Staying Behind

by ErlanggSIOC

When the worlds ends many instantly abandon it. But more than one stays behind, choosing to face the inevitable end to live until the very last second. This is the story of an Overlord, a Great Spirit. And their children consisting of an entire guild. No one ever says being a parents would be easy.

9. Chapter 9

Blasted thing! Just where did I put you!"

It was only thanks to the privacy provided by his room does Laufeyson dare to let out such an unbridled roar of frustration. Both of his hands rummaging through a myriad of items within his closet as his frustration grows.

Each and one of them are nothing short of high-end articles, all of which will grant their wielder superb boon. Gauntlets that strengthen its wearer tenfold, spectacles that decipher any languages in an instant, maps that will unveil every hidden corridor of any castle.

All of them are pieces that would push players to pour precious time, resources, and even real-life currency just for a shot at getting one.

And Laufeyson is currently tossing them aside as if they have no worth. Which, from his exclusive perspective, was the truth.

"I really should have just stored it in my inventory!"

That would have spared him from this accursed scavenger hunt, and yet here he was.

But just what is it that Laufeyson is looking for? And why is it that said object's absence is enough to send him into such a frenzied search?

"I'll be running late at this rate!"

Alas, it was nothing more than a curse of his character. One which takes the concept of punctuality too seriously for his health. Then the second question. Who is it that he shares an appointment with that he cannot present himself to be late for even a second?

As he continues foraging one of his digits brushed against a particular device. Feeling that he had finally found what he was looking for, Laufeyson tore through the pile with renewed vigor. Brushing aside anything else and sending them flying to every corner of his room.

His lips tugged upward as his right seemingly grabbed into the aforementioned game, and with curiosity overlapping with anticipation, he pulled his quarry out of the heap and grinned as he hit the bullseye.

"There you are!"

A white gas mask with an appearance that betrays its intended purpose. Bearing a design that puts mien over practicality, made off a material that furthers the sentiment and sporting even golden engravings made out of the priceless material.

It was a piece of impressive equipment for sure. One that should be useless in the face of physical laws but nonetheless useful in this world and only in it. Not that the second-born are aware nor care for such a thing.

"Hah~, that's a relief. Now I even got time to spare." So he said to himself before flopping onto his bed, the mask still in hand.

The softness of his sleeping quarters was more than enough to melt away what little stress he had. And had it not been for his approaching appointment, Laufeyson would have chosen to end the day right here and now.

"I learned a lot today…"

His ride-along with his uncle had been enlightening. Not only that, he felt as if an entirely new avenue had opened up for him.

Of a way for him to finally live up to his dream of usefulness for the Great Tomb of Nazarick. For finally paying back the kindness of his mother and father, even if only a semblance of it.

"I'm not like nee-san who is brilliant, and there's no way I can be like nii-san..."

The former being Minerva and the latter being Cranium.

From what he had heard, their elder sister had already taken the first step in expanding Carne village using education. Showing her knack for long term planning as well as boundless courage in taking the initiative.

Cranium, meanwhile, had shown his dedication and determination to walk the path of a warrior. While some of the details were quite unclear, he is currently undergoing a special training regiment, one designed by Cocytus at that.

No matter what happens next, those two will surely forge a path of their own making, as for him.

"But…I think I finally found something I can do."

Helping the Nazarick, not through strength but through intel and cloak and dagger. It was a line of duty remarkably restrained by nature but is nonetheless crucial in their current state of affairs.

For them, real-time intelligence has become the most important thing. They are in a literal new world, after all. One that holds barely any resemblance to their old one except the natural laws.

Thus, they are completely and utterly alone without any reliable source to bank on and not enough time or resources to commit to the research of their own. At least not one that will risk exposing themselves to the world, which was another problem altogether.

Right now, the great tomb of Nazarick is focusing on constructing a solid foothold before making any large-scale movements. And thus, their need for intelligence has intensified more than ever.

Juggling between that and maintaining their regular livelihood, it might sound simple on paper but after seeing firsthand his uncle's works, it made sense why he and father personally took part when it came to the former.

"I don't want to badmouth them, but some are just unsuited for the job."

And while he might sound anything but impartial, Laufeyson was being extremely generous in giving that description.

They were after all designed to defend Nazarick, thus, some are much less flexible when it comes to dealing with others. Overall, many of the NPC possesses enough intellect and disposition to handle diplomatic as well as backstairs affairs. But their quirk would often surface and give rise to an array of complications.

Not to mention, they lacked the general sensitivity of the common man. And should their target unluckily badmouth the supreme beings in any way...

"A river of blood is sure to flow…" the prediction was followed by a waiving chuckle, which means that there are no chances whatsoever that this particular behavior would change in the future.

"Well, that's just how the supreme beings created them after all. And it's not like it's a bad thing."

Such dedication that comes from the bottom of their hearts were terrific in their own right. And it is undoubtedly one of the pillars that will ensure their survival for a very long time.

Even so, they still need those capable of bargaining with the present for the sake of the future.

"I'm not saying that I'm the only one who can do that. Maybe I'm just better suited for that kind of thing than most?"

Surely that's not far from the truth. And even if others are far more apt in such a venture, having more people participating in it will only bring more merit.

"Hm… I just hope that I don't end up tooting my own horn. In that case, I need to make up my mind."

Whatever it is that Laufeyson chooses to do, he needs to pour both his heart and soul into it, just like his brother and sister did. There could be no second-guessing especially considering his situation.

Whatever doubt lingers he must erase posthaste. So should he decide to follow the trail left behind by his uncle…

"Maybe I should talk with Father and Mother more. No, it's not good to present such a half-baked resolve…"

If anything that would only worry them and shows how far he is behind his siblings. Yet, he was also at the point where small doubts are the only thing that stands between him and a real breakthrough. Talking this out with someone close to him will undoubtedly provide the much needed external push.

Laufeyson himself wishes to consult but was too afraid of embarrassing himself. It was not self-sabotage of any kind and was more of his insecurity being magnified by current events.

His eyes began to dart around the room at his indecisiveness, observing the accommodating space that he had unknowingly turned to a mirror of himself.

It was their parent's idea to grant all of them personal expanse. And while he wishes to continue vacating the library as to maintain his learning, he is quick to learn that such setting grant goodness of their own.

Well-organized for that of a male with a color of mint green, other than the bed he is laying on other mundane furniture include the two bookshelves filled to the brim and a neatly arranged working desk.

While it is undoubtedly accommodating, anyone would ask, 'Has someone even live here?'. The reason behind that would be because said space lacked what one would refer to as a personality.

The furnishings were already there when the room became his, and he has yet to make any alteration whatsoever. Thus it can be said that while the place belonged to him, Laufeyson had yet to leave his mark of ownership.

The realization only furthers his frustration on himself, and it was then that his gaze finally landed on the clock placed in the wall in front of him.

Now properly gazing at the arms of the timekeeper, his eyes abruptly widened.

"Curses!"

It seems that rediscovering the item he had forgotten had allowed Laufeyson's leniency to get the best of himself.

He hurriedly put on the gas mask and jumped from his bed. Staring intently at the clock, he realizes that his last engagement for the day is a literal minute away. With minor panic, he began to redo his entire gear, equipping clothes and other paraphernalia mirroring the mask in appearance.

By the time he was finished, Laufeyson was wearing a full A-level anti-radiation protection kit from head to toe. Googles, boots, gloves, hazmat suits, and even oxygen tanks now adorning his entire being.

"All set! And I can still make it!"

A beam of light engulfed him, and in the blink of an eye, Laufeyson found himself in new surroundings.

What greeted his eyes was a brilliant light, as if all the stars in the sky had been gathered together. A ceiling so high that one would have to look up to even know that it was there, a wall so large that it was impossible to contain it in one's vision. That vast room is filled with dazzling treasure.

In the center were gold and jewels forming a mountain range throughout the room. It was enough to make one abandon the thought of counting just how much it all amounted to. Luxury items of the most exquisite craftsmanship could be seen scattered about, buried among the endless pool of gold.

With a single glance, there was a cup forged in gold, a scepter embedded with various jewels, a beast pelt radiating a silver light, tapestry meticulous woven with golden thread, a horn flute that shone like a pearl, a fan of seven colors, a crystal bottle, an elaborate ring giving off a faint glimmer of light, and a mask decorated with a black and a white jewel, crafted from the hide of some animal.

Needless to say, all of that was just the tip of the iceberg. In that mountain of gold, there were perhaps two or three hundred such items of that level. The place was brimming with mountains of such treasures, and this location was created to house them.

Using the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown given to him by his parents, Laufeyson had teleported himself into the treasury of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.

As for the reason behind his particular getup before traveling here.

It wasn't visible as he was on foot, but should one elevate themselves to a high enough level then it would certainly made sense.

A body of deadly gas, faint purple, floating in the air. Even if one searched around to find the source of the purple gas they would not find its origin. Whether it is the ceiling, walls, or corners, none of them have anything to do with the toxic atmosphere.

Laufeyson, however, was already informed of the secret trick behind this security measure.

Blood of Jormungandr, a treasure rendering the surrounding air highly toxic. It's so deadly that anyone inhaling the air here would be dead before making the fourth step. If one wishes to traverse this place unharmed, they would have to make specific preparation or have a particular bonus racial trait.

And he belonged to the category of the former as opposed to his sibling who belonged to the latter.

Laufeyson's race was that of a half-giant, and it's a high probability that he is the sole human-race living in Nazarick.

This is likely because he was designed solely by Kyoko, and because she was aligned with Pallas-Domina at the time, she couldn't have picked a Heteromorphic race or a Demi-human race for her NPC.

The race of half-giant was released in a patch titled "Colossus' Storming," said stitch-up imparted to solve two particular problems plaguing YGGDRASIL in that period.

The first was to answer the fanbase's desire for a playable race akin to the high-class enemy of giants. The desire for such had begun since the game's early days, but it was challenging to reciprocate considering the giant's sheer size.

As for the other issue, it is none other than the massive boom of players abandoning their human-based accounts following the failed grand invasion of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. With the added influx of newer players picking the race of heteromorph and demi-humans, the race disparity eventually became too large to comfort.

The race was unique due to having racial level-like skills despite being listed under the variant of the humanoid race. Traits such as resistance plus aptitude towards elements as according to their distinction are listed under passive skills that shouldn't be present in a Humanoid avatar.

It was a must pick for players who are interested in experiencing a single elemental centric playthrough. Those who chose the race will be able to enchant their jobs with a specific elemental bonus.

Thus, many subclasses were made and discovered. Wind Paladin, Ice sorcerer, Fire Samurai, and Mountain Monk being some of the examples. It was this added flair that draws players new and old into the fold of humanoid race.

So was the racial type of half-giants, the stone that killed two birds—serving as an answer for the long-time fans' demand and the equalizer that brought back diversity, even if warped, back to the game. Laufeyson himself would probably be an entirely different being had Kyoko picked a different time in designing her and Momonga's second child.

The demi-human race of giant was also eventually released, sporting their original size and higher resistance than their halfling counterpart. However, their large stature made them hard to accommodate as well as easy targets for other players. So aside for some hardcore players and guilds, many opted for the half-giant race rather than the original.

It was this that brought into light how broken was the race of half-giants. With their elemental addition giving them an exclusive edge that other races are unable to replicate.

Eventually, numerous negative responses began to flood the game. Originating from older players no less with many criticizing how the race broke an integral balance within the gameplay. In a surprising twist, the developer seems to realize their rashness, releasing another patch with little to no intervals to the one that started this entire mess.

One created solely to integrate weaknesses into every category of the half-giant. Today, they are known as the most difficult to raise early on, but players who managed to max their job levels are guaranteed to reach strength levels leagues above the standard level cap.

Yet, their weaknesses were far too compromising. So much that between new players, a level one human could easily beat their half-giant equivalent with little to no preparation. It didn't help that the developer made public of the infirmity mentioned above, turning the race into the least played humanoid off all time.

In other words, picking the half-giant as a starting race held little to no difference to starting the game with a heteromorphic avatar. By this twist of fate, Laufeyson ended up being a perfect exception for Ainz Ooal Gown.

Ever since then, the developers have mostly left the race features untouched. Adding only more choice to the three primary races without granting exclusive properties to any of them. Capitalization on ongoing trends, however, continued: as was the case of the (Powered Suit) and the (Four Apocalypse Mount).

Back to the present, the reason behind why Laufeyson took such a precaution against closely relates also to his race, or to be more specific, the frost version of the half-giant. That is because they are fragile to poison. So much that he would perish if he were to take a single sniff here.

Ordinarily, the high-grade mask, the same one he frantically searched and only found moments ago, would be more than enough as a countermeasure. And while Laufeyson's preparation is genuinely excessive, the phrase better safe than sorry is still not far off.

Stunned, Paralyzed, Poisoned, Bleeding, etc. In the face of those ailments, the race of half-giants is practically powerless, those being the antithesis of Fire Half-Giant, Mountain Half-Giant, Frost Half-Giant, and Wind Half-Giant, in that order.

Even the most rudimentary of skills and attack carrying them would easily bypass their defense, causing also fivefold of the intended damage than they usually would.

Rather than a weakness meant to complement their strength and brought about balance, it was more akin to a flaw that made the race more trouble than they worth to invest upon. This being the cause of why many players erased their half-giant avatar and opting to restart with other humanoid option.

Excluding their initial debut, they are at the very bottom in the number of being picked by players as their avatar overall. As for NPC, busting through the level 60s cap would guarantee the removal of their Achilles' heel. But their decrepitude will forever remain exploitable, even when one reached level 100.

Regardless Laufeyson fully intends to bear the burden his race brings and move forward while utilizing the advantages it brought.

"Yeah, I'm sure that that's what Nee-san, Nii-san, even Father and Mother are doing…"

As he muttered to himself, a mountain of gold more substantial than the previous came into view. It's peak only reached half of the hall's roof, but that in itself was already an accomplishment.

Flying would be the only way to overcome this obstacle, but there was no need for him to do that because Laufeyson had already arrived.

A speck of yellow standing on top of the pile of gold. Even if he couldn't see him too clearly, Laufeyson knows just who he is. And unknowingly, he began to smile under his mask.

The recognition goes both ways as the colored dot promptly leaped with a loud 'TOH!'. Flying through the air, it performed numerous flips and other aerial movements, its outlandish motions suggesting that it did so to display flamboyance.

Skillfully his feet landed on the vertical surface that is the gold pile, and through exceptional mastery of its momentum, he easily maintained his speed without slowing down. As it sleds down towards him, it became apparent that it was a person wearing an entirely yellow article.

No, calling it a person would be incorrect.

It had a relatively flat face, with the nose and other parts that would typically be protruding flattened. Instead of eyes and a mouth, there were three empty holes that made up his entire facial feature.

His face consists only of three holes reminiscent of those drawn by a child with a pen. The pink, egg-shaped head was smooth, without a single strand of hair on it. This strange character was a Doppelganger, just like Narberal.

This was Pandora's Actor, a level 100 NPC designed by Momonga to guard the Treasure Hall. He specialized in transformation, capable of replicating 45 appearances, and their abilities— but only at 80% of the original's power.

The badge on his head bore the emblem of Ainz Ooal Gown, but the clothes he wore were a uniform from the European Ecological Infrastructure War twenty years ago, which caused quite a stir for looking similar to the uniforms worn by the Neo-Nazi Schutzstaffel.

"TOH!" he again shouted before jumping some distance away from the end of the gold mountain.

Pandora's Actor once again spun in mid-air, performing yet another series of showy somersault each more flashy, however also more useless than the last.

With a pose that he recalled his mother called a 'superhero landing,' his oldest brother landed a few meters behind Laufeyson, the ground under him cracking as a proof of his strength.

With his back still facing the younger sibling, the doppelganger slowly rose in dramatic silence, pushing his coat outward for further pronunciation.

For a bit after that, both of them only stood without letting out any word.

Turning his face upward, it was Pandora's Actor who shattered the quietness.

"So the time has come..."

Laufeyson flexed his fingers, reaching deep within his inventory for a particular object. His older brother too did the same, the movement of his shoulder indicating that he is entering into his coat pocket in search of something.

In unison, Laufeyson shot his arm forward whereas Pandora's Actor spun on his heel to face him with his already outstretched. As their gaze finally met, an object materialized within Laufeyson's grasp, its appearance the very same to what is clasped by Pandora's actor elongated fingers.

"For our long-awaited Zweikampf!"

"...That description is a tad too vibrant. Though it is indeed true, I suppose."

They were both holding a deck case, each containing a set of cards numbering fifty in total.

True to Pandora's Actor's words, Laufeyson did come here to duel him. Within the bout of a card game, that is.

"Herrlich! Then do follow me! I have already made the needed preparations!

"Same here, I got the tea and snacks covered."

Even without eyes or mouths, Laufeyson could tell that his eldest brother is excited. And there was no doubt that Pandora's Actor knows that the same goes for him.

'It's hard to believe that I try to avoid him early on.'

And Laufeyson would have most likely continued doing that, had it not been for his mother who dragged him here. Only after slapping onto his face the same mask he is currently wearing, he thinks that particular detail should be noted.

He always found the existence of Pandora's Actor to be intimidating, hearing only bits of characterization from the floor guardians that only increases his agitation towards the first creation of Momonga.

There's also the fact that their biological relation was rather complicated, with the consensus of Nazarick treating him differently from the rest of his siblings. Needless to say, he wasn't very keen on finding out how the concurrence negatively affects him.

So when the time comes for him to face the music, i.e Pandora's Actor, he was glad that his mother was accompanying him. Prejudice aside, his safety is guaranteed.

He expected their first meeting to be tense and for his mother to take the lead and for him to only observe from the sideline in silence not knowing what to do or say. He intently left out any expectations of his brother's part, knowing that the creation of his father would exceed his hopes in the unlikeliest way possible.

As it turns out, he got two out of his three predictions correct.

His mother did end up doing most of the talking, that is if one counts regular fit of uncontrollable laughter with barely comprehensible words to be proper dialogue. And Pandora's Actor's persona did astonish him, being so over the top in words and action that he simply couldn't respond.

Their first encounter had gone exactly as he expected it would, but at the same time, eluded his wildest expectation. Laufeyson was left speechless initially. A justified reaction as he was put between his mother laughing rather madly and his equally jubilant brother.

Kyoko seems to find every move and word that came from Pandora's Actor to be humorous, and while he finds his brother's antics to be much entertaining, his mother must have felt the same thing, albeit with a much more intense sense of appreciation.

It was puzzling for him, that much was obvious, but between his mother's beaming mood and his brother's happiness at their presence, it was probably inevitable for him to start laughing.

Needless to say, any fears to the previously alien relative of his quickly vanished. And with the solution to his condition slapped onto his face, literally, Laufeyson inferred that his parent wishes for him to visit his eldest brother continuously.

Their second meeting, and the first one where he came face to face with Pandora's Actor alone, started as cumbersome as one expected it to be. It took them several failed conversation, and a lot of uncomfortable silence before traction finally picked up.

It went smoother once they admitted their hesitance towards one another, and it surprised Laufeyson that Pandora's Actor too held a small semblance of fear towards Kyoko's sole creation. They laughed about it afterward, and things picked up positively since then.

Speaking about their respective creator's spouse was the pivot of their interaction, Laufeyson sharing details on their mother while Pandora's Actor did the same with their father. And during an extended conversation regarding their interest, the two stumbled upon a common ground of their own.

That is turn-based trading card games.

"Here we are! The stage for our destined Duell!"

So Pandora's Actor declared as he pointed to the section of Treasury filled with furniture. The majority are still half or wholly buried under the mountain of gold. But one particular part sported a neatly arranged pair of leather chairs, each flanked by a coffee table and a round table in between.

Laufeyson once again reached into his inventory, pulling out two teapots both filled with still steaming tea. He recalled how their father found this particular property of their storage to be intriguing, using the same beverage to investigate whether or not time affects what's stored within their inventory.

He sets one of them on his brother's side, spotting also an empty cup made out of what looked like to be Rainbow-Metals. Looking over to his side, he found the same cup awaiting there and raised an eyebrow.

"Some of the treasures here still astound me even today…"

He was also referring to the chairs and tables they were using. While this was indeed the treasury housing the entirety of Ainz Ooal Gown's cumulative riches it was still odd to find things such as furnishings, decorations, and even utensils among the gold and weapons.

"Ah, but doesn't their presence prove the endless greed and apprehension of our Father, Mother, and those who rule alongside them? For only Ainz Ooal Gown would ever be so avaricious yet also commending of arts many would simply toss aside."

Indeed not many others would ever bother to stop for non-weaponry in the previous world of YGGDRASIL. At least not without thinking of either selling them or disassembling them down for materials afterward.

"But enough about that! Right now the stage is ours! For our destined showdown!"

Chuckling at how he described their upcoming card game, Laufeyson pulled out a pair of dessert trays, filled with a freshly baked assortment of sweets to accompany their refreshments.

With what he assumed to be a smile, Pandora's Actor took hold of one of the offered towers of snacks—delicately placing it on his table before pouring some tea into his cup. His action prompted Laufeyson to do the same, and once both of them finished prepping up tea and snacks, they finally begin the real preparation.

"Speaking of which, why are you still wearing that silly der Anzung? The bracelet I gave you should be more than enough to protect you."

"That might be so, but I still felt somewhat uncomfortable wearing something stolen from this treasury. Moreso because of technicality."

The bracelet Pandora's Actor referring to was (Mithridates's Resolve). A High-Class item that possesses the anti-poison property of Laufeyson's entire protective gear combined.

"Oh, you're simply overthinking it, dear brother! I'm sure neither father nor mother would ever mind any of us making use of a small trinket gathering dust here! And you should feel no qualms whatsoever, as I was the one who gave it to you, the one and only financial manager of Nazarick!"

Yes, Pandora's Actor was the one who dug through the pile and gave it to him. Solving both the problem of him having to go the extra mile just to visit and the troublesome mouth situation from the mask his mother gave him.

As he equipped the object of debatable status, because it's technically wasn't stealing if he only used it within the treasury, and took off his hazmat paraphernalia. A single retort escaped his mouth.

"Yes, and doesn't that make this item an embezzled good?"

Which was promptly ignored and forgotten seconds later as they make ready for their game. Beginning with the classic warfare art of boasting.

"I must warn you, brother! That it will not end like last time! Sieg is sure to be mine in this bout of ours!"

"Your determination is to be respected, nii-san. But I'm afraid the final result will not change. It'll be me who wins at the end of the day."

Pandora's Actor lowered the brim of his hat at his retort. He intended to make him eat his own words, it seems.

They were going to play a trading card game with a strategic format. Where each player would take turns in planning their move and attacking each other to inflict damage until the counter representing their health reaches zero.

This was mostly what they would be doing, as their passion for the game made sure that the activity would occupy most of their interaction's timeframe.

Mats were set and cards were spread. Knowing how intense their game will be, the two opted not to start right away and instead enjoy the companion tea and snack.

Pandora's Actor went for the tea first, taking long sips of the hot drink while running many possible game scenarios within his mind. Whereas Laufeyson picks up one of the prepared baked goods, carefully munching on the morsel as his mind vision his opening gambit.

"It seems that our contest is not the only thing weighing your mind."

Pandora's Actor uttered as he sets his cup down, causing Laufeyson to smirk.

"...Am I that easy to read?"

"On the contrary! It is only our extended mental conflict that grants me the foresight! And I am such a gallant gentleman that I do not wish for you to be burdened by anything! For the only meaningful supremacy is one over an opponent at his best!"

What Pandora's Actor trying to say was: You seem to have a lot on your mind. Would you like to share it with me before we begin? I'd be more than happy to help.

Laufeyson chuckled again. Even with such delivery, he knew that his brother had the best of interest.

"I appreciate the concern… Though I should also thank you for omitting one of your advantages."

"Oho! Rest assured that I do not need such a thing to take hold of preeminence! Now then, shall we!?"

"After you, I insist."

Thus their game finally began—both of them aiming for victory in earnests.

Contrary to their blatant enthusiasm, the first half of their first-round went rather quietly. Neither of them went to the offense immediately, choosing instead to amass their force and prepping countermeasure for the other's possible first move and its following onslaught.

Truly, this was the calm before the storm.

"I'm thinking of devoting myself to our uncle's department. Full-time." Laufeyson nonchalantly revealed as he flipped a card.

"Oh? So you wish to march the hidden path of intelligence? I approve! Surely you will benefit Nazarick with your endeavors!" Pandora's Actor praised as he too set down a card.

A somber smile made it onto the secondborn's face.

"More like there's nothing left for me. Minerva nee-san already involves herself in extending our father's empire, and Cranium nii-san is aiming to become a warrior to stand beside our mother in strength."

Another card was flipped, and another was set down.

"All that's left is for me to hide in the shadows quietly…"

Another silence overtook them. This one much heavier than the last one.

"I'm afraid self wallowing will get you nothing, Mein Bruder! Especially a false one aimed to catch me off guard!"

It was naturally so because the real battle was about to begin.

"Oh? Are you so cruel and competitive that you will even ignore his younger brother's plea for support?"

"Rest assured that I will never do such a thing, nein! I only did what I must to defend myself! Besides my eyes, capable of discerning the most hidden of truth knows that it is not the case!"

Resisting the urge to point out that he lacked said perception organ, Laufeyson went with the flow and asked exactly what his brother wanted him to ask.

"Then, what is he like? The person reflected in your eyes?"

"Of course, he is a resolute person who decided what he wants for himself! Not only that! He deliberately considered also the roles of his brother and sister, ingenious aligning his passion with a part that will only benefit all of them!"

In Laufeyson's own words: That description is a tad too vibrant, though it is indeed true he supposes.

"Is that how it looks like? I must look cool then."

"More than you think, brother. And I'm sure that you truly have found what is it you want to do."

Pandora's Actor's sincere expression, even with the lack of any facial features, told him that he meant every word.

"Thank you, nii-san." And Laufeyson, too, thanked his brother from the bottom of his heart.

"Although, I must regretfully inform you that helping me would not grant you any boon here. You have just signed your death warrant."

If his earlier expression was that of a caring smile, then the one plastered on his face now is undoubtedly a challenging one.

Their brotherly link was one thing, and this game was another completely.

"Oho~ But that is exactly what I want Bruder. I'll show you that I can do both! That is supporting you with all my being and decisively triumph over you!"

"Shall we then?"

"Of course!"

They played for what seemed to be hours.

"Drat!"

"Haha!"

Laufyeson clicked his tongue as he leaned back on his cheer. The first round goes to Pandora's Actor, proving the value of his words and delivering his promised defeat.

"To think that you will go with such a desperate counter…" He dejectedly muttered as he grabs another one of the treats.

"One that caught you off guard as we know it." Slowly sipping on his tea again it was clear that his brother was relishing on both his victory

"Don't be so cheeky. I only fell for it because that's not your usual tactic."

"So you say. Nonetheless, I won~."

For sure, both the victor and the loser were being childish. But that was precisely the point now wasn't it? They were children playing a children's game. This is just how it was meant to be.

"Another round then? Best two out of three?"

"Oh? I thought the true victor was the one who obtained three consecutive victories. Of course, I'd be more than happy to lower the bar should it be too intense for you."

"Four out of seven then. I must warn you nii-san, the same trick will not work on me twice!"

"You'd be a fool if you think I've only concocted one plan. Have at thee!"

And so the game continued for hours. That night which turned as youthful as the two siblings being the very same one cementing their resolution to tread their respective path.

For Pandora's Actor, to continue carrying his given duty, and for Laufeyson, to walk forward in a path he had decided for himself.

"Impossible! To summon that monster this early on!?"

"Prepare yourself nii-san! My attack has just begun!"

Though those who can see them right now would wonder if that was the case.

XxX

Voidwalker77 Presents

Staying Behind

Chapter IX: Living The Nightlife

XxX

Coming out from the nearby forest were ten strong men. They surrounded the carriage in a semicircle. These men all carried different equipment. Though the quality of their equipment wasn't excellent, one couldn't say that it was poor either. One could tell that the weapons were chosen quite carefully.

The men were discussing what to do with their prey, such as who would go first. The fact that they were complacent was undeniable. After all, they had already done this several times before. This time shouldn't be any different, so they had no reason to be nervous.

Zach jumped down from the carriage's driver seat and jogged to these men. Before he had jumped off the driver's seat, he had cut the reins to prevent the carriage from being driven away, he also rigged the carriage door so that it could only be opened from one side, the side that was facing the men.

The men flaunted their weapons for their prey to see. It was as if they were giving a silent warning that if they didn't come out immediately, they would be hurt badly.

As if they were reacting to the warning, the carriage door slowly opened. A beautiful girl appeared under the moonlight. The gathered mercenaries and bandits showed lewd smiles and looked at her with gazes full of lust. Their delighted expressions could be seen clearly.

Her silky hair shone brilliantly under the moonlight, and her dewy, crimson eyes displayed otherworldly seductiveness.

To see such a gorgeous and beautiful girl appearing before them, the bandits could only sigh to themselves. They couldn't even utter a compliment while being so dazed. This moment proved that for something truly beautiful to show up suddenly, even the desire of beasts will dwindle.

However, there was someone who was surprised: Zach.

Using one sentence to explain his surprise would be 'Who is this?'. Zach had never seen this beauty before, despite being familiar with the carriage. The discrepancy confused him, rendering him speechless.

He, however, recognized the two people flanking the unknown beautiful girl. The wealthy couple who were their original target, the silent yet commanding dark-skinned man and the brash but charming woman. The only one missing from the picture is the gullible old butler.

Whether it was his imagination or truth, Zach felt as if their focus were solely on him. With the couple ignoring the rest of the men surrounding them.

And despite the advantage of numbers and position being theirs, he couldn't help but swallow the lump in his throat that he didn't know was even there.

Their separate stares carried conflicting emotions. Contempt was apparent on the man's eye, but not belonging to a betrayed as one would expect. No, it was scorn that mixes hatred with disgust. An emotion that he didn't know the composed man could ever make.

As for the woman, despite carrying no animosity whatsoever, Zach found her stare and smile to be even scarier than her lover. It was like a child who had just been presented with a new toy, one that will undoubtedly end up breaking not even a day after. Perhaps calling it a predator' would be more fitting.

Regardless of what the two of them were feeling, it was clear cut that he was their prey.

The three of them stepped out of the carriage, their combined presence causing most of the man to take a step back in primal fear.

Just who the hell are these people?

"Everyone, thank you for gathering here for us. Ah yes, who is the leader out of all of you? May I negotiate with him for a bit?"

So the small-framed unknown girl started as she nonchalantly walked to the front of the men. Seeing the gazes of the bandits resting on one of their own, Shalltear obtained the information she wanted, which means that except for that one, the others were not needed.

"Wh….what do you want to negotiate?"

After seeing the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, the man who seemed to be their leader finally regained his composure and stepped forward.

"Aaah, forgive me. The negotiation was just a joke to obtain the information I wanted. Please excuse me."

"Who the hell are you people?.."

Shalltear looked at Zach as he asked the question. Seemingly recognizing him, her charming expression horrifically contorted into a hateful gaze, not unlike the one belonging to the sole male from their side.

It caused all of them to take a step back in fear.

"So you're the lowlife trash named Zach? Be grateful, Torihiki-sama and Solution have taken interest in you despite your sin of angering them. And it is my pleasure to deliver you to them, so stand aside."

If her cold stare did not unnerve anyone then her cruel merciless words certainly did the job. Logic vanishes from the bandit's minds as fear settled into their heart. All of them now know the truth. And no matter how much they try to convince themselves otherwise, it remains unchanged.

There is nothing here for them except for death.

"I don't want to intrude too much in your undertaking, Shalltear. But I reckon that we should get started."

They watched as the girl's murderous intent vanish under the man's order, shocked by the abrupt change as she quickly replies in a respectful tone.

"Of course, Torihiki-sama! Please forgive this one for wasting your precious time."

To emphasize her plea she turned her back on them and bow down on one knee. Some of the men could even see that she was trembling ever so slightly.

"I'll allow it. So let's just get this over with."

"Of course! Then…" The girl promptly stood up and returned her attention to them. "Here I go."

She suddenly vanishes before appearing behind one of them. Before they can warn one of their allies however, one of the man's head fell onto the ground as if it was cut off by a sword.

The girl's arms were positioned straight, her fingers extended turning her arms into what martial artist refers to as a knife-hand. They were smart enough to put two and two together, but the truth still rattled them.

How is it possible for her to manage to cut off the man's head, using nothing but her unarmed and delicate hand? Like a scene from a nightmare, it all felt too surreal and the bandits became terrified. The men were unable to react because of their shock. However, the oncoming horrible sight brought everyone back to reality.

The blood started gushing out from the neck, just like a fountain. As if the blood had a will of its own, it gathered above Shalltear and formed a ball of blood.

"Blood Pool." Torihiki named the skill out loud. "So, this is what it looks like at work."

His words seem to resonate with the bandits of all people, causing one of them to shout.

"It's a Magic Caster!"

If some of them understood magic correctly, they might've been able to issue a more specific warning. 'Magic Caster' was just a general term. Depending on the profession there were all kinds of subdivisions, and the ways of dealing with each of them were different from each other.

Having seen Shalltear's dress, the first thing that should have come to their minds was sorcery based magic, followed by the ability to control thoughts. Since they didn't issue any specific warning, one could safely conclude that the other party was completely lacking any fundamental knowledge of magic.

In other words, whenever they saw something they failed to understand, they would believe it to be magic.

'Hm~ Guess they don't know any better. Well, it's not like I can afford to dilly dally anyway. I'll kill everyone except those two.'

With those thoughts in mind and her sense of responsibility ablaze, Shalltear charged at the remainder of the bandits, quickly taking out one of them with nothing more than a single swing of her arm.

Limbs were cut off, skulls were split open, and even some of them were sliced into two or ended up bisected. More and more blood was gathered by Shalltear's blood pool, the sphere's diameter increasing with every kill.

Zach showed a stiff smile while looking at the scene in front of him. Such an inhuman view.

The nauseating heavy stench of blood, which was caused by vicious killing, made him want to vomit. The otherworldly beautiful girl looked down at the men who were begging for their lives, and let out a shrill laugh.

How did it become like this? So Zach asked himself.

No matter what kind of glorified words one chose to use, one could not disguise the fact that living beings follow the concept of 'Survival of the Fittest'. Fundamentally, whatever growth or progression there was in living beings, they evolved and pushed through because of the strong preyed on the weak; it was the natural order of things.

This was the exact belief Zach had always followed. Even so, was it okay for the strong to go overboard?

Of course not, there was no way he could acknowledge such cruel and vicious killing, but what could he do? The enemy just by chance hadn't attacked him yet. If he attempted to run away, the enemy might have done something to Zach to make him unable to escape, such as the painful and horrible torture he had just witnessed.

Zach clutched his clothes and felt the shape of the sword that was hidden inside. He curses at the concealed weapon, knowing that it will be impossible to use it to fight against a monster who could easily dismember men without any weapon.

What should he do then? He cannot imagine himself affecting those monsters in any way.

Zach seemed to be trying to hide, and crouched and hugged himself with both of his arms. He thought the rhythmic chattering of his teeth was so loud, what would he do if those monsters heard this sound and came looking for him.

Though he tried his hardest to calm himself since his life was depended on remaining hidden, yet, he was unable to stop his teeth from chattering.

His thought went to the monster. The unknown who brought forward this scene of carnage who Zach didn't recognize. They left the city right away and hadn't made any stops. Just who are they, and how could have they entered the carriage without him noticing?

As he was thinking a mellow voice, which didn't match the cruel scene in front of him, came from behind Zach.

"Zach-san, come here."

He looked back in deep horror, and there he found his employer.

The expression shown by his mistress was not her usual haughty one. If he had been calm enough, he might've been on guard against her, but he was greatly confused by this scene of horror filled with the stench of blood and didn't have the presence of mind to notice her unusual behavior.

"What is that monster?!" Zach shrieked at the supposedly rich and gullible woman. Failing to realize also the absence of her partner. "If there were monsters like them, why didn't you tell me!"

That was right; if he knew, things wouldn't have become like this. The horrible and terrifying scene in front of him was all caused by this bitch.

"Say something! Hurry and say something! This was all caused by you!"

In his anxiety and horror, Zach felt angry and impatient. His hand impulsively reached for Solution's collar. However, before his digits can even come close to the woman, he found himself yanked backward.

"Now that's no way to treat a woman. I know you were a lowlife, that's for sure. But to think that you're this coarse."

He had only ever heard of him speak once, but Zach quickly recognized the voice. It belonged to his other target. One that he thought they would be able to get rid of easily before getting his hand on the prize.

The man took hold of Zach's shaggy hair, pulling it with such force that it was surprising that he hadn't ripped it off yet. The coachman struggled to even stand, frantically struggling not to fall on his back as tears filled his eyes from the pain.

"I should just end you right here and now."

He promptly let go of him, but just as Zach began to lurch forward, another force grabbed him and forcibly returned his balance.

The man had switched his grip from his hair and latched his fingers onto the back of his head. Yet, it wasn't the sensation of stiff fingers that he felt. Instead, it was a bony hold so firm that he couldn't even move his neck and face his captor.

A grip so firm that should his captor add even an ounce more of force, it will certainly tear his skin and then crush his skull.

As if he was grabbed by the hand of an undead skeleton.

"But, I promised her that we'd 'share.' And after getting her through all of those problems today. Fulfilling my word is the least I can do."

He can see how those words meant the world for the woman in front of him. A sincere smile making it into her lips completely unlike her previous when facing him. An obvious honest gesture that does not suit her one bit.

"Now then, how do you want this done Solution? I'm rather inexperienced with this kind of thing, so I'm afraid you'd have to take the lead."

"Your words honor me very much, dear. Then, may I first suggest a change of scene? Sebas-sama doesn't like these kinds of things very much. Though we already obtained permission, I still want us to be a bit further away."

Torihiki nodded approvingly. "Consideration for your fellow agent is an important and great quality. To exercise it when dealing with something you enjoy is certainly worthy of praise. Well done Solution."

The woman's smile brightens even further after that. And it was at this point that Zach knew that he wasn't going to survive.

These two will surely kill him. It wasn't a matter of why and where it was a matter of how, as for when. It was clear that it grew nearer and nearer.

As that fact hit him, Torihiki pushed him forward.

"You heard the lady, walk."

Zach pretended not to hear the unending howls and screams coming from behind him and obediently did as told, following the footsteps of Solution. This couldn't be helped, because Zach was so weak. There was no way to save those companions who were supposedly more robust than him.

Eventually, he finds himself behind the carriage, knowing that this place will be his execution ground.

"I got a feeling that I won't like this next bit. Since you're a slime, what happens next is surely..."

"There's no need to fret, dear. I was the one who requested this, that's true. But I will never dream of showing anyone except you even an inch of my skin."

As she said this Solution's form began to dissolve, her skin melting and her clothes burning. Smoke emitted from the ignited clothes, accompanied by a disgusting smell that suits a throwaway such as himself.

It was like watching a deadly liquid destroying its container from the inside out.

He viewed in silent trepidation as the traces of humanity dissolved away from the woman. The process finished only when the beautiful form in front of him was completely replaced by a limbless yellow slime creature of the same stature.

Torihiki whistled, sounding impressed. "So this is your true form? I must say, it is quite charming in its own way."

"It brings me joy to know that you found all of my forms to be pleasant, dear. Then, shall we get started?" The slime-like thing somehow said, despite not having a mouth or any other vocal organs.

"Of course, let's start with the legs first."

The hapless mook could do nothing as the man pulled him back ever so slightly, forcing him to form an odd angle with his body. Solution too began to move towards him, her gel-like form trudging forward until they were only mere inches apart.

"Well then, here I go." With those words as a starting declaration, the lower part of the slime lurched forward and took hold of Zach's legs.

Soon enough, it began to engulf the lower limb, like a swamp capturing the legs of those foolish enough to dip their appendage into its water.

"Wh...What the hell is this!"The unimaginable sight made Zach scream, the hysterical coachman struggling to get his legs out.

"This is the special ability of the Preying ooze race," Torihiki explained in an educated manner.

"Strictly speaking, her body is empty inside, and she can use said emptiness to store objects and the likes. Of course, whether or not those things dissolve is completely up to her. So what's going to happen to you is rather obvious, don't you think?"

Zach could barely register Torihiki's calm word, struggling vainly using all of his arms and legs to break free from the bonds of both of his captors.

He felt a sense of weightlessness as Solution 'drowned' him up to his knees, and to match Solution, Torihiki switched his grip again. This time lightly grasping the man's crown of the head. Even with one arm only, he was still able to lift half of the man's weight.

Zach's back is now parallel to the ground, and now, he is finally able to get a good look at the man who has his life within his grasp.

But it wasn't a man.

His suit remains unchanged, the same one Zach had seen him in throughout the night. But this was no longer the dark-skinned man who silently went through nighttime hiding his displeasure. Perhaps it wouldn't be wrong to call it appropriate because no human can be as calm, uncaring, and unflinching as he was.

A hand devoid of flesh, with the edge of his bony fingers barely visible him. His head too lacked any features of a person, consisting only of a helmeted skull. Two dots glow menacingly, replacing his eyes, but they were more than enough to convey his hatred for him.

Zach suppressed his urge to scream. He finally understood.

The man, the woman, the girl, maybe even the old butler who has yet to show his face. All of them were monsters.

"Realization always comes too late, so they say," Torihiki muttered to no one. "Ready when you are, Solution."

"Thank you for your patience, my dear. Then, here's the main act."

Before Zach could say anything, it felt as if hundreds of thousands of needles had stuck into his legs. The intense pain almost made him faint.

"AHHHHH—!"

"I am dissolving your legs. Truthfully, I like to watch things as they dissolve. Zach-san himself says that he would very much like to be in me. It made me very happy that you feel this way. Unfortunately, I was promised to Torihiki-sama, so I cannot return your feelings completely."

While in severe pain, he heard her voice, but he was unable to understand the meaning. This was already a scenario that's out of Zach's understanding.

"But at the very least, allow me to show you that your feelings had indeed reached me. As futile as it is."

While trying to bear with the severe pain, Zach took out his concealed short sword. He pondered about striking the source of his pain, but his instinct tells him that the weapon wouldn't be able to do anything against her, just as it is useless against the little girl.

Instead, he aimed for his other captor who had been standing silently in disinterests.

Should he be able to harm him enough, then he'd be forced to let go, and surely the woman would choose to tend her lover rather than pursue him.

With raspy breath and the last of his strength, Zach let out a desperate curse.

"Ahhhh—! Fucking die, monster!"

He had seen an undead skeleton before and therefore knew of their weaknesses. They are resistant to piercing and slashing attacks but are vulnerable to bludgeoning strikes. It was a wise decision for Zach to focus on something that he has some knowledge of, even if only remotely.

He can do it. Putting it all onto the hope of escaping, Zach slammed his hidden sword's handle to the Skeleton's forearm.

He can feel the pommel of his weapon clashing against bones underneath the suit, meaning that his attack did strike true.

"Oh? Is that a hidden dagger? I'm surprised."

That nonchalant reply which extinguished his hope entirely. Even with his lips non-existent and his jaws unmoving, those words left the undead's mouth and into his ears.

"Coming prepared and cloaking your final trump card until the defining moment. Or perhaps you're simply obeying your survival instinct on your last legs."

The despair coming in the form of skeletal digits. Using his free hand, he swiped the dagger from the man and crushed it without any effort.

"Fufu~. Did you think that my dearest would miss such an obvious trick? Still, even if he purposely allow your meager hopeless gambit to connect, it displeases me that you try to harm him~"

And just like that, the severe pain engulfing impossibly intensified, but the horror of death in front of him was even more terrible than the pain. With tears on his face, Zach screamed, cried, and continued to beg.

"Stop stop stop stop pleeease stop—! Please forgive me, spare me please—!"

The force of suction of Solution's body became even stronger, and he was pressed into her inch by inch. It was pointless for Zach to resist.

"Oh? Looks like you're getting serious, Solution. In that case, I better get started, as well."

Torihiki slowly retracted his palm from Zach's head. At this point, almost all of Zach's body was inside Solution Epsilon, with his upper body from the chest up as the last part being slowly devoured.

For a moment, it looked as if he was fated to be swallowed by the slime whole like a snake's prey, but as Torhiki's palm grows further and further, he realizes that such an end would be a mercy.

A disgustingly colored substance shaped vaguely like a man. Just like he did to him mere moments ago, it's head was grasped firmly yet carefully by the skeleton. Making it impossible for the unknown substance to slip between his fingers.

For a moment, Zach was left puzzled. Feeling repulsed so much by the wriggling matter that his pain was once again forgotten.

Just what is it? What could be so revolting and foul that he had almost forgotten about his impending doom?

"Ah…"

Those were the last words from the man known as Zach. A murmur of realization of the sight that he should have never laid his sight upon.

What was within Torihiki's grasp was Zach's soul. His true form manifested and extracted from the disguise that is his flesh. So sickening. So small. Surely those were the perfect description for himself.

He should have died from the shock of the pain long ago but was kept awake by the combination of having his body razed and his soul violently pulled out. All thoughts about himself and anyone he had known washed away by the indescribable pain that wouldn't allow him to even cry.

As his body was swallowed into Solution, and as his soul was wrenched out by Torihiki, in silence, the man known as Zach came to an end and was no more.

"I'm finished!" Shalltear loudly shouted, grinding her soles to the ground to stop herself and pulling up right in front of Torihiki and Solution Epsilon.

"Quite the timing, we've just finished here as well," Torihiki replied as he pulled a test-tube out of his pocket, while Solution returned to her human guise complete with her original maid outfit.

He tossed his share of the quarry, Zach's soul, a few times into the air. The substance had since long lost its human form and original size, being reduced to nothing more than a small, slimy barely round object.

Torihiki diligently deposited the thing into the awaiting test tube, the small sample looking like it was writhing in pain once it fully occupied its new container. Sealing it with a cork to mark the process's completion, he gained Shalltear attention through said action of his.

"Oh! Is that the result of your skill, Torihiki-sama?"

"Indeed it is. Another sample that'll help me in exploring the extent of my newfound ability."

Torihiki's final racial evolution was that of a psychopomp, one adhering to the conventional concept of an undead stealing the soul of the living.

In-game, it works by ignoring damage resistance and other defensive passive thus granting players the boon of always dealing the exact number of their attack points. It was a fair trade where what is lost is one's capability to wield weapons and deal extra damage involving elemental affinity and karma alignment.

In other words, min-maxing a build around said race means the player will exclusively utilize plain damage and nothing else. And in Torihiki's case, his style is to deal with quick and small damage to slowly and surely chip the opponent's health until their demise.

As for what he did to Zach.

'(Soul Taker) is the sole instant kill attack I have. Normally it ends with me killing my enemies and restoring some of my health, but that's obviously not the case anymore.'

He suspects that it was the game's flavor text manifesting that allowed the attack to truly lives up to his name.

Quoting the description and ignoring its specification: 'A powerful attack capable of separating a soul from their corporeal form. Those who are not strong enough will instantly die from this single strike, their spirit forever belonging to the thieving undead.'

It was clear that the latter part, which was previously exempt has now become second-nature. And Torihiki has been busying himself experimenting with the so-called items that are the souls he had obtained so far.

He hadn't gone beyond using the attack on all sorts of disposable targets and gathering them, and neither had he made much leeway in finding their utility once he detached them from their initial host.

'Once pulled out I can't return them to their original body, or any other for that matter. Maybe they can be used to empower certain items? But eating them is a bit…'

His next step should be to gather items related to souls in their flavor text. Perhaps those will be able to shed light on the nature of the soul's utility.

"To think that you'd grant someone who angered you such an honor. As expected of a Supreme Being! Your kindness to even those who wronged you are truly boundless." Shalltear praised, pushing him out of his thoughts.

"I guess that's one way to see it." Though in truth, he was sentencing the man to a fate worse than death. Not that he cares.

"Thank you again for letting us take care of him personally Shalltear. It must have been pretty hard to keep things smooth with us interfering."

"Not at all, Torhiki-sama! That person wouldn't make a difference to our plan alive or dead! So it is my pleasure to have you partake in this chore of mine!"

He nodded. Torihiki certainly appreciates Shalltear's foresight in the matter, only allowing his and Solution's involvement after making sure that it will not hinder their plan in any way.

"Oya, Shalltear-sama. You've finished already?" Solution asked as she joined the two.

"Yes, I have indeed finished with the first phase of our plan. Soon, I shall depart for their lair and begin the search for anyone that will assist us in our endeavor."

"And from the looks of it, you've already got both the guide and backup."

Trailing not too far behind the soon leaving valkyrie was a low-level undead, most likely the bandit leader who had outlived his usefulness, and a pair of vampire brides. All of which was probably created and summoned by the Bloody Valkyrie.

Only a few minutes have passed since the attack, but there were already no survivors left. The place was filled with the stench of blood that's quite unpleasant to the nose. Torihiki supposes that this is the ideal outcome since Shalltear was involved, and she did obtain the needed intel to proceed into the next phase.

There isn't much else to do now but to part ways and wish for the best.

"Well, thanks again, Shalltear. I risk sounding like a broken record, but this favor meant a lot for us."

"Indeed, I am delighted. Thank you very much, Shalltear-sama." Solution bowed, further showing the sincerity of their indebtedness.

"Not at all. I'm content with showing my capabilities to Torihiki-sama while expecting his advice. As for Solution, we're both from Nazarick as companions, so this kind of thing is only natural."

The smile on both Solution and Shalltear might be heartfelt, but taking the context of the situation, any man would know that the two of them are the kind of people who took pleasure in the most terrible of things.

"Speaking of which, about the human that has angered you."

"Hm? What about him?"

"Yes, I've seen the state of his soul, but I'm rather curious about his body."

"Hm~. Usually, I'd say that he's currently enjoying himself, but since Torihiki-sama had taken his soul, he's already as good as dead. Oh, his body is still thrashing around a bit, though it is nothing more than rigor mortis. Would you like to see, Shalltear-sama?"

"Eh? Really? Then let me see a little."

Knowing where the conversation is heading, Torihiki quickly turned away—sauntering towards the opposite direction of the two ladies happily conversing over the suffering of a dead man. Unsurprisingly, he promptly ran into Sebas.

"I have finished replacing the horses' reins, Torihiki-sama. The preparation for our departure is complete."

"Is that so? Good work, Sebas. Let's just wait until those two finishes and then take our leave."

The butler obediently nodded. Letting it slide that allowing such an exchange was rather unprofessional.

But on this rare occasion, the Player does know better than the NPC. Shalltear was going ahead alone after this since she'll likely treat her companions as baggage rather than a company.

So hopefully the dialogue between her and Solution Epsilon will leave the former in a pleasant state of mind, allowing her to carry out her duties with a smile on her face. After all, how one feels before starting a project will significantly affect the overall process.

Though considering her mood swings, he hopes that she won't run into any complications of any sort.

The two awaiting men weren't ones to banter around, so the confirmation was quickly followed by cordially preferred silence. He can see how Shalltear and Solution's mutual interests repulse Sebas, but just like how Solution kept their activity out of his sight, he too retains from voicing his discontent out of careful thought.

'Good workplace awareness aside. I wonder how long it will take until his karma landed him in hot water.'

Sebas was one of the few Nazarick denizens who possess the alignment of good, a literal one in a hundred where everyone else is either evil in disposition or neutral in temperament.

As they are currently fighting for their survival, it is only a matter of time before they began making morally dubious choices. And when they have to cross that bridge, there is a rather large chance that the butler's stance will clash against his fellow guardians.

Yet, Sebas was among the fiercest when it comes to loyalty for the supreme beings, and his devotion up to this point was utterly superb.

'Nope, I can only say that because we haven't run into any problem yet.'

And Sebas may be the cause of said future complications. But as likely as that is, it was a possibility better to be tackled another time. For now, calling it a day would be for the best.

In a perfectly timed fashion, Shalltear and Solution approached them, finished with their chat, and both in an even better mood than before. It looks like everything went accordingly.

"All set then, Shalltear? You didn't forget anything did you?"

"Of course not, Torihiki-sama! I have triple check all of my equipment as well as supplies! There's no chance that anyone will be able to get the best of me!"

"Good. Sorry again for being too nitpicky."

"Of course not! I feel honored that you would shed even the slightest of your concern and intellect for someone like me!"

She was referring, of course, to how quick he was to forgive her during their first encounter. Because of that, anything Torihiki says Shalltear will take seriously. Such as 'always hold back in a fight' or 'go serious if anything unexpected happened', Shalltear will follow the 'instruction' to the letter if it came from him granted that they are inherently simple.

"Guess there's nothing else to say except be careful. You are undoubtedly one of the strongest among us, Shalltear. But that only means that you must be extra vigilant."

The Valkyrie stiffened at the warning, turning serious before rigidly bowing and replying.

"Of course, Torihiki-sama! I thank you for reminding this one of her carelessness! And ask for forgiveness for forcing you to do so in the first place."

"Hearing you saying that out loud made it clear that I wasn't wasting my breath, so it was worth it. Good luck, Shalltear Bloodfallen. May your aspiration reach its desired peak."

"Yes! This one will struggle to her utmost to meet your expectations!"

He certainly heard her declaration, but only turned around and waved without looking at her as he re-enters the carriage. The message was silent but its subject was evident.

Torihiki might have helped Shalltear thus far, but the kindness itself was also a form of investment. He is awaiting a full return, in other words, he expected her to live up to her words. Failure was not an option.

"Then, Sebas, I guess we will be parting ways temporarily."

"I see. It was a pleasure working with you, Shalltear-sama."

As the butler ended it with only words, the maid lowered her head slightly.

"Thank you very much for your kindness as well, Shalltear-sama. I would love to continue our chat another day."

"Yes. Next time, let's play together should the chance arise."

Leaving the Valkyrie behind, Sebas quickly occupied the carriage's driver seat while Solution joined Torihiki inside. Soon enough, the coach departed and resumed it dash into the night, carrying on towards their initial terminus.

Shalltear's gaze hardens as the vehicle ultimately left her sight, her determination burning bright under the stars and moon.

"Alright you lot, it's time to get to work! This is my chance at redemption and proper first duty! I would not tolerate any failure whatsoever!"

XxX

Night had fallen for quite some time, and yet the group of adventurers consisting of the two teams is still busy with the preparation to make camp. They were almost finished, which was a good thing. But regular adventurers would have set up camp long before nightfall.

They too would have done so had it not been for their circumstances, being intercepted by not only one but two hordes of goblins and ogres after the first fight. They came out mostly unscathed thanks to Fuitchi's warning them beforehand and the two hordes being smaller than the first one. Not to mention, the interval between their fights was also rather long, so they were able to regain some of their stamina in-between.

All in all, they were quite lucky. And except for time, the team was rather content with how the day turn out.

Momonga held wooden stakes, which had been handed to him, and struck them into the area around the camp. Since it needed to accommodate the entire carriage, the camp had a diameter of twenty meters, a rather large area.

He hammered the stakes into the ground at four different spots and tied thin, black ropes onto them, forming a square. He then tied a knot on the center of the strings, pulled it to the front of the tents, and attached a large bell; this was an early warning net.

Momonga turned around to Naberal Gamma and Fuitchi, the two of them working an equally rudimentary task alongside the Sword of Darkness. He was relieved that despite her apparent vexation, Naberal was keeping herself in line under his brother's presence.

'I don't like relying on the workplace superior card too much, but nothing else seems to get through her.'

Because their words were the only thing capable of suppressing Naberal's urge to act upon her dissatisfaction, since they are making their debut as adventurers it's only natural that they try to give and keep a friendly appearance, that said, it was his fault for picking the unsociable doppelganger in the first place.

In summary, he felt awful for silencing her using his authority. It was nothing short of exploiting her loyalty while opening up the possibility for errors. Momonga of all people knows how negative emotion affects a person's behavior when working and just how visible it is.

The worse that can happen is for her to get provoked by Lukeluther again and lashes out. If so, he'll have no choice but to admonish her further. But at the end of the day, the blame mostly his for forcing her into such a role.

'Hah~. I need to make it up to her after this.'

After hammering the four stakes adequately into the ground and tightening the ropes, Momonga looked up to the night sky and found his worries as well as concern vanish. No matter how many times he looks at it, the sight of pitch-black void filled with glittering dots always gets to him.

He was enjoying the great outdoors. Because he couldn't experience this in the real world or YGGDRASIL, it was refreshing for him. Although it took a lot of time, these outdoor activities reminded him of the adventuring into the unknown back in YGGDRASIL.

'Not to sound ungrateful, but If the entire Great Tomb of Nazarick hadn't been transported to this world, and I was here by myself, I would probably travel the world.'

With a body of an undead that doesn't require nourishment or air, he would be able to scale mountains or walk into the deep sea with just his legs. He would enjoy the unknown sights of this world in such away.

Though after pondering it for another moment, the idea of absolute freedom is quickly eclipsed by the notion of solitude.

The burden of being the leader of the 'supreme beings' was undoubtedly massive, but he didn't have to deal with them alone. Everyone he cares about was with him here. And while it sounds both cliche and cheesy, that was more than enough to push him to go on.

Not to mention, he also became an actual father overnight with his and Kyoko's creation gaining sentience along with the rest of the NPCs. Regardless of details and their treatment of him, he considers all of them to be his children—the last treasures left behind by his friends from the golden days.

Even with newfound responsibilities that would shatter lesser men in an instant, he wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

With those thoughts, Momonga returned to the tents, snapped out of his contemplation by Lukeluther's hat tip.

"Thanks for your hard work."

"Don't mention it."

Lukeluther didn't look at Momonga when he greeted him. It was a bit rude, but Lukeluther wasn't idling, he was digging a hole for the stove.

The Magic Caster—Ninya was walking around the area, chanting a spell. It was the warning spell, 'Alarm,' which would alert everyone whenever anything approached. It couldn't cover a large area, but it was enough as a precaution.

This spell, which didn't exist in YGGDRASIL, caused Momonga to squint his eyes. He delegated the task of collecting unknown magic to others, but unknown spells still stimulated the Magic Caster in him.

The spell Ninya activated belonged to a magic system similar to Momonga's game-based one. Thus, it was the closest thing to YGGDRASIL's spells he had encountered here. Because of his passive racial skill [Wisdom of Darkness], Momonga was able to increase the number of spells he could learn.

'So Can I learn magic that didn't exist in YGGDRASIL if I conduct rituals with living sacrifices? Or is there some other way? There are so many things to learn…'

Ninya noticed Momonga staring at him. He wasn't as distant as when they first met, but he still gave a fake smile and walked over:

"Ara, don't need to watch so closely. It's not that interesting, right?"

"I'm curious about magic and I'm interested in what Ninya-san is doing."

"No way… I am far behind Nabel-san in this."

"Don't sell yourself too short, after all; you know magics that Nabel doesn't. An old friend of mine used to say: 'Each skill exists for an appropriate cause, and only fools would ever use the word useless.' After all, we won't be able to rest easy if it weren't for Ninya-san's alarm now, would we?"

Hearing the compliment from him turned the mage beet-red instantly, and after realizing what he just said, Momonga too felt a little embarrassed as well.

"I just think that it's a convenient spell for security measures, so I hope Ninya-san can teach me or my brother how to use it."

"You're greedy, Momon-san. You are so powerful with the sword and still looking to harness the might of magic. No, I should say you have the personality of an adventurer, right?"

"By the way, I'm not interested in learning any magic unrelated to music. Though considering the spell's nature, I can probably do it with certain instruments?"

Momonga had long since given up on covering up Fuitchi's disinterest in anything non-musical. And from the looks of it, the Sword of darkness and Nfirea had gotten used to it too.

The musician is currently sitting next to Nabe, the latter with her head slightly lowered and looking jealous without a hint of shame. It's probably because she was in such close proximity to Fuitchi that she hadn't been acting up.

"Magic doesn't seem to be something you can learn in a day or two. The first prerequisite is the ability to connect with the world, but only those with potential can do that easily. Others can only understand it slowly with time."

Lukeluther was hard at work with the stove and commented without looking up, causing Ninya's expression to turn serious.

"Yeah, Momon-san, I think you have the potential. You are not like other people, you have some sort of… inhuman feel about you."

Momonga felt his heart skip a beat. He had switched into his human account since meal-time was very close, but had only done so not so long ago. Ninya was rather vague, but could he have realized that Momonga was an undead before he changed back?

Although he had used illusion and Anti-Information spells, unknown magic and unique skills might be able to easily see through Momonga's unique nature. So he cautiously asked:

"... Is that so? I think I am strong, but not to the extent of being inhuman. You've seen my face, so you should know that, right?"

"No, putting your amazing face aside… After witnessing your strength, I know it was beyond the realm of normal people. Killing an ogre with a single attack… Being human is not about appearance but ability! And you also have good looking people like Nabel-chan and Fu-san with you."

Lukeluther's comment revived Momonga's discomfort of his own face. His human facial feature was a notch above this world's standard, which in itself was august, to begin with. But the fact that the face was not his own was a constant source of a twinge.

That said, there are too many handsome men and pretty girls in this world. The features of the people walking on the streets are great, and he was sure to be singled out due to his appearance had he used illusion to conjure an image of his real face.

"Appearance aside, Lukeluther is right. People known as heroes will of course be beyond the realm of common folks. I feel that way too."

"No, you flatter me. Calling me a hero… is too great of an honor for me."

He answered Ninya, pretending to be shy while stopping himself from breathing a sigh of relief.

"If it is convenient, would you like to meet my teacher? Teacher's innate talent can appraise the magic power of others, if you have the potential for magic, it will be sensed. My teacher can even categorize the tier of magic for Sorcery based Magic Casters."

"I've always wanted to … That's the same innate talent as that of the best magician in the empire right?"

"Yes, it's the same innate talent."

Since he couldn't miss this information, he carried on asking.

"... What kind of ability is that?"

"Ah, according to my teacher, we Magic Casters have something like an aura around us. The better the magic ability, the more aura there is. My teacher's ability allows the perception of this aura."

"Oh…. oh."

Momonga restrained the low moan of surprise that leaked out instantly. To avoid the suspicion of others, he grunts in acknowledgment in a normal tone.

"Teacher uses this method to gather talented children and teach them."

I was picked up by my teacher too— Ninya continued. Momonga tried playing it off as he cursed in his heart. This was bad, someone had such a troubling innate talent.

"Does this talent scrying only applicable to a person's magic level?"

No one was surprised by Fuitchi's sudden interest. No doubt he was wondering whether or not can it be used to detect musical talent.

"I don't really know. My teacher never really told me the details. Apparently, he's mandated to keep his ability under wraps as much as he can."

"That made sense. A talented magic caster can greatly bolster a country's martial ability after all."

Everyone nodded at Momonga's opinion. Just as he had expected, learning magic here is extremely difficult. Requiring time, dedication, and special resources that not many can afford.

In-game, learning magic was a simple endeavor for players, centering around meeting class requirements as well as gathering particular items. Some spells will automatically become theirs once they unlocked specialization of their choosing, with more coming alongside level-up and many more being available to learn.

But here? Years would be the minimum amount of time to obtain rudimentary arcane knowledge. With the difficulty of raising one skill becoming even harder at every turn.

'I should look into the mechanic of level up here. Though, do they even have such a thing?'

They were no longer inside a game anymore, but there are enough similarities here that convinced Momonga of a hidden system reminiscent to that of YGGDRASIL's own.

What prevented the people of this world from reaching their level is most likely lack of information, real-world elements, and most importantly mortality.

They do not know their own level, as such, it is difficult to properly choose and undertake quests or fights that will fulfill their EXP needs. The second is the presence of countries, which greatly limits the freedom of one person while also exposing them to wars and other manners of tribulations.

Lastly was the lack of automatic respawn, routing back to the two earlier problems and magnifying them also.

People die when they are killed. It might sound dumb to state so out loud, but it is a fact that gamers would often forget.

Here, there is no worth in risking oneself for important pieces of information or saving others. Not only that, but all manners of smaller problems could also get to them should they neglect it for too long. 'Staying alive' is what gets in the way of 'getting stronger'. It was ironic how this game-like world made the concept of 'reality' even more apparent.

'In other words, the next step of building power would be figuring out how to channel Nazarick's resources into beings of this world and vice-versa.'

If he were to be able to impart in-game mechanics affluently and monopolize them on a large scale, there's a chance that they will become the strongest force in the world.

'Yosh. Once we obtain enough influence, footing, and information, we should research into this world nature of level-up'.

That will undoubtedly be the first piece in solidifying their future conquest. Shelving his thoughts for future endeavors, Momonga resumed his talks with Ninya.

After asking about the specifics of learning magic, and steering away from the magician's personal ambition, Lukeluther was the one who ended his and Ninya's discussion by telling them that the food is ready.

The sun goes down beyond the horizon, and the group dined with the blood-red sunlight as background. Everyone's bowl was filled with bisque seasoned by bacon, toast, dried figs, and walnuts. This was the dinner tonight.

Momonga stared at the salty looking bisque in his hands. He couldn't feel the warmth while wearing his gauntlets but seeing everyone eating heartily without waiting for it to cool, the temperature should be just right.

Nabe looked like she has something to say about the food, but a nudge from quickly Fuitchi shut her up. Momonga was quite surprised at how his brother in law eats his share without batting an eye, especially considering their daily meal after Kabuto came along.

But it's likely that he just doesn't care at all, seeing food only as a source of sustenance and forgoing things such as taste and exquisiteness. Nabe was likely the same, her loyalty being the sole pillar that pushes her to consume what she sees as utter garbage.

He thinks that it was a shame, sampling unknown food in an unknown world was part of the adventure after all. With that in mind, Momonga started eating, the delicacy tasting exactly how he expected them to be.

'It's probably nutritious in value... but it's not much when it comes to the flavor...'

With imaginary tears, Momonga wallowed how much he misses the Great Tomb of Nazarick. Specifically, their cuisine that his wife is undoubtedly chowing down on at this moment.

While it started rather quietly, the group eventually broke into chatter. Dinnertime talk was natural after all.

Wanting to avoid suspicion of his party not talking at all, Momonga asked Peter.

"You call yourself the 'Sword of Darkness', but it seems none of you are using one?"

"Ah, it's that question."

Lukeluther smiled sheepishly, the smile of someone digging up his shameful past. Especially Ninya whose face turned bright red, different from the reflection of the campfire.

"That was the sword Ninya was after."

"Don't bring it up, I was young back then."

"There's nothing to be ashamed of! Having a grand dream is important!"

"Spare me Dyne, seriously."

The Sword of Darkness group laughed heartily as they poked fun at Ninya who felt embarrassed enough that he wanted to find a hole and hide in it. The name 'Sword of Darkness' seemed to be an inside secret among members.

"The 'Swords of Darkness' were the swords owned by one of the legendary 'Thirteen Heroes'."

Peter said with a smile but didn't elaborate any further.

'That's too vague if he stops here… All I know is that the Thirteen Heroes were heroes on another level that defeated the rampaging demon god 200 years ago. I have no idea who the heroes were, or what equipment they had… Will not knowing these things cause me to lose face? Or should I pretend to know?'

He decided to give it some time, knowing that Fuitchi will eventually ask: 'Was one of the heroes a bard' or 'does any of them play any instrument'. It might stray too much from his wanted topic but it's not like he's really engrossed in it.

As he pondered about this Narberal interjected, cutting out Fuitchi who was just about to fulfill Momonga's prediction.

"What is that?" She asked blankly.

Momonga struck a victory pose while Fuitchi shrunk down in his sitting spot. Guess he's not used in being cut out.

Meanwhile, the Sword of Darkness members looked stunned. Not knowing about the magic item they named themselves after might be a bit shocking.

"So Nabel-chan doesn't know. That understandable. Although he was one of the Thirteen Heroes, he was branded as a villain because others believed him to be of demonic descent. His part is often omitted when telling the tale of the legendary heroes… He was said to be very powerful."

"The Swords of Darkness were the four words used by the 'Dark Knight' of the thirteen heroes: The magic sword [Chilling Lamp] can emit dark energy, wounds caused by the corrosive sword [Crocodile] will never heal, the death sword [Space] can kill with a single scratch and then there's the evil sword [Malice] whose ability is unknown."

"Oh—" Everyone smiled awkwardly at Narberal's uninterested response.

Hearing the description Momonga's thought turns into the class of cursed knight. And as he began to compare notes between what he had learned in this world and the newly obtained information, the sword of Darkness continued their chat.

"—Finding that is my first objective. There are many legendary weapons. Some were proven to exist, but it is unknown if they still exist nowadays—"

"Ah, there is a person who already owns one of the Swords of Darkness."

Nfirea casually dropped the bomb, making all the Sword of Darkness members turn to him:

"Wh-who is it!"

"Wah! Really?! That means there are just three left!"

"Eh, now we can't give one to each member…"

Nfirea answered cautiously:

"Ehm, there's an adventurer group calling themselves the 'Blue Rose', their captain has the sword."

"Oh, if it's that group of adamantium ranked adventurers, then it can't be helped."

"That's right. But since there are still three swords left, let's work hard and become strong enough to obtain them all."

"You are correct since there is one, then the other three must exist as well. I hope those three are hidden in a place no one else can find until we discover them."

"Ninya, log this in your diary to avoid forgetting about this."

"Understood, I will pen it down. But that's my private diary, shouldn't you record or remember it yourself?"

"Leaving a physical record behind is good!"

"Is that the issue? Dyne…"

"But we have this."

"What's that?"

"This, Momon-san."

Peter took out a shortsword with four small jewels embedded in the hilt. He drew it out to show its black sword body.

"Before getting the real thing, we plan to use this as our symbol…"

"Calling ourselves 'Blade of Darkness' instead of 'Sword of Darkness' would be fine. Anyway, there is no real or fake thing, this is undoubtedly the symbol of our team!"

"Eh… Lukeluther is actually talking sense!"

The Sword of Darkness members broke out in laughter, appearing harmonious.

Influenced by the atmosphere, Momonga smiled along with them. Their feelings toward the short sword were the same as his feelings towards the guild's symbolic staff.

Topics suitable for dinner conversation popped up one after another, the Sword of Darkness members who were the majority held the initiative, talking to Momonga, Narberal, Fuitchi, and Nfirea from time to time.

Watching the party chatting happily under the glow of the campfire made his homesickness worse, but because they are adventurer another unpleasant memories began to surface.

No… Calling it unpleasant was…

"... Your friendships are deep. Are all the other adventurers like this?" Momonga unconsciously let out, which was quickly responded by Peter.

"Probably, they went through thick and thin together as well, if they can't understand what each other were thinking, what actions they will take, it will be dangerous. Over time, their bond will deepen."

"That's right, there are no girls in our team. I heard that it will get rowdy if there is one."

"... That's right."

Ninya continued with an awkward smile:

"If there is, Lukeluther would be the first one to cause trouble. Anyway, it's because our party has a definite goal right?"

Peter and the others nodded in agreement.

"... That's how it is. When everyone is thinking as one, the feeling is different."

"Eh? Momon-san had a party in the past too?"

Momonga didn't know how to answer Nfirea, but he didn't need to fudge it with a weird excuse.

"Well… Calling us adventurers is a bit of a stretch… To better put it, we were people who share similar circumstances and has no choice but to take certain kind of jobs…"

Sensing that this was something that Momonga probably did not want to talk about, no one pressed him and the place turned silent. The sword of Darkness plus Nfirea took turns to silently glance at Naberal and Fuitchi, only to found both of them unchanged despite the somber air.

After letting out a sigh, Momonga continued.

"When I was still weak, I was saved by a paladin dressed in pure white, who was holding a sword and shield in each hand. He introduced me to 4 other teammates. Including me, we were a 6 men party. Soon after, three other members who were weak just like I joined, and the nine of us founded the original team.

They were an excellent bunch. Paladin, swordmancer, priest, dark… bandit, dual-wielding nin… dual-wielding bandit, sorcerer, chef, blacksmith… Irreplaceable good friends. We experienced countless adventures, I still can't forget those days."

He paused a bit after that. And after recalling numerous events in his life that he treasures, finally finishes his recounting of the past.

"A lot of things happened and we ended up going our separate ways. But... They are precious comrades of mine and an excellent bunch."

What followed was, of course, a silence so quiet, that made it as if they are the only ones in the world.

From what they can tell, Momonga's past teammates had left him behind or had already passed away. Anything else they say will only burden the air further and might even offend him.

"Sorry for bringing up such a heavy topic during a meal. I'll excuse myself."

He was replied by a series of awkward 'it's alright' and 'understood.' No one said another word as Momonga hurriedly finished his meal, swallowing the content of his bowl in one go without stopping midway.

The dark knight promptly stood up after setting down his now empty dish, putting his helmet back on and turning away from the group.

"I think I'll walk around a bit before turning in for the night. Please don't hesitate to call me if anything happens."

Wordless nods were all that he receives, and everyone tried their best to act as naturally as possible as Momonga left them behind for his tent.

"Ano… Fu-san…" Ninya began as soon as Momonga left their earshot.

"It's alright, no one is at fault here. He's just like that whenever he recalls about the past."

And it was true. None of the Sword of Darkness had said anything that offends the Overlord in hiding, and it was Momonga himself who is responsible for his downward slope in temper.

If Fuitchi had to guess, the Sword of Darkness reminded his brother in law of his fellow guildmates whom he misses, and that he was being torn apart by his sentiment for them and his love for Kyoko who despises them.

No one besides him was aware of that of course. And Fuitchi had replied in such a specific fashion to stop them from prying further.

Casually drinking the rest of his bisque, Fuitchi put down his bowl and picked up Momonga's empty ware. Leaving the group behind with one final message.

"I ask for all of you not to give it too much thought. That is a personal matter for him alone, one that shouldn't be brought up carelessly."

In other words, you should all just mind your own business. Was what Fuitchi politely said.

"...Even so…" Ninya muttered, not realizing that the musician heard him.

"Nabe, if you're finished would you mind helping me clean up? I'd like to at least our share of the dishes."

"Understood, I'll accompany you, Fu-sama."

The retreating backs of Momonga's comrades were the last they saw of the three. And the Sword of Darkness and Nfirea were left to their own thoughts for the rest of the night.

Momonga silently walked along the edges of their campsite, already returned to his Undead form. It might look like that he managed to keep his cool, but the truth was that he was mere inches away from exploding.

'One more second and I would have lashed out…'

He was truly jealous of the Sword of Darkness party. Of having true friends that will stick together in the face of any adversary no matter what.

It was the one thing that he does not have, but the fact that he felt envious despite already having everything else was his real concern.

The woman he loves by his side. The children whom he is proud of. People who consider him family, both related to him by blood and not.

Momonga clenched his fists tightly, even with his racial undead passive he can still feel the myriads of emotions stirring within him.

Longing mixing with disdain; Distrust blending with loyalty. Saying that they had abandoned him was oversimplifying it, but that in itself was not far from the truth.

Are they truly gone? Could they all actually be here separated by time and space? If so, shouldn't he dedicate himself to search for them?

But…

What will happen if they were to truly meet? Would they approve of his actions so far and his future decisions? Could his current goals lead him into conflict with them? Not only that but would they even want to stay in the first place? What if returning earth means they all have to leave the new world?

If so, will he be able to fight not just one, but all of them?

It was a true pandora box in every sense. Filled only with negativity that will easily overwhelm them at their current state.

Momonga felt his emotional inhibitors flaring into life once more. Quelling his agitation and pushing his fear into the back of his head. Yet, even while looking up at the beautiful night sky, he knows that his wishes and fears are as many as the stars that adorned the view. Both interconnected with one another and impossible to separate.

He can still feel his infinite unease rippling within. Undead or not, it will never vanish until the moment of truth, that much Momonga knew.

It was another night that ended with uncertainty covering air.

Xxx

Voidwalker here with a new chapter and a fixed version of the previous one.

I really would have finished with this chapter sooner, but have been contemplating starting another project that I have been wanting to do for some time now. Problem is, that means I'm going to end up juggling two stories. And that's usually I ended up killing my stories.

That and college restarting soon really puts things into perspective. Rest assured that I will never abandon this story, EVER. But please anticipate a slower update, NOT HIATUS, once my other story finally takes off.

That's all I guess, thanks for your view and don't forget to comment.

Voidwalker77, Signing out. CIAO!