed. "Like sister like brother, perhaps?"
"Ha! Don't lump me in with that little shit, Yama-chan. I don't have any ulterior motives. Trust meee." Bukubukuchagama giggled, swinging their arms back and forth childishly as her friend laughed delightfully.
"...GET AWAY!"
The two of them halted in their steps as a voice called out to them with panic.
They didn't have time to reflect upon those words or react. But thankfully, their reflexes kicked in at just the right time. They did as the voice told and they were glad that they did so. An arrow whizzed past Yamaiko's head as the two of them stared wide-eye, feeling shocked and a bit scared at what have just happened.
If Yamaiko moved even a second later, the arrow would have went through the innards of her brain. She have her god-level gear on, and that includes the little helmet-hat-thing on her head. It should be able to protect her, but this was no longer a game. They cannot apply Yggdrasil's logic into this other dimension or wherever the hell they're at. The accident that occurred not too long ago had confirmed that they can be harmed.
"Wh-what the hell was that?" Yamaiko said with a shaky voice as she squeezed the slime of Bukubukuchagama's hand tightly.
"I don't know. But whoever warned us had saved your life, Yamaiko." Said the pink slime, frowning deeply as her body shook with fright. She wasn't sure why, but she wasn't as scared as she thought she would be. Well, not for herself, at least. She was more worried for Yamaiko's safety than her own, so maybe that is why she wasn't as scared as she should be. For some reason, she could tell that if the arrow hit her, it would just go right through. Perhaps that is why she was so nonchalant.
"Who was that? Please come out! Thank you for saving us!" Yamaiko said as she looked around, searching for the figure of the voice that had saved them.
"...Hey! Thanks for saving my friend! Now show yourself!" Said the slime, joining with her friend in the effort of looking for their savior. "Come ou—"
"...Don't thank me." Said a soft and quiet voice, sounding sad, relieved, and... guilty?
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean? You saved our lives, haven't you?" The nephilim said, feeling confused as she looked around once more. There was only debris and fallen houses, and no sight of any living being. "Where are you!?"
"..." The pink slime frowned as she scratched the back of her slimy head in confusion. What was that supposed to mean? And where the hell is the person? Where was the voice coming from? Sighing a little, she brought her head up to look at the clear blue sky. "Huh."
"What is it, Buku-chan?"
"That's a funny looking bird."
"...Huh? Wow! It is!"
"It's... big?"
"Yeah...! It is! Cool!"
"It's... getting bigger...!?"
"It... it is!?"
"...Hey, that's not a bird."
"It's not?"
"I think we're about to go to heaven, Yama-chan."
"W—What!? W-why?! Don't say scary things like that!"
"It's an angel. It's coming to take us to the after life. The arrow actually hit its target, and we're already dead. Now an angel is coming here to escort us."
"O-Oh... Is that so?"
"..."
"..."
"Pfft, you sounded oddly nonchalant. Did you actually believe that?"
"N-No! Of course not! I knew y-you were bluffing since the start... I'm just... humoring you!"
"Hehe. Ok. Still, I'm not entirely sure what that is—. It... disappeared!"
"The bird? Or the angel?"
"The—Pfft. The bird, Yama-chan. There is no angel."
"O-Oh!"
Bukubukuchagama laughed at her friend's cuteness. Too good, too pure for this world. She then looked back up at the sky, finding nothing. Whatever that has been up there had disappeared. And she sighs with disappointment. Bummer. I thought we'd get a meal out of that bird if it decides to land down. Apparently not.
"Hey Buku-chan, look! Something dropped from the sky!" Yamaiko said, holding a golden arrow that had something wrapped around it.
"What is it, let me see." Bukubukuchagama said, gently taking the shiny object away from her friend's hands as she then inspects it.
The arrow was beautiful. Truly a work of a master-level of craftsmanship. There were small intricate patterns of floral swirls and designs trailing near the tip and the end of the arrow, and the arrow head itself was so sharp that it hurts just by looking at it. On the arrow's body, there was a small emblem engraved near the top. And trailing under it, was four letters:
P
E
R
O
"..." Bukubukuchagama opens her mouth, feeling speechless as she stared upon these four letters and the familiar emblem. "...No way." She said breathlessly, taking a sharp intake of breath as she then breaths out shakily.
"What is it?"
"He's here. He's really here, Yama-chan! It's Peroroncino! He's in this world!" Bukubukuchagama let out a laugh filled with joy as she could feel herself getting teared up when her friend cheered along with her. So, he's here. He's really here. She was worried that she'll never see him again. But what are the odds! Now she won't ever have to worry if he was lonely or is healthy in the human world.
But then... why was he here? Did he answer Momonga's summons as well?
She shook her head, feeling a surge of excitement filling her. It's been a long time since they have last seen each other. She was excited to see him again, to see how he's doing. Taking the scroll of paper that were previously wrapped around the arrow, she then opened it up to see writings within.
...She sweats nervously.
What is this!?
Per ardua ad astra
Altiora Petamus
Volente Deo, Lucete Stellae...
...What!? There was a bunch more of these texts in this language, and she doesn't understand a shit. What the fuck, you little punk!?
"There's some other stuff on the back, Buku-chan."
"Ugh. Probably more of this chicken scratch letters." She groaned. But out of curiosity, she flipped the rough looking scroll paper on the back as she then examines the writings...
For some reason, this was fully comprehensible letters! She recognizes this writing. It belonged to him, her brother. Though it improved, it still looked like his writings back then from high school.
"Huh."
On the back, it writes:
Use the scroll. Follow the arrow.
"Use the scroll?" The pink slime said with confusion.
"Oh! Like when you use those consumable items in Yggdrasil. I think that's what he's talking about."
"Is that so? Ok then... You better not be messing with us, you little shit." Bukubukuchagama said. But there was no malice in her words, only a fond and wistful tone as she then proceed to toss the scroll into the sky along with the arrow. "Get ready! Something's going to happen."
And something indeed happened.
The scroll was consumed and disappeared in a glimmer of glittery dust. And when the arrow was covered with that dust, the golden object slowly levitated and moved itself in a particular direction.
"...I think that's the 'Locate Owner', Buku-chan."
"Apparently! Come on, let's follow it then. We don't want it to leave us behind!"
The arrow was moving fast, and it forced them to move fast as well in order to catch up to it.
"Where are we going!?" The nephilim asked as the two of them moved with a fast pace, close to being running, but not quite. She was a little thankful that she didn't really have to run too much. If the road was long and they have a long way to go, then she wouldn't want to exert too much of her energy. Or else she wouldn't be able to catch up. The armor was a little bit heavy. Though she could handle it, she could tell that if this went on for too long, she will be left behind.
"We follow the arrow." The pink slime said. Pausing for a moment, she then chuckled a little as the part of what must have been her head turned around as she looked at her friend, Yamaiko. "Are you thinking that you might be left behind if you're tired?"
"...Kinda... Are you going to leave me behind, Buku-chan...?"
Yamaiko sounded a little bit sad when she said that. The slime then thought back about what she said about her boyfriend that cheated on her. Despite saying that she's over him, she was probably still feeling hurt at that.
"Don't worry, you're still holding onto my hand right? I promised not to let go, remember? If we can't catch up, then that birdbrain will just have to come and find us himself. I don't give a shit."
"...Awww, really?"
"Really! Now let's keep going! He's waiting for us!"
"Ok!"
A/N: Sorry for the lack of update! I am really busy with school, but I try my best to get this out. I published this in a rush, so some grammar error are imminent. I will update this chapter later to fix this problem! Thanks for sticking with me!
Translation:
Salope - Bitch