In the year 2138 AD there was a term: DMMO-RPG.
That word was an acronym for "Dive Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game".
These games were played by connecting a dedicated console to the brain via a neuronal nano-interface - an intracerebral nanocomputer network, created from the fusion of cyber- and nanotechnology.
These were games that allowed one to enter a virtual world and experience it as though it were real life.
And among the myriad DMMO-RPGs that thronged the market, one of them stood head and shoulders above the others:
YGGDRASIL.
This game had been painstakingly developed and released 12 years ago, in 2126.
Compared to other DMMO-RPGs of the time, YGGDRASIL's selling point was "player freedom".
It had over 2000 basic and advanced job classes.
Every class had a maximum of 15 levels, and so to reach the overall level cap of 100, one would need to take at least 7 different classes. However, players could take as many classes as they wanted as long as they met each class' prerequisites.
A player could even take 100 classes at level 1 each, although that was very inefficient. As such, in this system, it was virtually impossible to make identical characters unless one was deliberately trying to do so.
In addition, one could use various creator tools (sold separately) to fully customize one's armor, weaponry, flavor text, appearance, and other cosmetic settings.
A vast playing field awaited its players. There were nine worlds in total: Asgard, Alfheim, Vanaheim, Nidavellir, Midgard, Jotunheim, Niflheim, Helheim, and Muspelheim.
It boasted a massive world, numerous classes, and freely customizable appearances.
Each world is half of the earth or equal to the earth.
These features ignited the creative spirits of its Japanese players and sparked what would later be known as a stylistic revolution. So popular was it that whenever the word "DMMO-RPG" was mentioned in Japan, listeners would immediately think of YGGDRASIL.
Still, all these were things of the past now.
In a few hours, everything will disappear...
The server shut down. Despite being active since its release in 2126AD to the current year that is 2138 AD the game had finally lost the vibrancy it once had, and as the result today is the game's final day online.
Today's the day everything ends.
...
Ainz Ooal Gown (アインズ・ウール・ゴウン), formerly known as Nine's Own Goal (ナインズ・オウン・ゴール), is one of the top Guilds of YGGDRASIL with 41 members in its prime. Consisting only of members of society, the guild rose to prominence through the excessive purchase of cash items and possession of rare relics.
They destroyed many guilds and countries just for their own fun. They were extremely evil. Who controlled all the Helheim world to influence themselves. They were so infamous that all the players in Yggdrasil knew about them. They took cruelty to an extreme level. Although many Guilds raised voices against them. But they are all destroyed. Because Ainz Ooal Gown is an organization that is extremely strong and wealthy. The Ainz Ooal Gown had so much wealth that at one time there was not a little space left for them to keep treasures in their own Guild treasury. This allows them to talk to the developers and build a separate floor to store the treasures. Ainz Ooal Gown also has the most World items. Which no other Guild has. Even if the top ten World item holders are grouped together, the number of World items they have will not be equal to the number of World items near Ainz Ooal Gown. Also, Ainz Ooal Gown was the organization that used the most cash items. They used to buy most cash items. But all this was in the past. All members of the Ainz Ooal Gown dropped out of the game two years ago, and now only their leader remains.
After occupying all of Helheim, they were rewarded the Tower of Helheim. Which has a total of fifty floors. The tower is located underground. But some parts of it are above ground too. The surface of the tower is guarded by hundreds of Chaos Dragons and various monsters.
Tower of Helheim Surface
(Imagine hundreds of Chaos Dragons surrounding the tower.)
After gaining the Tower of Helheim, Ainz Ooal Gown moved their headquarters into the Tower of Helheim. They are also given 6500 data levels to create NPCs. Ainz Ooal Gown Guild has an additional 2750 data storage, bringing their total data storage to 9250. They modified the entire tower. This tower is also called Underground Tower of Ainz Ooal Gown. Originally the members of Ainz Ooal Gown kept this name.
Underground Tower of Ainz Ooal Gown : Round table Room
A gigantic table carved of gleaming black stone sat in the center of the room, surrounded by forty one luxurious chairs.
However, most of those seats were empty.
Once, every single place had been filled, but now only one were occupied.
The man was clothed in a magnificent black academic robe, edged in violet and gold. The collar seemed excessively gaudy, but somehow it fit the overall design.
However, the exposed head was a bare skull. Points of dark red light glowed in its large eye sockets, and behind that skull glowed a halo of black radiance.
This entity is Momonga. Leader of the Ainz Ooal Gown and Ruler of Helheim. Momonga was an Overlord - the highest-ranked of those magic casters who had become undead in order to learn the most potent spells.
Sorrow and Rage swelled in Momonga as he felt the reality of YGGDRASIL coming closer, but also pain as he'd be all alone again. That one phrase stuck out like a sore thumb
"I don't think anyone will come today."
Momonga let out a sigh.
"But today is the last day."
"No, They didn't betray me or the Guild. They just chose the real world instead of this one."
Yeah, who would choose a fake fantasy world over the real one?
"But today was the last day they could come for some moments if they wanted"
Momonga stood up. He walked toward the wall, where an elaborately decorated magic staff was kept.
-Seven serpents twined around the body of the staff, which resembled the kerykeion carried by Hermes Trismegistus. The serpents' mouths gaped open in agony, and each mouth held a gem of a different color. The grip was exquisitely carved out of crystal and glowed with blue light.
Anyone would be able to recognize this staff as a supremely high-quality item, and it was a Guild Weapon that was unique to this guild. One could call it the symbol of Ainz Ooal Gown.
This staff, which should have been a treasure held by the guildmaster, was instead kept in this room as a decoration.
That was because there was nothing else which represented the guild quite like this.
Guild weapons were typically kept hidden away in safe places and not used for their tremendous powers because a guild would be disbanded if its associated guild weapon was destroyed. Even Ainz Ooal Gown, a guild which existed at the peak of YGGDRASIL, was no exception to this.
This was the reason why the weapon had been kept here, and Momonga had never touched it, despite the fact that it had been tailor-made to complement his abilities.
Momonga extended a hand to the staff, but stopped halfway. This was because at this moment - in the last few minutes before YGGDRASIL shut down for good, he realised that soon the glorious memories he had made with his comrades would be lost forever, like tears in rain. The confusion he felt over this made him hesitate as he struggled to come to a decision.
...
Everyone had adventured every day, with the sole purpose of assembling the guild weapon.
Back then, they had held contests to see who could collect more raw materials more quickly, and there had been many disputes over the appearance of weapon. But slowly, after everyone's opinions were gathered, the weapon gradually took shape.
That period of time had been the prime of Ainz Ooal Gown, when all his glorious memories had been made.
People had dragged themselves online after a gruelling day at work, others had argued with their wives because they played until they neglected their families, and some even laughed and said they had taken special leave to stay home from work and log on to the game.
There were times when they had spent entire days doing nothing but talking about silly things for amusement. There were times when they would draw up plans for adventures, and times when they went looking for treasure.
We also worked hard to conquer the world of Helheim and we celebrated after conquering the entire Helheim. We were rewarded with full control of Helheim and the Tower Of Helheim. We set up many cities and factories within Helheim. We also control many mines.
We collected a lot of money from these.
We had also discovered many previously unknown resources, and we had placed all sorts of monsters in our base in order to eliminate invading players.
We planned to attack other worlds as well. We first planned to attack Asgard and take control of the Bifrost. Then we can attack Midgard. We gather a huge army and a lot of resources for the war as planned. Many of the Guilds of Helheim joined us in this expedition.
As soon as we reach Asgard, we begin the attack. A fierce fight started between the two sides. But we had the advantage. Because we attacked Asgard with a complete plan. As a result, we began to take over Asgard very easily.
Asgard was the realm of the gods. Because most of its NPCs and players were of Angel or God race.
It was a terrible war. We were on our way to capture the Tower of Asgard in no time. But then we hear bad news.
Lords of Vanaheim and Álfheimr attacked Helheim. As a result, we had to quickly withdraw the entire army from Asgard. It was not part of our plan.
Helheim's defenses were much lower then. Because we brought most of the troops from Helheim to occupy Asgard.
Arriving in Helheim, our army fought a fierce battle between Vanaheim and Álfheimr's army. This war was very terrible. Although we managed to drive them out of Helheim. But we suffer a lot in this war. But it did not end there.
Vanaheim, Asgard, and Álfheimr were constantly attacking us. As a result, Helheim's condition worsened. Midgard also starts attacking us. Because we planned to attack them too.
This battle was the largest battle in Yggdrasil. Where all 9 states are affected directly or indirectly.
That time was going very badly for us.
...
He did not want to let this weapon and its memories of their golden days stay here to be a painful reminder of the past. Yet, contrary thoughts wormed their way through Momonga's heart.
Ainz Ooal Gown had always decided things by use of a majority vote. Momonga might have been the guildmaster, but his job was mainly communicating with people and doing other minor tasks.
Because of that, now that there were no other guild members present, for the first time, Momonga thought to exercise his powers as the guild's leader.
"This is a pretty sad state of affairs."
Momonga muttered to himself as he operated his player console. He intended to equip himself in the gear that best suited the leader of a top tier guild.
YGGDRASIL's equipment was classified according to how much data each item possessed. Items with more data were ranked higher. From the lowest to the highest rank, they were low class, middle class, high class, top class, legacy class, relic class, legendary class and, what Momonga was currently selecting, divine class.
On his ten bony fingers he wore nine rings, each with a different ability. Then there was the matter of his necklace, his gloves, his cape, his shirt, and his circlet, all of which were divine class items as well. If they had a price, it would be a jaw-dropping one.
The flowing robe which covered his torso was grander than the one he had worn earlier.
A red and black aura rose slowly from beneath his feet, and at a glance it seemed extremely ominous. This aura was not the result of any skill Momonga activated. It was simply because there had been extra room in the robe's data capacity, so the special effects data for a
「Disaster Aura」had been added into it. Touching that aura would not cause any harm.
In the corner of Momonga's vision, he could see various indicators which showed his stats increasing.
After changing out his gear, the fully-equipped Momonga nodded, satisfied that he looked the part of the guild's leader. Then, he reached out and grasped the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown.
As Momonga grasped the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown, it radiated a nimbus of reddish-black light. Tormented faces occasionally coalesced out of the roiling light, and then they crumbled and vanished again. They looked so realistic one could almost imagine them wailing in agony.
"...I wonder if they went overboard with the details."
The staff that had been made but never used had finally found its way into its rightful owner's hands, in the twilight hours of YGGDRASIL.
Momonga rejoiced as he saw his parameters rising rapidly, but at the same time he felt sad.
"Let's go, symbol of the guild. Or no - my symbol of the guild."
Momonga came out of the room and saw someone standing outside. who wears military uniforms. He is over seven feet tall and has a Divine class sword at his waist.
Momonga looked at the man.
'Morgan. My personal bodyguard and commander of the Black legion.vHe has been with me for many years. He also led the army in many battles. Because I sometimes took him with me when raiding empty guilds. As he was not made to protect the Tower.'
"Thank you. For staying with me this long."
Momonga created Morgan. When all his friends started to quit the game.
But there was no response from Morgan, but that was to be expected. Since he's an NPC.
Momonga started walking.
Morgan followed him in silence
...
The sound of Momonga's footsteps and the tapping of his staff rang through this holy sanctuary. After turning several corners in these vast hallways, Momonga saw a woman in the distance, heading in his direction.
She was a sensual beauty, whose lush, golden hair grazed her shoulders.
She was dressed in a long, elegant maid's outfit, with a large apron.
She was roughly one hundred seventy centimeters tall, with a slender build. Her ample bosom looked like it would burst out of her bodice at any time. Her overall appearance was attractive and gave the impression of being graceful and kind.
As the three slowly approached each other, the maid darted to the side of the hallways and bowed deeply to Momonga.
In return, Momonga raised his hand in acknowledgement.
The maid's expression remained as it was, and she kept the same smile on her face from just now. In YGGDRASIL, facial expressions did not change, but this girl was slightly different from player characters with their unchanging expressions.
This maid was a Non-Player Character. She was not controlled by the game, but by a set of AI routines. Simply put, she was a mobile doll. Even if her design was incredibly realistic, her bow was nothing more than a programmed action.
Momonga's acknowledgement of her bow was nothing more than a foolish gesture, because she was nothing more than a doll. However, Momonga had reasons for not treating her coldly.
There were 200 maid NPCs in the Underground Tower of Ainz Ooal Gown, each with their own unique design.
Their creator was a mangaka who had broken into the industry with his maid illustrations, and who was currently serialized in a monthly magazine.
Momonga studied the maid carefully. Apart from her looks, he also scrutinized her uniform.
The intricacy of the design, especially the fine embroidery that speckled her apron, was enough to make people gasp in awe.
Their design had been exceptionally detailed because of the declaration, "Maid uniforms are their secret weapons!" Momonga couldn't help but feel nostalgic as he remembered the complaints from the other guild members who had helped with the design.
"Ah... that's right. I think it was from then that he started saying that 'Maid uniforms are justice!' Come to think of it, I think the manga he's drawing now has a maid as a main character. Do his assistants cry when he goes overboard on the designs? Ah, Whitebrim-san."
The maids' AI routines had been programmed by Herohero-san and five others.
In other words, this maid was the personification of his past friends' hard work. He could not simply ignore her without feeling bad about it. After all, this maid was also a part of the glorious history of Ainz Ooal Gown.
Just as Momonga was contemplating these matters, the maid raised her head, as though she had spotted something, and tilted her head in surprise.
The maids would do this if anyone lingered around them for longer than a certain period of time.
As Momonga searched through his memories, he could not help but be impressed by Herohero's elaborate programming. There should have been other hidden poses programmed into them as well. Momonga wanted to see them all, but time was very tight.
Momonga glanced at the translucent watch on his left wrist and checked the time.
As he thought, there was no time for him to spend waffling around.
"Thank you for your hard work."
Momonga walked past the maid after that painful farewell. As he passed the maid, there was no response, but that was only to be expected. Still, even if she did not reply to him, Momonga still felt that it had to be said, because it was the last day of YGGDRASIL.
Momonga and Morgan continued forward, leaving the maid behind.
After a while, a gigantic staircase appeared before Momonga's eyes. It was wide enough that over twenty people could walk down it side by side, arms outstretched, with no problems. A luxurious red carpet lay on the steps. Momonga slowly descended the stairs, until they reached the 48th Floor of the Underground Tower of Ainz Ooal Gown.
The place where they had arrived was a large receiving room, with several figures within
In the hallway there was an old man with white hair that parted in the middle as if to not fall into his eyes. His eyes were sharp like an eagle that spotted his prey, and his face was toned with mild wrinkles by the sides of his mouth showing off years of the smiles he wore. His stature was straight and proud, one that only someone who took pride in their work could afford to use. And his clothes was a black suit with white trims around the lapels. The back part dropped lower than the front and parted into two sections that came to a point and would blow with the wind.
He is Momonga's personal Butler. And behind him stood six breath-taking women, who wore maid clothing. However, they were different in style and looks from each other just as much as they were from the previous maid's outfits. The ones these six had worn possessed metal accents and different edges and trims, each dawning a unique fashion from the others. These six were sisters; the Pleiades Battle Maids.
We never did get to see them in combat, it's the last day, I should at least make them work somewhat Momonga thought as he approached them.
With one word, he gave them his command:
"Follow"
...
A few minutes later they arrived at a vast hemispherical dome-shaped hall.
Four-colored crystal lamps glittered from the ceiling, and there were seventy two niches in the walls. Most of them were filled with statues.
Each statue was modelled after a demon's appearance, and there were seventy two of them.
This room was called "The Lemegeton." It was named after the Lesser Key of Solomon, which was a magical grimoire.
The statues in the niches were designed to resemble the seventy two demons mentioned in that book, and in truth they were golems, made out of extremely rare magical alloys.
The four-colored crystal lamps on the ceiling were a type of monster, and the moment an enemy entered their range, they would summon high-ranking elementals of earth, water, wind, and fire, in addition to bombarding them with area-of-effect attack magic.
If these crystal lamps all attacked at once, the firepower they unleashed could easily defeat six parties of level one hundred players.
This room could be said to be the final defensive line of the Underground Tower of Ainz Ooal Gown.
Momonga led the Group behind him past the magic circle, and laid eyes on the giant doors before him.
There are two dozen red armour Knights on either side of the door.
'hM..they are hundred level Automaton Knights. Their armor belongs to the Legendary class and their weapons belong to the Divine class. They were made to guards the door of the throne room. '
As the Momonga approached, they moved away from the door.
Momonga glanced at them and then at the door.
The majestic set of double doors were over five meters in height, and covered in intricate carvings. The left side was shaped into a beautiful goddess, while the right was made to resemble a cruel demon. So realistic was their design that even from across the room, Momonga thought that they would attack them.
Still, while the carvings looked like they could move.
-Since they made it all the way here, we should gather in glory and welcome these brave heroes. Let others slander us as they will, but we shall welcome them proudly and openly, like the magnanimous lords that we are.
That idea had been passed, in accordance with the majority vote rule.
Momonga's caution in reaching for the doors was unfounded. As he touched them, they opened by themselves - although they did so slowly, in deference to their massive weight.
The air changed.
Although the atmosphere from earlier was filled with quiet solemnity, the scene before his eyes now exceeded that by far. The air became a pressure that weighed heavily on the entire body.
It was an exquisite piece of work.
And in this wide, high room-
Even packing several hundred people inside would not make the room feel crowded. The high ceiling and the surrounding walls were a predominantly white color, with golden decorations as highlights.
The numerous chandeliers which hung from the ceiling were made of precious stones of all colors of the rainbow, and they emitted a fantastic, dreamlike radiance.
Numerous flags emblazoned with different symbols hung from flagpoles sunk into the walls. A total of forty one of these flags swayed gently in the wind, from the ceiling to the floor.
In the center of this room that was tinted gold and silver, there was a flight of stairs about ten steps high. Atop these stairs was a gigantic throne, carved out of a single piece of crystal, whose back was high enough to touch the ceiling above it. A huge red banner hung down behind it, proudly displaying the symbol of the guild.
This place was located in the deep reaches of the Underground Tower of Ainz Ooal Gown. It was also its most important place - the Throne Room.
They enter inside. There was a red carpet from the huge door to the stairs to the throne. There are many people standing in full body armor on both sides of this carpet.
Momonga walked through these people.
Huh! They are Overlord Knights.They are responsible for the protection of the throne room. I entered the throne room after many days. Hmm ... I think it will be about two years.
Reaching his destination he gave the command for his servants to stand by. As he made his way to the throne, they lined up and he gave another command
"Genuflect"
He went and sat on the throne, a chair befitting of a king. It had a back that soared high and came to a point towards the ceiling. It was a throne of some sort of black material nobody knew of. It didn't drain the life out of the room, but it stood out enough to amaze any who so much as glanced in it's direction. And on it sat the leader people who created and ruled this domain, Momonga.
This Throne of Kings is a powerful world item. Momonga has the power to control whole of Helheim and the Tower through this throne. Also this throne has many other skills.
Looking to his right was Albedo, the Guardian Overseer. A beautiful woman who could only be described as seductive. She had a loving round face that only matched the curves in her hips. With silky black hair flowing majestically down her white dress and back, she stood next to the throne with her hands in-front of her clasping each other. She would be mistaken a goddess if it weren't for two horns protruding from her temples, curving with her forehead to the front, or the black feathery wings sprouting from her lower-back, wrapping around her. She was a succubus.
Momonga then looked at the humanoid being standing to his left. He is of Mind flayer race. Its body color is mauve. Its elongated head resembles that of an octopus, with clusters of four flexible, undivided, elongated, purple-black tentacles surrounding his mouth.
His name is Karl. He is Momonga's advisor. He was made to observe the entire Helheim. He is also in charge of overseeing the various cities, villages, bases, mines, factories etc under Ainz Ooal Gown Guild.
Momonga took a particular interest in the Succubus.
"Why does she have that in her hands? Did someone give it to her?"
Well, the game's going to shut down soon, I don't see why it'd be bad to let her keep it. If I'm right, Tabula created her. Knowing him he'd write a shit ton of details about one thing.
"...I believe Albedo was her name..."
Pulling up her settings Momonga began to read some of the background and lore written into her character design.
Interesting... she can sew... she can cook.. she can clean... Dammnnn Tabula did you build a FREAKING WIFE!? She's LITERALLY described as the perfect wife and I didn't even get to her stats or interests yet
Scroll Down*
Scroll Down*
Scroll Down*
Momonga finally reached the bottom and read that last line several times
"EHHH?"
She is a Slut
"If only she was real, she'd be a real heartbreaker. Well, she IS a Succubus... hehe...What if I changed it? It is the last day after all and I doubt anyone will come now. Also, I changed the settings of some NPCs before. So this is nothing new for me. Hehe"
What should I change it too... Oh I know!
Typing*
UWAH! so cringe
[She is in love with Momonga]
Laughter filled the room
...then silence took over...
"It really is the end, huh"
[23:54:48]
Looking up from the throne, you could see pillars holding the roof in place that towered even most skyscrapers in town. Each pillar had a rod sticking out with a piece of cloth on it bearing a sign. Each one was different and unique. Flags with the crests of each member of the Guild.
[23:55:16]
"Peroroncino-san... BukubukuChagama-san... Nishikienrai-san..."
[23:56:59]
He looked at each and every flag remembering his favorite times with each and every one of those people the represented.
"Ulbert Alain Odle-san... Yamaiko-san... Touch Me-san"
[23:58:44]
"Times do change"
[23:58:55]
"It sure was fun..."
[23:59:00]
"Huh! But they all left me here alone. But I'm here until the last moment. And protecting our Guild"
[00:00:01]
"Ainz Ooal Gown DOES NOT and WILL NOT know defeat!"
"Momonga-sama, is there something wrong?"
...