A Change in Time

"What great times…"

The throne room of the 41, which no enemy ever entered, made of valuable metals, was being visited by the Ruler of the Tomb itself. Momonga, the esteemed Guildmaster of Ainz Ooal Gown, made his presence known. Majestic and ethereal, adorned in divine robes that greedily absorbed the very essence of light around them, he stood as a skeletal figure, a testament to his otherworldly power.

[16:55:21]

Momonga glanced at the time. It was far too soon to leave the game. Like the sweet nectar of honey, these final moments were meant to be savored. However, he pondered the taste of honey, a delicacy that had eluded his senses since bees had vanished from the world many decades ago.

'I got some extra free time today. Worked my ass off just to get some more time on Yggdrasil's last day.'

Within his bony grip, he clutched the guild weapon, a precious artifact forged in unity with his comrades, its power rivaling that of a world item. It was almost as strong as a world item, but it could be destroyed, and the whole guild would cease to exist. That meant everything his comrades invested in all these years would perish. Thus, he never ventured beyond the tomb's confines with this cherished possession, lest it falls into the wrong hands and invites catastrophe. Yggdrasil was no fair place, and should the enemies of Nazarick discover the guild item roaming unchecked upon the surface, they would stop at nothing to claim it for their nefarious purposes.

Recalling an important revelation bestowed upon him by the strategic mind of Ainz Ooal Gown, the esteemed Punitto Moe, Momonga's thoughts veered toward the said location. 'I remember something important Punitto told me before he left. A location that I should visit sometime. He said it would be worth it. Now, where was that exactly?..'

Punitto Moe taught Momonga one or two tricks in life. Without his guidance, he would've made twice as many mistakes. The Overlord appreciated that every day.

'I know! He said something about a boss in Alfheim, some hidden boss who should drop a scarce item! But I was already too high of a level for that region and ignored it. Should check that out before the game ends. Just for fun. And for my curiosity.'

The Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown shimmered with a faint luminescence, transporting Momonga to the guild room where countless conventions had occurred. He reverently placed the staff in its designated spot, reserved solely for its presence. Often it remained untouched, waiting for its master's touch, yet sometimes it served merely as a prop in the elaborate theater of roleplay.

'I will not risk getting you destroyed. Can't just risk ending our whole work with my stupidity.'

With a gentle, almost ethereal movement, the staff floated gracefully into its designated socket, secured in its rightful place. Without delay, Momonga departed, employing his teleportation abilities to ascend to the pinnacle of Nazarick, where he could teleport freely. Though at times inconvenient, the safety measure preventing teleportation within the tomb ensured that no intruder could escape or randomly trespass upon its grounds.

"[Gate]"

A violet portal materialized, and the Overlord stepped through its shimmering threshold. Emerging on the fringes of Alfheim, he immediately discerned the subtle shift in the surrounding environment from the desolate realms of Helheim. The landscape teemed with an abundance of towering wonders, colossal trees that stretched skyward, their majestic heights reaching an astonishing hundred meters. A symphony of bird melodies and myriad forest sounds enveloped him, which made it almost too real.

'Now I just have to find the giant tree circle Punitto was talking about. Was it made of 4 or 5 trees? I don't remember anymore what he said exactly.'

Enchanting himself with flight, he soared above the verdant expanse, scanning the woods for any trace of the tree circle. The forest, a labyrinth of intertwined foliage, shrouded the colossal panorama in an impenetrable cloak of shadow.

'I can't miss some massive trees, right? But how I'm not finding anyt-'

An unseen barrier impeded his flight, bringing him to an abrupt halt. Perplexed, his gaze met an invisible obstruction, rendering him incapable of forging ahead.

'What is this? An illusion or a barrier? It must be very high level for me not to see. Maybe I can dispel it.'

"[Dispel Illusion]"

After the cast, the invincible surface turned into color and showed a tree before Momonga, a single behemoth, surpassing all others in stature within this realm, materialized before his astonished gaze. And numerous trees materialized in its wake, an enchanting circle that aligned perfectly with the cryptic directions imparted by Punitto Moe. Within the confines of the tree cycle, a portion of the forest dissipated with haste, revealing a plateau within.

'This must be it! What luck to fly right into it. How did nobody ever notice this?'

Descending towards the plateau's center, his form glided effortlessly toward the ground. His eyes fixated upon a single object. Weathered by the sands of time, a colossal rock stood firm.

'So he's not here, but that's the correct location, right? Don't tell me I wasted precious time searching for nothing! Huh, I guess I'll summon some monsters to protect me while I look up this place.'

Six Death Knights materialized, but Momonga's sense of security remained unsettled. 'That's not enough. I need more summons to protect me while I'm down there.' Azure magical circles manifested around him, adorned with cryptic runes unfathomable to an ordinary observer. After a short while, the magical circles expanded, and from their luminous radiance emerged six Cherubim Gatekeepers, ready to serve as guardians to their new master.

'Good. This should suffice. Now, what do we have here?'

Moving towards the plateau's heart, Momonga drew closer and saw a structure. A colossal rock akin to an obelisk, with a giant hole in its midst.

'I guess this is where you would put an item to summon the boss? But what item is it? Think! What did Punitto Moe tell me!?'

He searched his inventory for any clues that would bring back his memory. And at one item, he remembered something. A thing every player should know when spawning a boss.

'Wait! Maybe I can use a [Boss Stone] to summon it! If this isn't an event boss or quest boss, that is. And I still got some left.'

In his palm materialized a crimson stone, its radiance tinged with a scarlet hue. However, beyond its appearance, no further insight could be gleaned. With caution, Momonga drew closer to the monolith and inserted the stone into the hole. His assumption proved accurate as the stone levitated within, and a countdown materialized, signaling thirty seconds.

'Only 30 seconds! 5 minutes is the least you get on a boss!'

Summoning an additional ten Death Knights to safeguard him, Momonga decided to utilize the remaining four as bait. It may have been an excessive measure, but he possessed no knowledge of the boss, save for its estimated level of 80 to 90 and its resistance to most natural elements. Though uncertainty lingered, Momonga speculated it could be a form of stone golem, for Punitto Moe had an affinity for riddles.

'10 seconds left. Now I have time to buff myself a bit more.'

Each passing second exuded a distinct radiance from Momonga's frame. He gave himself approximately fourteen buffs within this span, excluding those cast upon his summoned monsters.

3, 2, 1…

From the very earth, an immense hand emerged, lifting itself from the soil. Its rugged surface resembled that of stone, indicating that it was either an inorganic entity or donned a mantle of rocks for protection. Though the former seemed more plausible. 'That's it! Death Knights, go around it!'

Through the power of his thoughts, he commanded his minions—a remarkable feature implemented in Yggdrasil. Momonga selected his spells, focusing primarily on his favored incantations. These chosen spells were his personal preferences and possessed the best potency.

After a brief interval, the colossal golem arose from the earth, standing before the Overlord. However, it directed its initial assault not toward Momonga but rather at the Death Knights. A gargantuan being comprised of stone, the sound of scraping rocks accompanied each movement of its limbs, an unsettling auditory experience, to be sure. Vegetation of unknown flora enveloped most of its form, indicating a prolonged slumber beneath the earth's surface, during which small trees and blossoms had taken root upon its back.

"[Hold of Ribs] [Thousand Bone Lance] [Meteor Fall] [Napalm]"

The giant golem was momentarily stupefied as bones emerged from the ground, penetrating its uppermost layers of stony hide. Thousands of bones emerged rapidly from all directions, further assailing the golem. Before it could react, the colossal creature was struck by a massive meteor, followed by cascading explosions from the following spell. The assault was flawlessly executed. The golem not even have been able to defend itself from the spells cast by Momonga.

'Good. Now I should conti-'

A colossal hand emerged from the flames, striking four Death Knights simultaneously. By now, their HP may have been significantly reduced, perhaps even to a mere one. Yet, their unique ability allowed them to revive if killed with a single unit of vitality, serving as stalwart defenders of their master.

"[Maximise Magic: Reality Slash] [Maximise Magic: Reality Slash]"

The attacks landed upon the golem, etching deep gashes into its surface. Amidst the damage, a yellow radiance emanated from its midst, a metallic sphere. Yet, before Momonga could discern its nature, rock fragments emerged from the ground, mending the golem's wounds.

'Could that be his core? Wait.' Momonga used [Life Essence] on the boss, only to find out it didn't even move a fifth. 'What? But I can see him being damaged a little. Does he have an item hindering me from seeing his hp? That can't be. He's an NPC. Then, the only way is to slowly lower his hp or destroy his core? Could be a hint.'

The Death Knights stood steadfast, raising their shields to fend off the golem's onslaught, a foe capable of rivaling Gargantua. Four of the original fourteen had already been destroyed, but they did their purpose as distractions, preventing the golem from landing a single blow upon their summoner.

'Okay, the Death Knights won't deal a lot of damage. But I need to inflict bludgeoning damage on the boss. Slashes won't do much.'

Momonga surveyed his surroundings, his Cherubim Gatekeepers standing nearby. 'This could give me an idea….'

Two Gatekeepers promptly advanced towards the golem, attracting its attention solely to these celestial beings. Though comparable in level, a discrepancy in strength likely existed.

"[Super-Tier Spell: Sword of Damocles]"

The same circles appeared as he readied to cast the Super Tier Spell. It had a long cast time, but the aftermath never failed to elicit awe-inspiring results.

'With [Sword of Damocles], I could pierce through the golem and destroy his core! I have only to count on my summons to protect me.'

Rocks converged upon the golem's wounds repeatedly, mending its injuries with each blow inflicted by the two angels. Meanwhile, the remaining Death Knights assaulted its legs, despite their efforts yielding negligible harm.

'C'mon, so close!'

It was almost over, and to Momonga's good fortune, the golem remained oblivious. Though its artificial intelligence was commendable, it lacked sentience to discern Momonga's intentions and continued attacking his summons.

The runes expanded, and the spell was unleashed. Now, only patience was needed as a colossal sword, radiating a crimson color, descended upon the Colossus. The golem remained unnoticed, preoccupied with the ongoing struggle against the summons.

'This is over.'

The sword impaled the golem from above, destroying and eradicating the creature. The magical sword gradually dissipated into particles, leaving a deep fissure in the ground.

A message popped up in the corner of his vision.

Congratulation! You beat the Guardian of the Leaves!

This boss had never been mentioned before, yet curiosity swelled within Momonga, particularly regarding the drops it may have yielded.

Items received: 2x [Leaf of Yggdrasil]

Confused, he looked in his inventory. 'Huh, what's that? It doesn't even have lore, nothing! What does this item do?'

He took the thing out of his inventory and held it. It was unlike any other leaf as it possessed a shimmer of golden light that was more brilliant than ordinary gold. It was almost as if it had its life force.

'Well, I guess it goes into the treasury, then. I thought I would find something of interest here. But it seems the time was wasted.'

His summons dispelled, and a portal materialized before him. Swiftly, he stepped through, returning to Nazarick.

HeroHero has logged in.

'What?! He came? At last, one returned! Man, I was so lonely, but I was sure one would come! Who wouldn't want to miss the end of Yggdrasil?'

He quickly entered the guild chamber, but no one was in sight. 'Huh, maybe he's somewhere around the tomb. Ah, he'll get here soon.'

As he turned, his gaze fell upon the guild's most valuable treasure, the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown. An immensely potent guild weapon, adorned with seven divine orbs, each capable of summoning a Primal Elemental aligned with its respective element, a formidable creature of about level 80. Yet, as Momonga touched the guild staff, a never before felt occurrence transpired.

Would you like to combine 2x [Leaf of Yggdrasil] with Guild Weapon? Press [Yes] or [No].

A menu materialized before him, offering two options. However, no information divulged the consequences of his choice, leaving him to speculate.

'Hah! What!? I can combine these leaves with a guild weapon? How would any normal player know this?! Huh, what do I do? I don't want to risk the guild, but it's the last day, and it surely won't be destroyed, would it? But I am very curious about what it would do. You know what? Maybe it's a power-up.'

Bony digits pressed "Yes," and the menu vanished. Shortly after that, the staff radiated a luminous glow, inducing a sense of fear within Momonga. Then the radiance momentarily overwhelmed his vision.

'No! What did I do!? F*ck!'

He could not reverse the effects, for the deed had already been executed. When the radiance subsided, a golden leaf had encircled one of the seven orbs atop the Staff, embracing it with an ethereal luminescence.

'So it was just a decoration… Huh'

Guild Weapon has been applied an additional status of [Word Item]

…

"WHAT?!"

Startled, he exclaimed, unable to fathom what he saw before him. This development defied all logic, an occurrence that had never happened before throughout the history of Yggdrasil.

'Hahaha… The devs are hilarious. I'm not going to fall for this prank! This can't be real, no…'

Please select one ability for the [World Item]: [Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown] from the Developer Archive: D:/ Yggdrasil/ Items/ Effects/ world_items:

"...You did a great job, Devs. Come on! I'm not stupid! I know this is a prank!"

Archive loaded:

Please select one of the following abilities for the [World Item] [Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown]:

[Last Resort]-When holding the world item, the owner will be instantly teleported to the Throne Room of the Great Tomb of Nazarick when health drops under 10%. Any magical or physical means can not stop this effect. The owner will also gain a health regen until HP has reached 50%. The owner will also have protection against physical and magical attacks under level 80 when interacting with the world item [Throne of Kings]. The effect can be deactivated at will.

[Supreme Summon]-Summons of the owner will get a 25% boost to all stats and lose all racial weaknesses. The world item has to be wielded for effect to apply.

[Racial Boost]-The owner of the world item will lose all racial weaknesses when holding the world item.

[Endless Spells]-The owner can perform spells outside his classes when holding the world item. Spells must be learned while carrying the world item.

[Instant Cast]-While holding the world item owner will have no Super-Tier spell cooldown, but the spell cannot be cast for two days.

[Real Illusion]-Adds spell [Fool the World] to Staff at the owner's mana cost.

[False Doppel]-Allows the player to mimic other racial abilities. It can hold up to 7 other racial abilities to the player's own. If a new ability is added, the last of the five to be added will disappear. Adding an ability can be achieved by killing a race with the desired racial abilities, of which the player can choose which one to pick. The killed entities level is relevant.

[Touch of Erasure]-The owner can kill one entity daily by touch while holding the world item. The strength of the enemy is irrelevant. Doesn't apply to World Enemies.

[Racial Control]-The player can transform his racial class into others of his race. This allows a player to change, for example, from Overlord to Abyssal Lord or Zombie Knight. The appearance and stats will be changed. This is not an effect but a complete change, and the race is temporarily listed as such in the game files. The transformation can be discharged at the player's command, but the player cannot return to that racial class until he changes to another.

[Temporary World Enemy]-Allows a player to temporarily be a World Enemy without getting banned instantly. Duration can be altered by the owner's mana, which fuels the transformation. But the player will receive infinite mana as a World Enemy, separate from his own mana pool. For example, the player Momonga will last 12 minutes as a World Enemy until his mana runs out. After the transformation ends, the player will revert to his form and be left with no mana.

[Realm of Doom]-On activation: the owner creates a separate dimension away from the current reality and pulls his enemies with him into it. The owner will get certain buffs and have a general advantage over his enemies there. He can also modify the dimension to his wishes. If he defeats them, he will return to reality. If they defeat the owner, they will return to reality and receive complete immunity from the owner's attacks if he is to revive.

[Thief's Wish]-Allows the player to remove an item from another player and add it to their own inventory. Only works once on each player.

[Opposite Strength]-Negates resistance of a selected enemy and makes it their weakness instead. It can be applied to any player or NPC 10 levels under the owner.

[Time Mastery]-Allows players with the class [Eclipse] to perform the spell [Greater Time Stop], [Reverse Time], [Delay Time], [Time Acceleration], [Time Vision], and [Accelerate Death]. Spells are to be cast at the owner's cost.

[Magical Creation]-Allows players to create any item equal to the mana cost.

[Race Jumper]-Allows players to change their race once a day. The player will select classes. The level stays the same. Save files can be done.

[World Searcher]-Allows players to see which other entity owned a world item and locates them. World items alone cannot be located, as a world item negates another. If one is in the current possession of a world item, he will also not be located. The location will be in the form of the caster's wishes.

[Timeless Spells]-Grants the owner the ability to not use any mana over time for spells like [Control Amnesia] or [Gate]. The only thing the player has to pay is a one-time mana cost.

[Double Avatar]-Once a day, a player can copy himself and control the cloned body, and if the body is destroyed, the player will not die but return to his original body. It is a similar feature to the Greater Doppelgängers' ability, only that its body is separate from the player.

[Simple Sorcery]-A player can learn any spell once a day if he knows of the spell. It must be in the players' class abilities to cast.

[Game Modification]-The player can modify his UI.

[Neutral Invincibility] -A player possessing the world item cannot be injured while not attacking himself. Doesn't apply in other guilds bases, boss arenas, and tournaments. After the player has gone into combat, he can only reactivate the ability after 12 hours.

[Quick Reactivation]-Skills cooldown is limited to 10% of the normal cooldown. Applies to every skill.

[Curse of the Damned]-A curse can be cast, and if the selected entity doesn't kill the world item owner in the owner's selected time above 5 hours, it will be killed regardless of its strength. Resurrection will not be possible; if the target is a player, all levels will be lost. Targeted players with world items will not be affected. After the first time the curse is activated, it will take twice as long to kill the second selected target. World Enemies are not affected.

[Negative Weakness]-A player can turn his traits into the opposite trait. For example, Fire Immunity will change to Fire Vulnerability, and so on.

[Custom Summoner]-Gives the player the ability to modify his summons. But the cost to summon custom summons will be 50% higher than the average cost for its level. A custom summons can be made from nothing but from an existing summon.

[Beyond Limits]-The selected entity will lose the level cap of 100 and be able to gain more levels. But the cost for a level-up will rise twice as much every time. There can be only one selected entity and when changed, this entity will lose all levels and return to level 100. The experience from this level will not be lost but can be used, for example, with [Wish upon a Star].

[1], 2, 3…

…

…

"WHAT?! WHAT?! How? This is a prank. No, I'm not accepting this. Hah…"

He averted his gaze from the menu momentarily, only to find himself drawn back to the hologram after a few seconds.

"Maybe I can just read it through… Won't hurt, wouldn't it?"

He carefully examined each entry, scrutinizing every word contained within the archive. What he discovered left him utterly stunned. Each ability surpassed the bounds of mere excellence; they were nothing short of extraordinary. Was this truly the archive of the devs?

"And it even got more pages, ahh…"

His mind was not fluctuating with him, anticipating the imminent arrival of the developers, ready to banish him. It must be a prank, he thought.

"I'm just going to wait. No, I'm not selecting anything here."

And so, he waited. He waited for a considerable period, but no one materialized before him.

"...You know what? I am playing their little game. I'll just choose the first one to see what happens. It seems to be made for my tomb, but I won't ever use it if it's real. I swear these devs are just standing behind me at any moment."

Resolutely, his hands returned to the menu, and he selected an option from the list. It may not have been the finest choice, yet his curiosity compelled him to witness the outcome.

You have selected the ability:

[Last Resort]-When holding the world item, the owner will be instantly teleported to the Throne Room of the Great Tomb of Nazarick when health drops under 10%. This effect cannot be stopped by any magical or physical means. The owner will also gain a health regen until HP has reached 50%. The owner will also have protection against physical and magical attacks under level 80 when interacting with the world item Throne of Kings. The effect can be deactivated at will.

Are you sure you want to fuse this ability with the [Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown]?

"...Yes." A quiet answer escaped his mouth.

1 of 7 abilities selected.

"Huh, I can add six more? Wait! Didn't Punitto tell me that the boss was never found? But the devs could've been waiting all that time to pull this prank or... It's a glitch."

If it was real, he was an idiot for choosing the first ability. The archives contained far superior options than the one Momonga selected.

"Uhh, don't tell me I wasted a spot right now?! This is just too much… But what counts is that our guild was truly invincible in the end."

With that, he dispelled the menu, no longer needing it. The knowledge that it was a world item sufficed. However, there remained one final inquiry he must address.

He peered into his inventory, observing the status transition from guild weapon to world item and guild weapon. This indicated that his guild was now impervious to destruction, a feat deemed impossible.

"How does this even work? Our guild can't even be destroyed anymore! But that's a good thing, right?!"

From the farthest reaches of the chamber, the massive doors swung open, and in stepped a predatory slime. With great poise, it settled itself onto one of the grand chairs.

"Momonga? You're here? What a surprise!"

It wasn't. But he still said it out of courtesy. Most would know that Momonga, even on the final day of the game, would undoubtedly be found here.

"HeroHero! Long time no see! What brings you here?" Momonga's enthusiasm was palpable. After all the passing time, having someone return and reminisce about the old days filled him with great joy.

"Well, you know, work. Got me exhausted every day. And you? How are you these days?"

"Same. Work just isn't helping us. And my boss even said I have to work overtime tomorrow. But hey! Look what I just found! Appraise the staff for a second."

The slime approached the towering figure of the Overlord and examined the weapon, only to be taken aback by what it discovered.

"A world item?"

"What do you think? I somehow got this item that allowed me to transform the guild weapon into a world item, and it worked! Now, our guild is truly unbeatable!"

He exuded immense excitement, wishing the others could witness this grand moment. However, he was okay with knowing that HeroHero was there to share the experience.

"Huh… I guess it's cool."

Momonga turned around, shocked. "Cool! This is astronomical! How can't you be moved by this?!"

"Yggdrasil is cool and all, but in the end, it's just a game."

"Just a game". Those words reverberated through Momonga's mind like a resounding echo. How could HeroHero utter such a bold statement? How?

"Your right, HeroHero… So, you plan to stay until the shutdown?"

"Nah, sorry, but I have to go to sleep early. Got to be fit for tomorrow. But it was a real pleasure to meet you again."

"Yeah, it's cool that you remembered."

"Of course I would! But I really gotta go now. Let's meet in the real world once, shall we?"

"Sure, we'll meet again…"

"... Of course."

HeroHero has logged out.

"DAMMIT! How!? How can he abandon this? Our life, our guild that we build with sweat, tears, and blood!..."

Rage surged within him, intense yet fleeting. However, Momonga understood HeroHero's perspective. "But to him, it's just a game. It's normal. He wouldn't understand. I don't blame him… Well, let's take one last walk."

He departed from the guild chamber, summoning the Pleiades and Sebas, the Iron Butler. Gazing upon each of them, he recalled the moments when his friends had created these NPCs. He even contributed a bit and was always present when creating new residents.

"Follow me!"

They all bowed in unison and trailed behind their Guild Master. After a brief while, they arrived at a colossal gate that swung open automatically. Within, a sight of unparalleled beauty awaited, Albedo, a succubus-type demon with ebony wings and ivory horns. Seated upon his throne, Momonga commanded them once more.

"Bow down!"

All in attendance prostrated themselves before the Supreme Being, the last entity they would gaze upon.

'This is it? The end of an era… An era that has been shining so bright…'

His depressing voice offered little solace. He looked at Albedo and thought of a peculiar idea.

"Mmh, let's see…" Pointing his staff toward the NPC, her settings materialized before him."...She's a slut! Damn, Tabula, you always put so much work into their personality, even if it didn't do much. But what if…"

He erased the final sentence and replaced it with a new directive. "She is in love with Momonga."

"Oh no! Tabula would scold me to death if he saw what I did to his creation. But it's the last day, so I guess he'll forgive me." A wry laugh escaped him, a testament to his mischievous prank. Now, all he could do was await the impending logout.

[23:59:50]

"I guess it's time to say goodbye."

He cast one last gaze upon the throne room, imprinting every detail upon his memory. He did not wish to forget the 41 guildmates or anything within Nazarick. Yet, unfortunately, moments do not last forever.

...

A peculiar portal materialized before him, and a radiant, textureless head emerged from its depths. Startled for a moment, he remembered what it was, a messenger of the developers. The greatest adversary of all players.

"Player: Momonga. It has come to our reports that you have gotten access to our server database. Your records for the last 24 hours will be deleted in 10 seconds."

The floating head declared without warning. Even as the game drew to its end, the developers spared no one.

"No! You damn devs!"

Out of rage, he stood up, flaming at the messenger's head. He knew he couldn't do a thing against it, only cursing it further.

"5"

"4"

"3"

"2"

"1"

[00:00:00]

'Huh'

Nothing happened. The servers did not shut down, and Momonga remained standing. He had not been logged out, and the developers had not erased him.

'This isn't right. Did they delay the shutdown? Then why am I still here and the floating head not? And I can't access my UI! Can't even call a GM!'

"What is going on?!"

A green aura enveloped the Overlord as he soon calmed down.

"Lord Momonga?" A feminine voice emanated from his right. Upon turning, he beheld Albedo in an unrecognizable posture. And she could...

'What? S-She can speak?!' Once again, an unknown force calmed him down.

"...Lord Momonga?!"

"Uh… Yes, the GM call isn't working."

"Forgive me for my lack of knowledge, but I do not know this GM call."

'Not only does she speak, but her lips are moving. And I can smell stuff. Did an update happen? This is happening all too fast! Wait! I have to test something.'

The Overlord cleared his nonexistent throat and spoke. "Albedo?" Momonga asked.

"Yes, Lord Momonga." Albedo replied.

"Come closer."

"Of course, my Lord."

She obeyed his command, advancing toward the throne. She stood in anticipation, awaiting further instructions, but for a brief moment, no words were said from Momonga.

'I can smell her, and it smells wonderful. Got to ask her what perfume she wears. Now, for the next part.'

"I will touch you now, Albedo."

"Do as you please, Lord Momonga." Her voice softened, not being so regal after all. Her face expressed much, even when she tried to hide her joy out of respect.

As his bony hands touched her neck, she emitted a barely audible sound. Momonga chose to ignore it.

'So she has a pulse now? Mmh… There's one last thing I have to check. Yggdrasil didn't allow any adult content. So if I just…'

"Albedo, I am going to touch your breasts now."

She did not exhibit fear; instead, she drew closer to her master. As his skeletal hands grazed her chest, moans emanated from Albedo. Satisfied with the experiment, Momonga chose to cease his actions.

"My Lord! Do you wish to do it right now? In the throne room, what better place to exist for it?"

The seductive demon drew nearer, her appearance transforming into that of an impatient lover unable to contain her anticipation.

"No Albedo, we have a difficult situation right now. There is no time for games!"

He commanded, and the NPC's expression reverted to its former state as if she never fell into a more intimate state.

"As you wish, Lord Momonga."

The Overlord sat back on his throne and decided on his following command. "You will call all Guardians to the throne room, except Victim, Guardian of the 8th Floor, and Gargantua, Guardian of the 4th Floor. And put Nazarick in the highest emergency. We might have to deal with some trouble."

Such tasks were well within the Overseer's capabilities. "As you wish, Lord Momonga."

He rose, and one of his many rings glimmered, transporting him to his royal suite. There he was, alone, and he could finally relax. He leaped onto his bed and buried his skull in a pillow.

'That was exhausting! I didn't know it was so difficult to be a leader! Giving them all commands, I hope I can do so much. Next is to see if the NPCs are loyal to me. And I don't think this is Yggdrasil anymore, but something else. Maybe even real. Then I have to be extra careful. But if that's true, then Nazarick is real... Something I wished for my entire life. And with this new body of a level 100 player, life will be so much better. Ahh, if only my friends could witness thi-'

A realization dawned upon him, a fact he should have remembered even when becoming an Overlord.

"Wait! The Staff! It still got a slot left!"

He abandoned his bed as time reversed, directing his gaze upon the nearby staff, magnificent as ever.

"But how do I access this menu? Can I even? No UI, nothing. Mmh..."

He grabbed the staff, and then he felt it. He felt the emptiness inside it and that something in the staff could be filled.

"And now? No menu appeared to assist me. I guess this means I have to do it on my own."