MMORPG: Surviving a Death Game with a Glitched System

’Ice!’

The Ice Golem had dropped a huge block of ice!

The prospect alone made Ash giddy.

Once he claimed it, he could theoretically press his hand against it and use his body heat to melt it, letting him drink even while trapped in his glitched state. Better yet, it would probably be clean of bacteria and other microorganisms.

’Hopefully...’

Ash couldn’t have cared less that he had to stay in the open while he did so. Water was far too tempting to pass up.

The pain-filled minute crawled by, Ash’s anticipation making each second feel like ten. Even if this particular use of [Focus] hadn’t caused too much damage, it still hurt like hell.

The moment the minute ended, Ash wasted no time. He ripped his tail free from the ground and cast his ability before scrambling over to the tome, clawing it away from beneath him, and claiming the drops.

He even managed to drag himself back onto the tome with a second or two to spare.

Dangling his legs and tail over the void — at least what was left of them — Ash called upon the large block of ice.

While it materialized above his lap, Ash scanned the area.

It was difficult to make out much through the haze, but a Snow Crawler or two seemed to be wandering nearby. Fortunately, neither was close enough to aggro anytime soon.

Finally, the ice block finished forming and dropped squarely onto his lap.

’Gyah! Cold!’

He was promptly reminded that he was stark nude. That fact was oddly easy to forget when he only experienced the environment’s chill during [Focus]. Even then, the agony of his limbs tearing apart usually drowned out the cold.

However, after some time...

’Yes!’

As he had theorized, the ice block began to melt. In fact, it was melting surprisingly quickly, suggesting Ash’s natural body heat was high. That also meant he was probably warm-blooded. Maybe using reptiles as a biological benchmark for his new body wasn’t particularly useful, even if they were the only comparison he had for his non-human parts.

Cupping his hand under one dripping corner, he waited for a small pool to gather in his palm before greedily bringing it to his mouth.

’Ah...’

Ash was on cloud nine.

Missing a leg, half his tail gone, naked... none of it mattered during that brief moment of pure bliss.

Water.

He’d gotten water.

With a bit of luck, Ash managed to drink a substantial amount without interruption. As he drank, however, something else caught his attention. His passive regeneration was noticeably faster.

’Is that simply from my body being healthier, or because the ice block came from a mob?’

Perhaps it contained residual mana... or something.

Ash still had little clue what mana actually was.

As for his regeneration...

His earlier suspicion that it consumed mana seemed increasingly likely. That meant the effect wasn’t merely a consequence of Vera’s [Spirit Aura], though her ability had definitely increased the cost.

Wiggling his thigh stump, Ash eventually stored the ice block back inside his inventory. In its place, he drew out the Snow Crawler meat.

Staring at his target, which was meandering about thirty feet away, Ash suddenly remembered something...

’Oh shit.’

He was trying to lure Snow Crawlers with the meat of their fallen brethren.

Even someone as uncaring as Ash could recognize...

’That’s kind of fucked up.’

Shrugging, Ash set the meat on the ice, pulled his damaged tail into reality, and let the still-open wound drizzle blood over the slab.

The Snow Crawler’s head snapped toward him.

A heartbeat later, it whirled around and bounded straight for the bait.

Ash immediately sank beneath the ice and dismissed the tome, leaving the bloodied meat exposed above him.

Then he emptied his mind and waited...

For the sound of it gorging on its comrade.

Eventually, the wet smacking of its lips filtered down through the ice.

’I wonder if it knows.’

Not that it mattered.

Ash briefly pushed his head through the surface to check the distance and whether the coast was clear, then lowered himself back beneath the Crawler.

He positioned his body directly below its torso.

Then, springing upward with all his might, Ash twisted through the ice and thrust the severed end of his tail straight through the Snow Crawler’s back.

’[Focus].’

It was an odd thing to become adept at, but his timing was perfect.

The tail solidified while overlapping the creature’s heart.

[You have slain a Snow Crawler]

[+15 EXP]

Ash dropped back onto the ice and hobbled toward the bow, casting a glance over his shoulder as the system spoke in his ear.

’No way...’

[Condition to reach level 5 has—]

***

Sandra sat on the ground, plucking blades of grass one by one.

’Hmph...’

Hugging her knees to her chest with one hand, she muttered to herself.

"I can’t believe he would just run off like that."

A couple of days ago, on the day they’d appeared in this strange world that was supposedly a game, Epitome had run off after activating the Totem.

Then, after twenty minutes or so, his health and mana bars had grayed out.

They panicked at first, worried their First Champion had gone and gotten himself immediately killed — he had been at fairly low HP when the gauge froze. But it was also entirely possible that the party function had a limited range. The only reason they felt certain he was alive was because a new Champion had not been chosen.

Either way...

It had taken considerable convincing from Éloi, but eventually, all four of them left the safety of the Totem in search of Epitome.

After about twenty minutes of walking, they spotted an odd glow. When they investigated, they found quite the scene.

The glow itself was a portal of sorts, and when one got near it...

[Would you like to attempt the instance?]

[Current participants: 1/5]

That was when they realized what had happened.

After opening the system interface, Sandra searched the guidance section and learned about instances. As usual, the information was frustratingly vague, with entire portions of descriptions seemingly missing. Still, after piecing together what little the system provided, she reached a simple conclusion:

’A dungeon.’

Epitome had entered a dungeon.

Not to mention...

Instances appeared to have level thresholds, beginning at Level 5, with the next at Level 15. The guide withheld plenty of useful information, but it did reveal one crucial detail: Level 5 instances had gray entrances, while Level 15 portals glowed light green.

Therefore...

Epitome had entered the instance while severely underleveled.

’I can’t believe he’d do something so stupid...’

Still, the area surrounding the portal suggested stupidity might not have been the whole story. Perhaps he’d been desperate. There were three slabs of meat on the ground and some teeth, along with three splintered arrows and a good bit of blood. Signs of quite the harrowing struggle that aligned with the hits he’d taken to his HP.

Éloi sat next to her and sprawled on the ground, pulling her from her thoughts.

"Worrying about Ashy?"

"Huh—? Oh, uh, a little..."

The handsome man laughed.

"Even though you said all of those nasty things about him?"

Sandra frantically turned her head and looked down at the goober.

"H-hey! It’s not like I want him to get hurt!"

Éloi merely laughed at her bashful response.

’Geez...’

His teasing aside, his earlier words about not judging until she got his side loomed in her mind.

Beyond the simple human instinct of not wanting someone to die, Sandra still felt unsettled by one thing: Epitome had never properly explained himself.

’He’d said "it’s all true..." but I simply don’t believe that.’

Ironically, the uncaring look in his eyes had made the claim even harder to accept.

’I just don’t understand people like him.’

Ones who looked so unfazed.

’They’re usually the ones who hurt the most...’

Sandra wanted to press him about it, but that would have to wait until after he returned from the instance. For now, she and the others had been pushing themselves harder than was probably wise, hoping to reach Level 15 quickly enough to enter the instance and help him.

Sadly...

They had encountered a glaring problem.

They’d all gotten stuck at Level 4.

Some hidden condition stood between them and the next level.

Nothing could be said for certain, but Sandra suspected clearing an instance was the requirement, especially with the suggested levels lining up so neatly.

There was also the off chance it was completing Totem quests. But those things were... weird.

They’d only gotten one kill quest from it; all the others were about gathering miscellaneous materials like twigs, leaves, or stones. Worse, completing the nonsensical tasks hadn’t rewarded any items — only EXP.

Nora appeared behind Sandra.

"Are you two ready?"

"Eep! O-oh, yes."

Éloi sprang to his feet and cheered:

"I’m always ready!"

As for what Nora was alluding to...

Yesterday, they’d discovered a gray instance portal.

It was more than a bit nerve-racking, but today, the four of them were going in to attempt it.

’Just wait, Epitome, we’re coming.’

One way or another — whether completing an instance was the answer or not — the four were going breach their current level cap, level as much as they could, then save their wayward Champion.

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