MMORPG: Surviving a Death Game with a Glitched System

The humanoid beast, shrouded within a dense vortex of droplets, continued yanking at the chain until several more links ripped free of the stone wall behind it.

It seemed unable to break the cuffs around its wrists or sever the chain entirely, but it eventually freed enough length to move throughout the entire area covered by the manifested water floor.

Ash scowled, studying the being as best he could. It seemed humanlike, except it stood at least three heads taller than him.

Glancing toward the princess, Ash thought:

’Can she win?’

The wolf would undoubtedly involve herself if necessary, but with more battles awaiting them, she needed to preserve as much of her strength as possible.

That meant the princess would likely have to face the creature herself. She was far from weak — Ash had already seen her wield a sword and shield with strength and precision he could scarcely rival.

That wasn’t even accounting for the gigantic sword’s weight.

In a direct fight, as pissed as the prospect made him, Ash doubted he would stand much of a chance against her — even if she didn’t use any abilities.

’Enough of that.’

Ash dismissed the pointless comparison and refocused on the creature.

Above him, one of its hands burst from the dense ball of water.

Its skin was pale and leathery, like that of the hunter responsible for knocking him into the instance.

With a sweep of its clawed hand, the creature sent the surrounding droplets surging outward until they filled the entire stage.

Ash sighed and tightened his grip on his dagger.

"Is that enough theatrics?"

The creature snarled, then rose from its crouch and descended the chain toward the three of them, finally revealing itself.

’I see...’

"So, you’re kin of the hunter?"

Only much larger.

The wolf snarled.

"Why are you talking to it?"

Mimicking the wolf’s voice and cadence, the creature growled:

"Hunter..."

"Oh? Does that mean it can hear you?"

Sorrow colored the princess’s voice as she answered for the wolf.

"Of course it can... it’s been made into a spirit."

’Made into one?’

Did that mean it hadn’t always been one?

And...

Could it interact with Ash?

As if reading his mind, the wolf sighed.

"As far as I’ve discerned, it could only interact with you in an unmanifested state, something it cannot do while bound in its current form. As for what the princess said... she can explain it afterward if she wishes."

"Hmm..."

Ash suspected the distinction was important, but set the matter aside as the hunter’s kin began lurching toward them, murderous glee gleaming in its eyes.

The princess stepped forward and thrust out her sword, leveling its tip at the approaching beast.

"I know not how you ended up bound as a Seal Guardian, lost soul. But I shall grant you restitution! In the name of Vera Frichella, first princess of Evercrest, I will return your spirit to the afterlife. This, I solemnly swear."

The beast hunched forward and shrieked.

"Gyeah!"

It broke into a sprint, charged down the sloping chain, and launched itself into the air.

The princess drew back her sword and raised her shield over her head.

Wielding no weapon but its body, the large beast descended claws-first and crashed into her shield.

The princess’s knees instantly buckled as a thunderous impact blasted the nearby droplets aside.

For the first time since Ash had arrived, the massive chain shifted beneath his feet, swaying slightly.

’Alright...’

Ash began advancing toward them.

’What?!’

’Am I... lagging?!’

Ash tried to walk, but every step halted almost as soon as it began.

’Oh, this is worse than I imagined.’

Every time a water droplet struck Ash’s armor or anything he carried, it counted as some sort of attack and arrested his movement.

The moment a droplet clung to an equipped item and added its weight to him, he could move again, but another droplet would immediately strike him and restart the cycle.

Trapped in a stuttering crawl, Ash could only watch as the Seal Guardian raised a second claw against the princess.

The wolf bounded over, clamped her jaws around the creature’s wrist, and dragged it sideways off the chain.

The two plunged into the water floor and rolled across its surface.

"Ergh..."

The princess grunted, then regained her footing and leapt from the chain after them.

Ash clicked his tongue and tried to follow.

"Tch."

But the instant he jumped, he turned into a pachinko piece, ricocheting from droplet to droplet as though each one were a solid peg.

’I’m getting pissed off!’

But, eventually, he made it to the floor below.

Once he gathered himself and tested to make sure he could properly stand on the water, he looked up to assess the situation.

The creature’s restraint chain somewhat impeded its movements because it constantly became snagged on the massive chain, but it was still quite fast — much faster than Ash was currently.

As for the princess...

She was holding her own, but it was clear she lacked the necessary threat to create an opportunity for herself.

The wolf was trying as best she could, bounding around and scratching it, but she wasn’t doing too much besides annoying it.

Ash growled as his body continued to stutter as if it possessed some latency issue.

"I’m close to stripping..."

It was mostly his fancy new armor causing the phenomenon.

The wolf disengaged from the fight, then bounded next to Ash.

"Nobody wants to see that..."

"Is now really the time?"

"No... but I figured we could make use of our bond again."

Freezing constantly, Ash asked:

"How so?"

In response, the wolf muttered something incomprehensible. It wasn’t that she’d stuttered or mumbled, but that she spoke in some foreign, ancient language.

’Wait... why do they speak English to begin with?’

That was a question for a different time.

The princess continued evading or blocking as best she could.

On the other hand, Ash watched as the eyes of the wolf tattoo glowed. Then...

The wolf disappeared entirely.

[You have received Winter’s Blessing]

Unlike before, he felt no stronger. However, it seemed some kind of effect had been applied to him, as every droplet that got within a few feet of him suddenly froze and dropped to the floor of the water arena.

In his head, Ash heard the wolf’s voice.

"Keke. I’m trusting you on this... Don’t betray my expectations."

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