Chapter 1 - 『Beginning & The End』

Ding. Ding. 『Herohero has Logged Out』

"Hm..?" Jack raised his head, his eyes flashing open as the world faded in from the darkness of his unconsciousness. He had just been sleeping in-game following already being online for the past twenty four hours.

'Herohero-san was online? I'm surprised Momonga-san didn't wake me up...'

His eyes tracked the Throne Room of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. His eyes then traced his friends list. It appeared only Momonga was online. He chuckled quietly to himself.

"I guess we're the only two left," his chest felt a bit heavy at the idea that no one really came back, not even to say goodbye. His sight reached the ground at his feet.

Jack was slouched over on the ground beside the King's Throne. An Item which belonged to Momonga which decorated the massive great hall that was within the home of Ainz Ooal Gown's Nazarick. Taking in a slow breath, he exhaled sharply.

"It wouldn't be long for him to show up," forcing himself to smile, Jack would remain sitting as he opened his item box, taking out a holographic image of his sister. His electric violet-blue eyes shined in the dimly lit room. His wings tucked behind his back. "Why'd this have to end…?" His eyes shifted to the two gigantic doors of the throne room, there was only silence.

Jack could just imagine the Guild members congregating. Coming together and talking. They'd poke fun, talk about their day. New ideas for NPCs, be it a minor change or a new addition.

Locking his sights on the ring upon his finger, he smiled genuinely now, caressing it with his thumb even though he wouldn't feel it at all.

Using the ring to teleport, Jack arrived at the round table room on the ninth floor, just in time to hear a fist crash down on the table it self. Startled, he raised a brow and turned his head to see the disturbance was Momonga himself.

"Hm… No one else came," letting out a sigh he scratched the back of his neck as if it would be of some comfort to himself. He kinda missed Bukubukuchagama, he was expecting her to show up. Yet as he looked at the clock, it didn't really appear that she would be surfacing. Trying so hard no to let out another sigh, his eyes rested on Momonga who was silent for a few moments.

"Oh uh, Cipher-san, I see you're awake. Heh, it's good to see you're still here."

Hearing the man's voice, the voice that had invited him to the Guild, Jack couldn't help but smile brightly. His eyes seemed to shine even in this ambiently bright room with white walls.

"It's good to see you as well Momonga-san. I plan on staying until the end..."

In his right hand was his sister's holographic photograph.

Momonga's eyes rested on the item for a few seconds, wanting to himself himself though it wouldn't be all that visible due to his race as Overlord. "Good to know I won't be here alone."

"I just saw Herohero-san logged off. He say anything?"

"He hopes to see us sometime, somewhere else."

"Oh boy… Well, the World is Small." His fingers caressed at the sharp edge of the photo.

"Especially if you consume all of it, it'll only get smaller." Momonga joked, both of them sharing in a laugh, shaking their heads. Smiling faces appearing in their little speech bubbles. "I needed that." The Overlord would slowly raise from his chair, lightly nudging it out of the way as he settled his gaze on the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown. A weapon that only he could use, something that all the members had contributed in creating. It was truly magnificent.

Momonga who had been feeling betrayed just seconds ago, finally concluded no one had done so.

Jack watched as the fellow Supreme Being appeared to be floating across the floor thanks to his long luxurious divine-class robes. He placed his left hand over his sternum as he finally closed his other around the photo in his grasp.

The reckless sacrifices and reality that had been done to get that staff as it was. Both of the men were remembering, especially as they'd go directly home from work and play. And even take vacations on the same days. It made a lot of people at their place of business raise brows, but it wasn't that unusual. Both of them were single, they went to bars together with the people they worked with, they were friends. Best friends.

It was hard to believe that thirty seven out of the forty one who were within the Guild, quit. It left only a mere four or so people left. It was depressing, heart wrenching as all this hard work and money poured into this game was about to disappear.

Jack never saw this coming.

As Momonga reach up and grasped the staff by its neck, it would give off a shadowy-dark smoke as he brought it down to his level, from the display.

"Behold… This is the testament of our Guild."

Jack grinned at Momonga's proclamation.

Turning towards Jack, Momonga tapped the butt of the staff against the ground before he began to walk with the golden guild weapon in his hand. "Lets go," he gestured with one of his skeleton hands for the door to the room.

Bowing his head in affirmation, he turned towards the door. His wings spreading out and his own armor materializing over his casual blue hemp top and black rope held slacks.

Jack played as a member of the Seraphim, an Angel, and of the highest Order in the game. He was capable of accessing Tenth Tier Magic, and Super-Tier, much like Momonga himself.

As the doors opened for the duo, his eyes turned to the dark ceiling lit by orange lighting from the chandlers that lined the corridors of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.

As they descended the staircase, both of them came to a stop. Momonga coming out of thought, as movement up ahead took their attention straight from their minds.

Sebas Tian and the maids of the Ninth Floor, were all bowing their torsos as they stood by the right side of the corridor closest to the wall. It was a welcome sight, though one that wasn't necessarily expected.

As Momonga began to open an interface to look at the information of the NPCs, Jack casually walked up to CZ, nudging a hair back into place with his index finger before following after his friend. His helmet vanishing into black smoke, allowing his face to remain visible as he kept with the Guild Master. Soon enough he could hear the shallow footsteps of the maids and butlers behind them under Momonga's command, a deep felt smirk forming over his lips as they entered the throne room he was once seated in.

Whilst Momonga stood there, admiring the banners, Jack moved forward towards the Throne. His eyes tracing over the various columns and floors which made up the walls, overseeing the room showered in a blue hue from the chandelier from above.

As the group approached the throne, Jack's gaze rested on Albedo for a second before moving to stand on the opposite side of the throne. His wings spread out wide behind him, causing dark-bluish green feathers to come raining from the nothingness above him.

Momonga turned to the NPCs, "The command was… Standby, right?" he declared with a questioning tone as if he had forgotten how to order them to obey.

They would move to the left of the massive dark crimson carpet which lined the polished black floors, all while Momonga took his place on the throne.

After a few seconds, Jack watched as his friend turned his attention to Albedo. He raised a brow, silently watching as he started scrolling through her settings. Her personality description.

When Momonga suddenly looked up at the Succubus however, Jack lightly knocked on the throne. "What's wrong, man?" He'd ask casually while leaning over before pausing, seeing what was written on the interface which was showing.

"A bitch?"

Momonga looked over at Jack, before turning his head to look back at it. "Hmm..."

It was clear he was in deep thought over this one character. Jack generally disliked the taste in Tabula-san's character designs. Generally with the whole idea that one's appearance was a contradiction to their personality. Albedo was a modern beauty, if you were into the busty woman. Though Jack preferred the shorter slender types, he still couldn't ignore this magnificent creature's appearance.

"There's nothing written in there about me, is there?" Jack suddenly asked as he dipped his neck down, craning it, as he looked over the text.

"Doesn't… Look like it," Momonga stated as Jack would nod and take a step back, confirming.

As Jack stepped down from the Throne however, he narrowed his sights on CZ, the automaton. He was ignorant of what Momonga was planning on doing until he heard the administration sound activate and he turned his head to see a pair of red interfaces in front of Momonga. He didn't react however and just shook his head silently before turning to walk along the carpet. His hands folded behind his back militarily, one hand grasping at his wrist.

Looking at the time however, there was no way he could ask him to look at the other NPCs. There was no time left. He closed his eyes as he summoned his favored Adamantite Intelligence Staff known as Seraph; it was named this due to it being one of the second most powerful magic staff in his possession.

"Kneel..." Momonga ordered the NPCs, who without any hesitation, obeyed without a sound.

Both of them closed their eyes as there was only twenty seconds until it struck twelve o'clock midnight. Four hours until they had to wake up and go to work. Jack definitely wasn't looking forward to it. Especially since this game would no longer be here for him to blow off steam at the end of the day. So as he placed both hands on the crystal head of the sleek black staff with gold inlay, and sharp mace-like blades surrounding it, he waited for them to be kicked off of the server.

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

Jack opened his eyes as he heard the clock restart. He blinked several times and glanced around the room, before turning his head to look at Momonga.

Both of them wore a surprised expression, though it was mostly seen in Momonga's eyes than the rest of his expressionless face. The first thing Jack noticed however was the lack of the visual interface. There was no logout button, no map, nothing. On top of that, the hot bar was gone, yet he felt the magic spells in his mind. "What in the..."

Seeing his friend try to access the console and fail, he raised a brow.

"Momonga-san?"

Momonga shot up in a panic.

"It's you too?" Jack frowned as the idea of not being able to log out didn't sit well with him. Even if he didn't want to go to work, he didn't want to not go either. Money was money and there were always other games in which he could play with his friend.

"What's wrong, Momonga-sama, Ciphersyntax-sama?"

That's when Albedo spoke in this saintly angelic tone which caught both the Supreme Beings off guard.

"What..." Jack stared at Albedo, then his eyes drifted over towards the Maids and Butlers of the Ninth Floor, then back towards the Head Guardian.

"Momonga-sama! Momonga-sama! Are you alright?" The kneeling Albedo seemed to be frantically asking for his well being. If Jack wasn't overwhelmed by the whole problem of not being able to logout or access the other functions, he would've started laughing.

"Is there a problem?" She asked as she had her hands clasped together and held close to her chest as if she were to be praying. Her eyes looked up at him with great worry.

Jack stared at the woman standing before Momonga. Reality was beginning to sink in. The NPCs have gained sentience!? Placing a hand on the side of his head, his eyes averted toward the ground as if he was getting a headache. "Oi..."

"Onii-sama~" A voice chimed as it erupted from the throne room doors that were creeping open slowly.

"Oh..." Raising his head with a low groan leaving his throat, he'd turn his head. Entering the room was a small girl with super short curly brown hair and blue eyes. She was dressed in a plain white button down shirt with a black sweater vest and khaki shorts and high socks with loafers. "No," the voice that he heard was his sisters. The face, the way she took each step with a spring in it, everything was based on his little sister. He had written everything he had remembered of his sister in that console when he put together that homunculi that was trotting towards him. "Please..."

The life like energetic smile and giggling felt like it was going to rip out his heart and lungs. She wasn't built for combat, she had all maximized production professions other than the job as Gunner. Though of course that wasn't the reason why he felt like he was breaking down, but she sounded just like her, too much like her.

Jack wasn't paying attention to Momonga as he was occupied with Albedo, and trying to contact the GM.

The homunculi that appeared to be Eve Graham, jumped into Jack's central mass and wrapped her arms around him. As a Seraphim, he was almost seven foot. So her five foot frame made her so tiny to him.

"I found you!"

He just stared down at her, lowering the hand from his forehead to touch the side of her face. Her chin pressed into his abdomen as her feet dangled as she hung suspended from his torso.

His hand absently moved into her short hair, toying with the little curls. She looked about the same apparent age of Mare and Aura, the Sixth Floor Guardians.

"Big brother?" She blinked up at him as she stared at that absent face of his before letting go of him. Landing flat on her feet, standing up, she tilted her head to the side as she grasped his wrist.

Jack snapped out of it, feeling her hand on his wrist. Not only had her hair felt warm, but he could pick at the individual strands. Now, he could feel her hand on his wrist. This girl, she wasn't just an NPC anymore. She was real?

That's when he noticed something that had never happened before in game. He heard the sound of a tear hitting the carpet. A small, barely audible, plop. He reached up and touched his cheek and then looked at his gloved hand.

"Momonga?" He turned his head to see Albedo apologizing for being ignorant of the GM Call.

Momonga's red fiery eyes shifted from Albedo's face to the Angelic form standing there before his jaw dropped open slightly. Tears were running down Jack's face.

Jack's face was based on a masterfully crafted statue with the likeness of Alexander the Great, as was the rest of his figure beneath his armor. Which made him look like a crying, life-like, statue of the ancient hero. It was... magnificent?

"If you allow me to correct this grave mistake, I will be forever grateful!" Albedo said as she didn't seem to be paying much attention to Jack. Even though Momonga's eyes were rested on him.

"Now's not the time, Albedo," Momonga was confused with the fact that he was conversing with an NPC, at the same time he was in awe at the prospect of the activity.

As the Skeleton rose from the throne, he stepped down and in stride made his way over to his friend.

"They're tears?" The two were used to the appearance of Emojis and not necessarily actual tears.

Jack licked his cheek curiously, having his back to the homunculi based on his dead sister. "Salty..." He squinted slightly as his eyes burned a bit, his vision clouded. Turning to his 'sister' he smiled falsely, "Go to my room, okay? You always wanted to look at my things, right?"

The homunculi's blissfully ignorant smile reached an extravagant scale before she nodded, starry eyed, as she rushed out of the room and disappearing behind the closing door.

Letting out a shaky breath, he went to wipe his face with his gloved fingers, before narrowing his eyes on a cute embroidered handkerchief that was being held to his face. Before him, standing there on her tippy toes, was CZ trying to wipe his face.

"..." Leaning down a few inches, he felt the soft cloth touching his face. She had this emotionless look on her face and in her one visible eye. "Thank you."

CZ nodded before tucking the handkerchief into her sleeve before sticking a 1 Yen sticker on the neck plate of his armor and stepping back into line with the others lined up along the carpet.

Momonga watched this as it happened before turning towards Sebas Tian. "Sebas Tian!" He called upon the head butler.

"Yes," He'd bow with his hand over his chest and shoulder.

After a few seconds of hesitation, Momonga relayed his order, "Step outside of the tomb and confirm the surroundings around Nazarick." With a hand over his mouth, he would walk back over to the Throne, with Jack close behind.

"Understood, Momonga-sama." The Butler stood up straight the moment he was given the order and spoke with a strong tone that advertised his powerful exterior. As he was to excuse himself, Jack's eyes watched the Dragonoid as it left.

Momonga as he sat down, then rested his sights on the pleiades, "Pleiades. Go to the Ninth Floor and guard it against possible intruders."

"As you wish, Momonga-sama." Yuri Alpha, the dullahan and head maid responded with a casual and almost monotonal voice.

"This is refreshing..." Jack stated in a quiet tone as both of them noticed that the NPCs were following unspecified commands. It showed their intelligence, their capacity to obey and even converse. That's when his eyes turned to Albedo, who was now staring at the two of them with this angelic smile across her demonic lips.

Momonga was deep in his own thoughts, wondering how he was supposed to be able to use magic, if that was even possible anymore.

"What shall I do?" Albedo suddenly asked abruptly as the others had already been given orders.

Momonga glanced up at the woman and ordered, "Let's see…. Then, come here."

Jack watched as she closed in on Momonga, lovingly at that, her large breasts flowing side to side as she moved. In that moment, he was wondering if she was without a bra. There was way too much physics here to say she was.

Momonga's mouth was wide open in surprise.

Jack was already aware that all of his senses were active. On top of that, he wasn't too surprised when he took in Albedo's scent. It was good, alluring even. So he continued to watch as Momonga experimented, feeling the woman.

"Albedo, may I touch your chest?"

A small snicker emitting from Jack's throat when Momonga asked to and proceeded grope her. "Oh jeez..." He muttered and shook his head, almost face palming. "Albedo!" Jack's voice immediately caused her to step back, her face a deep red.

"Yes, Ciphersynatix-sama!?"

"Make sure everyone knows to call me Cipher, instead."

"Yes, Cipher-sama, as you wish."

"Albedo," Momonga brought her attention back to him after he was done feeling shame for what he had just done to Tabula's creation.

"Yes, Momonga-sama? I will do anything you wish."

"Except for the Guardians on the fourth and Eighth Floor, gather everyone to the fighting arena on the sixth floor." Momonga would order, staring at her with his darkened eye sockets. "Have them gather there an hour from now..."