Notice:
Sorry, for the late update. I was quite a bit busy with life. Even now, I freed up some time to write this. While, the update schedule is not fixed, I'll try to update now and then. I completed my degree, and am now a bit busy job hunting. While, the fic is not dropped, I will try to shorten the scenes and complete it fast and end it at Overlord Verse. I had prepared a rough story board, with plot points to cover in this fic, but I'll have to reduce most of it. If not, the story will take quite a while to complete. Just let me know, what do you all think about this. Anyway, I have already cancelled my plans for anime multiverse for this fic as of now.
If you notice any errors, please feel free to give me constructive feedback. English is not my first language, so if you notice any mistakes, please mention them in the comment section at the end of the chapter. I do not own Overlord. All property rights belong to their respective creators. Let's begin the story!
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Chapter-45
Hall of Agartha;
Agartha, Tenth Floor,
The Eternal Flying Castle of Utopia – Avalon;
New World,
Overlord Verse;
"Hm." was all Kai muttered, his hands instinctively petting his Deicide as he stared at the large parliament-like room. He sat on a lavish throne placed on an elevated platform, overseeing the stepped rows of seating below, similar to a parliament. A familiar setting Kai had seen in the news: the infamous place where politicians bickered like elementary school kids, the spectacle serving more as entertainment for the populace than producing any meaningful decisions for the nation's betterment.
Now, seated in a similar setting, with him at the head while the NPCs of his guild sat below in neat, organised rows, divided by floors, Kai smiled at the sight.
'Though it's just the Floor Guardians here, along with two Area Guardians of their respective floors seated next to them,' he mused. His gaze wandered across the room as he sat comfortably on his throne, chin resting on the knuckles of his right hand, while he continued petting his Deicide with his left.
'With the exception of Albion, the Floor Guardian of the First Floor; Architect, the Floor Guardian of the Second; the Area Guardians of the Eleventh; and the Floor Guardians of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth, everyone is here. With no Floor Guardian assigned to the Fifteenth, this should be all the attendees for this meeting.'
Kai shifted slightly on the throne, a bit nervous, being present under the gazes of many NPCs. Everyone among them a monster in their own right. 'Just the NPCs gathered here should suffice to plan a raid on Ainz Ooal Gown, I suppose.' He mused, while Deicide's oblivious to his thoughts, relaxed on his embrace, its soft yawn echoed faintly under his hand.
A single figure stepped forward from the rightmost line of attendants. Sebastian, the Head Butler and Kai's personal butler, moved with unhurried grace. His strides excluded elegance, something that even amazed Kai. Stepping forward, just below Kai's throne. He bowed deeply, one hand across his chest, before lifting his gaze just enough to address the room.
"Esteemed Guardians," his voice carried clearly across the chamber. "Stand and present your respect. The Supreme Overlord, the Master of Vanitas Regnum Anta, Lord Mor Initium Kai Telos, has graced us with his presence." While the gesture and the proceedings confounded Kai, to every other occupant of the room it was simply the bare minimum of courtesy required in the presence of their Master.
Following the command, the rows below shifted in unison as everyone rose. The very air tightened with pressure as a legion of apex creatures of the world bowed before their Master, who was a monster in his own right.
*****
Hall of Agartha;
Agartha, Tenth Floor,
The Eternal Flying Castle of Utopia – Avalon;
New World,
Overlord Verse;
Inside the hall of Agartha, the flying dome-shaped building that hovered just behind the Castle of Agartha, which had been used as a meeting place for the players of Vanitas Regnum Anta in the past, now hosted the Floor Guardians and Area Guardians of the various floors.
Seated upon the magnificent throne on an elevated platform, overlooking the whole room, Kai cast his gaze over the guardians who stood bowing in neat rows. Every guardian and NPC gathered in the hall of Agartha radiated reverence. Gazing at them, Kai silently nodded, a quiet affirmation to the guardians, while inwardly overjoyed at the sight, simply living in the moment.
Taking it as their cue, the guardians straightened themselves.
To the far left stood Dormammu, the Floor Guardian of the City of Calamity, the third floor of Avalon. His figure was shrouded in darkness; the tall humanoid, cloaked in high-shouldered black armor paired with a long cape, bowed before his master. His eyes burned with constant light, giving a sense of immense energy capable of incinerating planets and beings alike. He stepped forward into the small space allotted to him.
"Dormammu, Floor Guardian of the City of Calamity, presents himself to the Supreme One."
Dormammu pressed a hand against his chest and bowed deeply. Unlike other floors, he alone represented his floor.
Following his lead, the other Floor Guardians, seated according to their floors, pledged their loyalty to the Supreme One.
"Ashborn, Floor Guardian of The Anarchy, presents myself to the Supreme One."
Behind him stood Bellion and Igris, flanking him on both sides.
"Bellion, Area Guardian of The Anarchy, presents myself to the Supreme One."
"Igris, Area Guardian of The Anarchy, presents myself to the Supreme One."
"The Floor Guardian of the Fifth Floor, The River of Eternal Darkness, Arcueid Brunestud, presents herself to the Supreme One."
Following her lead, her two companions, Alucard and Ivis Necron, bowed to their master.
"Ivis Necron, Area Guardian of the River of Eternal Darkness, presents himself to the Supreme One."
"The Area Guardian of the River of Eternal Darkness, Alucard, presents himself to the Supreme One."
They knelt respectfully and lowered their heads before Mors. Following them, the Area Guardians of Tenebrous World pledged their allegiance.
"Zarathos, Area Guardian of Tenebrous World, presents himself to the Supreme One."
"TerrorBlade, Area Guardian of Tenebrous World, presents himself to the Supreme One."
Next to step forward were the Area Guardians of the Seventh Floor, the Divine Throne. In the absence of Evernight Candidum, who oversaw the floor and acted as its Floor Guardian, the Area Guardians had to manage everything in her stead.
"Guliedistodiez, Area Guardian of the Divine Throne, presents myself to the Supreme One."
"Quinella, Area Guardian of the Divine Throne, presents myself to the Supreme One."
Following them were the Floor Guardian and the lone Area Guardian attending the meeting.
"Laplace Demon, Floor Guardian of the Key of Light, presents myself to the Supreme One."
"Miss Minutes, Area Guardian of the Key of Light, presents herself to the Supreme One."
After the guardians of the various floors of Avalon up to the Eighth Floor, the Floor Guardians of the Tenth Floor stepped forward.
The Children of Yggdrasil were in full attendance.
First among them was Artoria. Bowing with her hand pressed against her chest, she knelt.
"Artoria Pendragon, Floor Guardian of Agartha, I pledge my life to the Supreme One."
After her, the rest of the children followed suit.
"Scathach, Floor Guardian of Agartha, presents myself to the Supreme One."
"Sinbad, Floor Guardian of Agartha, presents myself to the Supreme One."
"Raiden Shogun, Floor Guardian of Agartha, presents herself to the Supreme One."
"Enkidu, Floor Guardian of Agartha, presents myself to the Supreme One."
"Jeanne d'Arc, Floor Guardian of Agartha, pledges to serve the Supreme One."
"Morgan le Fay, Floor Guardian of Agartha, presents myself to the Supreme One."
"Merlin, Floor Guardian of Agartha, presents myself to the Supreme One."
Last to pledge his loyalty among the Children of Yggdrasil was Arrodes.
"Arrodes, Floor Guardian of Agartha, presents myself to the Supreme One."
The next to step forward was a towering figure wrapped in funerary silence. His presence alone caused several guardians to stiffen instinctively, as if death itself had drifted into the hall.
"King Hassan," he intoned, his voice a deep rasp that carried without effort. "Floor Guardian and Leader of the Assassin's League. I present myself to the Supreme One."
Following behind him, with quieter steps, excluding elegance with his every step and action was Sebastian. Wearing the immaculate uniform of the Head Butler, he bowed, his form impeccable.
"Sebastian, Head Butler of the Eternal Flying Garden of Utopia – Avalon, present myself to the Supreme One."
At his flanks, two small figures stepped forward together — Doraemon and Dorami, their small frames compared to the rest of the occupants, a bit catching.
"Doraemon, Assistant Butler, present myself to the Supreme One."
"Dorami, Assistant Butler, present myself to the Supreme One."
Behind them, in a line of perfect synchronization, the Stellar Maids advanced.
"Elisabeth, Stellar Maid, present myself to the Supreme One."
"Frankenstein, Stellar Maid, present myself to the Supreme One."
"Medusa, Stellar Maid, present myself to the Supreme One."
"Echidna, Stellar Maid, present myself to the Supreme One."
"Shiroko Terror, Stellar Maid, present myself to the Supreme One."
"Shiraori, Stellar Maid, present myself to the Supreme One."
"Grayfia Lucifuge, Stellar Maid, present myself to the Supreme One."
Each spoke their pledge in concise, steady voices. Their admiration directed towards the Supreme One remained palpable.
To the side, seated slightly lower than the main rows and adjacent to Kai's elevated throne, the Administration Department rose as one. One after another they stepped forward, bowing deeply.
"Medea Lily, Administration Department, pledge my service to the Supreme One."
"Queen, Administration Department, pledge my service to the Supreme One."
"Alice, Administration Department, pledge my service to the Supreme One."
"Aurora, Administration Department, pledge my service to the Supreme One."
Next, the guardians of the twelfth floor stepped forward.
"Truth, Floor Guardian of Babylon, present myself to the Supreme One."
Behind him came the area guardians.
"Azmuth, Area Guardian of Babylon, present myself to the Supreme One."
"Baymax, Area Guardian of Babylon, present myself to the Supreme One."
Their coordinated bow flowed as a mirrored motion.
Lastly, the sole representative of the thirteenth floor approached, her wings folded neatly behind her.
"Jibril, Area Guardian of Knowledge Moor, present myself on behalf of the thirteenth floor, pledge our undying loyalty to the Supreme One."
Her head lowered, gleaming feathers brushing against the floor.
Mors leaned back slightly into the throne, letting his gaze drift over them. 'And this is it… It's probably one of my most anticipated scene in the New World, that I had imagined zillion times. Always trying my best to hone down the details, imagining various scenarios that would play out after this…' He silently mused.
'Now, that I am here. Honestly, all of this feels quite overwhelming.' Mors let out a silent breath, releasing all the tension build up within him.
The sight stirred a quiet mix of pride, disbelief, and a faint pressure that pulled him into reality of his making. He was a Supreme Being now.
'So, this is it.' Mors mused, as he steeled himself for what is to come.
He exhaled slowly, composed himself, and rose from the throne.
When he finally spoke, his voice carried clearly across the hall.
"Guardians of Avalon. I have heard your pledges."
All kneeling figures stiffened with reverence.
"And it brings me great joy to see you all, and your devotion to the guild." His sentence caused a stir among the guardians, as they stared at him high intensity, each of them ready to lay down their life for their Supreme Master.
Kai let his gaze drift over the hall one last time before exhaling quietly. The tension lingering in the air felt dense enough to slice. He lifted a hand, waving it lightly.
"That's enough. All of you can relax a bit. You don't need to act so stiff around me," he said, his tone deliberately softer. "Just… call me Mors. That's fine."
The guardians froze as if he had turned their whole world upside down.
A few exchanged uneasy glances. One of the maids even gasped. Someone in the Stellar Maids muttered, "To address the Supreme Master so casually… this borders on blasphemy."
The disapproval began to ripple through the rows until Kai raised his hand again, palm open. The room quieted instantly, following his gesture.
"I meant what I said," he continued. "It isn't a command meant to punish you or test your devotion. I simply prefer it."
Silence that followed was heavy, but all the guardians remained obedient to their master's wishes. Kai allowed it to settle before gesturing toward their seats.
"Sit. All of you."
The guardians lowered themselves in unison. The hall regained its order, the sight brought a smile upon Mors' face.
"Arrodes," Mors called.
The demon in suit, stepped forward with a smooth bow. "Yes, my Master."
"What is the situation around the guild base? Is there any changes with regards to the moving through universe? Is everything functioning as they are intended to?"
Arrodes began summarizing the current state of the guild base. It was the sort of mundane status update Kai hadn't hoped for, as Arrodes dwelled into details with regards to every minute details of guild base.
'At least, everything is functioning as intended. It's a relief, even if I had to listen to that long report.' Mors mused.
When Arrodes finished, Kai nodded. "Good. Merlin?"
The mage rose from his seat, staff tapping softly against the floor. "Supreme One, as instructed, I have completed the investigation with Alucard and Medea."
Behind him, the four members of the Administration Department stood ready. At Merlin's slight gesture, they stepped forward with the compiled documents. A moment later, Merlin cast a spell. Copies of the report floated to each desk, landing neatly in front of the guardians.
Mors blinked. 'Telekinesis…? That's interesting. They have already started using spells outside their intended purpose, to ease their tasks.' He mused.
Merlin continued explaining the contents, every piece of information shocked Mors to his core. It was nothing like what he remembered from the light novel or the anime.
'Who the heck are these Four-Clan Alliance?'
While, Mors remained shocked, the guardians below were immersed discussing the finer details of the report and their plan of action. '
"The society formed by the Four Clans…" Ivis Necron muttered, his hallowed eyes igniting with curiosity.
"Their magic seems quite weak," Quinella mused.
"This Martial Arts of theirs… is quite interesting." Whispered Scathach.
A few even discussed the surrounding nations, already analyzing their cultures and military potential.
But the most common sentiment was the simplest and remained common among everyone, as they all conferred similar realisation and answers from the report:
|Worshipping the Supreme Master is only natural. Their devotion to Master pleases us.|
Mors resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. The subject of worship had been bothering him since the beginning. He had walked into it as a mystery and was now leaving with an even bigger one.
The talks spiralled from exploration of New World to religion within a span of seconds. The discussion drained all mental energy of Kai, enough for him to bring the meeting to a close, as he commanded all the guardians to contemplate on the information they received and to act under such conditions.
"Now, just don't act rashly," Kai said carefully. "We'll discuss everything properly later."
The guardians immediately straightened.
"As the Supreme One commands." They echoed.
When the report concluded, Kai rose from his throne.
"That should be all for today."
"As you command, Lord Mors."
'Just what did I sign myself up for?' Mors silently mused.
And so, the meeting or the summit of the guardians of Avalon came to an end. While, his headache only grew.
******
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**The End**
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