MMORPG: Surviving a Death Game with a Glitched System

Ash stood over Cross’s unconscious body.

"What should I do with you..."

The entire purpose of coming to the temple was to seek out the Great Spirit of Fire.

But before he could do that...

Was he really going to leave his nemesis be? Turn his back on the shifty man who’d understood his glitch so thoroughly after only a handful of interactions?

Cross was not a trifling threat. Not one Ash could simply leave to his own devices.

The simplest solution was to kill him, but Ash didn’t want their fated relationship to end on such a dull note. Not to mention, his power was the only way to defeat Demitra.

He wanted to best Cross, not kick him while he was already down...

Metaphorically speaking, of course... since he’d already done just that.

"Wait... that might just work."

Warily, Ash jumped away, then cast [Focus].

Even then, Cross’s body lay still.

Cautiously, Ash approached as [Focus] neared its limit, then hooked his boot through a sash Cross wore around his waist.

[Focus] ended and...

"It worked!"

While blunt force would cause the glitch to halt movement, sustained added weight wouldn’t. It merely became part of the item’s weight, just like with the Marauder that had claimed [Starter Flanged Mace].

Taking a step forward, Ash dragged Cross’s body with him.

Even as his face was squashed against and smeared across the polished floor, the man didn’t wake.

"You sure are out of it, tactless fool."

With little care for the man scraping along behind him, Ash began trudging forward, passing through the grand gate into a world of shadow.

The moment he crossed the threshold, flames began to spit from the floor, forming towering pillars that reached toward the impossibly distant ceiling.

’How fitting.’

Ash watched as more and more pillars formed, illuminating the vast, hollow hallowed chamber while revealing a path through it.

Until...

Far, incredibly far, at the end of the gigantic open room, he saw a chained man kneeling upon a dais, bound in a similar fashion to the Soulless Wanderer.

’Is that... him?’

The Great Spirit of Fire?

’But he looks like a human.’

Still, [Danger Sense] was going crazy in that man’s direction.

More than that...

He couldn’t make out much of the figure, but the long silver hair draped over his face reminded him of two people.

Continuing onward, Ash marched toward the chained man, dragging Cross behind him as the figure’s bowed head remained motionless.

As he got closer, he noticed that the man wore nothing but thin rags around his waist; burns littered his exposed upper body.

A few minutes later, Ash was close enough to make out his features.

All of a sudden, the temple shook.

The chained man stirred and raised his head slightly.

Opening his eyes, two beams of silver settled on Ash.

His dry lips parted.

"How nice of you to bring my son to me... I have many choice words for that fool."

’As I thought...’

The man chained upon the dais was Vera and Cross’s father.

"Are you the Great Spirit of Fire?"

Smiling, the man glared at Ash through the strands of his long, glossy white hair.

"What an interesting question... Do I look like a spirit to you?"

"Not particularly."

The chained man chuckled.

"There’s your answer."

’Oh no...’

Ash looked down at the unconscious Cross.

’I see where he gets it from.’

"I was under the impression the Great Spirit was the being chained in this temple."

"Is that what Winter told you...?"

Ash stayed silent for a moment.

"Correct."

"Ah... I thought it was quite bold of her contractor to appear before me without her and expect to live, but it seems you’re merely her pawn. Though... my son being at your feet tells me she didn’t choose you without reason."

"As much as it pains me to admit it, this was mainly happenstance."

The man’s silver eyes narrowed.

"Hmm..."

After a long pause, he grumbled.

"Tell me, visitor, what do you desire?"

Ash swallowed. He looked down at Cross before his thoughts drifted to Vera.

’What answer does he want...?’

’...’

No.

That was the wrong question.

It was obvious this man didn’t care for a catered answer. Ash didn’t need to tell him what he wanted to hear. He needed to tell him the truth.

So what did Ash actually want from this place?

What desire had this entire cursed instance carved into him?

"I want to kill the bastard wolf who dared to use me. I want to unleash the condemnation she deserves for her haughty claim of presiding at the pinnacle of all."

The chained man laughed.

"Haha! Well said, visitor. However..." The man stood, causing the temple to shake as he planted his feet. "I’m afraid that’s not possible... At least, as long as you live, Cross will not allow her death. But without Cross, you stand no chance against that beast. Especially with Vera at her side..."

"..."

Ash unsummoned his left boot and hobbled away from Cross, finally separating them. As he resummoned the boot, he fell silent.

’I’d already figured that out...’

Her power was simply too great.

Worse, Demitra countered his glitch.

He couldn’t even use his self-mutilation method against her.

Cross and his nullification of a spirit’s power were absolutely needed to defeat her.

The chained man added:

"Your only chance of fulfilling that desire is to convince that boy to give up on his sister."

Something clicked.

Cross’s actions...

They suddenly had a reason.

And that reason...

That reason pissed Ash off.

But keeping his irritation buried, Ash questioned:

"Care to explain?"

"Ah, yes... But where to start... hmm. Their conception, perhaps. Maybe—"

Ash sighed.

"I don’t want to hear about that."

"Are you sure...? I don’t know if Cross has told you, or what your relationship is with him, frankly, but their mother is a spirit. Vera doesn’t know."

’Wait... that would mean...’

Ash’s thoughts stalled.

’Uh... how?’

And...

’Why?’

With an unmoved expression, Ash stared blankly at the chained man.

The man’s face immediately lit up.

"That confused expression... Ah, you are curious! Well, two decades ago, I was leading the Royal Guard across the Blackfoot Mountain pass after our victory meeting over the joint occupation of Kollacha. Then, all of a sudden, a Great Spirit popped up in our path! She was a beaut— Ahem... She was a spirit made of pure light, with tentacles that could incinerate a person just through slight contact. Knowing we were no match for her, nor could we run, I decided to sacrifice myself and stay behind to face her so the others could escape..."

’Yeah...’

Ash already regretted his life choices which had led him to this conversation..

"One thing led to another and... well... Who knew conception with a spirit was possible!"

"I don’t need to know this."

The man protested enthusiastically:

"But it’s important!"

Ash sneered as he studied the man’s body.

"Wait a minute..." Ash’s eyes widened in disgust. "How did you get those burns?"

The silver-haired king shouted after him:

"Guh— don’t look at me like that! You would too if you saw her!"

’Keep this guy locked up.’

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