Beautiful Night Sky

Here goes nothing…Momonga lifted the greatsword in his hand and prepared himself to strike! Only for the blade to slip from his grasp and fall to the floor. Momonga scoffed at the act, he'd made sure to grip the blade tightly, yet it still slipped from his hand. In Yggdrasil he had built his character around being a pure magic caster, meaning he didn't put any of his skills into physical combat. Perhaps that was the reason…maybe the same logic applied in this world as well. Though, if that was the case, then that was just fucking stupid.

"Would you like me to get that for you sir?" A maid with raven hair asked politely, moving over to pick up the large weapon for her master.

Momonga looked over at the Pleiades and gave his avatar's infamous smirk, "Of course Narberal, thank you for putting up with my antics."

Narberal handed the weapon back to her master and bowed, "There is no need to thank me. I live to serve, Lord Momonga."

The Supreme Being narrowed his eyes at the comment, getting rather tired of the whole 'live to serve' schtick that all of Nazarick apparently had for him. Momonga tested the sword once more in his hand, he wasn't a warrior class, meaning he wasn't able to even swing a simple sword…but there were other ways around such limitations, "Create: Greater Item!"

A flurry of magic enveloped Momonga as rustic black samurai armor fitted firmly to his large form, replacing his previous attire but leaving his long red cape to hang from his shoulder guards. Momonga lifted the sword once more…and created a gust of wind as he brought it down, halting it just before it made contact with the floor. Just as he thought! In Yggdrasil, a player could bypass class restrictions through the use of special items, it seems that logic still applies here as well.

Momonga glanced over at his newly made samurai armor and let out a sigh. Even if he had been transported to an entirely new world, it felt good to wear a piece of armor like this one. With a permanent grimace for a helm and perfectly segmented plates to make up his armor, it all went to show just how Japanese he was at heart…Takemikazuchi would be so proud of him.

"Is there something troubling you, my lord?" Narberal asked in her monotone voice, "You've been staring into that mirror for quite some time. Would you like for me to clean it for you?"

Momonga chuckled at the question before laying the greatsword back into her hands, "No Narberal, I was just thinking is all." Yes…thinking, "I believe I would like to go out and explore the surrounding area of the tomb by myself, get a better look at what exactly is out there."

Narberal's usually cold eyes widened at the statement, "My lord, I must protest! Going out alone is too dangerous! I will accompany you to make sure nothing goes-!"

"I won't allow it." Momonga's tone was suddenly very serious, "I must do this by myself, there's something I must see."

Narberal still looked unsure, "Sire, every denizen within Nazarick's walls is designed to be a shield to be used whenever you see fit. If something were to happen to you while we were not there to protect you…we could never forgive ourselves."

Momonga couldn't help but smile at those words, "Your concern is adorable, Narberal Gamma." The Pleiades immediately blushed at the comment, "Nevertheless, my mind is made. Though if I do find myself in any form of trouble, I promise you will be the first person I call for assistance."

Naberal gave another bow to her lord, "Thank you, my lord."

Momonga gave a slow nod of his head and proceeded to teleport out of the room. In a flash, he appeared outside the tomb's entrance. He gave a few practice steps before slowly getting into a rhythm with his new legs. This didn't last long however, as the snarls of demons suddenly made their way into his ear. Someone was here. Momonga only had to think about the spell Invisibility before his form disappeared from sight. He'd finally gotten some alone time, and someone was here to ruin that? He'd rather just hide away from them…

The visage of truly monstrous demons soon became apparent from the darkness of the tomb, their grotesque proportions and horrendous features only amplified by the fact that they were being headed by the 'normal' looking arch-devil, Demiurge. The demon marched forward with expert posture, a cruel smile permanently stuck on his face as he led his entourage outside the tomb. Only to stop when his perception abilities picked something up right in front of him, "Lord Momonga? What are you doing outside the tomb? And without an escort either?"

Momonga had to hide his shock and annoyance at being found out under a facade of a smile. Honestly, he was quite surprised that Demiurge had not only seen through his Invisibility spell, but also deduced it was him through his different attire, "Well done Demiurge! You were able to discover my presence sooner than I had expected!"

Demiurge bowed at the praise, "You flatter me, my lord. I was unaware that you'd be testing us so soon, but it's a welcome surprise nonetheless!"

A test? Right…a test, "Y-yes! We must all remain vigilant, especially now that we are in unfamiliar lands! It's good to know that my Defensive Combat Leader is still fully capable of discerning friends from foes." Momonga gritted his teeth in irritation, "Even if that means you do multiple patrols to check for anyone sneaking in." Or out in his case.

Demiurge's smile seemed to grow just a little bit more genuine at those words, "You're praise means the world to me Master Momonga! I only work to make Nazarick shine as bright as it possibly can!" Demiurge then cocked his head in a sign of confusion, "Though…going out without an escort seems a tad foolhardy. I don't suppose you'd mind me accompanying you while you're so out in the open, would you?"

Momonga gave a well-practiced smile as he clenched his hand behind his back in anger. He just wanted to be alone for five fucking minutes goddamnit! Ugh, "I can't think of a reason why not, come Demiurge, there is much for us to see."

Immediately upon saying this, Momonga's red cape flowed outward and turned into two red and dark blue wings, before he shot through the air with incredible speed. Demiurge's form began to twist and bloat as his own pair of wings grew from his back and his sharp features were replaced with the face of a frog, "Of course, my lord." The demon took off after his master as the two flew far into the sky.

Momonga gave a small laugh at the feeling of weightlessness, a sense of thrill wiggling into his mind as he climbed higher, higher, higher. Then he slowed to a stop. Momonga ripped his helmet off his head and let it fall away, the piece of metal disappearing in a flash of magic sparkles as he looked off towards the curvature of the planet. Blue, green, yellow…beautiful colors that had long since squandered in his reality, instead replaced by lifeless factories, and horribly choked slums. His planet's oceans had turned a green so dark it appeared black from pollution, the skies full of dark toxic clouds from the countless wars that were fought. To see a world so full of life, so fertile, so pure…it brought a tear to his eye.

Then his gaze turned upward, glowing red eyes dimming as he glimpsed at the brilliance of the stars within the beautiful night sky. Even Blue Planet's recreation on the Sixth Floor was nothing compared to this, they were similar, but the slight intricacies and sheer spectacle was almost impossible to recreate by human hands. He'd never seen the stars before…ever since he was a child he'd heard that just beyond the clouds that marred his planet's atmosphere, that little jewels of light dotted the sky, that the universe danced its enchanting, perfect dance.

"What a beautiful world we have found ourselves in…I'd heard of the splendor explorers experienced in days past…but I never understood what that meant until now." Momonga let out a genuine smile at the sight, a smile that was ever so slightly imperfect.

"It appears to be far different than the geography of Yggdrasil, though I'd need to run through some of my maps to make sure." Demiurge replied, his nasally tone still unchanged even after transforming.

"I wonder…" Momonga thought to himself, his eyes wandering over the horizon, "What sort of treasures might hide within this world? What kind of people live on this lush planet? What kind of friends we could make, and what kind of enemies as well?"

Demiurge sneered at the last part, "All treasures are yours for the taking, my lord! Any enemy of Nazarick will be dealt with swiftly and without mercy! As long as you are there with us, all our foes will quake in fear!"

"Fear…" Momonga parroted, a thoughtful look growing on his face, "I've seen far too much fear in my time, Demiurge." Momonga gave his follower a somber gaze, "I've known far too many tyrants who use nothing but fear to keep the masses in line, I've seen the kind of life that knowing nothing but fear can give, even Nazarick, with all its glory and achievements, still utilized the fear we gave others to become untouchable."

"And we are stronger because of it, my lord." Demiurge replied, apparently not grasping what his master was trying to say, "Fear is one the world's greatest deterrents, and its best motivator as well. Surely using such a useful tool is a very prudent decision, right?"

Momonga thought for a moment, then smirked, "Perhaps, but fear only cures the symptoms of a person and or a group of people. It doesn't fix the underlying condition." This gave Demiurge a pause, "Fear is a useful tool, that I won't deny, but if one were to rule over a people without giving them anything other than fear…chaos and rebellion would surely erupt." Momonga turned and looked back up at the beautiful night sky, "No…education, a strong military, law enforcement, proper health care, and above all else, integrity. These are just some of the ingredients that breed loyalty, that breed a happy, thriving civilization…not fear." Momonga closed his eyes at the thought, "Excuse me for the monologue Demiurge, I'm sure they sound like nothing more than the ramblings of a mad man…"

"No, my lord!" Demiurge shouted back, giving a bow as a large sadistic grin tore its way across his frog-like face, "I know exactly what you mean. After all, what good is a world if it's not ruled over by those who understand how it should be run?"

"Indeed…" Momonga replied halfheartedly, not really paying attention to the maniacal cackling of Demiurge as he slowly began his descent, "I'm done with my little adventure. Let's return to the tomb." He let the wind whip his blackened mane as he fell further and further towards the planet, that was until he saw the speck of a dark elf moving large swaths of land around the Great Tomb, "Mare." Momonga murmured to himself as he adjusted his course and glided down to where the Druid stood.

Mare focused his magic on smoothing out the massive amount of dirt and stone he had scrunched up from the surrounding area. He could feel his massive pool of magic within his body slowly drain from the effort, but he wasn't very concerned. He could easily finish his task with only a fifth of his reserves drained, Bukubukuchagama had made him this way, to be a force of nature hidden behind a wary exterior while his sister drew all the attention with her bombastic personality and beasts, "Lady Bukubukuchagama…"

"A very nice individual…that is, when she wasn't annoying the everloving hell out of Ainz Ooal Gown with her pranks." Momonga spoke, his eyes glowing red as he smiled down at the child.

Mare jumped at the smooth voice of Momonga, the Supreme Being having somehow sneaked up on the dark elf undetected, "L-Lord Momonga! Excuse me, I didn't see you there!" A sudden look of concern overtook his previous expression, "Oh no…I didn't do something wrong did I? I've worked really hard, if I made a mistake I'll be sure to rectify it!"

Momonga let out a laugh as his wings shifted back into its cape form within the blink of an eye, "It's quite alright Mare, you've done nothing wrong, my apologies for scaring you." Momonga looked out over the progress Mare made and gave a hum, "You've actually done some good work here Mare, very good work. Such dedication and effort should deserve a reward, shouldn't it?"

Mare fumbled over his words for a second at the tall man's praise, "S-serving the Great Tomb of Nazarick i-is all the reward I'll ever need, Lord Momonga!"

"Nonsense." Momonga curtly put, "A show of my appreciation and gratitude for your hard work is only natural. A good leader should always gift their hard workers extra rewards, and I've ruled this tomb for too long to warrant the reputation of a bad leader." Momonga instantly summoned a golden ruby ring in the palm of his gauntlet with a small burst of magic and held it out for Mare to take, "This is one of the ring's of Ainz Ooal Gown. I understand just how difficult it can be to travel between the floors of Nazarick on foot, hopefully this will make your trek just as easy as the Supreme Being's were."

Mare practically jumped out of his boots in shock, "My lord! Only the Supreme Beings of Nazarick were ever allowed to wear such a ring! Am I truly worthy of such an honor!?"

Momonga gave a soft smile to the Druid, "I'm the only Supreme being here, right? And the Floor Guardians will need all the assistance they can get now that we're here in this new land. Besides, I can always make more."

Mare hesitated for a second, before carefully taking the ring, and placing it onto his finger, the jewelry shrinking itself automatically to fit its new wearer. Mare's heterochromic eyes lit up at the sight, "Thank you Lord Momonga! I promise to use your gracious gift wisely!"

Momonga nodded, he'd never had any children back on his world…he'd never even known the touch of a woman other than his mother. Still, the look on Mare's face, the glint in his eye, it filled him with a feeling he could only describe as…fatherly love, "I'm sure you will Mare." He didn't know the first thing about raising children, his father wasn't around to give him any pointers, and his mother had…died before telling him about that kind of stuff. Maybe, just maybe, he could learn how to raise some children of his own through teaching Aura and Mare…just like a real father would.

Momonga's eyes sparkled at the idea, his gaze looking around him as he breathed in the fresh air that surrounded him. He was in an entirely different world! He didn't have to hovel up in his apartment day after day anymore! He could make so many more friends! Find so many more members for his family within Nazarick! He could spoil all the children he wanted with all of the lovely wives that he wanted! This was a new life! A new beginning! A brand new adventure!

Mare took notice of Momonga's outfit, and cocked his head in confusion, "If you don't mind me asking, my lord…why are you wearing samurai armor?"

Momonga froze at the statement before he rubbed the back of his head and gave a nervous laugh, "A-ah well…you see I…"

"Isn't it obvious Mare?" The wind carried black feathers over the group as Albedo's voice spoke up. The succubus glided down next to the dark elf as a warm smile grew on her face, "Lord Momonga was wearing this so that we wouldn't be distracted from our work, it's sort of like a disguise in that sense. After all, if our lord was showered with our adoration while he was trying to observe our efforts, then now work would get done as a result." Albedo looked into the red eyes of her lord and smiled wider, "Isn't that right, my lord?"

Momonga coughed into his fist, "A-as expect of the Overseer of the tomb! You saw through my intentions so effortlessly!"

Albedo bowed, "You humble me Momonga, but even if I wasn't the Overseer of the Guardian's I have no doubt that I could ascertain your motives. Our connection is so powerful after all, almost as if there was…something more to us…" Momonga didn't like the face Albedo was giving him, or the tone she was using. He needed to change the subject quickly. Just out of the corner of the succubus' eye, she caught the glimmer of the ring Momonga had gifted Mare…a Ring…of Ainz Ooal Gown…for Mare…given by her beloved…

Something instinctual snapped in Albedo, and for just a split second, her face contorted into that of pure hatred. Demiurge hummed at the expression before speaking, "Are you alright Albedo?"

The Overseer turned to the demon with no evidence that she'd ever freaked out, "Whatever do you mean Demiurge?"

The demon kept quite at that, though Momonga couldn't help but feel a little unnerved by the display, "B-by the way Albedo! You should have one as well!"

"Have one? Whatever do you mean by that my lord?" She asked innocently.

Momonga summoned one more Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown and held it out for her to take, "Since you're in charge of all the Floor Guardians and of Nazarick's levels, it only makes sense that you are able to travel freely within the tomb as well."

Albedo slowly, yet eagerly grabbed the ring and gave a deep bow to the Mage, "I will cherish this gift always. You have no idea how this gift makes me feel…"

Momonga pursed his lips as Albedo grew that same look in her eyes as before, a feeling of uneasiness running up his spine, "S-sorry Demiurge! That was the last one within my inventory, though I promise to make one for you later!"

Demiurge kept his cruel smile on his face as he spoke, "I understand my lord, please take all the time you need."

Albedo looked like she was about to have an aneurysm right in front of the Supreme Being with how her body twitched, making the now very uncomfortable Momonga turn away, "Well, that's everything I needed! I'll see myself back in the tomb now!" As he disappeared in a flash of magic.

As soon as he left, as in the millisecond that he was no longer in view, Albedo jammed the ring on her finger and let out a moan of ecstasy so loud the very ground shook, "Oh yes!"

"Captain! Our troops have just finished completely destroying the target! They are currently heading towards Carne Village as we speak!" The Slane Theocracy soldier said with a salute, his robes rippling slightly in the wind.

Captain Nigun hummed at the news, "It's about time. Hopefully with Carne Village under the threat of attack Gazef will come barrelling to its rescue. He always was the goody two shoes type." Nigun gave a cruel smile at the thought, "When he finally makes his way there, then we'll have him trapped…" Nigun looked back at the soldier with an icy cold expression, "Inform me when they've sent the village up in smoke. That will be our signal to move out."

"Yes sir!" The soldier replied before marching his way down the hill they stood on.

Nigun looked up towards the sky and gave a silent prayer to his god…the one true god. All the other Scriptures didn't understand, the god's they prayed to were nothing more than wishful thinking and zealous prostration given to false beings. But the Sunlight Scripture knew better, the Sunlight Scripture's god was absolute, their god was the only true god left in this forsaken world. That's why he was so comfortable in all the heinous acts that he and his troops have committed over the years, why he had exterminated all those demi-human filth from the face of the planet, why he it was so easy for him to slaughter innocent living creatures without even a sliver of mercy.

Because he was right!

He'd been given this mission of eliminating Gazef Stronoff by the very god he worshiped! The Slane Theocracy would soon purify this pitiful world, and all the disgusting creatures that dwelled within! They'd show them all the true righteousness of the Sunlight Scripture! That was his duty, that was his purpose! This was the will of his god, and may his gods will be done!

"Amen!" Nigun yelled out, his icy-blue gaze overlooking the burning village that blazed down below. The screams of its residents like music to his ears, as if the very angels he and his troops utilized were singing into his very soul.