Ainz stared on as the forces of Nazarick and the New World joined the fray.

It was unexplainable what he felt at that moment. Elation seeing that the feeling was shared not only by his guardians, but by the children he had abandoned for so long yet worry as the creature that was stagnant solely due to his hold continued to struggle mightily, trying to break out.

Strain reflected in those pale white flames, as they flickered in and out of existence. His powers were close to depletion now. Soon, his hold on the leviathan would loosen and then... then all would be over.

Fight bravely, his forces did, but Ainz had no disillusion about their circumstances.

Although, the stronger ones, the guardians, the sacred flames, and a select few others have managed to injure the immobilized terror of the abyss, but it mattered not. Before his very eyes the leviathan regenerated almost instantaneously, making their efforts seem worthless.

Ainz continued to stare on, as time seemingly slowed to a crawl, all the while the ancient orbs of the Undead God became unfocused and the flames quivered.

Albedo, Shalltear, Cocuytus, Sebas, Demiurge, they all stood by his side, all fighting to vanquish the Great abomination of the cosmos.

The Sacred Flames, with the children, armies of hundreds didn't lag behind either, as they willingly threw themselves to slaughter.

Many of the weaker ones simply perishing by entering the vicinity of the cosmic terror, yet they cared not for they finally had a chance to fulfill their purpose, to serve the Supreme one. They were given eternal life for this sole moment, so that one day they make use of it.

Their corpses squirmed and rose. Resentment, negative energy building up, they would not stay down so easily.

The mark of the Supreme one burned brightly on their foreheads as the curse that bound them flared alive and in doing so forced death's embrace to stagnate.

The cosmic terror felt threatened, and it didn't hesitate to call for back up. Its colossal maw opened wide, rows of teeth spinning in a circular motion, it spewed out innumerable lesser horrors of the abyss, to slow their advance.

The Ashen Legions were neither alive, nor dead… they had evolved. They had become undead. They would live and die in service to the master. They would not go down without giving their all in a fight.

As the hundreds of fallen rose, so did their power. For they were no longer limited by their weak bodies, they joined the fray once more, not caring as their limbs were torn, and spines shattered in the carnage.

Ainz felt his senses distort, and his conscious left the battlefield behind.

The ancient body, that was his refuge throughout the past centuries continued to discharge spells after spells on autopilot. {Grasp Heart} being the most prominent example, while Ainz himself had a view of the raging battle, taking in every little detail in a slow motion.

But it all felt so... distant, so inconsequential as the mind of Suzuki Satoru traveled back in time, reliving the memories of his past self. The pains, the hardships he had suffered as a denizen on a dead planet.

The relief, and delight he experienced when he joined a group. Yggdrasil, truly it was his home. It wasn't heaven, far from it in fact, but still... it was such a welcome relief from his everyday struggles. Oh, how he longed for those days, how he craved those past companionships.

He experienced a new world, one that was so full of life. Although, there were dangerous enemies lurking around and about, it didn't change the fact that he was given a new life, a new chance at fulfilling his dreams and desires. He only wished the others could've been here with him.

The faces he got to know in the new world resurfaced, and he recalled what he has forgotten for so long, but just then his vision blackened.

"Ainz! Watch out!" The cry of Albedo barely registered when the pale orbs turned slightly, only to be met with a beam of utter darkness.

...

The last of his mana gone, his spells failing Ainz felt his life force dwindling.

He fell through the weightless cosmos.

'So, this is it, hah?' Ainz thought, while he scanned the area, where there was a battle still very much raging, it was not a battle between light and darkness. No, it was more akin to darkness versus darkness, evil contra evil. Hundreds of undead, hundreds of Nazarick spawn creatures battled the horrors of the abyss whose numbers were endless.

It mattered not how many they had killed, the leviathan, the colossal beast kept on spitting out more and more, never stopping, never letting up the siege.

The moment of truth had come. Ainz realized.

There was not much he could do in the state he was in, but he couldn't… he couldn't allow his guardians to perish, not again, his world to waste away in the darkness. He had lived here far longer than Earth, and in all honesty he still preferred this place, even if he had to fight to keep it.

Giving one last glance towards his forces, and guardians, he dived forward; aiming for the jaws of the titan, into the maws of the great abyssal horror.

Hundreds of lesser horrors stood in his way, as they all rushed at him, trying to destroy, to devourer him whole. But they could not impede him, they could not stop him from ending it all.

He pushed forward in the crowd, grabbing the creatures, and crushing them in his hands as he advanced. His life force ever dwindling in the carnage.

The guardians were too preoccupied with the battle, they could not leave their position, else they risk the enemy breaking through their lines, and massacring the weaker soldiers. They could only watch, all but one.

Ainz felt his body shake, as the Guardian Overseer, Albedo collided and pushed him out of the way, while she mightily swinged her halberd, a World Class Item gifted to her by her creator, and decimated thousands of the abyss horrors rushing at him.

However, there was no cause for relief as the leviathan's planetary body shook mightily, sending shock waves out in the battlefield. At last, the last drop of mana was drained from Ainz Ooal Gown, and the leviathan jumped at the chance to free itself.

Screams and wails were drowned out in the cosmos as huge tentacles swept through the ranks of soldiers, undead and demons alike, swatting them away like flies.

Ainz stared hard at the scene, while feeling Albedo's grasp on him tighten. It was not a gentle hold, much on the contrary, but Ainz couldn't help but appreciate the sentiment… still he had a job to do, a duty to uphold, a legend to live up to.

He broke free from Albedo's tight clutches, and his pale orbs looked into her captivating eyes.

'This... this was not what he was fighting for... he was here in the first place so that those... so that those down below didn't have to experience this horror! Then why? Why had they come here?!' Ainz raged internally, as the cosmos gradually darkened around him, drowning out the stars.

"My Lord! Please! You must retreat! Leave the rest to us! Please!" Albedo begged desperately, but Ainz was unshakable, he had already resolved himself to do what must be done.

There was no faltering, no turning back... not here, not now. If they fail here... should they fall here... then it would be all over.

He placed a skeletal hand on the frantic Succubus, feeling the trembling under his palm, Ainz knew how much this meant to Albedo, still... there was a job to do, a duty to carry out, a promise to keep. A promise that they would not be forgotten that 'they' Ainz Ooal Gown would not sink into oblivion.

Albedo felt her heart skip a beat as her Lord stared deep into her eyes, conveying a message; one that would break hearts and shatter dreams.

She desperately clung onto him, yet Ainz knew well that he could not stay.

Albedo could not impede him any longer, he had to act now. It was time, with a swift motion he forcefully pushed her away, and let out a roar, a call for challenge.

"Arghhhhhh!" A shout filled the void, as the deep echo of a roar defied logic, and traveled in the emptiness of space. The stars no longer cast their brilliance onto the battlefield, as a darkness deeper than any shadow rose around Ainz, blocking out anything but the Sun.

The skeleton grasped at the fabric of space-time, the mighty Overlord's body shimmering in the gloom.

All fighting has stopped, even the leviathan that came from the bottom of the abyss has halted its offense, as it brought back its mighty tentacles, readying for the final showdown. It felt threatened, its danger senses were giving off warnings it could not ignore.

Shouts died in the throats of many as they called out for their Lord. Many tried to rush to their Lord's side but… ultimately failed. They all found themselves rooted in place the moment they tried to rush to their Lord's aid, the moment they tried to stop him. All struggled in vain.

Blackish lightning danced and exited his eye sockets as the pale white flames roared one final time before ultimately going out. Ainz Ooal Gown used a technique he was wary of, a last resort that he wished he never had to unleash. One he had extracted from the mind of a Dragon Lord, one that used not mana, nor other souls as a fuel, but the caster's life force, the caster's very own soul.

A wormhole manifested and the Overlord roared as he charged the cosmic terror, the innumerable lesser horrors simply blinking out of existence as the Overlord cut through them, not sparring them a second glance as he flashed forward against the Leviathan, his hands all but shattering at the force.

Ainz impacted the cosmic horror sending it hurling towards the Black hole.

All onlookers stood still, as an unseen force pressed down upon them, all the while the leviathan struggled against the pull of the void.

The very Sun flickered in the distance as finally all light was sucked away, and into the Black hole. The cosmos trembled as the Overlord continued to pummel the beast, trying his best to push the creature into whence it came from.

The three crowns, one of light, one of darkness, and one of void flickered on his skull as they could no longer pull in more energy, their hungry pull all but exhausting the surrounding cosmos.

A shriek of terror was drowned out as the Overlord could no longer endure the force exerted, and his body began to crumble. Yet Ainz could not stop, for if he did, if he gave even the slightest leeway to the leviathan he was sure he would lose this battle, and thus not caring for his crumbling form that was etched with deep cracks, he continued to launch at the creature, pushing it ever closer to certain doom, to annihilation.

Many onlookers were in a daze, as the cosmic terror, the leviathan whose body spanned across the world was slowly pushed into oblivion.

Many, yes but not all. Rachel and the Guardians struggled, trying their hardest in their entire life to escape this strange hold that rooted them in place, yet they could not.

"Shalltear do something!" Albedo called out, as she realized that her powers were utterly useless, she could not break out, she could not teleport, she could not rush to her master's side.

But Shalltear didn't fare any better either, as even in her transformed state she could do nothing but watch, a trait she shared with all others... even the dragonoid, Sebas was powerless as he watched their Lord disappear on the Event Horizon and the Black hole blink out of existence, returning the light to the world.

The tear on the stoic butler's face froze as his eyes stared intently where his master used to be. He was there a moment ago, 'he must be alright. He was a Supreme being after all, he will certainly return.' Sebas calmed himself, 'still the sooner he returns the better,' he remarked. 'Who knows what the others might interpret this?'

He looked over at the Archfiend, Demiurge. Although they had their differences, deep down they knew that their loyalty to the 41 was absolute. Sebas only hoped that Demiurge wouldn't devolve and blame himself too much.

Losing the master, the last Supreme being even for the time being was already a mighty blow. Losing the chief strategist or save the 41, the Guardian Overseer would be catastrophic.

Sebas scanned the battlefield where bodies innumerable floated in the freezing cosmos. Today they had lost much; not only their master, but the armies of the Tomb were also decimated.

Sebas sensing that the restricting pressure was no more moved and seeing the states of the guardians decided that it would be best if he left them to their own devices, at least for now.

He floated over to their 'allies', those who fought side by side with them.

They had suffered crippling losses, not a third of them survived.

Out of the eight most brilliant, only two were welcoming him. The others were crippled, dead, or too exhausted from the earlier battle.

Sebas greeted with a strained smile, as he met with a woman in the colors of the sun. Her uniform stained in greenish blood did not lessen her presence one bit, as she gave out orders to retrieve and heal the injured. She had split platinum eyes; and albeit held an unassuming expression, Sebas felt she was shaken by the events of today. The other stood slightly behind her, acting as some sort of guard.

"I am Sebas, Butler of Ainz Ooal Gown. If there is anything you need, don't hesitate to ask and I'll do everything in my power to provide it."

"We've lost. All is lost." She said weakly, barely a whisper.

Sebas watched as the girl's eyes strayed to her feet. Sparing a moment thought, he felt it best to try and cheer up the girl. After all, she had led an army to their master's aid, this was the least she deserved.

"Do not take my master lightly. Miss..."

"I guess it is only right that I introduce myself..." She said, while elevating her vision, and staring up, to meet his gaze.

"I am Rachel of Ainz Ooal Gown, Supreme Commander of his armies and first of the Sacred Eight."

"It is a pleasure Miss Rachel..."

Sebas was shaken, but didn't show it, as the meaning behind those words registered, he had no knowledge of this, but then again, his master was supposedly in this world for a far longer time, it would only be fitting he founds a nation and an army in the glory of the 41. He must discuss this with the others. He decided, as he carried on.

"Now then, as I was saying do not take my master lightly, he is a Supreme being, but that is not all he is. There was a reason he was their Lord, holding the highest seat of power among their ranks... He... Ainz has never lost a battle, and I doubt he'd start now. Rest assured, miss Rachel my master will return victorious. He always does." Sebas delivered these lines with a voice backed by steel, leaving no place for doubt.

Understanding dawned on her face, still she couldn't help but worry for Ainz. He fell through with that abomination to only the Supreme One himself knows where... she hoped he would be alright, as he gestured for her men to collect the dead, and Gabriel left her side.

Holy Empire, Area 4

Queen Draudilion laid back on her crimson throne as she listened to the reports relayed by her trusted advisor. Truly juicy details were shared as the Dragon Queen's lips curved to an enchanting smile.

Finally, she thought. It has been far too long since she had to stay low and bow her head before the emperor. She loved her people; thus, she didn't oppose being part of the Great human nation, but deep down she wanted more, something more fitting with a heritage such as hers.

She carried dragon blood in her veins, the rightful rulers of this world. But then one day they had disappeared, and there were no sightings ever since then... the horrors of the abyss have forced her into submission, her people... they could not contend with them on their own, but with an empire such as this backing them they were protected. Their beastman problem was also all but solved.

The Queen let out a sigh as her slender arm grasped a full wine glass, and slowly brought it up to her crimson lips.

Indeed, all were coming together.

The terrors gone, she no longer needed the Empire. She also got reports about the Sacred Flames returning from a grueling battle that left most of them crippled.

An opportune time presents itself, all she had to do was wait.

Now that the Elf Nation was weakened the Empire would surely bear its fangs on it, meaning they wouldn't really mind letting go of such a small catch as her territory. In the end, the emperor might even provide valuable gifts to her should she decide to support him in the coming war. Yes... all was coming together.

She smiled brilliantly as the bright future presented itself before her mental eyes. Should the two great empires weaken each other, her time would come, and she could grab all that power to herself! She broke out laughing, seeing her delusions reaching their ultimate form.

The advisor, an older man next to her throne just smiled wryly while gazing at the ravishing form of the dragon queen, a woman in her prime.

Capital of the Elven Empire

The Holy Emperor looked upon the battered skies as gradually, here and there weak rays of sunlight pierced the dark heavens.

Jircniv could not remember ever witnessing such a phenomenon, as the skies of the new world only ever oozed darkness, never light.

Enchanted by the scene, the young emperor left the confines of his carriage, and Fluder by his side he embarked on a walk. On a walk that would reform his mind, and in a consequence of that change the future of humanity.

Jircniv walked, with slow and deliberate steps as he allowed his senses to take in the alien, yet welcome view. The sun shone, as a slight breeze caressed his features, all the while the song of birds accompanied his steps.

"Fluder, was the sky always this beautiful?" He asked the oldest man he knew, while he marveled at the heavens that parted and slowly an ocean blue entered his vision.

"Yes, my little Jircniv. Albeit I believe this is only the beginning." He felt his anger rise, but ultimately he let it slide.

He was the emperor, and Fluder was his teacher and advisor, he could allow the old magic caster to have his hobbies... even if it entailed pulling on his nerves.

"Hmm, is that so? Do elaborate on that."

The old triad magic caster simply raised a finger and pointed at the sky, where soon the outlines of figures appeared, and descended towards the ground.

"I believe they can explain it better than I ever could."

Jircniv took on a troubled look, as he strained his eyes and tried to decipher the identity of the descending individuals, yet none of them were familiar to him.

Then, one more appeared, one he recognized. Garbed in the colors of the Sun, a girl in her twenties descended accompanied by several others in the same manner of clothing.

"Hmm, the Sacred Flames? They look... exhausted... where they had gone to, I wonder..."

Jircniv pondered, as he allowed his face to relax and got ready to meet them, as his status dictates.

The Great Tomb

Ellee finally ascended to the 1st floor, the catacombs of the Great Tomb.

Soon she would get to the bottom of this and see what prompted such an abrupt response from the little vampire.

Tombs, decomposed bodies, skeletons lay all around her as she makes her way to the top, to the surface level. While ascending the stairs she tried to solve the puzzle; however, everything pointed to one direction, one she did not like.

Back in the days, before Ainz ventured into the void, he had told her many stories, many glorious adventures of the past. He also spoke with such sorrow that it was heart wrenching.

He loved his past comrades, their guild, their legacy which they had built together.

If his love for his guild was anything to go by, then Ellee had no doubt that his subordinates would cherish their master.

Decades spent together, Ellee knew Ainz well. Well enough, that if he were ever in trouble then his subordinates would throw down whatever they were doing, and rush to his side.

"Oh, please I must... I must be wrong..." She muttered to herself, as her steps became rigid, and ever hesitant as she continued to climb the staircase.

She never reached the top but met with the descending group of Six.

Somewhere under the Continent

In the Great dungeon of Bagatoth, that spread across the world, hidden deep underground from prying eyes a great beast slumbered since time immemorial.

White skinned, the Dragon Lord laid resting for centuries, working on his trauma; and devising a way to grab the power of the Supreme One for himself. Elder Coffin Dragon Lord has slumbered for decades, centuries waiting for the right moment, the moment he could strike and regain his formal self and pride as his race demanded.

A Dragon Lord, the strongest of creatures, ordained by Mother Nature herself should not fear nor bow to anyone or anything, but... that day... that day when he was rudely awoken and disrespected by the petty squabbling of mortals he saw true power. True overwhelming might, against which his heritage as a true dragon was nothing. Not even comparable.

There... there stood Death. He recognized, the skeletal visage that scarred his pride and soul as the one and only being that stood above all.

That day he was spared, but he wasn't so naive to count on luck and so... he had gone into hiding. And hide he did, and he did it well.

The number of Dragon Lords would dwindle, as new otherworldly threats arose, but Cure Elim was patient. He waited out the storm, and as always it had passed. The ones who were responsible for the slaughter of his kin were no more; defeated and forgotten.

But... he could not leave his place of refuge... not yet. Death... the power of the Supreme One, to which he was most perceptible to still lingered in the air. Even after so long... it only grew stronger.

Until one day... his nostrils flared as the stench of the foul power of the Supreme One seemingly disappeared from one day to the other.

The huge, white body of the ancient Dragon Lord moved as it slowly made its way out of the labyrinth, and into the wilderness. It was time to contact the few that remained, it was time to strike and regain their former glory, and fame.

It was time to claim the title of the Dragon Emperor and reign as the World's strongest creature rightfully should.

Somewhere Outside of Creation

The Void, an unforgiving, utterly empty place, where not even darkness dares to intrude.

In nothingness there was peace, eternal peace. Where no progression was made, nothing changed, there was only a deafening silence that ruled over the realm.

Out of nowhere a swirling chaos manifested, tearing into the peaceful nothingness it imposed its will onto the realm. From within, a massive leviathan and an Overlord fell through and drifted in the void.

Soon, they regained their senses, even in where there was nothing to see, nothing to hear, nothing to touch, nothing to feel. They were above such mundane perceptions; they had a sense for something more sublime. Something more fundamental.

The pale colorless orbs of the Overlord crackled silently in the void as slowly a disgusting form levitated in front of it.

The soul of an abyss creature was truly horrendous, sewn together countless souls in torment, they wailed as the abomination loomed. Ready to make Ainz Ooal Gown join its endless ranks.

The Overlord's form shimmered slightly, bringing even more chaos to the void, as light filled the realm. Missing both of his skeletal arms, his garments and weapon the skeleton floated in place, as the last of his life force was drained, as the last of his life was exhausted in front of his mental eyes.

A horrendous screech filled the void, as several tentacles, easily the size of individual continents rushed forward, intent on grabbing, crushing, and making the skeleton's soul part of its collection.

It was for but a split second, but Ainz Ooal Gown had closed his eyes, recalling once more the delightful memories he had gained in the new world, and that moment all of existence trembled.

The Void felt the power rising, originating from the Overlord. The power that was familiar, that was part of its own. Erasure, nothingness, oblivion.

"May Ainz Ooal Gown reign forever as an eternal legend." Ainz exclaimed, his voice lost in the void, while ethereal fume rolled off his cracked bones. 'My friends, may we meet again.'

"{Orb of Momonga} Discharge!" Ainz called out and the nearing family of tentacles came to a halt.

For a fraction of a millisecond the realm he inhabited came to a complete halt and black covered everything within. The consciousness of Ainz Ooal Gown succumbed to oblivion.

The highest class of magic item, the World Item that becomes stronger when HE wields it, the world item that had his true name engraved on it. The World Item that reduced hundreds of players into nothingness. The Red Orb of Momonga that housed his Soul, and his power nurtured through centuries was activated. Its ability of absolute destruction was released once more upon the world.

A flash of darkness was all that could be perceived for in the next moment the void returned into its normal state. No longer was there chaos, there remained nothing but the Void.

It had regained its formal, original, normal state. Where no progression was made, no time flowed, no space existed. It was nothing. An utterly empty realm, devoid of even darkness.