"How was your first day at UA, Chimata-kun?" Kurogiri asked as he cleaned a whiskey glass, the deep timber of his voice cutting through the mostly quiet bar, save for the sounds of characters fighting coming from Shigaraki's 3Ds. At Kurogiri's words, Shigaraki stopped tapping away at the handheld gaming device, the sounds of his character dying following immediately after.

Izuku gulped. He's listening.

He continued walking from where he stood at the door. Don't stutter.

"I-it was okay." Damnit, he stuttered. "Just what you'd expect from a hero school."

You're doing a good job. Don't stress out too much about stuttering.

"That's good to hear," Kurogiri said as Izuku took a seat at the barstool.

"Did you see All Might?" From behind the hand on his face, Izuku could see Shigaraki's dried and cracked lips turning up in a crooked smile.

Shit.

"Uh…" Izuku drawled, internally freaking out. "No." Immediately, Izuku spluttered, trying to clarify. "He didn't teach today! We, uh, didn't have any lessons today!"

Stay calm.

How do you expect me to remain calm?! Last time it didn't end well!

Last time, as in, the second time he was called to a 'meeting' at the bar…and also when Giran had told the League without thinking that Izuku wanted to attend UA high school, quietly leaving as soon as it looked like a fight was going to break out. He probably did it on purpose too, and just as expected, Shigaraki had exploded.

"WHAT?!" Shigaraki shouted. "You want to become a-" he gagged, "HERO?!"

Say no.

Izuku hesitated, only for a second.

But I-

Shigaraki lunged for them, hands first, forcing Izuku to dodge to the left. Shigaraki's fingertips skated past his cheek, ghosting it but not touching. Izuku's eyes widened; Shigaraki's quirk was still unknown to him, but by the way he uses his hands it's evidently touch based. Izuku was not willing to take his chances.

"No," Ainz firmly stated, dodging another lunge by taking a leap to the left. "That was not the intended purpose."

"ARGHH!" Shigaraki shouted. "Stop dodging and fight me! Don't you want to be a hero?!"

"I-it's not like that!" Izuku exclaimed, ducking and jumping as he tried to create distance.

I've got you covered, focus on placating him. We need to calm him down.

I-I can see that!

Shigarki didn't let up, chasing Izuku as he took hasty steps and leaps to escape Shigaraki's wrath. With one quick launch of his foot, Shigaraki changed his momentum, this time going for a punch to Izuku's gut. "FAKE! You're no hero! You're a coward!"

"I can explain!" Izuku shouted in desperation, grabbing his wrist to redirect the punch. "I- I don't wa-want to- EEP" Izuku dodged a grab from Shigaraki's other hand, jumping away just in the nick of time.

We can't keep on dodging or fight back!

Should I take over?

"SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP! Shut UP!" Shigaraki lunged his hand at Izuku's face again, but was blocked by the now familiar purple mist.

"Tomura-san, I'm sure Izuku-kun has an expla-"

"SHUT UP!" Shigaraki shouted, another arm reaching around the portal as Shigaraki jumped off of a bar chair, making it topple over.

Ainz-san!

As Shigaraki's foot landed on the floor, Ainz swept a leg from under him, making his leg buckle and Shigaraki lose balance.

On it.

Ainz took his chance to grab both of Shigaraki's wrists, pulling him along with his momentum and pinning him to the ground with a leg.

Izuku continued holding Shigaraki down, one hand firmly grabbing Shigaraki's left wrist, the other holding Shigaraki by his right forearm, his arm straight so that the crazed man's fingertips couldn't reach his skin.

"You're wrong," Izuku said, his throat becoming thick as he willed himself to lie, while himself it wasn't a lie; the way he had learned from Ainz to better mask his lying. "I'm not a coward, otherwise I wouldn't be here."

All he wanted to do was to swallow the next few words, but he knew that would be damning.

"But you're right, I am a fake. I don't want to be a hero, that's why I'm going to go to UA."Izuku felt a pain, like a sharp stabbing wound or as if his skin got ripped off, near his elbow. Shigaraki smirked, "Get off of me."

Izuku scrambled off in a flurry, falling flat on his ass.

"Take that as your final warning," Shigaraki said as he stood up. He took a seat on a barstool, resting both on the bar. "So you want to be a traitor, hah?"

Izuku froze, so Ainz nodded for him.

He scrunched his eyebrows ever so slightly, bringing a hand to his chin,with only his thumb and index finger touching his skin. Briefly, Shigaraki mumbled something under his breath, paused, and then smiled. His smile soured however as he looked to Izuku and immediately caught Izuku's gaze, who had been watching him carefully.

"You come to me, when making a decision," Shigaraki said as he fixed Izuku with a glare. "

"I'm the party leader, I decide whether or not we enter a dungeon. Not you. Now make yourself useful and be a good rat, just like you wanted." He paused, eyes fixed on Izuku's face from between the gaps of the hand he wore on his face. "Chimata. That'll be your name." He smiled a sadistic grin filled with malice. "Fitting for a traitor."

Shigaraki stood up and got down on his haunches, pinning Izuku to the floor on which he sat with an intense gaze, one of malicious glee, with the grin still in place. "The more the merrier; after all, I'll need all the help I can get to get what I want. And you'll help me do just that."

Izuku gulped. Hesitating to ask in fear of the answer.

"...What do you want?"

He smiled a wide, unhinged smile.

"To kill All Might."

Izuku's eyes widened in shock, lips parting ever so slightly, but having enough withstraint to keep his jaw from dropping to the floor. Shigaraki laughed a short, clipped laugh that came out as a huff of air at Izuku's reaction. He stood up and sat back on the barstool, the glass that Kurogiri had been drying during the duration of their fight getting placed in front of him.

As Kurogiri poured the whiskey into the cup, Shigaraki turned his head ever so slightly in Izuku's direction. "Oh, and if I ever catch even the slightest hint of betrayal, you're dead meat. I have no use for rats in my own party."

Izuku gulped again, nodding as he got off the ground.

With the tension dying down, and a cup of tea nursed between Izuku's hands, Izuku let himself think instead of just reacting.

Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh my god, oh shit, oh shit, oh shi-

Er- scratch that, curse. Because, while he kept his mouth firmly clamped shut so as to not let out his actual thoughts, and didn't move a muscle, save for his wide eyes and bouncing leg, Izuku was currently having a meltdown.

Izuku brought the cup halfway, bowing his head the rest of the way down to reach the cup as he carefully hid his expression. He took a sip so as to not look suspicious, but he could still feel the eyes of Shigaraki–or was that Kurogiri?–on the back of his head. He needed to calm down calm down calm down, but his heart was racing and blood was rushing in his ears. He did his best to keep a careful blank mask, although a bead of sweat slid down his forehead. He couldn't risk anyone knowing what went on in his head; he'd end up dead.

Calm down, it's not that bad.

Immediately, Izuku spat out the tea in surprise. Coughing in hacking as he raised a hand to the rest of the group, who were eyeing him with suspicion, as he kept his other hand over his mouth.

What do you mean, 'not that bad'?!

He used the hand at his face to cover his expression, his eyebrows and nose scrunching up in disbelief.

Do you even realize how bad it is?! We're in deep, deep SHIT! Oh my god I messed up so bad we should just go to the authorities and report them before they can actually execute their plans and kill-

Izuku, freaking out won't accomplish anything. Instead- improvise, prepare and plan. And plan for if that plan fails, and one for that and another for that one, just in case. Make as many plans as necessary, so that you have thoroughly prepared yourself, for all possible outcomes and situations, and you won't have to stress out so much.

"Are you okay, Izuku-kun?" Kurogiri asked from behind the bar as he cleaned the counter with a rag.

"I'm fine!" Izuku said almost too quickly. His mouth was stretched in a strained, fake, plastic smile. "I-it, uh, went down the wrong pipe!"

He brought the hand back to his face.

You say that, but this wasn't in my plans at all! Becoming a villain wasn't my plan! Joining a villain group wasn't my plan, much less one that wants to kill ALL MIGHT! Don't you understand?! Forget becoming a hero, forget being a normal citizen, I'll be going to jail! The best decision here is to go to the authorities and go into witness protec-

And what? Ainz interrupted. Tell them what, exactly? That this group of people, that to your knowledge haven't done anything villainous yet, apart from illegal quirk usage, and hope the police listens to your accusations and throws them in handcuffs with only your word and no hard evidence? The police would laugh you out of the station, much less get put into witness protection.

But still! This can't go on! I've seen how Shigaraki is, he will go through with it and kill more along the way!

"Are you in need of a glass of water?" Kurogiri asked.

Izuku… Nobody cares. That's the truth. Nobody cares when no one is dead. Specifically, the police don't. The heroes don't.

His face contorted into a frown, eyebrows scrunching this time not in disbelief, but in displeasure at Ainz's words.

Of course they do! That's what they fight for everyday; to save lives! And preventing deaths is doing exactly that.

Ainz sighed.

"Izuku-kun? Is there something wrong?" Kurogiri asked after Izuku suddenly glared at him. Izuku snapped back to the conversation, quickly schooling his face into a smile.

"N-no, nothing's wrong! Why would there be? I was just thinking, is all!"

I had hoped you would have noticed by now… Izuku, those heroes you admire so much aren't real heroes. They have a license and a neat trick, they run around in flashy costumes and pose for the camera. Fame and money, Izuku, that's what they do it for. What they fight for everyday, not some idealistic fantasy of yours.

But…that's not…true….

A frown tugged at the corner of Izuku's lips.

"Do you… want a glass of water, Izuku-kun?" Kurogiri repeated his question, the frown on Izuku's face puzzling him. Izuku was looking at him, but it strangely felt as if he wasn't actually looking at him.

Need I remind you of what Shigaraki has just said? And, suppose we do go to the authorities, what else would happen? Shigaraki would know, and he'd be out for blood. Not only yours, of course, your mother's too. Going to the police would have been a futile effort that only ends in tragedy. Focus, Izuku, focus. What do we need…?

"It's okay, I still have some tea," Izuku finally said, which led to Kurogiri returning back to cleaning the bar countertop. Izuku took a sip from his tea, eyebrows scrunching.

Hard evidence.

He placed the cup down on its saucer, the glass making a clinking sound as he did so.

Exactly.

"Tomura," a warbling, distorted voice said from a tv close to Shigaraki, who immediately perked up at the voice, moving to sit on the chair in front of it.

"Yes, Sensei?" Shigaraki asked. But the tv kept quiet, the line that indicated the voice waves staying flat.

With a look from Shigaraki, Kurogiri opened a portal to the right of Izuku. "Thank you for coming, Chimata-kun. I presume you want to be sent back to your room?"

Izuku nodded as he glanced quickly at Shigaraki, who sat silently in front of the tv. "Thank you, Kurogiri-san. Yes, that would be best." Izuku replied, just to be polite, as he kept his ears open to catch any of the conversation between the man in the tv and Shigaraki.

Shigaraki looked to Izuku as he put a foot into the portal, and smirked, that same expression that had pinned him to the ground, as he mouthed the words.

"Down with hero society."

Shigaraki smiled wickedly at Izuku as he fully stepped through the portal, moving backwards the pitch blackness of his room engulfing him as he did so.

Ainz-san…

…Yes?

We're working for a terrorist group.

A pause.

…I thought you knew?

His forearm throbbed painfully, a thin layer of skin flaking and turning to dust; a painful reminder that he chose this. It was a momentary distraction from the shock of the truth and the fact that Ainz had known.

"I thought you had me covered," Izuku whispered.

I thought so too, Ainz replied.

"Then how…?"

Ainz was silent for a little while, thinking about his answer.

I suppose… He began, That my invulnerability only works on physical, elemental, and ma- uh, certain types of quirk-based attacks.

It was Izuku's turn to think about his reply.

"So you're saying…that we have a hole in our armour?"

Yes, that is one way of putting it.

"And we don't know where these holes are and when attacks can pierce through it..?" Izuku had asked with trepidation.

Not exactly, but…yes. Although we do know that the large majority of attacks, the most common types, get countered by my vulnerabilities, some quirks can slip through the cracks. It just goes to prove that we shouldn't rely too heavily on my capabilities. Preparation is key, and like I said, having multiple backup plans for fail safe is key.

"I think you're just too cautious," Izuku said with a laugh. "No one besides people with defensive quirks are as invulnerable as us…Everyone else are just normal people, with normal levels of durability. I'll admit, not being completely invulnerable makes me a little anxious, but it isn't as if we had 100% invulnerability before. We'll find a way to work around it."

And like that, talking of strategies and plans until the dark cast a heavy blanket on Izuku, the day had ended. Izuku woke up the next morning feeling strangely fit, the throbbing in his arm completely gone. When he checked it, the skin had been fully healed, leaving no trace of the earlier injury.

"I don't suppose you know anything about this?" Izuku asked Ainz immediately.

Well…yes. The injury wasn't too big, but I decided to heal it.

Izuku scrunched his eyebrows, chewing on his lips in thought.

"How?" He finally asked.

I used my…regenerative abilities.

"You can regenerate? What kind of quirk do you even have? First super strength, super speed and then invulnerability. Now regeneration!"

You could say my physical stats are of an all around higher level than other people. That…is my quirk, yes.

"So I can regenerate using your quirk, too? Because we share a body?" Izuku asked. "Well that solves the issue with healing quirks."

I suppose so. And yes…In a way, it's because we share a body. But please, don't use that as an excuse to act recklessly. I don't want to use too many po- ah… It's just tiresome to do.

"Yeah yeah, I know."

And Izuku really tried to keep his promises. But it always seemed as if trouble kept coming to him, instead of the other way around. Today, that trouble manifested in the perpetually pissed off Shigaraki. Izuku was trying his hardest not to anger him, though any word he said, any small movement and even the smallest of changes in his expression, could set him off.

"Who is your homeroom teacher, Chimata-kun?" Kurogiri asked as he boiled the water for Izuku's tea, seemingly ignoring Shigaraki and the growing tension in the room.

Izuku hesitated on answering. He was now a villain (technically he wasn't, at least that's what he told himself when he had mental breakdowns about his villainy), but he still didn't want to endanger his homeroom teacher or his classmates by telling villains about them, although that would be happening either way, what with the huge publicity around heroes and the televised Sports Festivals.

He didn't want to endanger anyone, really, and he doubts he ever would.

All he wanted was his body back, his privacy, his control.

His body had been the one thing he could fully control, when he felt like he couldn't control anything in his life. Not when he was bullied (and still is, to some extent), not when he was diagnosed quirkless at 4 years of age, not when his dreams were constantly being crushed by everyone around him and seemed impossible to achieve. And now, he'd be forced to live parts of his life on the back seat, lacking control over his body, his actions, his life.

Was he being selfish? For wanting all of that back?

He'd like to think he wasn't, but a little voice in his head (and no, it isn't Ainz), likes to tell him he is.

But…if he has to go through less than legal means, even though it pains him to do, to lie, to manipulate and to betray… then so be it. He'll do it. He'll lie, manipulate and betray, just to get his life back.

And really…is that so selfish?

"Eraserhead," Izuku replied, glancing at the completely still Shigaraki from the corner of his eye.

Kurogiri hummed as he poured the boiling hot water into the tea strainer. "Shouta Aizawa, Quirk: Erasure. He has the ability to cancel out, erase, quirks just by looking at someone. Lasts until eye contact has been broken."

Izuku stared quizzically at Kurogiri. "You…" He started, somewhat hesitant. "...know of him?"

Kurogiri nodded, sliding a fresh cup of tea in front of Izuku. "Naturally. He is quite infamous in the underworld. And the ability to erase quirks… Well, it can prove to be…troublesome."

Izuku quirked an eyebrow at the odd phrasing, but didn't pay it any mind. The fact that Kurogiri, Shigaraki's henchman, knew about Aizawa only confirmed his earlier thoughts. They would find out about his class, including who his teacher was, sooner or later. It just appeared that they knew about Aizawa much, much sooner than he had thought.

"He needs to be eliminated," Shigaraki's scraggy voice suddenly added, finally speaking instead of being eerily silent and not saying a single word like he had been all night. Izuku looked to Shigaraki as soon as he had heard his voice, alarmed at his words and with a sudden spike of anxiousness, he eyed him with caution. Shigaraki finally moved from his hunched over position at the bar, angling his body towards Izuku. "All heroes need to be eliminated."

Izuku gulped.

Haah-, not this again…

Shigaraki cocked his head at Izuku. "Don't you agree, Chimata?"

Is this another one of his tests?

Ainz nodded, placing a perfect mask of agreement and the slightest hint of malice in Izuku's gaze. Izuku didn't know this, but 50 years acting as the perfect god-like evil overlord made him quite skilled at acting.

It is highly probable. Just go along with it. Disregarding your own beliefs and opinions is often vital to survival, whether that be in the office or in a villainous group of people.

Izuku chuckled. I bet you know all about that, old man.

Shigaraki raised an eyebrow at Izuku laughing out of the blue.

"And then all will be as it should be," Ainz said, to mask the strangeness. Hopefully they wouldn't be able to tell that Izuku had laughed in humour and not for any twisted, sadistic reason. Successfully masking one's true intentions and thoughts in the company of evil people was, like always, a gamble.

Luckily, Ainz always seemed to roll a Nat Twenty.

You wouldn't believe me even if I told you the half of it, Ainz replied in Izuku's head, laughing along. And I may be old, but I'm mentally still thirty!

Whatever you say, old man.

"I have an assignment for you, Chimata." Shigaraki continued. "Tomorrow, go to the teacher's lounge and get your class' schedule for the next few days. Eraserhead's desk will do fine, but get All Might's documents if you can. I want to know when and where All Might will be."

"I-I'll try, but I uh… Don't know where it is? I mean today was only my first da-"

"Don't care, didn't ask. Get it done."

Izuku fidgeted on his seat, his hands kept still by the hot cup of tea he clutched in his hands. "But all of the teachers will be there. I can't go into a room and steal a hero's documents from right under their noses."

Shigaraki scoffed. "The heroes will be too busy dealing with other stuff to notice. And as for stealing, you have a phone so use it."

"R-right!" He nodded nervously. "Ahahah…"

What if we get caught?!

We won't, trust me.

Izuku brought the tea to his lips, taking a sip as he eyed Shigaraki cautiously.

Besides, I suspect he has a plan.

Well isn't that reassuring.

If someone asked him, he would say he's cautious. But others would call him paranoid, anxious and maybe even worried.

There was a time when he was worried. No, actually, there wasn't a time where he didn't worry; it was about the severity of what he worried about. When YGGDRASIL stopped being a game and suddenly became reality, he was lost. He worried a lot back then, too, and only after he started to get used to his role as an evil overlord did he really start to relax more. It helped that his subordinates were so competent, but it was also because they were so competent that he never fully stopped worrying.

Would he disappoint them? Was he a good leader?

There were times he lay awake with only those thoughts swirling in his head. But after so long as the unchallenged ruler of the New World, he worried less and less. Sometimes, even, he would forget them. He had finally achieved his goal; making the world a utopia his friends could be proud of. One without the pollution and corruption that plagued him every day in his first life.

But all good things must come to an end, and then it did.

The Beast fell upon the New World, destroying and lighting the world up in flames.

His worst nightmare came true, and he had never felt more worried. He was terrified. Fear gripped him so strongly he would tremble whenever he thought back to the World Enemy. It made him rash, made him discard his cautiousness in favour of cowardice, although some would argue that there was little difference between the two.

Yes, he did abandon the New World at the slightest sign of a major threat, but could you blame him? There was no fighting a World Enemy… at least not with the limited number of people at level 100, and even then it was a gamble.

It was a fact, it was written in stone; the New World was doomed.

When he ruled the world, many regaled him as the greatest ruler to walk the earth. Some whispered of treason and called him a tyrant, but those lessened after years and years of peace and prosperity. Mostly, those who dared to utter blasphemy were those who had lost their power and land to him, along with their wealth and luxurious lives. But eventually, they all died.

Now, if you were to ask any of his subordinates what kind of ruler he was, they would surely wax poetry of his wisdom, mercy and intelligence. Yes, they would most certainly say he is the greatest ruler of all, and the large majority of the people would agree.

…But after the earth was scorched with heat like the blazing sun and its ruler nowhere in sight, having retreated with his subordinates to the last remaining safe place in the world, his name was cursed and scorned more than he could care for.

So if you asked the people, was Ainz Ooal Gown a good leader?

They would laugh you out of the room, their hatred for the betrayal bubbling back to the surface. Yes, his reputation had plummeted immensely as soon as the people had realized their liege and his subordinates, their protectors, had abandoned them in their time of need.

But…

Was he so selfish for leaving his people to die?

He thought not, after all, everyone's death certificates had already been signed. Besides, the heat had been more than enough to afford a quick and painless death.

Could he be blamed for wanting to protect the children of his friends? His family?

Well, as much as he could, anyway. All they had done was rot in the Tomb, everyday a waiting game filled with anxiety and dread. Waiting like pigs to the butcher and cows to the slaughter.

Waiting in trepidation for Kingdom Come.

Ainz doubted they would get the chance to see another 'kingdom' like they had when Yggdrasil was shut down, but one could only hope, even if it would be all for naught.

Ainz spent those few years surrounded by his loved ones, and that was all he could want for. That his family was safe, that they got to live to see another day.

A couple months in, Albedo had gone to him with a request, one that he had adamantly refused. She asked to be allowed to send out the battle maids along with other summons in search of a World Item she had read about while ceaselessly reading books in the Grand Library of Ashurbanipal, in hopes of finding a way to attain victory for the Grand Tomb of Nazarick, and more importantly, her lord and beloved.

The World Item was the only hope that they still had, but the risks outweighed the slight chance of success, as it was more than likely that they would never be able to find it, and find it in time, much less.

Alas, Albedo hadn't come alone. She had the backing of all of the floor guardians, who kneeled with her before his throne, along with Sebas and the Pleiades. They had been kneeling before his throne, head to the floor, for 2 whole weeks. When he was there, they pleaded with him, coming up with countless reasons why they should be allowed this futile mission. When he wasn't there, they didn't move a muscle, as they were in the exact same position when he returned.

He didn't want to lose his friends precious children and have their sacrifice be in vain… but also… Their only hope had a limit on the amount of people it could save.

That being one.

And he knew what was to happen should they ever find that World Item.

"No. I will not allow it." Ainz said resolutely, but his children discarded his words.

"My lord!" They all cried out in union. "Please reconsider!"

Mare had been crying a lot during their self imposed lockdown, no matter how much Ainz had tried to console him with kind words, head pats and the occasional hug. But nothing he said or did could deny the reality of their situation, their looming doom a weight on everyone's shoulders.

Now, however, Shalltear and Aura were also crying. They had tried to remain strong, but their pleading had fallen on deaf ears, distressing them even more and eventually breaking them. The Pleiades, at least those who could cry, had either tears in their eyes or were full out bawling. The sound of their cries made the heart he no longer had clench painfully, but he stood resolute in his decision.

Ainz stood up from the throne, his voice a quiet contrast to his strong stance.

"No. And that is final."

With that, he had teleported to the place he had started to visit more and more over the years, a place he had been dreading at the start, lest he die of cringe, but now went to when he wanted to relax a little. Although he still cringed.

"Vater," A quiet voice greeted from his place on the couch, so unlike his usual boisterous self. "You've visited me more than usual these last few days. Is there something troubling you?"

He probably already knew, even though he asked. The pleading of the floor guardians hadn't exactly been a secret, in fact, the whole tomb had joined together in solidarity in the pleading, even though the way they did it was less vocal and more saddened, pleading gazes. It still made him feel horrible and suffocated, however.

"Do not lie, I know that you know." He took a seat on the opposite couch.

Pandora's Actor had become something of Ainz's trusted person, the closest one to an equal he had in the tomb. Although Pandora still had his own outlandish expectations of him, they weren't as bad as the rest of the tomb. When Ainz talked to Pandora, he felt as if the Doppelganger could discern the true meanings of his words, unlike everyone else in the tomb…and the whole world, who always thought he was speaking of some intricate plan spanning 10,000 years.

They had gotten closer over the years, although Ainz would frantically deny it for the fault of his embarrassment over his creation. At one point, only a couple years into his conquering the world, he had permitted Pandora to call him 'father'. Or 'Vater', as he preferred in German…Ugh he still cringed every time he heard him speak it.

"I have only heard of what others have said, not what you think. Isn't it easier to speak of your troubles, than to harbor it without telling anyone?"

"I am only troubled by their disobedience. Only a few years ago they would have offered their head to me on a platter at the smallest slight against me. Now, they actively go against my word." He grumbled, resting his arm on the couch's armrest.

"Vater… You know they only do that out of loyalty for you. We all love you, immensely so. You must understand how everyone in the Tomb feels…"

Ainz scoffed.

"I understand well enough, that is why I refuse. I have no doubt of their loyalty, it is more often than not burdensome with how fanatic and devoted it is."

Pandora crossed his legs, bringing a hand to his chin. It was clear in his change in position that he had figured something out, and it was more than likely something about Ainz.

"Vater… As lord of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, the Supreme Being and the leader of the 41 Supreme Beings, your life is infinitely more important than any of ours. You shouldn't disregard your life for ours, even if it comes out of a sense of love and solidarity for us lowly beings."

"Do not speak of yourself as lowly, you are my creation. My friends' lovely creations; their beloved children. None are lowly beings. As such, do not belittle yourself and the citizens of Nazarick."

Pandora's emotionless face, one that resembled a bowling ball and thus couldn't bare any emotion, stilled. Even without eyes, Ainz could feel his intense gaze as he digested his words.

"A king does not die with his soldiers."

The weight of his words hung in the air.

"If I am to die…" Ainz started. "I am to die with all of you."

A deep sadness washed over him at the thought of the end and of his powerlessness to protect his friends' children and their beloved home. But most of all, the truth of what they were pleading for twisted his heart in pain, adding to his sorrows.

They were asking him to leave them, to save himself from their doomed world.

And Ainz knew that if he did do that, that it would break them completely. They had severe abandonment issues from his friends leaving, as it was never explained to them the real reason why they all had left, and as such they viewed themselves as incompetent and unworthy of the love of the Supreme Beings, their parents.

Ainz's hand on the couch clenched into a tight fist.

"I will not abandon my children…" He kept Pandora's gaze, but looked away after it got too much, not bearing to look him in the eyes, even when neither of them actually possessed them. If he could cry, the tears would have already been falling down his cheeks. Tears of frustration, hopelessness, anger at his powerlessness, but most of all, sadness. He whispered out the words, barely loud enough for Pandora to hear. "I couldn't do that to you all..."

"Oh Vater…" Pandora said softly. He looked deeply saddened even with his emotionless face.

The somber mood in the Treasury Room did not improve.

Ainz left shortly after.

I AM SO SORRY! My hiatus was a looooot longer than a month, sorry for not updating on time... Here! Have this 5500 word chapter as compensation :)

I had written 2/3 of the chapter in the beginning, but I read it again and again and it just didn't work. It was interfering with the plot, so I scrapped the large majority of it. And then I was just stuck and didn't know how to continue. In short, I had writer's block. They say the best cure for writer's block is to just keep on writing, so I started writing a new fic. I'll post it eventually, but for now I'll just keep it as a fanfic I work on on the side. Anyways, I got out of the writer's block once I started writing again and saw that people were still commenting on this fic. I just recently got my first job, so I don't have a lot of time, but seeing people comment gave me the motivation to get it done. I wrote this chapter in a week, with half of it being written in a 4 hour long non-top writing session. The beginnings of Ainz's part was written a long time ago, so I thought I should add it to this chapter. It gives us a peek into Ainz's psychology and what happened in the New World.

I hope you liked it, and again, sorry for the long wait! Please leave a review, it motivates me to write more ^^

To Guest: Yanagi is just really socially awkward. Perhaps I'll make her be able to sense Ainz when he fully takes over Izuku's body, but we shall have to see...

To Ogimme: Without Bakugou, class 1A is short a student, so I chose her. I think she fits, since she's pretty spooky and so is Ainz.

To Mark the Mark: Meeting Giran was insanely lucky. For Ainz, that is, not so much for Izuku... You can decide if it's because of Ainz's crazy luck stats, though. And Izuku has a pretty combat orientated 'quirk', so it would be weird not to use it when he almost died. Besides that, the quirk registry keeps these things documented, so All Might could confirm that Izuku really was quirkless until 10 months ago. This chapter is basically a full on traitor Izuku chapter, so I'm curious to see what you think.

To OverlordFan: I'm a bit busy with school and my job, so I don't really have the time for a third fanfic...Sorry. But you can always write it yourself! That's what I did with this fic, since what I wanted was wayyy too specific. Before this, I was only a reader, not a writer. This is actually my first fanfic. And to answer your question, I'm not a novel reader, although I am planning to read it soon. I have spoiled myself a lot on what happens though, so I know a lot more than the average anime only.