He moved… after who knows how long he has decided to stretch his ancient bones. Although every single creature who dared to come close to him met an untimely end, but to Ainz it didn't really matter. He felt no remorse, no pity for killing such creatures.

In the first place, it wasn't his fault to begin with… they were simply too weak. Too weak even to withstand his mere presence… even then they were stupid enough to venture near him and die… laughable. The denizens of this bleak desert really weren't intelligent, otherwise they'd know better than to run into their deaths. Well, whatever… he reasoned that he would move at a slow pace thus allowing those clever enough to evade their untimely fate in time.

Thus, he began his adventure in a new world, looking for answers and maybe, just maybe companions he could eventually learn to call friends.

Time passed slowly as he crossed unimaginable distances on foot at a pace that was slow enough for a child to keep up. He didn't know how long he has been in this place, but it didn't matter either… he had nothing to return to, at least he didn't remember.

He also tried to recreate the influx of memories, information on several occasions throughout his journey, but he had no such luck. Only the name of Ainz Ooal Gown repeated endlessly inside his hollow skull as he strolled through the white sand of Hueco Mundo.

He found it most curious as the name itself invoked some kind of connection between his past and present self, and yet it couldn't be his name, for when he laid his hands on the crimson orb pulsing inside of his rib cage a translucent sign floated in front of his eyes.

'Red Orb of Momonga', it read.

So, he was Momonga, he concluded, and this Ainz Ooal Gown was important to him. Quite the revelation indeed, but he had decided that in absence of further information he couldn't know for certain, and thus he left the topic to a later date.

As he traversed the dunes he found a forest, it intrigued him to no end as this was the first place that contained other than sand during his travels. The locals however weren't so keen on welcoming him, but it didn't matter as they were crushed into the ground without exception.

There were red beams of light shot at him, first he was careful not to get hit, after all they might have the capacity to hurt him. But after purposefully getting hit on his arm he realized that his carefulness was unwarranted. The beams of light simply dissipated a few centimeters before coming into contact with his bones. Intrigued, he decided to experiment a little and freely allowed himself to become the focus of all the Gillian class hollows in the vicinity.

The towering hordes of Menos shot rays of power towards him, their fire blotting out the sky and yet… just like before, each and every beam was neutralized the moment it got too close to him.

He was satisfied with the results. Whatever was protecting him was strong, really strong. Although, recalling what he had seen several years prior when he touched his orb for the very first time, he didn't expect anything else. After all, he had contended with Gods and won before coming to this place, this level of might was only expected.

Soon after, he left the Menos forest and rejoined the endless sea of white sand that was the desert of Hueco Mundo. However, his eyes were soon drawn to a couple. They had uncanny resemblance to humans. A grown man and a little girl from the looks of it, clinging to each other, they sat on the sand overlooking hills of corpses. Corpses of creatures just like those he has just dispatched. Although there were others, smaller ones that resembled animals over true monsters.

He also encountered many such hollows before which he would later learn are called Adjuchas, a more evolved version of Gillian, however he simply had no way to tell as of now. Sure, they looked nothing alike, but in his presence they both merely perished; thus, it made no difference.

Intrigued, Momonga took a step, then another and another… soon he stood there, right next to the pair of humanoids. He towered over the couple as he examined them while desperately hoping that he could reason with them, and they wouldn't try to attack him. It would be a shame if he had to defend himself.

…

Once upon a time an impossibly powerful being trod the lands under the pale moon of Hueco Mundo.

The being was simply too powerful. Those in his presence would kneel over and die, and because of this he was infinitely lonely. The being had soon become jealous of how the weak are allowed to come together, and so the being wanted to become weak.

In an attempt to escape the loneliness, at the peak of its evolution into an Arrancar the being had split its soul into two so that it would never be alone.

Now there were two, Starrk and Lilynette.

That day they had sworn to each other that they would always wander and stay together.

They were no longer alone.

They spent the days under the blank skies of Hueco Mundo. Although the being had managed to substantially diminish its presence, hollows still died if they ever wandered near them. Still, they had each other and so they could endure this lonesome existence.

Then one day a hollow closed in on their location.

Lilynette watched with interest while Starrk only laid on the ground, sleeping soundly. Lilynette felt the spiritual pressure spike in the area as the hollow neared. This one was strong.

Strong enough that Lily could tell that it was a Vasto Lord, presumably the highest level of hollow evolution, of course that was before the existence known as Arrancar was discovered.

Even still, her and Starrk's spiritual pressure was more than enough to slow, even stop most Vasto Lord class hollows in their tracks, but this one didn't lessen its pace as it leisurely strode towards them. First, she thought that it must be Baraggan, the self-proclaimed God-King of Hueco Mundo, but closer inspection revealed that it was not the case.

The skeleton wore no crown, but he still carried himself as a born ruler. Garbed in exquisite purple gown, by his side a golden scepter he approached. Although the hollow had a convincing appearance and carried himself with absolute confidence, but Lily didn't want to see another hollow die. That was just how strong their spiritual pressure was. She called out in an attempt to stop the Vasto Lord.

"Hey! Stop right there!"

The skeletal hollow didn't care as he carried on, simply dismissing her warning. How rude, Lily thought, as she was trying to save the ignorant hollow.

"Hey?! You deaf?! I said stop! If you come too near us then you'll die!"

Lilynette looked flustered as she kept waving at the nearing hollow, all in vain as it simply ignored her.

She also hated that carefree attitude of her fellow hollow, enraged she kicked Starrk and then kept on assaulting him, hoping he would finally stop lying around all day long and finally help her.

However, when she looked back to gauge how much time she had left a skull greeted her. He was here. The skeletal Vasto Lord was in arm's reach and no strain could be seen as it looked at them… was that curiosity in its eyes? Lily couldn't tell from the blank look it gave her.

"Did I interrupted something?" The undead asked innocently as it tilted its skull, empty gaze levelled on the two of them. By this time Starrk was already awake as well, as he eyed the skeleton with wary eyes.

Not a moment later his eyes further narrowed. After all, not every day that a strong enough hollow comes across them. It wouldn't be strange if it came with the intent to devour them, after all hollows feed to attain strength, and in hopes to complete their incomplete being.

"No! Of course not!" Lily denied as she gave the death stare to Starrk before carrying on.

"I am Lilynette and this is Starrk!" She pointed enthusiastically to herself and then to the lying man at her feet. It was not every day that she had the chance to speak with someone other than Starrk, and Starrk was always sleeping so it wasn't much of a conversation to begin with.

"Ah, nice to meet you." The skeleton said in a deep tone. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, before he introduced himself and returned the curtesy.

"I am... Ainz Ooal Gown, but please call me Ainz."

Ainz didn't know why he had given that name as his designation, but it felt... right.

Starrk stood up and examined the skeleton's garments and the staff it carried. They were of exquisite make, they couldn't possibly originate from Hueco Mundo, but if so, then from where? While he pondered, Ainz reached out for a handshake, a habit of meeting new people had installed this gesture deep within his soul, and after staring at his skeletal hand for a painfully long moment Lilynette caught up and finally shook it.

The next moment would haunt Ainz for a long time.

A painful cry filled the air, and Ainz's vision was dyed blue as a Cero was fired to his face from point blank rage.

He took a step back at the suddenness of the situation while his line of sight cleared, thoughts raced through his empty skull. What was that scream just now? What just happened?

When the cloud of white sand particles dispersed, the man, he learned was called Starrk stood protectively in front of the girl with his palm smoking.

Behind him; Lily sobbed silently as she held her damaged hand. There were burnt marks all over it, blackened skin exuding an aura of decay, death. Right where he just touched her.

Ainz stared at the wound incredulously. He just couldn't process what just happened. He just couldn't comprehend it. Was it him? Did he hurt her? His touch inflicts such a curse? Since when? What kind of madness is this?!

While he shouted inside his hollow skull in frustration Starrk examined Lilynette's bruises which even though she was an Arrancar, the highest class of hollows, even above that of a Vasto Lord wasn't healing. That was impossible, she had high-speed regeneration. A wound like that should've healed in a matter of seconds! Something that could negate the hollows' healing factor was no joke.

No wonder this hollow so brazenly approached them; it had such an overpowered weapon in its arsenal. If it was its plan from the start, then it should have outright attacked them! But to play with his Lily's feelings?! To hurt his sole partner?! He would pay dearly for it.

A pillar of spiritual pressure rose around Starrk. The raging inferno of blue instantly condensed into a single point in front of him, forming a sphere of power. Laying hands on his Lily warrants death.

Seeing the converging spiritual energy Ainz tried to reason with Starrk, but no matter what he said it found deaf ears as Starrk channeled his power in fury.

The spiritual energy was ready to burst.

Ainz heard the words; "Gran Rey Cero", and the world was dyed in blue.

The beam of light exploded, rushing forward at an unprecedented speed, disturbing space as it travelled.

Ainz didn't want this. He had no intention of fighting them, much less hurting someone who has shown kindness to him, and so filled with frustration he shouted; "Stop! Stop it! Stop goddamn it!"

The colors drained from the world.

Ainz let down his guard as he realized that the immediate threat was evaded, but he could not rest, not yet. Who knew how long would time stop flowing for his behest? As such he sidestepped, then seeing that the Cero was still grey he decided to take a closer look at Lily's injuries.

Seeing the foul wound, he couldn't help but be disgusted at himself. Did he really cause this? Was it really him? How could he do this to someone who has shown kindness? The first person…

Ainz wrecked his empty skull, overdriving his nonexistent braincells, what to do? How could he fix this? But no matter how hard he thought, he couldn't figure out anything. In the meantime, his feelings continued to boil, and a dark aura slowly creeped out of his bones. He was so caught up at the present that he didn't realise that time resumed its march.

Starrk let out a heavy sigh as his eyes peered through the clouds of white his Cero left in its wake. His eyes kept searching for the one who dared to hurt her, who dared to lift an arm against his dear Lily.

He heard a shriek from behind. Blood run cold, he turned around. Only to completely whiten.

There, next to his defenseless Lily stood the foe.

Wrought in black miasma it towered over her like a Death God, ready to sniff out her life.

"Leave her alone!" He shouted. "Face me, you demon!" Starrk cried out in desperation as light ignited at his fingertips and exploded into a barrage of Ceros.

He realized it too late, but Lilynette was in the way of fire.

The world came to a halt as Ainz looked down at the shivering form of Lily. The aura rising around him radiated nothing but total helplessness, despair. It didn't help his situation one bit, as the little one flinched under his hollow gaze.

Ainz didn't want this to happen. He only wanted to make friends. Why couldn't he? Why was this world so fucked up?!

He clenched his skeletal hand around the shaft of the golden staff, while his other hand formed a fist that could grind steel into dust.

Beams of light closed in on his position, but he feared that should he move, then Lilynette would be hit. And so, he stood his ground.

These Ceros were nothing like those he negated in the Menos forest. These were in a whole other league; they easily pierced his high tier resistance. But it didn't matter, he had to atone for his mistake.

As the Ceros pierced holes into his purple gown he groaned in pain as he whispered.

"I wish... I wish none of this would have ever happened. I wish…" he said while turning his empty eye sockets to look directly into the girl's eyes. "… I never hurt you, Lily."

Lily no longer understanding what's going on looked up at the form of a crumbling skeleton with damp eyes. She couldn't bear to watch and so she shut her eyes.

A blinding light exploded, halting Starrk's movement for but a second.

One specific ring, one above all, adorned with three shooting starts lit up with brilliance as a dome of light erected itself around them. Runes of unknown origin and make shifted at impossible speeds while the rings of light continued to speed up around the dome. The ground lit up with a pale blue color and unknown constellations sped in a circular motion.

Starrk broke into a run, no that wasn't right. He practically teleported next to Ainz, but all in vain.

Before he could fire off another Cero from point blank range to end the hollow the spell took effect and the wish was granted… history was altered.

A pair of eyes abruptly opened, feeling a new challenger on the horizon they narrowed. One that could alter the world in ways even he lacked the power to… At least for now… Soon his time would come, and then he would see to it. Either this powerful being submits to his design, or he must be eradicated. For he felt a feeling long since forgotten, — fear.

Ainz stood there, frozen in place as he processed what has just happened. He stared blankly at his outstretched hand as Lily was reaching to grab it.

It all clicked and in a surprising feat of speed he retracted his skeletal hand. That was close, he thought.

Ainz's attention was elsewhere, thus Lily's frustration escaped his notice.

The shooting star ring, one of the many rings adorning his bone fingers.

As he inspected the item, he recognized that one of the three shooting stars has disappeared, this led him to the conclusion that the number of wishes were limited.

His mind switched into overdrive as he thought about the possibilities. After all, the ring had the power to alter reality and turn back the wheel of time, if so then who was to say that it couldn't do absolutely anything? He pondered, should he wish to regain his memories?

It was certainly a possibility, to regain what is lost. Tempting as it may be, he had other things to attend to as a certain pouting little Arrancar was in the brink of exploding...

"Hey?! Stop phasing out, will ya!? I am talking to you! Hey!? Hey!" Lily practically yelled as she invaded his space, and forced Ainz to step out of her way, less she accidentally comes into contact with him.

He still didn't know what had caused such a damaging reaction, but he would soon find out. Until then, it was best not to touch anyone needlessly…

Maybe if he did that... yeah that could work. He pondered as a Cero shot past his skull, grazing his cheek bones a little. This one was much smaller, weaker, and pink in color.

Ainz looked incredulously at the little hollow, she had one hell of a temper that's for sure.

"Yes, miss Lilynette was it? Please forgive my earlier rudeness, I just had… much on my mind."

"Hump! You better listen, or else I won't be so lenient next time!" Lily told him as she crossed her hands, while Starrk watched Ainz with weary eyes, confirming he was no threat he went back to sleep.