[After image] was a spell I created in this game against NPCs. Since players could see through that feint attack, none of them would fall for that strike. Our systems had detectors that could inspect magic from afar, especially when the class heightened this skill.

The ability worked like [Wolf Walk] but even faster with the use of a glitch. Since players knew what would happen when a bug occurs, they would find a way to stop an enemy glitching or using [after image]. 

Clement, who was an NPC created by the game developers, had no idea how this worked. His ignorance cost him my disappearance, as Match and I ran from the terrain.

When the soldiers arrived near Clement, Match and I had already escaped that place. Clement never saw our images as the smoke disappeared before him. Since I had perfectly planned that out, there was no way for those players to reach our tail.

While sprinting towards our destination, I messaged Ryoshi to leave the place. He didn’t have any reason to search the area, since I had already found Match. 

It didn’t take Ryoshi a while before receiving and replying to my message. As soon as I got his okay sign, the two of us headed onwards to the pit.

Aa few minutes of running around, we eventually arrived inside our base. The two of us jumped at the hole and slid through the muddy tunnel. When we arrived on the bottom floor, Ryoshi and Kouran welcomed us.

But instead of greeting them back, I rose from the ground and shook Kouran’s shoulders. The dark elf widened her eyes as soon as I launched myself towards her. She didn’t know what to react as she kept a stern look on her face. 

“Someone’s coming. It’s a boy cosplaying…err, dressed up as a knight. He’s an NPC; the one who’s slaughtering other NPCs in this game. T-That guy’s name is Clement. And he’s going to hunt every NPC and me. Clement won’t stop until he kills you or me, and impales us with his blade. He’s the main obstacle we need to face once we reach the surface,” I narrated, and gazed at Match. “Clement also said that he has Red somewhere. But he didn’t say where. I believe Clement kept her inside that base…..I don’t know why, but it feels like he did that. Red’s also alive….but technically dead. That’s how Clement explained it to me.”

Those people who heard my suggestion all carved their faces into a sour expression. Since these NPCs believed in me, they knew the extent of my power. I was the strongest player in this game, until I lost my powers. Even though I couldn’t access my main account, I could still win against high-levelled enemies. 

But Alice and this Clement guy had more advantages against me. They each had high-levels, better skills and equipment, and even the numbers behind their back. Alice had golems that wore out our energy, while Clement had players at his flank. 

Although I also had some NPCs following my back, these numbers won’t be enough to stop the player’s force. If we wanted to keep our lives to ourselves, we needed more than this to fight them.

But time wasn’t on our side, since we had little time to prepare. I still couldn’t unlock my other forms and Fenrir, my wolf friend. However, even without these buffs, our group would clash against the soldiers on the surface.

After a few seconds, every NPC in the base gathered around the room. Since the leaders of this organization circled in one place, those bystanders wanted to listen to our conversation. Those NPCs were also warriors fighting for a cause. And that cause led us to the goal of fighting to complete the game and get the NPC what they deserved.

“Tonight, we will finally take the lead and snatch the stones from Asimov, the creator of this game. We could also save Red while infiltrating the base. We will have two teams to work with this mission…..I cannot promise your safety…..And some of you will die while taking this mission. But this is a fight that could change our lives. It’s a fight to bring the freedom we deserve!” Kouran exclaimed, as she gazed at everyone present inside this room.

Match stepped up and raised her hand, hoping that anyone would notice her presence. Fortunately, Kouran saw her fingers and pointed at the little girl. With giddy eyes, Match shared her thoughts to the entire crowd.

“Red is my sister…..It’s my fault that she’s stuck inside the base….Please, let’s save her! She knows how to finish the game. And she wanted to end this war, so no children would suffer as Red did. She always told me to change this world for the better. And I want to do that with you guys! I want to lend my power to this group!” Match announced, as she firmly stood from the ground. “I know what it’s like to fight against players…..And I don’t want that! But we have no other choice but to tell them what we want! I know that I can’t ask everyone to avoid killing players. But if we could avoid that, that would be very good….We could end this war without fighting anyone!”

Everyone who had heard Match’s speech couldn’t help but give her a round of applause. Those elves, demi-humans, and other NPCs admired Match’s braveness despite being younger with the rest of this party. 

Kouran went to Match side and caressed her head, praising Match for her confidence. Even though she was still a kid, Match showered us with motivation. She told everyone we could fight our way towards our goal and achieve the freedom everyone wanted.

But Kouran apologetically shook her head and replied, “I’m sorry, Match. But those players would kill us if we didn’t kill them first. We’re going into war. So casualties would happen.”

I pondered at Match’s words when she confessed her thoughts to the crowd. War was the worst thing that could ever happen in a generation. And war would affect everyone, including children and innocent lives on the line.

But as Match shared earlier, we could end this war without getting our hands dirtied with bloodstains. Upon going inside the child’s brain, I deduced that there was no meaning behind our quarrels against those players.

There was always away to avoid conflict, including the war. History had proved this in our world. And the United Nations made an alliance between different countries. Now that the world had changed into this modern era, coinciding with the NPCs could be the novel norm. 

Before Kouran could continue her explanation, I butted in and seconded Match’s opinion. “Actually, what Match said may have a point. We could end this war by taking the obelisk from Asimov’s or Clement’s hands, rescue Red, and escape from the base. Our last resort would be engaging ourselves in war.”

“Our goal is to complete this game and demand freedom from the game creators. And that would only happen if we could get our hands on the obelisk that Red collected throughout our trip. Even Alice mentioned something about those obelisks as keys and gateways towards the surface. It was also the Easter Egg of this game….Anyway, we could avoid fighting against those players by snatching the stones!” I continued, while looking at everyone’s eyes.

All the NPCs who had listened to my suggestion crossed their arms and nodded their heads. Since most of them didn’t understand the framework of Code and its game, they wanted to continue the war. But upon realising the consequence of their decision, they doubted themselves and took my option to consideration.

The decision would depend on Kouran and me, since we’re the leaders of this group. 

Kouran took a deep breath and asked me a question. It was a query that I had already expected when I came up with this plan.

“If you’re planning to do that, Fenrir, who would breach the base? Elves are good when firing our arrows from afar. And demi-humans have strengths exceeding those from humans. The mercenaries aren’t versed in the art of infiltrating inside a base. Besides you, who do you think is capable of the job?” Kouran asked, and stared into my soul.

“I would recruit the elite elves as our wards to enter the base. Match, Hunter, and me would be the only ones to infiltrate the base. All of you are going to wait here on standby in case something terrible happens. Well, if we didn’t appear after two days, or we died from battle, you could start the war without the three of us,” I explained, while looking at Match and Ryoshi. “If I bring more than these two people, it would be harder for us to breach the base. And besides, I’ve done this before. And I could do it again.

“Are you out of your mind?!” Kouran yelled, while waving her hands.