"While some refer to it as the age of the disaster, if one ignores the amount of deaths as humanity was adapting, it could largely be seen as the only thing that changed the course from dashing towards extinction, to having some form of hope"- professor andrews (department of awakened affairs)

Chapter 2: something old, something new

The world had been in a panic lately, the cause. It was the fact that last night at exactly midnight, a blinding light had flown encompassed the entire world. Even worse was that it had seemed to change the world. For centuries , it was accepted that the world functioned in a very direct way, with many rules and laws that the world functioned on. One such law was the conservative of mass, which in layman's terms meant no new matter could be created. But now it seemed that such laws were non-existent as the earth had increased in diameter by an estimated factor of two. Yet despite the sudden increase in mass the earth had somehow remained in orbit, nor was any habitation zone reported any problems. So by entering a world wide lock down, through a variety of excuses, from pandemics to one country claiming they were under attack by terrorists.

Unfortunately most observation equipment such as satellites had been affected by the increase of earth's mass and had been rendered unusable. This also meant that the connection between the leaders of the world was through mostly archaic equipment that would be impossible to fix if broken,( most of which were).

It had been decided that the 'governments' would try to limit the populous knowledge until all the repercussions of this event could be sorted out. But many of the 'government' officials doubted that such a deal could be up held, as most of them had already received orders from the executives of their arcology, detailing a recruitment notice to be sent out to grab up some of the poor and venturing into the new lands in hopes of getting resources to increase their power.

Momonga was currently in one of the flavour rooms on the tenth floor of nazarick. While it did not serve a particular purpose, Ainz had turned it into a partial-war room by having a large table brought in, and having the guardians gather all the reports they had gathered, from exploring the bone desert, and the world on the other side of the black mass.

First from the bone desert the investigation led by the elf twins, confirmed first off that the landscape had not expanded beyond the 10 km radius, and only the lake and mass were notable features. More interesting was the so-called bone beasts. while there was a large variety due to Momonga's experiments. It seemed they had equally various behaviours. While they all seemed to be classified as undead in terms of spells. They all seemed to still have bodily functions. As many of the animal like creatures that were formed were seen consuming the plant like matter that was formed, and some like the bone dogs had even seen taken a roll as a predator. Of course there did seem to be the exception of the bone butterflies, who could not be seen interacting with the other animals, except as prey. Perhaps because they were the first ones formed, the only interaction they had was with the bone sands. As it seemed some of them would swarm together while holding onto the shards of bone, rapidly form a ball, emit a bright light, then disperse. It was only after aura had caught a large quantity, and counted how many she had, did they determine that such an act was used to reproduce.

Meanwhile demiurge's report about the black mass was much more intriguing. As using various summoner npcs, and mercenary npc. He was able to determine that no adverse effects existed for passing through the mass. Except for the fact that any spells that had to be maintained by the caster were heavily inflicted once the caster and target were separated by the black mass, with complete termination of the spell within thirty seconds however it seemed if any other creatures passed through the this timer would reset, and mana consumption would lower once again. It was also determined that summons would continue to follow orders despite the fact that they were completely unable to contact the summoner.

The environment, within the mass, seemed to be mildly toxic, and barren. With no life real wild life was seen, according to a subordinate specialised in exploration, the only expanse of the waste land was apparent, save for a stone path, which had a couple iron carriages as they were described by the npc. Momonga believed they were referring to trucks, Which gave Momonga an inkling that perhaps the black mass led to earth, but he noted that he would need to examine some things personally, to confirm.

Momonga mulled through cocytus and albedo's report on their defence, and sebas's report on the current resources of the tomb only showed that they were well within the healthy range, but if no new source of gold was found it was recommended to disable some of the less cost efficient defences. and while those two topics would be of great concern, to the protection of nazarick, momonga was already contemplating the idea of taking his new body to the real world.

Momonga was currently standing with demiurge at the top of the pit which leads to the portal. picking up the bone sand beneath him, momonga threw it into the pit and watching it flow down into the pit, a dilemma had made itself apparent. While demiurge had insisted on accompanying him, when momonga had agreed he had not realised his current problem. That if he tripped and fell into this whole, it would affect the image the demon had of him. wishing for stairs of some kind, momonga was reminded of his strange connection to this place, as the bone sand turned to clay and began to form stairs as the overlord descended the pit until he stood in front of the portal, which if he was correct would take him to the real world. With a deep breath he looked to his left to see the loyal demiurge, waiting with baited breath. And then the two stepped forward.

Momonga was now looking up at the familiar black clouds, he was certain, only one thing was left to confirm. He cast the gate. Walking into the gate, Momonga was greeted by the familiarity of a drap dingy apartment. Looking on the counter, the tube from his dinner paste still sat there. The eerie silence filled the room, as Momonga looked at one of the only rooms in the apartment. It was his bedroom, where the gaming console was. What was the essence of his current self. Was he a copy of Suzuki's consciousness or was he the real one.

Demiurge, having followed his lord through the gate, to a strange room. And while the room was so unremarkable that it would hardly be fit as a place to dump nazzarick's sewage. Still his lord had brought them here. There must have been some greater meaning to this location, that even a supreme being would come here. Demiurge quickly moved around the room examining the various objects that may have had something of interest to a supreme being, but found nothing. Until he focused on his lord, as the skeleton stood solemnly at one of the few doors connected. Demiurge was able to determine that his lord objective was in that room. Upon seeing his lord lower his head slightly and approach the door. Demiurge had quickly moved so that his lord wouldn't have to stain his immaculate hands with the dust on the handle.

As Momonga approached his room, Demiurge had sprung into activity and opened the door for him, and sitting in the middle of the bedroom was the familiar gaming chair. And the thing in said chair was equally familiar, but never had momonga seen like it was currently. Momonga was now staring at his own corpse. Walking beside the corpse of his former self, momonga began to examine it.

It seemed that Momonga had not cleaned himself properly the night of his death, as a stench waffled off the body. Momonga was certain he would have gagged if he still had such a reflex. Looking down on the crotch area, it seemed that the trope of a dead body voiding its bowels was actuated.

It was at that moment a Terrible thought entered Momonga's mind, as he gazed at the disgusted face of demiurge. Yup it was decided that demiurge could never learn the relation of the body in the centre of the room, and momonga.

Demiurge spoke "my lord, is it necessary to taint your perfect form by touching such an inferior creature."

Momonga felt a certain stab to his metaphorical heart, as the demon began to explain all the inadequacies of the body before them.

" I could possibly understand if it had anything notable, but this specimen seems completely malnutritioned, unfit. Not to mention it's an inexcusable sin of at least not staining your sense in its death. My personal opinion is that we should have some of the skeleton soldiers from the first floor dispose of this In the deepest pit, and have shalltear purify the undead, so that any trace of its miserable existence would be gone."

Terror filled Momonga's heart until the emotional suppression kicked in. Then in a moment of clarity, momonga responded to demiurge.

" That is….. unnecessary. This body" stuttering for the words momonga decided to remain vague

"This body had once served a purpose for me, and as such it should be properly dealt with as one would any thing which serves me."

These words were once again as the two beings were brought to different conclusions of what such words meant. Momonga was imagining a nice cleaning and a quick sealing in one of the thousands of cacophonies in the first three tombs.

Meanwhile Demiurge had already gone through the checklist in his head, and decided that the duke of fears request would be the quickest method, to ensure that the stain of the creature before their lord was erased from this world. After all, the cockroaches were some of the few in the tomb, not completely disgusted by the inferior creatures from outside the tomb.

The night prior.

Hacciman was currently in a bar, drinking a shot. He had been investigating a certain death that had long since been ruled a sucide, despite the fact that the person had been shot in the back of the head. Hacciman of course knew this as he had used underhanded means to get a hold of a coroner's report. But that was another tale. The report also noted that the body had been found in a place known as johnson's cultural centre, which was just a side of a building which allowed graffiti artists to tag it. It was also the point where seventy percent of corporate hits ditched the bodies, so all reports coming from that place were ruled a suicide and then covered up.

Currently a hackman was meeting with a corporate spy, who was willing to sell some data on a professional 'cleaner' in exchange for black mail, on a manager, who entered the slums, to prey on children for his twisted games.

(Now did the spy known as Mr Vic, do this out of the goodness of his heart, no. It was merely a ploy to eliminate the manager for a directors position, and allow his actual client to get the job)

But that is beside the point, they both wanted info, the other had so they agreed to meet up. It was at midnight in this bar. Ordering a shot hackman was thankful for the fact that though the corporate overlords took many pleasures of this world, they still allowed the slums to try and drink themselves to death. (Though they didn't leave any taste in the alcohol) making a bitter face, hacciman heard the deep voice behind him.

"Couldn't imagine drinking this shit"

Hachiman glared at the man in a dark trench coat, seeing the file. Hacciman threw his file on the table. The man sat beside him, opening said file, and nods. Then hacciman receives the file he wanted as another shot is placed in front of him. While it did seem to be the right info, the amount of black out was astonishing, and while it did make him resentful, it did mean that this was likely something that actually would prove useful, in some sort of search. Hacciman sighs, and tells the man, to fuck off, as hacciman himself chugged a shot and threw down the money for the drinks, and stumbled out.

When he was in the alley, Hacciman slumped down on the ground, next to a garbage can. He saw the spy, sneaking out of the bar as well, when a black car drove up behind him, as two large men got out, picked up hacciman's former acquaintance and threw him into the trunk and started driving towards his alley, and a 'oh shit' entered hacciman's mind, as the lights seemed to encompass the world, hacciman threw the file to the ground, and picked up the nearest item, in the hopes of convincing the thugs that he was a one of the many street dwellers.

What the drivers ended up seeing was nothing more than a ragged drunk cuddling up to a black occult statue, which they may have gone over and beaten up, and taken his stuff, if they hadn't currently been on a job.

Hacciman was relieved as the car drove off, as he got a second to actually see what the item In his hands was. It seemed like a replica of what was once hachiman's obsession. Back in his carefree days, he had played a game called YGGDRASIL. And in his hands was a replica of the items known as 'the first altar' . In the lore of YGGDRASIL it was the altar used to perform the first demon summoning and was the key of all demon summoning, and was theorised that it would allow the summoning of one additional demon, for every demon summoned in the world so far. Meaning for a game with thousands of summoners, if any player had been able to get a hold of this item they would have been able to wreak havoc as an uncountable amount of demons would have been available for summoning. These thoughts came back to hachiman as he reminisced, as he even recited the flavour text from his first class demon cultist.

"Oh foulest of creatures, those that lurk in the abyss. Born from the flames of hatred, the chill of distance. I call you forth to serve me."

With those words a splitting headache invaded Hacciamn's mind. As a gothic language echoed in his mind. And despite never learning said language the intent of those words were apparent. As if the words themselves were the true meaning of those feelings.

"Ahhh a summoner, tell me what…." The voice seems to discover something. "How are you, hmmm. I will grant you my favour. However I will demand that he shall owe me in your stead."

Hacciman, not knowing what the voice was talking about, but had a feeling deep in his gut, agreed to the deal.

And with the deal formed the voice chuckled into the abyss of hacciman's mind, and suddenly a rush of information entered his mind. Then by some strange recollection he was able to find a list of spells in his mind

[summon demon tier 1, summon demon tier 2, summon demon tier 3, flaming fist, burning shield, devil's deal tier 1, dimensional move, minor curse]

With this hachiman tried out [summon demon tier 3], felt as though all the energy he had leave him, as he fainted