Thankfully, the other thirty-nine members were able to leave the throne room without further incident, making their way towards the old dining room. In the past, such a room had served no true purpose other than decoration and roleplay. Some had advocated that it be torn down and replaced by something more practical, while others had been just as quick to defend its existence.
Ultimately, the dining room's fate had remained undecided, as too many of the guild had left by that point. Much to Ulbert's delight, he found it to still be standing, its marble table top gleaming as if it had just been polished.
Gotta give kudos to Momonga, he really did take good care of the place while we were gone, Ulbert thought.
His thoughts turned to his skeletal guildmate, as a frown downturned his lips. Every so often his goat-like nose twitched as a new smell assaulted it, most likely the natural scents of the tomb itself.
Maybe Mekongawa was onto something. This place really does smell rank.
However, something new and pleasantly pungent hit his nostrils, and he could hear a steady sizzling from just up ahead. His mouth watered as his tongue began to hang out, the sounds of his stomach assaulting his ears.
As he glanced at his other guildmates, those he supposed could hunger took on a stronger stride as the new smells reached them as well. Ulbert chose to focus instead on Momonga again to distract himself from his obvious hunger.
He noted the constant click click click of the staff as it struck the ground, the swishing of Momonga's exquisite robes as he moved his impressive bulk. Ulbert saw how one of his oldest friends strolled with the sort of easy-going confidence and swagger that only a prime, level one-hundred leader of a world-famous guild could manage. He felt himself blink.
When did Momonga get so...cool? Ulbert wondered, before allowing himself to refocus on the alluring smells coming from the doors up ahead.
Unlike the doors of the throne room, these were far more humble, looking to be carved from an ebony-colored wood that practically blended in with the pitch and gold accents of the walls. They, too, opened on their own, allowing delectable scents to hit them all full force.
Ulbert was nearly trampled at the speed at which his friends rushed into the dining room, having been closer to the front with Touch Me and Momonga, the two flanking either side of the guild leader. He felt revulsion at Touch Me's close proximity, the small hint of bile rising in the back of his throat almost ruining his appetite.
Almost.
As they entered, a crystal and gold chandelier lit the area, providing a somewhat romantic atmosphere to the dining area. It was a gigantic, circular table, with a space in the middle where octopus-like creatures awaited, donning chef hats and aprons. They stood on two, stick-like legs, which ended in suction-cup shaped feet the size of dinner plates. Rather than eight arms, they possessed sixteen, all armed with an assortment of cutlery and tools to cook with.
As the thirty-nine filtered in, they collectively noticed that each seat, carved of the same wood as the door, had a small, triangular nameplate with their player names on them.
They even planned out our seating arrangements! I already feel like one of those corp executives sitting down at one of those high-end restaurants I always hear the media blabber about, Ulbert thought, amused.
The feeling of bile, however, had risen just a little more when he thought of corp executives, and he let out an involuntary bleat. Wish III, who had been trailing behind Ulbert, had the flames surrounding his body sputter in surprise, as he turned to look at the Baphomet demon.
Ulbert could only look back sheepishly. "Sorry," he said, before moving to his assigned seating. He was pleased to see that he sat directly to Momonga's left, while Flatfoot, the great bundle of assassin vines, slithered into the seat adjacent to him.
Ulbert spied Touch Me directly to Momonga's right, as Nishikienrai, the half-golem ninja, slid into the seat to the right of the paladin. All of them gradually filled their seats, striking up conversations to those closest to them, with only two chairs remaining empty.
The cephalopod chefs stirred, swinging their tentacles to just barely brush the foreheads of each guildmate. They paused at the two unoccupied chairs, the name tags reading "Tabula" and "Bellriver" respectively, before moving on and hopping over the table to go to the kitchens.
Ulbert touched the spot where the tentacle had been, feeling disgusted at the cold and moist sensation of the chefs. Never again, he decided, before looking over to Momonga.
"Any idea when Tabula will be back?" Ulbert asked, trying to test the waters.
Momonga could only shrug. "He'll cool off and join us when he doesn't want to be angry anymore. Knowing the NPCs are sentient is hard enough, but knowing your own is in love with one of your friends probably fried his mind."
Ulbert felt one of his signature evil grins coming on at that. "It was still all in good fun! It's not like we really did anything damaging to his 'precious' NPC. He was right, maybe this way you can actually get laid," Ulbert said, waggling his eyebrows at the lich.
Momonga gave him a deadpan stare. "I'm a skeleton."
"Okay…and?"
"That means I don't have a di-"
"Details! Details," Ulbert said, waving off his friend's arguments, chuckling. His mirth persisted until Touch Me spoke up.
"Momonga's right, though. If it hadn't been for you four, he wouldn't even need to worry about a lack of a dick, or Albedo for that matter. Tabula definitely wouldn't have tried to choke you out."
Ulbert's joyful mood soured at that moment, as he turned to look Touch Me in the eye. "So? We only changed one setting, she's still the same overall. So what if she's not a slut anymore? It's not like she was getting it on with anyone beforehand."
Touch Me flared up, his faceted eyes darkening. "That's not the point! You touched something that belonged to somebody else–which, by the way, I'm still wondering how you managed to do that. Neither the guild staff or Tabula was there," Touch Me remarked, gesturing to the floating staff behind Momonga.
Ulbert was able to push aside his frustration to beam at his frenemy. "I'm so glad you asked, actually! It was Variable Talisman who helped with that."
Touch Me raised a chitin-plated eyebrow. "He can do that? Since when? What'd he do, turn into the staff or something?"
"That's exactly what he did. It still took awhile to break in just cause Variable was in one of his 'moods'," Ulbert said, rolling his eyes and subconsciously glancing at the mimic dragoon.
He sat brooding in his chair, staring off into the distance with a blank expression on his face, constantly drawing a circle with his spindly index finger in the air. He had morphed his head to be in the shape of an anvil, but his beady eyes could still be seen on either side of the anvil's tip.
Before Ulbert could continue any further, another door at the opposite end of the dining room swung open, allowing the two chefs from earlier to come in, pushing silver carts piled high with an impressive array of dishes. The smell was so intoxicating that Ulbert felt himself already reaching out for one of the meals before another grip stopped him.
He whirled about, his fury rising to the forefront at being denied such delectable tastes, only slightly calming when he saw that it was one of Flatfoot's vines.
"Chill man, the food is coming. I get where you're coming from, though! It smells simply divine…," Flatfoot said, a smaller tendril from his back stealthily sneaking out to also reach for a plate. He managed to stop himself just in time for the chefs to begin setting down plates in front of the ravenous guildmates.
It was at that moment that Ulbert himself realized something. "Wait, aren't you a plant? How the hell can you smell, let alone eat this? Are you gonna, uh, photosynthesize-" Ulbert began to joke, being interrupted as his own meal was set down in front of him. Appropriate cutlery was also set down by the chef, before he quickly wheeled off to serve Flatfoot his own meal.
Ulbert could only gaze with reverence at the mouth watering sight before him, a meal he could only ever dream of. A palm-sized cut of a sirloin, perfectly seared and drizzled with a thick, caramel-colored sauce, a bed of vegetables and golden curly fries on the side. A smaller plate containing a slice of some kind of chocolate cake was also set down in front of him, alongside a tall glass mug of bubbly, dark beer.
Ulbert didn't pay any attention to those around him as he dove right in, barely processing picking up a fork and knife as he cut into his food. An explosion of flavor encompassed his tongue in a way that left him yearning for more. Though he did not notice, others who could eat were in much the same state, while those who couldn't enjoyed other amenities.
Ra Ra Rasputin, in particular, was enjoying a small can of high-grade oil, allowing it to seep into his joints with a sigh of bliss. Though he couldn't speak, the automaton could let loose a series of robotic whistles and clicks, patting his mechanical bicep as another dollop of oil greased the seams between his metal plates.
HeroHero was shoveling a veritable mountain of extra-spicy curry into his body, every so often creating a maw from his gelatinous form to swallow even more.
Beast King Mekongawa tore into an entire bird by his lonesome, ripping off the drumsticks to sink his fangs deeper, greasy fat dripping down his chin with each mouthful.
Ankoro Mochi Mochi was eating an entire cooked bluefin Tuna, as long as her werewolf-sized forearm. At first, she sliced the fish with a knife and ate it with utensils, like a civilized person. But after seeing everyone else diving into their meals, she gave up and started ripping into her fish with her claws and teeth. She only ever paused to drink from a foaming mug of Mead.
But the real gluttons were the Dragons, Connaisdiam and Nearata. Their meals, an entire roasted goat and a large suckled pig, had each required an entire cart to be delivered to the table. Both were messily getting devoured, bones and all. Nearata periodically paused to wipe his face with a napkin the size of a rug, and sip at something that smelled suspiciously like Whiskey, though it had no ice.
This went on for some time, the sounds of eating and lip smacking were all that filled the air. Ulbert was the first to finish, downing the last of his dark beer and already looking forward to his next meal, before moving to strike up a conversation with Momonga again.
"I gotta admit, the chefs were kinda weird, and really gross, but damn it if they weren't some world-class cooks," Ulbert said, a dopey grin on his face, as some of the others could only only sleepily murmur in agreement.
Momonga was positively glowing. "I'll admit, I wasn't sure how you guys would feel about the chefs, but I'm glad you all could look past that and enjoy your food."
Nubo, the ophanim templar, could only hum with content, his inner core of light pulsing every few seconds. "I'd meant to ask you, but what's up with the chefs touching us like that? The feeling wasn't exactly...pleasant. Did it have something to do with what they brought us to eat?"
Momonga nodded. "While you guys were gone, I had a lot of downtime here in the tomb. I got pretty lonely here sometimes, so I would try to spice it up and create things like the chefs for roleplay. I kinda forgot to give them mouths, so I just wrote in their bios that they could read minds through touch to take orders."
One of Nubo's outer rings accelerated, his many eyes blinking in acknowledgement. "Ya know, I could totally see you doing that," he laughed, some of the others joining in. Though he could not blush or otherwise make expressions, Momonga could still look bashful, as he let out his own bellowing laugh.
Tepas Smith could only sip on a small quartz goblet, a crimson liquid sloshing about. A larger wine bottle had accompanied it, filled with the same viscous substance. He set it down and clasped his hands together in contemplation.
"As nice as this meal was," he began, "we have a few other things we have to deal with."
Tigris was still looking sadly down at his empty plate, his own circular mouth having crumbled up, and the small nubs he called legs wriggled in circles. "Does it have to deal with when we can start eating again?"
"No, you glutton. How about we focus on the fact that we have no idea where the tomb is?" Tepas glanced around the room at his fellow guildmates. "What about when Sebas returns, or how we'll manage the fact that we all became our own avatars? It feels like we're delaying the inevitable, here."
Momonga held up a hand. "And you're right, Tepas, but as it stands, we're all safer here together in the tomb. Sebas will be fine, I'm sure, but I'd rather wait until he comes back before we attempt to do anything."
"Momonga's right," Ancient One added, "we need more information, and we're better off staying put until we get it."
As soon as he finished, a persistent beeping filled the air, cutting through the relaxed ambience like a hot knife through butter.
Ulbert and the others could only look around, before realizing that it was coming from, surprisingly, Touch Me. It took him a few more seconds to remember how to answer the message, before holding up two fingers to his right ear canal.
"Hello?"
"Lord Touch Me," Sebas's voice crackled through. "I have completed my reconnaissance of the surrounding area, and am ready to give my report. Where would you like me to meet you and the other supreme beings?"
Touch Me paused, before glancing over to his old friend. Before Momonga could answer, however, it was Punitto Moe who replied.
"Have him meet us in the amphitheatre," the battle priest said, already standing up. "We should probably also summon the floor guardians. Might as well rip this bandaid off for everybody."
Some of the other guildmates looked at him in confusion, while a few could only tense up in apprehension. Ulbert, however, felt himself tremble in excitement.
Wait, does that mean ALL the floor guardians will be there? Then that would mean–
Ulbert was yanked out of his thoughts by the sounds of the chairs surrounding him creaking and sliding. Already, his comrades were beginning to file out, following closely behind Momonga and Punitto Moe, who had taken Touch Me's place on his right. Ulbert naturally found himself to Momonga's left, a charged undertone taking hold over Ainz Ooal Gown.
Only a single thought filled his mind, as it did for everyone else in that moment.
What's waiting for us outside?
—-
Ulbert had found that there were many advantages to his body in the short time he inhabited it. His muscles had felt taunt as steel cables, and his vision as sharp as an eagle's. Smells and sounds had been amplified, cascading him in a cacophony of noises and delectable scents as he toured the tomb.
But the biggest advantage, once they entered the sixth floor of Nazarick, was the natural fur that covered his body. A subtle breeze wove its way through the old arena, providing a soft chill that cooled him considerably, but not uncomfortably.
The same could not be said for some of his guildmates, who lacked such natural defenses and were left to suffer. They possessed the default clothing of their avatars, having given up their divine-level gear long ago when they had quit Yggdrasil the first time, but it was poor protection against the elements.
Small Cuttlefish and Grievous Sin, in particular, had crossed their arms across their bodies, aggressively rubbing their triceps. They were shivering so hard, they practically broke the metaphorical ice off their bodies.
"H-Holy shit, it's cold out here! What the hell, Blue Planet? Couldn't you have made it just a tad warmer in here, I swear…," Small Cuttlefish demanded, glaring at the elder satyr.
Grievous Sin could only grunt in agreement, also giving Blue Planet the "stink eye".
Blue Planet had closed his eyes and tilted his head back, allowing the wind to pass over him and tussle his curly hair, as the stars he had crafted in his forged sky glittered above him. The nebula above was breathtaking, a mosaic of blues and purples as it had been in an even older world. He gave his annoyed guildmates a half-lidded look.
"From what I know of my research on earth's natural state before...everything that happened, this is pretty nice weather actually. A very nice, cool spring evening. You should enjoy it, in case we can't later on."
Cuttlefish's face tentacles lashed about, while Grievous ground his mandibles against one another as they continued to glower at him.
Momonga tapped his staff to gather their attention, though the sound was muted by the sandy floor of the ampitheatre. "Quiet you two, you're being so noisy. I'll get you your gear when we're done here, but for now…," Momonga held out his index finger, a small flame stirring to life at its tip.
He shot a stream of fire at an area of sand, allowing it to catch aflame and roar into an inferno. The night chill subsided instantly, replaced by a toasty warmth.
Many of the other guildmates swarmed the flame, getting as close as possible without burning themselves. Ulbert soaked in as much of the heat as possible, the chill having started to penetrate his coat and bite at him.
As they waited for the floor guardians to arrive, peace and quiet prevailed, the crackling of Momonga's flame occupying it completely. It wasn't until Ulbert felt himself dozing off that he realized just what kinda fire had been summoned.
"Wait a sec, is this Greek Fire? Did you seriously use an eternal flame just as a campfire?"
Momonga chuckled, shaking his head. "Greek Fire is the only fire that would be able to burn on sand without putting itself out. I'll take care of it once–,"
"Oh my gods! Could it really be her?"
"I-I think it c-could be, yeah."
The arrival of two new voices shocked them out of their reverie, having just enough time to glance up to the first tier seats. Two shadows launched themselves over the railing, twisting in midair in an impressive feat of acrobatics. They landed around ten feet away from the group, throwing a small cloud of dust into the air.
The two shadows blasted out from the veil of dirt, zooming straight towards one particular target, that of Bukubukuchagama. Before any of the guildmates could even prepare themselves, the unknown assailants bowled her over, a commotion of giggles and happy crying washing over them all.
Bukubukuchagama's comrades instantly relaxed as they caught sight of just who had tumbled into her, small smiles and even tears coming to their eyes at the reunion.
Two small, elvish children, each wearing a tasteful vest, cuddled into the pink obelix's body. One wore a blue undershirt with a scaled design, a staff in one hand and a short, white skirt to complete his outfit. The other wore a similar outfit, only her undershirt was red, and she wore pants in place of a skirt.
"Lady Bukubukuchagama! You came back! You came back!" the two cheered, finally letting the slime up from her position on the ground.
Bukubukuchagama had been silent the whole time, stupefied by the appearance of her prized NPCs. She took in the sight of meek, little Mare and brash, wild Aura before taking in the two into a wide, tight hug.
She let out a squeal as she held the both of them, grasping their youthful faces and pinching their cheeks. "OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD, you're both so ADORABLE! I love you both so much, I think I could eat you and die!" she cried, her own gelatinous form shaking with emotion.
A small sob escaped her form before the twins held her even tighter, and all three sank to the ground together. Before anyone could even comment, a portal opened up off to the side, allowing another guardian to enter.
The one who passed through wore a plum-colored dress, accompanied by white frill accents. The skirt flared out in a way reminiscent of the victorian-era dames that Ulbert remembered reading about in a book once. A cherry-red ribbon tied her dress together around the waist, while another bow-tie adorned her hair with an alternating stripe color scheme.
She was pale, deathly so, and a single fang poked out of her mouth. Her eyes were like freshly spilled blood, and she wore the expression of someone taking an evening stroll. In her hand she held a stylish umbrella, fully opened to block... something, Ulbert wasn't exactly sure.
Her eyes roamed the guildmates, anticipation apparent in her gaze, before landing on who she was looking for. "Lord Peroronchino!" the vampiress said with a happy smile, speed-walking over to the avian archer.
She curtsied to him, a shining grin comprising her face. Much to Ulbert's surprise, she began to slightly pant, her free hand gripping the hem of her dress so tightly that small talons began to poke out.
"I hope I haven't...kept you waiting. It's been so long since we last saw each other. Perhaps we could...catch up?" Shalltear asked, batting her eyelashes in a way that Ulbert wished he could've done at Tabula earlier.
Peroronchino's beak opened and closed repeatedly, his wings twitching as his own breathing quickened. Shalltear took that as an invitation to get closer.
"I take it that you approve of my attire? I hope so, you did pick it out for me, after all…," Shalltear said, her grin widening as she moved to grip his left hand.
Peroronchino stepped back, pointing to Shalltear with a crazed look in his eye, a tick having developed. "Hey, that sounds cool...that...sounds...really–", Peroronchino laughed shakily, before suddenly toppling over and landing face-first in the dirt.
Gasps rang out, Shalltear included, as many rushed forward to check up on their comrade after his new fainting spell. They crowded him in their panic, each trying to reach the fallen avian and see how they could help.
As hushed whispers spread out among them all, a small figure was able to muscle their way through a crowd, kneeling down besides Peroronchino's prone form. It was Ariel, the fey shaman.
She placed her fingers against what she assumed to be his carotid artery, before flipping him over and placing her head against his chest, intently listening to his heartbeat. Shalltear joined her side, tears dotting the rims of her eyes.
"I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt him like this! Will he be okay? How can I help? I'll gladly offer my life if I can somehow–," Shalltear sniveled, before being silenced by a single digit of Ariel's hand, and a soft smile from her in reassurance.
She looked to the closest one towards her who was still standing. Shijuuten Suzaka greeted her sight, his emaciated, skeleton form towering above her, nearly covering all three on the ground in shadow.
Ariel made a pop with her lips, before splaying her fingers out from her forehead violently.
Shijuuten chortled. "Too much for the young lad at once, eh? Seems about par for the course, all things considered." His words allowed the others to visibly relax, but Shalltear remained unconvinced.
"But-but I made him like this! It must've been the perfume! Or maybe I came on a little too strongly! Maybe if I acted like those mortals from those 'h-games' he loves so much I could've–," her rambling was interrupted by Shijuuten's colossal hand enfolding her shoulder.
"Relax, young one," the skeletal frost giant said, his gravelly, grating voice surprisingly comforting in that moment. "As a gentleman, it's not uncommon for one to faint at the sight of such a fair woman."
Shalltear's eyes were as wide as dinner plates, her tears still persisting. "Yo-you think so?"
"Of course. I saw this kinda thing all the time back home. He'll wake up, and then the two of you can have a nice, long chat about everything. You can count on it," Shijuuten finished, patting her on the back and missing the sound of other footsteps approaching the huddled group.
A new voice cleared their throat, halting the tender moment and allowing the guild to refocus on their true purpose. A tall man wearing an immaculate, cinnabar suit stood before them all. He wore black gloves and a white undershirt, a tie of the same color as his suit completing the outfit. He wore simple glasses that refracted the light in such a way it obscured his eyes. His hair was slicked up into spikes, and a steel tail swayed behind him with spines on the tip.
Ulbert perked up upon seeing his Floor Guardian, Demiurge.
Directly behind him stood a titanic, armored warrior. He held himself proudly, his chitinous, insectoid shell glowing an ice-blue. Frost came out with every breath from between his two mandibles, and he had three eyes on either side of his head. He possessed four arms, each powerfully armored and ending in three-fingered claws. Much like his compatriot in front of him, a long tail lashed behind him, and he held a long, specialized glaive in his upper-right hand.
The last to join them was Albedo herself, her flawless and glowing form accompanied by the dejected-looking Tabula Smaragdina. He bore the look of someone who had lost an argument, pushing past the floor guardians to join his friends. He gave the unconscious Peroronchino a sideways glance, situating himself between the floating sword Brisinger and the animated armor Garnet.
A hush fell over the crowd, awaiting for Sebas himself to arrive with his report, and giving both sides time to study one another. Ulbert could not decipher what he felt as he looked upon his creation. His stomach seemed to tie itself into knots while his heart tried to beat itself out of his chest. Demiurge seemed to sense his unease, giving a polite nod and professional smile, though he too seemed charged with emotion.
Cocytus, the blue insectoid, found himself gazing upon his own creator, Warrior Takemikazuchi. He looked with approval and an almost-childlike excitement at the close proximity Takemikazuchi held with Yamaiko, the two practically brushing shoulders with one another.
Another blast of frost escaped his chittering mandibles as he spoke, "MY. LORD. CREATOR. YOUR. RETURN. HAS. MADE. TODAY. A. MOST. WONDERFUL. DAY."
Takemikazuchi nodded his head. "It's good to be back, Cocytus. You've been…well, I take it?"
"INDEED." Another blast of frost. "I. HAVE. FULFILLED. MY. DUTY. OF. SAFEGUARDING. THE. WEAPONS. YOU. ENTRUSTED. TO. ME."
He planted his glaive butt-end down into the dirt beneath his feet, and one of his hands reached into a void that was his inventory. From it, he withdrew a long, single-edged curved blade, an Ōdachi, that crackled with lightning.
He bowed as he presented the massive sword to Takemikazuchi with his two dominant hands, hilt-first. "YOUR. GOD. SLAYING. EMPEROR. BLADE. MY. MASTER."
"Oooooh!" Takemikazuchi's face lit up at the sight of the two-meter-long curved sword. He grasped the handle easily with one hand, and lifted it so he could admire the weapon in the reflected light of Momonga's impromptu bonfire. "I'd nearly forgotten this blade! Good lord, this brings back memories…"
He rested the non-sharp side of the sword across the nape of his neck, as he patted Cocytus affectionately on his bulky shoulders. "I feel less naked now. Thanks for keeping this safe for me. I…I wish I hadn't been gone for so long."
Another blast of frost came as Cocytus bowed his head and spoke, "I. FEEL. THE. SAME. MY. MASTER. I. LOOK. FORWARD. TO. HEARING. YOUR. STORIES." He glanced at Yamaiko, who'd been watching their exchange with happy interest. "ALL. OF. YOUR. STORIES."
The exchange ended as Sebas arrived, his dress shoes kicking up dust in his wake. His face was as stoic as when he first "awoke", only now something more worried seemed to lurk behind his iron gaze.
He stood resolute in front of the floor guardians and supreme beings, his feet snapping together with a sharp clap as he clasped his gloved hands behind his back.
"I have returned, my Lords and Ladies, and I believe I have some...disturbing news," Sebas said, staring straight ahead and not meeting any of their eyes. "It is not dire, thankfully, but it is considerate enough to merit mentioning."
He then launched into his full report, sparing not a single detail of his minor expedition outside of the tomb. Every guildmember's undivided attention was given to Sebas, searching his face for something, anything that could indicate he was either holding back or lying…to which they found none.
By the time Sebas was concluding his report, Peroronchino had regained consciousness, rubbing his head as he came to. Shalltear had ended up clinging to his arm, whispering a slew of apologies and offers of her life, if he so demanded it.
Ariel rubbed the poor birdman's back, offering a sympathetic smile as Peroronchino tensed at the vampire's touch and turned away, unable to meet her eyes.
"So…let me make sure I understand everything correctly," Punitto Moe started, holding up three small vines. "From what you gathered, we're no longer in the marshes of Helheim, but instead out in the open...in perhaps the flattest, greenest field of grass for miles around."
"That is correct, Lord Punitto Moe," Sebas confirmed.
Punitto folded the first vine in half. "Not only that, but this world does have life, only you couldn't really find anything that could be...like us," he said.
"Affirmative, my Lord. There is an abundance of wildlife, but I found nothing intelligent, heteromorph or otherwise, in our general vicinity," Sebas added.
The death vine folded his second tendril. "Except for one–and this is what I call bullshit on–but you think you found…"
Blue Planet rushed to the forefront, nearly goring the strategist in the back with his massive antlers. He was up in the face of the iron butler, who didn't even flinch at the druid's nearly psychotic look.
"You really think you found...Bellriver? Just standing there, out in a field?" Blue Planet whispered, a shaky smile fighting its way onto his face.
Sebas gave a small nod, returning a kind smile in return. "That is correct, Lord Blue Planet. We did not get too close, so we are unable to confirm the authenticity of his identity. I left a shadow demon to keep an eye on him, and provide updates on his moves. So far, he has remained unconscious but standing."
Blue Planet whirled around to meet his guildmates gaze, his stance wide and his arms open as if he meant to hug them all. "He's here! He's really here! I don't know how, but he actually made it to this new world with the rest of us! We have to go get him!"
The white dragon, Connaisdiam, allowed his tongue to slither out as he snaked his neck past Ankoro Mocchi Mochi and Small Cuttlefish. "I agree. If one of my comrades is here, but outside the Tomb, he could be in danger." He ran his large draconic eyes over the rest of his guildmates. "We must move with haste."
Ancient One held up an ebony talon in thought. "I would advise caution. Though our dear Sebas has left a bodyguard, there could be others lying in wait that he couldn't detect. Plus," he looked around at his fellow guildmates, "think about it. Bellriver? After all this time? After he DIED?" He shook his head, "This whole situation smells of a trap."
"Oh hell no," Temperance butted in, the Core Spawn Seer shaking a shadowy fist. "I say we go now, and knock some sense into that asshole. He shows up and doesn't even bother to find me so I can get back the data crystals he owes? I swear…"
Temperance launched a steady stream of curses that had Tempest Aizawa nodding with approval. He only stopped when Coup De Grace batted him upside the head with his paw, the androsphinx rolling his amber eyes.
"Aren't we missing the point? There is new prey to be had, but we haven't even asked the pack leader what he wants to do. Momonga, you're our leader, what should we do?" Coup asked, placing the Overlord on the spot.
Momonga had remained silent throughout his time in the amphitheatre, still in bliss at having so many of his friends with him again. Now, he found himself facing old responsibilities, the eyes of his guildmates looking to him expectedly, Blue Planet most of all.
Momonga came to his decision rather quickly, allowing his avatar's voice to ring forth once more. "If it really is Bellriver, then we owe it to him to bring him home. But if it's a trap...well, if someone messes with one of us, then they mess with ALL of us."
His guildmates roared their approval, their bodies already glowing, steaming or hissing with their old power, ready for battle.
Jo-Bro stepped forward though, bloodlust and uncertainty lining his features. "As much as I'm itchin' for a fight, we're practically naked here. What are we…?"
"I have all your old gear down in the treasury," Momonga said, waving away Jo-bro's concerns. "Even though some of you said to just sell it, I couldn't bear to get rid of all your things, so I stored it all in the Mausoleum for just such an occasion."
His statement shocked the rest of the guild, his thoughtfulness at keeping their old items bringing sincere grins to some of their faces.
"Oh? Then I say we suit up and kick some ass! FOR BELLRIVER!" Jo-Bro roared, throwing his fist into the air.
Everyone else, including Momonga, let loose their own battle cries as they rushed out of the ampitheatre, trampling the sand beneath them. As they reached the entrance, their guild rings all lit up in unison, a brilliant flash of light engulfing their forms and transporting them directly to where they needed to go.
The floor guardians were left alone with their own thoughts.
Demiurge pushed his glasses back up onto the bridge of his nose. "Ah, to have our masters back home! Truly, this is a day to be celebrated!"
Cocytus inclined his head, tapping his glaive against the floor. "INDEED. I. AM. MOST. EXCITED. TO. SEE. MY. CREATOR. AND. LADY. YAMAIKO. SO. CLOSE. I. SHAKE. TO. KNOW. WHAT. THE. FUTURE. MAY. HOLD. MAYHAPS. MY. LORD. WILL. BLESS. ME. WITH. A. PRINCE. THAT. MAY. RIDE. ON. MY. SHOULDERS. ONE. DAY!"
Aura gave off her own cocky grin. "It feels good to finally have Lady Bukubukuchagama back home. Maybe now she can finally knock some sense into Mare, so that he'll listen to me more."
Mare gasped, gripping his wooden staff tighter. "H-hey! I li-listen plenty to you. J-just cause I don't do all y-your chores when you ask me to…"
"Mare's right you know," Shalltear said, smoothing the front of her dress down. "Maybe if you weren't such a sloth, you'd actually have a clean treehouse every once in a while."
"Oh, don't you start on me!" Aura retorted, wagging a finger at the vampire. "If you really want to get like that, maybe we should talk about how the real reason Lord Peroronchino fainted was 'cause he realized you stuff your bra!"
Shalltear huffed, covering her chest with one arm while pointing accusingly at the elf child. "How dare you! I have it straight from Lord Shijuuten that he fainted because he was mesmerized by me! You're just jealous because you haven't exactly 'grown' anything worthwhile, you little brat!"
Both Shalltear and Aura delved into arguing with one another, while Mare more or less played referee to their catfight, trying in vain to calm the two women down.
Albedo could only peer longingly at where the forty had been previously, the image of Momonga having led the charge left her grasping her dress above her heart and rubbing her thighs together.
What a god! Albedo thought, her mind turning to more...salacious fantasies. "To think that our Lords and Ladies are so caring and loving! To know that they are led by the greatest and most thoughtful of them all...well, it is truly inspiring."
"Yes, yes, we all understand this, Albedo," Demiurge replied, "It would be best to try and meet our lords by the entrance to the tomb, to ensure that they are well protected from any and all threats. Unless you wish to leave them alone?"
Albedo instantly straightened, her serene expression returning as she clasped her hands in front of her.
"Yes of course, I'll get prepped and meet the rest of you outside. Best not to keep our masters waiting," she said, turning towards another exit and walking out, followed closely by her fellow guardians and Sebas, who had also remained behind.
—-
Sebas hadn't been kidding. It really is just grass for miles around, Ulbert mused, taking in the sights and sounds of the world outside the tomb.
His old gear fit him like a glove, providing him the feeling of invincibility he used to have back in Yggdrasil.
When all forty of them had teleported en masse to the treasury, they had just about knocked over another NPC, one Ulbert recalled as having been named "Pandora's Actor". Before he could even say hello, Momonga had pushed past him, leading them deeper into the treasury towards the mausoleum.
Ulbert and the others only just remembered right then to take off their rings, 'lest the guardians of the mausoleum awaken and attack, taking away precious time to recover Bellriver.
It had been eerie, seeing the not-quite visages of themselves wearing their own gear down in that area. Each of them had gone to their respective statue, finding that now they actually had to put their armor, weapons, and equipment on without it instantly being equipped just by touching it.
Momonga had watched them all the while, a contemplative look (could he call it that?) decorating his undead face. Ulbert had meant to ask what his friend was thinking about, but by that point, just about everyone had gotten ready and looked anxious to move out.
They exited the mausoleum single file, the jangle of plate armor and sword sheaths filling the air. Once they had gotten past the treasury guardians, they put their rings back on, before mass teleporting to the tomb's entrance.
The floor guardians met them there, Albedo wearing a black, heavy suit of plate-mail and a massive war axe in one hand.
Cocytus wore gold arm-bands and other fine jewelry around his body, weapons in each of his four hands, while the twins more or less wore their usual outfits.
Shalltear looked the most well-armed, her own outfit a veritable fortress of crimson metal, and a pipette lance in her right hand. Violet, feathered wings lay against her back.
Demiurge's outfit had not changed, but instead his physical form had transformed into something more amphibian and massive, demonic wings spread out behind him.
"My lords," Demiurge said, stepping forth and bowing slightly as the others mimicked him. "We are ready to escort you to Lord Bellriver's location, as per Sebas's report. Shall we?"
Ulbert and his comrades looked to one another, suddenly feeling that them and the floor guardians together was very much a crowd. Thankfully, Nubo floated forward, his light core pulsing with each word.
"That will not be necessary. If every single one of us left the Tomb now, just to get one person, we'd be undefended. As it is, it would be best if you remained behind to stand guard, and make sure someone doesn't try and sneak in."
The floor guardians had begun to voice their objections after Nubo's declaration, imploring their masters to at least allow one of them to accompany them. Punitto shook his leafy head, pointing a vine at Albedo.
"Albedo, as head guardian, we'll be counting on you to keep everybody in line, and keep everyone that's not us out. Go and make Momonga proud."
Albedo looked as if she was about to say something, before catching Punitto's last sentence. She paused, a wide grin showing itself as she put her helmet on and gestured for the other guardians to follow her.
Once more, the guild split, letting their creations through. They were already rushing outside to take in the sights of a whole new world.
Their more ranged fighters, like Peroronchino, Ra Ra Rasputin and others, fanned out, their bow, sniper rifle and assorted weapons charged and ready to unleash hell.
Front line fighters like Takemikazuchi, Yamaiko, and Suratan, among others, led the way, each ready to crack heads and cleave foes.
Magic casters like Momonga, Temperance, and Ulbert himself stood closer to the middle, spells instinctually flaring to life in their hands as they activated their skills.
Much as Sebas had said, they spotted Bellriver not too far off, standing in the middle of a scenic meadow, a crown of daffodils resting on his dome-shaped head. He wore his old items and gear, but from what they could see, his many mouths spread across his body were still and gaping. A crimson sword with a burnished hilt rested in his upper-left hand, while his upper-right hand remained empty. His lower hands each held a staff, one looked to be carved from oak, while the other was forged of a platinum and black metal.
They fanned out even further, each member of the guild taking their respective positions based on their class. Ankoro Mocchi, Coup de Grace, and Tigris Euphrates began to scout the outskirts of the group, sniffing or flying or burrowing into the surrounding area to ensure that no one or nothing was lying in wait.
Connaisdiam and Nearata had activated their [True Dragon] skills, their now gigantic bulk covering the entirety of the group's flank, warding against would-be attackers.
Momonga had summoned a small group of skeletal spellswords, augmenting their numbers and getting closer to the still Bellriver.
Ulbert allowed two pillars of black fire to grow from his clawed gloves, while Temperance summoned a thick fog of black gas to shroud the area.
Rasputin's scope scanned the "drop zone" as he had dubbed it in his own head, the thermal-vision scope picking up nothing other than his friend's signature, while Peroronchino had an aerial view of the plains further beyond. Rasputin's messenger pinged.
He answered with two fingers to his head, his internal systems whirring and clicking in lieu of a true response to whoever was on the opposite end of the messenger.
"I'm gonna pretend you asked me why I called, and ask in return if you see anything out there. Even without the floor guardians, this seems like overkill," Genjiro's raspy voice said, the arachne sounding annoyed.
Even though Genjiro couldn't see him, the gunslinger shrugged. By that point in the conversation, the natural noises of his body had become his voice, even if it could form no known language on their own. He made a low buzzing sound in lieu of a response.
Genjiro was silent on the other end, most likely trying to decipher what exactly he was hearing. "Yeah, uh, next time we should bring CZ out here. Nice talking to you, man."
The automaton chuckled, his deep voice sounding more like a falsetto. He grunted a noise of agreement, allowing the silence to carry on his answer better than he ever could.
Several more minutes passed before the scouts returned. Tigris poked his head out from a tunnel he dug in front of Momonga's feet. "All clear, boss. Nothing down in the dirt here with me."
"Same," Ankoro said, her lupine form morphing back into something more human. "If there were people somehow hiding out on the plains, I would've spotted them by now."
"I found no other hunters in the sky, so it seems we're safe from above and below," Coup De Grace reported, landing elegantly next to the guild leader.
Up until that point, they had given the gibbering mouther a healthy berth, occasionally inching forward as the situation demanded. All forty of them somewhat relaxed, but kept their senses and skills activated in case something eluded them.
Blue Planet held no such reservations.
He stalked right up to his old friend, ignoring the shouts and pleas of his guildmates to stay back and leave him alone. Blue Planet rested a hand on the spellsword's spiny pauldron, not quite able to look him in the eye on account that he had no eyes, only more mouths. The Seilenoi took a deep breath as he saw Belleriver had not stirred.
"Bellriver?" he asked, a slight tremble entering his voice.
The chirping of crickets and hooting of owls echoed through the night, their only source of light being the moon and stars in the sky. Had it not been for current circumstances, Blue Planet would have fallen to his knees and wept, tugging at his hair and despairing at his failure of capturing Nature's true beauty on the sixth floor. Everything he had made with the one in front of him seemed a mockery in comparison, but his mind was far and away by that point.
After a tense silence, with only the sound of the grasslands to fill the air, a loud, booming snore rang out.
It came from Bellriver himself.