Chapter 10

Reflecting upon the recent turn of events, I carefully placed the artifact to its original location within the Treasury before taking another World Item.

"Pandora's Actor, survey the surroundings of Nazarick. I would prefer if you search for any kinds of settlement and inquire information from the inhabitants, if there are ever. With your [Transformation], I assume it would be an easy task for you."

"It's a piece of cake. But is it really alright to leave you behind, alone?"

"I reckon some of the World Items in our possession are still functional and available for use. For my own security, I shall remain within the treasury for the time being. Also, take this to protect yourself at all times." I explained, passing an ornate white mask, crafted with intricate designs and etchings.

The Mask of Veiled Attributes, another World Item. It grants its wearer the ability to conceal their actual stats, attributes, and abilities from the onlookers. Moreover, it enables modification and display of specific information they wish to convey to others, enabling them to control the narrative of their perceived strengths and weaknesses within the realm of their interactions. It offers the highest level of deception in the game which only the other wielder of World Items can see through.

Accepting the item, he theatrically stamped his foot and offered a salute before vanishing with teleportation. "Take care, Momonga-sama!"

After he left, silence covered the room. I focused within me and sure enough, there seemed to be something inside that I yet to unleash. The feeling similar to not taking a breath even after such a heavy object pressing down your chest was already released.

I delved deeper and deeper until I sensed a convergence point. The sensation is akin to the fracturing of an egg when described in words, contained and suppressed by an unknown force. However, this force was so delicate, barely concealing what lay within. A slight exertion would probably break it completely, setting free what was contained.

That's exactly what I just did. I forcefully unleashed what's inside.

Without any warning, a dark, purple flame surged from the crevices of my bones, engulfing my entire form. The heat was so intense that the sea of gold coins beneath me liquefied. Even my fire immunity succumbed to the temperature, slowly turning my bones into ashes.

"Arghh!" I instinctively growled.

Gritting my teeth, I endured the searing flame. This is bearable compared to the agony I experienced from the drug. The torment continued for several minutes until nothing was left of me, even my ashes evaporated.

Yet, despite the absence of a physical form, my awareness remained.

With the passing of time, new fragments of my body materialized, slowly replacing what had been destroyed. The swirling, purple-black flames solidify and gradually assume the shape of my being.

This wasn't just an ordinary flame created by magic. It was my own energy, reconfiguring and altering my very essence – the same energy that lay dormant within me since the betrayal over 3500 years ago.

In the depths of my consciousness, a fleeting yet weighty realization surfaced. "3500 years ago? Betrayal?" The words that slipped from my non-existent lips unlocked another fragment in the labyrinth of my memories.

Before the life experience of Suzuki Satoru, there lingered another buried recollection. It was a foggy, fragmented puzzle, mostly shrouded in the haze of missing pieces. It reveals only the faces of those who betrayed me and the unfathomable stretch of time that had transpired.

There's a chasm in my memory preceding the betrayal that led to my downfall. However, the recollections that follow are entwined with the adventures of Suzuki Satoru in the game world of Yggdrasil as an undead -- without the knowledge of it being a game -- which unfolded in the expanse of over 3500 years.

This made everything initially confusing, considering only 12 years had passed, not several millennia, since the game's release. However, this perplexity was resolved after aligning the years that had passed based on Suzuki Satoru perception of time and the temporal passage in the game, which is 1 minute equating to 5 hours. By this conversion, it became evident that 3,600 years had transpired in Yggdrasil, confirming the details within my newly acquired memories.

This means the 12 years of experience was stretched into 3600 years which can explain how the gaps in my new memory were formed. Now, I have a total of 3 sets of memories. Mine, Suzuki Satoru's and what I could only assume as the modified past of Momonga -- the inhabitant of Yggdrasil.

Putting that thought aside, I shifted my focus towards the immense mirror on the wall, matching the proportions of the throne room's entrance. Although it nearly reached the ceiling, my vantage point easily surpassed its frame. So I needed to lower my head to match its level.

As I gazed into the mirror, I beheld a sight that echoed the legends of old.

Its colossal form, adorned in obsidian scales with regal purple accents, reflected the lineage of royalty and majesty in its very essence. Lustrous arcs of purple flames licked from the crevices of its scales, hinting at the latent power coursing within. With every movement, a flicker of electrically charged energy illuminated the surroundings, casting an ethereal glow on the landscape. Its eyes, glowing orbs of purple, held an age-old wisdom that seemed to have witnessed the passage of time itself. The reflection held a creature of commanding presence, an embodiment of power and grace.

The mirror unveiled not just a mythical being, but a symbol of a bygone era -- a dragon steeped in regality and adorned with the magnificence of ancient times.

"Kekeke. I'm still level 100, but I could sense the level cap had been removed," my voice echoed through the room as I slightly flexed my wings, creating a huge gust of wind, hurling the treasury in shambles.

…

--Flash Back (Before the shut down)--

[23:58:14]

There's only less than 2 minutes left.

I raised the guild weapon in my left hand, directing it towards Pandora's Actor. As I did so, a holographic window appeared, showing his flavor-text. I don't have the leisure to modify his existing background information so I just added new lines of text...

[[FLAVOR-TEXT]]

...childish..."}}

*New*

{{"... In the annals of Yggdrasil, an untold narrative spun a tale of a being transcendent to the realms of Yggdrasil. Momonga, once among the World Enemies, stood as an entity whose might overshadowed even the most potent of his kind. His sheer supremacy evoked fear among the 32 other World Enemies, branding him an anomaly, an irregularity amongst the celestial order.

This fear birthed treachery, a betrayal orchestrated by his own kind, resulting in a sinister pact forged between the World Tree and the fearful coalition of World Enemies. The accord sealed his fate, draining his essence of experience and levels, reducing the formidable entity to a level 0 specter, devoid of physical form, reduced to a nomadic essence of insignificant mana adrift in the cosmic expanse.

To regain the indomitable strength of his former stature, Momonga, in an act of calculated desperation, inhabited an undead skeleton, masquerading as a mere player within the dominion of Yggdrasil. Yet, the shackles of the realm persisted, restraining his ascent beyond the confining threshold of level 100, a limitation imposed upon all inhabitants of Yggdrasil.

However, entwined with his destiny was the promise of a celestial metamorphosis. Should the shackles restraining Momonga be lifted, a grand transformation awaited -- the resurgence of his true form, the World Enemy 'Primordial Dragon Monarch {The Fallen One},' liberating him from the level cap. This liberation would pave the way for his continued ascent beyond the confines of level 100, a journey toward reclaiming his former celestial eminence.

And with it, Pandora's Actor's own ability, [Transformation], would also be freed, enabling him to imitate the full power of the forty-five 'saved' forms. A destiny etched into his very essence, becoming the 'Second Coming {The Disaster}' -- a secret known only to the enigmatic creator and his enigmatic creation."}}

[[Closed]]

..."Finally, it's done"

--Flash Back End--

…