If you notice any errors, please feel free to give me constructive feedback. English is not my first language, so if you notice any mistakes, please mention them in the comment section at the end of the chapter. I do not own Overlord. All property rights belong to their respective creators. Let's begin the story!
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Chapter-24
Niðavellir,
Yggdrasil,
Earth – January of Year 2135,
Overlord Verse;
The Lost Civilisation from A Forgotten Era:
Shouko's fingers traced along the smooth wall, blue circuit-like lines pulsing faintly under her fingertips. It was mesmerizing. This was part of the new expansion event—The Lost Civilization of a Forgotten Era—a piece of Yggdrasil's late-game content designed to bait both new and old players back into the game.
The lines weren't fully magic, nor were they quite technology. The lore claimed they were remnants of an ancient civilization that merged both, but from her experience playing this game submerging in such content and genre, Shouko understood it for what it was – An aesthetic design to appeal to both the fantasy and sci-fi crowd.
Her eyes narrowed as a Golem emerged from the side corridor, mechanical joints whirring, its plated body gleaming with faint glow of runes. The golem was sleek, similar to cyborgs from sci-fi shows and movies she watched.
But for all its design flair, it was weak.
Shouko didn't even spare it a glance. Her finger moved, using a skill almost lazily.
A burst of golden light erupted from her body – pure, concentrated divine energy. The automaton's core flickered once before shattering. Its body cracked apart in tiny parts, vanishing into particle dust.
"Such a cheap event…" she muttered, sighing.
This whole Lost Civilization patch was designed to lure in new players. With added items for new players to gain equal footing against old players. Power Suits were introduced – an obvious marketing ploy. Pay-to-win items to gain instant power-up.
Her gaze shifted toward the city square ahead.
At the center of the sprawling ruin, between the remnants of collapsed skyscrapers and glowing, rune-inscribed highways, and gazing at the sky, she spotted Kai and Hitoshi racing each other in customized Power Suits.
Hitoshi's was humongous – Modelled with a classic mecha design. Exaggerated shoulders, rocket thrusters, gleaming armour plates.
Kai's suit was the opposite—sleek, skin-tight, painted red with glowing blue disc at the centre of the chest.
Shouko remembered his words clearly when he modified it.
"Iron Man it is."
Now they were zipping through the abandoned city like children, weaving between crumbling buildings, shooting beams at the remaining golem guards patrolling the city.
She sighed, rubbing her temple.
"Childish," she whispered under her breath.
Nearby, a group of their guildmates chased after them like children at recess.
Nameless Shadow, Indomitable Wall, Zaroth, Red Order, Shining Knight, Silent Witch, Kindred Star—they were all in on the farce, laughing, shouting and taunting each other. Roleplaying to their hearts content with power suits.
Wandering Soul approached from behind, arms crossed, her long robe billowing slightly from a soft breeze.
"Well, they're certainly enjoying themselves," Wandering Soul muttered, her tone dry.
"They are certainly enjoying their little game, huh?" Manabu said, echoing Wandering Soul's words. Manabu had appeared beside them. Shouko exhaled slowly, looking over her shoulder. She nodded, but her expression stayed distant.
With the Boss of this lost civilisation event defeated, their main objective arriving to this city, and for participating in this event had been completed. And now?
They were playing in the city, while collecting loot and further planning to give their Guild Base a make over with their loot from the Lost Civilisation. Her guild – the once-elusive Vanitas Regnum Anta – had shrunk again. Down to 24 active members. Most of the artists, and designers Kai had brought in were gone, their job of working on their guild base, creating his "Utopia" as he worded it, complete. Along with few players who had joined them later and at the beginning, had left their Guild, to build their life in real world, burdened with responsibilities.
Shouko couldn't understand it.
Kai kept logging in as though Yggdrasil was life itself. Building, expanding, perfecting the layout of their city inside Avalon. Even now, he expanded, adventured and collected loot; all to satisfy his collector's spirit. Rather than concentrate on his life outside, try getting medical treatment – Rushing to save his life at all costs. It was as if he had come to terms with his fate, he had resigned himself to fate that awaited him. He had given up on fighting against the encroaching death. From what she heard, there had been advancement in that field and there was a small possibility of him surviving his ordeal, yet he refused to try to save himself. She just couldn't understand him, from what she heard, he was somehow still going good, despite what doctors had predicted previously, and was still in somewhat good condition.
"Idiot," she muttered again under her breath, having had enough of his reckless and thoughtless approach toward life. It pained her heart to see him like this; giving up on his life, not fighting it.
It was then Manabu sent a private message to her. Checking the notification, she opened the message to take a look.
[Rex sub luna: Things are ready at the guild. We can return any time now.]
Shouko turned to look at Manabu, and nodded. While, Kai who also read the message Manabu had sent him, smiled.
******
Agartha,
The Eternal Flying Garden of Utopia – Avalon,
Yggdrasil;
The grand balcony of the giant castle of Agartha, the tenth floor of Vanitas Regnum Anta's Guild Base, shone under the soft glow of sunset from an artificial sun that adorned the sky of this floor. The Giant castle loomed at the back of the floor, surrounded with cascading waterfalls, while ahead of it was a sprawling utopian city pulsed with buildings of chaotic design, filled with building for various purposes.
Kai leaned back on his seat, quietly scrolling through the loot list displayed in his inventory. Rings, artifacts, relics, golems, weapons, and drop materials from the Lost Civilization Event were being sorted by Kindred Star and Hitoshi with almost mechanical efficiency. Meanwhile, the rest of the guild laughed and lounged in the giant balcony of the giant castle in Agartha, sharing idle banter.
That was when Manabu pinged Kai in private chat:
[Rex sub luna: It's time.]
Kai gave a long sigh, then flicked his eyes toward Shouko, sending her a non-verbal signal through his private chat. Shouko groaned softly, giving him the side eye. She stood from her seat and clapped her hands once—sharp enough to cut through the idle chatter.
"Alright, everyone listen-up."
The gathered members quieted immediately. The sound of waterfalls in the background gave the scene an almost dreamlike atmosphere.
"It's been a while," she began, "but as you all know, Shining Knight and Wandering Soul have finally decided to get engaged. And are set to marry soon."
A wave of applause followed. Shining Knight fell silent, his usually stoic face now flushed under his Avatar of Yggdrasil. Wandering Soul turned crimson in reality, covering her face with her hand.
But before the crowd could erupt into a frenzy of cheers, And Shouko could once again try calming them down, Manabu stepped forward.
With a calm expression, he cast
A red sphere of pulsating blood formed above his palm before shooting into the air and exploding like a grand display – its crimson droplets vanishing into the virtual sky. A very powerful skill, he had gained through his racial class. Its power slightly surpassing ten-tier spells.
Shouko cleared her throat.
"It's a joyous occasion," she continued, "and while we'll celebrate their wedding properly later in real life, let's take this time to celebrate it here in Yggdrasil first."
At her cue, the guild's NPCs – intricately designed servants coded by Wandering Soul and Silent Witch appeared, carrying silver and gold trays laden with food and drinks. Tables materialized on cue by Kai, at the sides of the balcony, transforming the area into a grand virtual banquet.
Silent Witch, walked up and stood beside Shouko, added softly, "And… this is also for the guild itself. We've come a long way. We'll miss our friends who left, but let's continue on as long as we can."
Her voice echoed slightly in the simulation, followed by cheers by players.
"Thank you," said Shining Knight, his voice low but sincere.
"It means a lot," Wandering Soul followed, both of them happy for gaining such good friends.
At that moment, Kai called Manabu and gestured subtly toward Hitoshi.
Manabu caught the signal and walked up front beside Shouko and Silent Witch.
"I'm happy for our friends," he began, tone steady, "but that's not all."
The guild's chatter paused, attention shifting.
"I'd also like to congratulate Heiki Kaji and Kindred Star for their engagement. Though they are both shy in expressing themselves, but as a member of this guild, I would like you all to share your blessings with them." Dropping a bomb shell upon the guild, surprising everyone over the announcement.
The announcement stunned the crowd. They'd all seen Heiki and Kindred Star together, but no one had expected this. Especially not when Kai was also seen in their company.
Even Indomitable Wall patted Nameless Shadow on the back, muttering something only half-audible about something they only knew.
Meanwhile, the two most chaotic guild members, Red Order and Zaroth, the zealous and the hard-core role-players, sat in rare silence, reflecting on their own lives. Their usual antics of proclamation or dialogues were absent tonight. They were the last of the "problem children" of Vanitas Regnum Anta—with wildcards like Kai, Hitoshi and Kindred Star. Wondering where they had gone wrong with their life. At least, they consoled themselves with associating and feeling an unknown bond with Kai and Rex Sub Luna, who from their perspective were probably the most desirable guys for any girl, stuck in their guild in the same situation as them, except they chose to stay the way they were, unlike these two. Yet, they comforted themselves, looking over at Kai and Manabu, from what they knew about them.
Perhaps it was loneliness, or just realization.
At the back of the balcony, away from the crowd, Kai stood with Immortal Witch, known in real life as Azusa Ryu. Her avatar was a black-robed figure, long witch hat with long blonde hair cascading down her back, and large blue eyes that shimmered faintly in the twilight.
Azusa had once worked in Kai's corporate office, but life had pulled her into a spiral. Her younger sister's accident had forced her to withdraw from the workforce. It was then that Kai had extended her an unusual offer, shocking her with the kind of work, he expected from her. He'd given her control of his library project inside his guild base in Yggdrasil.
Azusa's work had been a secret to other members of guild, except for Shouko. She had been compiling books, research papers and thesis on science, including blueprints for various things, mathematics, philosophy, psychology, history, economics, politics, literature, strategy among many other things, including comics, manga, light novels, and many more.
Azusa worked from home, logged in remotely while managing her life for a couple of years now. Even Kayaba knew about it now, but Kai had paid him off to keep silent. Kayaba hadn't objected. Perhaps he understood. Perhaps he didn't care. Kai's real-world health was already deteriorating though not as much as doctors had predicted, and Shouko—who kept tabs on Kai – had long since stopped questioning his fixation.
Shouko did not bother with his little project after Kai, stated his wish of owning all the books in existence. His answer had been simple, managing or building such a project, was not easy, but it was a whole different situation in a virtual world.
Now, as the virtual banquet continued, Kai's eyes wandered over his guildmates—laughing, bickering, eating pixelated food with smiles on their faces.
******
The banquet's warmth lingered in the air—laughter, clinking glasses, and the hum of conversations weaving through the balcony of the giant castle. But Kai remained at the corner, by the glass door of the balcony, blending in the background.
As he gazed at the NPC he had created, though almost all NPCs of the guild had been created by him, with assistance from Hitoshi. But it had been him, who designed them and created them. And currently, a female knight stood by the glass door, her blonde hair cascading down. An NPC based on Artoria Pendragon from fate verse.
She unlike other NPCs of the guild, didn't belong to the guild, but was created using a World Item [Children of Yggdrasil]. Her existence equalled World Class items of World Champions and the items made from [Caloric Stone], created from the hoarding of Celestial Uranium along with other prismatic ores they mined and bought from the market.
She stood still, like a painting come to life, her eyes reflecting both dusk and something softer – a quiet kingly dignity. She was a knight clad in silver and blue armour, her cape fluttering to the wind.
His mind wandered back to Red Thorn, his guildmate and fellow World Champion, who surprisingly was obsessed with Artoria. And when she quit the game a few months back after marriage and was soon to leave Neo-japan, she had used
Similarly, other members of the guild who left and deleted their account to concentrate on their real life, burdened with responsibilities, had passed on their exclusive class to their favourite NPCs and as for the rest of their inventory had been purchased by Kai at a fair price IRL.
******
Kai's gaze drifted from Artoria to the rest of the party. One by one, speeches came to an end, and then—to his mild annoyance—everyone turned to stare at him.
Shouko approached first, smirking faintly as she tugged on his sleeve. "Come on, K. You should say something for everyone."
He groaned, half-laughing. "I'm pretty sure everyone else has already said their piece. I am not sure, if there is anything left to be said." Though, he had no issue to converse, but wasn't in the mood to give speeches. He was angry with his body and his fate, despite his easy-going attitude he showcased, he was frustrated on the inside. As the last day and the end of Yggdrasil approached, his body wasn't the same.
Silent Witch appeared beside him, clasping his arm lightly and guiding him toward the balcony railings. "There has to be something you can say, my dear guild master" she teased, her tone gentle but firm.
And just like that, the crowd began chanting his name.
"Mors."
"Mors."
"Mors."
He sighed, raising his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. Fine."
He stepped forward, eyes sweeping over the group. Friends, comrades, guildmates. His guild. The members who were part of his Yggdrasil family.
"First," he began, voice steady but relaxed, "congratulations to Shining Knight and Wandering Soul—and to Keiji and Kindred Star. You guys have been great friends. And… to everyone else, thank you for being part of this long and enjoyable journey."
A soft murmur of agreement rippled through the group, everyone nodding.
"Everyone who has been part of this guild, which started from a clan that I, Evernight Candidum and others started. Thank you." He muttered. "As an Immortal Demon, all I can say is that I have enjoyed Yggdrasil with you all and will enjoy it with you all for as long it lasts. While, there were many who came and left, it still is a great joy for me to be part of this little group. And do not worry, I will always be here, even after the end of Yggdrasil."
Applause followed, though quieter this time. More solemn. With a few shedding tears at their journey, with many friends they made along the way, the memories that they shared. It was quite an emotional ride. As they turned to their friends list in the console, with a few names dimmed, blending in the background, with a bubble text beside their game id: [Last active two years ago] marking their name. Added with few whose name had disappeared with them.
They remained quiet, surprised at the passage of time from when they first started playing this game.
Kai turned back to the balcony railing, hands resting on the marble railings. Below, the sprawling cityscape of their tenth floor stretched toward the artificial horizon. Towers penetrating the skies, along with various other buildings, almost serving every facilities that a man could think of. With the waterfall at the end, stretching to infinity. Gazing down at the city and the guild that he and his friends called home, brought a smile to his face.
Gazing at the ethereal glow of the setting sun, he picked up a wine glass off a tray held by an Automaton maid NPC of his guild, by his side and raised it high. His act caught the attention of everyone present. The room silenced on its own, no commands needed. Every eye fell on him.
Kai brought the glass down to his eye level, and stared at the crimson liquid, his reflection warping in the glass.
And softly, almost to himself, he said:
"For those that live too long, the friends of days gone by and the scenes from their adventures live on in their memories. As such, I have no regrets in meeting you, my dear friends from Yggdrasil. Should the day ever come that we are not together… you will continue to shine like gold in my memories."
Kai muttered the lines of Zhongli from his memories that his friend has shared with him, he didn't understand why he muttered it but he just felt like it, was all he could come up with. A video that his friend had prompted him to take a look at, urging to also start Genshin Impact.
With the setting sun, casting its beautiful radiance behind him, on the waterfall at the edges of the floor: Agartha. Silence reigned at the balcony, everyone pondering over his words. When Kai dropped the glass, without even sipping the wine, the glass unlike their expectation did not shatter, but rolled on the floor, as the wine disappeared.
Shouko stood staring at his back, from the sidelines. Her gaze fixed not on the man holding the glass, but on his back—the one that somehow always felt like it was moving further away from her.
And still, she said nothing.
******
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**The End**
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