"That's only natural..."
Momonga slowly nodded, continuing softly, "There's really no need to apologize... And many companions also want to leave the game, they just feel embarrassed to say it..."
At this point, Momonga suddenly suggested, "How about this, I'll ask how many companions want to leave, and we can organize a farewell, at least we'll know about their departure and they won't quietly leave due to embarrassment..."
"..."
Touch Me was silent for a moment.
This man who once had considerable prestige in the Ainz Ooal Gown Guild raised his head, looked at Momonga, and slowly nodded, "Actually, Hubert and the others were right... Momonga-san, you are indeed the most suitable choice for the guild leader."
Though he's the one most reluctant to part with these in-game companions...
However, Momonga still considers his companions; he won't deliberately try to keep them, and even takes the initiative to bid farewell to these friends he treasures in the game world.
A person who likes to consider his friends...
It's no wonder that Hubert greatly appreciated having a leader like Momonga because people like Hubert, who don't follow the straight path in the real world, especially enjoy interacting with people like Momonga.
All members of the Ainz Ooal Gown Guild received a message from Guild Leader Momonga. It did not blame them for not continuing to play; instead, it sympathized with them and only hoped that everyone could agree on a time to say goodbye.
At least...
Don't leave quietly without a trace.
Just at this time.
Something disrupted Momonga's plan.
No, or rather, made Momonga's plan perfect.
The YGGDRASIL game company released a new announcement.
Due to the decreasing number of online players, the game company, disregarding players' wishes, announced the permanent closure of the YGGDRASIL game which had run for twelve years.
Honestly...
Many players felt more gratitude than resentment towards the game company.
Because they had become increasingly busy in the real world, with no time for games, some were embarrassed to face their past friends, and now that the game company had proactively announced YGGDRASIL's shutdown, they no longer needed to confront the guilt inside them.
Because this was beyond their control.
And on the day before the game's closure, YGGDRASIL's online number almost reached its peak in recent years, even more than during each year's cataclysm events!
This just went out of control...
The Ainz Ooal Gown Guild was no exception.
Except for a few who couldn't leave due to circumstances, most members returned to this game to give their last farewell to their friends.
"Seriously..."
Momonga sat on a chair in the guild hall, looking at everyone present, feeling a bit uncomfortable at heart.
Although Momonga just wanted to bid farewell to his friends, as a result of the game's complete shutdown, he was being sent off by the game company as well...
Now, it's settled...
Everyone truly has to say goodbye.
"Everyone..."
Momonga slowly stood up, looking at the many companions who were complaining about the troubles of real life, and loudly said, "Since we're about to leave, why don't we have one last guild activity..."
"What kind of activity?"
"Will it be too long? I must be in bed before twelve, to increase the odds of pregnancy..."
"Oh? Is there such a thing?"
"Hey, hey, hey, that's not scientific at all!"
"At least there's some hope..."
"I still have to put the kids to sleep later..."
"..."
A storm of chatter broke out among the members of the Ainz Ooal Gown Guild, as if unlocking a box of conversation, everyone began discussing their daily lives again.
Momonga clasped the guild's staff, slowly lowering his head, and said softly, "Then never mind, let's say our goodbyes here, hoping we'll meet again someday..."
Momonga was like he always had been...
Always the good guy.
No matter what happens, he always prioritizes his friends, merely to maintain the friendship he considers his life's most precious.
"Wait a minute..."
Someone stood up, looked at Momonga, opening his palms and said, "Hey, hey, hey, don't give up so soon, at least tell us what kind of activity it is..."
"Defeating the World Boss Naraku Uehara."
Momonga said a bit embarrassedly, "We've done almost everything in this world, and it seems there's nothing we can't do..."
"I see..."
Touch Me nodded, glanced at everyone present, and continued, "Aside from the cataclysm event, due to my reasons, we haven't officially challenged Naraku Uehara, right?"
"Yes..."
Momonga looked at his friends, nodded, and continued, "Because in the past we worried about Touch Me's relationship with Naraku Uehara, we never fought with all our might, and after twelve, the game will close, so Naraku Uehara's goodwill with us won't matter..."
Because if a player with the Ring of Destiny attacks Naraku Uehara, the ring will be immediately taken back by him, and all goodwill will be completely wiped out.
Moreover, they always worried about the heavy losses from challenging Naraku Uehara, fearing that too severe a death drop could weaken the entire guild...
That was the reason they never challenged Naraku Uehara.
Upon hearing Momonga's suggestion, all members of the Ainz Ooal Gown Guild looked at their companions, whispered a few words, and then nodded softly...
This kind of activity...
Doesn't seem like it'd take too much time.
Now that the game is closing, they no longer need to worry about their losses, no longer need to calculate gains and losses; they just need one last act of indulgence!
In fact.
Challenging Naraku Uehara...
Was something not only the Ainz Ooal Gown Guild thought of.
At least twelve guilds had players holding the Ring of Destiny, they also qualified to challenge Naraku Uehara, and they were doing so...
The result...
Was naturally no different from the past.
Some guilds even joined forces, rallying players from around the world to start the ultimate derailment banquet against Naraku Uehara on the plains of Midgard!
Such a thing...
Would have been impossible under normal circumstances.
But today, at the brink of the game's closure, players thronged to join this carnival, even though they knew it might be a carnival of death!
On the Plains of Midgard.
Even though the battlefield was expansive, it was difficult to spread out, hundreds of thousands of players repeatedly dying and coming back to life, countless valuable divine artifacts lay on the ground but no one picked them up because no one cared about these virtual items that were about to disappear.
Because after twelve...
The game would completely shut down.
Hundreds of thousands of players didn't care about the equipment and levels they dropped, they just kept dying and reviving rapidly, until they fell to the minimum level limit...
Some players even died hundreds of times, their professional levels dropped, yet they continued charging towards Naraku Uehara clad in white default gear!
Even if they were forced to deduct a single point of health...
That would be a victory for these players!
If every player could inflict a single point of damage on Naraku Uehara, they could bring down this world boss, given the countless players present!
"These people are insane..."
Naraku Uehara waved his hand, scattering a thunderstorm, toppling a group of players in white default gear, his expression looking not quite good: "If they don't exit the game by twelve, something big is likely to happen..."
At that time...
What to call it?
If these players continue past twelve, they may likely enter the Otherworld in this state, and then what would these players be called?
Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World?
"Oh well, let's collectively wipe them out one last time..."
Naraku Uehara closed his palms, summoned a flood that submerged the entire Plains of Midgard, a glint flashing in his eyes, "Touch Me of Ainz Ooal Gown Guild has invited me to Nazarick Great Tomb... I hope they can also be a bit sensible!"