Overlord: The Beginning After The End

"ROOOOOAR!"

The ground trembled as the sound reverberated through the mountains.

Ethan's head snapped upward—just in time to see an enormous shadow sweep across the crater.

Its wings stretched wide, blotting out the sun.

"You've got to be kidding me…"

The sheer size and realism of the dragon left him frozen in awe.

This wasn't just a game.

This was alive.

Ethan froze, his breath caught in his throat as he stared at the majestic black dragon soaring above him.

Do monsters in this world go out hunting too?

The dragon clutched a massive fish-like creature in its jaws—its scales gleaming under the sunlight. Ethan had no idea what species it was, but judging by its size, it had to be at least a Level 50 monster.

Wait… was hunger a mechanic for monsters too?

The thought left Ethan puzzled. He knew the game had a hunger system for players, but it had never occurred to him that monsters might share the same mechanic.

Regardless, the dragon's sudden appearance had given him a lead.

Ethan carefully trailed its path, navigating through the rugged terrain. Before long, he spotted a colossal cave entrance—a dragon's lair.

Inside, the black dragon lay coiled, its massive body stretched across the cavern floor.

It looked like it was asleep.

Near the dragon's tail, Ethan's gaze locked onto a gleaming black egg.

The Obsidian Flame Dragon Egg!

Slowly approaching, Ethan's heart pounded as the egg's details finally appeared in his interface—confirming it was the very item he'd been searching for.

Without hesitation, he stowed the egg in his inventory.

[Ding! Side Quest Completed!]

[Reward: 200,000 Points!]

"Yes!"

Ethan clenched his fist, barely containing his excitement.

Even if he was discovered now, he wasn't too worried. With the Death Penalty Nullification Scroll, any consequences for dying were nullified.

His once-empty points balance now overflowed with credits, but Ethan wasn't done yet.

After coming all this way, just taking one egg and leaving felt like a waste.

Dragons hoard treasure, don't they?

Fueled by the thought of extra loot, Ethan began cautiously exploring the lair.

It didn't take long before his eyes landed on a second egg.

"If I'm already stealing one, what's the harm in grabbing another?"

Without hesitation, he added it to his inventory.

Emboldened, Ethan continued searching deeper into the cave until he spotted a treasure chest.

His pulse quickened.

A boss-guarded treasure?

This couldn't be anything ordinary.

Summoning the Custom Item Interface, Ethan began designing a key specifically for the chest's lock.

In YGGDRASIL, defeating a boss wasn't always necessary to unlock loot.

Certain high-level thief classes could steal treasures using unique skills, making gameplay remarkably versatile.

This flexibility was one of the game's defining features—allowing players to think outside the box.

Quickly matching the chest's quality level, Ethan crafted a key using 10,000 points.

"Worth every point."

He slid the key into the lock and turned it.

Click.

With a satisfying sound, the chest creaked open, and a brilliant light spilled out.

Ethan didn't even stop to check the items—instead, he dumped everything into his inventory.

"ROOOOOAR!"

A deafening roar shattered the silence.

Ethan froze.

Slowly turning his head, he found himself staring into the murderous golden eyes of the dragon.

Its massive head loomed overhead, its sheer size making Ethan feel like an ant before a predator.

Why could it see him?!

There was no time to think—only to act.

But before he could move—

"Fwooooosh!"

The dragon's chest swelled as it unleashed a torrent of flames.

Ethan's vision plunged into darkness.

….

On the outskirts of the Elven Forest, Ethan's form gradually materialized.

He had just respawned after being annihilated by the black dragon.

"I really underestimated that thing…"

Ethan sighed in frustration.

But before he could gather his thoughts, a deafening dragon's roar echoed through the air.

Even from this distance, the sound rattled his bones.

His instincts kicked in immediately. Ethan turned and bolted, occasionally glancing back to make sure the enraged beast wasn't chasing him.

After running for what felt like an eternity, he finally slowed down, panting heavily.

Was it a system restriction?

The dragon hadn't pursued him outside the forest, which came as a massive relief.

Back in the starter village, Ethan found a secluded corner to inspect his loot.

Aside from the two dragon eggs, his haul included a class scroll, a legendary robe, and—

"Holy sh—!"

Ethan's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

Sitting quietly in his inventory was a World Item—Will of the World.

One of the Twenty.

Ethan felt his heart pounding. For the first time since transmigrating, he wished he had a cigarette to calm his nerves.

A World Item.

And not just any World Item—this was one of the Twenty, artifacts so broken that players had nicknamed them "The Twenty" for their game-breaking effects.

Even the Spear of Saint-Slaying—the weapon that brought down the Jotunheim Champion—was one of the Twenty.

And now, Ethan was holding one of them in his hands.

Will of the World (World Item – One of the Twenty)

Appearance: A simple, unremarkable rod.

Effect: Grants limitless growth potential.

Details: The weapon's power increases indefinitely with use. At its peak, even a normal attack could one-shot a world boss.

Ethan's excitement hit its peak.

Holding this, even the strongest guilds could be steamrolled without effort.

In the original story, it was said that even at Nazarick's peak, one player wielding the Will of the World could flatten the entire guild.

It was no wonder Ethan's hands were shaking.

But there was a catch.

Like all Twenty, it could only be used once—after which it would disappear forever.

That limitation poured cold water over Ethan's excitement.

He couldn't afford to waste it. If anything, this item was too valuable to use casually.

Still, the possibilities were thrilling.

As Ethan tucked the item into his inventory, a crazy thought struck him.

'What if… I could remove the one-use limit?'