MMORPG: Surviving a Death Game with a Glitched System

Ash hadn’t told the others about the Fold of Existence.

Unlike him, none of them had reported entering such a space either initially or after their instance. Seeing that nothing was ever said about it, it was safe to assume that area was beholden only to him.

There wasn’t exactly a reason to hide its existence, but neither was there a reason to reveal it.

Ash never did anything without purpose; he wasn’t so careless as to give up a factor under his control for no reason.

Who knew if that place, and thereby the knowledge about it, would become important someday?

Though that wasn’t entirely what mattered at present. What mattered was...

"Claude, I can tell. They’re ’players.’"

Claude glanced at Ash, then drew his eyes back to the fluttering beast.

"I was thinking the same thing. I doubt any native creature would look so... disgraceful in their own body."

As Claude said that, the bird lady flapped too hard with her right wing, causing her to flip upside down before promptly falling from the sky and into the river below. Soon after, she was swept over the waterfall and sent tumbling farther down the mountain.

’I figured given their race and all, but it seems their advantage is flight.’

’What an insane racial ability...’

There had to be some drawbacks. If not, it was simply broken.

Not that Ash was going to whine and complain about balancing issues. He was above such pitiful excuses.

’If only we were a little closer...’

Then Ash might have been able to take a peek with [Glasses of Knowledge].

Although, just like with his hearing, his base sight seemed to have improved, as he was able to catch her form with striking clarity.

Her blue and teal feathers, the puffy hair of the same color, and her taloned feet.

Though maybe his memories of her form were filling in some of the less clear details.

Claude spun, then said:

"Let’s go back and—"

Ash cut him off while shaking his head.

"There’s no need."

"What?"

"We’re on a scouting expedition, are we not? Why turn back when the entire point is to discover what lies ahead?"

Claude pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Fucking damn it. I was going to say let’s go back and get their opinions on what to do, but let me guess... the ’I do what I want; follow me if you wish’ thing, correct?"

In response...

Ash took a step toward the edge of the cliff.

"I will allow you to follow. I care not if you do or don’t. If you wish to follow and cannot, then that is merely a result of your own inadequacy."

Then, he stepped off and plunged down below.

Leaving Claude behind with the decision to let Ash do something dangerous alone or do something dangerous with him.

On the other hand, Claude had clearly already assessed another aspect of the issue: Ash was the dangerous variable.

It was clear Claude had come to trust Ash and his abilities over the last two weeks, but he’d also come to better understand him and his ideology.

The last thing he needed was Ash making contact with another race without supervision.

So...

Peering over the edge and watching as Ash stuck the landing, he grumbled:

"You only live once, I guess."

Claude ran back, disappearing from Ash’s view. A few seconds later, he reappeared at a better angle and sprang off the edge of the cliff in a leap of faith into the plunge basin.

The water was crystal clear, even if it churned like hell, so he was able to tell there weren’t any boulders underneath and that it seemed fairly deep.

But it was still a long fall of at least 50 feet (~15 meters).

With an unceremonious thud, Claude smacked into the water.

Then, he immediately began doggy paddling to the edge where Ash stood.

Ash wasn’t one for the ’rule of cool’ like Éloi, but even he could tell Claude had just fumbled the scene with his awkward swimming.

Huffing, Claude gripped the edge of the basin and spat out:

"Gack, that hurt! I’m too old to be doing that!"

Ash tilted his head lightly, then said:

"Let’s continue."

Claude pulled himself out and stumbled to his feet.

"Not even going to ask how old I am?"

"Nope."

Grumbling a little at how lackadaisical and uncaring Ash was, the two continued downstream.

Unlike with Fisherman’s Catch, they hadn’t discovered the entirety of the previous precinct, as it must have extended into the forest, but they had now exited and entered another.

Marching through entirely uncharted and unseen territory, they had to be a little careful. To that end, Ash had temporarily given Claude [Whisper of the Wind].

’How generous I am...’

Not only had he sacrificed a ton of the Ingredients he got during his journey to help grow their territory, but he’d given away his tomes and now even an important possession.

If the Ash of a few weeks ago saw this, he’d probably belittle the current him and call him an ’untempered fool.’

Even now, Ash recognized the error in such generosity, yet indulged in it nonetheless.

Thankfully, their trip to the next waterfall’s edge was fairly unimpeded. Only one Marauder had ambushed them, along with three fish with legs called Tautos that crawled out of the river to fight them. The three fish were dealt with easily by Claude, while Ash cleanly shot the Marauder through the head with an [Empower]-imbued [Limitless] arrow.

Upon reaching the third of the four waterfalls, Claude turned to Ash and said:

"At least tell me what you plan to do. Just observe? Are you going to talk to them? Try to fight them? If so, I’ll have to stop you on that front."

Ash’s left eye twitched.

"Why wait so long to say something like that?"

"Would it have changed what you’re going to do?"

"..."

"Exactly..." With a light sigh, Claude said, "For once, consider my opinion on the matter. It is inevitable alliances are going to form between races. Let’s not get ourselves painted as warmongers and give others cause to form alliances specifically in the name of taking us down."

"Are you—"

"’Are you suggesting we’ll lose if it comes to that?’ Why, yes, I am. It may be five against five for now, but soon it will be thousands upon thousands. So, let’s drop the ’above it all’ persona and accept the reality of our situation."

’...’

Ash stared blankly for a moment. Finally, he replied:

"I’m aware."

Before promptly stepping off the edge once more and dropping toward the river below, landing beside the stretch of water that flowed toward the final waterfall where they had seen the woman flying.

As Ash fell, Claude whispered upon the wind.

"For some reason, that response gave me little solace."

Then, he followed after.

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