MMORPG: Surviving a Death Game with a Glitched System

"Damn it..."

Ash panted raggedly while gripping the wound on his shoulder. Blood trickled between his fingers, dyeing them red.

’Since when was I this careless?’

Had the glitch made him too arrogant?

’No...’

His trust in himself was a habit that had begun long ago. While he had no doubt he would have been more careful without the glitch, he also knew this situation had been inevitable.

At some point, he would have left the group to explore on his own. He’d entirely failed to consider the possibility that a creature like this existed in this world, given what he’d seen so far.

♫Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm hmmm...♫

The beast lowered its bow and began humming again as it paced leisurely around him.

’But...’

Would he retreat?

’Hell no.’

***

It had been about twenty minutes since Ash had left the others. So far, he hadn’t seen or done anything worth noting.

He’d only encountered the same monsters and the same foliage, and he hadn’t even used [Focus] yet.

Not that he was in any rush to fight something.

He had a few goals in mind beyond the necessary ones.

Having come into contact with the Goddess of Spring, Demitra, Ash knew that non-players also lived in this world.

Maybe he wouldn’t be able to find one, but he wanted to at least discover some evidence of their existence.

To that end, he’d been traveling along the ridge where the zones converged.

However, his journey came to a sudden halt when he noticed something glowing strangely within the forest.

’It doesn’t look like a monster...’

Curious, Ash inched down the slope and into the thicket while furtively glancing toward the trees, wary of any other Marauders waiting to give him a nasty welcome to this world.

Thankfully, he reached the source of the light without incident.

As Ash stared at it, only one thought came to mind.

’A portal?’

While he only had games and other media to go on, the swirling, liquid-like green mass of light definitely gave him that impression.

Not stupid enough to touch it, Ash kept a good ten paces away as he circled the strange phenomenon. Yet, even though he maintained his distance, he must have stepped too close because the system suddenly whispered in his ear.

[Would you like to attempt the instance?]

[Current participants: 0/5]

’Instance...?’

This was the first thing in this world that he knew absolutely nothing about. The knowledge injection didn’t help him at all. He could make informed guesses, but that was it.

’Probably like a dungeon...’

It was an MMORPG, after all.

Stepping back, Ash muttered:

"No."

’Not yet. Not until I know more.’

However, Ash would most definitely return and attempt the ’instance.’ The only thing he didn’t know was when.

Ash lingered for a while, inspecting the instance portal from several angles. Eventually, however, he decided to resume his journey.

Just as he turned his back on the portal, an oddly soothing hum caught his attention.

♫Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm hmmm...♫

’Huh? Why does it sound like it’s coming from everywhere?’

Then, the humming ceased briefly, and a soft voice spoke from somewhere hidden beneath the forest’s canopy.

"Hello..."

’That voice...’

It was faintly familiar. Almost like Demitra’s.

No... it was exactly like hers.

Yet... there was an odd ring to it, as though the vibrations producing the sound were... unnatural.

Like they’d come from the wrong throat.

Not just the throat of a different person, but one belonging to an entirely different species.

Smiling faintly, Ash called back toward the voice:

"Hello."

In response, the humming began again.

♫Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm hmmm...♫

’Ah, I see.’

As the soothing tune continued, three Marauders stepped out from behind the surrounding trees and encircled him.

’I don’t know if Earth logic applies, but panthers are not social creatures. Not at all.’

Ash’s eyes caught a glimpse of a shrouded figure standing in the distance, wielding a spruce wooden bow with intricate carvings along the tips of its limbs.

Sensing his gaze, the lanky creature slightly tilted its head, revealing a set of jagged teeth with no flesh to hide them.

Ash wasn’t exactly sure how he knew, but...

’You... you’re hunting me, aren’t you?’

Then, it closed its mouth, and the whistling sound ceased. A moment later, it lifted its bow and pulled back the string. As it did, an arrow made of red light appeared against it.

Even though he was confident — or at least hopeful — that the attack would phase through him, Ash jumped out of the thing’s line of sight and behind a thick trunk to protect his tunic.

’Alright, bastard. Let’s see what you’ve got.’

The four-on-one fight seemed difficult, but not entirely beyond his capabilities.

A sudden low whistling sound cut through the air.

’Huh?’

Ash looked down, only to see a line of red light protruding from his chest.

The arrow.

It hadn’t done any physical damage to him, but it was now embedded in his tunic.

’Oh...’

Looking back at the tree he had hidden behind, Ash saw no mark.

’How did it... Was it a skill?’

Sadly, Ash had no time to contemplate it, as the Marauders stopped circling and converged on him.

Kicking off the ground, he broke into a sprint up the slope. While running, he considered his options and attempted to pull out the arrow, only for his hand to pass straight through it.

’That’s not good.’

Giving up on the attempt, Ash extended his arm to bait two of the Marauders while blocking a third with the mace. The first two smashed face-first into each other while passing through Ash’s arm, whereas the third crashed into the mace and stumbled, disoriented after colliding with an immovable object.

Ash immediately put as much distance between them as he could before the Marauders regained their composure, even if it was only a few steps.

’Where’d the arrow go?’

As he ran, he realized the red line had disappeared. Furthermore, there wasn’t even a hole in the tunic it had seemingly pierced.

’As far as I know, items don’t repair themselves.’

...

’Was that attack never physical to begin with?’

That would explain how it passed through the tree.

But, if so...

’What the hell did it do?!’

Ash spun around to face the regrouped Marauders as they bounded after him. Far off in the distance, hidden among the shadows, the archer watched.

As Ash stared down a scene that would make most humans cower and surrender, he remembered one crucial fact:

He was no longer human.

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