Volume 1, Chapter 2 : Final preparation and departure...
Arc : Prologue - Arrival
Intro song :
Hayloft II (SMASHUP) by Mother Mother
Primis Treasury,
After three days had passed, everyone had submitted their reports to Pandora. In their reports, they listed all of the personnel they would be bringing with them, including personal secretaries, fighters who could engage in close-quarters and long-range combat, individuals skilled in stealth reconnaissance, and people who could cross enemy lines to infiltrate enemy positions and sabotage necessary targets from the inside. There were no information gaps. Each and every piece of equipment, including specially crafted close- and long-range weapons, armor, ammunition for every conceivable circumstance, medications for minor and major injuries, and special items, including its backup and ration supplies for everyone for the duration of the campaign, was also included in the report.
In order to allocate everyone to different positions based on their strengths, Pandora considered creating a chain of command. From those who are dispatched into the field for data collection, direct confrontation, assassination, and diplomatic connection development. The leaders of their separate roles and teams will undoubtedly be each Supreme Being's children.
For the purpose to discuss the line of command and allocate each person to the position that best suits them, he sent word to summon everyone to the Treasury. He had the strangest feeling that the upcoming meeting would be extremely taxing on his mental state, possibly even psychologically damaging, given some of the more obnoxious, insufferable, or downright annoying attendees—some of whom he had the misfortune to call his cousins—although there were some of them he liked because they were actually taking things seriously. He made an effort to restrain his thoughts and avoid having biased assumptions. Still, he couldn't help but guess how the meeting would go given the loud yelling, heated arguments, and clear disregard for their fellow attendees that they displayed.
'Our mission will benefit greatly from this conference. To assign each person to their function and provide them the teams they must lead, we must have a defined organizational structure. That would imply a Vice Leader, and I'm considering Albedo or Aureole. Demiurge and Entoma defense commander for sure. Cocytus, who loves combat, could get the assignment of Field Marshall. Nigredo may function as the Head of Special Intelligence. The Black Ops Head may be taken by Shalltear and Solution. Narberal and I will then take charge of the field agents. Finally, someone to manage diplomacy; perhaps Sebas and Yuri; they are ideal for the job. Walking back and forth in the Treasury,' Pandora pondered something.
It only took a while for everyone to arrive at the Treasury. A place none of them have ever visited. They were in awe of the amount of riches their Realm actually possessed to the point of dropping their jaw completely and stopped dead in their track. Precious metals of all kinds, grades, rarity and worth to weapons and armors of different qualities to historically important object were just scattered everywhere as if they're worth nothing, which clearly not considering they are some of the rarest and most valueable highly sought items they ever know which could easily fetch a ridiculous amount of wealth to anyone and Pandora is the sole guardian of their entire wealth.
'Oh, dear...'
'By the 41...'
'Wha-What is all this?!'
'This is our Treasury?'
'Illusion... This must be a dream..'
'FUCKING 'ELL...'
Those were the thoughts of everyone who had just visited the Treasury for the first time. They twisted their heads left and right, taking in the entire scene, almost passing out at what they saw. Demiurge was so taken aback that he began to tear his hair out with his hands.
'So this is our fabled Treasury, and all those stories didn't do it justice; this place is truly breathtaking. I was wondering how many historical items from our billion years of history are preserved here because there are so many things here that I only knew from history lectures. The Supreme Beings are too far ahead of us, and their wisdom is unfathomable to us. If only we could comprehend a fraction of their boundless knowledge.' Demiurge's hands stretched for a brown leather thick book on the mound of gold beside him, as he was astounded by the contents of the Treasury.
Everyone starts to become lost in their own thoughts, scrutinizing and touching every object that takes their attention, testing every weapon that is spread out, reading every book, and some even get so lost in their own thoughts that they just stand there motionless and mumbling.
"Ah, good to see you all here at the Treasury. I must kindly ask you to give back whatever it is you are holding since it is not a toy but a precious artifact with historical significance. Even though I'm happy you've finally arrived so we can start our meeting, I must ask that you refrain from touching anything without my permission or supervision." Pandora enquired.
"Of course, we apologise for our offensive behavior. It's only that this is our first visit, and I must say, it's breathtaking. How long has this been in our possession?" Albedo asked Pandora and apologised.
"Longer than we've been alive, Fräulein Albedo. I have the privilege of protecting everything here from danger, keeping things pristine, and preserving all you see here." Pandora answered.
"Time is of the importance, so kindly follow me right now. Let's start this meeting now." Then, as instructed by Pandora, he led them to a big circular table in the Treasury's center. Everyone sat down in their chairs, and Pandora waved his hand to start the meeting today with a hologram projection.
"I want to start by saying a big thank you to everyone for voluntarily giving up your time to attend the meeting today. I'll simply get to the point. The purpose of today's discussion is to talk about the chain of command for our future expedition because, aside from me leading this mission, we don't clearly comprehend our ranks. I would like to change that since, as you all recalled, we will also be bringing our own reliable agents with a variety of abilities and expertise. Because it would be impossible for one person to effectively manage multiple teams with varying levels of capability at once, I want to group together people with the same level of skill and expertise into one division. This way, everyone will be able to focus on what they do best and collaborate, allowing us to accomplish much more with less effort and stress. I want each department to have a leader who possesses the same skill and strength to oversee one or two teams. Each department will only have one function based on the strength of its members. To reduce the risk to our objective, people who are excellent at reconnaissance, for example, will solely be tasked with information gathering." Upon Pandora's explanation, everyone nodded in agreement.
"The Special Intelligence Division will be our first stop. The main goal of it is to acquire any information we can. From the fundamental understanding of this the world, through its geography, geology, history, politics, military, and so on. Given that we still lacked knowledge of this planet, this division would not be restricted to a certain region or range. Therefore, as soon as we get there, we must establish a footing right away to ensure our mission's safety. The more we understand about this world, the better since we won't get into any uncomfortable situations. I was wondering whether you would like to assume this post, Nigredo, as the Head of Operation of the Special Intelligence Division. After all, you have a lifetime of experience gathering intelligence." After turning to face Nigredo, Pandora offered her the role.
"I believe that because I will be in charge of ensuring everyone under my command's safety, the position comes with a whole new set of responsibilities. I will take the role, Pandora, since Father is depending on us to save the mortals." Nigredo replied, taking up the offer.
"But I'll need help, therefore I'd like to request Aureole's assistance, who has the same level of knowledge as I have. She is exactly as capable as I am, and I could use her assistance a lot." Pandora heard Nigredo say.
"Undoubtedly, that made sense. I see, Aureole. I would want to ask for your help in assisting Nigredo with the Special Intelligence Division." Pandora addressed Aureole.
"Of course, I would assist in any way I could. I'll accept the Vice Leader post," Pandora. Aureole stated
"Great. The Base Defense Division will come next. Although less complicated than the Special Intelligence Division, it will nonetheless be quite significant. This division's major goal is to safeguard our base from any attack, whether internal or foreign. Our boundary radius should grow the longer our mission lasts, in my opinion. The mortals will undoubtedly find safety inside our boundaries once our influence has sufficiently extended. The Supreme Beings declared that we would safeguard everybody who was within our jurisdiction. Additionally, the more land we purchase, the more distance we must go. It will be the responsibility of this division to keep everyone secure. And I suppose that as long as we live on this planet, the duty will only increase."
"The first two that come to mind are Demiurge and Entoma. Rather than engaging in one-on-one battle, they are commander-style fighters, in charge of a large army of demons and insects, respectively. Making them capable of traversing more land and overwhelming our opponents with a large number of incredibly powerful demons and insects, increasing our chances of winning. So? Demiurge, what do you think? Entoma?" Pandora questioned them both.
"I must admit, it's a very intriguing request. Yes, Pandora, it is an excellent suggestion. I'll take the job of Base Defense Head. Entoma? Would you help me keep our home safe by lending a hand?" Demiurge looked across towards Entoma.
"No use in asking me. Please put my name on the board." Entoma answered.
"I appreciate you taking it. We shall now discuss our covert operations. The Black Ops Division will only concentrate on clandestine operations including espionage, infiltration, assassination, sabotage, and capturing extremely valuable targets. Given the risk and danger each operation entails, speed and stealth are crucial for this division. As a result, we require someone who can lead groups of carefully trained operatives while hitting targets hard and moving quickly. I had Shalltear, Solution, and CZ in mind. You all completely match the bill. So without further ado, rise up and take the position by yourself. Pandora didn't even think twice before asking their opinions."
"You haven't even asked about our consent yet! Why the fuck would we do it?!"
"Yeah! This is completely unfair!"
"Yes."
"For one thing, that is the only set of talents you have and excel in. Two, if it's three versus the rest of us, it's not one-sided; just take a look around. Third, I'm in control of the entire mission. Additionally, as I mentioned at the beginning of the meeting, everyone will be restructured and put in the position for which they are most suited. Shalltear will now be in charge of leading the division, Solution You will serve as Vice, and CZ will be its Major Officer. Now, be quiet." With snark and contempt, Pandora explains it to them.
"Our Military Division will be the next in line. This division, which will serve as our main fighting force, will be made up of all of our soldiers as well as part of the Black Sky that my father has loaned us. It will act as our main force in both war and in defending Nazarick. Additionally, it will be the one to advance on Slane Theocracy in the waning moments of our mission in order to apprehend the Six's offspring and bring them to justice. Field Marshall Cocytus will serve as the division's head." Pandora elucidated.
"For this assignment, a group of field agents will be led by Narberal and myself. In order to avoid suspicion, we shall divide into 18 teams of two. We'll scout the area to look for the Six's offspring and anything else that may be useful."
"Finally, we need envoys to let people know that this religion and these so-called "Gods" are going to get their comeuppance. We require a someone who can blend in, get to know the people, and build strong relationships. This job would be ideal for Sebas, Yuri, and Lupusregina. The last thing we need is another issue, so if you can, educate them about the 41 but don't impose it onto them."
"That's all there is. This meeting has come to an end. I appreciate your time." After completing, Pandora bowed his head.
Entrance of The Great Tomb of Nazarick, south of Five Colored Grass Forest
After several days of impatiently anticipating it, the moment had finally arrived for them. Together with all of their subordinates, they assembled at the designated spot. They found that Nazarick's entrance remained unchanged from their memories. Although Nazarick seems to remain unchanged on the outside, its performance has been upscaled to laughable levels as they passed through each story. This is a complete redesign of the Zenith, not just some "slight changes." They were ordered to assemble in the throne chamber on the 10th Floor while they reminisced about their youth. When they arrived to a set of enormous doors, one of them opened to show who had called them...
It was Lord Momonga himself, accompanied by his two Retainers.
"Greetings to everybody. All right, let's get ready." stated Momonga.
"I am wishing everyone here luck. Please return home safely, and here is my advice for your assignment. Think the worst has already happened, don't be scared, and be prepared to adjust to any scenario." As he bids them farewell, Momonga imparts a bit of his knowledge.
"Pandora." Momonga turned to face his son. "You now hold their life in your hands. Take care and best wishes." Momonga hugged Pandora while saying this. Then leave Nazarick.
Pandora then sat on the throne in the chamber, a holographic display lit up, and he accessed its control panel before beginning the teleportation procedure.
[TRANSPORT SEQUENCE, INITIATED... STARTING IN T-MINUS 60 SECONDS]
[DESTINATION, SET... PLANET, 6G... STAR SYSTEM, 79K.16PL]
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To be continued...
Outro song :
Ashura-chan by Ado
In the immortal word of AO3 tags..
"NO BETA, WE DIE LIKE EVERYONE..."