ocp5

Chapter 6—The World Tree Burns

I continued my erratic 'chases' as the months trickled by, choosing one feature of the game at a time to master. I dedicated years of my life to the world of YGGDRASIL, exploring every nuance to its fullest. I collected seventeen more World Items on my own, just by virtue of being the first to try so many things. The name 'Ancient One' became synonymous with 'experience', my character known by every player on the servers even if I never featured on a single leaderboard. I fought others only rarely, but when I did, I crushed them utterly.

I was the god of my own world, my destiny firmly in my own hands. No matter how shitty the world outside was, no matter how terrible reality was growing to be, the shining light of YGGDRASIL kept me going.

But as with all things, it had to come to an end.

"I'm quitting the game."

Those words, such simple words, threatened to crush my little utopia. But I refused to lose hope, knowing that things had to end before they could truly begin. I watched as the forty-one members of the Guild began to slowly lose interest, the demon known as 'real life' rearing its head. Forty-one became thirty-five, and Momonga's heart began to break.

They would go to Momonga to deposit their equipment, to drain their inventory into the Guild's. Then they said their goodbyes and left without another word, tearing holes in the poor lich's life. I knew that the salaryman didn't have much to live for, and that this game was his only escape from cruel reality. After all, it was mine, too. I watched them go with a sad smile, knowing that this was the beginning of the end.

As time passed, the remaining members logged in less and less. One by one, they started to quit due to personal reasons. All of their reasons made perfect sense, and in their shoes I would do the exact same, but that didn't make it hurt any less. Nazarick, once filled with life and activity every night, was soon populated only by the ever-vigilant NPCs. Momonga never recruited any more members, his reasons plain to see.

This Guild had been our child. Our beautiful utopia. Inviting in outsiders just wouldn't be the same.

"They… they put their things in Guild Storage." Momonga once told me, voice full of more hurt than I had ever heard from the gentle lich. "T-that means they might come back to pick them up again, right?"

I knew it wasn't going to happen, and deep down, so did he. But neither of us admitted it. Hell, I had already started picking through their Storage for Items that I had never gotten around to gathering myself.

…Probably not the best idea to tell Momonga that, though. I doubt he'd be amused to learn I had looted several Shooting Star rings from Guild Members that had left them behind.

"Some of the stronger Guilds have been getting subtler lately." I said instead. "They'd definitely try to slip people into our Guild to get a chance at our weapons. I store some of my World Items in the Guild Treasury, you know?"

He nodded immediately. "Yeah, I know. It would be too much of a risk to invite others in. Spies might take something valuable. We should keep it like this in case they return."

It was an excuse. A flimsy one at that. But it was more than enough to justify why we refused to fill the Guild once more. I didn't pretend to know Momonga's reasons, and I admitted mine only to the still-patrolling NPCs. The knowledge that they had gradually become at least somewhat sentient was both the best and worst part about it.

So, in respect for what they were becoming, I spoke frankly of what had happened.

"Your parents left." I stated quietly. "It wasn't your fault, not in the least. Nor was it mine, or Momonga's, or even Ulbert's." I looked over the gathered NPCs, remembering the time I had taken to create and nurture them into the beings they were. "They… they had to leave. Our world is a terrible place to live, and this was our getaway."

I took a shuddering breath. "We… in our world, you can't even step outside without a mask and several coats. Our own race poisoned the earth so badly that we're still dying from it fifty years later. Momonga… he's just a workingman, and I'm just a child with far too much memory than he should have. The rest of them did the smart thing, the brave thing, and left to try and make the world a better place. Some dedicated more time to their jobs, and some chose new worlds to build and create in."

I smiled at Archer, reaching out to brush her skin. "But Momonga and I… we could never leave. This place is our home. Yggdrasil is dying, I'm afraid, but I plan to stay until the end. The others might decide to change worlds or make a new paradise, but this will always be my home."

I looked over the gathered characters, sighing softly. "You know… I had a wish once. I wished that I never had to go back to that shitty world. I looked forward to the next life, the next great adventure. And then I realized that I would never get my 'great adventure', and that humanity's flaws were too numerous to ever escape their poisonous miasma. I never talk about my 'real life', because to me… this little fantasy is better than anything reality has to offer. There I'm just someone making it through the day, but here? Here, I'm whatever I want to be."

I slipped my hand into Archer's, bowing low. "So thank you. All of you. You might be NPCs, but you're closer to me than my own family ever was. You're a part of my ideal world, and even if your creators can't be here with us, you carry on their legacy better than I ever could alone. You're all that remains of Ainz Ooal Gown. So bear the name 'Nazarick' proudly, and live your lives to their fullest." I smiled kindly at them. "Chin up, gents. You've got a life to live."

They all bowed in unison, surprising the hell out of me for a second. Then I chuckled, waving them away. "Well, get to it you lot. Return to normal duties."

They all straightened, turning and beginning to walk towards their assigned posts. Archer's hand remained in mine, and she didn't move a muscle. I released her, leaning over to peck her lightly on the cheek. "Go on, love. Go guard the mansion."

She bowed for a moment, then turned to do as she had been commanded. I watched her go, smiling wistfully. Then I, too, turned and left.

These days there were only about ten members that were still a part of the Guild, and only Ulbert logged in with any regularity. It was lonely, to be sure, but I didn't lose heart. The end of an age heralded the beginning of the next, after all.

No, rather than moping around Nazarick as Momonga was inclined to do, I roped the lich into a few of my 'mad schemes' as he called them, forming a party with Ulbert whenever possible. I took them all over the Nine Realms, showing them all the wonders and sights that I had seen over the ten years we had been playing. I taught them how to activate the most rewarding Hidden Quests, pillage the deepest vaults, discover the most terrifying Raid Bosses.

For a time, we were invincible. Momonga the sorcerer, Ulbert the battlemage, and Ancient One the brute force tank. We ruled the battlefield, tearing through Boss mobs like rice paper. Every attack we aimed levelled an area, and every move we made caused dozens of high-level monsters to die.

But I knew it wouldn't last. It never would. So I began to prepare for The End. The Quests became less of a sightseeing journey and more of a necessity. I targeted specific dungeons, leading along my clueless Party and effortlessly clearing each one. I gathered all the materials I could, locking them away inside the Guild Treasury. I traded in my entire account's worth of in-game currency for every cash item I thought might ever be useful, even dipping into my personal savings to make doubly certain I would have enough.

The End was neigh. And I would be ready for it.

Once upon a time, there were 41 Gods in Nazarick. 41 beings with power so incredible that it granted them the ability to create life itself. And create life they did. From nothingness they were drawn, formed, perfected. Day after day, they poured their heart out into the vessel they created for their new lives. Slowly, surely, those vessels became aware.

They woke from their silent slumbers, learning of the world around them. They listened as they were taught by the older vessels, growing to understand the world they lived in. They learned of other Gods, other beings of supreme power, but they found the very idea of their creators being challenged by anythingto be utterly absurd.

Their makers were their world. The reason the sun rose in the morning, and the reason the moon watched over the night. The vessels took on the shapes that they were given, in mind and body and soul. Their existence was what they were formed to be by the guiding hands of their Gods. Their Gods, the Supreme Beings of Nazarick.

They were the NPCs. They didn't know what that meant, but it was what they were referred to as. They had one task in life, and that was to fulfil their makers' vision for them. They did so with great joy, for it was what they loved doing more than anything else in the world.

The NPC named Albedo was created by her father, Tabula Smergema. She was given a personality and skillset perfectly suited to her task. She was to guard the Throne Room and direct the defenses of the Great Tomb of Nazarick in case of an invasion. She relished her task, standing in her position every day without fail. She listened as the Supreme Beings spoke, basking in their everyday interactions.

Some of the younger NPCs often came to her after their creation and perfection, worried that their creators had tired of them or found them unsatisfactory. She assured them otherwise, telling them of how the Supreme Beings would brag to each other about their creations' might or features. Feeling proud that they had been entrusted to work without supervision, the young NPCs would return to their post, doing their best to fulfil their task.

But lately… the other Supreme Beings slowly ceased appearing before them. Their absence was like a raw wound, as if something vital to her existence were missing. She made do with what she had, but it was hard to deal with the loneliness sometimes. She found herself envying the Maidens, who had their creator visit them daily to lavish affection onto them. But she would shake off such jealousy, for she had a role to fulfil. And even if that role was interpreted slightly differently than her departed creator had intended, it didn't matter as long as it was being fulfilled, right?

Albedo looked on as the Ancient One began gathering supplies. It was what she was programmed to do, after all. She served the Supreme Beings with all her heart, following their every command as the words of Gods.

She had heard the mighty Dragon's words, and knew he was preparing for the supposed 'Server shutdown' that Momonga-sama often spoke of in a worried voice. The old Dragon tried to keep her lord's mind off the impending 'shutdown', but in the end it was futile. The emptiness of Nazarick couldn't be filled by one Dragon, no matter how much he tried.

The Dragon often spoke to her and her fellow Servants, reminiscing about the old times. Times when the Tomb was full of hopeful Players hoping to make something of their world. She, too, missed those times, when her creator Tabula-sama would show her off as his prized creation…

"Albedo-nee-sama… is everything all right?" A soft voice asked worriedly.

She turned, seeing the beautiful face of Innocence. She smiled, reaching out to brush the Angel's hair behind her ear. "It's all right." She whispered, hiding the worry gnawing at her heart. "I'm just attending to my duties."

The blonde Angel looked confused. "But aren't you supposed to be in the Throne Room? This is the Treasury."

Albedo sighed, glad for once that the little Angel was so naïve. It would protect her from the truth. "I'm watching over Ancient One-sama." She stated simply, turning back to the doorway.

"Oh." The Angel's wings quivered slightly. "I-is there something wrong with him?"

Albedo shook her head. "No, no…" Her eyes lost focus slightly as she looked into the middle distance. "No, it's just… he's worried about the Guild."

Green eyes widened as the innocent Angel gasped. "W-what? Why?"

Albedo sighed, reaching out to stroke her blonde hair. "Do you remember what he told us?"

"He said that the other Supreme Beings had to return to try and save their world." Innocence said, tilting her head. "Right?"

Albedo hid her snarl of rage. The Angel was too innocent to understand what the old Dragon had truly meant. "They left to fix the mess they made." She agreed instead, forcing a smile.

Inside, however, she fumed. They had left Nazarick behind, leaving the few remaining members to fend for themselves. She had stood in the Throne Room as every one of them handed in their resignation and their gear, disappearing forever.

"Albedo-nee-sama?"

She shook off her poisonous thoughts, forcing a smile once more. "It's nothing, Innocence."

Faintly, on the edge of her hearing, she could hear a lone voice crooning softly.

"It's the ennnd of the wooorld as we know it…"

The Ancient One… was singing.

I closed my eyes, though I knew it wouldn't help. YGGDRASIL never needed 'blink' mechanics, so closing one's eyes didn't hinder one's field of vision. "I'm sorry… could you repeat that?" I asked softly.

Momonga nodded somberly. "Ulbert-san… his company went under. He turned in his gear. He said he would be back once he found another stable job, but…"

We fell silent. We knew full well that in today's collapsing economy, finding a job was almost impossible. I only had mine to pay for my living, and I lived every day knowing that the next could be the day I was laid off. Even with all my knowledge, not a single company would take a twenty-two-year-old without a family to back him. So I was stuck working at a factory, whiling away the hours until I could return home and enter my paradise.

"I'm sorry, Momonga." I murmured.

He shook his head. "No… it's not your fault. You did nothing." He sighed, form drooping. "It's just… there are only four players left…"

I nodded in agreement, eyes shifting to the NPC beside him. These days the lich had Innocence following him everywhere. I didn't ask why, and honestly, I didn't need to. He needed the support, even if it was from a silent character.

An idea sparked, and I looked up. "You know… we never actually finished that tour of YGGDRASIL…"

"What do you mean?" The Overlord's voice was tinged with confusion.

I smiled. "Well… there's this one Raid Boss that looks exactly like Ulbert. I was going to show it to him as a surprise, but now I think it would be more fun to beat the tar out of it in his honor."

"W-what?" Momonga stuttered. "W-why would we do that?"

"Because." I stated simply. "It's a totally dick move. And it would be really fun."

"Of course not!" He protested. "I could never—"

"All right, don't." I soothed. "But I will. And if you feel like joining me… well, I can't really stop you, can I?"

I turned, hiding my smile. The kind Overlord would never normally lash out like this… but at this point, I think it's good for him to express his feelings a bit. Keeping all that hurt locked away couldn't be healthy.

"I'll be leaving in an hour." I called behind me. "Bring whatever you want."

An hour later, a silent Momonga joined me as we charged the goat-headed Raid Boss. Neither of us said a word, but it was incredibly satisfying to watch the creature die. I picked up the Weapon Drop and examined it, somewhat amused to note its name.

"Hey, Skelly." I held up the long, flaming sword, fighting back laughter. "It's Ulbert's Raging Boner!"

The skeleton stared at me for a moment. "…Are you kidding me? Is that actually the name?"

"No, no, it's called 'Goat Demon's Raging Exuberance', but that's basically the same thing."

"No, it's really not." Momonga protested. "That's completely different!"

I raised an immobile eyebrow. "Oh? So you're saying this long, pointy stick labeled 'exuberance' doesn't remind you of something?"

"…Dammit, now I can't get it out of my head!" He shouted, holding his skull in his hands. I just laughed, continuing my stream of innuendos and references.

It was dumb, it was childish, but it was enough to make the Overlord smile again.

"The world is going to end, soon." Ancient One confided one day, face as blank as ever. His voice, though, was a mix of joy and sadness. "And when this world ends, a new one will take its place."

Albedo blinked in shock. 'The world is ending? What? Why?'

As if hearing her thoughts, the Supreme Being continued. "I can't explain why, exactly, not in terms you'd understand… but know it's not your fault in the least. All things must end, and Yggdrasil is no different. It's been a good run, and I don't know what'll happen afterwards." He shrugged absently, sighing. "I'll stay with you until the end. I swear it. I don't know if anything will happen at all, and it's honestly a vain hope at this point, but with any luck… a miracle will occur, and we'll all be saved."

Albedo wanted to protest, to plead with him to leave them and continue living as he should, but the words refused to pass her lips. But even if she could speak, she knew he would just smile and do as he pleased anyway. Because that was the kind of being Ancient One was. He would stand sentinel over them even as the world crashed down around them, risking life and limb to keep them safe.

While Momomga-sama was the head of Nazarick, Ancient One-sama was its guardian. He had been at the structure that held everything together, working tirelessly to make everything work. He helped countless other Supreme Beings deal with their problems, advising them and comforting them. He had been the one to breathe life into her and her fellow Servants, teaching them the values of the things other Supreme Beings never bothered to see.

It was because of him that Nazarick was truly safe.

But still… even with all his power, it seemed that the ancient Dragon could not stop the inevitable.

"I haven't told the others yet…" The Supreme Being continued softly. "I didn't want to worry them. If I'm wrong about this… if this world doesn't herald the coming of the next… then we're all doomed. Momonga and I live for this place, and even if we live after the world ends, we won't have any real meaning to our lives anymore. We eat and sleep, but other than that, we don't really even have lives. That shitty world prohibits things like 'dreams' or 'hopes', so we have to find them elsewhere."

Albedo's protests died on her tongue as her mind began to race. Could it be that the Supreme Beings had no power outside this world? No, no, it couldn't be…

Ancient One reached out and ruffled her hair, his golden eyes full of sadness. "One way or another… I will die along with Yggdrasil." His eyes lit up. "Unless, of course, a miracle occurs."

I closed the Audio Chat window, smiling widely. Not that it showed on my face, of course. "Hey, Momonga!" I called, waving him over. "The Developers just told me they added a way to lift the Level Cap for the last week!"

The lich perked up, realizing what my words meant. "So you're saying we can Level-up more?"

I nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! There's no one left to stop us, so we can just use the rest of our time to farm EXP from Raid Bosses!"

"When does it come into effect?" Momonga asked, beginning to get excited as well.

"Midnight." I glanced at the HUD clock. "In about three hours, actually." I smirked. "And as a personal favor, I called in and got them to add another hundred Levels to the Guild Base. Once we have enough EXP, we can max it out and make it into whatever we want. Since it won't actually be used, it can be literally anything we want it to be."

"Uuaah!" The lich blurted excitedly. "The shitty Devs are finally being nice? The end really must be near!"

"Well, they only agreed because I've helped them so much and because they know we won't ever get a chance to actually use them for anything." I shrugged. "It's something of a final favor to me from them."

The lich burst out laughing. "W-who knew your beta-testing days would ever come in handy like this? Look at us now!"

I laughed along with him, but it was bittersweet.

We had only a week left until shutdown, a fact we were both all too aware of.

'Ah, well. At least I can hope for a miracle.'

"Well let's go then!" I decided abruptly.

The lich paused, surprised. "W-wait, you mean now?"

I nodded. "Yeah, now. EXP and Levels can only be allocated if you have enough Data Crystals, and I don't have enough after using all the ones I had on different things."

He blinked. "Ah, right, Weapon Crafting requires Data Crystals too. I keep forgetting."

I nodded. "I used everything I had to create myself a new masterpiece, and since the Developers added another 100 NPC Levels to Nazarick, I'll actually have someone to give it to!" I reached out and slapped him on the shoulder. "I leave it to you to decide what the NPC will be, since I already have three of my own to your one. It's only fair."

Momonga paused, the reality sinking in. "Wait, what am I going to make?"

I found myself suppressing a smirk as he began the long process of figuring out what to do with 100 NPC Levels.

Sucker.

"Just don't spend too long on that." I said lightly. "We still have a long night ahead of us. We have to track down and obtain a new World Item, after all."

The skeleton man froze. "…What?"

"Hey, you don't honestly think that the Devs would just let people exceed the Level Limit, do you?" I smirked. "No, they just added a new World Item. It's a new member of the Twenty that, once used, removes the EXP cap from your character entirely."

Momonga twitched. "…Dammit, that really does sound like something the shitty Devs would pull. Expecting us to track down a World Item in under a week."

I shrugged. "Hey, I've done it in less." I held up a hand, Ouroboros gleaming softly in the light. "The only restriction is that members of the Twenty have a respawn time before they can be found again."

"But… if the one-month limit still applies… how will we both use it?" Momonga asked worriedly. "I mean, I'm fine staying a Level 100 if you want to—"

"Momonga." I deadpanned. "Do you honestly think I haven't found a way to exploit the World Items yet?"

His jaw opened, then closed, then opened again. "You know, I always kinda thought that they were something that couldn't be violated…"

I honestly had no words for that. None. My jaw worked, but my brain simply did not accept the input given. "I…" I tried again. "You… what?"

"Yeah, I mean, wouldn't the Devs be watching those more than anything else?"

I exhaled, rubbing my eyes. "Look. Buddy. Be honest with me. Have you ever tried to exploit anything?"

The lich shook his head. "I've never had to try."

"Right." I tapped my chin in thought for a few moments. "Okay, let's use a bit of an example here. You obviously know that the World Items have one game-breakingly huge effect, but what you haven't realized is that those same Items have little side-effects that make them as or more valuable than simply using them as intended. With me so far?"

Momonga nodded wordlessly.

"Wonderful." I reached into my Inventory, pulling free a small Infinite Backpack and rummaging around inside. A moment later, I handed him a club that shrunk to fit into his bony hands. "Tell me, what do you see there?"

Momonga held it carefully up for closer inspection. "Is it… [World Savior]?"

"Yes." I smiled to myself. "Once activated, it allows the user to attack any foe while ignoring all resistances in the way. It's one of the most useful tools one can have in their arsenal, though its value relies almost exclusively on it never being used."

The Overlord tilted his head, a confused emote floating above his head. "…What?"

"Swing it."

"What?"

"The club." I repeated. "Swing it. Don't activate it, just make like you're going to attack me."

Understandably, my friend hesitated before complying. Anyone can hold absolutely any Item whatsoever. But to equip it is a different story. Nevertheless, he tucked away his staff and gripped the handle of the club with both hands. In one powerful move, he swung it down on the helmet of an invisible foe. A rush of air emitted from the force of the blow, mimicking a low-Tier Wind Spell in intensity.

Momonga stumbled slightly, taken off guard. I cackled loudly, just imagining the expression on his face.

Holding an Item is free… but the system definitely should've stopped him from using it.

"How?" Momonga asked simply, eyeing the club like it might spontaneously combust at any moment.

My laughter died down, and I wiped a nonexistent tear from my eye. "Ah. Well. See, in order to activate that Item, a Player first has to equip it. Otherwise you're left with a World Item that's just pointlessly getting more powerful. So to fix that, they just removed the Class restrictions on it. Meaning that even if it's not the intended purpose, that club is the only weapon in the game that pure Caster Classes can equip."

"…I think I get your point." He gingerly handed back the Item, which resized to fit my enormous grip. "You think you can exploit the new World Item to give us two uses out of it?"

I shook my head, tucking away [World Savior]. "Close. I don't have the time to crash-test the new Item, whatever it might be. It takes time to experiment with the system, time I'd rather spend Leveling. No, I have a duplication glitch that I exploited the hell out of for months before a random patch fixed it. I just wanted to prove to you that anything can be exploited, World Items being no exception."

The skeleton audibly paused before sighing. "…Let's just… I'll just leave this to you, Ancient-san. I really don't want to know."

"All right, then." I chirped. "Onward! To battle!"

I really shouldn't have to tell you much about the Raid Boss we finally found the World Item at. It was a giant plant, and I'm a fucking Dragon. Even if most Bosses' Fire Resistance makes my Breath Weapon impractical, it took only a half a minute of white-hot flame to kill the giant thorn bush. The tendrils of thorns disintegrated along with the Boss, and the newest World Item was revealed.

Half-hidden in the dirt, the size of a pickup truck, a glimmering jewel-like peach shone to life. A label hoovered innocently above it, persisting even as it resized itself to Momonga's hesitant touch.

[The Fruit of the First Tree]

I blinked. Twice. "…Are you shitting me right now?"

Momonga examined it, the fruit fitting comfortably in his skeletal grip. "Ah… does seem to be what we're looking for."

I took the peach from his outstretched hand, numbly bringing up the Item's description.

[The Fruit of the First Tree]

World-Class Item

Removes Level cap upon use. Usable once only. 

"To those heroes who dared venture out to seek it, the World Tree offered the last shreds of its power in the form of a blessing." -The Last Canticles, ? A.D.

"Is there a problem, Ancient-san?"

"No, no." I mumbled to myself. "Just… thinking."

This meant one of two things. One, they added this because they knew I would appreciate their attention to continuity. Or two… they were dropping a hidden Easter egg about their plans for a possible sequel to this game.

To be honest, I don't care too much which one it is, but the little detail of it being a peach gave me more than they could possibly imagine. Two things, things I never would've imagined before now.

The Fruit of the World Tree is a World Item.

The World Tree's fruit can remove the Level Limit.

And most importantly, by proclaiming Yggdrasil the first Tree, the Devs outright statedthat Noa is going to succeed Yggdrasil once it dies.

This was big. This was huge. If I could just enter a simple sentence into Noa's text, I wouldn't have to duplicate this item at all to reap its benefits after the End, I would be able to simply pluck a peach off a branch. If I just stated in Noa's text that she would inherit all of the World Tree's abilities after it died, all of its' abilities…

Well.

Turns out that favorable circumstances have turned a long-term project into an infinitely perpetuating generator of world-breaking Items a good century ahead of schedule.

"Ancient-san?"

"Sorry, Momonga." I snapped back to reality, mentally shoving my plans into the back of my mind. I would still need to go over my Maidens' code and text one last time before the End, but that wasn't a task for right now. I reached into my Inventory, pulling out a Mirror and activating it with a thought. In a flash of light, a second peach that perfectly mirrored the first in design was sitting in my scaled palm. "Here, catch."

Momonga fumbled slightly as the World Item's size-shift mechanics lagged, but managed to avoid being crushed by a narrow margin. I activated my own World Item, which disappeared without much fanfare.

"All right." I mumbled, turning away from the empty clearing. "Time for some mob farming."

"Ah, Ancient-san, where do you plan to—Ancient-san wait, is that a Portal Scroll? No, no, wait, that's a Gate to the Demon—! …Aaand you're going in, aren't you."

I didn't dignify that with a response.

I was already halfway through the Gate, after all.

Momonga stared for a moment. "…What?"

I raised an immobile eyebrow. "I think it'd be obvious."

The lich continued to stare at the block of text. "…You're adding sexual traits?"

I shrugged. "Hey, it's not like I ever bothered before, and my other Maiden has them."

"I know, it's just…" He glanced up at the blank-faced NPC. "Why bother? You could use the free space for literally anything else."

I frowned. "I mean, I could, but then it just wouldn't be the same."

"…You made her love the taste of semen." He deadpanned. "Why?"

"Because." I stated simply. "It makes her a well-rounded character."

He huffed, gesturing to the NPC. "She's rounded enough already!"

I glanced at the Maiden. She had a doll-like face considered to be too beautiful and too well-crafted by human standards, red pupils that refracted light from within like diamonds, a bell-like, beautiful voice, fair skin, and long peach blossom-pink hair. She was at about my chest in height, and her long hair easily reached her waist.

…And, as Momonga had clearly referenced, she was extremely well-curved.

"…She's still technically innocent?" I volunteered weakly. "I gave her a personality and a background, just like my other Maiden. And distinctly remember having this conversation about her, too."

"You gave her a Goddess's Divine Core as a heart, which I can understand." The lich began slowly. "I can even understand making her an oppai loli in form, because it fits her stature and your tastes. You gave her Skill Levels high enough to put any other NPC to shame. You gave her enough Mana to fuel her main Spell a hundred times over. Her dress is almost a World Item in strength. Her weapons are at the same level, as is her invisible armor. So why." He stressed the word, emphasizing his irritation. "Why on earthwould you do that to her personality."

I frowned slightly. It seemed as if my passion for realistic NPCs had rubbed off on my friend. "Um… because it's fun?"

Momonga cleared his throat and began to read.

"When the World Tree Yggdrasil realized it was dying, it made a choice. It knew that the terrible monster would die along with it, weakened by its countless millennia of struggle. While it would not survive, its only child would. To keep it safe while it grew, the World Tree entrusted the young Sapling to the oldest being alive—a Dragon simply known as 'Ancient One'." He began, rattling off the first paragraph of her flavor text.

"Through the years the Sapling grew and developed consciousness. It was to survive, it knew, but with the gentle Dragon guarding it, it didn't need to worry or fear, so what was it to do? To explore more about life and the world around it, the Sapling reached out and touched the mind of the Dragon, assuming a form it would find pleasing to better learn of life's true meaning."

"The Dragon grew to care for the young Sapling as he taught her all he had seen over his eons of existence, and in time the Sapling realized she craved his adoration. She decided to dedicate her life to the Dragon that stood watch over her, serving him for as long as he would protect her. She would not receive her full power until the great tree Yggdrasil died at last, so she spent her days sleeping or exploring the world within the safety of the Dragon's home. Because of her nature as a Divine Spirit, she does not age or require food so long as she has a supply of Mana, which the Dragon provides without issue."

He paused, looking up at me. "I can understand that. That makes perfect sense. It's wonderful, even. But this…" He started to read once more. "The Divine Nature Spirit of the World Tree Sapling is 150cm tall, weighs 52 kg, and her three sizes are…" He coughed into a hand, skipping a few lines of more exoticdetail. "Anyway. She is almost completely devoid of emotion, typically wearing a blank expression and speaking in a soft manner. Having a gentle voice, Noa is a girl of few words, since at times, she herself is unsure of what to think, let alone say. She is quietly curious about the world around her, but she is content with her life serving her beloved in any way possible."

I nodded reluctantly. "I decided that she would naturally be curious, but since I don't exactly want her wandering away, I made that second to her love for me."

"Yes. I can see that." The lich exhaled, rubbing his nonexistent eyes. "But then you proceeded to insert enough kinks and 'curiosities' to put Peroroncino to shame."

I shrugged. "Look. Archer is my front-line fighter, she doesn't need the distraction of having a billion fetishes hindering her. If I made her a masochist she might not defend herself as well, and if I made her a sadist she'd play with her opponents. Both of those would go against her core character design, which is that of a brutally efficient killer."

"That… actually makes sense." The lich's voice held honest surprise at the declaration.

"…Which is why I'm making Noa the kinky one." I finished, crossing my arms. "She can heal herself from the worst of her 'needs', and she's durable enough to go for several days straight if she wants to." I shrugged. "And I gave her a personality, unlike Pero. She's not just a walking sex doll, she has a life, a history, thoughts and feelings. She just… has a lot of ways she can enjoy sex."

"You made the ultimate overpowered yet sex-crazed NPC." Momonga deadpanned. "I… don't know why that doesn't surprise me."

"Probably because I'm a bored gamer with a God complex." I deadpanned back.

"Oh. Right."

"I don't understand how you keep forgetting that." I muttered, shaking my head.

"Just… whatever. Can you help me look over my NPC now?"

"Sure." I agreed easily, slipping my hand into Noa's. "Just give me a sec." I turned to her. "Go find Archer." I commanded. She nodded mechanically and slipped away, heading towards my bedroom. I turned back to my exasperated friend. "You know I'm going to get my revenge for kink-shaming me, right?"

"Just… don't torture me too badly." He pleaded weakly. "I don't have much time left, and I want it to be fun."

I laughed, waving him off. "Oh, calm down. It won't be anything overt. I'll just… tweak the flavor text a bit."

"Whatever…" He grumbled. "Just don't turn her into an oppai loli. I don't share your tastes."

I gasped dramatically. "What? You don't like the idea of having both the youthful exuberance of a loli combined with the mature beauty of a woman? Sacrilege, I say!"

"Shut up, you old pervert." Momonga turned, calling out. "Come, Pandora."

I blinked in surprise as I saw a small girl step into the light. She was small and innocent-looking, but I didn't doubt that she could shred just about anyone she wanted to. She had black hair and wide, expressive yellow eyes. She was dressed in a pale white gown, and I could see the emblem of Ainz Ooal Gown woven into it in cream thread. I tapped her screen, bringing up her information. She was a Level 100 Doppelganger, with her stats heavily slanted towards the 'Special' stat.

"…I thought Rubedo and Innocence would get lonely." The skeleton muttered, embarrassed.

I nodded, examining her code. She was a fairly basic build, made to see Momonga as her father. I politely skimmed the rest, knowing that the lich was anxiously waiting for approval. The girl was made to utterly adore her 'father', being the perfect daughter for him. She was a proper young lady, but unafraid to show her childishness at times. I nodded once, looking up. "Looks good." I decided, tapping the flavor text screen and beginning to type.

Wants a mother, and supports her father having a harem because she loves the idea of having multiple 'mothers' to spend time with.

I hesitated for a moment, glancing at the nervous lich. 'Should I?'I paused, an evil grin stretching across my face. 'Ah, who the hell am I kidding? Might as well crank this up to eleven.' My fingers began to type once more.

Secretly has a daddy complex, since she was technically adopted. Is biding her time until her growth spurt hits, unaware of her true feelings.

I smirked, knowing that Momonga wouldn't be able to read the line in English. 'That oughta guarantee plenty of entertainment over the next few years.' "All right, revenge complete." I chirped smugly.

The lich shifted nervously. "Ah… why do I feel a chill down my spine?"

"Oh, no reason." I said innocently, faltering as I noticed something odd about her code.

Of the fifty slots available to transform into, the little Doppelganger had forty of them filled. The specifications of the forms were eerily familiar, telling me all I needed to know. My smile faded. 'He must really miss them…' I closed the screen, pretending like I hadn't seen it.

"Well, it looks like she's all good." I said instead. "So… did you want to see how far we can push the Level Limit?"

The skeleton sent a smiley emote. "I would, actually."

"How much time do you have?"

"As much as I need." He paused, visibly flinching. "That is, as long as we aren't going back to the Demon Realm."

My only response was a wide grin, which he was incapable of seeing.

Pity.

He apparently didn't know that the Demon Realm was quite tame compared to some of the Leveling spots I knew of.

Hmm… to spare or not to spare?

"Sure thing, buddy." I agreed cheerily. "No Demon Realm whatsoever."

In the final weeks of the game, the Developers released the very last event.

The World Tree Burns.

In it was every unused Boss, plotline, and story development the Devs never got around to. They believed that we should at least get a chance to try our luck against the remainder of the game's storyline.

I almost cackled with glee when I learned of the so-called 'Last Boss' that they finally released.

There was something a bit odd about their announcement, however, something they completely skimmed over with very little reference to.

If you look past what the lore outright says, reading runes hidden in difficult areas and researching on your own, you can gather something odd about the term 'Last Boss'. Because technically, there are three monsters that are killing the World Tree. The first two, Níðhöggr and Veðrfölnir, are bitter enemies that live to destroy one another. Níðhöggr is a serpent who lives at a roots of the Tree, and Veðrfölnir is an eagle who rests in the branches. On their own, the two are peaceful. But the squirrel Ratatoskr hates the Nine Realms with a burning passion, and so acts as the messenger between the warring creatures.

As near as anyone can tell, he was the one who devoured the Leaves of Yggdrasil and told the eagle that it was the work of the serpent. Then he stripped the Roots of the Tree to convince the serpent of the eagle's malice, sparking the feud. In order to get at each other, the two beings had to destroy the Tree between them.

Day and night, the two are whipped into a frenzy by the crazed Ratatoskr. Níðhöggr chews at the Roots of the Tree and Veðrfölnir tears away at the Branches. With no Leaves, Roots, or Branches, the Tree is slowly dying.

…Hey. No one ever said that it all had to make sense. The game company never got around to that part. I didn't really care about the plot anyway, what I was more interested in was the Bosses.

According to the Devs, the 'terrible monster' that is killing the Tree is Ratatoskr. By defeating him, one can technically clear the event and get the meager rewards. But since the Devs included the other two in the lore, I was willing to bet that you could get something extra by finding and killing all three.

Unfortunately, as evidenced by invisible barriers with very specific gaps in them, there seemed to be only one real way to get up and down the Tree.

You had to ride the giant squirrel.

…Fuck my life.

"THERE BETTER FUCKING BE SOMETHING UP HERE!" I shouted into the wind as my improvised mount screamed in the most annoying chittering squeal I had ever had the displeasure of hearing. "OTHERWISE I SWEAR TO CHRIST I'M GOING TO FIND A WAY TO NUKE YOU ASSHOLES!"

If there were any Developers watching my squirrel ride, they didn't comment.

I wasn't sure if that was a good sign or a very bad one.

My worries dissolved, however, once I started hearing the sound of branches cracking. A screech loud enough to drown out the torture of Ratatoskr's hideous noise for a few seconds.

It seemed that my gamble had paid off.

I summoned my Maidens to me the moment I stepped off, landing on an enormous branch giving me a perfect view of the giant eagle. It was nothing compared to Harold, honestly, but I didn't expect it to be. Harold's epicness will never again be matched in this world.

"[Trans Form: Dragon]." I chanted, immediately feeling my Avatar begin to shift.

I exploded into motion, tackling the eagle and pinning it down. Archer and Noa caught on, each sending down their most lethal attacks. The Branches of the World Tree came to life, curling around the eagle and holding it fast. Arrows buried themselves deep into vital areas. And all the while, I was tearing into it without restraint.

It lasted two minutes before letting out a dying screech.

Congratulations! For defeating the Hidden World Threat Veðrfölnir, you have gained access to the unique Job Class 'The Sky's Branches'!

I scooped up the loot without looking at it, knowing I could sort it all out later. Two more. I waited for the squirrel to return to the top before hopping on, holding on for dear life. A helpful pop-up appeared as I passed the hollow in the center of the Tree, interrupting my stream of mumbled curses.

Congratulations! For being the first Player to successfully ride a World Threat a total of 50 kilometers, you have gained access to the unique Job Class 'Fury of the Storm'!

"I… hate… you… so… much." I hissed at the screen. It ignored me.

The Squirrel Express arrived at the entrance to the tunnel system in incredible time, darting down into the depths of the darkest caverns and into a place full of blackened roots. Within curled a gigantic python, hissing at me as I approached. I leaped off Ratatoskr, skidding to a halt and summoning my Maidens on the spot.

This battle was a lot harder, the confined space preventing me from using my Transformation Skill. So I dug my heels in, gritted my teeth, and started beating a giant snake to death with my bare fists. Archer strafed it from afar, and Noa restricted its movements using numerous Spells designed to bind him and summon numerous trees into the area.

Fifteen minutes later, the giant snake collapsed with a final hiss of defeat.

Congratulations! For defeating the Hidden World Threat Níðhöggr, you have gained access to the unique Job Class 'The Earth's Roots'!

I exhaled. "All right. Wonderful. Now. I'd assume I'm going to the giant hollow in the trunk of the Tree next, seeing as it's obviously where the demon squirrel lives… you two ready for this?"

Silence.

"Wonderful. Let's go. [Greater Teleportation]."

In a flicker of movement, we appeared once more outside the World Tree. I ignored the squirrel this time, launching myself into a leap that arced me high into the air. I fell in a slow dive, catching hold of the edge of the tree's hollow and pulling myself up. Inside was a blackened hole the size of a superstore, stretching out in a perfect sphere in all directions.

"[Summon: Archer]. [Summon: Noa]." I whispered. The Maidens appeared, and I stepped into the center of the 'room'.

A terrible screech filled the air, Ratatoskr skittering angrily into the area.

I tensed for battle, waiting for something incredibly dangerous—

Archer's barbed arrow sunk into the squirrel's neck, and instantly its HP dropped to nothing. I blinked in confusion.

'…It couldn't possibly be that easy, could it? Did clearing the other two Bosses make this one much easier or something?'

The giant squirrel's body began to crack, rising into the air before shattering into a million pieces. But to my alarm, nothing dropped. Not a single speck of gold, not a glimmer of a Data Crystal.

Instead, an ominous message flashed in front of me.

By clearing all Hidden Event Bosses, you have unlocked a Hidden Event.

HE IS AWAKE.

I felt the entire Tree shudder as something heavy crashed into it. I turned and bolted out, dismissing my Transformation Skill midair and taking flight. Six kilometers of bulk barreled out of the World Tree as I turned, beholding the thing that had shaken the Tree.

It was a Dragon.

A giant, roaring, familiarDragon.

Sure, it was smaller than me by about ten percent, but I knew exactly what it was from the very first glance.

"Oh, come on." I complained, taking a brief moment to shout into thin air. "You really did it, didn't you? Took my Avatar's textures off an unused Boss, eh? Well this is a fucking riot."

The other Dragon was me. Or, more accurately, it was what 'I' had originally been. A Boss's shape and skin, which had once been repurposed to fit me rather than this monstrosity.

Deep black claws were dug into the bark. An obsidian-black maw was opened wide, exhaling gouts of flame onto the cracked trunk of the Tree. It looked big, it looked dangerous, and it looked pissed.

"[Sight of Sage]." I rumbled.

[Devourer of the Nine Worlds]

[World-Class Enemy]

[Level 92]

I cringed.

This was not going to be easy.

Not in the least.

I inhaled deeply, then began spamming every buff Spell and Skill I had.

If all else failed… I could always summon my death turtle.

I finally dealt the final blow, holding my breath in anticipation. The bastard had already resurrected into a nastier form twice, but maybe this time…

Yes.

Yes.

Yes!

The body of the twisted monster cracked, scales falling off and skin beginning to glow. The death animation was soundly ignored in favor of the swarm of notifications that assaulted me.

Congratulations! For defeating all three Final World Threats, you have gained access to the unique Job Class 'Savior of Worlds'!

Congratulations! For being the first Player to defeat the World-Class Enemy [Devourer of the Nine Worlds], you have gained access to the unique Job Class 'Purveyor of Eternity'!

Congratulations! For being the first Player to kill every Dungeon Boss, Event Boss, and Quest Boss in the entire game at least once, you have gained access to the unique Job Class 'Sentinel of the Fallen World'!

Congratulations! For being the first Player to kill every World Threat in the entire game at least once, you have gained access to the unique Job Class 'Soldier of the Wastelands'!

Congratulations! You have completed every achievement in YGGDRASIL!

For being the first Player to complete every Quest, clear every dungeon, and combat every World Threat in the entire game, you have gained the World Item [Once in a Lifetime].

Congratulations, Player.

No…

Thank you, Miyagi-dono.

You're the only one who would ever make it here, the only one who ever come close to exploring every piece of this game's solo content.

Thank you for everything you have done for us, and thank you for enjoying our game to its fullest. You have helped so many others enjoy this game more than we ever thought possible. You worked tirelessly to explore every inch of the Nine Realms, you crawled through every last dungeon. Every bit of content we created, you took the time to examine and improve. You found every World Item there was left to find, spent tireless hours becoming the best Player you could be.

We hope that one day, we might return to this beautiful world, if only for Players like you who would enjoy it to its fullest.

We leave you with one last Item. One that we know you'll love. This is the last notification you will ever get, so be ready.

Congratulations, Miyagi-dono. For being, by default, the most amazing Player to ever finish this game, you have received the Final World Item: [Heart of a Dragon].

Thank you, you wonderful troll. You deserve this. Have fun with whatever time you have left in this game.

-The developers.

I stopped reading, honestly touched. I had no idea what I had been doing was so appreciated. Sure, I did everything they said I had, but it was out of self-interest rather than a will to explore. I supposed that they didn't really care what my motivations were, though, as long as I enjoyed myself.

For all that we Players complained and the Devs trolled us, we genuinely respected each other at the end of the day. And it's times like this that I can truly appreciate that.

And since they're definitely going to shamelessly rip off my idea for the World Sapling when they inevitably create YGGDRASIL II, I don't even feel like a dick about it.

"Come on, ladies, it's time to get the hell outta dodge."

I examined the loot I had gotten from my Raids with a critical eye, curled in the safety of my mansion's Treasury.

Yes. I do fit. Not because my mansion is freakishly huge, though it most definitely is, but because I have a cash item that reduces one's Avatar size by two-thirds. Not exactly something I like using due to it requiring me to give up one of my ten ring slots, but when the choice is between lounging on the grass and curling menacingly inside of a gold-filled recreation of Erabor, I think you know which option is more badass.

Hey. I might be blue and totally the wrong shape, but every Dragon has to pretend they're Smaug every once in a while just for the hell of it. And when you have enough gold to crash the world economy, how elsewould you decorate your underground Treasury?

Anyways. Back to the sweet bonuses from my recent conquest.

'The Sky's Branches' was a Ranger-type Job Class, which didn't interest me much. But the other two, 'The Earth's Roots' and 'Savior of Worlds', were both prime candidates to fill in the last 10 Job Levels Noa had open. The first gave incredible boosts to Earth and Nature Magic, while the second gave some serious AoE and Stat modifications.

Just what I needed to finish off her character. I had been wondering about that, and this was the perfect opportunity, landing in my lap entirely by chance.

As for the last two World Items, though… they were simultaneously the most satisfying and the most depressing things I had ever received.

It was obvious that they were meant for someone who would had beaten the game and had no more use for the obstacles it offered. They were the Items given to a Player who played only for the fun of it, never to compete. They were broken, yes, but I could tell they had been made specifically for a character I would never be.

[Once in a Lifetime] was my reward for 'beating the game'. It didn't really look like much, just a small ornament that could be braided into one's hair. It could be equipped by any Race, no matter who it was, and it could never be stolen with Thief-based Skills. It had one effect. It made it so that one-use Items functioned an infinite number of times as long as they were in the holder's possession.

It was crapped out. It was a balance breaker. But it was also meant as a beautiful gift for someone who had beaten the game.

As for [Heart of a Dragon]… it was a fist-sized red gem that pulsed from within like a beating heart. It couldn't be equipped, it merely had to be in one's Inventory to function. It had two properties that were even more game-breaking than the first Item's. But even better than that was the flavor text they thoughtfully included in the little beauty. A note, almost, directed towards me.

"The gift given as a parting love letter to a Dragon who has seen it all. The Gods of YGGDRASIL are leaving it behind, and the World Tree has finally fallen. Yet still the noble Dragon nurtures the Sapling of the next.

The [Heart of a Dragon] is a beautiful thing, of adventure and life and hope. It is unique in all the world, and will only ever belong to the one who has stood sentinel over the Nine Worlds from their dawn until their dusk.

After all… when one has the [Heart of a Dragon], they can never die."

A touching note, written by the Devs simply because they could. A kindness, handed out by a total stranger. The end of the game is coming, here's a blank check, go have a blast. A beautiful sentiment. Tragic, but beautiful.

The properties it gave to the holder was simple, yet equally magnificent. First, a Player with the Item equipped faced zero death penalty. Not a single Item would drop from where they died, and they would not lose any EXP whatsoever. Second, just as the flavor text said, the holder of [Heart of a Dragon] could not die. They automatically respawned upon their death, occupying the last safe location they had been. Spawn prevention Spells couldn't stop it, nor could Anti-Resurrection Magic. No drawbacks, no bullshit. Just that simple function.

Amazing.

Thank you, Developers. Thank you not only for the incredible game you've created, but for giving me such a leg up after the End comes.

I shook my head, sighing. My mind went to the approaching server shutdown, which was always a depressing thought. I cheered myself up with the knowledge that I could still grind until I reached the new Level Cap in my remaining time, however, giving me one hell of a better shot than the original timeline had.

Wait.

With the Level Cap gone, I could technically max out all of the Job Classes I had gotten for beating the game. Yes, even the ridiculous squirrel-riding one. I owed it to the Devs, I felt, to actually use all the unique and wonderful Classes they offered for mastering all of the game's content.

'…But seriously, what was with that one Job Class for riding fifty kilometers on a World Threat? What was it called, 'Fury of the Storm'?'

I brought up the screen and clicked on the odd Job Class, bringing up the Class's flavor text.

You've been Taming beasts and playing it safe all your life. But if you truly want to live, you have to learn to Ride.

If no Title is equipped, grants Title 'Fury of the Storm'.

I raised a nonexistent eyebrow. It was definitely strange… though… wouldn't it be better if I gave it to an NPC?

Hell, with all the unique Rare Classes I got over the years, why don't I give all the NPCs an overhaul? I can remove any Job Classes that are worse than the ones I have access to, freeing space for two or three Rare ones. The others aren't exactly around to complain, and I can be damn sure they'll come in useful in the New World.

So much to do, so little time.

I soon figured out the balance between tinkering and EXP grinding. See, if my Maidens killed a monster, as the owner of the Skill they originated from, the EXP went directly to me. Thus, I could set them to repeatedly loop the same dungeons over and over again while I was away tinkering with the NPCs.

I technically didn't have the authority to open and alter their settings, not really, but now that I had [Once in a Lifetime], it was a simple matter to use a Mirror of Kalandra on the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown. The game didn't bother to distinguish the original from the Mirrored copy, so it was a simple matter to forge my way into the system. As long as one knew the key words "Master Source — Open," they could easily access the built-in Administration System.

I began with Aura, since hers was by far the weakest build. She only had five points each in numerous Base Classes, which was so inefficient it was frankly ridiculous. I gave her the exact same bonuses she got from fifteen separate Classes by maxing out two of them, freeing up 45 Job Levels with only a few changes.

I mean, sure, to a Player like Bukubukuchagama the fee to re-allocate that many points might've been sky-high, but for me it was less than chump change.

Pros of regularly soloing endgame Bosses, I suppose.

I began by giving her a more stable build. I spent ten Levels giving her back some of the vital Job Classes she needed for her build type to work. Beast Tamer was one of the two Base Classes I maxed out, so it was a simple matter to also get High Tamer as well. I gave her Fury of the Storm for a mere 5 Levels, bringing her total to 80. 20 Levels left.

I gave her The Sky's Branches for another 5 Levels, then promptly ran out of ideas and used the rest of her free space to hold all the Job Classes she had previously gotten only for the Skills they gave.

One down, dozens more to go.

For once, this actually might not take as long as I thought.

The NPC named Aura Bella Fiora was created by her mother, Lady Bukubukuchagama. She was given dark skin and pointed ears, the signature traits of the dark elves. A brother to share her role with. A personality and a skillset perfectly suited to her task. She was to guard Floor 6 with everything she had, defending against invaders with her very life if need be. She was delighted as her mother began to show her off, telling the oldest Supreme Being all about her. He listened, he watched, he waited until she was done, then made a single suggestion.

Her mother fell silent, considering the mighty Dragon's counsel.

And with that, the process began again. This time, her mother went slower. More deliberate. Her original design had been deemed imperfect, and so it was changed to better fit the plan her mother had for her.

Aura didn't mind the change. If anything, she delighted in it. It meant that she still had room to improve. The ancient Dragon watched silently over her and her mother as she was being sculpted, advising her mother in the calmest of tones.

This was merely another event to him. He had seen it all so many times that he chose to share his experience with the other Supreme Beings, allowing them to better be formed to their creators' intended purpose. He even lent them something called a 'design kit', something that not even Demiurge understood. It had to be something extraordinary, because very few of the other Beings had one.

As with all NPCs, she served her mother above all things. Her mother was her life, her universe, her everything. But if anything, she could at least respect the one even other Supreme Beings called ancient.

Aura performed her duties day in and day out, enjoying the pets her mother and other Supreme Beings brought home for her. Even if her brother outclassed her in every way, she didn't mind. She was just built differently. Better suited to hiding in the forest that they called home, darting out and destroying threats before they could get far. That was what her mother designed her to do, after all, so that was what she enjoyed.

But, as time went on, her mother slowly stopped showing up. Albedo assured her that it wasn't because of her, but she still worried. Did Bukubukuchagama-sama realize she had made a mistake when making her and simply couldn't bear to see such a failure still standing around?

No. If anything, the truth was worse than that.

The gentle Dragon brought all the NPCs together, spoke to them of what had occurred. Her heart broke at the thought of never seeing her mother again and she wished daily to catch even a single glimpse of the pink Slime, but now she understood why they all had left.

They hadn't been abandoned. The Supreme Beings merely had better things to do.

It hurt, but it made sense. The glorious Supreme Beings obviously had more important duties than visiting lowly NPCs, right? Still, Aura found herself wishing that even one of the remaining Beings would drop by so she could be reminded of what once was.

The day he came to her was the best of her life. The ancient Dragon who had watched over her creation so very long ago, returning to visit. No, she soon realized with a thrill, to do more than visit. To reshape her, to perfect her as her mother once had. She could feelherself changing as he changed her, gaining knowledge and Skills that she never before dreamed of. A pair of golden reins were given as a gift from the Dragon, a World Item named [Bellerophon's Mount] that allowed her control over any beast, no matter how ferocious.

Her mother may have taught her to Tame mere house pets… but the Ancient One taught her to Ride monsters.

He took her with him when he went, out of the Tomb she called home and into the World the Supreme Ones had so easily tamed. She was nervous and excited, unworried about her post thanks to the Maiden the Supreme Being had appointed to guard the Floor while she was away. He took her up on his back, up, up, up to the Branches of the World Tree itself. She could see all of the Nine Realms from here, shimmering beautifully in the light of the dying sun.

And then they fell. Like a star crashing to Earth, they descended upon the eagle that was tearing at the Branches and crushed it like the bug it truly was. But the Ancient One did not kill it. Confused, Aura looked down at the eagle.

Then, for the first time in her existence, she understood.

This beast was no different than a common bird to the Supreme Being by her side. That was what he was teaching her to do—to Tame even the World Threats themselves. Gleefully she leaped off the Ancient One's back, instinctively knowinghow she could land on the eagle to best keep hold of it. She grasped its feathers in her hands, and the Ancient One released her.

They took flight. High into the sky she soared on the eagle, feeling her heart race and her smile threaten to split her face.

This was what she was created for, she knew. Her mother may have helped her start the journey, but it wasn't until this moment that she finished it.

For the first time in her life, she Rode the Fury of the Storm, bending it to her whims.

This was the power of the Ancient One, she learned. He took her all over the Nine Realms, batting aside the laughable resistance the World Threats gave and allowing her to mount them. The Skills she gained allowed her to keep up to five of the World Threats under her control at most, undoubtedly a drop in the bucket compared to what the Ancient One who taught her could manage. Still, he remained patient with her, gifting her with Items and Spells designed to allow her to match even a fraction of his glory.

Then he stood back and allowed her to try her luck against a World Threat without his aid. The Maiden named Archer helped, of course, but she knew it was out of the NPC's personal choice rather than an order from the Dragon.

The Baldersnatch fell before her, much to her delight. Then the Jabberwock. Then Ziz, the almighty sky-beast.

They were her pets, now. Tamed and brought back to her paradise on Floor 6. They made themselves at home in the forest and surrounding plains, waiting for the day they would be called upon once more.

She was the Fury of the Storm. Her very being had changed, from a lowly Tamer to a true Rider. She was the first NPC in all of Nazarick to gain a Title, much to her delight. The Ancient One completed her at last, leaving her to play with her new pets.

No longer did her brother outshine her. Now she could match his glow with her own.

She could feel the sky crackling around her, electricity offering itself to her to use in any way she pleased. The Sky was her world, in the same way that the Earth was her brother's. She had been remade to perfection, and she loved every second of it.

Even if the Dragon wasn't the one who had first given her life, she was determined to dedicate her life to him.

All around Nazarick, she heard of the small changes her Lord was making to the other NPCs. She only shook her head at the news, knowing that they had not received nearly as much attention as she had. The Dragon had given her a new way of life, and she would be grateful for the rest of her days.

She decided to subtly begin enquiring about the Dragon's preferences. If he found her form pleasing… maybe she could offer herself up to him?

She studiously ignored her brother's disturbed expression whenever she spoke of such matters. She wasn't obsessed, she was merely realizing her purpose in life. Even if her code said that she was meant to guard Floor 6… whoever said she couldn't do more than that?

The days came and went faster than I liked. I finally finished stockpiling resources for The End, and all that I could do now was hope. Momonga sent out a message to all of our old members about one last meeting before the server shut down, but neither of us really expected them to show up. Me because I had seen this part in the original anime, and him because he knew they had lives of their own to live.

We spent our time throwing ourselves against numerous Raid Bosses and Dungeons, grinding the EXP needed to power-level. I got the hang of it within a day or two, Momonga following close behind. It was a blast, testing ourselves against places that we would never ordinarily be able to beat.

"How far along are you, Ancient-san?" Momonga asked one day, interrupting our grinding session.

I paused, glancing over. "What, Level-wise? Level 122. Pain in the ass to get that far, let me tell you."

"Ah. I haven't had that much time or motivation. I'm only at Level 114, and if I reach 120 before the shutdown I'll be happy."

I nodded, smashing an incoming Tuveg. Damn things exploded when they were killed, but I didn't really need to worry about that anymore. "Fair enough. I'm grinding so I can fit as many Job Levels as humanly possible. Did you know that, now that most of the holders of the Limited Job Classes are gone, their positions are open?"

"Ooh, amazing!" Momonga enthused. "Do you think I can take on World Champion in Touch Me's place? Or even World Disaster, like Ulbert-san."

"Go crazy." I encouraged. "I already picked up World Disaster myself, it's not hard. Since there are openings all you have to do is go to a Ruins and hit it with a Tenth-Tier Spell. Also, you might be able to get a cool new Class by beating the Last Boss."

"I heard that, yeah." He hurled a fireball. "I might give it a shot sometime. Any tips on beating it?"

"It's the most annoying goddamn squirrel in existence."

The Overlord tilted his head. "I find that hard to believe."

"No, seriously. It makes this eeeEEEeeeEeEEeeeEEE noise all the time that just drives you up the wall. It's like someone's throwing glass in a blender while dragging their nails down seven blackboards at once."

"I'll be sure to cast [Silence], then."

I paused, incredulous. "Wait, why didn't I think of that?"

"It must've been the squirrel."

"Must've been."

We finished the dungeon, one-shotting the Boss and mostly ignoring the loot. I still wasn't entirely clear on how best to farm Levels now that we were exploring new territory, but I would figure it out eventually.

"You know, I could be your opponent for a mini-tournament if you really want to try for the World Champion Class." I insisted, turning the conversation back on track. "It wouldn't be a bother at all. I'll just send a quick Message to the Devs while we're in the Helheim Colosseum, and they can just press the button to activate the event. Not an issue at all."

"But you'll lose some of your EXP and gold!" Momonga protested.

I shook my head. "It's fine. Really. I have a World Item that'll keep that from happening."

"Of course you do." He muttered. "But… are you sure?"

An idea sparked, a positively diabolical scheme that I had been cooking up for quite some time. "You know… actually, if it really makes you feel that bad, we can take turns. There's Nine Realms, after all, and I want at least one of them to belong to my pet turtle."

Momonga paused, then shuddered. "Oh God. Harold is going to be even more terrifying. He already has World Guardian, how impossible are you planning to make him?"

"As much so as possible." I chirped, amused by his reaction. "We fellow reptiles have to stick together. And as long as I get to be World Champion of Asgard, I could care less what Harold kills to get his own shiny new Job Class."

He fell silent for a time, seeming to genuinely consider my words. "…Hey, do you really think I could do it? Be a World Champion like Touch Me, I mean."

"Oh, without a doubt. Hell, you could even try to match his character with Paladin if you wanted. 15 Levels in Paladin and 5 in World Champion would bring you to 120. Nice and even."

"You know…" The lich fell silent. "I might do exactly that. It sounds fun, and I have the time for it. Though, actually, I might go to 125 just so I can get the World Disaster Class, too."

"I approve. Go beyond your limits, Momonga! Plus Ultra!"

"…That's another one of your outdated references, isn't it."

"Yep."

"Cool, I guess."

The Overlord stretched, sighing. "…Well, if we're going to start claiming World Champion Classes for ourselves, we might as well do it now. There's only an hour left until I have to log out, so I want to make the best of it."

"All right, then." I chuckled. "Let's do this thing."

Let's see how overpowered we can get before the End, Momonga.

Come on. It'll be fun.

END OF ACT I

A/N:

All right, I have been reading your reviews, and I actually do have character sheets drawn up for the four added characters. Ancient One's is not updated to match the current chapter, but otherwise it should all work. The link is imgur dot com / gallery / iDQEr7U.

Sorry for the delayed chapter, shit happens. I won't bore you with the details. This is the last chapter in the Old World, just in time as it seemed some people were growing tired of it. I wanted to take the time to fully explore and prepare before pulling the cast into the next World. It just seems far more organic to write out the MC's adventures and then later reference them than to just drop the MC into the storyline and just expect you all to suspend your disbelief indefinitely.

Yes, Momonga will be going to the New World... but I'm planning a bit of a twist. A few twists, actually. Maruyama is a storytelling genius, don't get me wrong, but the problem is his plot is so tightly woven together that trying to insert a character into his plotline means you have to either degrade the MC to a tag-along or take on the monumental task of trying to account for each and every person's actions whenever you change something. Seriously, the sheer number of characters in Overlord defies belief. And to try to add fourcharacters in at once, in addition to changing the vast majority of Nazarick's NPCs? That would be a migraine-inducing task for anyone, especially someone who hasn't read the LNs for a few years.

So I'm going a different route, trying something else. 

Now. One last order of business. My next update is going to be a double-release, because I intend to release an Interlude before the first chapter of Act II. The Interlude will be entirely skippable, being a sort of exposé on the world outside of the MC's narrow focus. Many reviews have been asking about it, and I have been listening. For everyone who doesn't want to read that, who just wants the story to move on already, I won't make you wait an extra week to get what you want. Chapter 1 of Act II will be released the same day as the Interlude, as a sort of compromise between the two parties.