Suzuki Satoru

POV SUZUKI SATORU :

It's the last day of Yggdrasil. The game that I have spent 1 third of my life in is finally ending.

I am 34 right now. I started the game at 22. It's been 12 years. So many years spent to create a home of my own. Ainz Ooal Gown and The Great Tomb of Nazarick. All will be gone today midnight.

For me it wasn't just a game. It was my everything. I have no family left alive. So I made family in the game.

Every member of Ainz Ooal Gown was like family to me. Every NPC we created was like a family member. I spent so many happy and fun moments with them.

But just like my real family, even my game family is going to be taken away from me. I know everything comes to an end at one point, but I truly don't want to lose my second home.

I have not been able to play Yggdrasil for over a year now. The workload has increased so much in the recent years.

I don't even think I will live another decade if the workload doesn't decrease.

Though I stopped playing Yggdrasil a year earlier, because of the increasing work pressure, I felt relief in knowing that my second home still existed, and was in a good condition because Adrian took care of it.

Adrian has always played the game more than me, or anyone in the Guild. He has a good work position, that has lower workload and higher pay so he can afford to play more.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little jealous of him. But that never got in the way of our friendship.

He always has been a likeable person. He made friends with everyone in the Guild. He has a good work position and even his Game character is powerful, but he was never arrogant.

He never acted as if he was better than anyone. He helped anyone in need in game and in real life. Though most people hesitate to take help IRL.

He also wanted to give me monetary help when my workload was increasing. He was willing to support me financially if I wanted to leave this job and search for another one. But I declined.

I should probably not have declined. I should have just swallowed my non existent pride and took his help.

My health is going downwards everyday. And I can't afford the hospital fees. So I will just have to live with this health until I die one day.

I still remember my younger days. The days when I was new to Yggdrasil and was at good health.

How I started the game as a weak little skeleton. Getting killed by Racist players. They can be called Racist as they only like to kill Heteromorph race players.

I got killed so much that I was about to quit the game. But Touch Me came in like a hero and saved me. He has always been heroic. Always talking about justice and saving players like me.

We then gathered 9 players and created our clan Nine's Own Goal. Then slowly our clan increased until one day it was disbanded and Ainz Ooal Gown was created.

They made me the Guild leader. I had protested, but they insisted and in the end I relented. I still think I don't deserve that post.

Then our Guild slowly grew in power and reputation until we were known as one of the strongest, if not the strongest Heteromorph Guild.

Because of our reputation, we had a few enemies. Our members got ambushed by enemies, or we ambushed our enemies, from time to time.

During one such ambush on us, Me, and a few others were saved by Adrian. It was how we met for the first time.

Adrian was strong. He was strong with just Relic class armour. And after upgrading his gear to their full potential, he was a beast. He fought like he had years of real life combat experience.

I asked him about it, and he said that he had taken classes in a few different martial arts courses. He said he liked to fight.

And I could see his love for battle. He was always eager to go fight bosses or go PVP. That's why he got along with Ulbert so well. Both of them are battle maniacs.

He also had a perverted side. He got along very well with Peroroncino because of his perverted Nature. Because of this he got into a few arguments with Bukubukuchagama.

But he won over her heart as well. He's a pretty good smooth talker. From arguing with him, Bukubukuchagama started to share her likes and dislikes with him. They became good friends pretty quickly.

Everyone in the Guild was his friend. Bukubukuchagama, Touch Me, Nishikienrai, Punitto Moe, Tabula Smaragdina, Herohero, Blue Planet were his close friends. And Me, Peroroncino, Ulbert Alain Odle were his best friends.

We are still friends, but now most of us don't even have time to contact each other. So we are not as close as before.

But since this was the Last day of Yggdrasil, I wanted to meet him in Yggdrasil. He will definitely be online today. And he will be very sad. Afterall he loved the Game even more than me.

He played Yggdrasil as if it was a real world and he was on a real grand adventure. He played with more enthusiasm than anyone I else I know.

He also talked to the NPCs all the time. He will share his tales of battle and talk about various things to the NPCs.

He got teased a lot because of this, but he never stopped doing that. It was somewhat funny to see him do that.

As today's the last day, I also wanted to see my second home one last time and say goodbye to it. And maybe meeting me will make him a little less sad.

After searching for my Full Dive gear in my messy room, I equipped it and logged on.

After a few seconds, I was in the game. I checked the players log and it seems 2 players were online right now. Adrian and HeroHero.

Both of them were in the meeting room. So I teleported there with the ring of Ainz Ooal Gown.

When I reached the Meeting room, I could only see Adrian there. HeroHero might have just logged out.

"Momonga, my friend it's been a while. How have you been?" Asked Adrian.

"I am just barely going on. The work hasn't been easy. How about you?" I asked.

"I am doing just fine. And the offer is still up. If you want help just ask for it." He replied. He still is willing to help. But I guess it's too late. My health has already gone down a lot. Treating it will cost a lot.

If I had accepted the help a year earlier, it would have been way less costly. Now I am not in a position to ask for soo much money.

"Thanks but no need for that. I am okay. And I have been saving up money. So I don't have any problem with money. It's just the workload. But I heard from a senior that the workload will decrease soon. So don't worry about me." I lied as I used a happy emote. I couldn't tell him the truth.

He remained silent for a minute as he just started at me. I felt like he saw through my lie. But I couldn't just admit it.

After a minute, he broke the silence. "HeroHero was just here. He's in a very bad condition as well because of his increased work pressure. He couldn't even remember how long he hasn't played Yggdrasil." Said Adrian.

HeroHero also works in a Mega Corporation. He works in a other one than mine. His job has always been tougher than me.

"I see. It's sad to see friends in such situations." I said.

"So you do think it's sad. And yet you still refuse my help. HeroHero also refused help even though he's in such conditions. Why is everyone one of you a stubborn bastard." He screamed in anger as he smashed the table with his hands.

"I am sorry." I said. I could understand that he feels bad seeing his friends like this, but I just couldn't ask for soo much money. It won't sit right with me.

"Ahh, no need to apologise. It should be me who should say sorry. Now let's talk about something else for now." He said.

After that we talked for half an hour about various things. But soon I started to feel tired.

"Sorry Adrian, but I don't think I will be able to stay awake for long. I need to go to bed. I have to wake up early tomorrow. Sorry I couldn't stay till midnight." I apologised to Adrian.

"Don't worry. It's enough that you came at all." He replied. After saying goodbye I logged off.

After logging out, I set my alarm and fell to sleep.

*

4 HOURS LATER

After having 4 hours of sleep, which was not satisfying at all, it was time to go to work.

These days I have been working 16 hours everyday. Not even Sunday was spared. And the pay was also low.

These Mega Corporations never cared about their employees health. So many died because of overwork, but they face no consequences.

Afterall the world is run by Mega corporations. How can the rulers of the world face any consequences because of the death of a random guy like me.

Stopping my useless complaints for now, I got up, took a shower, ate some light tasteless breakfast and got ready for work.

When I exited my appartment, I could see a small package with my name on it. I didn't have time right now, do I just put it back inside.

As I was trying to lock my door, I got a sudden call. I don't get many calls, so it might be important.

I took out my phone, to see it was a call from Hitoshi Yamada, or better known as Peroroncino.

"Hitoshi, what's up. Why are you calling so early in the morning? Everything alright?" I asked him.

"Satoru, did you get a mysterious package that was left infront of your door?" He asked in a somewhat excited voice.

Also? Did he also get a package? "Yes I got a package. Do you know who sent it?" I asked.

"It's from Adrian. Forget about your work for now and see what's inside." Hitoshi almost shouted in excitement.

It was weird. Why was he acting like that? Did the package have drugs or something?

"But I have work to do. If I am late I will get kicked out of the job." I replied. I always go to my job a little early, so I have some time. But it's not enough to do an unboxing.

"After seeing the contents, you will forget about work. Open them quickly." Hitoshi said loudly.

"Okay okay. I will open them." Saying that I went inside and started unboxing the package.

Inside the package there was a luxurious looking suitcase. I opened the suitcase, and inside it I could see three glass bottle filled with different coloured liquid. They looked like potions from Yggdrasil.

There was also a note. I quickly read through it. The summary of the note was that Adrian will be going to a different country and won't be able to meet us anymore. So he sent every Guild members some money, his close friends a 'Health Potion', and his best friends 3 Different Potions. It was a goodbye gift.

These potions were apparently advanced medicine made my Adrian's family. The Red one makes us healthy and gives an extended life, Yellow one makes us Stronger and faster. And the Blue one makes us Smarter.

It was either some Imposter making a bad joke or trying to kill us with these suspicious potions.

Or It was just Adrian making a bad joke. I don't know which one is true.

"Hey, did you drink the potions yet?" Came the loud voice from my phone. The call with Hitoshi was still connected.

"What kind of bad joke is this? Make us healthy, stronger, faster and smarter? Who would believe that?" I asked Peroroncino.

"But it works. I drank the potions. After drinking the health potion, I suddenly felt better. Like some heavy weight on my shoulder has been lifted. I could breath better, feel better and even taste better. After drinking the Yellow one, I suddenly felt like I could lift mountains. I tried lifting up my bed. The bed I couldn't even lift with 2 hands, now I can lift it with just one hand. Though the Blue one didn't seem to have any effect." Said Hitoshi.

"You are joking right?" I asked in disbelief.

"It's true. After seeing the description of these potions, I tried one and it worked. You should also drink one." Hitoshi replied.

"So you just drank these suspicious potions without hesitation.

'But they are from Adrian. And he definitely won't send anything bad." Said Hitoshi in his defence.

"And who can guarantee that it's actually from Adrian. What if someone was just impersonating him and these were actually poison?" I asked.

"And who would send us poison. Poison is more expensive than our net worth. No one is gonna go through that trouble to kill us." He's got a point. We are simply not worth spending so much money to kill.

"You got a point. I will try these out. But have you contacted Ulbert yet? The letter said he sent 3 Potions for us three." I asked. Since it said he only sent us three 3 Potions, I didn't want to contact the others right now.

If these potions actually work, there might be some problems in the future.

"I called him but he's still asleep. I will try again later." Replied Hitoshi.

"Okay. Then I will try these potions." I said as I gulped one of the potions.

As soon as I drank the 'Health Potion', I took a deep breath. I haven't felt this good in years. My breathing had become rough and painful due to my bad health, but right now I felt no pain at all. And I could freely take deep breaths. I could feel my whole body lighten up.

This actually worked! I was doubtful till now but now I don't know what to believe.

A medicine so miraculous that it feels magical. Maybe it's a drug after all.

A drug that makes us dream nonsensical things.