Year 2138, Neon Country
"Wow, I can't believe it's been twelve years already."
Genji glanced at his phone before turning away from the window to approach an immersive VR gaming device.
Thirty years ago, he had been reborn in this wasteland, taking on the name Genji. In this world, which resembled a cyberpunk setting, he retained the memories of his previous life, making him somewhat of a winner in life.
In 2126, a DMMO-RPG game called "YGGDRASIL" was released. This virtual reality game utilized cutting-edge internet and nanotechnology, integrating a nano-computer network with a neural interface and specialized controllers. In simpler terms, it offered an immersive gaming experience with an incredibly high degree of freedom.
It was recommended to him by that guy, Feng Hai Jiumei, who was a huge fan. Only after starting to play did he realize it was a game from the anime "Overlord," meaning he had essentially traversed into the real world of the game before its inception. Excited, Genji poured much of his energy and money into it, unaware that twelve years had already passed since he began playing.
"Tonight, the servers will shut down, right? I've finally waited for this day."
According to his memories, if he didn't log out before the game closed, he would remain trapped within it. He had prepared for this moment for nearly twelve years. He recalled that a few days ago, Momonga suggested they all witness the game's closure together. However, only HeroHero responded to his email.
"Well, I chatted with him too, haha."
Everyone was already bound by the constraints of the real world; after all, in this society, simply surviving was a significant achievement. This world was even harsher than his previous life, and complaints were common in the guild.
"It's time to log in."
Genji opened the metallic door of the game pod, which resembled a space capsule, and settled inside.
"Connection!"
Inside a lavish room, a giant round table made of obsidian stood in the center, surrounded by forty-two seats. At that moment, only two figures remained seated.
One was cloaked in a purple robe adorned with golden accents, the opulent garb of a scholar. Only his skull was visible, its hollow eye sockets glowing with crimson light. This was the "Archmage of the Undead"—the spellcaster Momonga.
The other figure was a mass of thick, black slime, lacking a stable shape. It was HeroHero, an ancient entity of living darkness.
Both were not human but high-tier non-human races. Since the guild's inception, its only requirements for membership were that one must be a worker and belong to a non-human species.
During Ainz Ooal Gown's initial activities, the first ten members had worked together to conquer the "Great Tomb of Nazarick," earning the guild's base there, along with a staggering total of 2,750 NPC production points. This included 2,250 from the raid and a one-time bonus of 500 points, along with a world-class item: "Throne of the Rulers."
This achievement left the "Setting Man," Tabula, in awe, as he had designed a significant portion of the intricate mechanisms within the tomb. His meticulous designs had consumed many of the available data resources, causing frustration among other guild members who couldn't freely design. Nevertheless, Tabula unhesitatingly spent his own money to purchase numerous premium items to expand their resource pool, making him one of the top spenders in the guild.
"It's been a long time, HeroHero. Although today is the last day of YGGDRASIL, I honestly didn't expect you to show up."
Looking at HeroHero, Momonga was at a loss for words. He slowly scanned the area, noting that only the two of them remained.
"Yeah, it really has been a while, Momonga."
HeroHero replied lethargically, his head displaying a dejected emoji. The demands of work had drained his energy completely.
"Since I switched jobs in real life, I haven't logged in. It must be… two years now?"
Momonga was surprised to hear how much time had passed.
"Yeah, it's probably about that long. Ah, it's been ages; it's awful! With all the overtime, my sense of time has become hazy. It's strange."
Momonga, concerned, asked, "Isn't that a bit worrying? Are you okay?"
HeroHero's tone was devoid of energy as he responded.
"My health? It's a bit of a mess. I'm not at the point of needing a doctor, but it's close. It's really bad. I just want to escape, but I have to make money to survive, so I keep pushing on."
Momonga sighed as he looked up at the ceiling. "That sounds terrible."
Yet he was in a similar situation. The two began to vent their frustrations about their jobs in the real world.
Just then, Genji logged in.
"Hey, you two are complaining about life again?"
He casually found a seat and joined their conversation.
Many members in the guild discussed their real-world struggles in the virtual space, as it felt safe to share without discomfort.
"Genji, I didn't expect you to come too," Momonga said, surprised to see another person log in so close to the server shutdown.
HeroHero spoke with a hint of envy, "Ah, I'm suddenly envious of you, Genji. Your work is going well, and you're still playing the game. You're living the dream!"
"Why does your tone sound so lifeless?"
"Don't mention it. Work has drained most of my energy. The only time I feel comfortable is when I'm asleep."
Looking at HeroHero, who hadn't logged in for over two years, Genji felt a pang of sympathy.
"You haven't logged in for over two years, have you? I was thinking about meeting up offline with you guys."
Looking at the empty seats around them, they couldn't help but lament their situation—life had taken them one by one from the game.
Momonga chimed in, "Well, it's out of our hands."
"True enough."