MMORPG: Surviving a Death Game with a Glitched System

It didn’t taste very good.

As expected, the meat was supremely tough and difficult to chew. The lack of salt certainly didn’t help.

The only silver lining was that, perhaps because it was an item summoned from his inventory, he could eat it without having to use [Focus].

’It would have been very annoying otherwise...’

After finishing their quick meal, they repeated the process from before.

Ash walked to the island’s edge and shot an arrow — his last one — at a Seal Scrawler below.

Aggroed, the creature scrambled up the slope and charged toward him, only for Vera to step into its path and briefly halt its advance.

Ash and Vera then executed the same combo, cleanly killing the beast.

Like the previous one, it dropped a piece of revolting green meat, but nothing else this time.

More importantly...

[You have slain a Seal Scrawler]

[+16 EXP]

[You have reached level 4!]

[Skill slots: 4 ➜ 5]

[Base STR: 16 ➜ 19]

[Base AGI: 16 ➜ 19]

[Base DEX: 16 ➜ 19]

[Base INT: 16 ➜ 19]

[Base CON: 16 ➜ 19]

’Five skill slots now, huh.’

His base stats were nearly double their starting values; he could most definitely feel the difference.

Flexing his arm, Ash couldn’t precisely quantify it, but he was undeniably much stronger.

For a moment, he wondered whether the increase was disproportionate to the effort required — whether he was leveling far too quickly. Then he remembered every monster he had slain thus far.

It was clear that none of them had been intended for someone of his level to face alone. Or at all, really.

’Perhaps I deserve this.’

Not that Ash would grow complacent with his current rate of progress.

Until he reached the pinnacle, he would never be satisfied.

After placing the diseased-looking meat into his inventory, Ash considered remaining on the island to hunt more Seal Scrawlers. Ultimately, however, he decided against it.

"We should get going."

"Yes, I agree."

Ash walked beneath the massive chain suspended above the island and craned his neck.

’Now then...’

On the island where he and Vera had first appeared, the chain had nearly rested against the rock. Here, the underside of the lowest link hovered roughly two and a half meters above the ground.

He could easily jump and touch it, but pulling himself onto the curved top seemed more difficult.

A few paces away, Demitra crouched and effortlessly leapt, landing atop the chain.

Vera, on the other hand, extended one hand toward the empty air before her.

Water gathered beneath her palm as she cast [Surge]. It swirled into a block, compressing until its surface became dense enough to support her weight.

She stepped onto it as though climbing a staircase.

As she raised her other foot, a section of the water split from the block and rose beneath it, forming the next step. With each stride, another platform shifted upward, allowing her to climb toward the chain on a staircase of condensed water.

While it looked cool, Vera’s stern expression suggested the spell demanded immense concentration.

’Probably not doable in combat.’

But now...

Stepping back several paces, Ash sprinted forward, planted his foot, and jumped with all his might.

’Holy fuck!’

He’d expected to need to catch the chain with the [Scrawler’s Fang] for a second boost, or perhaps use [Focus] before jumping. Instead, his momentum carried him above the lower curve of the link, and his sandals struck its sloped surface.

He immediately thrust one bracer against the metal, using it as a pivot to steady himself and vault over the curve.

Ash landed on the broad top of the link beside Demitra and Vera.

While he’d performed a miraculous feat and all...

’That’s not too good.’

Ash wasn’t used to his newfound strength yet. In this particular instance, that wasn’t much of an issue. He had time to adjust. But if he ever leveled up in the midst of battle, an abrupt surge in strength could easily throw off his movements.

’I need to factor that into my decisions from now on.’

He needed to pick and choose his battles when he was about to level up.

Keeping his worry to himself, Ash set off down the chain, following after Demitra, who was effervescently trotting without a seeming care in the world.

But Vera, in spite of her proclivities, stayed silent during this walk.

Staring at the back of her head, watching her hair dance, Ash felt that their meeting with Cross was weighing a bit more on her mind than she let on. And it didn’t seem that it was simple fear of her brother.

’Should I bring it up?’

...

’Ah, that never ends well.’

Whenever Ash tried to lecture someone or give them advice, they’d always start hating him.

He knew why — because he told the truth.

All of a sudden, Demitra halted and began sniffing the air.

"Stay yourselves. Whatever you do, do not move."

Ash stalled, then repeated the warning to Vera.

"Demitra says to stand still."

Vera paused her stride.

Then...

The haze began to lift. The iridescent crystal sky began to gleam and take over with its radiance.

It was like what had happened in the tundra.

But, as more and more of the smoke cleared, the reason for Demitra’s order became ever more apparent.

Off in the distance, a monstrous beast waded through the sea of lava below.

Demitra quietly rasped:

"That is the Sentry of the seal."

Ash’s eyes widened as he studied the beast, which was nearly half the size of a mountain.

It looked like a gigantic version of the Seal Scrawler.

Grimacing, the reality quickly sank in.

’I have no chance against that thing.’

No matter what he did or how well he managed his glitch, he’d be doomed in a fight against it.

Remaining perfectly still atop the chain, Ash watched the Seal Sentry lumber through the lava from one island to the next. Whenever it detected anomalous movement — mostly passing Seal Scrawlers — it lashed out.

Each titanic swipe tore chunks from the surrounding islands and sent molten rock crashing into the lava below.

It was only when the haze lifted entirely that the sound of crashing stone reached his ears.

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