1 Death & Rebirth

(A/N: This is a future note by me as of chapter 25. This story was inspired by "Yellowness" on fanfiction.net by MidasMan. At the time of writing, I used his fic as a baseline for mine. This is why the first 6 chapters are pretty much copy/paste and not something I'm not proud of as I didn't put my own spin on things. If you can bear those chapters and push through, I really do thank you from the bottom of my heart. It does get better and the plot begins to change once you get past it. With that in mind, I hope you enjoy the fanfic!)

[Narrators POV]

Life after death. It's a thought that goes through everyone's minds at some point in their lives. Do you get judged and sent to heaven or hell? Perhaps you go through a cycle of reincarnation like in Hinduism. Maybe, there is no life after death. You'll just cease to exist.

Those were some of the questions that ran through the head of Ajax Dalton, a person currently on the verge of death due to a bad gunshot wound. The reason? He was a soldier serving the U.S military who was sent to the front lines of the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Yes, an all-out war broke out between the two countries due to increasing tensions over the area. Ajax was one of the few unlucky people to have already been stationed in Ukraine before the war started. When the Russians launched the first barrage of missiles and troops, they were caught off guard.

Of course, Ajax didn't want to die without a fight and fought with ferocity. He shot anything that wasn't an ally with his standard, trusty M4 carbine. Alas, as he was in a shootout, he felt a sharp pain in his stomach. 'Ahh … shit.'

He fell to the ground, unable to stand due to the loss of energy. He attempted to quickly take off his gear to look at the wound and reduce the blood loss. The red liquid was already spewing out like a mini fountain as he slowly started to feel nauseous.

'FUCK!' He internally screamed, quickening the pace at which he ripped his clothes off his body. He unbuckled his gear. Then, Ajax undid his shirt. Blood and sweat covered his toned muscles from staying in shape. He looked at the wound and sighed with regret.

'Damit! The wound's too deep. I have no clue where my squad is thanks to the fucking walkie-talkie not working. I'll try and reduce the blood loss, not sure if it keeps me alive though.' Ajax thought. He was already using his ripped shirt and some of his gear to add pressure on the wound. However, it was too late.

Ajax had lost so much blood by the time he saw the wound, at this rate, he'd only have a few minutes left. Maybe it hit a more major organ such as his lung. Ajax was no biologist or doctor but if so, he assumed one minute max. Either way, he'd be dead.

Ajax laid on the ground which was covered in his blood, taking deep breaths in and out. He thought about many things, such as reflecting on his life. He was a young adult that turned 20 not long ago. He was the type of guy that seemed to be well off in life and fun to be around.

He had good grades, was well built, smart but wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty or be vocal about something he didn't like. He liked playing games and watching anime in his spare time. But, he was no otaku as he owned no figures or posters. But, he did read light novels or manga of some anime.

Ajax was also fairly good looking when not fighting for his life. Blonde hair of medium length gelled to the back and almost perfect skin complexion if you don't include his scars from battle. While not model levels of handsome, enough to make a girl's heart skip a beat.

Ajax's vision started to blur as his breathing was slowed down. The sounds of explosions and gunfire, previously loud and unbearable to hear, start to deafen. 'I guess I'll die here … fuck. I wish I could say goodbye to my mom. God bless her soul. My friends too. They were cool.'

His body felt cold even though the fire from explosions kept the area he was in hot. The solar rays of the sun already made his previously blurry vision impossible to see. The wound throbbed and pulsated with pain. He could still feel blood slowly ooze out of the layers of cloth and onto the dirt floor where he lay.

'I wonder what death is like. It's so … dark.' Ajax thought in a more calm tone than his previous thoughts full of anger and frustration. The pain slowly got less and less painful, making his muscles less tense.

Ajax could feel a finger or two still twitch, signalling he wasn't dead yet. 'When is this going to end?' He thought. 'Will I go to heaven … or hell? Probably hell. I've killed people and have done some weird shit in my life.' He continued to talk to himself in his head.

It felt like an eternity, just laying on the ground. He couldn't feel his fingers move anymore, or the blood drip down his skin. Yet, he was still conscious. Thinking about his life and death. 'Why … am I still here? Am I dead, or is my mind making up things?' Ajax thought.

'Is this the famed moment where someone sees a light at the end of a tunnel? I heard from a talk by Neil deGrasse Tyson that it's just the lights above an operating room. But why … is nothing here?' Ajax asked himself. 'Is this death?'

It surely had to. He couldn't feel his body anymore. He couldn't see or smell or move. Everything was pure black like the night sky. Yet, if this was death, why could he still think? 'Shouldn't death be the lack of consciousness? This is bizarre.' He thought.

Ajax didn't know how long he had been in this … void. However, he did hear a faint conversation. It was like trying to hear someone whisper when they were in another room. You knew people were talking but you couldn't make out anything audible.

'Did paramedics arrive? Am I in a hospital of sorts?' Ajax pondered. He tried to zone in on the conversation. To Ajax, it sounded like two excited people talking about something. He could tell from the different changing tones and pitches.

All of a sudden, Ajax was blinded by a sudden intense light. He couldn't open his eyes even if he wanted to as his eyes hadn't adjusted to the sudden shift in location. He felt as if his ears wanted to bleed from the sudden influx of sounds.

'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!' Ajax senses were overwhelmed. It took a couple of seconds for his brain to get used to and process all the sudden information. Although he still had a pounding headache, it was bearable for the time being.

Ajax slowly opened his eyes. He first expected to be in a hospital either back in his military base or back in the United States. Possibly with his mother and comrades next to his recovery bed to greet him after surgery.

But, that did not happen in the slightest. He wasn't lying on the ground where he was shot or, on a hospital bed. Instead, he was standing and in a neutral pose. Similar to how a character poses when customizing them in a video game.

He didn't even see a gun wound on his body. He went to move his arm but couldn't. He tried a little harder yet he still couldn't move his arm, let alone his entire body. It was as if his arms were out of his control. 'What the FUCK?! MOVE!' He tried to shout.

It was then Ajax realized he couldn't move his mouth. He could breathe just fine but couldn't say any audible words, as if his mouth was sowed shut. He started to freak out but remembered from his military training to keep calm and analyze the situation.

'Ok, ok. Calm down Ajax. Let's see here … you were in a war, got shot, entered a void of sorts and woke up here. Is this all a hallucination created by my brain? Maybe I was reborn? But that doesn't explain why I can't physically move any part of my body.' Ajax thought of some possible conclusions.

Ajax stopped thinking for a moment and looked around the room he was in. From where Ajax was standing, the room seemed to consist of two levels. However, there could be more that he couldn't see. The area was devoid of any furniture minus a mirror on the wall and a table with a few oddities and trinkets he couldn't recognise.

What caught his eye was the person in the mirror which Ajax thought was himself. However, he looked completely different. Although Ajax was a fairly handsome person, he was nowhere near model levels of hot. But when looking at the mirror, he swore he saw a God of sorts.

'Is that … me? I look so much better than before. Was I really reborn?' Ajax thought. He had to have been reborn. The face and body of the man were well proportioned. Visible muscles that could put a Greek God to shame, perfect skin complexion with no scars, and messy blonde hair.

The man in the mirror, or Ajax's new body was wearing something quite odd. It was something a cosplayer would wear or a Halloween costume. His costume consisted of all-black shoes, pants and a shirt a noble would wear. Over that, he wore a robe that went down to the floor with a faired up collar covered in black feathers and a hoodie that was down.

On his robe, there were some patches of different shades of grey that were sowed on it. Probably to cover up some holes. On his hands, there were unknown gauntlets that were coloured dark gold.

Ajax was going to continue to look at himself and the area around him when he heard footsteps from outside the room he was in. 'Somebody is coming?! HEY! HELP! WHY CAN'T I MOVE?!' Ajax tried to shout again but couldn't for the life of him.

The door suddenly burst open. The heavy wooden door creaked loudly as they opened, revealing two inhuman figures. Although one seemed to have human proportions, the other figure was more of a monster.

The being that had human proportions seemed to be a birdman. Something that came out of a fantasy book. The birdman had majestic white feathers all over his body with trims of gold to complement the look. In fact, all he was wearing was gold. Gold gauntlets, gold leg guards, gold mask, gold robes. Gold everything. The birdman also had four wings with the same colour design.

While you could describe the birdman to be an angel of sorts, the total opposite could be said by the other person. The other person barely had any human features. There were no visible facial features such as eyes, mouth, nose and ears.

This thing had long tentacles that extended down from the side of its head to where its knees would be. The same could be said about its fingers. Each finger seemed to be as long as a forearm. It reminded Ajax of a squid or octopus.

The eldritch squid horror wore pure black, contrasting the gold of the birdman. Black straps, buckles and chains tied across his body with minuscule trims of grey. It also had a large black robe, making it look more intimidating.

To say Ajax was shocked would be an understatement. A part of him felt fear. That was a lie. Every fibre of his being was screaming at him to run. He tried to but couldn't move. No matter how hard he tried, his body didn't listen.

'Ok, ok. Calm down, Ajax. Maybe these … thing's aren't here to hurt you. However, they do look familiar. Where have I seen something like this? Fuck, my mind is still fuzzy.' Ajax thought, trying to remember why these things reminded him of something. It was at the tip of his tongue.

"Ok Tabula! You've been bragging all da- HOLY SHIT! DID YOU MAKE A MALE NPC?!" The birdman exclaimed, shocked by his friend's creation. "That's right, Peroronchino! This is our newest NPC of Nazarick! Citrinitas!" The eldritch horror, now identified as Tabula excitedly exclaimed.

'Nazarick? Tabula? Peroronchino? Where have I heard those names?' Ajax thought. "Ohh, I really like Sytin- Citrus- Cyprus … fuck! Why is that name so hard to pronounce?!" Peroronchino said with frustration and annoyance. 'My name is Citrinitas?' Ajax wondered, listening to the conversation.

"I know, I know. The name is hard to pronounce at first. But, it's thematic! It's a term of alchemy. Nigredo is first. Then Albedo. And then, this. I won't break the theme for no reason." Tabula said firmly. "Theme?" The birdman questioned. "The words don't even sound related!" He finished.

"It's not my fault how the magnum opus's 3rd stage is called Citrinitas." Tabula sighed. "I'm guessing you made the NPC male because the name doesn't match the first two NPC's you've named so far along with project Rubedo, the one consuming all Nazarick's resources?" The birdman rhetorically asked.

'NPC's? Nazarick?' Ajax was confused until it dawned on him. 'Holy shit … I've reincarnated into the Overlord anime and as an NPC of Nazarick. This can't be real ... none of this can be real! FUCK! LET ME OUT FOR FUCK'S SAKE!' It was to no avail. Ajax had no mouth, yet he must scream.

"Precisely." Tabula simply stated. "Well, I do like his outfit. Very cool, dark and chuuni!" The birdman complimented the look of the NPC. "Well, I still haven't put on his mask and hat yet." Tabula corrected his friend. "Then put it on! I need to see how he looks!" Peroronchino begged.

Tabula sighed, agreeing to his friend's request. He tapped some buttons on a hologram screen as a mask appeared on Ajax's face, completing his look. The mask was that of a plague doctor which was long and white with black trimmings. 'WHY IS THIS MASK ON ME?! TAKE IT OFF!' Ajax was enraged as his face was covered up. Oddly, even with such a mask on, it didn't reduce his sight.

"I went with a plague doctor style because firstly, It pretty much suits the whole alchemy/doctor theme I was going for. Besides, I think the outfit creates an unsettling feeling! Nigredo is visual horror, Albedo inspires lust. Citrinitas will be the horror of mystery and the unknown! He keeps his identity hidden to all but a select few!" Tabula exclaimed.

"Sheeeeeeeesh! He looks badass! However, I do have my suggestions I want you to hear." Peroronchino said, making Tabula sigh in annoyance. "What?" He asked, fed up from his friend's mischief. "Turn the man into a very hot girl!" "Denied." The birdman's request was quickly denied.

"When you do turn him into a girl, will you go for a milf aesthetic, or loli aesthetic?" Peroronchino asked, clearly ignoring his friend's statement from earlier. "NEITHER!" Tabula comically shouted. "WHY NOT? I am giving perfectly valid reasons as a MAN OF CULTURE!" Peroronchino retorted.

"You think with your penis too much! Ahhh." Tabula sighed yet again at his friend's suggestions. "Anyways, unless you're going to keep on asking me about turning Citrinitas into a girl, you can leave." Tabula gave a little ultimatum, to which the birdman agreed to the former statement.

Ajax listened to the antic's of the two players in front of him. Quite fed up and not in the best of moods. Although he was a soldier and knew how to keep a calm mind in any situation, he was losing his cool. Ajax wanted to move, wanted to break free from his invisible shackles. But, couldn't.

"Fine, as a MAN OF CULTURE, I will take the higher ground and sincerely apologize from the bottom of my heart!" Peroronchino sarcastically said. To which Tabula ignored. "Jokes aside, what's his race and build." The birdman asked, this time more serious about the topic.

"Well. He is Nazarick's best alchemist, of course. However-" Tabula was cut off by Peroronchino. "Best? But aren't you an alchemist? Surely you can be better?" The birdman said, clearly confused from what his friend said.

"Yea, I know. In terms of alchemy, he is better than me! This is because of his race [Homunculus] and how many level's of alchemy I spent on him." Tabula said. "How many levels did you spend on?" The birdman asked. "Ehh," Tabula thought for a bit before answering. "60 levels." He finished.

"Jesus Christ, that sounds so inefficient! What is so important for you to keep him? We need those NPC levels to create other NPC's. While I admit that having an alchemist for Nazarick is useful. We do have you! What can handsome blonde do that you can't?" Peroronchino gave his thoughts.

"That's quite simple. Prepare for your mind to be blown!" Tabula said, making mini jazz hands. Tabula tapped some more buttons on the floating screen. Strangely enough, Ajax was able to understand what it said. Even though he only knew English. 'Can I understand what the text says because of a skill I have?' Ajax wondered.

Tabula gave Ajax some materials to transmute with the trading function of YGGDRASIL. Ajax was resisting as usual but couldn't do anything. Because he was an NPC, he had to transmute whatever the players wanted.

Ajax's body started to move without his volition. 'W-What?! Why am I moving?! STOP!' Ajax tried to resist but no matter how hard he tried to thrash, he couldn't do anything. It was like someone possessed his body. He couldn't control his actions.

Unwillingly, he raised his arms as it started to glow a bright blue colour before mixing some ores into some vials and heating them. He didn't know what he was doing but he couldn't complain. He was a mannequin being forced to move, like a puppet on strings.

Transmuting [Silver Ore] to [Adamantite Ore]

"Ohh, that ain't bad. While it would save us some YGGDRASIL coins, it wouldn't be mu-" Peroronchino stopped talking when Tabula tapped his virtual shoulder. "Just watch this." He simply said. Giving Ajax more materials and tapping more buttons on the floating hologram.

Transmuting [Adamantite Ore] to [Silver Star Ore]

Peroronchino froze out of pure surprise and awe, gulping his virtual saliva that collected in his mouth. Tabula giggled at his friend's reaction. It was understandable. Prismatic ores were a priceless treasure even greater than adamantite. Comparing the worth of both ores was like comparing play-doh to stainless steel. "That's Citrinitas's Hermetic class!"

"Holy shit." That was all that Peroronchino said. "How did you figure this out? Screw that though, how has nobody figured this out?!" He yelled, turning to Tabula and shaking his shoulders back and forth like a cartoon character.

"Do you know of the guild called 'Prismatic Forge?' The guild that claims that their base is on a prismatic mine?" Tabula asked. "Yea. Isn't that a homunculi onl- hold up." Peroronchino stopped to think for a moment. "What a coincidence, right? A homunculus only guild that required you to spec into alchemy." Tabula knowingly replied.

"Holy shit. We can blackmail the Prismatic Forge guild into selling prismatic ore to us at better rates!" Peroronchino exclaimed. "I know right! I'm gonna tell Momonga this soon! I can't wait to see his reaction, hahaha!" Tabula laughed.

"That mean's we can finish Rubedo's build! We need the prismatic ore to create the Caloric Stone! Wouldn't this also mean that Ulbert's attempted world item can also be made?" Revelation upon revelation kept rolling through the birdman's head.

"Shit, I have no idea myself! Either way, this is a game-changer!" Tabula exclaimed. "Anyways, I gotta go to bed. Work and all that." Tabula said sadly. Peroronchino huffed. "Well, it is late. I should get some rest. See ya tomorrow, tentacle hentai!" The birdman said quickly before logging off.

'Welp, I guess I should put some stuff in the oven.' Thought Tabula, pressing some buttons on the floating screen again. Suddenly, Ajax's body started to move again. 'Damit!' Ajax sighed. Tabula teleported out of the room before logging off, leaving Ajax to transmute all the materials. 'When will this suffering end?'

Transmuting [Copper Ore] to [Silver Ore] to [Mithril Ore] to [Celestial Uranium] x 100

Ajax watched as his body moved on its own. His hand took a book from a nearby shelf. His other hand poured a vial into another, slightly larger vial. He lit up a flame under an unknown pot of sorts. They were pre-programmed movements made by the developers.

'How long will I be forced to do this task? When will I be able to rest? Fuck, I need information!' Ajax grew irritated. But there was nothing he could do. He could only wait until

Ajax was all alone, stuck to perform the task presented until completion.

Transmuting [Copper Ore] to [Silver Ore]

'Please … make it stop.'