Author note: If we reach 80 spirit stones before the end of this week I will post 2 bonus chapter per week! Do reach it and help me reach more readers!
Satoru Suzuki stared at the YGGDRASIL website on his computer screen.The game's official release was getting closer, and after spending the past few days reading articles and watching promotional videos, his curiosity had finally gotten the better of him.
"Well, I guess there's no harm in trying it."
He proceeded to register an account and install the game. The process took longer than he expected, but he didn't mind. He had nothing particularly interesting planned for the evening anyway.
Once the installation was complete, he logged in his virtual reality equipment and a new icon appeared on his interface.
Satoru Suzuki stood in a vast, empty space surrounded by countless stars.
For a moment, he simply stared at the scenery.
"…Whoa."
He had expected an ordinary character creation menu, perhaps a few options floating in front of him. Instead, he found himself standing in what felt like an endless universe, with glowing symbols and holographic panels appearing whenever he focused on them.
A pleasant, mechanical voice greeted him.
WELCOME TO YGGDRASIL
PLEASE BEGIN YOUR CHARACTER CREATION.
Satoru cautiously raised his hand and touched one of the floating panels. A list of races appeared before his eyes.
Humans. Elves. Dwarves. And countless other beings, some of which looked as though they had crawled straight out of a nightmare.
He scrolled through the selections with a wave of his hand. "…They really went all out with this."
He selected a humanoid race, and a full-body representation of his character appeared in front of him.
He could rotate the figure, inspect its features, and adjust its appearance with simple gestures. Satoru circled his character, examining the available customization options.
There were so many choices that he wasn't even sure where to begin. "Hair, face, body type…"
He paused at the more unusual options.
"…And I can actually become one of those things?" He selected another race just to see what would happen. His virtual body transformed instantly, taking on a completely different appearance.
Satoru blinked.
Then he changed it back.
"Huh. This might take longer than I thought."
…
After spending some time exploring the character creation system, Satoru finally confirmed his choices. A mechanical voice echoed throughout the virtual space.
[Character Creation Complete.]
[Welcome to YGGDRASIL.]
[You are now entering the world of Helheim.]
[PvP Mode is now available.]
The empty space around him dissolved, revealing a gloomy landscape covered in murky swamps, twisted trees, and thick layers of mist. The ground beneath his feet was damp, and the air carried an unpleasant, rotten smell.
Satoru looked around. "…What the hell is this place?"
He had barely taken a few steps when a notification appeared before his eyes.
[Debuff Applied: Slowed.]
[Movement Speed Reduced.]
"Uwahh! I didn't know this place would be this disgusting!" Momonga lifted one of his bony feet from the swampy ground, only to watch it sink right back into the mud when he took another step.
"This is horrible! Who designed this place? And why would anyone willingly start here?" He looked around, hoping to find something resembling a road or, at the very least, ground that wouldn't try to swallow his feet.
Eventually, he spotted what appeared to be a human settlement in the distance. Wooden buildings stood behind a crude fence, with several guards stationed near the entrance. His skeletal face couldn't express much, but he felt a wave of relief.
"Finally! Civilization!"
Since he was a newcomer, he figured the settlement might offer some basic quests to help him get started. Perhaps someone would ask him to collect herbs, hunt a few monsters, or deliver something.
Simple tasks. Nothing too difficult.
With that thought in mind, Momonga slowly approached the settlement.
Unfortunately, the moment he came within sight of the guards, their expressions changed.
"MONSTER!"
One of them raised his spear while the others immediately reached for their weapons.
Momonga stopped.
"…Huh?"
Before he could explain himself, a notification flashed across his interface.
[You are in combat.]
He tilted his skull slightly, confused by the sudden message.
"Wait, what? I'm just here to—" A guard rushed toward him.
Momonga barely had time to react before the sharp point of a spear struck his ribs.
CLANG!
He stumbled backward, staring at the guard in disbelief. "What the fuck?!"
Another notification appeared.
[You have been killed.]
[Respawning…]
The world faded into darkness.
For a few seconds, there was nothing but silence.
Then Momonga's voice echoed through the empty space. "…I haven't even accepted my first quest."
…
…
…
Tenebris was enjoying a perfectly ordinary morning when a notification appeared on his screen. [YGGDRASIL Development Team: Update Regarding Your Special Collaboration Reward]
He stopped what he was doing. "…Finally." He opened the message, eager to see what the developers had to say.
After all, when you spent more than four hundred million yen in a single month, you expected some decent customer service.
I hurriedly logged in on YGGDRASIL.
Ding!
A notification appeared on my virtual screen.
[YGGDRASIL OFFICIAL RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENT] Congratulations, Player! Your exclusive collaboration rewards are now available. Please log in to your account to claim the following items and titles.
Divine-Class Item: Devourer's Armor
Exclusive Title: World Devourer's Archnemesis
I immediately opened the details.
"IT'S HERE!" I couldn't help but grin as I read through the rewards. After waiting for so long, the developers had finally delivered.
I clicked on the title first.
[World Devourer's Archnemesis]
Effect:
Increases attack power by 120% against World Enemies and Boss Monsters.
Increases defense penetration by 20%.
Grants immunity to magical debuffs.
Increases resistance by 20%.
I stared at the description for a few seconds.
"…Damn." This was even better than I had expected.
I mumbled to myself as I reread the effects. A massive attack boost against World Enemies and Boss Monsters, additional defense penetration, immunity to magical debuffs, and increased resistance?
What kind of ridiculous title was this? And that was only the title.
I moved on to the Divine-Class item.
[Devourer's Armor]
Classification: Divine-Class Item.
Description: Forged using the scales of the World Devourer, this armor possesses a unique ability to consume and assimilate the essence of its prey.
Special Ability: Devour
Allows the user to acquire one random skill and spell by devouring eligible targets and assimilating them into the armor's abilities. The acquired abilities can be learned and used by the wearer.
Note: This ability cannot be used to devour World Items.
Additional Stats:
Defense: +500
Penetration: +200
Agility: +200
I slowly leaned back. "…Damn. What a cheat." An armor that could acquire skills and spells by devouring enemies? On top of that, it granted an absurd amount of additional stats.
This thing was practically a walking exploit.
It reminded me of those World Champion builds from Touch Me's. I couldn't help but laugh.
"Am I just lucky, or is this the perk of spending money? Hehe"
Well, whatever the reason, I wasn't going to complain. I had paid an absurd amount for this collaboration, so receiving something this powerful felt pretty satisfying.
Anyway, enough admiring my rewards. I had a game to play. I logged into YGGDRASIL, eager to see whether my character had retained his previous progress. The beta test was over, and I had no idea how much of my old progress would carry over into the official release.
"If my level got reset, I'm going to have a lot of grinding to do." Once I entered the game, I checked my character information and inventory. Before getting carried away, though, I needed a plan.
I opened a personal note and began listing my priorities.
[MY YGGDRASIL GOALS]
1. Find Momonga and the other original members.
The original members of Ainz Ooal Gown were my top priority. I wanted to meet Momonga and the others, even if it meant searching through countless servers and asking around the community.
The original story never really gave me all the details about how Momonga met everyone or how the guild came together. That left me with plenty of room to figure things out for myself.
2. Create a guild.
I needed a guild of my own, and I already had a name in mind.
10's One Goal just like in the novel.
3. Reach level 100.
No shortcuts. No excuses. I wanted to reach the level cap as quickly as possible and build my character properly.
4. Win the World Championship.
This was the ultimate goal. With my special armor and title, I had a powerful advantage, but I wasn't foolish enough to think that equipment alone would guarantee victory. I'd still need experience, strategy, and a lot of practice.
I reviewed the list one more time.
Finding Momonga and the others wouldn't be easy. Creating a guild would take resources and preparation. Reaching level 100 would require hours of grinding, and winning the World Championship was an entirely different challenge.
Still, I wasn't discouraged.
I had the time, the resources, and a ridiculously overpowered piece of armor.
"What could possibly go wrong?"
I smiled and closed the note.
"All right, YGGDRASIL. Let's see what you've got."
…
…
…
After spending hours grinding near the lizardmen settlement, Momonga had finally reached Level 5. It wasn't much, especially compared to the higher-level players he had heard about, but at least he was making progress. He had completed several quests, learned how to use his basic skills, and become more careful about choosing his battles.
Most importantly, he had figured out that not every creature in YGGDRASIL was out to kill him.
Well, most creatures.
"Finally! Level 5!"
Momonga looked at his status window with a sense of accomplishment. After all the deaths he'd experienced since creating his character, reaching Level 5 felt like a monumental achievement.
"Now then, time to see how much stronger I've gotten."
He left the settlement and headed toward a nearby hunting ground. This time, he wanted to fight monsters instead of running errands for NPCs. If he wanted to survive in YGGDRASIL, he needed to gain experience and improve his combat skills.
He wandered through the area until he spotted a humanoid figure standing near a cluster of trees. At first, Momonga assumed it was an NPC. However, the figure wore equipment that looked noticeably different from the gear worn by the local inhabitants. A name hovered above his head, accompanied by a small player indicator.
It was an elf.
The player wore light armor and carried a bow, with several pieces of equipment that looked considerably better than Momonga's own gear.
"Oh, another player!"
Momonga immediately approached him. After all his unfortunate encounters with hostile NPCs, meeting another player was a welcome change.
"Hey! Are you grinding here too?" The elf turned around, looking slightly surprised before smiling.
"Yeah. This area's pretty good for leveling up. What about you?"
"I'm still a beginner. Just reached Level 5."
"Nice. Everyone starts somewhere."
Momonga felt relieved. Finally, someone who didn't immediately try to kill him just because he was an undead. The two chatted briefly about the surrounding area, with the elf sharing a few tips about nearby monsters. Momonga listened attentively, grateful to have found someone willing to help.
Eventually, the elf's gaze drifted toward Momonga's equipment. "Hey, where'd you get that robe?"
Momonga glanced down at himself. "Oh, this? It's just beginner gear. Nothing special."
"Mind if I take a closer look?"
"Uh, sure?"
The elf inspected him for a moment, then opened his own interface.
"By the way, do you know if players drop their equipment when they die?"
Momonga paused.
"…What?"
"I mean, I've never actually tried it. I was just wondering if the game allows it."
The elf's tone was casual, almost conversational. He didn't seem particularly threatening, so. Momonga didn't think much of the question.
"Well, I guess it depends on the game's rules?"
"Right. Guess there's only one way to find out."
Before Momonga could ask what he meant, the elf drew his bow.
An arrow struck Momonga before he could react.
[You are in combat.]
"HEY! WHAT THE HELL?!"
Momonga stumbled backward, desperately trying to understand what was happening.
"Sorry, man! Nothing personal. I just want to see if you drop anything useful!"
"YOU COULD'VE JUST ASKED ME TO SHOW YOU MY INVENTORY!"
But the elf had already launched another attack.
Momonga tried to fight back, but the difference in their equipment and combat experience was too much. His attacks barely scratched the elf, while each incoming strike drained more of his health.
"WAIT! CAN'T WE TALK ABOUT THIS?!"
[You have been killed.]
Momonga respawned a short distance away.
"…I just got robbed. In a video game."
He opened his status window to check whether he had lost any equipment. Thankfully, most of his belongings were still there.
However, something else caught his attention.
His experience bar had decreased slightly.
"…Huh?"
He stared at it, hoping he was simply reading it wrong. But no matter how many times he checked, the result remained the same.
He had lost experience upon death.
"YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!"
Before he could finish complaining, a familiar voice called out from behind him.
"Oh, there you are!"
Momonga slowly turned his skull.
The elf was smiling as if they were old friends meeting again.
"Sorry about that! I just wanted to test something."
"YOU KILLED ME!"
"Yeah, about that…"
The elf opened his status window, looking puzzled.
"I think I actually gained some experience from killing you."
Momonga went silent.
The elf looked at his experience bar, then back at Momonga.
"So, if I kill you again…"
"NO."
"…I might get more EXP?"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!"
Momonga immediately ran.
Unfortunately, the elf was already following him.
"HEY, WAIT! I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM SOMETHING!"
"CONFIRM IT ON A MONSTER!"
[You are in combat.]
[You have been killed.]
Once again, Momonga found himself back at the respawn point, with even less experience than before.
He stared at his status window in disbelief.
"…I hate this game."
Far behind him, the elf stood still, staring at his experience bar.
He had entered the area hoping to find some decent loot. Instead, he had stumbled upon something far more interesting.
Killing a heteromorphic player granted experience. He opened the YGGDRASIL forums and began typing a new post.
[General Discussion]Has anyone else gained EXP from killing a heteromorphic player?
He hesitated for a moment before submitting it.
Within minutes, the first replies began appearing.
…
…
…
After hours of grinding, Tenebris had finally reached Level 20. The corpses of several wolves lay scattered across the clearing, their bodies slowly disappearing after the battle. As Tenebris rested his greatsword against his shoulder, a notification appeared before his eyes.
[You have gained EXP.]
[Runic Knight has leveled up!]
[Subclass Progress: 3/10]
[Draconic Knight has leveled up!]
[Subclass Progress: 2/10]
[New Class Acquired: Eldritch Knight]
[Greatsword Mastery has leveled up!]
Tenebris blinked at the notifications.
"Wait, what?"
He opened his class interface and checked the details again. Apparently, his existing classes had met the requirements for a new class, unlocking Eldritch Knight.
"Huh. So they can combine?" He hadn't expected that. He had only been testing his equipment and grinding against monsters, yet he had somehow unlocked an entirely new class.
"Well, that's unexpected." After checking his status one more time, he closed the interface and looked over his equipment.
His armor was covered in black scales, with crimson red showing through the gaps between each armored plate. Two dragon heads rested on his shoulder guards, their eyes glowing an ominous red.
Though the armor was already eye-catching, it covered most of his body, making it difficult for others to identify his exact race.
"At least my armor hides most of my features." He glanced at the dragon heads on his shoulders.
"…Though this thing isn't exactly subtle."
Just as he was about to continue hunting, a notification appeared in the corner of his interface.
[General Discussion is currently trending.]
Tenebris raised an eyebrow. "Hm? What's everyone talking about now?"
He opened the forum, expecting the usual arguments about class builds or someone complaining about an overpowered boss.
Instead, one particular thread caught his attention.
[General Discussion] Has anyone else gained EXP from killing a heteromorphic player?
He hesitated for a moment before submitting it.
Tenebris's expression changed as he opened it. He skimmed through the replies, and his eyes soon landed on the comments discussing experience points. Apparently, humanoid players had discovered that killing heteromorphic players could grant them EXP. The victims could also lose experience upon death.
Tenebris went quiet.
"…Shit. It's begun."
He closed the forum and looked toward the surrounding forest.
He had expected something like this to happen eventually. YGGDRASIL encouraged conflict between different races, and players were bound to take advantage of any mechanic that gave them an edge.
Fortunately, his armor concealed most of his racial features. With its black scales, crimson accents, and dragon-shaped shoulder guards, he could probably pass for a heavily armored warrior.
Tenebris glanced down at himself.
"…Though, to be fair, I'm not exactly dressed to blend into a crowd."
He sighed before tightening his grip on his greatsword.
"Whatever. As long as they can't identify my race, I should be fine soloing for now."
Tenebris was about to close the forum when another notification appeared. The thread had already gathered hundreds of replies, and the number kept increasing.
"People really have nothing better to do, huh?"
He scrolled through the discussion, skimming past arguments about whether the mechanic was intentional and whether killing other players for EXP should be considered an exploit.
Some players were already sharing their experiences, while others were discussing how the mechanic could be used to level up faster.
Then he noticed a new comment.
[General Discussion] Has anyone tried farming low-level heteromorphic players?
Tenebris clicked on it.
The post was relatively short, but its contents made his expression sour. Apparently, a group of humanoid players had discovered that killing heteromorphic players could grant them experience points and class progression. Meanwhile, the victims would lose EXP upon death, making them easy targets for anyone looking to advance their characters.
The replies were even worse.
Free EXP and class progression?
Guess I know what I'm doing tonight
Finally, a reason to hunt those ugly monsters.
Imagine choosing an eldritch horror race and then complaining when people kill you. It's literally a game mechanic.
Tenebris slowly closed the thread.
"…What a bunch of assholes."
If they have already discovered this then killing heteromorphic players wasn't just another way to gain experience. It could also help players progress their classes, making the mechanic even more attractive to those looking for an easy way to grow stronger.
And considering how many players enjoyed exploiting anything that gave them an advantage, it wouldn't take long for the situation to get out of hand.
Tenebris opened the thread again and checked the comments for any mention of locations.
One reply caught his attention.
Player comment:Some guys were doing this in Helheim. Saw them chasing a skeleton around like it was a damn piñata.
Tenebris stared at the screen for a moment.
"A skeleton?"
There was nothing particularly unusual about an undead player being targeted. However, the thought of several players repeatedly killing someone just because they could gain EXP and class progression left a bad taste in his mouth.
Still, he wasn't about to go searching the entire map for a stranger.
"Well, hopefully that guy figured out how to get away."
Tenebris dismissed the forum and returned his attention to the clearing. He still had plenty of grinding to do, and reaching Level 20 didn't mean he could afford to waste time.
After checking his equipment one last time, he picked up his greatsword and continued through Helheim.
The location mentioned in the thread wasn't too far from his current hunting area, so he decided to pass through on his way to find more monsters.
It wasn't as if he was going out of his way to help anyone.
At least, that was what he told himself.
A little while later, Tenebris reached another hunting ground in Helheim. The area was filled with twisted trees and rocky outcroppings, with thick mist hanging close to the ground.
He was about to continue forward when he heard voices coming from beyond a cluster of trees.
"Come on, don't run! We're just trying to have some fun!"
"WHY THE HELL WOULD I LET YOU HAVE FUN AT MY EXPENSE?!"
Tenebris stopped.
He recognized the second voice as belonging to a player, but the panic in it was unmistakable.
He quietly approached the source of the noise and peeked around the trees.
Several humanoid players had surrounded a small skeletal figure. The skeleton was holding a weapon, but judging by his equipment and the way he was desperately trying to keep his distance, he was clearly outmatched.
One of the players raised his weapon.
"Seriously, you're Level 5. Just let us kill you a few more times."
Tenebris narrowed his eyes. The skeleton backed away.
"YOU'VE ALREADY KILLED ME ENOUGH TIMES!"
"Oh, come on. We're almost done leveling."
Tenebris sighed.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
He stepped out from behind the trees, his black-scaled armor catching the light as the crimson gaps between its plates glowed faintly. The two dragon heads mounted on his shoulder guards stared down at the group with their glowing red eyes.
"Hey."
The players turned toward him.
Tenebris rested his greatsword against his shoulder.
"Don't you guys have anything better to do?"
One of the players turned toward Tenebris, looking him up and down.
"And who the hell are you supposed to be?"
Tenebris tilted his helmet slightly.
"Someone who's trying to enjoy the game without listening to you idiots scream."
"Mind your own business, man. We're just farming."
"Farming what? Your lack of brain cells?"
Momonga let out a small laugh before immediately covering his mouth.
The humanoid players glared at him.
"What's so funny, bones? Do you want another death penalty?"
Momonga's laughter died instantly.
"…No, thank you."
Tenebris stepped forward, positioning himself between Momonga and the group.
"Look, I don't care how you want to play the game. But if your only way of leveling up is repeatedly killing someone who can barely fight back, maybe you should reconsider your life choices."
"You're acting like we're doing something illegal," one of the players replied. "It's a game mechanic. Killing heteromorphic players gives us EXP and class progression. Why wouldn't we take advantage of it?"
"Because you're being annoying as hell?"
"Whatever. Move aside."
The players drew their weapons, seemingly confident that their numbers would be enough to deal with Tenebris.
One of them, a beastman wielding a pair of daggers, stepped forward and grinned.
"Look at this guy's armor. Thinks he's some kind of boss monster."
Another player laughed.
"Maybe he's compensating for something."
Tenebris sighed.
"Are you guys done?"
"What's the matter? Scared?"
"No. Just bored."
The beastman charged.
Tenebris immediately moved his greatsword, intercepting the incoming attack. The clash forced the beastman to halt for a split second.
But before he could recover, Tenebris's greatsword vanished from his hand.
The beastman's eyes widened.
"Huh?"
A short sword appeared in Tenebris's right hand.
In one swift motion, Tenebris stepped forward and struck the beastman across the neck.
[Skill Activated: Quick Draw.]
[Status Ailment Applied: Bleeding.]
The beastman stumbled backward, clutching his neck as his health began to decrease.
"WHAT THE HELL?!"
Tenebris didn't give him time to recover.
His short sword disappeared into his inventory, and the greatsword reappeared in his hand.
[Skill Activated: Draconic Slash.]
A crimson aura enveloped the blade, forming the shape of a dragon's head around its edge.
Tenebris swung his greatsword horizontally.
A red crescent of energy tore through the air, traveling far beyond the blade's physical reach.
The beastman barely had time to look up before the attack struck him.
[Critical Hit!]
His health dropped to zero, and his character dissolved into particles of light.
For a moment, the remaining players stood frozen.
Then one of them burst out laughing.
"HAHAHA! What was that supposed to be?!"
"Nice special effects, bro! Did you buy those from the cash shop?"
"All that fancy equipment, and you still need to rely on your character skills"
Tenebris stared at them through his helmet.
"…You do realize you just watched your friend die, right?"
"He's going to respawn! It's not that serious!"
The player raised his weapon and pointed it at Tenebris.
"Come on, then! Let's see what else your overpriced armor can do!"
Tenebris tilted his head.
"Gladly."
His greatsword disappeared.
A long spear materialized in his right hand.
Before the players could react, Tenebris hurled it toward the nearest attacker.
The spear shot through the air, forcing the player to twist aside. Its tip grazed his armor before embedding itself in the ground behind him.
"What the—?!"
Tenebris was already moving.
He sprinted forward, closing the distance between them before the player could regain his footing.
As he ran, his greatsword appeared above his head, gripped firmly in both hands.
[Skill Activated: Diagonal Slash.]
Tenebris brought the blade down in a powerful diagonal arc.
The player hurriedly raised his weapon to block, but the force of the attack shattered his defense and sent him crashing to the ground.
[Heavy Damage.]
Tenebris pulled his greatsword back and turned toward the remaining players.
The confidence on their faces had disappeared.
They had expected an easy fight against someone who looked like he was showing off expensive equipment.
Instead, they were facing a player who could switch weapons in the middle of combat, inflict status ailments, and launch attacks from a distance.
And he hadn't even stopped moving long enough for them to figure out what he was doing.
Tenebris rested his greatsword against his shoulder.
"Well?"
The remaining players exchanged uneasy glances.
"Who the hell is this guy?"
Tenebris chuckled beneath his helmet.
"YOU BASTARD!"
The first caster raised his staff, mana gathering at its tip.
"Magic Lance!"
A cluster of spears materialized in the air, their sharp points aimed at Tenebris. At the same time, the second caster drew back his hand, summoning another Poison Arrow.
Tenebris stared at them.
The Lances shot forward.
Tenebris flicked his wrist, sending the throwing knife between his fingers straight toward the first caster. The player instinctively flinched, interrupting his aim for a fraction of a second.
That was enough.
Tenebris moved.
The Lances tore through the space where he had been standing, shattering against the swamp behind him. He was already closing the distance, his boots splashing through the shallow water.
The second caster released his Poison Arrow.
Tenebris's greatsword appeared in his hand.
With a single horizontal swing, he activated a skill.
[Skill Activated: Draconic Slash.]
Crimson energy erupted from the blade, forming the silhouette of a dragon's head before surging forward. The Poison Arrow collided with the red wave and vanished beneath its force.
The caster's eyes widened.
"Wait—"
The crimson wave struck him squarely.
[Critical Hit!]
His health bar emptied instantly, and his avatar dissolved into a burst of light.
Tenebris continued forward without even looking back.
The remaining caster stumbled away, desperately trying to create distance.
"STAY BACK!"
He thrust his staff forward.
"Ice Lance!"
A single spear of ice formed between them and shot toward Tenebris's face.
Tenebris tilted his helmet just enough for the projectile to scrape past its side. Before the caster could summon another, Tenebris's greatsword disappeared.
A short sword appeared in his right hand.
[Skill Activated: Quick Draw.]
Tenebris crossed the remaining distance in an instant. One precise slash interrupted the caster's attempt to cast another spell, followed by a second strike before the player could recover.
[Combo Activated: Twin Fang.]
The caster staggered, his health dropping into the red.
"WAIT! HOLD ON! WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS!"
Tenebris stopped directly in front of him.
"Now you want to talk?"
The player hurriedly raised his staff.
"LISTEN, MAN, IT WAS JUST A GAME!"
Tenebris glanced at the staff, then back at him.
"Exactly."
His short sword flashed once more.
[Critical Hit!]
The caster's health reached zero.
His character dissolved into particles of light, leaving Tenebris alone in the clearing with the sounds of the swamp.
Tenebris returned his short sword to his inventory and summoned his greatsword again, resting it against his shoulder as though nothing particularly interesting had happened.
A few meters away, Momonga stood completely still.
He had watched the entire fight unfold, from the first clash of weapons to the final spell being interrupted. The players who had spent so long tormenting him had been defeated in less time than it took him to complete a single quest.
Momonga slowly turned toward Tenebris.
"…You're terrifying."
Tenebris looked at him.
"Thanks."
"That wasn't a compliment!"
"I accepted it as one."
Momonga stared at him for another moment before glancing toward the spots where the players had disappeared.
"Are they… dead?"
"Temporarily."
"Right. Of course. Temporarily dead."
Tenebris started walking toward the path out of the clearing.
"Come on. Let's go before they respawn and decide they need another lesson."
Momonga hurried after him.
"Wait! You don't even know me! Why did you help me?"
Tenebris shrugged.
"Because there were five people bullying a Level 5 skeleton, and somehow they were still losing the argument."
Momonga fell silent.
"…That's fair."
Tenebris continued walking, his massive greatsword balanced casually against his shoulder.
Behind them, the swamp returned to its usual stillness.
And somewhere in Helheim, several players were about to discover that their next respawn came with a rather embarrassing story to tell.
Momonga hurried after Tenebris, nearly tripping over a patch of uneven ground in his haste.
"Hey, wait up!"
Tenebris slowed down and glanced over his shoulder.
"What now?"
"Well… I guess I should thank you. Those guys have been killing me over and over again, and I honestly didn't know what to do about it."
"Maybe stop letting people kill you."
Momonga stared at him.
"…I'm a Level 5 skeleton. What exactly did you expect me to do? Beat them to death with my bare skeletal hands?"
Tenebris considered the question.
"Could work if you hit them hard enough."
"I DON'T EVEN HAVE MUSCLES!"
Tenebris laughed.
"Relax. I'm messing with you."
Momonga sighed before extending his bony hand.
"I'm Momonga, by the way. Nice to meet you."
Tenebris paused.
…Momonga?
For a moment, he simply stared at the little skeleton standing in front of him.
No way.
The name was familiar. Far too familiar.
Tenebris had read Overlord before. He knew the story of Momonga, the salaryman who remained in YGGDRASIL until the game's servers shut down, only to find himself transported to another world as his undead character. The guild leader of Ainz Ooal Gown. The ruler of Nazarick.
And now, standing right in front of him, was a Level 5 skeleton who couldn't even defend himself against a handful of players.
What the hell? Did I seriously just meet the Momonga from Overlord?
Tenebris looked at the skeleton again, almost expecting him to suddenly reveal a level 100 character sheet or summon an army of undead.
Instead, Momonga tilted his skull.
"Uh… are you going to shake my hand, or are you just going to stare at it?"
Tenebris snapped out of his thoughts and took the offered hand.
"Tenebris."
"Tenebris? Cool name."
"Thanks. Yours is… interesting, too."
Momonga tilted his head.
"Interesting how?"
"Nothing."
I'm not telling him that his name means flying squirrel. Not yet.
Momonga seemed unconvinced, but he let it go.
"So, where are you headed?"
"Out of this swamp. Preferably somewhere without people trying to turn me into a pincushion."
"Sounds reasonable."
Tenebris started walking, and Momonga followed beside him.
As they continued down the muddy path, Tenebris stole another glance at the skeleton.
If this really is the Momonga I'm thinking of, then things could get interesting.
He knew how the story went. Momonga would eventually become Ainz Ooal Gown, one of the most powerful beings in the New World. But right now, he was just a low-level skeleton who had spent most of his time getting killed.
Tenebris couldn't help finding that amusing.
Well, Momonga… let's see if your story plays out the same way this time.
"Hey, Tenebris?"
"What?"
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I'm not."
"You definitely are."
"Must be your imagination."
"I'm a skeleton! I don't even have eyes to imagine things with!"
Tenebris chuckled.
"Then I guess we're both imagining it."
Momonga groaned.
Great. I got saved by a weirdo.