The edge of Pride existed.
Almost no one knew that—not even most Overlords. Hell folded in on itself in strange ways, and where Pride ended, there was no Ring beyond it. Only the Abyss. A vast, silent nothingness between worlds, realities, and unfinished ideas.
Max stood there, coat fluttering in a wind that technically didn't exist.
"Man… thank God He explained the plan early," Max muttered, staring into the endless void. "But I don't think He accounted for this."
He gestured vaguely behind him, toward Hell itself.
"Sinners are coming in faster than Hell can expand. At this rate, we'll have density collapse before political collapse—and that's saying something."
The Abyss didn't answer.
Max exhaled slowly and cracked his neck. "Alright. This should be enough for my experiment. Gotta do this before the girls get back."
With a casual wave of his hand, dozens—no, hundreds—of magic circles ignited across the black stone beneath his feet. They layered over each other in impossible geometry, glowing crimson, violet, and abyssal black.
Most of it was unnecessary.
But damn if it didn't look cool.
"Now then," Max said, rolling his shoulders, "time to bring my castles here."
Something deep responded.
Power surged upward from his core, far below even Hell itself—Reverse Eden answering its master. The force ripped through Pride, poured into the magic arrays, and then slammed back into Max like a returning tidal wave.
His teeth clenched.
"Good… good," he hissed. "This body should handle it. Hopefully. Minimal damage."
His shadow stretched—no, expanded, blotting out the ground, swallowing light itself.
And then—
Nazarick emerged.
The Great Tomb tore its way out of the shadows, rising into the crimson sky like a conquering god. Spires pierced the clouds. Gates groaned with ancient authority.
"Too bad the NPCs aren't here," Max muttered, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "But I've got the items. That's enough."
The Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown followed, slipping from darkness into his grasp.
Max barely had time to breathe.
"Now… the hard part."
He raised his other hand.
Venuzdonoa manifested.
The skies of Hell screamed.
Dark clouds rolled across every Ring simultaneously. Red lightning cracked downward, shaking buildings, Rings, and souls alike.
From the clouds descended Delzogade.
The strain hit him all at once.
Max screamed—not aloud, but internally—as blood poured from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. His skin burned. His bones protested.
"Now then," he spat, blood splattering the stone, "for the worst part."
The castles began to move.
Nazarick and Delzogade floated together, power distorting reality around them. The collision sent a shockwave through all of Hell.
They fused.
A glowing red fortress formed above Pride—so saturated with power that no demon, angel, or entity could approach without being torn apart.
Cracks spread across Max's skin like shattered glass.
Then—
He collapsed.
"Done," he rasped, coughing blood. "Now I can close that damn portal during Extermination… fuck, this hurts."
He tried to stand.
Failed.
"Too much for my pain resistance," he groaned.
His phone buzzed.
Loona.
Max wiped blood from his hand and answered. "Yeah?"
"MAX—HELP US!"
Metal screamed through the speaker.
The line went dead.
His heart dropped.
"Shit. The elevators," he hissed. "The shockwave must've damaged them. No magic or flight between Rings… lucky that call even went through."
He vanished.
The elevator hub was chaos.
Demons shouted, panicked, tried—and failed—to help. Bent steel groaned under impossible strain.
Max staggered forward, sensing them.
He reached the doors and tore them open.
The elevator car hung nearly a quarter mile down, cables snapping one by one.
The girls were inside.
Another wire broke.
"Fuck!" Max roared.
He grabbed his left eye and tore it free.
"I can live half-blind for a few days," he growled. "Unbound Time Stop."
He crushed the eye.
Blood formed a massive, ticking clock in the air.
Time froze.
The final cable hung mid-snap.
Max moved.
Universal Thread carried him downward with minimal strain. One by one, he retrieved them—Charlie, Vaggie, Bee, Octavia, Loona—setting each safely aside.
Then he didn't stop.
Every elevator.
Every Ring.
Hour after frozen hour, he saved them all.
Finally, barely standing, he returned.
"Oh—right," he muttered, swaying. "Their stuff."
He retrieved it.
Then he tried to release the spell.
Nothing happened.
"…Damn it."
He exhaled. "Guess I'm blind."
He removed his remaining eye.
Crushed it.
Time resumed.
The girls realized where they were.
They hugged—laughed—then saw Max.
Bloody. Cracked. Bandaged eyes.
They ran to him.
"I-I'm fine," he said weakly. "Just… need rest."
He collapsed.
Hours later, Max woke in a much larger bed than usual.
Clean.
Bandaged.
Alive.
Universal Sense filled the room.
The door opened.
"MAX!" Charlie cried, hugging him—then immediately pulling back. "Sorry!"
He pulled her in anyway, ignoring the pain. "It's okay."
Octavia glared. "Never use that magic again. You nearly died." she held the Grimiore.
"It was the only way," Max said softly. "And I'd do it again."
He paused. "…Who cleaned me?"
Bee grinned. "Me and Loona."
Loona looked away, ears red.
"And yes," Bee added smugly, "we admired your package."
Max groaned.
They stayed together that night.
And Max learned—
Universal Sense came with far too much information.
[Author: this is the last chapter I will post till after the holidays. I might post one more if im bored. But until then enjoy your holidays and see you next time]