MMORPG: Surviving a Death Game with a Glitched System

Vera stared at the strange man’s back. The man looked like a human but had odd scales, horns, and a tail.

’I’d thought we were getting along... He even called me by my name and told me his.’

Was she truly this unbearable to be around? Was it not her curse scaring people away, but simply her?

She wanted to cry.

She’d only known this strange man for a day. And yet, in that day, she had felt an odd warmth.

It wasn’t that he treated her kindly. In fact, he was somewhat cold.

It was that he didn’t care about her curse or judge her for it.

He was a slight respite from a world that hated her.

’But maybe this distance is needed...’

After all, her resolve to destroy it all had slowly begun to fade. She had someone on her side. Someone other than her father or brother who’d since turned on her.

If Ashley was with her in the world, then maybe the world wasn’t so bad.

But now even he was turning his back on her.

Worst of all, Vera didn’t even know what she’d done wrong but had accepted the fault as hers.

***

Ash crouched on the chain while studying the spire’s summit.

’Seems fairly safe.’

Looking off to his right, down the chain, he noticed that the next stop was quite a distance away.

’Assuming the haze truly follows a day and night cycle...’

Voicing his thoughts for the other two to hear, he said:

"The best bet would be hunting on this spire island while waiting for the haze. Once it returns and after I kill one of those serpent bastards, I’ll continue on."

There was also a chance the haze was random, but it was still wise to travel during it. Otherwise, up on the chain, they’d be visible to nearly the entire seal. The Hounds and Cross could locate them instantly without needing to rely on any tracker.

Not that they’d strayed too far from the one-way path down the chain.

The princess simply nodded at his words before fearlessly jumping off the chain.

The wolf gave Ash a bombastic side-eye, then followed the princess.

Ash clicked his tongue.

’Think what you will.’

Then he followed after them.

Upon landing on the top of the spire under the chain — where there was enough flat ground that they didn’t have to worry about falling — Ash found his way to the edge and looked down at the snake beings, studying them.

While there were multiple serpents roaming the lands below, they all seemed independent. In fact, they’d all seemingly claimed the base of a spire as theirs.

’What should I call them for now... Spire Serpents?’

It fit the S.S. theme this place had going, so it sounded like a fitting name.

As Ash observed, he looked for weaknesses and habits.

As for the latter, the Spire Serpents seemed to stay in one place most of the time, cuddled up at the base of the spires. They only moved when a Seal Scrawler entered their range.

This happened fairly often, as the Seal Scrawlers were blind and didn’t sense the motionless snakes.

However, when a snake moved, it seemed the Seal Scrawlers could tell what it was because they tried to run instead of fighting.

As for weaknesses...

So far, no Seal Scrawler had been able to reveal any obvious ones to Ash.

Though the serpent did have fairly slow vertical movement.

Its wings seemed more for propelling it in the direction it was already going.

’I could try to get it to slam its head into a wall...’

A sudden low voice whispered in his ear.

"Dragonkin."

Ash cast an unconcerned glance behind him. There, he spotted an exhausted princess lying against the rock, pretending to be asleep while a few tears trailed down her cheek.

And right behind him, the wolf’s large body stood, looking down at him.

"Is there something you want from me, wolf?"

The wolf trotted until she was right next to him, then sat down on her hind legs and looked down at the serpents and scrawlers below, just like Ash had been doing.

"Perspective."

Ash, looking back down, replied:

"You’re a vague one, wolf."

"Nay. I merely wish to know what you saw when seeing the Seal Sentry. I admit there are many things about that creature that would make anyone other than myself fall into despair, but I had thought you greater than a slave to those lesser emotions."

...

’...’

...

Keeping his eyes down, Ash grumbled back:

"I thought that of myself as well. It was then that I realized I was wrong. I want to be at the pinnacle, but for a brief moment, I thought there was no reason to become stronger or more fearsome than that thing. Why not merely go about my days avoiding it? Upon recognizing that thought, there was only one way to make it right..."

"And what would that be?"

"To give in to desperation to drown out despair. Pursue strength with more fervor than ever before. To not grow complacent in any capacity. Aim for the top without compromise; focus on my goals and my goals alone."

"Even if you hurt others in your pursuit?"

"Correct."

The wolf chuckled.

"Hmm. That’s certainly one way to go about it."

Ash narrowed his gaze while studying the edge of his white dagger.

"Wolf, tell me. How did you become a Great Spirit? Were you born with your strength, or did you acquire it?"

The wolf smiled.

"No spirit is born strong, though some, like myself, are born with the capacity for strength."

Ash, still not glancing at the wolf, asked:

"Then how did you grow stronger?"

"The only way a spirit can... by consuming other spirits. Did you ask knowing that answer?"

"No, I merely wished to assess your perspective."

"Hoh...? And what is your diagnosis?"

"From the little you’ve told me... you’re a hypocrite. Just as loathsome a one as me."

"Keke. I agree. But as a loathsome hypocrite just like you, let me give you a word of advice... Those who reach the pinnacle via tyranny fall to the same vice."

Ash turned his gaze to the wolf.

"What does that say of you?"

"No matter how hard I try or how ruthless I am, my reign will never be eternal, as someone more ruthless than I am is destined to come along and claim the Winter Throne... It’s something I’ve learned over my many years at the top. Not that it’s happened yet."

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