MMORPG: Surviving a Death Game with a Glitched System

Side by side with the princess and Demitra, Ash looked down from the chain at the mountainside below.

A grotesque monster stared back at them as it scrambled furiously toward the peak, where the chain hung just above the summit.

The princess, sitting atop Demitra, spoke in a haughty tone:

"I believe it’s time you show us what you can do."

Ash narrowed his eyes at the beast.

’I’m Level 2...’

The leathery bastard was easily three times larger than him. It had six bowed legs, each covered in setae and ending in hooked claws that bit into the rock as it climbed.

As for the main part of its body...

’Repulsive...’

The legs stuck out from what looked to be a mass of pig skin molded into the shape of a spider. Its face — or what appeared to be one — held nothing but slits for nostrils and a jagged set of teeth that chopped repeatedly at the air as it climbed.

As for its eyes...

’I don’t see them.’

"Uh... go kill it. Hurry, it’s getting closer!"

Ash clicked his tongue and shot the princess a sidelong glare, causing her to laugh awkwardly and shift away from him.

Worse, the creature racing toward them was only one of many inhabiting the island. Through the haze far below, Ash could make out countless similar beasts roaming the mountains and valleys. Thankfully, this one was the only one that had noticed them.

’Man, I’m starved and thirsty.’

"It’s almost at the summit!"

Taking a deep breath, Ash spun the pike in his hand and angled its tip downward.

Then, still standing on the chain, he activated [Focus].

’1... 2...’

The abomination reached the summit and lowered its body, its six legs bunching beneath it.

The princess saw it prepare to leap and screeched:

"Do something!"

’3...’

Ash stepped forward without resistance, dropping headfirst from the chain just as the beast launched itself toward it.

The princess screamed and covered her eyes.

"Gyeah!"

But Demitra made no attempt to retreat or leap clear of the creature. Instead, her eyes followed Ash’s movements.

’4...’

The tip of the pike sank into the joint of one of its leg where it met the creature’s body. Aided by their opposing momentum, it dug in deep.

But, naturally, injuring a leg meant little if the tradeoff was his head.

And that seemed to be the monster’s target.

One of its front legs folded inward, its hooked claw snapping toward Ash’s face.

’5.’

The claw passed harmlessly through Ash, tearing only a piece of his tunic.

Ash kept both hands locked around the embedded pike, using it to stop himself from being thrown away as he swung down and planted his sandals on its leathery back.

Unable to halt its leap, the abomination slammed headfirst into the chain.

Yet, despite the size and velocity of the creature, the rusted chain didn’t even sway as the creature curled up and began to plummet back toward the rock below.

’Good...’

He’d tried to test it in the tutorial coliseum, but it had been difficult given the circumstances. However, he was fairly certain he was immune to fall damage in his glitched state. Though his items weren’t.

Still, the force being applied to the dropped item should only be that of the item itself. So, his sandals would only take a minor hit to their durability.

Either way...

Hanging onto the pike, Ash waited until the last moment and used it to swing himself away. As Ash arced through the air, he began to unsummon the weapon.

[You have unequipped: Starter Pike]

The beast crashed to the ground with a wet thud and a splash of blood.

The princess, peeking over the edge of the chain, cheered:

"Wow! So cool!"

Ash glanced up at her, then sighed and brought his gaze back to the beast, which had righted itself. However, its front right leg was dragging listlessly as it began to charge at him again.

’This thing doesn’t seem that smart...’

Ash could very well employ a tactic to get the abomination to send itself off the side of the cliff, but there were two problems there: whether it would truly die from the fall, and even if it did, whether Ash would be able to claim whatever items it might drop.

Once he felt that the pike had returned to his inventory, Ash began summoning it again while rushing toward the creature.

[You have equipped: Starter Pike]

The pike materialized in his hands just as the creature reached him.

Rather than dodge, Ash lowered his stance and continued forward.

The abomination opened its jagged mouth and swung two of its front legs inward, attempting to trap him between its hooked claws.

Ash didn’t slow.

Both limbs passed through his body. Their claws caught his tunic instead, pulling the fabric taut and nearly tearing it completely.

’Annoying.’

Ash released the pike with one hand, grabbed the collar of his tunic, and yanked on the final strip holding it over his shoulder.The hole meant for his tail stopped the tunic from falling off entirely, turning it into a skirt of sorts.

He stepped through its snapping jaws.

Its teeth closed around his waist but met no resistance.

Using the opening, Ash slipped beneath the creature’s body.

Above him, six legs hammered against the rock in frantic confusion.

It was a bit of a gamble, but the moment his entire body was in open air, not overlapping with anything, he activated [Focus].

Ash tightened both hands around the pike and drove its tip upward into the mass of leathery skin above him.

The weapon sank several inches before stopping.

The creature convulsed. Its body compressed around the pike, and all six legs folded inward at once.

"Gyeah—!"

Ash let go and dropped flat as the hooked claws swept toward him and its body began to collapse on him.

Two of the legs left deep gashes on his chest, while another caught the side of his shoulder, hooked under his collarbone, and then flung him away.

As Ash soared, he looked toward the creature, which dropped to the ground and began barrel-rolling to the side.

’It’s not dead... and what type of move was that?!’

Ash’s body collided harshly with the rock before eventually skittering to a stop.

Blood poured down his body, but he didn’t have the leisure to falter. He was forced to push off the ground just as the five seconds were nearly up.

Taking a deep breath, Ash adjusted his tunic, tying the various strips in a way so it didn’t slip in the front..

’I’m surprised it wasn’t fully destroyed...’

Though Ash had a sneaking suspicion that one more good laceration would do it in for good.

"How do I finish this?"

’Wait...’

"What a simple solution."

[You have unequipped: Starter Pike]

Ash, watching the abomination roll around from a comfortable distance, began to recall the pike to his inventory.

The moment it fully disappeared, the hole in its stomach that it had been plugging up ruptured. Blood cascaded from the wound, and a few slimy organs began falling through the hole.

’No wonder it was freaking out.’

A few moments later...

[You have slain a Seal Scrawler]

[First Kill Bonus]

[+36 EXP]

[You have reached level 3!]

[Skill slots: 4 ➜ 4]

[Base STR: 13 ➜ 16]

[Base AGI: 13 ➜ 16]

[Base DEX: 13 ➜ 16]

[Base INT: 13 ➜ 16]

[Base CON: 13 ➜ 16]

’Thankfully, that did the trick...’

If he had needed to land another blow, things would have gotten dicey.

Just like the panther, he’d not only gotten a first kill bonus, but the body began disappearing and left something behind. A few things, actually. A book, an eye, and a dagger.

’What an odd combination of drops.’

Beyond the drops...

’36...?’

He’d leveled up because of it.

’I wonder what level it was to give that much experience.’

Moreover...

’I wonder how I learn that knowledge.’

Was there an item or skill that gave such information?

The wolf, Demitra, who’d been silent for most of the trip across the chain, called down to him:

"You’re weak. But you’re strong in your weakness."

Demitra, with the princess on her back, jumped down and landed next to him.

The princess said something, but he didn’t exactly hear it. Instead focusing on trying his best not to fall to his knees or pass out.

’Ah, damn it. Everything’s getting cloudy.’

Ash staggered a little and placed a hand on the only thing he could touch to keep him upright, the wolf spirit bonded to him.

"Are you sure?"

’What was that?’

The princess had spoken as if responding to the wolf, with whom she wasn’t supposed to be able to speak...

Not that Ash heard what she’d said. But he did understand what he needed to do if he wanted to live.

The moment he could, he activated [Focus] and felt the healing embrace of the princess’ aura. It wasn’t much, but his wounds began to bleed slightly less.

However...

A moment later, a blazing pain shot through his body.

"Arggh!"

A silver light enveloped him, the same light enveloping the princess.

’No! You bastard!’

She was using [Spirit Heal] on him.

His wounds healed in an instant, even the one on his shoulder.

In no time, Ash’s body was restored to peak condition.

However...

The healing continued.

He couldn’t exactly process everything, but he could feel his mana steadily increase past its maximum threshold as the veins in his body bulged and felt like they’d caught fire.

Then, he passed out.

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