NPC Code: Red Riding Hood

The scene left a bitter taste in my mouth, but I had to do it. If I don't, these people could kill me instead. This place was the world I live in right now, and I have to accept that.

There were more soldiers up ahead, but we beat them up with the help of Rumpelstiltskin. That kid had a knack for conjuring a force field surrounding us, obstructing and deflecting bullets without breaking a sweat. I asked Rumpel how he created this overpowered barrier. But that old man with the size of a kid just shook his head and told me it was just a secret.

After defeating the countless enemies along the way, we stumbled upon a remote house in the middle of the woods. We took the roundabout way, since there were more soldiers in the front lines. But we made it here in one piece.

It was a victorious feat, if someone would ask me.

"Here… Come inside. I'll grab you some tea," Rumpelstiltskin said, while gesturing his hands for us to follow inside.

As soon as he locked the front gates, arcane power surrounded the house. After a few moments, the mana covering the shack twirled around us, creating an illusion outside.

[Notification! Rumpelstiltskin has applied the [Philadelphia's Enchantment] surrounding the house. As long as the user pours magic to the ability, the spell will never break!]

It was as I had guessed. [Philadelphia's Enchantment] makes someone invisible for a short time. Only assassins and marksmen could learn this skill. However… using it to conceal the house… was beyond my imagination.

"How did you do it?" I asked the odd-looking kid beside me.

"I will tell you that in exchange for something else. But that is not important right now. Do you want to chase after Red or not? I know where to find her." Rumpel replied.

That brat sat on the couch and faced us. The table slid in Rumpelstiltskin's direction, together with a pen and paper grasped in his hands. Rumpel grinned at me and raised an eyebrow, like a business person rigging me with their offers.

"Now that we got that escaping out of the way, why don't we make a deal?" Rumpelstiltskin exclaimed as he opened the scroll in his hands.

The words flew by and wrote themselves from the papers, with no help of some sort from magic circles. I thought at first that this set-up was all but a trap. But Ryoshi told me otherwise.

My best friend explained that this was Rumpelstiltskin's plan all along. However, it was best to listen for what he would say.

"Although his offers would benefit him, it might help us. If we just use the right statements, maybe we could use it to our advantage, Okami," Ryoshi whispered.

I gave him a nod and let the scene play out on its own. The two of us just observed Rumpel do his thing.

"You have my word that I won't manipulate you or anything. All I want is to help you achieve your goal. I'm just a helpful person, aren't I?"

"That's the last thing I'd ever believe, Rumpelstiltskin. Just tell us your contract, and we'll be on our way!" Ryoshi shouted as he demanded the offer.

"Geez… Teenagers these days are a very impatient bunch. But it's just the way I like it. Very well, Fenrir… Hunter… I shall grant you this contract," Rumpelstiltskin retorted. "A piece of advice. Be sure to read all the terms and conditions. I'd feel delighted if you won't, but you'd never know what you might miss."

'He even knows my main account…,' I thought, and clenched my hands.

[Notification! A contract appears before you, bigbadwolf. Do you want to read the terms and conditions?]

It was what Rumpelstiltskin had mentioned earlier. Rumpelstiltskin placed the terms and conditions in front of the scroll. As we glimpsed at the boy monitoring our every move, Ryoshi and I unravelled the papers and read everything.

[This Contract Agreement is made as of the day XXX by and between Rumpelstiltskin, Ryoshi, and Okami, players in Code.]

[WHEREAS, Okami and Ryoshi will receive additional buffs, status points, legendary weapons and equipment, and one rare skill for accepting the main quest given by Rumpelstiltskin.]

[Main Quest: Ryoshi and Okami shall rescue Alice and help her escape Wonderland's Castle with no injuries. ]

[Materials: Rumpelstiltskin shall provide and pay for all equipment for Ryoshi and Okami. These include tools, machinery, and transportation for the completion of the work. All materials shall be of excellent quality and new. Okami and Ryoshi may substitute materials only with the prior written approval of Rumplestiltskin.]

[Signature over Printed Name]

{Signature over Printed Name]

"..."

"..."

I widened my eyes upon reading the contract. All the benefits I could receive would benefit Ryoshi and me. But that was not enough to save the death game or the NPCs and the players living in Code!

"Ryoshi, get back!" I shouted.

Ryoshi heeded my advice and jolted backwards, equipping his bow and arrow in his hands. I did the same and transformed it into my first form. I needed to get ready, since Rumpelstiltskin could conjure a force field surrounding this house. There was no question what he could do with those immense arcane that he holds.

"Are we going to take Rumpelstiltskin down?" Ryoshi asked, and showed me a worried expression.

I shook my head and whispered, "We don't need to fight Rumpel. If that guy has that insane amount of power to create force fields outside, there's no way that we can beat Rumpelstiltskin… not with this form of mine."

If I was using my Fenrir account, maybe I could even finish Rumpelstiltskin before he could create a barrier. But even if he did make one, I could always destroy that shield with the help of my second and third form.

That boy with the face of an old man heaved out a sigh. Rumpel wiggled his legs and gave me a bored look carved on his face.

"What are you doing?" Rumpelstiltskin asked, while tilting his head to the side. "Why are you two acting like thugs? Are you planning to rob me?"

Ryoshi and I did not give him a reply. And, instead, we glared Rumpel in the eye. It was the first time I became nervous in front of that Rumpel guy, knowing that he had an immense amount of mana inside of him. And Ryoshi even told me about Rumpel and his stories. That tale ignited the flames burning inside the house.

But instead of fighting Rumpelstiltskin, the two of us needed to run away. I knew that option would be safer for us to take, since we cannot gauge the overall power of the guy in front of us.

Although the offer had a handsome reward, the benefits did not weigh the same. Releasing Alice was far more dangerous than anything in this world, even from the soldiers equipped with guns. That girl could destroy the entire Code if she wanted to. That's how powerful Alice was when I first fought her.

"Are you…?"

I raised my hand and covered my fist with flames. Despite not being a mage, I could still envelop my body with the fire element and convert my punches into an inferno.

Ryoshi did the same and followed my lead. He pulled the string and prepared a burning bolt as he aimed it at Rumpelstiltskin.

If my deductions would prove me correct, that guy was a puppet… a lackey that Alice made. Puppets were the soldiers she controlled, and they were the only loyal creatures she had during her reign. It was not a surprise if a bunch of them escaped the prison, which I also made with the help of the game developers during my prime.

But before the fire could reach that forsaken Rumpel, a puppet emerged in front of Rumpelstiltskin, protecting it with its own body. After the fire had worn out, a figure of a boy with a lengthy nose welcomed my eyes.

"Pinocchio…," Ryoshi murmured to himself, with his eyes widened in surprise.

He knew more about the names than me, who fought Alice before. But Ryoshi's guess was correct, since the marionette in front of us had a recognisable face that I cannot forget.

"Rumpelstiltskin, you idiot! From all the players you planned to help, you chose Fenrir?! How stupid you could get?!"

"Don't look at me, Pinocchio. They are the ones that barged in front of me. And besides, I was this close in helping them if it were not for adding Alice in the contract!"

The two puppets argued in front of us. If we could battle Pinocchio and Rumpelstiltskin at the same time, Ryoshi and I would lose. And even if we won, the soldiers would arrive in this village and finish us off. Besides that, we also needed to recruit wandering NPCs living in this village to our hideout.

But I guess we would hold that thought for later. It was not our responsibility to invite the NPCs over to our side. It was Elina and the dark elves that had that job.