MMORPG: Surviving a Death Game with a Glitched System

The healing process was painfully slow, with an emphasis on the ’painful.’

It had been several hours, yet only a small portion of Ash’s limbs had grown back. If he were to quantify it, he’d gone from 5% HP to 15%.

Well...

Since limbs weren’t typically meant to grow back, regenerating at all was a blessing. However, with wounds this severe, recovery would likely take several days.

On the bright side, he hadn’t encountered any monsters yet, supporting his theory that they only spawned after dark. That left him with plenty of time alone with his thoughts.

Time Ash had no intention of wasting.

Concentrating through the pain was immensely difficult, so Ash didn’t even attempt to sense mana. Instead, he focused on discerning the objectives of the three central figures he’d met in the instance, since understanding their motives was almost certainly essential to clearing it.

’Vera...’

The princess.

Of the three, she was the one Ash felt hadn’t deceived him maliciously. He believed she was concealing a thing or two, but she wasn’t actively plotting against him.

Ash firmly believed the princess hadn’t lied when she’d said her goal was to ’destroy it all.’ She was truly a woman with a shattered soul who’d given up on the future.

There wasn’t much to glimpse beyond that exterior.

However...

’Demitra.’

The wolf.

The Great Spirit of Winter.

’No matter how I look at it... she’s the problem.’

Unlike the princess, Demitra had no reason to want to destroy it all.

Judging by the presence she carried, the Great Spirit was likely ancient. Would she really be so emotionally swayed by one human that she would welcome ruin?

Perhaps Ash would have believed it before, but...

’Hell no.’

Ash had glimpsed into the wolf’s psyche and seen a warped perspective splintering inward like a shattered, foggy mirror.

Nobody in whom Ash saw himself would be so kind as to throw everything away for the sake of another.

And after hearing what Cross had said, he couldn’t help but conclude that Demitra was using the princess to further her own agenda — one that required forming a contract with her.

’Likely for her power.’

Either [Spirit Heal] or something they’d been hiding from him.

Knowing Demitra’s ultimate objective mattered little to Ash. It wasn’t as though the answer would change his own course.

After all, he’d have to die to dissolve their contract.

Since his death was necessary for Demitra to achieve her goal, Ash had no option but to stand against the wolf.

Finally...

’Cross.’

The silver prince.

Someone Ash couldn’t quite get a read on. Still, he had a few theories.

When he’d first met Cross, the guy had seemed like an arrogant, murderous sadist who relished the thrill of the hunt. He put on theatrics and spoke in an archaic manner.

A manner even Ash recognized as odd — not that he was aware of the hypocrisy.

In any case, Cross’s facade had instantly crumbled when the princess was no longer around. He hadn’t entirely dropped his act, but his theatrics had given way to pure ruthlessness and a single-minded desire for knowledge. He wasn’t intent on putting on a show while questioning Ash; he merely wanted answers.

And during that questioning, Cross had said a few interesting things...

Mainly, that Ash needed to die because of his contract with Demitra.

At first, it had sounded like Cross merely wanted to get rid of an enemy. However, Ash then recalled what the princess had told him about Cross’s power.

He could consume spirits. However...

’He can only do so when they’re in their unmanifested state.’

And because of their contract, Demitra was able to remain permanently manifested. At least, that was how he understood it.

’I don’t think that helps Demitra against Cross nullifying her power.’

Therefore, it seemed Cross didn’t simply want to kill Demitra, but to consume her.

The reason?

’He wants to use her power?’

The princess had said Cross could access the abilities of the spirits he consumed for a short period of time.

’But why would he want that?’

Ash might have understood if the power boost was permanent.

Either Ash was misunderstanding something, or there was something Cross wished to accomplish within that brief window.

And, finally, Cross had said that he wasn’t "long for the world."

He either intended to die or believed he was headed down an unsurvivable path. Not that the discrepancy mattered when the ending was the same.

What mattered more was why.

Was Cross trying to stop the princess to save the world? Or was he trying to stop Demitra to save the princess?

Both? Neither?

"Agh."

’This is why I hate human factors.’

Ash sighed as he rubbed his head.

"But considering everything, I think I know whose side I’m meant to be on in this instance..."

Ash spoke the name of the princess he had recently been unable to bring himself to say:

"Vera."

He hadn’t learned exactly what he was meant to do or understood all the reasons why, but it was clear his goal was to save her.

To save her from whatever Demitra and Cross had planned for her.

Ash leaned back, keeping his hand on the bow in case he slipped. His thoughts circled back to the first of the three.

"Vera Frichella, first princess of Evercrest..."

That was the name of the woman who’d nearly broken down his walls.

The name of the woman he feared more than Cross or Demitra.

Vera had evoked something unfamiliar within him, a feeling he’d never experienced before. For once, he felt that perhaps it was okay to rely on another. That unknown factor had quietly eroded his resolve.

To make sure he wouldn’t grow dull again, he’d taken to avoiding her and refusing to even speak her name.

Now, he felt a sense of unease knowing he’d have to assist his most dangerous threat.

Yet...

Assisting her also meant going against her, in a sense.

And, for some reason, that...

That was somewhat scarier than being by her side.

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