MMORPG: Surviving a Death Game with a Glitched System

"You bastards are my first priority."

A regular human could never take on a panther one-on-one, let alone three at once while someone commanded them.

However, Ash was now a Dragonkin and possessed a stronger body... Much stronger.

Perhaps the same could be said of his opponents, who possessed greater strength than regular panthers on Earth. Either way, whether he was overwhelmingly stronger or weaker, he had a win condition in this fight.

Seeing no point in trying to outrun the Marauders, Ash spun on his heel and ran directly toward them.

’It’s unlikely I’d be able to kill them without [Focus]...’

Just as the three lunged at him, Ash rolled.

’But I should be able to get them to injure themselves. Or, at the very least, tire them out.’

His head and knees dipped into the ground for a moment. The collar of his tunic held him above ground, but it also brought his roll to an immediate halt.

The three crashed into the back of Ash’s tunic, their momentum halted by the thick cloth.

With only a small surface area to target — the rest of Ash having disappeared — they all struck the same spot and collided with one another.

’Fuck, I hate that feeling!’

Ash awkwardly kicked off the ground with his sandal, completing the roll in a flamboyant flip.

Turning, he noticed the panthers had already regained their balance and were lunging at him again.

Ash managed to dodge in time. His new body was incredibly fast, but after creating some space, he noticed a few claw marks on the front of his tunic.

’There are probably more on the back.’

Suddenly, the humming began again.

♫Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm hmmm...♫

Only this time, it sounded closer. Much closer.

Kicking off the ground and then a tree trunk, Ash vaulted onto a low bough of a nearby tree.

As he rose, he spotted the hunter again. The bastard was leisurely pacing in a circle around him with its bow at its waist — all while humming that horrid tune.

’Don’t tell me... you know?’

If Ash’s hunch was right, the hunter bastard had already figured out his trick. Or, more accurately, it had likely known about it from the beginning.

’Just how long have you been following me?’

Before Ash could sink any deeper into contemplation, the three panthers began scaling the trunk.

Placing his mace in the path of one and his sandal in the path of another, he sent both crashing back to the ground, but the third did something entirely unexpected.

’Huh...’

Instead of aiming for Ash, it went for the mace.

Lagging a little behind the others, it had timed its jump perfectly, allowing it to clamp its maw around the weapon.

A moment later, it fell.

"Eurgh!"

A dreadful weight tore at Ash’s shoulders as he was forced to support the panther’s entire mass.

Before he knew it, he’d dropped his weapon.

’I see...’

The panther crashed to the ground, landing on its back, before swiftly getting up and running back to its master. It dropped the mace at the hunter’s feet before returning to join the others, which had been patiently waiting beneath Ash.

’I can be weighed down. Good to note.’

While he didn’t entirely understand the game’s mechanics yet, his current hypothesis was that the weight of the opponent was added to the item it clutched, transferring that force to whoever wielded it — even if that person was a glitched existence like Ash.

’Still, staying in the trees is my best option.’

Though it was also the riskiest. One misstep was all it would take for Ash to be the one crashing down next.

All of a sudden, the Marauders began charging again.

[[Starter Flanged Mace] has been destroyed]

[You have unequipped [Starter Flanged Mace]]

Ash willed his inventory to summon the sword into his grasp, but because he was in combat, it took significantly longer to materialize.

It had only just begun to take shape when the first panther kicked off the tree trunk and launched itself toward him.

Before it could reach him, Ash jumped off and barely made it onto the bough of another tree.

’I’d be screwed if this forest wasn’t so dense.’

Though that aspect of the area also worked against him, as it made it terribly difficult to keep track of the hunter.

[You have equipped [Starter Sword]]

♫Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm hmmm...♫

’Especially when that damn humming has no direction to it.’

Looking back, Ash watched as all three panthers fell to the ground, having missed him. While they each got up hastily, it was clear they weren’t exactly operating at full strength.

’Alright... a few more times.’

Despite their clear inability to capture Ash, the panthers continued their attempts. They charged again and again, managing to leave a few new tears in Ash’s clothes, but that was all.

Eventually, the panthers tired themselves out to the point that they didn’t even have the energy to reach him anymore.

’Yet, they still try.’

"Pitiable, yet admirable. I applaud your determination."

Though their determination was likely nothing more than the hunter’s command.

Speaking of the hunter...

It had finally stopped pacing, raised its bow, and rested one of its deformed hands on the string. Its nasty set of teeth, fixed into a permanent smile, was much more visible than before.

But even if that smile looked forced, Ash could tell the expression it now wore was genuine.

"Enjoying this, are you?"

Ash grinned as he stood upright and unequipped the sword, trading it for the pike.

The Dragonkin Champion, who must have looked more than a little insane, took a deep breath while waiting for the weapon to form.

As it materialized, the hunter lifted its bow into position and drew back the string. But instead of a red arrow, this one was black. The beast didn’t release it, either, instead holding the arrow drawn and trained directly on Ash.

[You have equipped [Starter Pike]]

Finally, the silver pike nestled neatly into his grip.

Exhaling, Ash smiled and stepped off the bough while simultaneously casting [Focus] and [Dragon Fear].

"Argh! Shit! Fuck!"

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!