Devourer of the Nine Worlds

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Devourer of the Nine Worlds
Monster Information
Japanese	九曜の世界喰い
Romaji	Kuyō no sekai kui
Type	World Enemy
Epithet	Kuyō Ninth Mother
Race	Heteromorphic Race Insect
Affiliation	Itself
Residence	Unknown
Debut Information
Light Novel	Overlord Volume 2
Game	Mass for the Dead

Devourer of the Nine Worlds (九曜の世界喰い) is a World Enemy boss that bears its origin from YGGDRASIL in terms of lore and backstory.

Appearance

This World Enemy was described in the novel to be in the form of a gigantic monster that toppled the World Tree YGGDRASIL.

In Mass for the Dead, it appears to have biology similar to those of insects, namely having a larval phase and slowly developing into an adult organism. In YGGDRASIL, only the adult phase of the Devourer is present with no indication of it having a larval phase to begin with. According to Momonga however, it had background material that indicated that it was designed after insects such as butterflies or moths.

Personality

According to the protagonist, the Devourer of the Nine Worlds has no real intelligence, at least at its larval stage. The World Enemy is only focused on reaching adulthood, driven by a desire to devour the boundaries between worlds, the worlds themselves, and sometimes even the energy sources that reside within the worlds. Yet it does not appear to have any intelligence or emotion.

From a third party observation, how it eats can be described as "sloppy." The Devourer of the Nine Worlds seems to be drawn to areas with a large number of prey, but it doesn't eat every single one, and seems to be somewhat capricious.

However, due to the matter of its "lines" mentioned occasionally, and voice, it's possible that the Devourer of the Nine Worlds has hidden intelligence, or that this intelligence may be awakened by meeting certain conditions during growth.

Background

Created by the Developers of YGGDRASIL, the incredibly powerful last boss of the main campaign storyline in the game was known as the "Devourer of the Nine Worlds."

The World Tree YGGDRASIL held countless leaves, each representing whole worlds, which were consumed by this world-eating monstrosity. The remnants of these leaves (worlds) that were devoured would go on to form the two hundred World Items of Yggdrasil. This was the backstory upon which the players from each world must carry out their duty of protecting the Nine Worlds against the Devourer of the Nine Worlds.

Chronology

The Dark Warrior Arc

Main article: The Dark Warrior Arc

While there was a conversation going on between members of the Swords of Darkness, Ninya brought up the likelihood of their group facing a powerful race like dragons. However, her companions dismissed that scenario to be next to impossible as the chances of their encountering dragons were extremely low. Still, it caution Ainz to think about the World Enemies of YGGDRASIL. He initially thought about the Devourer of the Nine Worlds, but decided to set it apart from the rest of its World Enemy counterparts for unknown reasons.

The Bloody Valkyrie Arc

Main article: The Bloody Valkyrie Arc

Ainz recalled a brief history about the existence of the World Eater, noting how it happens to play a very major role as the final enemy to be defeated in YGGDRASIL's main storyline campaign for players after they had embarked on a long journey across the nine worlds and vanquished other boss monsters before it.

The Half Elf God-kin Arc

Main article: The Half Elf God-kin Arc

Whilst finalizing his plans to take a paid vacation to the Elf Country with Aura and Mare, Ainz Ooal Gown was nervous of successfully passing the plan through the "Last Boss" Albedo, a boss he regarded in his opinion to be more fearsome than facing the Devourer of the Nine Worlds.

NOTICE: The following section and subsequent subsections are considered NON-CANON to the Overlord Light Novels.

Mass for the Dead Arc

Main article: Mass for the Dead Arc

Upon encountering Enhela in the "Chaos Environment", the protagonist and Darkness grew wary of him, as the priest was out of place, being in the dimension that only they should be able to traverse. Even more peculiar was that Enhela lacked protective gear to allow one to function on the "chaos environment".

Likewise, Enhela noticed that the protagonist lacked protective gear as well, and this was enough to convince him that he and the adventurer shared a bond and allegiance to the same entities. Since the protagonist lacked an understanding of what he was talking about, Enhela then told his 'brother' about the true god he worshipped.

After Enhela was driven away by the attacks of the Pleiades protecting Darkness, news of this and the name of Kuyō was brought to Momonga and the Floor Guardians. While the NPCs did not recognize the name, Momonga was all too familiar with it, causing him to be emotionally dismayed. He did not take Enhela to be just an idle threat, but a very serious one. While the Overlord did not know Enhela and the protagonist's relationship with the World Enemy, Momonga decided to use the latter as bait to draw Enhela and his master out.

During a massive spread of miasma spewing out of all known Cracks outside Nazarick, which caused entire populations to revert into savage Contaminated Beasts, Enhela revealed himself to be the mastermind behind the crisis, claiming that the power to control the Cracks and the contaminants was borrowed via "divine authority" from Kuyō. The entire plot was all an elaborate ploy to locate the Great Tomb of Nazarick by extending his Divine Right throughout all the Cracks to determine the one Crack that was in the sought after dungeon with the afflicted being not only collateral damage, but part of a long-term plan by Kuyō.

According to Enhela, he himself has not actually conversed with Kuyō, and only acts upon his faith and self-interpretations of his god, whom he believes gave his role as Assistant Priest of the Pontifex Maximus in order to strengthen humanity through using a survival of the fittest tactic. This is done by controlling the Cracks to spread miasma so that its mist infect humanity, turning them into feral, yet stronger, creatures; before eventually curing the small numbers of them to evolve the human race.

However, he changed tactics after he sensed that the protagonist was a creation of Kuyō as well. While he was not sure what role the homunculus had to play, he knew that his aligning with the Sorcerer Kingdom was likely correct. As their actions were advancing things very fast as they had already deduced a cure for the miasma and planned to mass-produce it. Because of the protagonist's many number of investigations of Crack phenomena, Enhela believed it was his role to disturb them and cause the simultaneous pollution scenario.

After being refused by the protagonist to join him and bring his faith to Kuyō, Enhela directed his power to taking over Nazarick, forcing all of the NPCs to evacuate. During the usurpation, a disembodied voice rang out which was suspected to be Kuyō's. Due to these actions, Momonga confirms that Kuyō is going against Nazarick's interest. Enhela having hacked into the master source of the dungeon gained full control and gave them an ultimatum, either the protagonist joined him and used his own divine right or Nazarick would be destroyed.

Despite Kuyō being a World Enemy, Momonga thinks all is not lost. Since Kuyō has yet to appear, Momonga suspects that the entity is either unwilling to show itself or is unable to do so, thus giving some hope to the denizens of Nazarick as they prepare to launch a raid to retake their home.

After the protagonist slays Enhela, a pre-recorded dialogue from the in-game Devourer plays as Momonga's forces retake Nazarick. A month later, Nazarick's top brass staged a Round Table Room meeting concerning the Devourer. Albedo volunteers to form an investigation team to learn about the creature, while Cocytus brings forth an issue concerning the Unidentified Beast and the Holy Kingdom Debris. The protagonist was able to confirm that the remains were actually molts from the Devourer. Momonga felt weird, as the Devourer is never stated to have a larval form from what he knew in-game, although he's not surprised as its non-publicized backstory was based on insects, such as butterflies or moths.

As Demiurge wonders why it has not attacked Nazarick right away, the protagonist explains that the creature was a multiversal being, and it was out consuming worlds to assume its true form before it returns. He also speculates that anything which was devoured by the creature would be contained in the Sea of Possibilities before vanishing, although he is unsure of it, and compared it to a natural disaster rather than a creature. The protagonist further speculates that it could easily gain sentience the more it grows. Momonga doubted that it could even gain sapience, as it was a video game boss, although he does not rule out the possibility that it could gain sentience like a Non-Playable Character would in the New World, and was worried about the prospect that there are other World Enemies like it manifesting in the New World, as it would not be possible to deal with them without the help of his other guildmates.

A year later, with Kuyō still being an imminent threat, Momonga pursued a path to strengthen diplomatic ties with the nations in the Quadripartite Alliance, in order to use the humans as shields and spears against the World Enemy. Furthermore, he hoped he could find friendly players and cooperate with them against Kuyō since they faced potential mutual destruction, as the Devourer of the Nine Worlds could destroy the entire world.

Kuyō was mentioned by Momonga in his inner dialogue as he considered the threat of the Theocracy, given that the nation could still be hiding a player in its midst.

The protagonist who had been going over Shiro and his connection to the Sea of Possibility, expressed doubts that Enhela ever approached Shiro and thus his connection to the Devourer was weak at best.

Nazarick continued to avoid having the Devourer from painting it as a target, by improving the conditions in the city of E-Rantel. To keep it crime free the agents of the Sorcerer Kingdom spread false rumors of treasure in Carne Village where bandits and ill-doers would meet their end at the hands of treants under the control of the Defense Tree.

In Albedo's briefing about her encounter with the Mercenary Knights in Arwintar, the Overseer Guardian admitted the prospect of them being associated with Kuyō colored her perception. Though since the sisters never mentioned Kuyō, Momonga felt it personally would have been a golden opportunity to learn more of Kuyō, if they had known anything.

On the origins of the Mercenary Knights, who had a connection to YGGDRASIL, and that they were from another world, Demiurge commented that Momonga seemed convinced they were telling the truth. To which Momonga told him the background story of YGGDRASIL, and the other worlds which had existed before being devoured by Kuyō. As for the sisters claim to have been born in the Corridor, Momonga suspected Kuyō could potentially be related.

Though given their dislike to Enhela, it seems that the Mercenary Knights wanted to avoid anything concerning Kuyō. It all boiled down so far that their relationship with the Devourer was still unclear. Even so, Momonga believed it was possible that they have information about the Devourer.

Upon being shown by the Mercenary Knights of Debris and that they contained Remnant, a wishing making mineral, the protagonist revealed his suspicions to the representatives of the Mercenary Knights that the Debris were molts of the World Enemy. Though the homunculus also received shocking information from Aggresiel and Billiophia that they referred the Devourer sarcastically as "Mother" as they understood that they themselves were indirect creations of the Devourer of the Nine Worlds. Though despite owing their creations to the World Enemy, they had no attachment or loyalty to it. Instead took pride in their loyalty to their creators who imagined them. They saw the Devourer as highly dangerous threat that could destroy a world and offered to join forces in destroying it.

During a discussion of the possibilities of the other world which the Mercenary Knights came, Aura brought up the potential of acquiring more Remnant. Though Mare also pointed out that since the material was made from the husk of the Devourer of the Nine Worlds it meant there was a high possibility that the Sorcerer Kingdom would collide with the World Enemy.

And later in a conversation with Momonga, Aggresiel indicated that she respected the strong. In other words...even if the so-called happy world she came from was damaged by that powerful being, Kuyō, it should be accepted and enjoyed nonetheless.

Later while the Sorcerer Kingdom was still mulling over the complaints by Cardinal Raymond about the lack of public appearances by the Sorcerer King, which Albedo worried would lead to some questioning the legitimacy of their nation, if they should learn how very small the nation was, Shalltear suggested that they could cow them by killing a few thousand dissenting humans. However while the thought was appreciated, where would those numbers come from, as if the human population fell, then it would cause Kuyō attention to be focused on Nazarick.

In planning for trade items to be trade in the other world where the Mercenary Knights came from, Momonga hoped to find other players to form a cooperative relationship in order to battle against Kuyō.

END of NON-CANON content

Abilities and Powers

The Devourer of the Nine Worlds is an unimaginably powerful creature that even a legion, comprising of six parties of six players each, would stand little chance against it. Like other World Enemies, the Devourer also possessed complete immunity to the powers of all World Items.

According to Enhela, the Devourer is an existence that exceeds even the Six Great Gods, who wouldn't be able to compare even if they tried, and also transcends the likes of the Eight Greed Kings and Thirteen Heroes. Given it is implied that those were all YGGDRASIL players, they would most likely stand no chance against the World Enemy on their own.

It has certain dietary requirements, such that its prey must be eaten alive and be located on the other side of the Cracks. Due to this, it's hypothesized that the Sea of ​​Possibilities is the Devourer's stomach, and its prey will be digested over time.

Once materialized into the New World, the Devourer is able to manifest entities directly from the Sea of Possibilities, of which included Enhela and the protagonist, and plant them directly into various New World institutions with false memories. Making it appear as if they were always there. It can grant its loyal creations with powers such as "Divine Right" which enables a user to manipulate and control the Cracks in the New World. This is only given to Enhela but can potentially be given to the protagonist, supposedly in exchange for his loyalty towards Nazarick and his conversion into a follower of the World Eater. However, the protagonist gains the power and retains his loyalty towards Nazarick. Another ability granted is the balance-breaking "Hacking" ability which can override the master source of a dungeon and allow a user to assume total control. However, it is also implied to be multiversal, and could also be away and devouring multiple worlds rather than just the New World.

Trivia

• The Devourer of the Nine Worlds is most likely based on Níðhǫggr, a dragon in Norse mythology that is said to gnaw at the roots of the world tree and in some translations herald Ragnarök, the end of the world.
• It is heavily implied that the non-canon timeline occurred because an instance of the World Enemy spawned directly next to Nazarick and was pulled into the New World alongside the Guild base during the transition.
• In Mass for the Dead, the World Enemy is foreshadowed in the opening game trailer.
• In the game, the World Enemy is said to be in full control over the Cracks, save for one which exists in the Throne Room.
• According to Enhela, the Devourer is out consuming numerous worlds other than the New World during the non-canon timeline and likely will not return personally for some time.
• The followers of the Devourer of the Nine Worlds appear to refer it in masculine pronouns. Using "His will" and "His priesthood" in reference.

Quotes

• The following two are also recognized as the Devourer of the Nine Worlds' boss dialogue in YGGDRASIL by Momonga when it was still a video game character. They are also written in full English rather than Japanese in the in-game script.
  • (To all of Nazarick): "How many goodly creatures are there here!"
  • (After Enhela is killed): "How Beauteous mankind is!! O brave new world."

Gallery

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