In the aftermath of that fateful collision, my world had unraveled in an instant.
That damn truck had come out of nowhere, its blaring horn echoing in my ears as it rolled over me, leaving me to sprawl on the unforgiving pavement, my broken body battered and bloodied.
The pain was unbearable, excruciating; it gnawed at me, a relentless, merciless torment that refused to let go.
And then, as the agony slowly consumed me, a bone-chilling cold crept into my very bones, a cold unlike any I had ever felt before.
It seeped through my every pore, an icy grip that threatened to extinguish the last vestiges of warmth within me.
Dying hurt so damn much, and the cold was the harbinger of an even darker, more unfathomable abyss.
Amidst the pain and the cold, there came a moment when everything ceased. The world faded into an inky void, and I was enveloped by nothingness.
There was no pain, no sensation, and no sight. It was as if I had been plunged into a bottomless well of emptiness, where even the concept of existence had lost its meaning.
Then, in the midst of that abyss, it felt as though an unimaginable force was pressing in on me from all sides, compressing me, bending my very being.
Stop! It hurts! Make it stop! STOOOP!
My thoughts screamed in protest, a desperate plea for release, for an end to the torment. I wailed, though there was no sound, no voice, only the echo of my own suffering.
And then, just as abruptly as it had begun, the relentless pressure ceased. I found myself seeing a place that defied all comprehension. No, the concept of 'seeing' felt inadequate to describe it, for I had neither felt my eyes open nor closed.
Huh?! What? What is this?
My thoughts were a jumbled mess as I found myself in a realm shrouded in obsidian darkness, punctuated by eerie purple-blue fog that swirled and danced as far as my vision extended.
Wh-What is this place? Where am I?
The weight of realization bore down on me, and it was an unwelcome epiphany—I had just died, and yet here I was, my consciousness still intact.
No way! Is this where people go after dying? Is this what the afterlife is? Which religion's afterlife am I even in?!
The questions raced through my mind, each one more bewildering than the last. It was a maddening thought – to ponder the nature of an afterlife when confronted with the unknown.
Desperate to make sense of my predicament, I attempted to locate my body, but there was nothing to see, no corporeal form to speak of. It was as though I existed solely as a specter of thought and consciousness.
Then, a disquieting sensation crept over me, like a whisper from the depths of my psyche, urging me that I was not alone. I scanned the surreal landscape but found nothing tangible, no presence or entity to account for the eerie feeling.
But then, my eyes fixed upon something unsettling. A humanoid shape, or perhaps a grotesque mockery of one, cast an eerie shadow upon the undulating fog. At first, I assumed it was my own shadow, but a chilling realization struck me. It wasn't mine. It was inverted, from a different angle, the silhouette of someone else, yet no discernible being existed to cast it.
The shadow moved, shifting on its own accord, as though it were a sentient entity, independent of any source. Panic surged through me, an instinctual flight-or-fight response. Fear gripped my consciousness, and without a physical form to carry me, I fled from the ominous specter, or at least, that was what I believed I was doing, judging by the shifting patterns in the purple fog.
What was that thing?! There was a silhouette on the ground but not a person around!
Panic welled up within me as I tried to make sense of the eerie shadows that haunted this desolate realm. The unsettling spectacle came to an abrupt halt as another dark figure materialized before me.
Another one? No way!
Desperation and fear clung to my thoughts as the newly formed silhouette extended a shadowy hand in my direction. Without hesitation, I bolted in another direction, attempting to elude their grasp, only to find more sinister shadows manifesting around me.
My escape continued, a relentless pursuit to avoid the ever-multiplying specters that haunted this nightmarish void. But then, the ground seemed to vanish beneath me, and I felt as though I were plunging into an abyss. The sensation was disorienting, an otherworldly descent where the concepts of up, down, left, and right lost all meaning.
No no no no! Somebody, please help!
My silent pleas seemed to echo in the inky void, the despair of my situation pressing down on me like a suffocating weight. As if in response, the compression returned, my nonexistent form wracked by searing agony. It was a torment that lasted only a second, yet it felt like an eternity of anguish.
And then, I was enveloped by a dark tapestry and silence.
What is happening now?!
My thoughts cried out, struggling to find meaning in the impenetrable depths. This place was different, a sea of pure darkness, devoid of the eldritch purple fog that had plagued my earlier experiences.
I couldn't shake the sensation that some unseen entity was fixated on me in this endless sea of darkness. No matter where I moved, there was nothing to be seen in this void, but that primal part of my consciousness, buried deep within, urged me to flee. My instincts warned me that the observer was something to be avoided, something not to be met with direct eye contact. It was as though my mind had erected a shield, blocking my senses from the entity, as if it sought to protect my very sanity.
Please go away...I beg of you…
I silently implored, my thoughts pleading with the enigmatic presence. In a futile attempt to shield myself from whatever lurked in the shadows, I closed my nonexistent eyes and curled up, in a fetal position in the inky womb of darkness.
Then, the blockade in my mind seemed to crumble, or perhaps, the sensory input forcibly broke through.
"MEEEEEEHHHH!"
My ears were filled with an unexpected sound, a sweet, adorable bleating, the kind of noise that could make even the sturdiest heart melt. It was the sound of a goat, but not just one; it was as if an entire herd of goats had materialized out of thin air.
Besides the saccharine bleating, so sickeningly sweet and cute that it could make people want to vomit, there were no other sounds.
And then, as if in response to the goats' cries, a brilliant light erupted before me, blinding my vision as my eyes struggled to adjust to this sudden intrusion.
I was left utterly disoriented, my senses overwhelmed by the flood of the new experience.
The world slowly came into focus, and I found myself surrounded by a striking contrast of colors – white, gold, and black. As my eyes adjusted to the newfound light, I observed a staircase leading towards a distant and imposing sight. The staircase culminated in a massive pair of black double doors, a breathtaking and intimidating display of craftsmanship.
Carved into the doors was a remarkable duality, one side resembling a beautiful goddess, the other a cruel and menacing demon. The lifelike details in their design made it seem as though they might spring to life and pass judgment upon anyone who dared approach. It was an unsettling vision, as if these were the gates of fate, determining one's passage to heaven or hell.
Scary...Better get away from those doors...I have a bad feeling…
My thoughts trembled with trepidation, and I desperately longed to put distance between myself and those ominous doors. However, I soon realized the chilling truth – I couldn't move. It wasn't due to any physical impediment; it was as if my body had ceased to respond to my will.
I attempted to flex my fingers, to shift my gaze, to move a muscle, but nothing responded. I was trapped in place, and a surge of panic coursed through me. If I were in my physical body, I would be hyperventilating by now, but in this bizarre state, all I could do was endure the terror that enveloped me.
In the corner of my vision, a chilling apparition emerged – a fallen angel, a harbinger of dread. The entity floated, cross-legged, suspended in the air, with a dark, inky body shrouded by a white robe adorned with intricate golden embellishments. The fallen angel had one arm resting on the legs and another standing up gripping his chin. Only one black wing, wrapped in white cloth, graced the fallen angel's form. Its head was obscured by a glistening golden mask, a malevolent, smug smile etched upon it, and a golden halo hovered above.
The fallen angel regarded me with an unsettling interest, as if pondering my very soul.
I am being judged after death? And by a Fallen angel at that?! No way!
My thoughts raced as I contemplated my life, realizing that no angel, fallen or otherwise, would view it favorably.
I am so screwed! Please don't punish me with eternal torment! I beg of you, don't send me to hell!
Desperation welled up within me as I silently implored for mercy.
And then, two new entities materialized in the room, their presence heralded by the creaking opening of the colossal black doors of judgment. The first was a humanoid gray goat, crowned with wickedly curved golden horns, dressed in a black suit and velvet cape, with a rose pinned on his left shoulder. A bow adorned his head, and a golden mask concealed the right side of his face.
The second entity appeared as a four-armed humanoid, its entire form composed of grotesque, crimson flesh, its body marred by gaping mouths that seemed to emanate from every pore. Clad in an unsettling, organic-looking purple armor adorned with eerie light yellow spikes, it exuded an aura of malevolence.
Both figures exuded an overwhelming sense of evil and terror, as if they were lieutenants of hell itself.
This is bad! This is really bad!
My thoughts echoed the stark realization of the dire straits in which I now found myself.
The two ominous figures drew closer, their gaze intent upon me.
They already judged me?! I am going straight to hell! No way!
My thoughts raced as I grappled with the terrifying notion that I was about to face an eternity of torment.
"So this is the new Arch-Devil leader of the new group, Lucifer?" spoke the four-armed abomination with a tone that seemed more curious than accusatory.
"Hmm...Not very evil-looking to be honest," chimed in the humanoid gray goat, the disappointment evident in its voice.
HE IS LUCIFER HIMSELF?! And he wants to send me to hell to put me in charge of something?! Wait...what is the trick?
"Of course not, Ulbert, otherwise the NPCs would not be able to be bait for the players," explained the four-armed figure.
NPCs? Players? What does this have to do with me? Why are they looking at me like that?
"I know, Bellriver, I know, we need them to be this way for the Ariadne System circumvention project to work, but I've been thinking about it recently that it would be better to be a little more devil-like. Perhaps a second pair of wings that are bigger?" suggested the humanoid gray goat named Ulbert.
"Fine," responded Lucifer, with a weary tone. It was the first time he had spoken since their arrival.
On the right edge of my vision, two floating black rectangles with golden borders appeared, and Lucifer seemed to manipulate them with his hand. An eerie sensation washed over me, as if something were sprouting from my lower back.
Did-Did they just add wings to me? ON MY WAIST?!
"Ohh, at the waist like Albedo's? I like it. I'm very keen on this change," Bellriver, the four-armed abomination, exclaimed, his multiple mouths on his body opening and closing, a grotesque and terrifying display of approval.
"To think you would come up with the idea to use my Demiurge's class in this way. Quite devilish of you, Hahaha," Ulbert chuckled, thoroughly entertained by the concept.
"Yes indeed, to use the invaders as materials for making the traps of the tomb, or well...we could always use the Exchange Box to convert them into gold coins," Bellriver mused, their conversation laden with terminology that remained an enigma to me.
"Would all of them have the Gazer job class?" Ulbert inquired with curiosity, leaving me in a state of bewildered confusion.
What are those rectangles showing? I can't see properly! Show me those rectangles for the love of god!
With great effort, I strained to focus my attention on the mysterious rectangles at the edge in my field of vision. Finally, I could make out their content. They were like floating windows in a video game, presenting a blurry image of a humanoid figure.
The rightmost window was partially cut off, revealing a small red devil wing emerging from the upper back and a larger red devil wing sprouting from the waist. The figure was too blurry for me to discern any details except for the colors – white for the skin and silver for the hair.
Those wings match what they were describing about me before.
The realization struck me like a sledgehammer. It was bizarre, to say the least, to possess not only wings but two pairs of wings, each of different sizes. But as I examined the floating windows, it became evident that they were depicting a game character – and that character was supposed to be me.
No way! It cannot be! Please let me be wrong!
Desperation clawed at my thoughts as I scrutinized the information presented in the leftmost window. With great effort, I managed to read the reversed text from top to bottom: 'Imp', 'Arch-Devil', and 'Cleric (Deity: Shub'.
But my reading was abruptly halted when Lucifer interjected, closing the window with the words, "No, only the butler," spoken to the other two entities.
No! This can't be happening! I can't be an NPC in a video game! Where am I? There must be some clues around! Think! Think!
Lucifer then proceeded to open another floating black window and manipulated it, causing my body to move. It was a surreal sensation, as if I had become a puppet, no longer under my own control—an NPC.
My vision shifted with my body, revealing more of the surroundings – a collection of white niches containing statues of demons, adorned with opulent gold decorations.
My body moved of its own accord, eventually coming to rest within one of the empty niches, as if I were an item stored away in some repository.
Albedo, Demiurge, Ulbert, Bellriver. Some of those names, I recognize them. Where did I read about them? Where was it? Why I cannot remember?!
I watched helplessly as the three entities who had conversed about me departed the area, leaving me to my bewildering fate. And then, as quickly as it had all begun, everything descended into darkness.
o-O-o
My vision returned as swiftly as it had vanished, leaving me disoriented and bewildered. Huh?! What just happened? Did I black out? No – Did I just black out because they left the area?
Straining to connect with my senses, I realized I was still trapped within the niche, unable to move my body or even a single muscle. My eyes were immobile, regardless of how much effort I exerted. The walls of the niche limited my field of vision, but I could make out other niches across the room, each containing statues that bore a resemblance to demons.
In the center of the room, the white porcelain floor was adorned with intricate gold patterns, forming an expansive magic circle comprised of geometric designs. Positioned upon this ornate floor were Lucifer and the two enigmatic figures.
The first figure presented itself with a peculiar T-pose, its back to me. It donned the attire of a butler, a black suit gracing its form. Blue, devilish wings sprouted from its waist, and a blue and black-striped tail dangled from its posterior. Silver hair was tied into a ponytail, and blue-striped silver horns adorned its head, spiraling upward like those of an Eland Ram.
The second figure was less pleasing to behold – a humanoid with a head that resembled a grotesquely distorted squid. Draped in a gleaming, form-fitting black leather outfit adorned with silver jewelry and an array of belts, it exuded an unsettling aura.
While Lucifer remained engrossed in manipulating various floating rectangular windows, the humanoid squid engaged in conversation, remarking, "Ah, Lucifer, I was thinking, right now, the Great Tomb of Nazarick is more like a unicursal labyrinth, right? But after we add the service tunnels for them to go around the floors, it will be more like a branching multicursal maze, right?"
The Great Tomb of Nazarick? But that is from Overlord...
My thoughts whirled with disbelief as I pieced together the fragments of information that had fallen into place. The names I recognized, the game-like windows, it all coalesced into a disconcerting revelation. I was trapped within a Light Novel's world, or rather, the world's game – YGGDRASIL.
No way! This can't be happening! They are not real! They are just characters in a book!
My mind resisted the staggering truth. I couldn't accept that the characters from the Overlord light novel were real and that I had become an NPC within this virtual universe.
Lucifer remained absorbed in his tasks, paying no heed to my internal turmoil. Meanwhile, the humanoid squid, whom I now recognize as Tabula Smaragdina, creator of Albedo, continued with his discourse.
"In addition, since they are themed after the legend of Ariadne, Theseus, the Minotaur, and the Palace of Minos...Did you know that Dionysus threw Ariadne's jeweled crown into the sky to create a constellation, the Corona Borealis? How about we add second names to them and characteristics based on the Borealis stars?" Tabula Smaragdina delved into mythology, his words a relentless stream of trivia.
Lucifer, in a lackadaisical tone, responded, "Hmmm…not a bad idea, Tabula." It was evident that the details of naming were of little consequence to him.
This is bad! This is really bad!
Panic surged within me as the realization of my predicament settled in. I was now screaming internally, gripped by the terrifying uncertainty of my existence in this surreal, fantasy world.
"In addition, I know they are supposed to fight using silverware, utensils, and furniture-based weapons, but how about a Labrys staff for the leader who is a cleric? After all, the double axe was an important sacred symbol of the Minoan religion..." Tabula continued to offer his suggestions and bothering Lucifer.
Lucifer's response remained muted, his concentration seemingly undisturbed by Tabula's inquiries.
"Come on, Lucifer, otherwise...I will tell everybody of the joke golem you hid in the female bathroom~" Tabula threatened, evidently using some form of leverage to make his point.
"Ughh…Only for the leader," Lucifer begrudgingly conceded, giving in to Tabula's suggestion.
"Yes!...What does this one fight with?" Tabula inquired further.
"A teapot, plates, and water elementals...This one has proper etiquette after all. And no, I am not changing it!" Lucifer retorted, his tone exuding a sense of irritation.
Tabula appeared to interact with one of the windows, and the butler disappeared from my line of sight. Lucifer walked away, seemingly accompanied by Tabula's persistent nagging.
Don't go! Please help me!
And once more, everything descended into darkness.
o-O-o
After a brief lapse of time, I regained awareness, only to find myself in an entirely different location.
Help–! Huh?
I was taken aback, for I was no longer confined within the white and golden niche where I had been left behind. Instead, I stood within a vast, expansive chamber, spacious enough to accommodate hundreds of individuals. The room possessed a lofty ceiling, while its walls predominantly shone white, embellished with golden accents and decorations.
I was now in the Throne Room of Nazarick, and I wasn't alone.
To the rightmost of my field of vision, I could discern the blurred silhouette of the same butler NPC from earlier, recognizable by the blue wing extending from the waist.
Directly in front of me, two smaller devil maids came into view, their gaze directed forward, preventing me from seeing their faces
The left devil maid sported green wings and a black and green-striped tail. Her thigh-high socks were mismatched, the left in green to match her wings, and the right in black. Her maid uniform skirt featured spikes at the hem, and what seemed to be a dominatrix corset adorned her attire. The sleeves of her uniform appeared excessively baggy, as if many times her actual size. Silver hair cascaded into a short ponytail, revealing elvish ears and green-striped white horns spiraling backward, resembling the horns of a Mountain Sheep.
The right devil maid mirrored the style but was colored cyan instead, with the mismatched sock on her right leg. Her uniform was excessively frilly, and her silver hair was arranged into short twintails, fastened with bows near her cyan-striped white horns, spiraling upward, akin to the horns of a Kudu Ram.
Surrounding us in this chamber were an array of monstrous beings, the guild members of Ainz Ooal Gown.
"Here they are! Gaze upon my new creation!" declared Lucifer, his tone theatrical, though I could not discern his location.
A chorus of approval echoed through the guild members. Speech bubble shapes appeared above their heads, displaying a multitude of smiley faces, thumbs up, and even red hearts.
Momonga! Herohero! Touch Me! Help! I am trapped inside the NPC!
Lucifer finally stepped into my field of vision, gesturing to each of us in turn: the butler, the cyan maid, and the green maid. "Their main jobs are Golem Craftsman, Gazer, Alchemist, and Pharmacist," he explained.
"I see, I see, each of them is the input of the next one in the chain for creating wonderful traps. They have great synergy with each other," Garnet remarked, clearly excited by the idea of creating new gimmicks.
"All of them have the Minimum class bought from the cash shop like–" began Variable Talisman, the black centipede clad in green heavy armor.
However, his words were abruptly halted by a group of female guild members who appeared to scream in terror, exclaiming, "Don't mention its name!" and "I don't want to remember that it exists!"
I am stuck here! Please help...
My silent plea continued to fall on deaf ears as I remained trapped within my NPC form, unable to communicate with those who seemed oblivious to my predicament.
"Let's quickly change the topic! Hey, I get the other three, but why do you make her a Pharmacist? Wouldn't they be working with the petrified summons and disposable paid NPCs of the enemies as materials?" questioned Bukubukuchagama, the bubbling pink slime.
"Behold my genius! With her, we can start processing the herbs from the Grenbera Swamp and the frozen vegetation from the Piercing Crystal Plains," Lucifer proclaimed dramatically.
Lucifer, come on, you are the creator of this body, you surely saw that there is something wrong with it, right~? Like a normal human stuck inside it~?
I silently implored, my thoughts filled with despair.
"Yamaiko, did you get it? The data crystal for the explosion effect?" inquired Touch Me excitedly, the knight clad in shining platinum-white armor.
"Yes, on the first pull," Yamaiko proudly replied, displaying a data crystal in her bulky red gloves' palm.
"Thank you, Yamaiko! I knew we could count on you," Touch Me expressed his gratitude, giving a thumbs up, both in his actions and with an emoji in a speech bubble.
"All hail the Gacha God!" cheered another guild member beyond my field of vision.
"Hahahaha! Now we only need the phrase for the effect," declared Touch Me.
"That's the spirit! But you should have planned ahead Touch Me...don't worry...I already came up with a good pun!" chimed in Punitto Moe, the talking vine monstrosity clad in a priest's robe.
The guild members of Ainz Ooal Gown appeared to be enjoying themselves, but my feelings were dominated by an overwhelming sense of abandonment.
"More importantly! These—Demon maids!" Coup De Grâce exclaimed, excitement evident in his tone as he gestured toward the demon maids in front of me while addressing the other guild members.
Now that I had a closer look, the maids appeared to resemble Imps more than full-fledged Demons, Arch-Devils, or Succubi to me.
"Games are meant to be played, after all," Herohero, the bubbling purple slime, chimed in, nodding in satisfaction at the new addition to the tomb.
"You know what I want to say~!" Whitebrim interjected as he moved and knelt on the ground to strike a dramatic pose with his hands. Herohero and Coup De Grâce flanked Whitebrim, each adopting a symmetric pose.
Whitebrim let out a spirited shout, exclaiming, "Maid uniforms are justice!" They were emulating a Super Sentai stance.
Then Touch Me, resplendent in his shining silver armor, made his appearance behind them, adopting a pose with his arms raised high in the air. He shouted, "Justice!" The moment was punctuated by the activation of his explosion effect, resulting in a resounding boom, and the words "Justice has Arrived!" emblazoned in bold, red Japanese letters appeared behind him.
To me, they appeared exceedingly silly and over-the-top, their antics an unsettling juxtaposition to my predicament.
Stop making a fool of yourselves and free me!...Please...I beg of you...
My silent plea remained unanswered as they continued their playful display.
Then I overheard Peroroncino saying, "Well…they seem to be having fun...Now they will start working on the first floors, right?" He appeared to be discussing us, and his conversation partner was none other than Momonga.
Momonga responded, "That's right…fortunately, since they are at the level of the Pleiades, they will be inexpensive to resurrect when they die."
What?! Dying? Me?! Against what?! What-What are you going to force me to do?!
Herohero chimed in with a laugh, "Hahaha! We have the Pleiades that are the last line of defense...and now they will be the first line of defense of the tomb. I'll look forward to it!"
They are going to send me to die? Against level 100 Players? This can't be happening! This must be a dream, right?! This must be a bad nightmare for binging so much Overlord media hahahaha...
o-O-o
I found myself navigating the surroundings alongside my fellow group members: the demon butler and the two demon maids. We were traversing what appeared to be one of the first three floors of Nazarick—the Grove.
In this subterranean realm, we floated among burial chambers, where several dozen undead entities roamed in the dimly lit darkness.
It wasn't a dream, dammit! I am still an NPC!
Fear coursed through me, apprehensive about the prospect of encountering Players far more powerful than us.
What's going to happen? Can we, Pleiades-level strong as we are, stand against skilled level 100 players who are confident enough to invade the tomb?...This can't possibly end well!
As we continued to explore what I strongly suspected were the catacombs, it became apparent that we were on the second floor of Nazarick. The fact that the invading players had managed to defeat the first floor was not a good sign. These intruders were clearly skilled and competent.
I am going to die for real? Will it be the end of my existence? Will I just be reborn like any other NPC if I die for the second time?
The notion of dying for the second time was a bizarre and unsettling thought. It was as if I was grappling with my mortality in a world that was supposed to be fictional.
The four of us demons continued to fly through the catacombs. Each of us wielded weapons – for me, it was a Labrys, a substantial silver double-axe staff. The green demon maid carried a massive silver keychain with a green cord, featuring keys, each the size of her head, radiating a green glow that resembled knives. The cyan demon maid brandished a candelabra staff adorned with three cyan-burning candles, their flames casting an eerie glow. Both the glow of the keys-knives and the candles floated into the air as if it were miasma.
The butler, on the other hand, had a blue and silver teapot and a silver plate.
A teapot! How is that even going to work as a weapon?
I couldn't muster much confidence in our ability to prevail against invading players with our peculiar group.
For some reason, we seemed to stick to the larger hallways, avoiding the smaller passages, as if our movements were guided by some directive.
I wonder if our bodies were programmed to do this for some reason.
My apprehension grew with each passing moment, and I began to hear the sounds of battle and the telltale signs of magic use. Inside my mind, panic surged like a tidal wave, as if I were hyperventilating. But my body remained unresponsive, controlled by forces beyond my influence.
We four demons continued to navigate the catacombs until we reached the location of the ongoing skirmish. The first thing that caught my eye were the Nazarick Master Guarders, skeletal warriors clad in gleaming, golden full-body armor, each wielding radiant spears and adorned with vibrant crimson capes.
Then, to my dread, I laid eyes on the players – a group of seven. Five of them appeared to be melee-focused, while two assumed the roles of mages. They sported armor in a range of colors: red, pink, light brown, green, platinum dark, light blue, and dark purple. The dazzling variety of their high-tier equipment only underscored their formidable level.
That's when they took notice of us, and their readiness for battle was unmistakable. My composure finally shattered, and I felt myself teetering on the edge of madness.
There is no way this ends well! THIS WON'T END WELL AT ALL!