(Denzel's POV):
While travelling towards the central spawn area. We didn't particularly have much things to do except being patient. But the second I thought that there wasn't anything that will happen, I immediately regret it.
"Hey Denz, can you tell everyone your past?" - Ashley
Oh God why...
"Oh yeah, speaking of pasts... I'm quite interested in what Denzel went through." - Malech
"Well, want to tell them Denz?" - Lilith
"Criminy... Fine!"
The rest of the members start cheering unnecessarily and sat around in a clump while listening to me. I facepalmed on instinct to the sight of a bunch of adults listening to a guy's story of his past like children. Guys, you're all grown ups...
"Anyways, how should I start this... Ah! Let's start with the day my parents left me all alone at home. I was eight years old that time, I was just abruptly left without a word and didn't come back at all. I was forced to cry out in loneliness and despair but Lilith was my neighbor, still coming to play."
"Denzel was such a nice guy, what happened to the former Denzel I knew?" - Lilith
"Well, because I was left all alone... Nobody would be cooking so I would be in trouble. I learnt everything all by myself and tried to think about saving up and trying to live for as long as possible. I don't particularly understand anything at first when I'm alone but I soon got the hang of everything."
"It's because Denzel is smart. He still managed to teach us advanced mathematics without even taking the lectures." - Ashley
"Wait! You were dropped out?!" - Gayle
"Naturally, I had to save up on money so I intentionally quit school at the time. But that doesn't mean I am dumb because I keep learning everything from the small library that contains all basic stuff along with life. Anyways, bit by bit I started to understand that I was completely abandoned by my parents. That thought, changed my personality heavily on the course of a few months. It constantly broke me down every single day to the point where I didn't miss a day without bleeding badly."
"And I couldn't go to you because my parents didn't let me. I wasn't able to take care of you daily." - Lilith
"Well, it can't be helped but good thing I managed to live. That's the gist guys, any questions?"
The others simply smiled as and didn't show any sign of questioning my past. I actually thought Gayle and Thrish would doubt me but I guess I was just overthinking it?
Around two hours later, we finally arrived to the spawn area and moved to an inn that has a safezone.
Within the safezone, we are able to sleep peacefully without anyone having to try and kill us. There are still issues with people going in to forced duels and abuse their methods to enjoy their time. I could prevent that from happening but the game has made some countermeasures to make the rooms inaccessible to other players at will. All eight of us stepped back down to the ground as I try to fix up and refill this carpet of energy once again.
"Alright everyone, I think you guys should go sleep early because we're gonna set off around later in midnight."
"Wait, midnight?" - Ashley
Ashley exclaims her surprise to my sudden change of plans, but I had something in mind to possibly think that midnight is a better choice.
"It's safer when we go at midnight so. Lilith, I trust that you'd wake them up at three?"
"You can count on me!" - Lilith
Lilith energetically raises her hand and left with smooth steps while being excited. So she changed persona again huh?
Lilith is a unique kind of person who would transition personalities randomly. She would enter a serious state and suddenly go to an excited state without warning. Which is why she could be a handful when she enters some sort of affectionate state. Gayle and Thrish followed after Lilith towards their room in the inn. William, Isaac, and Malech went off to a nearby bar and enjoyed some light drinking. Ashley stayed with me since she asked for some of my time.
We went around the center spawn just the two of us alone buying some snacks to stuff ourselves in a bit. I want to say that Ashley is really beautiful, I'd want her but now? I have Rika on my side. Lilith is also waiting for me too, but I guess I have to enjoy my life here since my chances of marriage is still pretty vague right now. From the other person's perspective, the two of us would be looking like a pair that's dating. And because we look of that, I often get into troublesome issues...
"Oi, brat! Let's have a duel. If I win--" - ???
"Alright~ Duel Health! Omnitelum!"
I immediately summoned Omnitelum and closed the gap between the two of us, launched an uppercut and forced the big guy to immediately pass out after a powerful strike to the chin.
Troublesome guys are an issue in the spawn areas but, they aren't that big of an issue against me.
Me and Ashley left the guy without batting an eye from his insolent behavior of aiming for Ashley.
I lightened the mood by asking Ashley about the real topic she wants to talk about.
"So Ashley, what did you want to talk about?"
"Well, you know Denz? I have a bad feeling about Leo and Miguel." - Ashley
"So it's not just Bella anymore huh? What do you think?"
"Well, Leo has abilities to use portals for some reason even if he's just a gunslinger." - Ashley
"Yeah, he never even told me his class. He's suspicious enough alone already, what about Miguel?"
"He's a black knight, disguising himself to be a regular fighter." - Ashley
"Black knight?!"
Black knights are dangerous people who live with corrupted minds. The entire darkness race relies on the evil side of darkness magic, it's a visible gas that has an ability to corrupt a person's mind to become more selfish, evil, and powerful. That gas is called 'Miasma'
"His miasma becomes visible at times when he goes outside of the palace. I didn't think of it at first but he's oozing out some very powerful aura a few days ago." - Ashley
"Was he unable to control it?"
"No, he was being corrupted with something. I felt, jealousy in his miasma." - Ashley
"Jealousy?"
"He was feeling, anger, jealousy and disdain. I talked to him about it and he was saying something weird." - Ashley
"Details?"
"He said something like: 'He'll pay the price for stealing something from me.' I didn't particularly understand much when he was just trying to display his wrath towards someone." - Ashley
"Something from him? I have a feeling that it might be me he's talking about. He was pretty pissed off with me making Rika fall for me. It was his fault for losing her in the first place, so I'll be sure to protect her in his place. If he tries something, I'll eliminate him at once."
"Yeah, I'm pretty worried about it but I have a feeling that he and Leo are in cahoots." - Ashley
"Let's see, I just have to make sure to not make a mistake."
Me and Ashley continued walking around the central plaza and sat down on a bench, near the fountain.
"It's already a year huh?"
"Well, I think we would've had a harder time if we weren't in cover within your palace or Seymour's castle. But, we also enjoyed stepping on the front lines." - Ashley
"It's kind of hard to watch people die, but I think it's a little bit light when it was considered that all players who died will be transported to a different server."
"Who knows, at least you won't be called a murderer unlike in real life." - Ashley
"I don't know, maybe it will happen in the real life again depending on the situation."
Ashley looks down thinking about my possible actions in real life.
"Right, I think that you could do something like that when you experienced killing all kinds of players here." - Ashley
"But it's the same as always. I'll protect everyone, even at the cost of my life."
I stood up and pat Ashley's head. I should reassure people like her that I won't do something bad in the contrary that we return to the real world.
I thought to myself that I might have the least contribution when it comes to progression of the game. But I do know that I won't lose when it comes to protecting a person from harm. Ashley looked up and smiled nicely before we returned to the inn where everyone is waiting.