MMORPG: Surviving a Death Game with a Glitched System

Ash’s eyes narrowed as he unconsciously flicked the end of his tail back and forth.

"You can talk now?"

The wolf trotted over to Demitra, studying the bloodied woman.

"Only with you."

While Ash wasn’t certain about his assessment, he felt as though a pang of sadness was hidden behind the wolf’s glowing eyes.

Ash raised his head and looked off toward the western horizon. He didn’t exactly understand everything that had just happened, but he did understand that the wolf was now tangible.

"We should hurry... Do you know a safe place where we can rest and recuperate?"

Its gaze still locked on Demitra, the wolf replied:

"I do. We were headed there, after all."

"Alright then..."

Ash took a deep breath, then resummoned his pike. Flipping it, he shoved the head into the snow until it struck ice and became embedded like a makeshift flagpole. Then, pushing down on it, Ash vaulted into the air while tucking his tail between his legs and casting [Focus].

Instantly, a perilous and deathly cold caressed his nearly naked body, assaulting him with what felt like a thousand needles pricking his skin.

Ash landed in the snow, his feet sinking deep into it as he nearly fell over.

"How the hell is she braving it...?"

Through sheer willpower, Ash marched over to Demitra. Bending down, he slid his arms under her and lifted her into a princess carry.

"Oh fuck, heavy!"

Lugging the bloodied metal knight in his arms, he heaved her up onto the wolf’s back with all his strength. With the single second he had left, he adjusted her position as best he could.

Satisfied, the wolf cocked its head back and spoke:

"I won’t inquire as to the reason for your antics, but I will inquire about what you are."

"What I am? I get that I’m a little strange... but you’re just as odd as me, are you not?"

"Calling a Great Spirit odd is what makes you odd."

"Great Spirit?"

"Ah, you truly are quite peculiar... Come, let’s get a move on. I can answer your questions while we walk. Of course, only if you answer mine."

The wolf began walking in the same direction they had been heading before. Ash quickly followed, silently vowing to use [Focus] as little as possible.

Falling into a steady gait, the wolf asked the first question of their journey together:

"I’ll ask again... what are you? You were able to see me and even touch me, yet you are not a spirit and do not possess any affinity with me."

"Hmm... I’m a Dragonkin, which I suppose is a mix between a dragon and a human."

"You suppose?"

"Yes. I don’t know much about myself. That goes for my weird nature as well."

"I see." The wolf let out an odd sound that was almost like a laugh before saying, "From what I can sense, you’re a living being with the qualities of a spirit. Yet, there are stark differences that bar you from the classification."

’That might be useful information.’

Matching the wolf’s pace, Ash asked:

"What exactly is a spirit?"

Tilting its head, the wolf smiled at Ash.

"That’s not something with a straightforward answer. But, if I were to try to sum up my existence in a few words... spirits are manifestations of the world’s desire."

’That’s a bit cryptic...’

Nodding as if he understood, Ash looked ahead at the warping horizon.

While he’d have loved to keep inquiring about spirits, as doing so might have led to new revelations about his existence... it was about time he learned what the hell was going on.

"I need to know who’s after her and where we’re going."

"I’m afraid it’s my turn..."

’Since when were we taking turns?’

The wolf continued, "Before I answer you, I’d like to know how you found yourself here so woefully underprepared."

"Ah..."

Ash looked down at his blood-covered body and half-torn tunic, which was barely clinging to him, held in place only by a strip going over his shoulder and his tail poking through it.

"I don’t exactly understand much myself..."

"I expected you’d say that."

"But, I will tell you what I know..."

While Ash was somewhat hesitant about revealing all of his cards, he went on to detail his predicament as best he could. Without labeling the world as a game or revealing that he’d been freshly transmigrated, he explained that he’d stumbled across a weird portal-like thing and walked into it, only to end up here.

Then, he added that he had a hunch that he was from a future version of the world. However, he didn’t know whether this was the true past, a recreation of it, or whether his conclusion was entirely misguided.

"I can’t be entirely sure of anything."

The wolf fell silent for a moment, processing the possibility that its existence might be a fabrication.

After a good minute of silence, the wolf muttered in response:

"Reality or not, you have a promise to uphold."

"I’m aware."

"Good." The wolf snarled happily, then added, "It is not my position to tell you everything. I’ll leave the decision of trusting you to her, but I will tell you what is necessary."

The wolf’s eyes followed the edge of the sun as it began to disappear below the snowy horizon.

"She is a princess, one born with a dreadful curse. She had a decision to make: stay and die, or run and be hunted by her own nation."

"If people are after her, I suppose they’re the ones who injured her, but... I saw no bodies on my way here."

"Ah, that would be due to her curse... Inquire about it with her directly if you’re curious."

’I see.’

Normally, Ash would have been annoyed by such evasiveness. In fact, that particular quality was another reason he disliked talking with others.

Yet, oddly, he felt a sort of warmth in his heart as he spoke with the wolf, as though he could finally relax.

The wolf continued:

"As for where we’re going... I guess you could refer to it as ’hell’."

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