Chapter 9: The Birth of Ainz Ooal Gown - 3
One by one, all the members of Nine's Own Goal filtered into the conference room. Each member of the clan was a different species of the mighty Heteromorphic race, and no two Players looked similar to one another, bringing forth a colorful cast to the Heteromorphic clan. Shirou included.
Taking familiar seats at the circular table, they all sat down and awaited the leader of the clan, Touch Me. In total, there were twenty-nine members seated. Seeing everyone present and accounted for, Touch Me stood up and began.
"Thank you all for coming." He greeted. "I see that everyone was able to make it, and so we'll begin." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I do have an important announcement to make, however, before that, is there anything anyone wishes to announce at this time?"
Immediately, all eyes turned toward the lone humanoid Player. During these meeting sessions, Shirou was often the first to speak and get the ball rolling. It wasn't uncommon for him to start the meeting off by revealing some event or informing the rest of the clan of any dungeons or areas he had recently discovered and subsequently conquered.
"Yes. I just finished my excursion from [The Field of Ever Frost] with Talisman-san and Herohero-san."
This sparked excitement and discussion amongst the group as Variable Talisman and Herohero regaled their adventures to those sitting nearby.
"The time-limited event location within Niflheim, if I remember correctly." Punitto Moe, the Death Vine, uttered, his voice holding a slight inflection of awe.
"All by yourself as well I'm assuming?" Luci*Fer, the corrupted angel, commented, leaning forward.
"I had helped."
"If by help you mean extra hands to grab the loot, then sure." Variable Talisman spoke up, playful snark coloring his voice. "You should've seen it, Emiya-san all but soloed the bosses."
"That's Emiya-sempai for you!" Peroroncino excitedly praised.
"Woah..."
"As expected of our resident [Dungeon Master]."
Shirou couldn't help but blush in both modesty and slight embarrassment at the praise his friends were handing out.
Over the course of the past two years, Shirou had slowly opened up to the clan. The peculiar nature of his 'build' had become a commonly known fact among the members. Due to the nature of his abilities being translated into a game and his condition, he took to hunting down the remaining Class Cards in his free time.
This endeavor was no small feat, as it required him to scour dungeons far and wide, in search of the elusive Servant bosses that he needed to defeat. As a result, entire dungeons were often cleared out thanks to the many game-breaking weapons Shirou could trace as easily as one would breathe. Often, entire dungeons would be cleared out by Shirou's sheer prowess, leaving him to walk away with the rewards and loot. The ones he could go solo anyways, but even then, Shirou's accomplishments were nothing short of remarkable.
His tireless pursuit saw him clear dungeon after dungeon that even the most hardcore of Players would gawk at.
Thus, the name was given to him one day by Warrior Takemikazuchi as a joke and it just stuck within the clan.
"Any good loot?" Asked Bukubukchagama.
"Indeed." Nodded Herohero. "We deposited them all in the vaults, so if anyone needs something, you can swing by there." Answered her fellow slime companion.
"That and more." Shirou opened his menu and held out his hand as four items materialized. The four Class Cards appeared and were visible to all.
"And that makes four in total..." Tabula counted.
A new clan member, Wish III, asked. "Have you had any luck figuring them out yet?"
Shirou shook his head and replied. "I'm afraid not. Just like the others, they remain unresponsive no matter what I try."
"Hmmm, you did say there are potentially seven cards in total. Perhaps all seven must be collected before its true worth is revealed?" Momonga theorized, his words raising further speculation and intrigue.
'Assuming that's all Zelretch put in.' Shirou mused. It was already complicated enough. The last thing he needed was the addition of Avengers or even Ruler Class Servants.
If what Momonga theorized was true, then that brought up the matter of other guilds and Players possibly possessing even just one of the few remaining Class Cards available. If so, what then? Shirou had exhausted any and every option available to him, yet the purpose of the World Item still alluded him. It wasn't like he could just head to the forums and write up a complaint about them. That would be putting a target on his and the clan's backs.
Not to mention their status as World Items. Items of extreme rarity that only fifty or so have been confirmed by the developers to have been found. Fifty out of two hundred within the six long years that the game has been out. And they, he, possesses four of them.
The fact that Shirou managed to track down and collect four already within two years was commendable enough and could only be described as a lucky streak.
'And I still haven't been able to track down the Her card yet…' Shirou mused.
"Sounds like something those shitty devs would come up with."
"Leave it to them to make us work even harder for a World Item."
"Damn shitty devs."
The group shortly deluged into the typical banter of insulting the developers. Once the usual tirade and banter were out of the way, the group quickly got back on track.
"Anyone else?" Touch Me posed.
"Ohhh! Me! Pick me!" The golden archer excitedly raised his hand.
"Oh, brother…" Thanks to his enhanced senses, Shirou was able to catch the exasperated tone coming from Peroroncino's sister.
"I've managed to get a new girlfriend!" Peroroncino boasted, puffing his chest out in pride.
"Ohh, how long has this lasted?" Asked Beast King Mekongawa. A few of the clan members leaned in, curious as well. Especially since they knew how perverted their friend could be at times.
"Two weeks, baby! Three days longer than the last!" Peroroncino proudly bragged.
"Congratulation." Momonga responded, clapping. On the surface, it would appear that the Elder Lich was being overly sarcastic but in truth, he was completely genuine.
Considering the perverted Player's general disposition and attitude towards a member of the fairer sex, the fact that he managed to keep a relationship going with the opposite gender for this long was worthy of praise. It was commendable on both sides, Peroroncino managing to not drive the girl away with his usual perversion and the girl herself for sticking with him through his antics and all.
"Congrats. I can't wait to see how long this one lasts until she runs for the hill." Ulbert snarked.
Shirou frowned at the World Disaster's sarcastic comment but quickly gave up, knowing he wouldn't apologize. The goat Heteromorph had always had a troublesome personality and was very unapologetic when it came to his actions and words.
Instead, he too showed his support for his friend.
"That's great, Peroroncino-san."
"Thanks, Emiya-sempai!" A happy, smiling emoticon appeared over Peroroncino as he threw him a thumbs up.
"Ok, ok. Enough." Said Touch Me, quieting down his companions. "Anyone else?"
"I too have something I wish to share!" A hand shot upward, drawing everyone's attention.
It was none other than Nishikienrai.
The Player donned an all-black and white ensemble that immediately brought to mind the attire of a ninja. The outfit was expertly crafted from a combination of luxurious silk and rugged leather, with a layer of white armor with accents of gold adorning their hands and arms, as well as their legs and thighs. The most striking feature, however, was the intimidating mask that concealed the Player's face, resembling a monstrous creature. Underneath his attire, it would be difficult to guess the ninja's true racial class, but he was firmly of the Heteromorphic race as a Half-Golem.
"Have you found something?" Asked the player sitting next to the ninja, a Player by the name of Nubo.
"Indeed, my friend!" Nishikienrai's jovial voice confirmed it, sounding rather exorbitantly happy. "Listen closely, my friend, for I'm about to share with you a most wonderful secret!" He paused, allowing the anticipation to build as he held the attention of the clan.
"Get on with it!" Blue Planet, a druid, urged.
"Fine, fine. My friends, I discovered a hidden dungeon!" He declared.
The ninja's revelation caused quite a stir among the group, with everyone chatting and asking questions. While everyone else was growing excited, Shirou kept to himself. That was not to say he too wasn't feeling the buzz and excitement in the air, but it came with a sense of familiarity. After finding and entering so many, the thrill of discovering new dungeons became a routine rather than a monumental moment like it was in the beginning. However, he wasn't complaining. Another dungeon meant the possibility of a Servant Boss.
"Where is the location of this dungeon?" Bellriver asked, the multi-mouthed warrior's voice carrying a layer of curiosity and cautiousness.
"Helheim. More specifically, within the outer layer of the world, located within a massive poisonous swamp in the marsh."
"You wouldn't happen to be talking of the Poisonous Swamp that is home to the Tuvegs, would you?" Bukubukchagama questioned.
"The very same."
"A moment, please." One voice sprang up, belonging to none other than Tabula, the resident's clan intellectual. "Correct me if I am wrong, but did you not once travel to this very same swamp yourself, Emiya-san?"
"I did, and I think I would remember a structure or something of that nature. But I didn't, and all I saw were poison marshes and dying trees."
"There's also another matter of other Players performing aerial recon over the swamp as well, and for them to turn up nothing. I should know, I've seen the recording, and I agree with Emiya-san's word that there was nothing that would indicate building or structure for a dungeon." Backed up Tabula.
Nishikienrai chuckled, sounding awfully pleased within himself.
"Emiya-san, when you journeyed there, did you happen to fight the Tuvegs by any chance?"
"…I did." Shirou confirmed the Half-Golem's question, confused about what exactly his fellow clansmen were getting at with his question.
Nishikienrai continued to chuckle for a few more seconds, and by the sound of it, he was smiling along the way.
"Whereas Emiya-san no doubt fought his way through the Tuvegs, I, on the other hand, avoided them completely!"
"Forgive me, but I'm still doubtful, Nishikienrai-san." Another voice objected, being none other than Punitto Moe, the clan's strategist.
"Tuvegs have an annoying mechanic where they will shout and alert any nearby allies or even tribes, making them an annoyance to fight as all it would take is one misstep and you'll be fighting a swarm of slippery worms." The Death Vine continued.
"Do you doubt my skill? You wound me so, Moe-san!" Nishikienrai playfully prodded, but the Death Vine didn't rise to the bait. "In case you might have forgotten, I specialize in one-shot-kill assassination thanks to my build's specs. Stealth is the name of the game, and I can be very stealthy." He boasted before going in-depth with his explanation as to how he did it.
"All I had to do was play it safe and kill any Tuveg in my way as quickly and quietly as I could. Once dead, they won't be able to call for backup, and I get to continue unhindered. Plus, my sneak skills and natural abilities help me avoid getting detected by them. And that's what I did."
Nishikienrai crossed his arms and held his head up high, content to stand and bask in his friends stunned silence. Punitto Moe in particular.
Shirou, too, was impressed. He remembered the encounter with the poisonous worms. The poisonous marsh for which the monster made their home was a difficult area to fight and maneuver in. The thick, sludge-like water would limit any Player's movement, and that was also not considering the poisonous smog that filled the air.
To traverse without being detected in such difficult circumstances was well deserving of praise.
Shirou momentarily tuned out the discussion where the group was talking and discussing Nishikienrai's build before Touch Me stopped the group from getting even further away from the topic.
"Let's get back on track. Nishikienrai-san, please tell us about the dungeon." Touch Me-san requested.
"Of course, my apologies for getting sidetracked. The dungeon is situated deep within the marsh, and is almost separated from the swamp on a small patch of land. It is called the Tomb of Nazarick." Nishikienrai narrated.
Some of the members quickly mumbled to themselves, testing the name. Shirou was willing to admit the name certainly sounded quite ominous, yet there was also a uniqueness to it, one that made it all the more enticing to the clan.
"That still begs the question: how was it that the dungeon wasn't discovered before with aerial reconnaissance?" One of the members, Shizyuutensuzaku, wondered.
"From the sounds of it, it appears that the dungeon can only be happened upon under specific conditions. Just like Titan's Crystal Cavern." Shirou added, alluding to the location and the events that transpired in the past.
Several of the members, namely the ones that were there with him, nodded along, seeing the correlation.
"If we take all that we know and compare Nishikienrai-san and Emiya-san's journey, we can see a clear distinction and perhaps the conditions for which the Tomb appears. It seems that the dungeon is only accessible to those that travel on foot while stealthily avoiding any enemies along the way." Tabula theorized.
It certainly wouldn't be the first that this has happened to them.
The magus could name off the top of his head several locations and dungeons that had specific conditions attached to them. Some were small and simple and involved a certain number of Players or required a set time or even a specific day or month to enter. Other examples include ones with specific conditions and could only be accessed within a narrow time window. One example that stood out was the Field of Everfrost, a timed event that could only be accessed for a single month out of the year. Or even this rumor Shirou heard of an ancient city within Midgard, which was purportedly only accessible on a specific date and time each year.
"Since it hasn't been conquered yet, why don't we have a go at it?!" Nishikienrai proposed excitedly.
This got everyone talking again. Discussion and speculation only grew more pronounced as everyone threw in their own opinion. Some agreed, while others were on the fence.
"We could always just throw Emiya-san at it." Luci*Fer playfully offered.
"You give me too much credit. I can handle small dungeons and arenas. If you remembered Luci*Fer-san, there were plenty of dungeons that I discovered and couldn't conquer on my own and needed everyone's help with." Shirou said, downplaying his prowess.
"There's also the mystery of what kind of dungeon this Tomb of Nazarick is. I do not doubt Emiya-san's skill, but we cannot simply rely on him forever." Momonga added.
"Add to the fact that this dungeon has been kept hidden for so long, and it's clear that it won't be an easy one. It might even require a fully stocked legion to tackle it. Even with Emiya-san's build." Said Whitebrim, backing up his two companions' concerns.
"All the more reason for all of us to try it." Nishikienrai countered, drumming up excitement and support.
"So far, we are the only ones who know of its existence, giving us a monopoly on it. If the dungeon proves too risky or large, we can default to trial and error. We should stockpile everything we can, including the layout, routes, monsters, possible traps, and even bosses, for when we finally conquer it. The more of us there are, the less likely we will be caught off guard if something unexpected happens. Besides, it has been a while since every member of Nine's Own Goals has attended a meeting. Why not celebrate such an occasion with this?"
Nishikienrai was right. While the clan did have regularly scheduled meetings every two weeks or so, that never guaranteed everyone would show up. A majority, yes, but not always everyone. Each member had different timetables, schedules, and personal and work-related matters that would get in the way occasionally.
Not even Touch Me, the clan's leader, was an exception, having missed a few meetings due to his personal life.
"I agree." Said the silver paladin. "It's been a while since all of us have been in attendance. What better way to mark this occasion than for all of us to conquer this unexplored dungeon together!"
Several of the members cheered in support Touch Me's passionate declaration. However, Shirou noticed that a few of them remained skeptical of the situation but chose to stay silent for the moment.
"For now, we can discuss more of this later. Is there anything else they would like to share? If not, then there is something I wish to say."
Hearing no objections, Touch Me proceeded to drop quite the bombshell.
"I would like to dissolve the clan."
For a second, all was silent. Every single Player was frozen stiff at the paladin's words. Suddenly, pandemonium erupted as everyone jumped to their feet, talking and shouting all at once, creating an atmosphere of complete chaos.
Shirou immediately jumped into action, recognizing the situation at hand. A situation he too has made in the past, far too many times than he could count in his long life. Something that he still holds over his head was his lack of tact and awareness with his wording, which often leads to misunderstanding more times than he can count.
Before the commotion could spiral out of control, well more than it could have, Shirou intervened.
"Everyone quiet!" A subtle application of Alteration to help his vocal cords, allowing him to speak loudly and clearly for all to hear. He also slammed both hands against the table for good measure.
All discussion immediately died down at Shirou's outburst, their undivided attention on him.
"Touch Me-san…" Shirou sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Please reconsider what you just said and what you truly mean. Because I know you have no ill will to suddenly get rid of all that we worked for."
As everyone stared at the World Champion, they could all see the dots slowly connecting within Touch Me's head. It wasn't long before the metaphorical light bulb inside his mind lit up with understanding. After a few seconds, it finally dawned on Touch Me the severity of his words.
"Ahahaha..."
He let out an embarrassed and sheepish chuckle while rubbing the back of his neck. Suffice it to say, many were not happy at the heartbreaking news that Touch Me involuntarily delivered.
"I can see why my choice of words could be misunderstood..."
"Geez, you think?" Was Ulbert's scathing retort.
Many grumbled alongside the World Disaster, while others glared at the mistake. The insectoid warrior, for his part, cleared his throat and rectified the situation.
"Apologies. What I meant to say is that I wish to dissolve the clan to reform it into a full-fledged guild."
'Oh's and 'Ah's' could be heard throughout the group, hearing and understanding Touch Me's true intentions.
"Couldn't you have just started with that instead of dramatically stating you were going to disband the clan?" Shirou couldn't help but deadpan at the rather glaring oversight.
To which Touch Me responded with another weak chuckle along with a shrug.
"Idiot." Ulbert scoffed.
"Well, you know what they say. Hindsight is twenty-twenty." Another member of the clan sitting next to Ulbert quietly added. The two shared a quick laugh at the World Champion's expense.
Shirou glanced over.
The Player's name was Arcadia. The Player was dressed in a rather flamboyant manner, in a multicolored outfit that invoked the jester archetype with frills, ribbons, and a ruff around his neck. He wore a mask, one side black and frowning, the other white and smiling. He was a friend of Ulbert, and one day he asked that Arcadia join Nine's Own Goal. Something he adamantly fought to make happen.
The faker watched as the two talked, a small, contemplative frown hidden away behind his character model.
Shirou never openly expressed this, but he didn't quite trust the jester-themed Player. It was irrational, but in the moments he interacted with the man, the magus always felt on guard when around him. As if there was something more to him than what he may appear. He was the one who contributed the least to the clan, his presence was sparse when interacting with other members within the clan, despite Ulbert's continuing to vouch for him.
Shirou kept quiet about it, as with no real proof besides a "gut feeling", he had little in the way of backing up his suspicion. He knew that pointing fingers would do nothing and only lead to divisions amongst them, especially with someone as volatile as Ulbert at times. So for the moment, he would remain vigilant. If it was nothing, then no harm was done, but if there was something more...
"Moving onwards." Shirou heard Touch Me clear his throat, his thoughts returning to reality.
"Since we've grown in size, I believe a guild would be much more suited for all of us. Are there any objections?"
Touch Me's gaze swept across the table to see if there would be any objections. There were none.
"I would also like to make a follow-up announcement. For the guild, I shall be stepping down from the leader position." Touch Me once again made another shocking announcement. "I hope you all can understand." He bowed.
Quietly, everyone turned to one another, unsure of what to do next. They would go through with rejoining to be a full-fledged guild. Of course, this brought up an entirely new dilemma. Who would be the Guildmaster then? Who would be the one to lead them?
Each Player looked over one another, evaluating their fellow peers to see who would be the best fit for the role. It was Peroroncino who offered the first candidate.
"I vote for Emiya-senpai!" He boldly announced.
"Hmm, not a bad choice." Said Tigris Euphrates.
"I agree, he would make a great leader." Yamaiko also supported this.
Other members quickly agreed, with small mumbles and praise here and there. It was namely Peroroncino, Bukubukuchagama, Touch Me, Momonga, Amanomahitotsu, HeroHero, and Yamaiko who were his staunch supporters in the decision.
Shirou said nothing, but from the corner of his eyes, he scanned the room, taking note of a few key members.
Finally, he gave his answer.
"Sorry, but I have to say no." Shirou declined.
First came the abrupt silence, then the questions.
"Everyone, everyone!" Touch Me raised his voice, quieting everyone, the loudest of which was Peroroncino. "We should not force him into the position if he is not willing. But I'm sure everyone would like to hear your reasoning, Emiya-san."
It took a moment for everyone to finally calm down. Satisfied, Shirou began.
"Does anyone know the difference between a leader and a commander?" Shirou asked, much to the confusion of his friends, bringing up a question out of left field.
"Uhh, aren't they kind of the same thing, senpai?" Peroroncino asked, scratching his head, confused.
"You would not be wrong. In a way, the two terms are rather synonymous with one another, but they have distinct differences. To me, a leader is one who can do just that, lead. They must be able to motivate and inspire others to work towards a common goal. They guide their followers like a beacon shining above, inspiring them to reach far beyond what they thought possible. On the other hand, a commander simply commands and issues orders. While a commander is responsible for executing orders, it is the leader who provides direction and guidance." Clarified Shirou.
He looked back to his clanmates, all of whom were silently musing over his words.
Shirou holds a certain standard for what a true leader should embody. He believes that a leader should possess qualities such as honesty, trustworthiness, respect, and the ability to inspire others. All qualities and traits that Shirou does not believe he possesses. At least, not the more admirable qualities. He didn't inspire people to better themselves and improve. If anything, it was the opposite. His time as the Second Magus Killer earned him a fearsome reputation, painting him as someone who evokes fear, envy, jealousy, and so much more by the likes of the Clock Tower and Church. He was respected for his skills and abilities, but that was about it. Not his personality or character. Only his magecraft and skill.
He was the farthest thing from a leader. He could come up with battle plans and schemes and work in joint operations with others. He could even give out orders, but they were blunter than they were inspiring. There were indeed times when Shirou did command from time to time. But he couldn't possibly lead. If anything, it would be better if he had someone in charge to lead and issue commands for him to follow.
Sure, in the years since he had joined Nine's Own Goal, he had successfully selected and led a fair number of missions and raids for the clan. Shirou would guess that they were equating battle smarts and experience to being the same as a leader. It was not necessarily an incorrect correlation, but it was a misnomer.
Give him an obstacle and directions, and he would see it through easily.
He knew who he was. What he was.
Just his Origin and Alignment, he was a sword.
A weapon. To be used when fit.
To be wielded and given a purpose. To either cut down anything in his path or to protect. Never was a sword to lead, but rather the wielder.
"So, you see yourself more as a commander? Is that what you're implying, Emiya-san?" Said Touch Me, understanding the message the Humanoid Player was trying to get across.
"I still think you'll be a good leader, Emiya-senpai." Peroroncino defended.
Shirou sighed ruefully and gave the avian Player a grateful nod.
"I appreciate the goodwill, Peroroncino-san, but my answer is still no."
"Drop it, Otouto. If Emiya-san doesn't want it, we shouldn't force him into it." Bukubukuchagama added.
"Alright." The younger brother reluctantly did so. "But if not Emiya-senpai, then who else would be good enough to be the Guild's leader?" He asked, leading the question back to where they were at the beginning.
"A leader…" Shirou began. "Doesn't necessarily have to be the strongest, smartest, or even the most graceful. They would need to be understanding and supportive. To know the goals and desires of their fellow allies and have the will to see them through. Someone that any one of us can go and trust explicitly..."
Someone who was well trusted and known.
Someone who willingly puts the goals and well-being of everyone first and foremost.
Someone that every one of them would follow with little hesitation.
Someone like… Momonga.
"Momonga." Shirou absentmindedly said out loud.
"M-Me!" The skeletal necromancer exclaimed in surprise. Even pointing a finger at himself in emphasis.
Hearing the accidental proposal for Momonga's name, the rest of the clan quickly began discussing. Shirou took note of the enthusiastic support being offered, which reminded him of when Perorocino had put his name forward. Whereas he received roughly half the number of supporters from his close friends, Momonga, on the other hand, received almost universal support. Everyone seemed to have something positive to say about the undead Player.
Besides his usual knit of friends consisting of Momonga, Touch Me, Peroroncino, Bukubukuchagama, Amanomahitotsu, Yamaiko, Tabula, Warrior Takemikazuchi, and Nishikienrai, everyone else he considered amiable at best. He would consider them allies, but not friends on the same level as those closest to him. There were even a few that he would even say he disliked interacting with on a daily basis.
Those slots were reserved for the likes of Ulbert, when the two butted heads, and Luci*Fer, who was quite rude and too much of a troublemaker for Shirou's liking.
Momonga, on the other hand, got along with almost everyone on a level that Shirou himself couldn't quite accomplish, even during his stay with YGGDRASIL. Thinking about it, Momonga was the perfect choice for the position. And if the chorus of voices throwing their support for the nomination were anything to go by, it was a unanimous decision all around.
Sure, were Shirou to be elected as Guildmaster, no doubt, they would follow either out of respect or obligation. However, he knew there would be no true willingness when it came to some of the members. He was neither close enough nor friendly enough with with everyone in Nine's Own Goal to have the same level of rapport that Momonga had.
Momonga would be one that he and his fellow clan members would follow willingly, no matter the cause.
Shirou did feel a twinge of guilt for throwing Momonga under the bus like that. However, he knew in his heart that the Overlord had what it took to lead them all, despite his crippling lack of self-confidence. Throughout his life, Shirou has witnessed the full spectrum of leadership. From poor leaders, able leaders, and even great leaders throughout his life. He firmly believed that Momonga had the makings of a great one.
"I-I… I mean… there has to be someone better than me!" Momonga floundered about.
"I concur. Besides Emiya-san and Touch Me-san, I too believe you would be the next ideal choice." Punitto Moe threw his support behind Momonga.
"Following the criteria laid out by Emiya-san, you do fit into a number of them, Momonga-san." Bellriver added.
"I'm sure that I don't even qualify for even half of the qualities Emiya-san mentioned!" He shouted back.
This was a level of anxiety Momonga had never felt before in his life, and he could feel the uncertainty starting to get to him. He wasn't as charismatic and skilled as Touch Me, nor did he have the confidence and resolve of Shirou. He was just himself.
The memories of his talk with his manager came racing back to the forefront of his mind. It seemed almost like fate was conspiring against him, thrusting him into a position that he loathed but could do nothing about. He felt he was one step away from having a panic attack.
He wasn't brave, charismatic, or any of the other traits Shirou noted for a leader. He had always been a follower, and now they were asking him to lead.
"I think everyone is overestimating me! There's no way I can be the Guildmaster!" The salaryman tried to dissuade.
"You give yourself far too little credit, Momonga-san. You'll do fine." Tabula waved off his concern and assured.
The others quickly threw in their support, but Momonga was deaf to them as he was pulled in by his self-deprecating thoughts. First, it was this morning with the sudden promotion, and now his friends were trying to push him into another big and important role.
He wanted to scream and yell, "Why?!" Why did they think he would be the one to lead them? He could name anyone off the top of his head that could reasonably do a better job than he could.
Instead, his shoulder sagged and he slouched in his chair. His head lowered and he stared at nothing. Seeing this, the rest quieted down. A few were even concerned, worried that they were pushing their friend too far despite his reluctance.
"Momonga-san." Tentatively, Momonga looked towards Shirou, his first-ever friend within YGGDRASIL. "I know you may not think of yourself as capable or deserving, and maybe you're right. As you are now, that is true. But you possess a trait that I believe is crucial to being a great leader. Would you like to know what that is?"
"What's that?" He asked tentatively.
Momonga didn't know how or why, but he knew Shirou was smiling at and for him.
"You are humble, Momonga-san. You know exactly what you're good at and where you fall short, and you're not afraid to admit it. But that does not mean you cannot learn; it doesn't mean you cannot grow and develop. You may stumble, you may doubt, and you may even fall and fail completely, but there is no other Player I would rather follow besides you, Momonga-san. If you fall, we'll be there to pick you up. It doesn't matter if you fall once, twice, or even a hundred times. I—no, we'll be with you every step of the way."
Momonga looked at every seated member, gauging their looks and stance. Despite the virtual masks of their respective characters, Momonga could feel the weight behind their gazes. No judgment or scorn was present, merely silent support.
"D-do you… Do you really think so?" Momonga's eyes returned to his friend.
"I know so." Shirou replied confidently.
No more words were exchanged as everyone waited for Momonga's answer. The room fell into a deep silence that seemed to stretch endlessly. Finally, Momonga slowly rose from his seat and stood straight up. He cast his eyes around the table one more time and cleared his throat.
"I-I… I will not say I am happy or excited that you all have so much trust in me. It's rather scary, actually…" Momonga chuckled nervously. "But seeing you all putting your faith in me. I-I'll try and give it my all! I know there will be many areas where I will fall. I know I may even be unreliable at times, and no doubt there will be problems. All I can ask of you is that you please be patient. And should I ever stumble and fall, I ask that you be there to help me back up. Would… that be acceptable?" He finished. His words, a silent plea.
And his friends were there to answer.
"You already know my answer, you have my support, Momonga-san!" Said Shirou.
"And so shall I." Touch Me was next.
"Me too!" Peroroncino followed up.
"And me, three!" Temperance quickly joined in.
This continued until every member of the table gave their open support.
"Then I shall take the position of Guildmaster, and I shall endeavor to make you proud!" Momonga promised. He bowed to them as the group cheered and applauded. "And as my first decree as Guildmaster… what should we be called?"
Momonga started strong, only to peter off timidly at the end with the question.
The group collectively blinked at the same time, though it was impossible to tell that on the surface. Huh, that thought never crossed their minds.
"Why not keep the clan's name?" Ancient One questioned.
"There is nothing wrong with Nine's Own Goal, but for a new guild to rise from the ashes of our clan, a new name would be appropriate." Touch Me vouched.
"Out with the old and in with the new, eh?" Genjiro muttered, drumming his fingers against the table.
"Well, if we're voting for something, I call for our rebirth to be under the banner of Ultimate Evil Supreme!" Ulbert exclaimed.
The rest of the Players turned and gave the goat Heteromorph an incredulous stare.
"Ulbert-san, we're looking for a name that will be respected when we make our debut." Touch Me quipped. The others snickered in agreement to the rather embarrassing chunni name.
"Get bent!" Ulbert retaliated angrily and sulked, crossing his arms over his chest.
"How about guild Rock Hard?!" Peroroncino threw out a suggestion.
It took a few seconds before the rest caught on to the innuendo and collectively groaned. Peroroncino, on the other hand, snickered like a madman, only to get hit in the head by Bukubukuchagama.
"The Avengers!" Nearata decided.
"Pretty sure that's copyrighted." Bellriver burst his friend's bubble.
"Yeah, besides, what the heck are we even going to 'avenge' anyway?" Garnet wondered.
"Got any ideas, Emiya-san?" Warrior Takemikazuchi asked, leaning over.
"Hmm, how about… Phantasmal Apostles?"
Shirou would fully admit that he ripped the names from their respective categories of Phantasmal Beasts and Dead Apostles and just slapped them together haphazardly. Their group consisted of Heteromorphic beings, either monsters, demons, beasts, or races of anything in between. A hodgepodge of monstrosity, one could say, hence the idea and inspiration.
A couple of the Players nodded their heads at the name. Testing the name in their heads, a few agreed that it was quite a cool name. It was certainly a lot better than the ones offered so far. However, there were still others on the fence.
"Perhaps we should keep on going until we exhaust all other options." Amanomahitotsu suggested.
The next fifteen minutes or so saw everyone spitballing ideas and names, hoping for one to stick. Some good, and others, horrendously terrible.
To name a few, they were...
"Monster Mashup."
"Total Underworld."
"The Legion of Heteromorph."
"Champion of Heteromorph."
"Freakshow Circus."
"Send Lewds." Two guesses who suggested that.
"Monsters in the Closets."
And lastly, "Heteromorphic Zoo."
It was slowly looking like Phantasmal Apostles would win the poll until, at the last second, Punitto Moe and Warrior Takemikazuchi began arguing over a different name that paid homage to the clan's name and origin. Sometime later, the name 'Nine's Own Goal' morphed into 'Ainz Ooal Gown.' In the end, Ainz Ooal Gown won over Phantasmal Apostles, not that Shirou minded it at all.
"With that done, all that's left is to form the guild and invite everyone. I shall dissolve the clan then." Touch Me waved his hand and opened up his menu. A few presses here and there, and Shirou received a pop-up window that said [Clan Nine's Own Goal has been officially disbanded].
"Momonga-san, if you would do the honor." Touch Me prompted.
"With pleasure." Now it was Momonga who opened his menu, and a few presses later Shirou and everyone else received a new notification.
|||||Momonga has sent you a Guild invite. Do you wish to join "Ainz Ooal Gown"? [Yes/No]|||||
Hitting yes to the invitation, Shirou was greeted with the sound of a happy chime. The sound persisted as every guild member accepted the invitation.
When the last chime rang out, Nine's Own Goal was no more. In its place stood a new guild; Ainz Ooal Gown.
"As my first official decree as Guildmaster of Ainz Ooal Gown, I say we conquer the dungeon that Nishikienrai-san discovered!"
The group easily showed their support with their cheers. But Momonga wasn't done just yet.
Momonga gulped, his mouth suddenly dry for what was about to come next, but he steeled himself through. This would be it, to prove not only to the others but also to himself that he was worthy of the title of Guildmaster. Steeling himself, he committed to what he would say next.
"Not only that, but I declare that we shall conquer The Tomb of Nazarick in one try!"
It was almost comical how quickly the group and atmosphere went from boisterous and merry to speechless and alarmed in a split second.
Even Shirou couldn't hide his surprise, being caught completely off-guard by Momonga's sudden brazen declaration. Such a bold statement didn't fit the usually cautious and careful necromancer.
Naturally, Momonga's rather outlandish declaration received quite an uproar.
Over two dozen voices rose, a cacophony of noises as each guild member tried to make their voice heard and known.
The most prevalent issue was that nothing was known about the dungeon. Had Momonga simply said that they would try and beat the dungeon regularly, the guild would have employed Nishikienrai's idea of maintaining the monopoly on the tomb. They would have slowly and carefully learned everything they could before mounting the final assault. That way, their chance for success would rise as they continued to learn more and more about the dungeon. Instead, their new Guildmaster was suggesting that they throw that all away and weigh it all in one large gamble.
To walk blindly into danger would be courting death itself.
Surprisingly, there was a vocal minority that supported Momonga's crazy idea.
Warrior Takemikazuchi laughed, his voice full of mirth.
"A Guildmaster only for a few minutes now, but I see you're kicking things off with a bang, eh Momonga-san?! I say let's do it!" He declared. This motivated some of the others to vocally show their support.
"Absolutely not!" Punitto Moe objected vehemently. "Momonga-san, please reconsider!"
"It's not like this is the first time we've headed into danger blind before." Argued Peroroncino.
"On lower-level dungeons, sure. But that's only because we got lucky. We have no idea of the difficulty of the dungeon nor what it might entail." Tabula returned.
"What do you think, Emiya-san? Think we've got a shot?" Nishikienrai spoke, turning towards the guild's resident dungeon expert.
"It's not completely impossible..." Shirou answered carefully. "While what Tabula-san says is true, there is also a certain luck factor to it."
"That still leaves a big possibility of us failing speculatively." Punitto Moe rebuked, firm in his stance.
"Come on guys, have you all forgotten? This is a game, a game!" Warrior Takemikazuchi spoke aloud, his hands pressed squarely against the table surface as he stood up. "So, what if some or all of us die or we lose a piece of our equipment? It's all part of the game. It's all part of the fun! Or have you all forgotten that?"
"We have not forgotten, Takemikazuchi-san. But that doesn't mean we should do this with reckless abandonment." Said Bellriver. "We should also think of the consequences. We stand more to lose than just our equipment."
The four-armed Heteromorph words did give pause to some of the supporters. Shirou understood where he was coming from. Going from the emotional high they experienced at the beginning to now, it would be more reasonable to ride the high and play it safe.
Momonga's plan was one of high risk but equally high rewards. Should the group fail, it would set a damaging precedent for what's to come in the future. It would be an inauspicious beginning to a promising future together as a fully-fledged guild. The same could be said for the reverse, should they emerge victorious. It would lay the groundwork for the future of Ainz Ooal Gown. A celebration for what would come.
The argument would have gone further had Momonga not stepped in.
"I understand how ridiculous and crazy I sound when I said it. And in some way, it's a willful and selfish wish of mine. I understand your concern and your fear, and I do not blame you for this. However, I still think we should do this. Because I believe we can do this. You all elected me to be the Guildmaster because you all saw something within me. Something worth leading and worth following. Now I'm asking if you're still willing to follow me. Will you help me in this foolish quest?" Momonga lowered his head and waited.
For a moment, all was silent as their friend and newly appointed leader's plea continued in their heads.
"Hearing your heartfelt plea, how could I say no? I shall stand by you, Momonga-san!" Touch Me vowed.
"You already know my answer, Momonga-san!" Warrior Takemikazuchi spoke next.
"You can count on us." Shirou followed up.
More and more were throwing their hats into the ring. Hearing the overwhelming support, Bellriver turned to his friend.
"It seems that the beds are made, Punitto Moe-san. It's only fair that we lay in them." Bellriver said, his voice oddly full of acceptance.
"…I still don't agree, but... that doesn't mean I won't try my damnedest to see it through." Punitto Moe said reluctantly, but still there was a burning passion raging within.
As he heard the two individuals who had been the most vocal in their opposition to his idea step forward to express their support, Momonga felt a wave of inspiration wash over him. Soon, one by one, the rest of the guild joined in, until all twenty-nine voices were united in a powerful chorus of agreement. The overwhelming show of solidarity and encouragement from his friends caused his heart to swell with pride and joy. It was deeply touching to see that they were willing to stand by him, even in the face of his seemingly crazy request. With newfound confidence, he stood up straight and addressed the group as a whole.
"Then it's decided!" Momonga boomed. "Then I, Momonga, the newly appointed Guildmaster of Ainz Ooal Gown, hereby declare our first quest! The conquest of the Tomb of Nazarick!" Ending his speech, a lone clenched skeletal fist was raised high into the air, punctuating his declaration.
"Oh!" The others followed suit, rising from their seats and following their leader's actions. Twenty-nine arms were raised, followed by hearty shouts.
And so began the conquest of The Tomb of Nazarick.
Omake: The Archer class is really made up of Archers. (Inspired by Dante Evans)
When Peroroncino had taken the sheet off, Shirou had expected a number of items or weapons; instead, what was revealed was indeed something he did not expect.
There, lying on the trolley, was a plain bow. A simple wooden blow that was more commonly associated with low-level players. Hell, even Unlimited Blade Works was just as surprised, somehow, by the weak item.
"So, what do you think, Emiya-senapi?!"
What did he think of it?
Well, for starters, Shirou couldn't just outright say that the bow was a piece of crap.
Even he has learned some tact over the years. Instead, he just looked at the useless bow in his hand helplessly, trying to find some redeeming quality for the item. Only to come up very, very short. Leading to him just standing there, staring at the item like an idiot.
"Would you look at that? He's speechless!" Warrior Takemikazuchi said.
Well, he's not wrong on that part, but Shirou was speechless for an entirely different reason besides what they were probably thinking of.
"Let's head to the range and give it a spin!" said Peroroncino.
Before he could even form a reply, they had dragged him towards the training ground.
He would at least humor his friends at the very least. Notching back an arrow, Shirou chose the further target dummy away. Calculating his aim, he let the arrow fly.
The arrow soared cleanly through the air, only to then transform and split apart into several smaller copies of Kanshou and Baukya.
Which then cracked and shattered to form its gun alternate mode and somehow shoots arrows of all things out their barrels.
Only for the arrows to then meshed together mid-flight to form a life-size recreation of a fully colored and detailed statue of the Archer of all people.
Archer, who was also giving him the middle finger as he sailed towards the dummy, exploded on contact.
He would later swear that amidst the explosion, he heard the phrase "Fuck You" being uttered in a voice very reminiscent of Archer's.
Once the rubble and dust cleared, lying on the ground where the dummy once stood was an exact copy of the plain bow Shirou had used to fire the arrow in the first place.
"I...Who...how...wh-what...?" Shirou uttered dumbly, unable to truly say in words what he saw happen before him. Back and forth, he looked between the bow in his hand and the one on the field. His brain struggling and failing to comprehend or make sense of what exactly happened.
He had so many questions.
What the heck just happened?
How the hell did they program the bow to do what it did?
Why did they even do it in the first place?
How the hell did they manage to get a completely accurate description of Archer? Of all people.
And perhaps the most important question in his mind was, why did the statue of Archer of all people was flipping him off?
Slowly, he turned back towards his friends to ask and gauge their responses.
"What?" That was the only thing he could say.
"Hmmm." The three of them hummed as if what had just happened was expected and not something completely and not at all bizarre, even by Shirou's standard. Their blase attitude didn't help either.
"Hmm, would you look at that? The Archer class is really made up of Archers." Amanomahitotsu commented.
The three of them nodded along as if what the crustacean heteromorph had just said was some kind of sagely or profound statement or realization. Shirou couldn't tell if they were being facetious and messing with him or genuine.
"So what do you think, Emiya-senpai?"
"...I think I need a drink." Shirou responded, nursing his head from the splitting headache.
Meanwhile at Kaleidoscope HQ
Within his office, Zelretch waited, his legs bobbing up and down in restrained giddiness for what's to come next. He quickly pulled out his pocket watch to check the time.
"Should be any second now..." He mumbled under his breath.
Indeed, because the door opened, and in walked in the same forgotten and disgruntled manager who had the misfortune of being the one to go to Zelretch to clear up any misunderstanding.
"Morning Alex." Zelretch greeted him, once again getting the name of the manager incorrect. "I'm guessing you have some questions." He asked, seemingly acting innocent.
"Yes sir. So, what you are saying, sir, is that you want us to program a near-completely useless feature or effect to every and all bow items within our game, just so on the off chance that if or when this player picks and uses one of them, it will fire something completely random and convoluted and catch him off guard. The probability of said player using another, and most likely inferior, bow for this feature to be worth it would be an extremely low percentage. And this would most likely be a one-time gag, as now the player would be completely aware and cautious, thus would avoid using any other bows beside the one that he possesses because it does not possess the coding of every other bow of having it fire random projectiles." The employee lowered his tablet with all the information and instructions that Zelretch outlined and looked at the Dead Apostle dead in the eye.
"Yes." He answered with a straight face.
"...Of course, sir, when would you like this to be done?"
"Huh?" Zelretch blinked. Ok, he was willing to admit that was not the response he was expecting considering the disgruntled manager reactions in the past when he came to Zelretch with the crazy hairball ideas and implementations.
"That's it? No screaming or saying what a complete waste of time, effort, and energy this would be?" Zelretch questioned.
"I've learned that it's better for everyone's sake, especially my own, to not think about it and just do it." He answered serenely. "When would you like to have this done, sir?"
"Err, get it done by next week, Robertson." Zelretch answered, a bit taken back by the manager's nonchalant attitude at his usual crazy antics.
"Right away, sir." He replied nonplussedly and walked on out. Not even so much as a twitch or reaction when he called him again by another wrong name.
"Well, that was anticlimactic. Hmm, maybe I should think about finding a replacement for ole' Jerry. What do you think, Sparkles?" Zelretch asked, turning back towards his desk, where a goldfish of all things was on his desk.
"Pooop, pop, pop pop." The goldfish 'said', more liked pop'd in his water bowl in response.
"Hmm, an interesting idea, Sparkles, but I don't want to defer to that option just yet. I've grown fond of Ricardo, and I'm surprised to say this, but I would be quite sad if he took a one-way trip to a mental institution for your idea."
"Pop pop pop, pop. pop." The fish 'replied'.
"Hmm, a good idea! We'll wait and see where this takes us."
One of my beta, Zero, suggest that I start putting a small bio/glossary for the listed Noble Phantasm that I used in the chapter and I thought it was a neat idea to incorporate. Note, that these are the virtual/YGGDRASIL game counter part. Thus they won't always fit the original Fate verse abilities and would be more in line with the Overlord continuity. Basically, think of them with a game mechanic mindset for certain abilities such as the Hassan's abilities and attack.
[Luminosité Eternelle: God is Here With Me – Divine Tier Battle Flag]: Barrier Noble Phantasm. Rank: (A-). The holy battle flag belonging to Jeanne d'Arc. Much like its real world counter part the Noble Phantasm relies on the players [Resistance] stat. How potent the protective shield from the Noble Phantasm depends heavily on high the players [Resistance] stat. With one high enough capable of withstanding magics and skills of 10th tier or lower. It also possess the ability to protect and cancel out any attack that would normally be considered an instant-kill. The shield can last for three minutes at the maximum.
[Οριο: The Chains of Prometheus – Divine Tier Chain]: Anti-Unit Noble Phantasm. Rank: (A). Οριο roughly translate to 'Bound' in Greek. One of the few Noble Phantasm created by Shirou through YGGDRASIL. He is capable of projecting and shooting the chains around him to bound and wrap up any enemies he chooses. The chains are fairly long and fully capable to holding down numerous players, mobs, NPC, and bosses depending on their size. They cannot be broken by conventional means and must require either tier magic to cancel it out, teleport away, or break it.
[Gungnir: The All-Seeing Spear – Divine Tier Spear]: Anti-Army Noble Phantasm. Rank: (B to A-). Its YGGDRASIL counter part works very similar to Gáe Bolg and possess the ability of sure-hit when used. When projected on its own Gungnir simply on part with an Anti-Unit Noble Phantasm. But when empowered, requiring an expenditure of MP being pumped into it, it is upgraded to Anti-Army and can take out multiple foes instantly. For every subsequent kills that Gungnir performs it able to strike again, leading to chain kills after chain kills. Allowing the weapon to theoretically take out any and all enemies within reason of its strength.
[Zabaniya – Delusional Heartbeat]: Noble Phantasm and special attack of the Assassin co-boss; Cursed Arm Hassan. It is an instakill attack on par with 9th tier magic and skills. The attack is capable of bypassing any and all resistance a player against instant death skill and spells. This attacks can only be used three times in quick succession before the boss must replenished its charges. The only real form of countering the skill is to stop it a 10th tier or higher barrier spell or prevent the attack from connecting.
[Zabaniya – Delusional Illusion]: Noble Phantasm and special ability of the Assassin co-boss; Hundred Face Hassan. The skill is a passive ability; allowing the the boss to spawn a near limitless number of Hassan copies to storm the field. However, these copies are vastly inferior to the original and one good skill or spell will break them. Also, why Assassin can spawn an endless supply of them only 100 hundred copies are allow to present at the same time.
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