MMORPG: Surviving a Death Game with a Glitched System

"I swear I heard it this way!"

Ash wasn’t exactly sure how long they’d been wandering through the crystal forest, but the volcano behind them was beginning to grow distant.

They were following the enthusiastic Éloi up the side of a massive hill that seemed to stretch forever in either direction. He’d sworn he’d heard running water a few minutes earlier on the other side.

At first, Ash thought the fool had finally lost it.

To Ash’s knowledge, there was no reason Éloi would be able to hear something the other four couldn’t.

It would be possible with [Focus]...

’But Éloi apparently chose [Mend].’

Éloi had flippantly revealed that while asking everyone else what they’d chosen. So, either he was lying for no reason, or something else was at play.

But, regardless of how, they’d all heard the water as well once they drew closer.

Eventually, after reaching the summit of the hill, they saw it...

"Holy crap..."

"It’s beautiful..."

"Hoo! See! I told you all! But... wowzers! It certainly is pretty! And a bit strange..."

The scene before them looked as if a god had descended from the heavens and fused two worlds together — like a terrestrial estuary.

’Is this the edge of a zone?’

Standing at the ridge, one side was covered in obsidian and ash with gigantic crystals poking out from the ground.

The other was verdant and vibrant.

Thick velvety grass filled the slope alongside sprawling trees.

A little further down was a clear basin with fish-like creatures swimming within it.

From that basin, a steady stream flowed down the mountain.

’Geologically speaking, this place makes no sense.’

The ash from the crystal side should be staining that basin black, yet not even a single flake had migrated to the grassy side.

But on the other hand...

"This is a perfect place for the Holy Land."

Éloi jumped.

"Oooh! He spoke again!"

’Idiot...’

Ash narrowed his brass-colored eyes and glared at Éloi.

’The last thing we need is to be swarmed and have ourselves surrounded.’

"Ah, my bad, Epitome! Ah, sorry again..."

’Hopeless.’

All the creatures that had been following them had finally given up once they climbed the hill.

The last thing they needed was to draw the attention of whatever lurked on this side.

Patiently, the other four began studying Ash’s face, prompting him to voice his thoughts aloud.

Not that he cared for feedback or input.

"The Totem is the lifeline of the Dragonkin. It’s not meant to be placed in an area suited for a city, but one for a fortress. Therefore, here is suitable; however, first I must confirm something..."

Ash pointed toward the basin.

"That whatever is swimming around in there is a food source."

Sandra, keeping her voice down, questioned:

"Huh? How are we going to do that?"

"I will go check it out and return once confirmed."

"What do you...?"

Activating [Focus], Ash placed his hand on the gigantic red scale and willed it to stop following. Slowly, the Totem set itself down and balanced precariously on its edge. Once it did, Ash began to walk down the grassy slope once he confirmed the Totem wasn’t going to follow him. Just before he could exit the monster repellent range, Claude came sliding to a stop in his path.

"Woah, woah, woah! This is a little reckless, don’t you think?!"

Ash scowled while staring deeply into the black-haired man’s crimson eyes.

Eyes that widened as if to say, ’this guy is supposed to have good judgment?!’

"You can follow if you wish, but I wouldn’t recommend it."

Since Ash hadn’t explained his glitched condition, Claude and the others couldn’t understand his lack of fear.

"If you die, we’re screwed. I’m not letting you go."

Sandra added onto Claude’s point:

"Yeah, no way! At least activate the Totem first!"

Sighing, Ash tried to walk around Claude.

"I won’t die."

But Éloi soon stood shoulder to shoulder with the crimson-eyed man, joining him in blocking Ash’s path.

"Ah, I’m sorry, friend, but Claude has a point. And, besides, we should face the unknown as a team."

The only one who looked unperturbed at the whole situation was Nora... The purple-haired woman sat apart from the group, staring toward the distant volcano where they had first been summoned.

Even Ash was a little surprised by the lackadaisical response to his declaration.

Claude continued trying to persuade Ash with meaningless words. After listening for a bit, the calm girl eventually broke her silence, interjecting:

"If he says he’ll do something, he’ll do it without fail. I’ve never witnessed him break a promise."

Despite the praise, a weird feeling of unease filled Ash’s heart.

He didn’t smile this time.

Instead, he cocked his head back and stared at her slender figure.

’What do you know about me?’

A slight annoyance simmered within him... but it faded as quickly as it formed.

Clicking his tongue, Ash looked back at Claude.

’What to do...’

Ash could easily show them his hand phasing through a wall to ease their worries... The only gripe he had was exposing a weakness to these people.

He already knew hiding his condition forever was impossible. The secret would last a week at most.

And once they figured out his clothes were what stopped him from surefire death, then all they had to do was strip him bare while he slept, and he’d be gone.

’And once I activate the Totem, they don’t exactly need me anymore.’

Nor would they have any reason to follow him.

Not that Ash felt inferior, dependent, or scared of the other Dragonkin, but he’d simply begun measuring the variables of his situation.

Something he’d always done, even when playing Mythic Dominion.

After all, victory wasn’t guaranteed just because he was him — He wasn’t inherently stronger, and he didn’t receive some +100 stat buff every game — his true dominance lay in controlling every factor and circumstance he could.

So, the moment his secret got out, that was one less variable he had dominion over.

’One step closer toward being a failure no different than the rest.’

However...

’I truly hate people like you three...’

"Come on, let’s—"

Cutting Claude off, Ash extended his hand and said:

"Here."

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