NPC Code: Red Riding Hood Chapter 130 - Kouran's Return

(Still in Okami's Point of View)

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"And tomorrow, I would also introduce to you the boat you would all board towards Wonderland. It's a treasure that my people kept for futuristic voyages. But the situation beca dire. And you're the one who needs it the most, Okami. If Red hears about the requirents to ride that bad boy, she would not feel happy about it."

I stared into Snow White's eyes at the unbelievable news. After a few seconds, I recognised that Snow's claim hit the nail.

"Maybe you're right. But I can force Red to include as her adventurer. And she can't do anything about it. Let guess, that boat needs five people to operate the boat. And since none of us had experience riding or controlling one, we needed more people. I assu you plan on helping us fix it?"

Snow White gave a playful nod to my question. Despite her smirk, she wanted our team to succeed and save this world.

Before we ended our conversation, I ca to her and asked Snow White. "Now that's all out of the way. Do you want to join my force? We have the dark elves waiting inside the forest."

Since Kouran needed more troops, adding the dwarves in our numbers would really help us soon. We were up against players and soldiers from Earth. They also ard themselves with guns and extraordinary weapons in our modern tis.

If there was one way for us to win, we would use our knowledge of living in this world. Considering that I was the strongest player in the ga, our odds rose to the ceiling.

But that would change upon stepping foot on that cursed island….

Nobody wanted to go to Wonderland. Even though I had the necessary levels and equipnt, I refused to visit that environnt. I could not fathom why the developers still made that place, despite its dark history. It even cost them the destruction of this ga if it were not for .

"You're going to fight Alice?" Snow White asked, before I could outside.

I nodded my head and answered, "Yes. And how did you know I fought against Alice? Only the higher-ups of this ga should know about that battle."

I raised my eyebrow upon hearing Snow White's question, wondering about her intentions. I could only guess that Snow White heard it from other villagers, considering that she was an adventurer who road around the places.

"I just knew. Nobody told , but I realised Alice got defeated by soone. And when I arrived at Wonderland, I returned here and... forgot how I arrived."

"Strange," I answered. "There should be nothing that could control mories in this ga. The developers refused to ddle with NPCs and the natural order of Code. And yet, how was that possible?"

All my mumblings never found an answer to the mysterious phenonon. Snow White could only hum to herself while watching suffer alone. Since she did not know to think as I could, Snow White did not help with this problem.

"Well, we should lie low for now. There's nothing I could do about your fuzzy mories. But that would be a different story if you're hiding sothing from , Snow White," I continued.

"Hmm…. It seems that you don't entirely trust , despite working together against those players."

"I trust no one but my sister, Snow White. Your help eased my goal. But you can never earn my trust unless dying for my sake. Maybe I would consider it if you do just that."

Snow White did not utter a word after hearing my sentence. And since we concluded our conversation, I headed outside and prepared my equipnt. Ryoshi was still sleeping inside his room and would wake up at the next minute. He was also a diligent student who had a fixed schedule.

I always called him the bookworm or the early birdie when I first t him.

Snow White did not follow and went inside the shelter. I could imagine that she listened to Red and my talk earlier, so she planned to check on Ryoshi. Since we talked about establishing our trust, Snow White must have wanted to protect my friend and proved her loyalty to .

However, I needed nothing like that since Ryoshi would already wake up soon.

I stepped outside and watched the stars filling the night sky. It was a lovely night that would make Himari stare with awe if she were here with . That reason alone was enough to drive to complete this ga.

But before I could et with Ryoshi, a figure erged from the shadows. It was soone I knew and t for the past days before arriving in this kingdom. The girl appeared herself from the dusk while calling my attention.

"Wolf, we et again," Kouran said, while walking towards . "You were difficult to find. But with the help of this system, I tracked down your position. We finally got the hang of using the party mber thing you introduced to us. Although we're not parties, we are still fighting the sa enemy."

I was about to ntion that when Kouran explained it ahead of . She was not supposed to be here. And yet, that dark elf girl waltz inside the dwarven kingdom and said hello.

I greeted Kouran and answered, "You should have sent a scout or sobody else if you're going to tell a ssage. And besides, leading your troops is more important than sending sothing."

"Our," Kouran corrected. "We gathered as much force as we could, but I doubt this would be enough against the gods…. or the ga developers you ntioned. But that is not my goal eting you here, Fenrir."

Kouran went to my side while staring at the place behind . I gazed at the opposite side of her body and continued listening to her ssage. All my cells inside my body beca wiggly, thinking we did a cool pose. Although I was the strongest player in Code, I was still a teenager who wanted aweso things inside a ga.

"The soldiers are getting closer as we speak. Maybe we could hold them off while we could? Or, do you want us to stay hidden in the shadows and wait for your order? Please rember that we need resources to maintain the health and morale of our army."

When Kouran said all of those to , I lowered my head and stared at the ground. I knew that the world I lived in today changed into a death ga. And these NPCs believed and placed their hopes in . They had nothing to lose but could gain everything that they wanted, including freedom.

I had the responsibility to take care of these people. But thanks to Kouran, she acted as my right and managed my job. All I had to do was to complete this stupid ga and free these NPCs.

Himari might have done the sa thing if our positions got reversed. Since she was a kind girl, Himari would definitely save everyone in need, despite the NPCs being characters in this world.

But how could I think of those things when Red felt more humane than the rest of the people I knew? She wanted justice for her fallen sister, who did nothing wrong but lived her life. These NPCs could not run away and would beg for help from us adventurers.

Red's reason was enough to move my heart. And if I were the one who lost to Himari in this ga, I would have done the sa thing. I would seek vengeance while hunting down the responsible people managing Code.

However, killing these developers would cause an uproar for the governnt. Since these authoritative people had power, they would kill all NPCs… And the sa situation happened right now.

"Wait for my signal. And do not engage or kill any people without my permission. Those who would disobey my rules shall suffer the consequences. Banish them from our group and leave them be. We don't need irresponsible NPCs as our mbers," I announced, and t Kouran's worried eyes.

She gave a nod, but Kouran could not hide her anxiousness from . I walked closer to her and stared into her soul, wondering what boggled her head.

"Go on. Ask anything you like," I insisted, and waited for Kouran's response.

Kouran shrugged her shoulders and asked, "But what if the players attacked us first? It won't be long before those soldiers arrive at our base. They may have attacked us already as we speak, Fenrir."

"If that happens, all of you must retreat imdiately. Do not kill…. Please, do not kill them."

If these NPCs killed another person, the governnt would acknowledge them as threats to our society. And since the death ga did nothing but prolong our worries, the United Nations would do sothing extre to finish the ga.

"I have a plan. And it won't be long before we could complete this damn ga."