The first person he heard, a woman with red horns and peach hair who was half-hyperventilating, noticed Ash and began pointing at him.
"T-thank all that is holy... I was starting to lose hope!"
’Huh?’
’Oh, I see.’
Deciding to ignore the woman, Ash looked at the gigantic scale next to him.
’This must be the Totem.’
An item only the First Champion could activate. And Ash, said person, had taken his sweet time in the tutorial. That woman was probably scared their one and only lifeline wouldn’t pass and they would be doomed from the start.
After all, according to the knowledge that entered his head, if a Champion died, the Totem would select a new one; however, that only happened after the Totem was activated.
’But this isn’t exactly what I had in mind for my "Holy Land".’
On the slope of a volcanic mountain...
’Plus, those things surrounding us look dangerous.’
All around, what seemed like creatures made of molten metal circled the Totem. Creatures Ash could instinctively sense he, and the four around him, had no chance against. Thankfully, they couldn’t approach due to the Totem’s presence, else they’d all be dead already.
"Champion, I’m glad you’re finally here!"
After being addressed once again, Ash finally looked at the others. With a scowl, he studied them.
The one who just spoke to him — and the one who’d been comforting the woman — was a tallish man with sleek black hair and red horns.
Ash’s gaze drifted to the left, at the woman who’d woken up first in the Fold of Existence. She was deathly pale, had light purple hair, and teal horns and scales. Despite her vibrant colors, her vibe was gloomy and despondent as she sat facing away from the group.
The last was an aloof-looking blonde man who was studying the Totem scale. This man almost looked ethereal due to his white horns and scales.
Of course, they were all wearing the same outfit. It seemed they even had the same bracers.
The woman with red horns screamed again while casting a glance at the molten monsters.
"Hurry! Activate the Totem!"
Ash’s eye twitched.
"Huh...? Here? Are you dumb? And who are you to try ordering me?"
"Ah, uh..."
Sighing, the man with red horns smiled as he stood and faced Ash. Despite being visibly annoyed at Ash’s standoffish remark to the panicking woman, he calmly said:
"Hello, I’m Claude. Nice to meet you."
Ash’s gaze descended to the outstretched hand.
"Call me Ash."
[Claude Fronte has invited you to join a party!]
Clicking his tongue, Ash begrudgingly accepted the invitation in his mind. A moment later, four names and eight gauges formed in the periphery of his vision.
’Their names, health and mana bars?’
Ash could instinctively sense the state of his own, but now he could visibly see theirs.
As for their names...
’Sandra Bellinger, Claude Fronte, Nora Waverly, Éloi Vauclair...’
’They see mine as well, don’t they?’
As evidence of that, the moment he joined the party, the woman with light purple hair spun around and looked at him.
’Recognize me, do you?’
Though it seemed she might have been the only one. None of the others showed any reaction besides flickers of annoyance or indifference at his attitude.
The aloof blonde, Éloi, muttered to himself:
"Ashley..."
Upon hearing his name said without care, Ash’s glare tightened on the handsome man. Éloi, unperturbed, cheerily waved and shouted:
"Don’t strain your eyes so much, friend. They say it makes you age faster!"
As much as he’d love to admonish and chide this stranger, Ash had yet to establish his superiority. So, it was only natural for others to make such mistakes.
Though, now that he’d spoken...
’At least four of us speak English...’
The only one yet to speak was the pale woman.
But of those who’d spoken, they all had an accent to Ash. Not that he knew, or cared, where exactly they were from.
Casting his glance down the mountain, Ash’s eyes drifted across an ethereal crystal forest which sprouted out of the rocky ground.
"We’re moving down the mountain."
The woman with red horns screeched while rapidly flicking her tail back and forth.
"Wha— you can’t just decide that!"
"Feel free to stay here if you wish. It is of no concern to me."
Claude scratched his cheek and spoke in a soft tone it didn’t seem Ash was meant to hear.
"Why is he speaking like that...?"
Ash sent a furtive glance at the man, then turned and marched over toward the scale. After activating [Focus], he placed his hand on it and willed it to follow.
It was an odd happening, but the scale creaked to life. Like a weightless kite, it began to float a little behind Ash, following when he began to walk down the mountain.
The red-horned woman shouted again:
"St-Stop! What are you doing?!"
Claude pinched his brow, then walked in front of Ash and held up his open-palmed hands.
"Sandra’s right. Ash, please hold on a second."
Claude spoke words that Ash didn’t exactly care to listen to, but he listened nonetheless. All because he wanted to check if the Totem was still following him after [Focus] had ended. Which it was. Meaning it was acting like an equipped item.
After confirming that, Ash finally addressed his party members.
"This place is not suitable for life. There is no food or water source. Plus, we are on the slope of a volcano... need I say more?"
"Buh—"
After a slight sigh, Claude spoke up, cutting off whatever Sandra was going to say.
"Ash, as much as I agree with your assessment, we haven’t discussed a plan of operation or anything. Blindly walking is much more dangerous than sitting still."
Scowling, Ash spoke back.
"Due to circumstances, 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."
A little stunned at the haughty idiocy, both Sandra and Claude stared at Ash with their mouths partly agape. Even Éloi was starting to grow a perplexed expression.
As for the taciturn pale woman...
"Don’t try reasoning with him... it won’t work."
After she said that, Ash glanced at the woman who was sitting with her back to him — the one he surmised recognized him.
’Nora, is it?’
A small smile grew on Ash’s face as he turned and continued his march down the mountain, forcing the others to begrudgingly follow.
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