The world of Asgard was a place that embodied all the best aspects of Yggdrasil. While the edges of the world were still dangerous, its center featured numerous vast cities, each housing various quests and special dungeons. Originally, this place was meant for humanoid players, as heteromorphs faced various penalties when trying to enter this world.
However, today was an exception. With Yggdrasil nearing its end, the game developers had lifted the penalties, allowing both heteromorphs and humanoid players to be in Asgard.
Guilds held their last meetings, possibly planning their migration to other games, while solo players gazed at the beautiful sky. Some lonely individuals who had been left alone sat within their guilds, surrounded only by their lifeless NPCs.
However, as the final moments ticked away, the expansive world of Asgard saw a massive portal materialize in the Luminous Bifrost Valley, a valley that held a very special place in Lucian's heart.
The portal opened to reveal a gigantic amethyst-colored mecha flying out of it. At its core, a huge amethyst crystal was shining.
Green flaming jet-like wings propelled the mecha forward as it soared at a staggering speed into the skies of Asgard after emerging from the portal.
The colossal mecha was so immense that it cast a shadow over everything in its path. Players looked up at the sky in awe, witnessing the sight of the massive mecha flying.
At that moment, In a grand, cathedral-like guild base nestled at one of Asgard's central locations, a lone player sat at the foremost seat at a long and intricately crafted table. The expansive chamber had over 200 vacant seats, extending endlessly.
"Couldn't they have at least given a notice if they weren't coming? Damn it!" He vented his frustration, pounding his hand on the table and kicking the chairs nearby, much like an upset child, as he rattled off curses at everyone who had failed to join the farewell.
"As if it's already not hard enough with a stepfather. My only solace, Yggdrasil, is also going," the player muttered, sinking back into his chair. His hands hung limply, and the weight of reality pressed down on his chest, making it feel unbearably heavy. With a final sigh, he thought about the life that lay ahead of him.
He extended his hand, tapping on his interface to connect his avatar with his guild weapon, a massive golden cross that hung in the center of the guilds prayer room. Although he was in a different room, he immediately teleported there, intending to use the weapon one last time before the servers shut down. However, before he could proceed, a resounding voice echoed not from his in-game chat but through his console.
"[The world of Yggdrasil is finally ending. And as a thanks for this magnificent game, I would like to reward the world of Asgard with something,]" the voice resounded through his console. Hearing this, the player swiftly opened the open channel chat, where people were talking about something in the sky. He teleported outside of the guild base, looking up to see a colossal mecha hovering over Asgard. Although it was massive, it appeared no bigger than a miniature as it floated in the sky.
The voice continued, "[I'm the guild leader of Vice Requiem, and I hereby give the world of Asgard its rightful gift.]" The player concluded with these words, signifying the end of Asgard.
"[Destruction]," the voice declared as the player gazed into the sky. A moment later, the miniature mecha shone brightly for a second. Initially, nothing appeared to happen, but shortly after, an amethyst light swept across Asgard. However, it wasn't until the figure became invisible, shrouded in amethyst light that everything changed. It happened silently, without any dazzling animations. All players saw was the purple amethyst light flashing like a star before their eyes, before they found themselves dead.
***
The entire world of Asgard was connected to the two other humanoid worlds of Vanaheim and Midgard, bordering their world. As Lucian activated the skill that would siphon all the powers of the world item that had been accumulated, the world was bathed in an amethyst light.
"[Ever-Star Neutronic Burst]," a culmination of all the energy gathered from the world item. A small amethyst orb separated from the mecha, unleashing ultraviolet beams from its body. As the orb's attack took effect, the entire mecha, including the castle of Valhalla, disappeared, and the castle's defensive mechanisms turned on, rendering it invisible.
The entire world of Asgard was now enveloped in an amethyst light.
Lucian floated at the center of the circular platform in the throne room of his base. His voice echoed with a sense of amusement.
"That was fun," he said, letting out a laugh. The amethyst shackles binding him broke as he cancelled the menu, and the entire Great Luxuria was restored to its former glory.
"Hahahahhhahahahah..." Lucian laughed as he observed the world of Asgard through his ability. He could see how the world was trying to recover itself, but due to the low maintenance, it was rendering back at a very slow rate.
"Ulbert would've loved to see it." Lucian laughed, reminiscing about the time the great demon of disaster had said that he would one day find a World Item and destroy an entire world. Lucian had finally realized Ulbert's dream, albeit at the end of the game.
As he got lost in his thoughts, he received a notification. While he had already received countless notifications after destroying a world, this one was different. It appeared in the important section, making it more than just an ordinary notification.
[You have Betrayed the vow of Einherjar]
[You have Destroyed the world of «Asgard»]
[You have unlocked a hidden Job class]
[You have acquired the Job Class «Ragnarok»]
"Haha... A new job class at the end of the game, huh," Lucian laughed as he reminisced about the time when he used to get excited about acquiring rare classes. However, that spirit was lost within him now.
As he closed his console menu, Suzune suddenly leaped towards him, her four angelic wings flapping gracefully behind her.
"That was awesome, Lucian!" She said, her voice filled with serious admiration. She never thought it would be possible to destroy a world without using one of the 20 World Items. However, Lucian had done it, with two seemingly useless World Items. It was all thanks to his creative mind and ingenuity, as he had found a way to accomplish the impossible. His methods were beyond anyone's expectations.
"Haha, thank you," Lucian said with a smile, ready to hug her back for the admiration, but before he could, Suzune was suddenly hit by something and sent flying toward the throne.
"Wah!" She screamed.
"Damn you, wretched maid!" Suzune shouted in frustration, realizing that Mei Mei had kicked her and sent her hurtling towards the throne.
"You are invading his privacy," Mei Mei said as she climbed up on Lucian without his permission.
"Hypocrite!" Suzune shouted.
"Master, you always look lovely when you're enjoying yourself," Mei Mei said as she leaned forward and planted a peck on his cheek. Despite his avatar's stillness, she could sense his excitement and the joy on his face, a side of him that he rarely revealed anymore. It was something that Mei Mei cherished and would do anything to see again.
"Is that so," Lucian said as he floated up, making Mei Mei jump and stand in her usual position perfectly still.
"We are done with destruction now," Lucian said as he walked towards the throne where Suzune immediately sat on the left side again and leaned forward, seeking some attention from Lucian. After that kick, it was necessary.
"Ugh, she's not even replying to my texts," said Lucian, sitting on the throne as he checked his chats and texted Mizuki, but no reply came.
""She is dumb as fuck,"" two voices, Mei Mei and Suzune, echoed in unison. Mei Mei continued, "She probably forgot the servers were even closing. Do you want me to drag her back here, Master?"
Lucian immediately shook his head and said, "Just let it be. I don't want to be alone in the guild base even when the servers are shutting down." He looked at the menu in the corner of his vision and saw the time.
[23:57:38]
The servers would close at midnight, and only a few minutes remained.
"A few minutes are remaining. Just leave her be. Sigh~" Lucian sighed, and Mei Mei immediately sat beside him.
****
In the world of Helheim, unaware of the destruction of Asgard, the great tomb of Nazarick, the guild base of Ainz Ooal Gown, one of the top heteromorphic guilds in the game, lay silently at the center of the Grenbara swamps.
Inside the great tomb of Nazarick, on the 10th floor, a player was seated on a crystalline throne that reached the ceiling of the magnificent throne room. It was a world item [Throne of Kings], and the one seated on it was the guild leader of Ainz Ooal Gown, Momonga. He was an undead overlord, adorned in a divine-class academic robe, and he held a golden staff in his hand, which was their precious guild weapon. This item had been forged through the combined efforts of all their guild members, with each contributing in some way to its creation.
Today, as the game was about to shut down, the guild leader sat on his throne. He had managed the guild for over three years, doing so alone. He had dedicated countless hours to grinding, continuously playing in order to meet the high maintenance costs of the guild. It had been a challenging journey, but he had persevered.
As time passed, guild members began to leave the game one by one. Each departure hit Momonga hard, not because he was physically hurt or overly attached to them, although he was certainly close to some. The pain came from the knowledge that the day would come when all guild members would eventually depart, and it did. Most of the 41 members of Ainz Ooal Gown either deleted their avatars or left the game, erasing their profiles. They had informed their guild leader, Momonga, before making their exits.
Only a few players still clung to their avatars, with Herohero being one of them. Herohero even visited Momonga, but what was the point? It was all in vain. The game was ending, and the glory of Ainz Ooal Gown would be forgotten. Everything would be wiped away, existing only in fading memories.
Momonga sighed as he sat there, clearing his thoughts and gazing at the NPCs. His attention drifted to the black-haired goddess clad in white silk. "I wonder what her backstory is," he mused, examining the beautiful NPC standing beside him, who happened to be holding a world item. He accessed her menu, and a lengthy backstory setting filled his vision.
"Huh, as expected of Tabula-san," Momonga muttered. His friend Tabula's creations were always rich in detail. Tabula had a penchant for adding intricate stories and lore to everything, whether it was an item or an NPC. As he scrolled through the extensive backstory, he didn't read everything in detail, just a few words. However, his bony avatar's face became scrunched up, not visible on his avatar, as he reached the end, where the last sentence stated, 'By the way, she is a mega yandere.' (No! She is not a yandere for Momonga, we are not doing that here. Momonga is not getting any bitches, and I'm not sorry for it.)
"Huh, what the heck!?" Momonga exclaimed.
He looked at the screen once again and confirmed that it indeed said 'yandere'.
"I know Tabula-san didn't have any taste for yanderes. Why would he make her a yandere? Yucks! Gives me chills," Momonga muttered, feeling a shiver run down his spine. He decided that he should change her setting to be something more like a kind maiden. So, he attempted to use his guild weapon to access the administrative system.
"Ugh, what's going on?" Momonga wondered aloud when he found himself unable to type anything, and the screen displayed 'Authorization denied'. This puzzled him because the guild weapon was supposed to have the authority to change almost anything in the guild base, including NPC settings.
"Sigh, I guess everything is starting to malfunction, huh," said Momonga, sighing as he leaned back on the throne. He looked ahead, continuing to reminisce about his guild aloud. No one was there to hear him anyway, so he didn't sound like a madman today. His voice echoed through the huge hall as he named each of his guild members, his mind retracing all the moments he had shared with them. Those joyous memories were what kept him awake at this moment, despite being exhausted from his work.
Time ticked away as the moment of shutdown drew closer and closer.
[23:58:28]
*****
"All the work I've put into Vice Requiem and Great Luxuria will disappear..." Lucian muttered to himself while leaning against the throne.
"But you still enjoyed it," Mei mei said, attempting to console Lucian, though she knew it would be challenging to do so, if not impossible.
"Yeah, I sure did," Lucian replied, his voice quivering with emotion, sounding as if he was in pain.
"Don't forget that you also met me in Yggdrasil. Although I hated my job, I still love you, and I'll forever remember Yggdrasil too... as the one thing that brought us together," Suzune said, leaning on Lucian and giving him a comforting hug. Her voice was also quivering with a similar pain, not because she was sad about the end of Yggdrasil. She hardly cared. But she knew how much Lucian loved the game. And seeing it reach its end, she knew he was in a lot of pain. Mei mei felt the same, and she was doing her best to hold herself back from consoling him, attempting to alleviate his pain, because she knew he needed the push to get out of this shell, which was Yggdrasil.
"Thanks, Suzune. No need to console me; I'm not a child," Lucian said as he backed off and leaned onto the throne.
Vice Requiem was once the top-ranked guild, and Lucian invested his all in the guild's base. He dedicated countless hours to even the simplest aspects, looking for different data crystals to customize the most minor details, striving to make a perfect guild base. He spent millions of yens on buying gacha and cash shop items, all with the hope of enjoying the game, and he achieved that hope.
He vividly remembered the first time he obtained something valuable from a gacha pull, which happened to be his first Overpowered Class, Greater Einherjar. After that, Lucian met Touch Me, and went on to his solo adventure, and battled numerous raid bosses to complete his Hero chain quests. Every single second of these experiences left an indelible mark on his memory. They all seemed to dance vividly through his mind's eye, as if he were briefly reliving those moments.
He also remembered his funny déjà vu encounter with Bukubukuchagama, or Mizuki. The memory of the time Lucian finally agreed to form a clan with Touch Me, Momonga, Ancient One, and others also came to his mind. He recalled how he used to eagerly anticipate their weekly discussions and the plans they'd make when he was a part of the Nine's Own Goal clan.
Lucian found himself reminiscing about various moments from his time in the clan. There were the instances when Nishikienrai urgently asked his assistance because of various social reasons, the times when Warrior Takemikazuchi had commended him as a true warrior for simply helping some heteromorph players, and the hours spent with Whitebrim, engaged in discussions and debates about maid uniforms. These memories also included his extensive and interesting occult conversations with Tabula, as well as the serious and studious discussions he had shared with Yamaiko.
He recalled passionate discussions he had with Blue Planet about the oceans of the past and the beauty of nature, something absent in the real world. Their shared love for nature-themed dungeons held a special place in his heart.
He remembered engaging in politically charged conversations with the Silver Paladin, someone whose unwavering stance Lucian greatly admired. At one point, he had deep respect for Touch Me due to his unwavering convictions, his disregard for others' opinions, and his commitment to what he deemed right. Despite their past disagreements, Lucian held no hard feelings.
And, of course, how could he forget his best friend? He obviously remembered the most important aspect of those times: being chunibyo with Ulbert, who proudly referred to himself as the 'Great Demon of Disaster'. He remembered their countless hours of discussion, whether about life or the game. Despite Lucian and Ulbert coming from opposite ends of the spectrum, with Ulbert working as a corporate slave and Lucian being the young master of a major conglomerate, they managed to engage in the most sincere and frank conversations.
Ulbert's straightforwardness, especially when he humorously declared that "all wealthy people should explode," never failed to make Lucian laugh. When Lucian playfully claimed to be among that group and said he would also explode, Ulbert would simply shrug it off with a nonchalant "You're not exploding. The Great Demon of Disaster would save you," accompanied by his customary evil laugh.
Lucian also recalled their adventure to try to destroy the Mercenary Magician Guild, a group filled to the half with world disasters. Their shared enthusiasm for chunibyo role-playing was a source of important memories for Lucian.
Unfortunately, Lucian have to acknowledged his reluctance to connect with Ulbert and others in real life. Even when Tabula permanently left the game, Lucian refrained from contacting him due to his fear that he wouldn't encounter the same authentic selves of them he had come to appreciate within the game. But now, he was determined to change that. As the game's shutdown approached, he committed to finding Ulbert and his other friend, rekindling their friendships, and reaching out to others he had grown close to, such as Asuna and the friends he had made in Yggdrasil's final years. He hoped that he could find these similar bonds in the real world.
But even as he looked forward to the future, he couldn't escape the feeling that at this very moment, he was on the cusp of losing something precious — not the memories, but the special places in his heart that the game had occupied.
How sorrowful, how terrible...
The thing that had the most huge impact on Lucian's life was this game. In a life where he often felt trapped inside his house, something he despised, he discovered a new world and freedom through this game. But now, it was coming to an end.
The pain was excruciating... The sorrow was overwhelming...
A terrible feeling enveloped him, as if something were gnawing at the very core of his heart, leaving an irreplaceable void. Regrettably, there was nothing he could do, and nothing should change this inevitable fate.
Lucian took a deep breath, his emotions overwhelming his rationality, causing his breath to crackle. He scolded himself mentally; he shouldn't be crying. He had the ones he loved in the real world. Though he might feel like a trapped bird, at least he would have his loved ones with him.
"Mast-"
'"Luci-" both Mei Mei and Suzune spoke at the same time, but Lucian interrupted them before they could say anything.
"I'm fine," he said, his voice trembling with emotion. In truth, he was far from fine.
He gazed forward, and the usual cheerful, loving, and teasing Lucian was nowhere to be found. Today, it wasn't the genius Lucian, or the one who was the most popular guy in Japan. Instead, it was one pitiful child, who acted as if he was about to lose everything. Absolutely everything.
"Everything..." he whispered, the word heavy with the weight of his emotions.
"[Come here: Adele]," Lucian commanded using a voice command, and an NPC standing on the bottom stair walked forward, kneeling before him. She had long black hair, braided, and was wearing a maid uniform with glasses.
"[Come here: Servants]," Lucian commanded, and all eight NPCs sitting on the their respective thrones immediately walked or flew towards him and knelt before the stairs.
"Now that it's time for the end, it's only natural that everyone gathers in one place," Lucian said, gazing at all eight of his personal NPCs, each of them a creation that had taken a lot of time.
Shiraori, being the one he had the most fun creating, had a character design and personality design that were just perfect. Next was Lilith, the red-headed younger sister he created because he wanted a sister, a desire he knew would never be fulfilled in real life. After that was Kurumi, the sadist, created to appease all of Lucian's sweet spots for a sadistic yandere character. Then came Sophia, the culmination of Lucian's late-night watching of different vampire animes.
On the other side was Scathach, an NPC created because Lucian didn't have any real-life teacher; he had learned everything from his maids, and other miscellaneous knowledge had been taught by Mei Mei. Having an NPC like Scathach was a nice addition. Next was the witch Elaina, a manifestation of Lucian's desire to have a witch by his side, although in real life, his maid already filled that role, he supposed.
After that was the small spirit that floated there, created for a specific purpose that she didn't even get to fulfill. She was later reassigned to be a base guardian of Sylvan Light Forest.
"Really, I couldn't have created any better NPCs," Lucian said with a genuine smile as he looked at his carefully crafted characters. His choices were top-tier, and he had designed them with as much care as he had for the entire base. Lucian genuinely cared about them, much like he did for the Great Luxuria base.
He then glanced at the time.
[23:59:24]
The moment was approaching, and soon he would be back in reality with a jolt. This castle that felt like home would no longer be the case.
[23:59:39]
Midnight was when the servers would shut down.
"And so it ends..." Lucian muttered, closing his eyes and counting down to the inevitable log-out as he anticipated the moment of midnight.
[23:59:55]... 5
[23:59:56]... 4
[23:59:57]... 3
[23:59:58]... 2
[23:59:59]... 1
And Lucian counted...
1...
2...
3...
"Huh?" A sweet, audible voice escaped Lucian as he opened his mesmerizing bloody red eyes, expecting to see the ceiling of his real-world room. Instead, he found himself standing before the throne in the same great throne room of Aesir.
"What!?" Lucian wondered. The time for midnight should've already initiated the forced log-out. The system clock was never wrong, as it was consistently synchronized with international time. Something strange was happening. At first, he thought the shutdown might have been postponed, and he attempted to use the 'call GM' function. To his surprise, he couldn't bring up his menu.
When he looked at the side of his vision, he realized that everything had disappeared. His menu, console, timer, all of it was gone. His vision was empty.
"I think there's something wron-" Lucian began to turn around, expecting to discuss the strange situation with Mei Mei and Suzune. However, what he saw next shocked him. Both of them were on the ground, breathing heavily, their hearts racing, their mouths wide open, and their faces flushed with red.
"What-" Lucian questioned out loud, shock evident in his voice. He was breathing heavily, his mouth wide open in disbelief. How was this possible? How could this happen? His face was stricken with shock, yet he was unaware of the glee covering his inner world. He was about to move closer to help Mei Mei and Suzune, but before he could take a step...
A powerful pulse coursed through the core of Lucian, it was strong, it's strength resembling a steady, hypnotic drumbeat. It enveloped him, making him feel as though he was being bathed in a sea of pleasure. It was his heartbeat; he could feel it. How was this possible? You shouldn't be able to feel your heartbeat in the game.
"What," for the umpteenth time, he wondered out loud, focusing on the pulse of desire coursing through his heart. It gave him a feeling akin to an enormous adrenaline rush that made him feel vibrantly alive.
At the same time, in his head, a chorus of whispers and screeching started echoing simultaneously.
Moans of pleasure and whispers of deceit intermingled in a discordant symphony, burning through his head. The rustling of bedsheets and hushed secret confessions formed a sinful chorus, consuming him within the endless darkness of Lust
"Aghhh...." Lucian cried out loud in agony, clutching his head. There was too much noise in his mind. The moans of pleasure, the whispers of love, the clinking of glasses, the seductive laughter, the faithful confessions – it was as if someone had cranked up the volume to its highest level right inside his head. It felt like he could hear everything happening in the world, but only within the sinful matters.
"Stop it!" Lucian screamed, clutching his head, his feet stumbling as he descended the stairs, nearly falling. But just in time, someone reached out and steadied him.
"What happened, Lord Father!" A girl's concerned voice resounded in his ears, providing a brief moment of relief from the relentless cacophony in his mind.
"Lord Father! What's wrong!" he heard the voice again, and felt a soft hand gently touching his own, which was clutching his head.
Lucian briefly looked up, removing his hands from his head, and was greeted by a startling sight. The black-haired beauty with braided hair, glasses, and dressed in her maid uniform stood beside him, holding his hands. Her face was twisted in pain and worry, her familiar black eyes filled with concern. It was Adele!
"How—" Lucian couldn't finish his words as another voice cut him off, sounding similarly worried but more confident, furious, and loud. "Lord Brother! What's happening!?" Someone came up and supported his body, and when he looked to his left side, he was greeted with the worried and teary face of a red-haired beauty, her face twisted in pain and concern, her eyes glistening with tears.
"Lord brother, tell me what happened!" She asked, shouting loudly, her voice echoing through the vast hall.
"Wha- no, why—" Lucian couldn't finish his words as the whispers and screeches in his head seemed to grow louder and louder.
However, suddenly everything went silent for a moment, and he heard a familiar yet spine-chilling whisper.
"Didn't I say, my beloved, we will be forever together..."
The bewitching whisper echoed.
"What!" Lucian clutched his head tightly once again, wildly ruffling his precious hair as the bewitching voice echoed in his head. The silence prevailed for a second, before it was broken once again.
"I have waited half a millennia for this, my beloved."
The voice continued.
"Stop it!!!" Lucian shouted, tumbling back, descending another stair, clutching his head tighter.
"Master!" Mei Mei's voice broke through, still breathing heavily, her face flushed red, just like Suzune, who remained on the ground, holding her chest, but Mei Mei seemed to be recovering.
"I have loved you since the time I was created."
Meanwhile, the voice continued.
"Stop it!" Lucian once again shouted, jumping backward, trying to shake off the annoying voice in his head.
"I've loved you to the depths no one will ever think," the bewitching voice persisted, its words filled with an eerie and all-consuming affection.
"I said STOP IT!!!!" Lucian's shout was accompanied by a distorted voice that leaked from his trembling lips. His pale, juicy lips parted to unleash a screech so intense that it shook the very foundation of the base. The room quaked, and everything and everyone within it was sent hurtling away. The two maidens who had stood beside Lucian, along with all the NPCs, Mei Mei, and Suzune, were thrown into chaos by the sheer force of the screech.
The distorted voice, a twisted symphony of agony, destruction, serenity, and sin, was hoarse and crooked, It's sweetness laced with a horrifying edge. It was a chorus of thirteen voices combined to create a screech that rivaled the roar of a mythical creature that should not exist – part angelic, part draconic, part demonic, and part something indescribable by words.
'What was it? What was it? What was it?' The question echoed in the mind of the silver-haired young man, a fleeing thought to break free from the screeching that continued, intensifying, urging him to tear the world apart in an effort to make it stop.
Then, suddenly, the screeching stopped as if Lucian's plea had been heard. He blinked, still holding his head.
His eyes were suddenly blanketed by darkness—a darkness that seemed to beckon him to embrace it, as if it had been waiting for him all this time. And so, he did. As he did so, a haze filled his vision, and he found himself falling into a pitch-black abyss of spiraling madness and obsession.
"You are the only one for me, my beloved, and I'll claim you, no matter what," the bewitching voice whispered in Lucian's ears before he lost consciousness. He slipped into a sleep that might very well define the fate of reality.
*******
Somewhere in the world of Alfheim, a slime player with a humanoid appearance, tanned skin, and a busty body covered by a dress, her pinkish hair flowing, engaged in conversation with another player. The other player was an female elf, with flowing blonde hair and adorned in light armor. A delicate blue bow rested on her back, a divine-class weapon.
"Wahhh! Mizuki-san is literally living the life I want to live!" the female elf player exclaimed as they strolled through a beautiful grove. Towering trees surrounded them, emitting a colorful display of lights. Enormous mushrooms dotted their path, just as large as the trees.
"Heheh... I can't deny it sometimes feels like a dream. To be honest," Mizuki replied, continuing to walk. She gazed up at the sky, and at that very moment, a shooting star streaked across the heavens.
"It sometimes feels unreal how happy I am. There are moments when I fear I might awaken from this dream, back to a reality without Lucian..." She admitted, her voice quivering with emotion.
"Really..." Akemi responded, her envy evident in her voice as she gazed at Mizuki. Lucian was not only her idol but also the only man she had a deep interest in. Unfortunately, he remained far out of her reach, showing no apparent interest in her. Meanwhile, Mizuki had the privilege of living with him, spending every day by his side, something Akemi couldn't help but envy.
"I envy you so much!" she pouted, though it didn't show on her avatar. They continued their conversation as they walked, but Akemi eventually came to a stop, leaving Mizuki curious.
"So, is this your guild base?" Mizuki asked as they looked at the vast mushroom cave, then entered it alongside Akemi.
"Yeah, our guild has no players anymore; I'm the only one remaining. They made me the guild leader after everyone started deleting the game because it was shutting down its servers. Anyway, it was nice talking to you, Mizuki-san," she sighed as they walked, coming to a stop as if waiting for something. It was only then that Mizuki realized something was amiss as a shiver ran down her body.
"Shit! I forgot I have to be with Lucian; the server is shutting down," she exclaimed, frantically checking the time in the corner of her vision.
[23:59:57]
"Fuck! Lucian would be disappointed," she muttered in self-disgust. With the game about to shut down and no time to teleport back to the base, Mizuki resigned herself to the inevitable force log-out that would return her to the real world, where she could finally apologize to Lucian.
However, the moment she closed her eyes, expecting the force log-out, it never happened. She opened her eyes and found herself in the same cave where she was standing moments ago.
"Mizuki-san? What is going on?" Akemi stood there with a worried expression, her eyebrows furrowed, appearing to check her own body as if something were wrong.
Wait... a worried expression? Mizuki wondered why Akemi's brow was furrowed with worry. Players shouldn't be able to move their avatars' facial features.
Mizuki questioned the legitimacy of her vision. She tried to open her menu, thinking that maybe the game's shutdown had been postponed, but the console was nowhere to be found.
"What!?" Mizuki exclaimed in shock as she attempted to use the GM call function.
"This can't be happening!" She cried out.
"Not another SAO!" Her scream grew more intense as fear and dread filled her thoughts.
_____________________________________
*Author's Note*
I'm really sorry for not uploading for almost a year and a half. I've been dealing with some family issues and haven't had much time for writing or enjoying my hobbies. To be honest, I feel so refreshed now that I'm writing again!
You might notice some grammar mistakes or inconsistencies—please point them out so I can improve and get back to delivering the same quality chapters as before. Thank you all for your patience and support.
Moving forward, I'll be uploading one chapter a week. As you know, my chapters are pretty long, so I hope that's okay! That said, I might surprise you with extra chapters here and there when I can.
You can also check out my Patreon—Chapter 49 is already uploaded there!
To thank all of you who've stuck with me, I'll try to write 2 or 3 extra chapters as a little bonus. Your support means everything, and I'm so grateful to be writing for you all again!
Patreon/AzazelGrim