Thanks for all the favourites, follows and reviews. I truly appreciate it. For the reviews, I cannot see and read it in the app at first since it was delayed, but rest assured as I had read all of them in my email.
Truthfully, this chapter was mostly a rehash. So you can skip any parts you deemed unnecessary as I just couldn't bring myself to skip some of their interaction and their appearances, which I mostly took from either LN or fandom. On a side note, I am a big fan of Momonga's umu-ness.
Disclaimer: I don't own Overlord or any of the characters outside of my own creations. Overlord is owned and created by Maruyama Kugane and illustrated by so-bin.
Last Edited - 5/8/2022
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Chapter 1 - The Legacy
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1—
Lower Wind Month, 1st Day
Great Tomb of Nazarick
10th Floor, Throne Room
Momonga opened his eyes.
The first thing he felt different was with his own new form. He could feel the calm and gentle flow of his blood and the loosening of his muscles when he took a more relaxed posture upon the throne.
Absent-mindedly, he took a closer look at his right hand, clenching it into a fist and then unclenching it a few times, marvelling at the feeling of having a flesh that he had once cast aside.
Momonga was no longer just an undead, a being of no flesh and blood.
He was now a new being.
I am truly alive. And I can feel it, the power that had been accumulated throughout these few centuries, flowing endlessly within me, free to be unleashed at will. Hahaha! It is truly possible! Possible!
Licking his lip in delight, he felt his two pointy and sharp upper canine fangs. At that moment, he noticed the gazes that had been directed at him since a couple of moments ago.
The gazes came from the now living NPCs. Truthfully, Momonga had familiarised himself with the NPCs after they had been transported to this new world, especially about their background stories and skill sets. Yet even his excitement to see their creations coming to life could not overcome his nervousness.
The intense and unblinking gazes from the other individuals within the Throne Room gave Momonga a strange feeling. Their eyes shined with admiration and reverence, their anticipation to answer any command was clear to be seen by Momonga.
Umu. Their gazes kind of freak me out. It was as if they were looking devotedly at their omnipotent Gods or something, the same way a summoned being acted in front of their summoner. Does it mean that the NPCs view me as one of their Creators, as the masters of this tomb? It is still fine but—
Troubled by their overly feverish gazes, Momonga decided to look straight at the black hair beauty, Albedo, who was now standing by his side.
Momonga might never admit it himself, but no matter how many times he had looked at Albedo, her otherworldly beauty would always mesmerise him, making him almost forget the things that he had planned to say.
Calm down Momonga! The first impressions are important. I should at least act like a proper and capable master, right? Alright! You can do it Momonga!
Giving himself a morale boost, Momonga was prepared to have his first interaction with a now living NPC from Nazarick. The thought of him failing to meet the expectations from those he considered their legacy, which had lingered in his mind a moment ago was put aside as he tried to compose himself.
"Is something wrong, Momonga-sama?"
Albedo's beautiful voice startled Momonga from his thoughts. The beauty was looking attentively at him with concern, though Momonga could notice that her face had started to redden a little bit.
"U-Umu. It is nothing, I was just lost in thought. But, are you alright, Albedo? Are you feeling unwell?"
Asked Momonga as he stared straight at Albedo. His focused gaze and the concerned question somehow made her turn even redder.
Perhaps she was as nervous as me. Well, even I would be uncomfortable if my boss started to ask me some sort of personal questions during a big company meeting. Surely Albedo felt the same way since her subordinates, Sebas and the Pleiades were here.
"Th-Thank you Momonga-sama for your magnanimous concern. With your merciful blessing, I am perfectly fine. Please forgive me for disturbing your profound thoughts, Momonga-sama!"
Seeing Albedo bowing her head apologetically had deeply troubled Momonga. But, one thing was for sure, the two of them were conversing.
There was no doubt about it.
"It is fine, Albedo. No harm was done."
Learning that fact calmed the nervousness within Momonga's heart a little bit. And as expected of him, his voice turned more regal and majestic when he got his composure. It further elevated his greatness in the eyes of his subordinates, of course with him being oblivious about it. To him, being able to interact with Albedo means that the NPCs had truly came to life and it was not one of his awful hallucinations.
Being deeply absorbed in his roleplay as a great ruler, Momonga dismissed Albedo with a wave of his hand. A look of disappointment flashed across her face for a moment as she retreated. Momonga then turned his gaze to the elderly butler and the six maids, who had lowered their heads.
"Sebas! Pleiades!"
""Yes!""
Their voices chorused out as one as they raised their heads. Trying to be more committed to his character, Momonga took on a more superior and commanding attitude before giving his order.
"Sebas! Exit the tomb and investigate the surrounding region. If it was a grassland, look for any nearby area that might be covered in a bizarre grey mist. However, be sure to not step into it even a single step as it may cause you great harm, be cautious, and remember to take note of its location. Stay within one kilometre radius from the tomb and avoid unnecessary combat with any lifeforms that you may encounter."
"Understood, Momonga-sama. I will do so immediately."
"Bring along two of the Pleiades to accompany you and then, meet me at the Colosseum on the 6th Floor in an hour's time after you have finished the surveillance. As for the remaining Pleiades, head to the 9th Floor and stand guard for any possible intruders. Begin immediately."
""Understood, Momonga-sama!""
After another chorus of voices rang out, Sebas and the battle maids bowed once more before standing up and left simultaneously in a neat and tidy manner.
The giant doors before the Throne Room opened, and then closed again.
Momonga then looked at the remaining person by his side, Albedo, who seemed to be happier after the exit of Sebas and the Pleiades.
"Is there anything I can do for you Momonga-sama?"
Seeing her bright smile brought a small smile to Momonga. Though her intense gaze somehow gave him a sense of danger, he absentmindedly brushed it aside. Being eager to move with his next step, he gave his next order in a light-hearted tone.
"Umu. Albedo. I want you to inform all the Guardians of each Floor, with the exception of the 4th and the 8th Floors Guardians, to meet at the same location and time as Sebas. I will contact Aura and Mare myself, so you can also exclude them. You can do so at once."
"Understood, Momonga-sama!"
After giving a respectful bow, further emphasising her already impressive bust, Albedo swiftly departed the Throne Room. Momonga had an impression that she was a little bit disappointed with the order but he dismissed it, as he might have seen it wrongly.
As he watched the retreating Albedo, Momonga reflected on his words and actions during his first conversation with the Nazarick NPCs. Feeling content with the way he handled the situation, he eventually rose from the throne, and prepared himself to teleport to another location.
"Is it just me or did I miss something greatly important regarding Albedo? Or perhaps it was just me being too paranoid. Right?"
After shaking his head a few times, Momonga regained his focus on the next important task at hand and left the other minor matters to the back of his mind.
He unleashed the power of one of his rings on his ten fingers, the one with the emblem of his proud guild, the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown!
He proceeded with his teleportation.
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Great Tomb of Nazarick
9th Floor, one of the empty room
The 9th Floor was where the individual rooms of the members of Ainz Ooal Gown were located. In addition, there were also a few spare rooms that were prepared for any additional new guild members. Most of them were filled with the same standard collection of luxurious items but a few of them were simply left empty.
Momonga was now in one of those empty spare rooms.
Alright, this one will do.
Satisfied with his choice, Momonga let go of the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown. Astonishingly, the staff did not fall onto the ground, but floated in the air beside him. He then proceeded to unleash one of his many spells.
"[Create Greater Item]."
40 reinforced clear-glass capsules, each of them four feet wide and ten feet tall, appeared in front of Momonga. They were further decorated with mysterious magical runes that shined with myriad colours of radiance, yet the most distinct about them were the unique emblem etched on top of each of them.
It was the unique emblem of each members of Ainz Ooal Gown.
The emblems of his dear friends.
Momonga then raised both of his hands. The dark red glow within his empty eye sockets was full of focus and expectations.
"[Summon - Earth]."
A ball of a sphere with a diameter of 10 cm materialised above his right hand. It was a planet, a dying planet that was ruined by its own inhabitants, the home of his and his friends. The planet was pitch black, giving an impression as if the whole world had died, be it the vast and fertile lands, the abundant blessings of nature, the deep and rich oceans, and even the blue and bright sky. Mysteriously, sparks of explosion could be seen throughout the globe, frozen solid, unable to fully explode and unleash their mindless destruction that would bring an end to all.
"[Summon - Yggdrasil]."
Now, a 30 cm ash tree had materialised above Momonga's left hand. It was the divine and majestic tree of legends, the tree of Yggdrasil. The legendary tree possessed nine leaves, each of them were about 3 cm long and had their own distinct characteristics. The nine leaves represented their own separate worlds which were Asgard, Álfheim, Vanaheim, Niðavellir, Midgard, Jötunheim, Niflheim, Helheim, and Múspellsheim. The divine tree also retained a trace of other missing leaves that looked as if they had been shed or eaten by something. Still, the whole tree emitted an incomparable aura of life as it glowed with ethereal green light.
Gathering his strength and focus, Momonga prepared himself for the final step. It was the most important and critical moment for him.
"[Summon - Ainz Ooal Gown]!"
As Momonga bolstered the skill with his tremendous amount of mana, the image of Earth and Yggdrasil above his hands emitted 40 tiny flashes of light. The light between the two worlds clashed against each other for a moment before it shot straight at the created capsules. Multiple indistinct outlines started to materialise within the clear-glass capsules. The outlines then gradually became more distinct and clear.
When Momonga could distinguish the avatar form of his friends, as they keep on changing between their monstrous form and their human form, he was released from his worry. A sigh of relief escaped his breath and now, he was filled with melancholy.
He recalled their adventure and glory.
From Nine's Own Goal, a small clan of heteromorphic races.
To Ainz Ooal Gown, one of the top guilds in the nine worlds of Yggdrasil.
The faces of his cherished friends flashed across his mind. Each of them had their own unique quirks.
It had been a long time, yet his memory of them remained clear and lucid in his mind.
"Saving someone who is in trouble is common sense!"
Touch Me and his ideal of justice.
"Roar, my secret arcana! Descend, o ultimate disaster! Flow, ye tears of despair and regret! — [Grand Catastrophe]!"
Ulbert and his chuunibyou.
"I really did want to stay with you to the end, but I'm about to fall asleep."
The overworked Herohero.
"Technology development is prioritised for the military, then healthcare, and followed by ero. That's how great ero is."
Peroroncino and his perversion.
"Has my stupid little brother given you any trouble?"
The concerned Bukubukuchagama.
"Maid uniforms are justice!"
Whitebrim and his obsession with maids.
"—Panic is the seed of defeat, so you must maintain your calm and think logically. Remain calm, look beyond your surroundings, and don't waste your effort on unnecessary details, Momonga-san."
The wise Punitto Moe.
…
He missed them all.
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2—
Great Tomb of Nazarick
6th Floor, Amphitheater, the Colosseum
After settling his task on the 9th Floor, Momonga then teleported to the Colosseum which was on the 6th Floor.
The Colosseum had an oval shape, with 180 metres on its long axis and 150 metres on the short axis. It was 40 metres tall and modelled after the arenas of the Roman Empire. The audiences of the grand arena consisted of numerous golems that acted as spectators.
Looking above his head, Momonga basked himself in the beautiful sky of the 6th Floor. He also felt a sense of appreciation for his comrades' hard work in building this place.
The design for the 6th Floor was totally different from the 9th Floor. The 9th Floor was designed as a royal suite, full of luxurious items and various facilities while the 6th Floor was designed as a jungle, with abundance of nature along with its own vast and magnificent sky. All of these were mostly being contributed by one of his past comrades, Blue Planet, the romantic nature lover.
"Welcome, Momonga-sama. Welcome to the level I guard!"
Hearing the respectful and exuberant greeting awakened Momonga out of his own little world. He looked upon one of the guardians of the 6th Floor, Aura Bella Fiora, who just now had jumped down after leaping from the VIP box with her pure physical prowess alone.
She was a tomboyish looking child with dark skin and pointed ears, a signature trait of the dark elves. Her golden hair grazed her shoulders and her heterochromia eyes, sea blue left eye and forest green right eye sparkled brightly. She wore a reddish-black dragon scale leather covered by a white and gold vest embroidered with the sigil of Ainz Ooal Gown, with a matching set of white trousers and gold plated shoes, and around her neck was an acorn necklace emitting golden light. A whip coiled across her waist and right shoulder, and there was a giant, decorated bow on her back.
"Umu. Aura, I'll be intruding for a while."
"H-How could you be considered as intruding, Momonga-sama! All places within the whole of Nazarick are yours to visit at your leisure!"
"I see. Speaking of which, where is your little brother, Mare?"
Looking around, Momonga did not find the whereabouts of the other NPC that was created by the cheerful voice actress, Bukubukuchagama.
As for Aura, she blinked in surprise, as she had just noticed that there was no silhouette of her little brother welcoming the arrival of Momonga together with her.
Annoyed by his tardiness, she shouted loudly upward to the VIP box.
"Mare! Momonga-sama has graced us with his presence! How rude are you going to be by not showing your face and greeting him!?"
An almost inaudible reply was heard. It was only possible for the other party to hear Aura due to the magic on her necklace as in reality, there was quite a distance between her and the VIP box.
"I, I can't, Onee-chan..."
Hearing his timid reply, refusing to just jump down from the VIP box for a more timely arrival caused Aura to grab her head. Worried that Mare's action might cause displeasure from his lord, she hurriedly asked for forgiveness in panic.
"Mo-Momonga-sama, he's just scared, he's definitely not trying to insult you."
"It's fine Aura. I do understand it so please be at ease."
To ease up the agitated Aura, Momonga offered her a kind smile while he patted her head gently, ruffling her golden hair a few times. Honestly, Momonga did know that he should act more like a proper master in front of the Guardians, as it was what he had gleaned from how Albedo, Sebas and the Pleiades had acted in front of him. Still, the NPCs were their direct creations and he had been looking over them since forever, from their creations as NPCs in Yggdrasil, to the moment they arrived in this world. They carried the marks of Ainz Ooal Gown, the proof of their existence, so he believed that, now the NPCs had been turned into living and sentient beings, they should be treated more affectionately.
"Th-Thank you for your kindness Momonga-sama!"
Aura's face turned beet red till it reached her long ears. She stood there shyly after Momonga removed his hand from her head.
"Still, since we may be short on time, allow me to cast a spell for Mare."
As it might take a few moments for Mare to come if he took the stairs down, Momonga cast a spell that was considered to be the highest tier of teleportation magic.
"[Gate]."
A dark portal appeared in front of Momonga. Simultaneously, another one appeared in front of Mare who was just about to walk down the stairs. The portal allowed travel of a large number of people over great distances.
"Mare, you may enter the portal and arrive here. I have some news for the both of you."
Following Momonga's order, Mare timidly walked into the portal and then offered an apology to Momonga.
"I-I'm sorry I kept you w-waiting, Momonga-sama..."
Mare Bello Fiore was the other NPC that was created by Bukubukuchagama. He was the younger twin brother of Aura.
He stood next to the already arrived Aura who was staring intently at him with a gaze filled with helplessness, his heterochromia eyes which were the opposite of Aura, sea blue right eye and forest green left eye, glanced nervously at Momonga. As twins, Mare looked almost identical to Aura as he had the same features. He wore a blue dragon scale leather full-bodysuit, covered by a white and gold vest embroidered with the sigil of Ainz Ooal Gown, and a forest green-leaf cloak, with a matching short white skirt that exposed his thighs. The rest of his legs were covered in white silk stockings, and on his neck was an acorn necklace emitting silver light. His slender hands were donned with shiny white silk gloves and he wielded a twisted black wooden staff.
"Umu. It's fine Mare, you are just on time."
Seeing the nervous Mare, Momonga gave him a reassuring smile. Unconsciously, he reached his hand and patted Mare gently, doing the same as what he had done to Aura, who was now giving Mare a wishful look.
As to be expected for a twin sibling, Mare gave the same reaction as Aura, though he appeared to be more emotional as his eyes started to become moist. His face also turned red till it reached his long ears as he leaned his weight against his black wooden staff for a little bit of support.
Not wanting to see the dark elf boy cry, and wondering why he would cry in the first place, Momonga took back his hand and decided to change the topic.
"Now, since both of you are here, I would like to share the news about the next event on the 6th Floor."
His words caused the two dark elves to regain their calm and focus. Their eyes shine with the determination to remember every word that would be spoken by Momonga.
"Before that, I was intrigued about a certain matter. Would both of you mind answering a question from me?"
"Ask me anything Momonga-sama! I will do my best to fulfil the wish of one of the Supreme Beings!"
"P-Please ask us anything M-Momonga-sama."
Hearing the inquiry from Momonga brightened Aura to a whole new level, her determination to be of help to Momonga was clear to be seen. Her eyes shined so bright that Momonga felt she would cry if he dropped his question. As for Mare, he looked more nervous due to his lack of confidence in being able to give an appropriate answer. Nevertheless, Momonga proceeded with the question that had been in his head since his arrival on the 6th Floor.
"Umu. I am curious about how both of you could recognise me as Momonga. As you can see, my current form is different from the past yet both of you had greeted me as Momonga confidently."
Momonga looked upon his back and morphed his majestic three pairs of skeletal wings to a hundred skeletal hands, each of them holding another skeletal hand that were clenching various weapons such as swords, spears, axes and shields, with all of them burning with black and white soul flames. He then proceeded by morphing them into a fully pure white body armour made of bones, adorned with black and dark gold markings, that fully covered his form. The armour looked menacing with a pauldron depicting a human skull on both of his shoulder sides, with the light within their eye sockets glowing eerily in greyish lights. He also wore an ancient and torn white cap that continued to shift randomly from material to illusory without end, further enhancing his bizarre and ghostly aura.
"Whoa! Totally amazing Momonga-sama! It is really cool!"
"A-Amazing, Momonga-sama!"
The pure excited response from the twins embarrassed Momonga. Though it also makes him a little proud of himself. After all, it took a lot of his time to finally decide on a suitable form for his armour.
Satisfied with his little performance, Momonga morphed his bone armour to a floating emblem depicting three pairs of skeletal wings that were later etched onto his bare back, revealing his torn clothes as it then proceeded to magically repair itself.
"Ahem! I appreciate both of your responses but I would like to hear your honest answer for my previous question."
"Ah! Forgive us, Momonga-sama!"
"F-Forgive us, M-Momonga-sama!"
The two of them bowed deeply to Momonga.
"It is fine, it is fine. Please be at ease, Aura, Mare."
Hearing Momonga's warm response caused the twin dark elves to release a sigh of relief. In their hearts, it had always been their greatest honour to serve such a magnanimous master, but at the same time, they fear the time he lost his patient due to their own incompetence.
After thinking deeply for a few moments, Aura was the first one to give an answer, which was later followed by Mare.
"Hmm, I don't really know how to explain it, Momonga-sama. But I can sort of feel it based on your aura alone."
"I-Indeed, Momonga-sama. W-When we noticed your p-presence, we can s-somehow deduce that it was you. E-Even when you had c-changed your form just now."
Momonga nodded his head, acknowledging and accepting their honest answer. He then raised one of his hands and stroked his chin, his mind was full of theories after hearing the answer from the twin dark elves.
Since Aura and Mare were not in the Throne Room, they should not know about my new form, yet they were somehow able to recognise me based on my aura alone. Is it only related to me or since this is our guild base, all members are supposed to have their own unique aura that can be discerned by those within Nazarick? Is it the effect of the codings used in Yggdrasil to differentiate the players and the NPCs? Then, when they returned… the NPCs would surely be able to…
Satisfied with the hypothesis that he had made, Momonga addressed the twin dark elves who were looking expectantly at him.
"Umu. I see. Thank you for your great input, both of you."
Aura gave a beaming smile as she jumped up and down adorably after hearing the praise from Momonga while Mare nodded down his head, a shy smile was plastered on his face as he twiddled his index fingers.
"Then, back to the news that I was about to inform both of you. It is about the gathering of the Floor Guardians on this Floor in a few moments from now."
"Eh! Really?! Then, we need to prepare fast for-."
"There is no need for that, Aura. You and Mare just need to stay here and wait for them."
"Uh, Got it! Momonga-sama!"
"U-Understood. Momonga-sama!"
"Good, both of you."
"Umm, Momonga-sama. Does that mean all Floor-"
"Oya, am I the first to arrive?"
Before Aura managed to ask Momonga, another voice was heard, coming from a [Gate] spell that had materialised beside them. The tone was archaic and formal, but the voice itself sounded like it belonged to a young woman.
A beautiful girl emerged from the [Gate]. She was a true beauty with a short stature, pale shiny skin, and a pair of seductive crimson-red eyes. Her breasts bulged proudly forward as she walked and her long silver hair was tied in a ponytail with a large ribbon, allowing others a full view of her face. The girl seemed elegant and refined in her soft black evening dress with a big heavy skirt, her upper body dressed in a lace embellished ribbon and a short tailored jacket while her delicate hands donned with long lace gloves, not exposing any bit of her pale skin.
She was Shalltear Bloodfallen. The Floor Guardian of the 1st to 3rd Floor of Nazarick.
"Umu. You are just right on time, Shalltear."
"…Shalltear. Weren't you told not to frivolously use [Gate] in Nazarick? We are-"
"Ah, my master, Momonga-sama. My beloved and the most beautiful master, the only one whom I cannot rule over…"
Completely ignoring the rebuke from Aura, Shalltear moved forward to get closer to Momonga. Her slender hands were raised as if to embrace him, her carmine lips parted, revealing a moist, slick tongue. She was almost upon his glorious form, her undead heart somehow started to beat faster and faster, her face blushed red as her imagination running wild and a trace of blood started to trickle down her nose, alas, just before she took the last step forward, a twisted black wooden staff promptly blocked her path, her body got bound by a sturdy whip without her notice, and a hand had tightly clutched the back of her neck.
Naturally, Shalltear proceeded to glare at the twins that had stopped her. Her crimson-red eyes glowed brightly with fury.
"What is the meaning of this! Aura! Mare! Let me go!"
"Fine. But not another step forward from you, Shalltear! You are about to trouble Momonga-sama!"
"S-Sorry!"
Aura annoyedly released Shalltear from the bound, and took back her hand that was clutching Shalltear's neck. As for Mare, he fidgetly removes his black wooden staff from Shalltear's path.
"Ahhhh! Both of you just ruined my touching moment with Momonga-sama!"
"What do you mean?! You are just about to trouble Momonga-sama!"
Being freed, Shalltear lost her refined looking atmosphere. She faced the twins, roiling black mist started to boil off of her hands. Aura readied her whip in anticipation with a smirk plastered on her face while Mare clutched his black wooden staff tightly, clearly at a loss on what to do.
The situation was about to get out of hand, yet Momonga, the only being who could peacefully stop the fight, was reminiscing about his past. In his mind, the form of Shalltear and Aura overlapped with the form of their sibling Creators, Peroroncino and Bukubukuchagama. He wondered what their reaction would be upon seeing the familiar act of their creations.
Thankfully, another individual had arrived on the 6th Floor.
"What. A. Ruckus."
The strange and monotonous voice was able to stop both Aura and Shalltear from their squabble. Momonga then gave the new arrival an appraising look after he had awakened from his reminiscence.
The origin of the inhuman voice was a heteromorphic being with an enormous body size of 2.5 metres. He was Cocytus, the Floor Guardian of the 5th Floor. The Ruler of the Frozen Glacier had the appearance that resembled a bipedal insect with four arms, it was as if he was a fusion between a mantis and an ant. He also had a long tail twice his height and a body that was covered in sharp spikes like icicles. His shoulders and back looked like uplifted icebergs and a frightening chilled air shrouded his form. Cocytus held a platinum halberd in his two hands while his remaining two hands held a mace that emitted a black light and a gnarled-looking broadsword which did not look like it could be sheathed.
"You. Stand. Before. A. Supreme. Being. Contain. Yourself."
"It is fine, Cocytus. But, both of you, please calm down."
Aura and Shalltear shuddered in shock, then lowered their heads simultaneously, fully acknowledging their mistake.
""My sincerest apologies!""
Seeing them that depressed after being reprimanded, Momonga was troubled. To him, the Guardians were a bit rigid in front of him. So, he tried to soothe Aura and Shalltear a little bit while trying to gauge their reaction if they heard anything related about their Creators.
"Please be at ease, both of you. Truthfully, your squabble had just reminded me of your dear Creators, Bukubukuchagama-san and Peroroncino-san. The sibling's quarrel had always been a norm during our guild activities."
"R-Really, Momonga-sama!?"
"P-Peroroncino-sama and Bukubukuchagama-sama!?"
Their reactions were more enthusiastic than what Momonga had imagined. Apparently, hearing that they had acted the same way as their Creators had pushed their spirits to the brimmed, albeit Momonga had also noticed that Mare and Cocytus were giving him a wishful look, perhaps hoping to hear his thoughts on whether they shared any similarity with their respective Creators or not.
"Indeed. It is the truth. You can take my word for it."
Momonga gave them an acknowledging nod. Seeing that, the faces of Aura and Shalltear lit up with excitement as they looked intensely at each other. Momonga truly hoped that it was not a silent agreement between them to argue more frequently as one pair of siblings' daily quarrel was enough for him, not to mention that he still had to play peacemaker between Touch Me and Ulbert.
"Of course, the same goes for the both of you, Mare, Cocytus."
Momonga then turned his gaze to Mare and Cocytus who were looking at him with eyes full of expectations. He stroked his chin a few times with his right hand as he thought deeply on what he should say to them, trying to remember every quirk of Bukubukuchagama and Warrior Takemikazuchi that could be related to their NPCs.
"Mare, you represented how Bukubukuchagama-san wished for a little brother to act in front of his big sister since she believed that the younger brother should obey the elder sister."
"Th-Thank you, M-Momonga-sama!"
Mare bowed deeply to Momonga, hiding the trickle of happy tears sliding down the creases of his face. He was truly happy to know more about his dear Creator, a being he eternally adored even though she had not been around for a long, long time. Seeing the bowing Mare, Aura gently rubbed his back while Shalltear gave them a complex look.
"As for you, Cocytus, I can feel the heart of a warrior that you had inherited from your Creator, a fearless heart with desire for a great and honourable battle against challenging opponents. During the old days, Warrior Takemikazuchi-san had always considered Touch Me-san as his own rival who he wanted to do battle against, so perhaps one day, you may also find your own rival."
"I. See. As. Expected. Of. Warrior. Takemikazuchi-sama. To. Considered. Touch Me-sama. As. His. Rival. I. Still. Had. A. Long. Way. Ahead. Thank. You. For. Sharing. The. Tale. Of. My. Creator. Momonga-sama."
Puffs of white vapour came out from Cocytus's mouth as he spoke, freezing the water in the air around him. Momonga could tell that Cocytus was excited as he had tightened his grip against all four of his weapons.
"Umu. It was nothing. Sharing the story of our adventure to all of you will always bring me joy. Perhaps one day, I may be able to tell you our full story, beginning from the day our guild was created to the day we conquered this tomb and rose to prominence!"
"Ooh, please share it with us Momonga-sama!"
"P-Please, M-Momonga-sama!"
"Ufufu, it will be our pleasure to learn the exploits of our masters!"
"To. Hear. The. Feats. That. Had. Been. Achieved. By. The. Supreme. Beings. Will. Be. Our. Greatest. Honour. Momonga-sama!"
"I see. Since it seems that all of you are interested, I will be sure to put it in mind."
Momonga was delighted. It seems that at least the four Guardians in front of him had shown a great fondness towards his past comrades. He truly hoped for it to remain that way even after he had told them about their origin.
Right after that moment, two new figures entered the Colosseum through the entrance. Momonga turned his gaze towards the new arrivals, which were Albedo, who he had met in the Throne Room and another individual known as Demiurge, the Floor Guardian of the 7th Floor of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, the NPC created by Ulbert Alain Odle.
Demiurge was a 1.8 metres tall demon with dark skin and nicely combed black hair. His round glasses thoroughly concealed the shining jewels with numerous small cuts that took the place of his eyeballs. The demon was wearing a Western suit along with a matching tie. His appearance gave an impression of a true gentleman, although it failed to hide even a little bit of his sinister and evil aura. As the Creator of the Blazing Inferno walked towards the group, a silver tail covered with metal plates and six long spikes at the end could be seen behind his back.
When he and Albedo got close enough, the man bowed gracefully and said:
"Forgive me for keeping everyone waiting."
"It is fine, Demiurge. Now, since all the Guardians who I had requested had arrived, let us wait for Sebas."
In Nazarick, the term Guardians usually referred to Floor Guardians who were in charge of their respective Floors. They were also in charge of the Area Guardians who in return managed a specific domain in their Floor.
"Then, please at least let us pledge our loyalty to you Momonga-sama."
Pledge your loyalty? She meant the same way the knights gave a solemn pledge to their king in the old times, right?
Momonga was curious as he did not remember any such settings in the NPCs, so he gave them a nod, a sign for them to proceed. Seeing the positive response from Momonga, the Guardians moved as one. With solemn and respectful expressions on their faces, Albedo stood forward at their head, while the other Guardians formed a neat line behind her.
One by one, the Floor Guardians starting from Shalltear went to one knee, with one hand pressed against their chest and their heads bowed deeply. As they did so, each of them stated their name and their title as a Floor Guardian for their respective Floors in a respectful and dignified manner.
"The Guardian Overseer Albedo presents herself to the master."
Albedo was the last Guardian to go on her knees. She then continued to deliver her report to Momonga in a high and clear voice.
"With the exception of the 4th Floor Guardian Gargantua and the 8th Floor Guardian Victim, all the Floor Guardians are gathered before you. Thus do we offer up our utmost loyalty to the master."
xXx
Seeing the display of loyalty, Momonga was speechless. It seems that his assumption was right. The Guardians acted the same way as summoned beings, which in his honest opinion, was a little rigid and distant. To Momonga, the NPCs being their direct creations gave them a special place in his heart, more so when they had gained sentience. And from what little he had seen, they had even inherited a part of their Creators. It might be presumptuous of him but perhaps, addressing them as their children was more appropriate.
The guild of Ainz Ooal Gown mainly consisted of members who were immersed in their roleplay, so he could at least accept it if the Guardians behaved formally as in a master-servant relationship from time to time, especially since he did appreciate their artistry performance. Still, he doubted he and the other guild members could watch them acting that way at all times.
Perhaps, I should find a way to lighten them up a little bit!
"Raise your heads. I am pleased with your loyalty."
The Guardians raised their heads in unison. Their faces were lit up with delight upon hearing the praise from their master, though it disappeared right after when they noticed Momonga giving them a disapproving glance. Fearing they had somehow offended and displeased their master, the Guardians turned tense as they gave him a deeper bow. Momonga was troubled by how they had misinterpreted his brief glance, so he swiftly said:
"I was not disappointed with any of you, but perhaps all of you should be more relaxed in front of me."
"How could we, mere Guardians, dare to—."
Just as Albedo tried to offer her opinion, Momonga stopped her by raising his hand in a casual manner.
"Umu. I didn't mean to prohibit you from being formal with me, but there will always be times for us to be more casual with each other."
The Guardians gave Momonga a complex look. To them, being informal with one of the Supreme Beings was akin to the greatest disrespect. They wished to offer their rebuttal, but how could they do so when the one saying it was Momonga, the most merciful among the Supreme Beings who had stayed with them.
As Momonga tried to find an appropriate word for the Guardians, he noticed the arrival of Sebas, who was jogging over to them from the entrance. When Sebas reached the group, he too went to one knee, following the Guardians.
"Momonga-sama, forgive my lateness."
"It's fine, Sebas. Now, do share with us what you have seen on the surface."
"Yes. To begin with, the terrain surrounding us for a kilometre in each direction is a grassland, with no area being shrouded by a bizarre grey mist. There are no signs of man-made structures and the only lifeforms I could spot were some small and harmless animals."
"I see. Then, it means that nothing has changed. Good work, Sebas."
"I am unworthy of your praise, Momonga-sama!"
A look of deep contentment flashed across Sebas's face as he gave Momonga a deep bow. Momonga then glanced at the other Guardians who were giving Sebas an envious glance.
At this moment in time, in the eyes of Momonga, the Guardians were truly acting like children, trying their hardest to gain praise and recognition from their parents.
It is my sole responsibility to take care of them for now, at least until everyone returns.
Momonga mused to himself. He had not even married in his real life, yet here he was, trying to be a good and responsible guardian for their NPCs who had come to life.
"Umu. My Guardians, it seems that the Great Tomb of Nazarick had been caught in a bizarre incident."
Hearing his voice, the Guardians focused their gaze on Momonga. Their eyes shined with unvarying determination to be of use to him in any way.
"Before that, since our meeting here will take a long time, we should converse in a more comfortable manner. — [Create Greater Item]."
A high-backed throne which glowed with a black light appeared behind Momonga. He promptly sat upon it and signed the NPCs to sit on the distinctive and unique thrones that had also materialised behind each of them.
"Momonga-sama! It will be imprudent for us to sit—."
"It is fine. All of you, please take a seat."
Hearing the encouraging and earnest request from Momonga forced the Guardians to comply. They sat nervously on the thrones that had been created for them, with their hearts full of conflict and mixed emotions.
Good, at least they complied. It will be a little unnerving for me to sit if they remain kneeling.
Getting comfortable with how everything had proceeded, Momonga took a more relaxed pose upon the throne. He then let go of the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown, letting it float beside him as he stroked his chin with his hand, trying to organise his thoughts on how and where to start his tale.
"For starters, we are no longer in the marshes of Helheim but in a new foreign world. In truth, the Great Tomb of Nazarick had actually been in this different world for the past 800 years."
Exclamations of surprise and admiration could be heard from the Guardians. The fact that Momonga could reach such a conclusion from the few information given by Sebas had astonished even Albedo and Demiurge, the two NPCs who were considered to have the highest level of intelligence among the present. Seeing the enthusiastic Guardians, Momonga raised his hand to calm them down.
"Unfortunately, the whole tomb was shrouded in a bizarre grey mist throughout those times. The mist had the ability to lock all of us in time, even with our [Time Stop] countermeasures. However, I did manage to send a part of myself to the outside world after a certain chance encounter!"
Momonga paused for a moment. He pondered whether he should tell them the whole truth or skip a certain matter.
"From what I have found, most of the inhabitants of this world pose no great harm to us, except for a few of them. The most dangerous beings might be the True Dragon Lords led by the Dragon Emperor, as they are capable of wielding Wild Magic, the ancient and original magic of this world. They could be a true threat to those with no World Items. Aside from them, it would be the 'Players' who are also transported to this world every few hundred years."
Momonga could see the Guardians listening intently to his words. He wished to continue but as he saw the Guardians were barely able to contain themselves from asking him any questions and interrupting him, he decided to stop there.
"Umu. If any of you have any questions, feel free to ask me at once."
"F-Forgive me, M-Momonga-sama! B-But does that m-mean you remained a-alone for 800 y-years?!"
Surprisingly, it was Mare who had asked the first question. He appeared to be on the verge of tears, as the thought of Momonga staying alone for centuries had filled his heart with extreme sorrow. Even the other Guardians had a pained and anguished expression on their faces. Eventhough Momonga was glad that the Guardians truly cared for him, he could not endure seeing them blaming themselves for what was undoubtedly outside of their control.
"Indeed, I had stayed alone for a while, but there is no need for any of you to blame yourself. After all, everything had worked just fine and I usually put myself in a state of deep slumber when there were no major events."
"B-But Momonga-sama, we as the Guardians should be there—."
"There will always be something that you could never do anything about, Albedo. Sometimes, things just get out of hand. So please stop blaming yourselves, seeing all of you doing that pained me."
Hearing the distressed voice of their lord shocked the Guardians to their core. To them, Momonga was the most merciful among the Supreme Beings, but it seemed that they had been far more blessed, their master had cared for them so much more, more than they could ever imagined.
"To me, all those within Nazarick are special…"
Momonga gazed intently at the NPCs in front of him. In his mind, the forms of their Creators materialised behind each of them.
"But you… who were created directly from us are even more so. So never lower yourself to be a mere servant as you are greater than that… You are our legacy! The legacy of Ainz Ooal Gown! Remember it!"
There was silence. The Guardians were left speechless after the declaration from Momonga. As they gazed fixedly upon their lord, a soft glowing light gently enveloped them.
Momonga was radiating a breathtaking holy light, the light did no harm to the Guardians, instead it gave them solace, a feeling of heavenly peace that shattered all of their negative thoughts, their fear of being abandoned was vanquished and their distress for being inadequate in any ways was given a warm comfort.
Their lord had accepted and acknowledged them, wholly and unconditionally.
xXx
3—
One by one, the NPCs stood up and went to one knee.
""Thank you for everything, Momonga-sama!!""
Their voices were full of gratitude and conviction. They still viewed him as their master, but Momonga could feel a certain warmth in their words, an inkling that the relationship between them had gotten a little closer and more intimate, an improvement which greatly pleased Momonga.
"Umu. Good, I am pleased with all of you."
Momonga gave them a warm smile. He then gestured for the Guardians to take a seat and this time, they did so in a calmer manner.
"Let's continue with our meeting."
""Yes, Momonga-sama!""
They chorused out as one. The Guardians now had a lightened expression, as the heavy burden in their hearts had been lifted, replaced with a new unbroken oath.
"—So, are there any questions you wish to ask?"
"Pardon me, Momonga-sama. Could you please enlighten us about your chance encounter?"
"Good question, Demiurge. To tell you the truth, I met a special individual after Nazarick had been transported to this new world. He was Zethahu, a world traveller. He detected an abnormal phenomenon from my real world, and when he followed the trail, he met me here. Zethahu had stayed with me for a period of time and we had shared stories between us. Before he left, I had even accepted him as my younger brother. I hope all of you can treat him well if we meet in the future."
""Certainly, Momonga-sama!""
Satisfied with their response, Momonga signed for the Guardians to continue.
"Momonga-sama, is there a connection between the Dragon Emperor and the event of us being transported to this new world?"
"Please. Forgive. This. Ignorant. One. My. Lord. But. What. Is. World. Items? How. Powerful. Are. They?"
"Momonga-sama, what is the origin of those bizarre grey mist? Would they shroud Nazarick for a second time?"
"Um, what was the abnormal phenomenon that had happened in your world, Momonga-sama? Is it dangerous?"
"Forgive me, Momonga-sama. But, did something happen to the other Supreme Beings in your real world? Are they well?"
The Guardians bombarded Momonga with multiple questions simultaneously. Realising their lack of manners, they were about to offer an apology, but Momonga simply waved them off.
"Umu, it is fine. I will answer your questions one by one."
Momonga began imparting the knowledge he had accumulated regarding Yggdrasil and the new world they now resided in. He briefed the Guardians about the priceless World Items, the most powerful and legendary items in Yggdrasil, with each 200 of them possessing massive power that could potentially threaten the world's balance. As well as the fact that the guild of Ainz Ooal Gown possessing 13 of these World Items being the reason they were transported to this new world, credited to the Wild Magic Summoning Ritual which were cast by the Dragon Emperor.
Afterwards, the Supreme One recounted a brief summary of his adventurous tale during the past centuries, the vast unknown lands he had explored, his arduous battle against many powerful foes and how he triumphed over all of them, emerging stronger than ever. Momonga had also disclosed every information he had managed to gather concerning the bizarre grey mist.
"As expected of Momonga-sama! To possess such boundless wisdom!"
"The world is blessed by your limitless compassion, Momonga-sama!"
"Ooh! Certainly no other beings could stand against the might of Momonga-sama!"
"A-As expected of M-Momonga-sama! S-So cool!"
"No. World. Could. Hinder. Our. Master. From. The. Path. Of. Greatness!"
"Ah! Momonga-sama! To serve such a magnificent master—!"
"Kuhuhu! As expected of Momonga-sama who rules over the Supreme Beings! And the man I love most deeply!"
Exclamations of surprise and praises were thrown at Momonga without end.
Momonga would have been flustered if he was not accustomed to this type of circumstance, but spending most of his time with only his overly feverish summons as his companion had made him able to accept it with ease. Usually, receiving any undeserving and overblown praise would annoy him, yet hearing it directly from the NPCs gave rise to a small smile on his face.
Their praises were a little over the top but it is fine, they are just too naive. Having said that, what did I hear just now, something about deep love or something? Nevermind, I might have heard it wrongly. But perhaps now is the right time to tell them the truth about us, about our origin. I might be doing something foolish but —they are not just NPCs anymore, they deserve to know more about us!
The Guardians turned silent after Momonga raised his hand.
"Thank you for your praises, my Guardians. That being the case, I will have to brief you regarding the abnormal phenomenon at a later time as it was a little bit complicated. But, all of you can rest assured as my comrades are safe and not in any kind of danger."
""Understood, Momonga-sama!""
"Umu. Since we are on that topic, I would like to tell you the truth about our real world. However, your perception about us might change after hearing it since we are not as Godlike as what you had imagined, far from it really. Would all of you still wish to hear it?"
"Please tell us the story of your world, Momonga-sama!"
""Please, Momonga-sama!""
"—I see. Since all of you are interested, I will show you the story of our world. — [Display Screen]."
A huge rectangular screen, 30 metres high and 42 metres wide materialised behind Momonga. The screen was so big that it almost filled the ring of the Colosseum.
"My friends and I came from a planet called Earth. Long before our birth, this was how our world once looked like. It was a world full of life and vitality, thoroughly blessed with abundant and beautiful nature."
An image of a blue marble with white swirls was displayed on the huge screen. When the screen closed-up on the surface of the planet, passing the white and wispy clouds, the brown, yellow and green parts revealed a vast and expansive land, the blue part covering most of the planet were actually a boundless and unbounded sea, and the white parts were in reality a cold region with pure white ice and snow.
At the sight of the beautiful planet, the Guardians felt a profound feeling of awe. They were mesmerised by the world the Supreme Beings had originated from.
"The only intelligence race that inhabited our world was the human race. Of course, it also means that the members of Ainz Ooal Gown and all 'Players' in Yggdrasil were also of the same race."
The Guardians were extremely surprised by what Momonga had said just now.
The fact that the words were uttered by their supreme and merciful master was the only reason the Guardians managed to stay silent, patiently waiting for more clarification from their lord.
"Since the birth of our world, our race was not blessed by any sort of power or special ability. As a matter of fact, we were simply mortals, living our ordinary lives and succumbing to our own mortality. Still, our race keeps on evolving. We continued to explore our world without end, trying to comprehend the truth of our existence. And throughout those endless journeys spanning countless generations of our kind, our race eventually populated every corner of the globe, accumulating various types of knowledge that were passed to the future generations, all for the sake of a better future."
The screen displayed a brief summary of the evolution of human civilization from the world Momonga had originated from. Seeing their numerous advancements fascinated the Guardians as they could never have imagined that a race as weak as humans could achieve that much, more so without any aid of magic. In spite of that, a few among the Guardians who were sharp-witted had also noticed the results of those civilizations to their world.
"Yet, the human race itself is a being with countless flaws."
Momonga said those words in a sombre tone.
"The history of our race was not always glorious. In fact, there were always conflicts between our kind, caused by our own greed and foolishness. The advancement of our civilization further aggravates the outcome of those conflicts. For our own selfish reasons, we had waged countless wars of blood, ruined the nature of our own world, and stripped us of our own humanity, leaving behind a race who lived only for the sake of living. By the time of my era, the human race were nothing but living corpses, struggling to live in a spoiled and rotten world!"
The Guardians watched the wars that had been waged by the human race, from the age of swords, bows and arrows to the age they developed weapons of mass destruction. The humans had also kept on building their tall skyscrapers and bigger factories, without any care for the environment.
Before the eyes of the Guardians, the world turned polluted. The previous blue sky was obscured by black smog, the sun scarcely shined its light upon the world, the cities were frequently covered in toxic fog and the vast sea turned into horrible colours and became murky. When the screen zoomed out to get the view of the planet, the beautiful blue planet had turned pitch black.
Of course, they could never have imagined that their revered Supreme Beings had come from such a corrupted and dying world.
Mused Momonga as he saw the shocked expression on the faces of the Guardians.
"A few among our kind had once tried to save our dying world, trying their hardest to fix all of our own past mistakes, but when those in power failed to control their insatiable greed, it remained an impossible task. We had even put our hope on the vast outer space, hoping to find any hospitable planet to be the second home for humanity, yet our relentless exploration turned fruitless."
Momonga paused for a moment.
"We were truly out of options. In spite of that, we remained conceited, believing in our own superiority as the only intelligence race throughout the cosmos. We arrogantly tried to play God."
The Guardians noticed the silent gaze from Momonga. They could sense it, the next words from their lord would be related to the creation of Yggdrasil.
"We aimed to create an artificial world, a world where our race could continue to flourish. Yet, this type of research required a huge amount of funds, which unfortunately could only be provided by the upper echelon of our society. It was the moment another noble goal lost its meaning. The research itself was incomplete, but it was possible to send our consciousness into an avatar created in these virtual worlds. Recognising the immense amount of profits that could be generated from this new discovery, the research was forced to change its direction."
The advanced technological tools that were used to dive into the virtual worlds were shown on the huge screen. Among those countless virtual worlds, the Guardians managed to catch a glimpse of Yggdrasil, the world where they were created.
"Eventually, the virtual worlds were turned into online games, providing otherworldly enjoyment for the Players and a new source of endless wealth for those in power. It was the origin of Yggdrasil, one among the many DMMO-RPGs."
DMMO-RPG.
Also known as Dive Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game. The type of games that allowed one to enter a virtual world and experience it as though it were real life.
xXx
Finished with his narrative, Momonga raised his hand towards the huge display and swiped down.
The huge screen vanished to nothingness, scattering tiny sparks of multicoloured light.
Momonga focused his curious gaze on the silent NPCs in front of him. A small hint of nervousness could be glimpsed from his sitting posture.
"Umu. That was all about our world and how Yggdrasil had come to be. Is there anything you wish to ask?"
Hearing the words from Momonga jolted the Guardians from their deep thoughts.
At that moment, the truth they had witnessed hit them like a ton of bricks.
The Supreme Beings who they had revered and adored were actually living in such a cruel and distorted world. Living under the rule of a wicked and selfish authority, trying their hardest to survive with their mortal form.
The Guardians cursed their weaknesses. Their lack of ability and power to free their masters from those wretched hell.
Their incompetence brought them completed despair!
"Waa!! Bukubukuchagama-sama!!"
Aura was bawling on her seat. Her shoulders shook as she buried her teary face in her hands. Besides her, Mare was shedding silent tears. His face was a mess. The young dark elf clutched his wooden staff tightly as he continued to utter the name of his dear Creator.
"Ahhh! My masters! How could—!"
The voice of Shalltear sounded choked up, her shoulders twitched and her eyes glowed crimson as miserable tears rained down her pale face.
Amidst the crying Guardians, Cocytus was deadly silent. Still, it did not hide his displeasure as his clutch against all four of his weapons was excessively firm and taut. The cold air around him was colder than ever and thin mist started to shroud his form.
"We must find a way to save the rest of the Supreme Beings! Only then will we be able to punish those fools who had mistreated them!"
"We should bring them to justice for the crime of insulting the honour of the Supreme Beings!"
"Unforgivable! How dare they treat the exalted Momonga-sama and the other Supreme Beings in such a manner!!"
The words uttered by Albedo brought Momonga back to his senses. As he stared at her eyes, Momonga could perceive her hatred towards the people of his world.
At least, she did not hate us. Right?
Truthfully, Momonga was shocked by how the Guardians had reacted to his story. He could only watch in silence as each of the Guardians expressed their feelings.
The Overlord shifted his gaze towards Demiurge and Sebas, who were dabbing the corner of their eyes with their handkerchiefs. He gave both of them a strange look as they kept on talking about how to bring judgement and justice upon the sinners.
Those two sure took after their Creators. That said, this is getting out of hand, I should at least calm them down first.
Another soft glowing light gently enveloped the Guardians. After a few moments, their troubled hearts were soothed, giving them the feeling of momentary peace.
"—Have you all calmed down?"
The soft and concerned question from Momonga further alleviated the Guardians.
"Forgive us for our outburst, Momonga-sama!"
""Forgive us, Momonga-sama!""
The Guardians rose from their seats and bowed deeply to their lord.
"It is fine, it is fine. Please, return to your seats."
After receiving an acknowledging nod from Momonga, the Guardians returned to their seats. Colours had returned to their face as they fixed their gaze on Momonga.
"Umu. Tell me, my Guardians. Do you still believe that my comrades and I truly deserve your loyalty, even after knowing the truth about us?"
"Of course Momonga-sama! How could we ever think otherwise!"
"The glorious Supreme Beings led by Momonga-sama are our eternal masters!"
"P-Please let us s-serve you till eternity, Momonga-sama!"
"The. Supreme. Beings. Will. Always. Be. Our. Lords. And. Masters!"
"We were merely the creations of the Supreme Beings, serving our Creators loyally are the sole reason for our existence!"
"The Supreme Beings have blessed us with their infinite mercy, please allow us to be your servants, Momonga-sama!"
"Momonga-sama, no matter which form you took, you and the other Supreme Beings will always be our supreme rulers. Please let us serve you, my lord!"
The Guardians answered with vigour.
From the perspective of the NPCs, the true form of the Supreme Beings was irrelevant. The fact that the Supreme Beings were their Creators would always make them their one and only masters.
Eh! They accepted it just like that?
Momonga was dumbfounded. He thought that the Guardians might lower their opinion of him and his friends after knowing their origins as humans, yet looking at their expression, besides being overly concerned with the condition of his friends, it seemed as if their view of the members of Ainz Ooal Gown had instead reached a new height.
"—I see. So, what is your opinion of our race?"
"—Pardon me, Momonga-sama. But..."
Albedo cast an uncertain glance at Momonga, unsure whether she should say her true thoughts or not.
"It is fine. Tell me your honest thoughts, Albedo."
"P-Perhaps your race is an… a-abomination."
There was deadly silence.
The rest of the Guardians stared at Albedo in shock. They could never have imagined their superior, the Guardian Overseer, dared to say those disrespectful words in front of the Supreme One. Before anyone managed to rebuke her for being insolent, they heard an uproarious laughter.
"HAHAHAHAHA! ABOMINATION! SUCH A FITTING WORDS! HAHAHAHA!"
Momonga laughed.
The thought that even an NPC had regarded his race as nothing but an abomination was truly humorous for him. No wonder as even to Momonga himself, his race was nothing but monstrosity in human flesh.
When Momonga returned to his senses, he saw the thunderstruck Guardians, who were clearly taken aback by his reaction. Feeling embarrassed, Momonga coughed a few times into his hand, getting back their full attention.
Sensing the opportunity, Albedo was about to bow in apology for her previous remarks but Momonga stopped her with a wave of his hand.
"It is fine, Albedo. In fact, I am pleased with your honest reply. Truly, it was such a fitting word for my kind that had fallen so low."
The words from Momonga caused the Guardians, especially Albedo to release a sigh of relief. Truly, their master was overflowing with mercy.
"Umu. I am also glad to see all of you being worried about my friends but, you can be at ease. After all, I had assured you, am I? They are safe and free of any danger."
"Momonga-sama, perhaps—."
"Ahem. I am sorry, but I could not give you the full story yet. When everything has worked out as how it should be, all of you will be the first to know everything. This, I promise you!"
""Understood, Momonga-sama!""
"Good. Then, there is one more thing I wish to hear from all of you. Do you only think of us as your Creators? Or perhaps..."
Momonga left the end of his sentence hanging in the air. Hearing the subtle question from Momonga flustered the Guardians.
Their supreme master had seen through their true feelings and now he wished to hear it directly from their own mouth. Even so, the thought of whether they were qualified enough to regard the Supreme Beings as something more special made them feel a bit self-conscious.
"—A kind mother. I thought of Bukubukuchagama-sama as my beloved and kind mother, Momonga-sama!"
"S-Same with m-me, Momonga-sama! I v-view Bukubukuchagama-sama as my kind-hearted m-mother!"
"Wonderful. I am sure she will be really happy to hear it, Aura, Mare."
""Thank you, Momonga-sama!""
"So, what about the rest of you?"
Momonga shifted his gaze to the other Guardians who were sitting nervously at their seats, clearly still hesitating over their answers.
"—Momonga-sama, I have always regarded Peroroncino-sama as my father, a loving and affectionate father!"
"Momonga-sama. I. Cocytus. Consider. Warrior. Takemikazuchi-sama. As. A. Caring. Father. And. My. Idol. Of. A. Brave. And. Noble. Warrior!"
"Ulbert Alain Odle-sama has blessed the existence of this Demiurge with his grace, to consider such a great being as my father is my greatest honour, Momonga-sama!"
"My lord, I have always looked upon Touch Me-sama as a father figure that guides me to the path of justice and righteousness!"
"My Creator, Tabula Smaragdina-sama, has put great care into creating me and my sisters. To have such a great being acknowledge us as his dear daughters will be our greatest blessing, Momonga-sama!"
"—Umu. To think that we have been blessed with such wonderful and excellent children, all of you are truly our precious legacy, the legacy of Ainz Ooal Gown."
A palm-sized dark, purplish portal opened up in front of Momonga. He put his hand into the fabric of space and time, his own personal Item Box, bringing out seven silver wrought rings with an amethyst embedded in their centre. The proud symbols of the guild were imprinted on the amethyst in black. They were the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown.
"Here, take it."
With a wave of his hand, the rings floated towards each of the Guardians, stopping right in front of them.
"Momonga-sama! This—."
"Just take it. I had told you, right? You are no mere servant, you are our legacy, our dear children. So, wear it proudly as you are a part of Ainz Ooal Gown!"
""—By your will, Momonga-sama!""
The Guardians nervously put on the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown. The divine rings immediately changed their dimensions to fit each of the Guardians's fingers.
When the Guardians turned to Momonga, they saw the proud and happy smile plastered on their lord's face, giving them the feeling of ultimate bliss.
"Alright, let's conclude our meeting for now. I will give all of you a few orders on how to move forward in this new world."
""Please give us your orders, Momonga-sama!""
Momonga was truly content with how everything had worked out. Feeling in the mood for a little roleplay, he elegantly stood from his high-backed throne and unleashed his dark aura, his regal bearing was simply majestic and awe-inspiring. Following his lead, the Guardians hurriedly rose from their respective thrones and went to one knee. A relief expression could be seen from their face, as they now acted like they were accustomed to.
"Albedo."
"The Overseer of the Floor Guardians Albedo, at your command!"
"Demiurge."
"The 7th Floor Guardian Demiurge, at your command!"
"I want the both of you to strengthen and manage the defence of Nazarick. Albedo, send at least a few of our elite forces to stand guard on the 9th and 10th Floor through a new direct access which I will connect to the 7th Floor. For now, leave the 8th Floor management to its own Floor Guardian, Victim and block any entry without my permission. We must be prepared for any unprecedented incident. Be sure to immediately send me a [Message] if there are any issues. I am counting on both of you, Albedo, Demiurge."
"We won't disappoint you, Momonga-sama!"
"We will do our best to fulfil your trust, Momonga-sama!"
Momonga left the defence management of Nazarick to the two most capable NPCs, Albedo, the Guardian Overseer and Demiurge, the Defensive Combat Leader of Nazarick. After all, he wished to explore and see the current state of the world, so it would be important to protect their guild base from any harm until his power had fully returned.
"Mare."
"T-The 6th Floor Guardian Mare Bello Fiore, at your c-command!"
"The Great Tomb of Nazarick is too noticeable within the grasslands. Mare, I want you to change the landscape on the surface. Created a few dummy hills around us so the tomb could blend in with the surrounding and put a few illusions spells for extra security. You can discuss with Albedo and Demiurge if you need any further assistance. I leave this important work in your capable hands, Mare."
"U-Understood, Momonga-sama. I-I will do my b-best!"
The location of the Great Tomb of Nazarick had managed to remain unknown and secured throughout the past centuries due to the presence of the bizarre grey mist. Now that the mist had completely disappeared, any beings who came close enough could detect the location of Nazarick with ease.
"Shalltear."
"The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Floor Guardian, Shalltear Bloodfallen, at your command!"
"As I had mentioned, there are some other types of power in this new world besides Wild Magic, which is Talent, Martial Arts and Runecraft. Shalltear, I want you to covertly hunt as many bandits and criminals around the boundaries of our tomb. Kill all of those evildoers without mercy and bring their corpses to Nazarick. Focus your mission on capturing those with Talent or Martial Arts. If you found any of their victims, bring them along, alive, as I have a way to use them. But, your safety shall always be your top priority, so retreat if you find yourself in any kind of danger. I look forward to your harvest, Shalltear."
"How merciful of you, Momonga-sama! I will do my best to return safely and meet your expectations!"
With Shalltear gathering more corpses, Momonga would be able to increase the number of their forces to an unimaginable level using all of his skills. Imagining all those new collections of summoned beings he would be creating made Momonga shivered in excitement. Though what Momonga was most looking forward to was actually some samples of living beings. Of course he did not wish to truly harm any of them, instead he would offer them a choice of a lifetime, that was if everything worked as he had envisioned.
"Aura."
"The 6th Floor Guardian Aura Bella Fiora, at your command!"
"Cocytus."
"The. 5th. Floor. Guardian. Cocytus. At. Your. Command!"
"This will be Nazarick's first venture to the outside world. I will give both of you the task to secure our own territory on the surface. If I am right, the large forest near our tomb was known as the Great Forest of Tob. Aura, I want you to investigate the great forest and create a detailed map based on the result of your exploration. Cocytus, you will work together with Aura, but your main task will be to subjugate any race you encounter, and be sure to avoid bloodshed as much as possible. If any of you found any unique creatures, send me a [Message]. I believe both of you will be able to bring that area under the banner of Ainz Ooal Gown!"
"Understood, Momonga-sama! I will be sure to investigate every detail of that large forest!"
"As. You. Wish. Momonga-sams. I. Will. Bring. All. Races. Within. Those. Great. Forest. Under. Our. Reign!"
After giving both of them a firm nod, Momonga shifted his glance towards the creation of Touch Me.
"Then, Sebas."
"The Head Butler Sebas Tian, at your command!"
"Meet me on the 9th Floor, I will be using a Mirror of Remote Viewing to scry the surrounding area."
"Understood, Momonga-sama."
"Then, you all are dismissed."
Giving the Guardians a nod, Momonga teleported himself to the 9th Floor.
xXx
During the past 800 years, Momonga had seen how the New World had worked.
Since the era of the Dragon Lords, those with powers had reigned supreme over all others, and that simple fact would remain unchanged till eternity.
It is about time I make good on my promise.
So now, it was the time for him to wield his power.
For him.
For his guild.
And for his goals.
xXx
Bonus - Guild's Reunion
xXx
Herohero was exhausted.
He had just logged out of Yggdrasil right before his body broke down. Honestly, he had no choice but to do so.
After all, him staying any longer would only activate the force logout function. Ending his farewell with Momonga in that sort of unpleasant manner was something Herohero wished to avoid at all cost, especially since he did not wish to worry Momonga.
I am sorry, Momonga-san. I wish I could stay with you longer but it seems that my body is at its limit…
Doing so much overtime work had finally taken its toll on him.
His body was a mess.
Herohero himself was not sure how long he might last. In fact, his desire to continue living this type of life was at its rock bottom. Sometimes, he thought of one of his past coworkers.
How he envied the suicidal one who committed suicide by jumping off of a building.
At least, he was free from this living hell.
After sluggishly taking his sleep inducing drugs, Herohero was about to fall asleep when a bizarre grey mist suddenly shrouded his form.
Unknown to him, Herohero was frozen.
After a moment, his body mysteriously emitted a dark aura, pushing the mist aside, revealing his worn out and haggard figure.
What is this feeling?
Herohero felt strange.
It was as if someone was calling his name. The voice sounded familiar to him but he could not discern the complete words that were spoken.
When Herohero opened his eyes, he was in a white empty world. Confusion and bewilderment filled his mind, but he was too tired to mind it. Absent-mindedly, he scanned the other 30 and more figures that were raising a commotion over what had happened.
"W-What is happening?!"
"W-Where are we?!"
"T-The hell is going on?!"
"D-Dammit! I was—."
"A-Are we dead?!"
"Kyaaaaaah!!! M-Monsters!!!"
Startled by that cry, Herohero looked around him, trying to find the whereabouts of those so-called monsters. Only then did he notice it, the monsters he was looking for were actually all of those figures in front of him. Bizarrely, their forms keep on changing and mixing together between a monstrous and a human form.
Perplexed by what he had seen, Herohero took a step back. That was the moment he saw one of his hands had turned into a mass of a black, sticky substance. The tar-like surface of his new hand roiled and writhed continuously, never staying in one shape for more than a second.
Huh? What happened to my hand? Is this a dream? And why did those monsters kind of look familiar?!
At that moment, a booming voice silenced the noisy crowd.
"Calm down all of you! Look carefully around you and try to remember it. It is the form of our avatars in Yggdrasil, as the members of Ainz Ooal Gown!"
The silent crowd shifted their anxious glance towards each other, hearing the name Ainz Ooal Gown brought back the past memories of their old comrades.
"Damn! Your hideous form almost scared me to death, Aneki!"
"—Oi, dumbass brother of mine. You wanna die?!"
"Chagama-san, Chagama-san. Calm down a little, please."
"Ah— Yama-chan!! I missed you!! And please call me Kazecchi~"
"Eh… that again?"
Shifting his gaze from the reunion between Bukubukuchagama and Yamaiko, Herohero steadily walked toward the one who had calmed the crowd just now. He could not spot Momonga among those that had gathered here, but if there was someone else who might know what was going on, surely it would be the great Chief Strategist of Ainz Ooal Gown, Punitto Moe.
The now half-human and half-slime increased his speed when he noticed Peroroncino, who had managed to silently make his escape from the preoccupied Bukubukuchagama, beckoned him to do so with his talon-like hands. It seems that most of the guild members had started to gather around the Chief Strategist, in hope for an explanation on what had really happened to them, while a few had started their own friendly banter.
"Sorry for the wait, everyone."
"It's fine, Herohero-san. You are just right on time."
"—Do you perhaps know where Momonga-san is, Herohero-san?"
"Unfortunately, no. The last time I saw him, it was when Yggdrasil was about to shut down."
"I see. You don't know either. Just where is he, really?"
"Ahem. Please focus, everyone. Our great Chief Strategist has finally reached his conclusion."
Everyone was silent when Punitto Moe turned and looked at them. His face was deadly serious but a faint gleam of revelation could be seen in his deep and keen eyes. That was, until he changed to his avatar form, a plant-type heteromorphic known as Death Vines, which made him look rather comical as only his head had transformed while the rest of his body was still in human form.
Holding himself from laughing at Punitto Moe's current appearance, albeit he could hear a few giggles and snickers behind him, Herohero took the opportunity to ask the golden question.
"S-So, what is going on, Punitto Moe-san?"
"—Beats me."
""Eh?""
"How could I know, Herohero-san? I am on the same boat with all of you."
Punitto Moe shook his head upon hearing the inquiry from Herohero. The response from the Chief Strategist dampened the spirits of the other guild members who had gathered around him.
Amidst the now silent and thoughtful crowd, Bellriver stood forward and said in a sombre tone like voice:
"—All of you have died."
"D-Don't say such ominous things, Bellriver-san."
"It's the truth, Peroroncino-san. I clearly remembered my death, so…"
"—The truth indeed. And it seems that you have done us in too."
"I am sorry for being late, Bellriver-san. It's my fault that you—"
"Ulbert-san, I didn't expect them to silence me either, and it's not your fault, Touch Me-san. I was too careless back then."
"The hell are you guys talking about?!"
"W-Wait… you really mean that—!"
"—All of us have died."
Everyone was at a loss.
The thought of them being dead gave them mixed feelings. A small part of them were delighted to be free from their hellish world, though those with families were more concerned over the wellbeing and whereabouts of their families. Not to mention that they were still caught in a bizarre situation in an unknown world with their past comrades, as their forms shifted continuously, sometimes fully, sometimes partially, from their human forms to their avatars'.
"Perhaps, all of us have truly died. But, it did not change the fact that we are stuck in some strange phenomenon."
The words from Punitto Moe stirred Herohero from his deep thoughts. It seems that the Death Vines had decided to share his views on the matter.
"—And Momonga-san is the key to our answers."
"Momonga-san is?!"
"Momonga-san?!"
"What do you mean?!"
"He is the only bridge that connects all of us through Yggdrasil, under the banner of our guild, the guild of Ainz Ooal Gown. He surely played a part since among the members who had been teleported here, he is the only one missing."
As if the words spoken by Punitto Moe were accepted as the truest and most perfect answer for their current predicament, a dark portal materialised in front of them.
"A [Gate] spell."
"Wait, we could use magic here!?"
"Someone is coming through!"
A being slowly walked out from the portal.
He was an otherworldly man with two long and twisted horns protruding from his forehead, a lustrous jet-black hair and a pair of pointy ears, wearing an intricate jet-black academic gown adorned with golden and violet edges. His eyes were akin to darkness itself, saved for the tiny but dazzling dark red glow which radiated from inside of it.
His mere presence radiated power and superiority, as if his existence itself was far beyond the mortal race.
He was a god.
—Nay, a Supreme Being!
Herohero focused his gaze upon the new arrival.
He feels familiar, perhaps...
As the members of Ainz Ooal Gown remained speechless and frozen in place, a deep and vibrant voice was heard.
"It's been a while, my dear friends."
Then, there was an uproar.
"M-Momonga-san?!!"
"Is that really you, Momonga-san?!"
"Eh, did you change your race?!"
"What happened to your Overlord form, Momonga-san?!"
"Oi, brat. You are blocking the view!"
"Ouch, sis! That hurts!!"
"Guildmaster Momonga-sama!!"
"What happened, Momonga-san?!"
"Are we dead for real, Momonga-san?!"
"Would we be sent to our next reincarnation?!"
"Reincarnated me in another world, O Shinigami-sama!!"
"Finally! A carefree life in the countryside, here I come!!"
"I want to be a genius young master in a powerful Immortal clan!!"
"Please give me an OP system, Momonga-san!!"
"Have you become a god or something, Momonga-san— nay Momonga-sama?!"
"Are we getting Isekaied?!"
"Really?! Without meeting Truck-sama?!"
Dumbstruck by their endless bombardment, Momonga released a soft glowing light that gently enveloped the guild members, calming them down.
"Really, all of you never change."
The now identified Momonga awkwardly rubbed his forehead. A happy and cheerful smile was plastered on his face as he shifted his gaze upon each of the guild members. His delight in meeting all of them was clearly visible to Herohero.
I had just met you a moment ago but it seems that you have been through a lot of things, Momonga-san. Forgive me for not being there, my friend. This time… I promise to stay with you till the end, no matter the outcome.
"Sorry for that, Momonga-san. We are being too excited."
"Indeed. How could we not be surprised when we saw you in that form, Momonga-san."
"It's fine, it's fine. After all, all of you must be at a loss right now."
"So, you do know what had happened, right Momonga-san?"
"I do. It will be a long story but we have all the time in the world to catch-up. — [Create Greater Item]."
The white empty world was filled with myriad colours of the rainbow, items after items were magically being created, giving the guild members a feeling of awe at how unworldly their guildmaster had become.
That was the moment.
The magics casted.
The 41 gathered.
The new era began.
xEndx
For now, my only plan for the world traveller is for him to be a bridge for Momonga. As you can see, Momonga will be more OP, same goes for his friends. There might be a few OC moments but I will try to stick with their own character, if possible.
On a side note, this story will mostly follow the canon timeline, with perhaps a few events will be fast-forward from now on.
The next update might take longer, perhaps 4 weeks or more. I got to settle some scores with my last final exam for the next 1 month and a half, followed by my internship programme.
That's all from me. Have a nice day, my fellow readers!
xEndx
