Harbingers of Change

Chapter 14

With Nazarick now sentient, the skill was handling most of the day-to-day activities across all of Nazarick, the tomb, and a good portion of their work overseeing Tempest. Momonga could finally put all his attention into attempting to evolve his subjects and other means to strengthen them. Thus far, he had only found more roadblocks and vague ideas from the past and his own analysis - nothing concrete. For one, he knew that beyond Saint and Demon paths, there was a third path that essentially made entities into local deities with a full spiritual existence to boast about, and such a path, in theory, was available to every God skill user, which was effectively almost anyone with an Ultimate skill.

It was this exact path that Pero had accidentally tapped into a while ago. Save for becoming the patron deity of sprites, he hadn't advanced past that point. There was a critical puzzle piece he was missing, and it was this exact intangible piece of information that he was trying to find right now.

Since all three of his consorts wanted to be by his side for the time being, Momonga chose his quarters for his explorations into the unknown realms of knowledge. While he was lying on the sofa, using Shalltear's soft thighs as his pillow due to her pulling the longest straw from a cup, the trio was busy with their daily activities.

Albedo had taken on the nigh impossible task of teaching Shion knitting, as they still planned to somehow combine their energies with his and produce offspring, and one had to be able to expertly manipulate both material and magical power to produce offspring according to the tengus. Of course, it was much easier said than done, and he could periodically hear the knitting needles snap and Albedo quietly reprimanding her friendly and more raw strength-minded consort.

Shalltear, meanwhile, was actively studying economics from all sources available to her, to not only be a better assistant to her father but also possibly handle family finances in the future when things settled down. Considering how much running the company had brought the father and daughter together, Momonga encouraged her desire to excel in what was rapidly becoming her primary job. The Great Tomb's defense was mostly automated, and Shalltear only needed to be ready to join the defense if the alarm level demanded it, which hadn't happened since Leon's attack, and even then, it was Pandora who handled the first line of defense. She had taken up the role of assisting her father and Albedo in the management of Tempest, deciding to get involved with economics after some suggestions from Pero and Albedo disliking the subject due to how many inefficiencies she saw in the free-market system Pero endorsed.

Thus far, he had yet to find even a single thread of useful information despite straining his awareness to the limit in an attempt to force Omniscience into cooperating with him on the matter, pushing his mind to the max as he struggled to analyze anything related to godhood in the texts of Nazarick's libraries and anything Souei and his team were able to steal from the remains of Ruberios. Also, the feeling of being watched was growing stronger. Curious observers were watching his progress, he could feel their presence growing stronger the longer he tried.

'You know one of you could throw me a bone if you're so keen to amuse yourselves with me,' Momonga voiced his frustrations in his mind, deciding if he couldn't get anything, he might as well try his luck. Worse came to worst, nothing responded, and he was back to square one, where he was now.

'Follow my voice, young one. I have what you seek,' A voice, barely a whisper, came as a response.

'Huh, someone responded!?' Momonga almost ended his trance-like state in surprise. But if there was a clue, he was not about to let it pass. Doing as the voice suggested, he mentally moved toward the source of it, pushing aside the projections of his skills and everything connected to Nazarick as the voice came from beyond, far beyond.

'Follow my voice,' The entity repeated in periodic, strict intervals, providing his awareness with a lit path to follow.

Soon, the darkness of his inner mind faded, replaced with an expansive desert scene. There was a wide river flowing through it though, with luscious vegetation at the shores in the distance, where Momonga found himself standing atop a singular dune.

A gentle wind blew the sand around, but none seemed to reach him, as if he stood in a bubble of tranquility. The sun was hot, but not unbearably so.

He was once again his old human self, at least partly. Unlike last time when he had pants and a shirt, now he was dressed in his overlord robes and armor. His right arm was skeletal up to the elbow, and he could feel the dark red flames burning behind his eyes, ready to be unleashed.

A man with a falcon's head, dressed in an Egyptian-style tunic, faded into a scene like a growing shadow that slowly took the shape of a flesh and blood person before Momonga's eyes. "Greetings, young one. I hoped you could reach me." His voice was gentle yet powerful, befitting a caring father figure addressing his child.

"I know you… you were the one who helped me leave that shadowy realm." Momonga recognized the man by both the voice and the outline, tapping into his magic reserves. Nothing happened without a cost.

"That was me. You asked for help, and I am here to provide it." The man waved his hand and created two hard wooden chairs with golden accents on the top of the dune, standing upright and defying gravity.

"Who are you and what do you expect in return?" Momonga inquired as he reluctantly took the offered seat.

"I am known as Ra. My path is that of creation. And I do not require anything in return!" He let out a hearty laugh. "It is not the way of creation to ask for a price. We just make and give. At least those of us who align ourselves with the divine purpose. I sense mistrust is in your nature, young one, and Ker's actions have not painted us Gods in a favorable light."

"So, you oppose her? Is that your goal?" Momonga questioned, fingers tapping against the gold-laden tabletop. The last thing he wanted was to be a pawn in a battle between Gods.

"No, her actions diverge from the path that is not mine. I act upon creation and restore what needs to be restored. As you may know, Veldanava, the creator of the universe you reside in, has left things unfinished, greatly so. But it is so far astray that a different current than what was left behind is needed to set things up for their natural order. Your dealings with Ker are your own," Ra continued explaining in a rather cryptic way, leaning forward in his seat.

"What do you mean? What current?" Momonga grew increasingly confused, with even Omniscience failing to supply information.

"You know who you are and the path you walk. Since your rebirth you have known," Ra laughed again. "Stop doubting yourself, young one. You already know your path. You just need to walk it."

'My current. What sort of bullshit is he spewing? Sure, I already have a God Skill…' "Death? You mean I have to kill everything that is wrong with the universe for it to be restored to its 'natural order?'"

"One step at a time. You still need to grow, to accept that duty. You have already taken the first steps, and the walkers of your path will be there to guide you. For now, accept what knowledge I can bestow upon you, and use it however you see fit. If you follow your true self, you cannot go wrong. And don't worry if my words seem cryptic. They are meant for your true self, not your current self. You will understand in time," Ra assured Momonga.

'Can I truly trust this God? I guess it doesn't matter if all he wants to do is to give me knowledge. It will be me who decides how I use it, even if the knowledge could be skewed into his favor.' Momonga mused.

"Very well, I gladly accept what you can give." Momonga nodded his head, leaning forward as well.

"But be warned young one. Should you choose to pursue power for the sake of power with this knowledge, you will make a cage for yourself, being unable to escape it," Ra warned, the dune threatening to engulf them as he spoke.

"What do you mean?" Momonga knew this phrase was too important to be overlooked, no matter the cost. If the path to godhood was dangerous, he needed more information on its pitfalls.

"Like a lynx who hunts the last fawn for sport or a man who cuts down the last tree to build items of luxury, you can create a trap for yourself. Seek a path that speaks to you on all levels and brings you what you truly desire," Ra continued cryptically.

"I know why I seek this power. It is to protect those who have entrusted their safety to me."

"Ah yes. The path of a true ruler. You walk it well, young one. But looking at your own feet too much won't make the path clearer in the distance. Let your heart guide you. Know what needs to be known and change what needs to be changed," Ra advised, reaching out to grasp Momonga's left hand with a talon.

As the flesh disappeared from view, exposing the skeletal hands he was now familiar with, a torrent of information entered his head. He knew how the world system "Voice of the World" worked, how to change it, and what he needed to do to let those under him evolve despite the world's limitations. Or at least he knew the starting points of it, given how Omniscience struggled under the boundaries he could now see to comprehend it all.

This knowledge would guide his evolution into the next step toward his goal, and not only would he need to take it, but he also would need to shape the very ladder itself to ascend. There was something more, something Momonga didn't fully understand. The system he was part of seemingly dampened the abilities he already had, constricting what he could learn.

"Do not think of the limitations of your skills, young one. They are the veil that hides the true potential. You already have access to all that we know, but you are blind to it as the thick cloth of the system limits your vision. Discard it and you will be able to use all you have access to," Ra spoke, leaning back.

'I understand what he's saying, I just don't know how to do it.' "How can I do that?"

"Your enemy left the light for you. Claim it for yourself and illuminate your path. She holds no dominion over you. Her will cannot be inflicted upon you. I have told you what I needed to. Be courageous, young one, and trust yourself. We may meet again, perhaps sooner than you may think." Ra faded from the chair and with him, the scene disappeared as well, returning Momonga to his ever-familiar mindscape, of which he quickly left.

Momonga slowly opened his metaphorical eyes, igniting the flames in his eye sockets, and quickly sat up as he shook with excitement from what he now knew.

"What happened? Were we too loud?" Albedo inquired, concerned.

"No, I found what I needed," Momonga replied, barely containing his nervousness. Now he knew the sword Ker created was his key to divinity. He would claim its power for himself and let this divine power guide his evolution while unshackling his subordinates.

Unlike the last time when he spent three days sleeping, it had taken less than an hour to return from the higher realm, and he had work to do. A lot of work to do; even if he knew the method, the power difference between Gods and non-Gods was as high as the difference between heaven and Earth, and the sooner he got started, the better.

<X>

The evolution would take time. For how long, Momonga wasn't sure, but he knew someone needed to be left in charge and he would have to pick someone. He just didn't know who.

The only four candidates for the position were gathered with him for a guild meeting since it wasn't feasible to officially appoint Albedo or Demiurge as the de facto leader of Tempest in his absence. They were already busy enough with their own duties and offices, and while he was tempted to leave it all to Albedo due to her already-high position, she wasn't as good of a schemer as Demiurge.

The room specially made for guild meetings had a large round table, and the five chairs were made specifically for that purpose, with each guild member's crest decorating the wall behind their spots. It was located at the heart of the inner Nazarick palace and right next to the throne room, decked to the nines with decorations as befitting of the members' high statuses.

It was also one of the most secure rooms Nazarick had, only below the room that held Ker's sword and the throne room itself in terms of security. All kinds of barriers and summoning magics were staggered, ready at a hair's trigger in case the guild had to make a last stand if the throne room fell. Nobody would be overhearing or leaking their conversation without Momonga knowing who did it, what got leaked, when it got leaked, how it got leaked, where the leakage occurred and where it went, and eventually why it was leaked.

"So let me get this straight, you want to sleep on your throne for a few days and attempt some sort of evolution while one of us takes charge of this sprawling circus?" Buku asked. She was leaning back in the chair with her arms crossed, speaking in a tone that suggested she was about to murder someone and that someone was the one who wanted to nap for a few dozen hours straight.

"Can't you just leave Nazarick in charge? She's already running everything," Pero suggested. Unlike his sister, he wasn't as concerned about what would happen if Momonga was unavailable for a while, having already expressed more concerns over who would keep Momonga's wives in check. There were no easy answers for that either.

"She will continue doing that, but someone needs to have the ability to give executive orders or possibly override her while I am unavailable. Like what to do if we are attacked or for example one of Veldora's sisters shows up to investigate, given that the manas will likely have conflicts of priority on whether to protect the Tempestian populace or the tomb due to how highly I value both."

"They won't show up, chief," Veldora squeaked his opinion, glancing over his shoulders as if one of them was already there. Not the greatest assurance.

"And if they do show up, I'll kick their asses!" Milim proudly announced.

"Ahh, god dammit!" Buku leaned forward and slammed her head into the desk.

"Sis?" Pero poked her with a wing, slightly concerned.

"We obviously can't leave those two in charge, and knowing your feather-covered ass, you will avoid such responsibility like the plague. That leaves me babysitting you three while Momonga is in dreamland," She groaned without raising her head.

"It will just be for a few days. Being in charge is not the end of the world, Buku. And you'll have Albedo, Demiurge, and Pandora as consultants," Momonga tried to console her, though his words failed to do so.

"Yea. We can behave. I haven't caused that much trouble lately!" Milim protested Buku's verdict, pouting.

"She is right. We aren't little kids. Chief can do his thing and we'll do fine without him for a few days," Veldora joined in.

"I know you both."

"Come on, Buku, we're not scrutinizing all your blunders. Everyone makes mistakes." Milim pouted.

Buku lifted her head and asked, "And what would you both do if one of Veldora's sisters decides to come to say hi the moment Momonga does his thing?"

"Umm…" Veldora glanced away, scratching the back of his head.

"Tell them to come back later when Momonga is up, and if they don't leave, give the good old teeth rearrangement for free!" Milim cackled, grinning.

Buku was right. He couldn't entrust either Milim or Veldora with the reins of Tempest, and Pero, although capable, would not want such responsibility and would probably bludger his way through delicate political matters. Thus, Buku was the only one who could be left in the leader's position.

"Buku, I will have to ask you to take my place and do your best. As for you two, you will listen to her especially if strong entities come to investigate."

"I'll do my best and I promise to keep my shit together like never before. But Momo, you know you can't be away for too long. We need you back for Walpurgis." Buku straightened out and sighed, leaning her face into her hands.

"I know. I don't think the whole ordeal will take longer than three days, and I want to trigger other evolutions to strengthen us before Walpurgis as well. We need to be as prepared as possible for the event. As powerful as Milim is, she won't be able to stand against Guy Crimson, Veldora's oldest sister, and possibly other unaccounted entities single handedly, let alone if an attack occurs while we are away."

"I doubt it will come down to that. Guy doesn't care about Luminous. He's more worried about you," Milim voiced her opinion.

"Exactly; we might have to face off against him during Walpurgis. And we can't rely on you as our one trump card. It is better to have over-prepared and not exercise power than to go unprepared and end up needing it."

"Sure, I'll kick Velzard's teeth in. That bitch is long overdue for an ass-kicking!" Milim exclaimed as she raised her fist into the air, her aura flaring.

"Calm down. We are not picking fights with them if possible. The whole point is to prepare in case we cannot find common ground." Momonga reached over and gently pushed down her raised arm. Well, gently for the dragonoid anyways, a kijin would be crushed in an instant from the pressure.

"But-"

"Milim, there won't be any unnecessary fighting. I understand you have a lot of contempt towards your aunt, but it is not the time to act on it. If there is a chance we can have a peaceful interaction, we will strive for that."

"Fine…" the dragonoid girl slumped down into her chair.

"You'll have your chance one day, and when you do, we'll make sure it goes in your favor. I am not ignoring your need to confront both Velzard and Velgrynd." Momonga patted the pouting girl's head, ruffling it.

"I know, thanks da- Momonga," Milim nearly choked on her words, straightening up as if to tell him that everything would be alright. She would make him proud.

"Then let's get this over with. The sooner you start, the sooner we can start preparing for the Walpurgis," Buku declared with determination.

Being on the absolute top wasn't something she particularly wanted, but as the same as with Momonga, it wasn't about who wanted to rule the most but who was best suited to do so, and of the four candidates, she was the best-suited one.

Momonga temporarily assigned her the Regent Overlord of Nazarick status and departed to start his evolution, teleporting away.

Buku stood up, cleared her throat, and announced, "I want all of you on your best behavior. With Momonga unavailable, the last thing we want to do is to attract unwanted attention! If any of you start acting up, there will be hell to pay! Am I clear?"

"I'll just do my thing and won't get in your way, sis. Just give me a heads up if I need to fund something," Pero spoke casually, unconcerned about angering Buku. As long as he wasn't the one to make her wake up at an ungodly hour, they were on good terms, at least in his opinion. The amount of clothing his daughter had sent Buku's children would tell otherwise, at least according to Mare.

"Same here. I've got your back!" Milim flashed a smile toward the temporary leader.

"I'll just be in the lab, so don't worry about me." Veldora stood up, ready to teleport away; they could already tell his mind was elsewhere.

"Good, then there won't be any problems." 'Don't stay away for too long Momo, at best, these lunatics can keep their act together for about a day without your oversight,' Buku prayed, forgetting that she had caused just as many headaches for her undead friend as the rest of the guild members.

Editing by aidan_lo.

Proofreading by aidan_lo, FantasyTroll, clagan, Sluethen, Cay, shynavyseal, NuggetLover, Milk, CakeEight and Nervy.

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