Overlord: The Wandering Sorcerer Chapter 17 — The One Who Came Before
The creature’s hand tore through the corridor wall.
Stone exploded across the chamber.
Momonga raised his staff.
“Behind me.”
Nabe moved instantly.
Evileye followed, though her eyes remained fixed on the woman who had been sitting on the throne.
The woman did not move.
She simply watched the approaching creature.
Then she whispered:
“Don’t fight it.”
Momonga glanced at her.
“That’s not particularly helpful.”
“It isn’t supposed to be defeated.”
Momonga’s eyes narrowed.
“Everything can be defeated.”
The woman shook her head.
“Not this.”
The corridor collapsed.
Something enormous stepped through the dust.
It was humanoid.
But only barely.
Its body was covered in black armor that looked more like bone than metal.
Four arms extended from its shoulders, each ending in a long, claw-like hand.
There was no face.
Only a smooth black surface.
And in the center of its chest was the same symbol.
The mark on Momonga’s cloak burned.
The creature stopped.
For several seconds, it simply stared at him.
Then it spoke.
“PLAYER.”
Momonga’s red eyes glowed.
“Yes.”
The creature tilted its head.
“UNAUTHORIZED.”
Momonga paused.
“What?”
“PLAYER IDENTIFICATION.”
The creature’s voice was emotionless.
“ERROR.”
Evileye stared at it.
“It thinks you’re someone else.”
Momonga nodded slowly.
“Or something else.”
The creature raised one of its hands.
“RETURN.”
Momonga tightened his grip on his staff.
“Where?”
The creature didn’t answer.
Instead, all four arms moved.
“Attack!”
Momonga unleashed a spell.
A wave of dark energy crashed into the creature.
The chamber shook.
The creature staggered.
But it did not fall.
Momonga’s expression changed.
That spell should have done more.
Much more.
Nabe moved.
She vanished from his side and appeared behind the creature.
Her sword struck.
The blade bounced off the black armor.
Nabe landed and immediately retreated.
“Extremely resistant.”
Evileye raised both hands.
“Then let’s try something stronger.”
A storm of magic exploded across the chamber.
Lightning filled the room.
The creature disappeared inside the blast.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then it walked out.
Unharmed.
Evileye stared.
“What is that thing?”
Momonga’s thoughts raced.
“It isn’t simply resistant to magic.”
“What?”
“It is negating it.”
The silver-haired woman finally moved.
She stepped forward.
“Because it was designed to.”
Momonga looked at her.
“Designed by whom?”
She didn’t answer.
The creature attacked again.
This time Momonga raised his hand.
“Perfect Unknowable.”
His form vanished.
The creature stopped.
It searched the chamber.
Momonga appeared behind it.
“Reality Slash.”
A blade of invisible force struck the creature’s back.
The armor cracked.
The creature turned.
For the first time, it seemed surprised.
Momonga smiled.
“Interesting.”
Nabe attacked again.
Her sword found the crack.
The armor split.
Black energy spilled from the wound.
The creature roared.
The sound shook the entire chamber.
Evileye covered her ears.
“What did you do?”
Momonga looked at the creature.
“I found its weakness.”
The silver-haired woman stared at him.
“You really are a player.”
Momonga looked at her.
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“I knew it.”
The creature suddenly stopped.
Its body began to tremble.
Then the symbol on its chest changed.
Momonga froze.
The black circle disappeared.
A new symbol appeared.
A simple white line.
“SECONDARY TARGET IDENTIFIED.”
Momonga looked at Nabe.
The creature turned toward her.
“Nabe!”
Momonga shouted.
Nabe moved.
The creature’s hand passed through the space where she had been standing.
She appeared beside Momonga.
The woman whispered:
“It’s adapting.”
Momonga stared at the creature.
“To us?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“It observes your abilities.”
Momonga smiled.
“Then we’ll have to be faster.”
He raised his staff.
“Everyone, attack together.”
Nabe nodded.
Evileye raised her hand.
The woman hesitated.
Momonga looked at her.
“If you know how to stop this thing, now would be a good time.”
She sighed.
“Very well.”
She stepped forward.
Her eyes began to glow.
“Do you remember the symbol?”
Momonga looked at the creature.
“The one above the tomb?”
“Yes.”
“It means something.”
“It means ownership.”
Momonga froze.
“Ownership?”
She nodded.
“The tomb doesn’t belong to the creature.”
“Then who owns it?”
The woman looked directly at him.
“You.”
Momonga stared at her.
“What?”
She pointed toward the symbol on his cloak.
“The tomb recognized you.”
“But I’ve never been here.”
“Not this version.”
Momonga’s thoughts stopped.
“Explain.”
The woman shook her head.
“Not yet.”
The creature attacked.
This time, Momonga didn’t hesitate.
“Triplet Magic: Reality Slash.”
Three invisible blades tore through the creature.
Nabe attacked from the left.
Evileye struck from the right.
The silver-haired woman raised both hands.
A sphere of golden light appeared.
She released it.
The creature screamed.
Its armor shattered.
The four arms fell to the ground.
The creature collapsed.
Silence returned.
Momonga lowered his staff.
Everyone was breathing heavily.
Except him.
He looked at the woman.
“Now.”
She smiled faintly.
“Now what?”
“Explain.”
She looked at the destroyed creature.
Then at Momonga.
“That thing was built to guard this place.”
“By whom?”
“A player.”
Momonga stared.
“Which player?”
She shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
“You knew enough to say it wasn’t supposed to be defeated.”
“Because I have seen it before.”
“When?”
“Two hundred years ago.”
Evileye stepped forward.
“You’re not human.”
The woman looked at her.
“No.”
“What are you?”
The woman hesitated.
“Something that was created.”
Momonga immediately understood.
“NPC.”
The woman smiled.
“Yes.”
Nabe’s expression changed.
Momonga looked at her.
“Who created you?”
The woman looked away.
“I don’t remember.”
“Why?”
“Because my creator erased those memories.”
Momonga was silent.
“Why would a player do that?”
“To protect me.”
“From what?”
She looked toward the ruined corridor.
“From him.”
Momonga followed her gaze.
“The creature?”
“No.”
The woman lowered her voice.
“From the player who created this tomb.”
Momonga stared.
“You mean the player who owns this place?”
“Yes.”
“He’s still alive?”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“Because his servants are.”
Momonga looked around.
The room suddenly felt much colder.
“You said I was late.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because this tomb has been waiting for its master.”
Momonga frowned.
“I’m not its master.”
The woman pointed at the symbol on his cloak.
“Then why did it mark you?”
He had no answer.
She continued.
“Why did the door open for you?”
No answer.
“Why did the guardian recognize you?”
Silence.
“Why did the system identify Nabe as your companion?”
Momonga looked at Nabe.
She was staring at him.
The woman smiled.
“Because this tomb believes you are the one who should have returned.”
Momonga slowly approached the ancient throne.
There was a small inscription carved into its base.
He brushed away the dust.
His undead eyes widened.
There was a name.
A player name.
He knew it.
Not personally.
But he had seen it before.
In YGGDRASIL.
In one of the old discussions about the strongest guilds.
Momonga whispered:
“No…”
Evileye looked at him.
“What?”
He didn’t answer.
The woman approached.
“You know the name.”
“Yes.”
“Who was he?”
Momonga stared at the inscription.
“A guildmaster.”
“Which guild?”
Momonga’s voice became quiet.
“One of the strongest guilds in YGGDRASIL.”
Nabe stepped closer.
“Was he your enemy?”
“No.”
“An ally?”
“No.”
Momonga paused.
“He was someone I respected.”
The woman looked surprised.
“Then why are you afraid?”
Momonga turned toward her.
“Because I know what happened to his guild.”
She waited.
“They disappeared.”
The woman nodded.
“Yes.”
“Everyone?”
“Everyone.”
Momonga looked around the tomb.
“Then this isn’t his grave.”
The woman smiled.
“No.”
Momonga’s eyes glowed.
“It’s his fortress.”
The chamber shook again.
This time, the sound came from much deeper underground.
The woman looked frightened.
“That wasn’t the guardian.”
Momonga raised his staff.
“What is it?”
She whispered:
“The tomb is waking up.”
A distant sound echoed through the complex.
Then another.
And another.
Doors opening.
One after another.
Something was moving below them.
Nabe stepped beside Momonga.
“How many?”
The woman closed her eyes.
“I don’t know.”
Evileye looked at Momonga.
“Perhaps we should leave.”
Momonga considered it.
Then smiled.
“No.”
Evileye stared.
“Why?”
Momonga looked down at the inscription.
“Because we finally found something.”
“What?”
“Proof.”
He looked at Nabe.
“We’re not alone.”
Nabe smiled.
Then the entire tomb came alive.
Lights appeared along the walls.
Ancient magical circles activated.
The doors opened.
And from somewhere deep below came a voice.
Calm.
Cold.
And unmistakably intelligent.
“Welcome home.”
Momonga froze.
The voice continued.
“Supreme Being.”
His red eyes widened.
Nabe looked at him.
Evileye stared in confusion.
The silver-haired NPC slowly lowered her head.
Momonga whispered:
“That’s impossible.”
The voice laughed softly.
“Is it?”
And somewhere beneath the tomb…
something began to awaken.