As the massive doors slowly opened, a scene that felt both familiar and unfamiliar unfolded before them.
"It really has been a long time. Still, this place looks pretty much the same."
Staring at the hall ahead, familiar yet oddly distant, Herohero felt a surge of emotion. This place could be said to hold the peak of Nazarick's former glory.
Several NPCs whose names he could no longer remember stood along both sides. Among them, there was a succubus-like figure he vaguely recalled as being created by Tabula Smaragdina.
Forty-two banners representing everyone were planted on either side. He spotted Momonga's, Naohara's, and even his own emblem among them.
"Yeah," Naohara said softly, sharing the same feeling.
"Look at that gemstone. We fused it together back then using a lot of rare materials. I remember failing over and over. In the end, it didn't even turn out to be a particularly strong item. Tabula Smaragdina really tore into us for that."
Momonga pointed at the ruby embedded in the ceiling, emitting a faint glow, as he explained.
"And the materials we got from our first boss fight, the first weapon we forged ourselves, the first potion we ever obtained… We couldn't bring ourselves to use any of them. They're still sitting in the deepest part of the warehouse even now…"
Naohara was also lost in memories, speaking with clear nostalgia.
"But in the end, everyone chose to leave. These were all such precious memories for all of us. Why did they just leave without saying anything…"
By the end of his words, Momonga's voice trembled. His skeletal hands clenched tightly as the pain showed through.
Sensing his emotions, Herohero lowered his head as well. After all, he himself had left this place in the same way back then.
"Alright. At least we're still here, aren't we?"
"I've got Herohero. The two of us will stay with you."
Naohara walked over and gave Momonga's shoulder a firm pat.
"Naohara's right. This time, I won't leave again."
Herohero wriggled over to their side, the pitch-black slime of his body gently undulating as he spoke with resolve.
"We'll see it through together," Naohara said lightly.
Those words made Momonga's heart tremble, easing the sorrow that had been weighing on him.
"How about this. Want to find a game to play together in the future? You, me, and Herohero. The three of us," Momonga asked carefully.
"I'm fine with that. Just make sure you remind me to log in every day," Naohara said with a laugh, raising both hands.
"As for me, work keeps me busy, but I can still squeeze out some time. As long as you don't mind, Momonga, I'd be happy to join you both."
Herohero thought it over briefly, then smiled as he replied.
"That's great! Then we can adventure together, level up together, and build a new Nazarick of our own!"
Hearing their answers, Momonga grew so excited he nearly started moving his arms about, his happiness plain to see.
"You stay the guildmaster, I'll keep being the hardcore grinder, and Herohero-san can just take it easy," Naohara laughed.
If they couldn't actually cross over into another world, then spending time together like this still sounded pretty good.
"That's a great idea. Naohara seems pretty fired up too," Herohero said cheerfully.
He couldn't remember the last time he'd experienced an atmosphere like this. It stirred a joy inside him that had long since gone numb.
"Then it's settled. I'll set up a group chat tomorrow. Make sure you join, Herohero."
"Don't worry, Momonga. If I say it, I'll do it."
"If Blackie's saying that, it's probably a sure thing."
"One minute until midnight. Good night, you two. Sleep well."
"You too, Herohero. Good night."
"See you tomorrow, both of you."
Momonga sat upon the throne at the center of the hall, with Herohero and Naohara standing quietly on either side. As time slowly passed, Momonga began to look around. Everything from the past, all those memories, were about to come to an end.
His gaze paused briefly on Albedo, seated below the throne. He had secretly altered her settings before and had nearly been caught by Naohara. Thinking back on it now, it really had been reckless.
Come to think of it, if Tabula Smaragdina, that absolute settings fanatic, ever found out, he would definitely fly into a rage.
Momonga smiled faintly. Well, it was the end anyway. Soon, everything would be gone. Even if Tabula Smaragdina did find out, he'd probably choose to forgive him.
After taking in the scene one last time, Momonga turned his eyes to the time display.
Ten seconds left.
11:59:50
11:59:51
…
11:59:59
00:00:01
02
03
04
Momonga slowly opened his eyes, the red point in his eye socket flickering.
The familiar sight before him made Momonga freeze. He had been certain the server had already shut down.
"Was the server shutdown delayed?"
Momonga stared at his skeletal body, confused.
"Huh? Why weren't we forcibly logged out?"
Herohero also looked around in disbelief.
"Something must've happened that none of us expected. Momonga, Herohero, and I… we're all still here."
Naohara took in the lavish hall, breathing in the strange fragrance lingering in the air. At the same time, the overwhelming power surging through his body made him tremble uncontrollably.
A healthy body. Incredible strength. Vast, overflowing magic.
Never in his life had Naohara felt so vividly alive.
"Did the system glitch? But then why can't I open the control interface either?"
Naohara forced down his excitement and put on an expression of confusion as he looked at the other two.
Goodbye, my loans. Goodbye, my tiny house. I won't miss you at all.
"Wait… Naohara, did you just move your mouth?"
Momonga stared at him in shock. In the game, characters could speak, but their mouths never actually moved.
"Momonga, your voice changed too. Mine did as well."
Herohero's voice sounded equally stunned. His usual tone had shifted into something deeper, more mature, and steadier.
"W-Wait… my voice!"
Momonga listened to himself, startled. His voice now carried a heavy sense of authority, almost like it naturally pressed down on whoever heard it.
Meanwhile, Naohara's voice had become relaxed and magnetic, light and airy in a way that made people instinctively want to listen to him.
"I can feel it… this strange sensation inside my body. Naohara-san, Momonga-san, you should feel it too."
Herohero spoke in a calm, grounded voice. He could sense power constantly welling up within him, along with magic flowing through his body.
"I feel it too. It's like I've completely become a skeleton… I can sense everything perfectly."
Momonga stared at his bony hands, his expression growing serious.
"GM messages and chat aren't working, and our bodies have changed. That only leaves one possibility!"
"You figured something out, Naohara-san?" Herohero asked.
"We've transmigrated. All three of us."
Naohara spoke after a moment of thought, sounding almost certain.
"Well… I guess there really isn't any other explanation."
Herohero and Momonga exchanged a glance.
"Momonga-sama, Naohara-sama, Herohero-sama… did something happen?"
Just as the three were still processing the situation, Albedo, who had been standing silently nearby until now, stepped forward with a worried expression.
"NPCs are talking on their own…? Did transmigration make them come alive?"
Momonga and Herohero stared at her in disbelief, and Naohara quickly put on a similar expression.
"What's wrong, my lords?"
When none of them answered, Albedo asked again.
Naohara, Momonga, and Herohero exchanged looks.
The three of them walked down the steps toward Albedo, stopping when they were only a single step away. They formed a circle around her, enclosing her in the center.
A faint, sweet fragrance drifted into their noses. As a succubus, Albedo possessed a passive charm that naturally bewitched those around her.
All three of them shuddered.
Three virgins who had never been close to a woman had no way of resisting that kind of stimulation. Their thoughts immediately began to waver.
But at the same time, light flared from their bodies, forcibly suppressing the turbulent emotions.
The Undead's Forced Calm.
The Dragonoid's Dragonic Will.
The Slime's Black Heart.
(PS: This is Albedo's passive charm triggering the protagonists' immunity to mental status abnormalities. In the game, most races had similar skills.)
With those three passives activating, the trio quickly returned to normal, forcibly cutting off the dangerous thoughts stirring inside them.
"Albedo, leave for now. The other NPCs as well."
Naohara spoke flatly, his Dragonic Will instantly pushing him into a clear-headed state.
(PS: Naohara and Herohero can disable this passive. Momonga cannot.)
"As you command, Naohara-sama."
Albedo still looked uneasy, but after glancing at Momonga-sama, who remained silent and did not object, she said nothing more. As the Guardian Overseer, obeying the orders of the Supreme Beings was her duty.