NPC Code: Red Riding Hood

"If you sleep in the game, do you sleep in real life too?" Match asked, as we trod the vast ocean.

We widened our eyes upon hearing the innocent question of Match. Even I wanted to know the answer to that question. But I never had the time to ask that, considering the events we had experienced.

Wolf answered Match's question while looking at the wheels. "Ryoshi and I don't actually need sleep. Since we're still alive right now, machines from the hospitals are probably taking care of our bodies. We sleep because we want to, and it helps our reaction time in-game. It also enhances both our stamina and arcane as if it would affect us in real life."

"Since the game developers wanted to make this game as realistic as possible. Everyone living in Code could feel tired and sleepy. But that exhaustion won't hinder us from moving, attacking, and using our skills," Ryoshi added, with his eyes still navigating the ocean. "Do you have any more questions, Red and Match?"

"No," I answered. "We did not want to hear the answers from you."

After saying those words, the conversation turned to a complete stop. Since I already hindered Ryoshi from talking, nobody dared to spark up the talk. Well, silence would always be better than hearing Ryoshi's voice.

We also lost Captain Hook, our prisoners, from our hands. After facing that violent storm, Captain Hook took the emergency boat and slipped himself away from our grasp. None of us knew where he went, considering that he left even before we escaped the hurricane.

Despite losing Hook, Wolf told us we never needed the guy. He also told us that pirates did not have any use for us, since we already knew the location of the Kraken and the black pearl. But the question now was….

"Are we going to grab that Black Pearl before the pirates? Is that even necessary?" I posed a question.

Wolf nodded his head and answered, "It's a must if we have that. The black pearl would be our ticket inside Wonderland since we'll face against that stupid Kraken. We might even need to learn water and lightning magic before we could even face that sea creature. And we will park the boat somewhere safe, away from that battle. Or else we would lose our only transportation."

Since we would fight against gigantic marine life, water and lightning spells would be more effective than other elements. However, among all the players present, Ryoshi was the only one who could wield these arcane. Wolf could also conjure lightning, but he claimed not that optimally. That bastard could only conjure that lightning speed once in a fight and would cooldown within an hour.

"However, if we retrieve the Black Pearl, we won't have the time to battle the Kraken. That fight would be over before that squid could land a strike at us," Wolf exclaimed, placing the steering wheel in an automatic trance.

After fiddling with the ship's system, he turned around and walked towards us. "We need to teach Match to use lightning. If she can't, we will lose this battle."

"But I thought we would get the Black Pearl first before the pirates. And then use the power from the Black Pearl against the Kraken," I retorted.

Ryoshi stepped up and answered, "The Black Pearl is a handy tool we could use to strengthen our attack. But we can't just rely on the mythical stone. It's called a legend for a reason. Although I doubt that the game developers would bluff by placing false information inside the game. Even if the legends were true, those pirates might reach that place before we could. Captain Hook gave us the location, but it doesn't mean he can't lie to us. If my hunches were right, that pirate might have orchestrated everything. He must be laughing his ass off right now, claiming he got us good."

"Good one, Ryoshi. I might have thought the same thing," Wolf interrupted, claiming that he had thought about that part, too.

"Don't give me that crap, Okami. You can't even solve a grade schooler's math equation."

The two of them fought against each other, completely forgetting that point of this meeting. Since it had come to this, I had no choice but to teach the little girl, regardless of my wisdom. I went to Match and pulled her out of the conversation while we let these two idiots fight against each other.

If there was one thing I did not want, it was this pair teaching us something. We can never depend on other people, especially players who killed most NPCs.

But the question remained unanswered as I faced Match in the middle of the deck.

"Do you have any idea how to create lightning?" Match asked.

Even the smart kid, who completed the riddle trials, could not comprehend the Scientific descriptions of lightning. I only knew how to fight and assassinate people. Learning about nature and its cause did not come inside my head, not even once.

I shook my head and replied, "Nope. Not a clue. But let's start with reimagining what you saw from the storm…."

I pointed my head above and continued, "That lightning strikes you saw earlier…. tell me, what did you learn about it? Maybe I could help visualise it for you?"

Match felt hesitant, explaining the concept of lighting from what she saw. That girl wandered around and stuck her finger in her mouth, thinking about the perfect words she needed to use.

After a few moments, Match finally went to me and tried explaining lightning to me. "Basically, sparks covered the skies! Those zip zaps were too fast for my eyes, so I couldn't really see them! And, and, Ryoshi told me about protons and electrons that I don't understand!"

Completely useless. That word was enough to describe everything Match told me about lightning.

But that was the thing. Since Match and I lived inside Code without Science! Those game programmers made us without proper knowledge of understanding these things. And now it came biting us back for this upcoming battle!

After a few seconds of continuous brainstorming, I finally gave up and fell to my knees. Match did the same and kissed the ground as well.

"It's no use. We can't understand something when we don't know the basics," I exclaimed, while gazing at the darkened sky.

"Try rubbing your fingers as fast as you can. As soon as you kinda feel tired, place some mana onto your fingers. See what happens afterwards, okay? And try not to injure yourselves while doing it," Wolf said, with his voice echoing in our ears.

We did as he told us to do and worked on the rubbing part. After a few seconds, we poured our arcane on our hands while continuously rubbing them together. Within a few moments, something moved along our fingertips. And the next thing we knew, we stopped rubbing our hands together and got blown away by the unbalanced charge of magic and Science.

"Basically, friction makes electricity... Well, for beginners. And once you pour enough mana on your friction or hands, it would cause a spark. If you can apply that to your knowledge, you could create electricity. But also be aware that you need to do it without rubbing your hands. That part is just a concept you need to know beforehand."

After listening to Wolf's explanations, Match and I tried it out, hoping for the best. Within those moments, Match raised her hand and conjured two magic circles around her hand. But those ruins depicted unique characters from the ones I saw before. It even shifted colours, which turned the crimson circles into azure.

There was no chance I would conjure the lightning element. But before I could reach that conclusion, a surge of light blue strings emerged around my hands. Those cobalt colour waves strengthened my body, which made my muscles lighter than ever before.

"Would you believe it, Ryoshi? They learned the basics of lighting, which took me a week to learn to use my main account."

"You're an idiot, Okami. And they aren't."

After the two idiots exchange, Match successfully called upon the surrounding lighting magic circles. A chain of electricity emerged from her hands, brightening up our surroundings. Her spells even burned down the boats if it were not for me blocking the electrical current.

I also gained some powers from the lightning element. After rubbing my arcane and the mana surrounding me, I gave birth to lighting. But Match made had a different effect than mine, considering that I was not a mage.

Lightning covered my skin and acted as a booster to enhance my body for a short time. It even excelled the wind element Match placed on me when we were back in the cave.

However, that peaceful drift came to a stop as we met the whirlpools in front of us.. According to Captain Hook, those circulating waves were terrible news for voyagers like us.