Hey Guys, Crescent Rider here and I am back to this story again.
Now you may all wonder why I had to start this story all over again instead of doing what I told you all in the announcement chapter. Well, here's a quick answer. It was a complete copycatting mess.
Everything that I wrote simply mimics the original storyline, and I'm referring to the additional characters from different fandoms. Thus, I reminded myself that this was not a Multi-Fandom Story.
So characters belonging to different franchises have been thrown out of the window.
Then there's the lack of originality to my story. I know people love to see Momonga and Hope being together in the old version, but you should all know that this is an Original OC Story. Therefore, All will be aware that Momonga and Hope aren't always together.
That's it for my reasons, now it's time I give some assurance to you all.
Yes, I'm changing the whole story, but the same cannot be said for the Omake Series chapters. Those are the only things that I actually love doing, but I will be revising (or possibly adding more) as well.
Secondly, The Servants will change but I'll solely focus on the Fate Series instead of anywhere else. But this decision is not permanent since I've been so inclined in adding OCs Servants and Counterparts belonging to different games (Note: Human History and Mythology Characters. Not Anime Characters like the ones I've shown in the old version of the story)
For example, Warrior Characters from Koei Games, Mythical Creatures from God of War, and more.
Feel free to give me an opinion since I'm still thinking about the decision.
And lastly, there will be alternations to the original storyline. The fate of certain characters will change. Some will be saved, some will stay the same, and some will suffer far worse than death.
That is all I have to say, I apologize for breaking a promise from the old, and enjoy the revision of this story.
Yggdrasil, A Popular DMMO-RPG of Modern Japan, was nearing its last day of service before the game's impending termination.
Resting within the Marshes of Helheim was one of the feared dungeons, The Great Tomb of Nazarick. The Guild Base of Ainz Ooal Gown.
One of the top five Guilds to exist in the Golden Age of Yggdrasil.
However, the guild lost its rank when a majority of its members quit the guild and retired from the game to focus their time and energy on their lives in the real world. Those that remained didn't bother logging in since they're presumably too busy to even log into the game.
The only remaining members to ever be present in the final hours were Momonga, Leader of Ainz Ooal Gown, and Herohero, one of the remaining members of Ainz Ooal Gown.
Though the latter had already left after visiting the Tomb one last time before logging out since still had a job despite it taking both his time and body its toll on him.
Momonga was all alone in the room, and what followed was him enraged by his friends abandoning the place they had all worked for so long and hard together. But in time, Momonga's anger calmed as he understood what everyone was going through.
Life in the real world is harder to manage than in the virtual world. One example was the creation of the Guild Weapon, it took a lot of time and effort to gather the materials required, and his friends either used their paid vacation or argued with their wives to make time.
In the end, 37 of the 41 members left and the remaining members excluding its leader have presumably left as well.
Momonga then reaches out for the guild weapon and proposed that he go to the Throne Room and spend the remaining hours there.
But as he was about to leave the room, a notification tab appears on his screen
*Hope has logged in*
Momonga lightly gasped at this name and establishes a communication window. A few moments later, a message appears on his window.
*Hope: Hello, Momonga-san, It's been a while. Hasn't it?*
*Momonga: Too long to be honest...*
*Momonga: But more importantly, Where are you now?*
*Hope: I'm at the Marshes.
*Hope: But I'm on my way to the tomb before the game ends*
*Momonga: In that case, I'll wait for you in the Throne Room*
*Hope: See you soon.*
Once the window was closed, Momonga had some measure of relief at Hope's arrival.
She may not have been a Member of Ainz Ooal Gown, but she would be considered the youngest member should her membership have become official in the guild.
The two requirements to become a member were that the player is a working member of society and the player's race must be Heteromorphic. There's also the third rule, but that is only applied when a large number of members remain active in the guild.
Though the main reason behind her visits was that Hope was the daughter of two of his best friends. The Abyssal Lord, D3ath 3 Br1ng3r, and his wife, Arachnida the Arachnid Queen.
Not only that, Hope was beloved and respected by everyone in Ainz Ooal Gown. Even sinister players like Ulbert Alaide Odle had grown accustomed to her personality during his active years in Yggdrasil.
In a sense, Hope was like the guild's mascot as everything she learned and did was within the boundaries of the Ainz Ooal Gown guild.
As Momonga marches down the hallway, he soon stops when he saw a small figure running toward him. A sense of familiarity flowed through his mind. If Yggdrasil had implicated the ability to express their emotions.
Momonga would be smiling by now...
The small figure was a girl. She's about 4 feet tall, has short albino hair, and emerald eyes, and her clothes consist of the following. A tube-top, and hot pants outfit, adorned with straps around her waist and legs, and four long spider legs on her back and folded like wings.
"Momonga-san!" Hope called out, but gasped and almost stumbles to the floor until Momonga caught her in his arms,
"Are you alright?" Momonga questioned with hints of concern,
"I-I'm fine," Hope assured, then a smiling emoticon appeared, "It's just that my body's been declining for the past few weeks. But in case you ask, I've been taking my medications since it allows me to stay in top condition for a quite while,"
Momonga grew to worry about her condition, especially when he knows the truth behind her declining health.
But he swayed himself from the very thought of it and helped Hope on her feet.
"So, where to?" Hope inquired,
"You passed through the Throne Room Doors, right?" Momonga questioned,
"I did," Hope replied,
"That's where I'm heading," Momonga stated,
"I see, but before we go there. Would you mind if you carry me there?" Hope requested, "With my body being a bit weak in the real world, I've been mentally exhausted as well. So I hope you don't mind,"
"Not at all," Momonga assured, then lifts Hope onto one of his arms,
As the doors opened, Momonga walked down the carpet, and standing next to the throne was the 10th Floor Guardian and Overseer of Nazarick's Floor Guardians, Albedo.
"Tabula-san sure did a fine job with his NPC, didn't he?" Hope inquired,
"That's what it seems," Momonga commented, then he turns to Sebas and the Pleiades, "If I remember... The command is 'stand by', right?"
Sebas and Pleiades bowed in response to his command, walked towards the other side of the carpet, and remained idle for the time being.
As Momonga sat down, he sets Hope on the right arm of the throne and then turns to Albedo.
"I wonder what her settings are..." Momonga wondered, "Let's find out,"
Momonga then opens Nazarick's Management Window and browsed the NPC section for Albedo's setting. She was made one of the strongest NPCs, supervises all of the Guardians, and much more.
Though Momonga may not be able to read through it all, Hope had memorized her settings when Tabula Smaragdina provided a long and lengthy summary of his creations during his activity in the game.
"He surely put a lot of detail in his Creations Summary now, didn't he, Momonga-san?" Hope inquired,
"He is a setting maniac," Momonga remarked, then reached the end of Albedo's settings, "Huh?"
Both he and Hope peeked into the settings and found two separate lines that they find somewhat disturbing
"On the Outside, She's a Perfect Beauty"
"But in the Inside, She's a Bitch"
"What's this? A Bitch?" Momonga recited,
"Tabula-san didn't mention that one before," Hope said,
Momonga sighed as he lowers his head, "Tabula-san always did love a contradiction in looks and character,"
"Are you going to change it? If so, wouldn't it require an item and Tabula's permission?" Hope stated,
"That would be the case, but he isn't here anymore. Also, with the [Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown]. I believe it's possible to bypass its requirement," Momonga said, reaches for the [Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown], and used it to bypass the necessary requirement to change Albedo's settings, "Now... How should I change this,"
Hope stares at the panel for a while, then an idea sprung into mind, "I know, how about this,"
She leans into Momonga's ear and whispered the following words to him. As soon as she finished, Momonga accepts her suggestion with a nod, removed the last sentence, and add two new sentences.
As soon as the panel closes, Momonga then turns to the banners of his fellow guild mates and cited each and every one of his friends' names. Hope just sat there and listened to everything he said, even when he mentioned her parents' names, she remains quiet since she understood their reasons for leaving.
For the world, they currently live in was a complete and literal hell on earth...
Once Momonga finished, he leans against the throne and sighed for the last time.
"Hope," Momonga called,
"Yes?" Hope inquired,
"After spending so much time in this game together, I've always wondered to myself," Momonga stated,
"What would that be?" Hope questioned,
Momonga briefly paused for a moment and mustered every bit of courage in his mind to ask a certain question. Once he had gathered enough, he gives a single yet important question in mind, "Have I..."
...
...
...
"Done well in your life?" Momonga questioned,
Hope remained somewhat silent to his question. But in her mind, she was speechless at what he had asked since he was referring to the times they'd shared together.
Those moments were somewhat unforgettable compared to the life she had in the Real World.
Though as the game closely reaches its inevitable end, she had but one answer to mind, "After everything gone through in the place?"
Then a smiling emoticon appeared, "I wouldn't trade it for anything in this nor the real world,"
Momonga raised his head a little and felt some genuine emotion in his mind. In the end, the two remained by the throne and waited for the game termination...
23:59:55
23:59:56
23:59:57
23:59:58
23:59:59
00:00:00
Without warning, Hope sharply gasp as something interfered with her mind and her body went stiff as a statue. Moments later, she felt somewhat weak, groans weakly, and falters from the throne and into the hard floor with a loud thud.
"Huh?" Momonga muttered in utter confusion as he witnessed her fall from the throne...
That is it for this chapter! As for what comes next, I'll be skipping Carne Village since Hope will be out cold for a while.
But reassured, that Village isn't going to be destroyed since Momonga can save that village without Hope's assistance.
Also, if any of have questions in mind. Feel free to ask, and I will answer as best as I could.
That is all I have to say, stay safe from the virus, and I will see you all in the next chapter!