Overlord is a popular Japanese light novel series written by Kugane Maruyama and illustrated by so-bin. It tells the story of Momonga, a player of a virtual reality MMORPG called Yggdrasil, who finds himself trapped in the game world as his skeletal avatar after the servers shut down. He decides to explore the new world and seek out other players, while also ruling over his loyal NPCs as the supreme leader of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.
The light novel series has been adapted into an anime series, a manga series, and several spin-off novels and games. The anime series has aired four seasons so far, covering up to volume 11 of the light novel. The manga series, which is illustrated by Hugin Miyama and Satoshi Oshio, has been serialized in Kadokawa Shoten’s Comp Ace magazine since November 2014. It has released 17 volumes as of June 2021, covering up to volume 9 of the light novel.
The manga series is still ongoing, but it has been lagging behind the light novel and the anime in terms of story progression. The latest chapter of the manga, chapter 72, was released on June 24, 2021. It concluded the Magic Caster of Destruction Arc, which is the ninth arc of the story and corresponds to volume 9 of the light novel. This arc is about the annual war between the Re-Estize Kingdom and the Baharuth Empire, and how Ainz Ooal Gown intervenes with his overwhelming power and charisma.
In this article, we will summarize the story of Overlord so far, based on the manga series, and explain how it might end in the future.
The Story of Overlord
- The Beginning: Momonga is a guild master of Ainz Ooal Gown, one of the most powerful guilds in Yggdrasil. He spends his last moments in the game with his NPC creations, who are loyal to him as their creator. He then realizes that he is unable to log out and that the NPCs have gained sentience. He decides to rename himself as Ainz Ooal Gown and explore the new world with his NPCs.
- The Undead King Arc: Ainz encounters a village under attack by knights from another country. He saves the villagers with his magic and meets two adventurers, Nfirea Bareare and Enri Emmot. He also learns that he is in a world where magic exists but is different from Yggdrasil’s system. He decides to gather information about this world and spread his name as Ainz Ooal Gown.
- The Dark Warrior Arc: Ainz travels to a city called E-Rantel with his guardian Narberal Gamma, disguised as adventurers. He meets a group of workers who are hired to explore a mysterious tomb, which turns out to be Nazarick. He tests their strength and kills them all, except for one who escapes. He also meets a powerful warrior named Gazef Stronoff, who recognizes his strength and invites him to meet the king of Re-Estize.
- The Bloody Valkyrie Arc: Ainz learns that one of his guardians, Shalltear Bloodfallen, has been mind-controlled by a mysterious item. He decides to confront her alone and defeats her after a fierce battle. He then resurrects her and restores her loyalty. He also learns that there are other players in this world who might pose a threat to him and Nazarick.
- The Men in the Kingdom Arc: Ainz sends his guardian Sebas Tian and his maid Solution Epsilon to gather information in the capital of Re-Estize, where they encounter a criminal organization called Eight Fingers. Sebas rescues a human girl named Tuare from their clutches and decides to protect her. Ainz also sends another group of his subordinates to infiltrate Eight Fingers and cause chaos in the city. He then intervenes as Momon and defeats one of their leaders, Jaldabaoth, who is actually his guardian Demiurge in disguise.
- The Invaders of the Large Tomb Arc: Ainz invites several workers from different countries to explore Nazarick under the guise of a national treasure. He intends to test their abilities and use them as guinea pigs for his experiments. He also reveals his true identity as Ainz Ooal Gown to some of them and kills them mercilessly. He then declares war on the Baharuth Empire, which sponsored the workers’ expedition.
- The Magic Caster of Destruction Arc: Ainz leads an army of undead to attack the Re-Estize Kingdom during their annual war with the Baharuth Empire. He uses a super-tier magic spell called Fallen Down to wipe out most of their forces in one blow. He then meets with the king and the nobles of Re-Estize and demands their surrender. He also executes some of the nobles who oppose him and spares Gazef, who challenges him to a duel. Ainz accepts and kills Gazef with respect. He then announces his intention to create his own nation, the Sorcerer Kingdom, with E-Rantel as its capital.
Overlord Manga Ending Explained
![Overlord Manga Ending 2](https://gameshifu.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Overlord-Manga-Ending-2.jpg)
The manga series has not reached its ending yet, but it is expected to follow the light novel series, which is also still ongoing. The author, Kugane Maruyama, has stated that he originally planned to write more than 30 volumes for Overlord, but he later reduced it to 20 volumes due to various reasons. He also said that he might write some side stories or spin-offs after finishing the main story.
The latest volume of the light novel, volume 14, was released on March 12, 2020. It covered the Witch of the Falling Kingdom Arc, which is the fourteenth arc of the story and corresponds to volumes 14 and 15 of the light novel. This arc is about the invasion of Nazarick by an alliance of four nations: the Re-Estize Kingdom, the Roble Holy Kingdom, the Slane Theocracy, and the Argland Council State. It also reveals some secrets and mysteries about Ainz Ooal Gown’s past and identity.
The next volume of the light novel, volume 15, is expected to be released sometime in 2022. It will cover the Half Elf God-kin Arc, which is the fifteenth arc of the story and corresponds to volumes 15 and 16 of the light novel. This arc is about a new threat that emerges from a hidden continent in the south: a powerful race of half-elves that claim to be descendants of gods. It also features some major developments and changes in Ainz Ooal Gown’s relationships with his friends and enemies.
As for how Overlord will end in both the manga and the light novel, there is no definitive answer yet. The author has not revealed any details or hints about his intended ending or epilogue for Overlord. However, he has said that he wants to give a satisfying conclusion to his readers and fans, while also leaving some room for imagination and speculation.
Some fans have speculated that Overlord will end with Ainz Ooal Gown achieving his ultimate goal: finding his former guildmates and friends from Yggdrasil. Others have suggested that Overlord will end with Ainz Ooal Gown conquering or destroying the entire world with his unstoppable army of Nazarick. Still others have proposed that Overlord will end with Ainz Ooal Gown facing a final challenge or enemy that will test his limits and resolve.
Whatever the case may be, Overlord is undoubtedly one of the most popular and successful isekai anime titles in recent years. It has captivated millions of fans with its dark and humorous story, its complex and charismatic characters, and its epic and thrilling action scenes. It has also spawned a loyal and active fanbase that creates and consumes various forms of fan content, such as fan art, fan fiction, fan games, and fan theories.
Overlord is not over yet, and there is still more to come in the future. Fans can look forward to the upcoming releases of the manga and the light novel series, as well as the potential adaptations of the anime and other media. Overlord is a masterpiece that deserves to be enjoyed and appreciated by all anime and manga lovers.