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Though inwardly thrilled and desperate to investigate, Orion remained outwardly impassive. His gaze rested on the kneeling Floor Guardians expressing their loyalty.
* **Shalltear Bloodfallen**: Guardian of Floors 1-3. Race: True Vampire. Appearance: A noble, elegant young girl who looks 13-14.
* **Cocytus**: Guardian of Floor 5. Race: Insectoid. Appearance: A humanoid scorpion warrior clad in chitinous armor, fierce and skilled in battle.
* **Aura Bella Fiora & Mare Bello Fiore**: Guardians of Floor 6. Race: Dark Elves. Due to their creator **Bukubukuchagama's** preferences: Aura, the sister, presented as a dashing, boyish figure; Mare, the brother, spoke softly and timidly and was often dressed in feminine attire. Their appearances spoke volumes about their creator's personality.
* **Demiurge**: Guardian of Floor 7. Race: Pure Demon. Creator: **Ulbert Alain Odle**, the 'World Disaster' who constantly clashed with Touch Me.
Alongside butler Sebastian and Overseer Guardian Albedo, these were Nazarick's most crucial members. Other NPCs or Guardians were either simple constructs without true consciousness or unsuitable for leaving their assigned domains.
After a moment's contemplation, Orion spoke slowly: "...The most critical issue facing the Great Tomb now is the lack of intelligence."
"...Nazarick has undergone an anomaly, arriving in an unknown world. We know nothing of this world."
"How powerful are its inhabitants? Could they pose a fatal threat to Nazarick? And..."
"...If Nazarick has arrived here, does that mean other guilds might have arrived as well?"
"You know our relations with other guilds were never good. Encountering them could lead to brutal conflict."
Orion tapped the armrest with a finger formed of black flame. He based his reasoning on fragmented knowledge. The '**Eight Greed Kings**' he vaguely recalled were likely the guild ranked in the top three. Like **Ainz Ooal Gown** possessing the Great Tomb, he knew that top guild possessed a Sky Fortress or similar base. With more members, their base would naturally house more powerful Guardians.
While Orion's potential for growth far exceeded these so-called 'players', whose power was now fixed, his *current* strength wasn't enough to effortlessly crush all Yggdrasil players. In a one-on-one fight, he was invincible. But facing numerous max-level players armed with bizarre items, even he would need to retreat strategically.
Without Orion, **Ainz Ooal Gown** peaked at rank 9. With him, they reached rank 7. He knew he was effectively worth two guilds – and only lower-ranked top-ten ones at that. The truly top-tier guilds would be formidable opponents.
*'If only I'd been more of a shut-in back then, watched more anime,'* Orion sighed inwardly. *'Now I'm stuck knowing next to nothing about this world's background.'*
What did *Overlord* Season 1 actually cover? Essentially nothing; the world remained a blank canvas. Orion felt his predicament served as a warning: no matter how busy work makes you, no matter how exhausted you are, never forget your roots. Make time for anime, novels, and games to relax. That way, if you ever transmigrate, you'll be prepared, unlike him, facing this dilemma.
"Shalltear! Sebastian! Demiurge!" Orion called out after a moment.
"Your servant is here!" The three stepped forward, kneeling solemnly with bowed heads.
"Shalltear, Sebastian, your appearances are the most human-like. Demiurge, your mastery of transformation magic makes you suited to infiltrate human society. The task of gathering intelligence falls to you three."
"...The Pleiades maids may also prove useful."
He paused, then turned to the silent Momonga beside him. "...The coordination and handling of intelligence gathered about this new world will be your responsibility, Momonga."
"...As the overall commander, you *must* fulfill this duty. I will oversee internal affairs within **Nazarick**."
Hearing this assignment, Momonga panicked internally. Thankfully, 'Emotion Nullification' kicked in, preventing him from showing weakness before the Guardians. He frantically opened a private message:
"...What's this about, Zarathustra?! Why assign *me* to manage external intelligence gathering?!"
Orion remained unflappable. "...Only two of us remain in **Ainz Ooal Gown**. Naturally, you must shoulder responsibilities. Besides, you excel at information organization. This role suits you perfectly."
Back in the guild's heyday, roles were clearly defined: Orion handled grand strategy, Momonga specialized in gathering intelligence on the game and other guilds. Others had their niches; those without special talents served as fighters.
"No, that's not what I meant! As one of the only two members left, I *want* to contribute!"
"...But Zarathustra, wouldn't *you* be better suited for external operations? I'm terrible at social interaction! You handle the outside world; I'll stay inside the Tomb – that makes the most sense!"
Momonga's voice was tinged with unease, revealing his utter lack of confidence. As an ordinary person suddenly transported to another world, even with his in-game power intact, he had no idea if this was a place where Sword Saints were commonplace and Archmages as numerous as dogs. His anxiety, his reluctance to shoulder responsibility, his desire to cling to Orion's powerful coattails – it was all perfectly understandable.
Hearing Momonga's words, Orion inwardly sighed. *'You want me to be the breadwinner while you just look pretty, huh? That won't fly, Momonga. It should be the other way around.'*
Orion began pondering how to craft a convincing excuse to deflect Momonga. Ideally, he'd prefer everyone to just hole up in **Nazarick**, never venturing outside – that felt far safer. The main issue was that Orion couldn't find an opportunity to grow stronger in this world – the key to unlocking his other demon forms, regaining his manhood, and even fully inheriting the **Evil God's Mother's** spiritual rank. The real opportunities lay in the invitations he'd sent out from the dark void. So, rather than exploring this world of swords and magic, Orion would rather focus on researching that dark space and the invitations. He was fundamentally different now. In the cyberpunk reality, he'd been merely human. Now, he was a true demon, fully empowered. This made him suspect the dark void might hold new changes. He just wanted to stay inside the Great Tomb, a true shut-in!
As Orion searched for his excuse, Momonga suddenly exclaimed, "...I understand, Zarathustra!"
"...**'Pacify the interior before venturing abroad'**! Compared to exploring the outside world, the stability within the Great Tomb and the loyalty of the NPCs are paramount!"
"Your power is greater, so you should remain at the heart of **Nazarick**, maintaining its stability!"
"...Furthermore, your class restrictions prevent you from using basic equipment, and you lack transformation magic, making you unsuitable for venturing out."
"Meanwhile, I at least have the '**Job Change**' skill and can wear a mask to pass as human. Logically, you handle internal affairs while I handle external matters."
"...As expected of you, Zarathustra! To think of so much in such a short time! I even complained about you dumping this work on me!"
"Rest assured! I will not fail your expectations! I will protect **Nazarick**, which now only has the two of us!"
Seeing Momonga's adoring gaze, Orion was dumbfounded. He hadn't expected Momonga's imagination to run so wild. *Momonga, your gaze is a bit dangerous. I'm really not interested in men, let alone a skeleton!*
But since Momonga had provided the justification, Orion went along with it, offering an ambiguous, "...Hmm, you understand the situation."
Seeing his opinion affirmed, Momonga's confidence surged. He stood up, radiating newfound determination, and addressed the kneeling Guardians, "...All of you! Since you have heard Zarathustra's command, return to your duties!"
"Yes, Zarathustra-sama! Momonga-sama!" the Guardians responded respectfully.
At that moment, Orion spoke up, "...**Shalltear**, **Demiurge**. The two of you, remain. I have further instructions."
Shalltear's head snapped up. She licked her lips, revealing sharp vampire fangs, lifted her swan-like neck, thrust out her unnaturally large chest, and declared with fervent heat:
"...Zarathustra-sama! You have finally noticed! This concubine is your most loyal hound! Your most trusted slave!"
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