MMORPG: Surviving a Death Game with a Glitched System

Ash slid his back foot outward and leveled his blade before him, settling into the instinctive fighting stance he’d developed. It was far from proper, but it would suffice.

Then...

Idolan stood, his presence seizing dominion over the room as the columns of fire surrounding the impossibly large room grew brighter and raged.

"Visitor, even if Cross is in that state, you should know you stand no chance."

Ash’s gaze drifted to the king.

"Do you expect me to accept such a thing? Revel in such pitiable inferiority?"

"No... I see your a man of pride... But Cross is right. Even if you defy all odds and kill him, Winter will kill you in turn."

Cross chuckled and summoned a second stake, gripping onto the first as he squared himself against Ash.

"What a sad, twisted fate you’ve found yourself in."

Idolan glared at the prince.

"Stop, Cross."

Ash clicked his tongue, then rasped:

"If it is my fate to die, why try to stop him?"

Idolan’s fiery gaze shifted to Ash.

"Because your life is still of use... As long as you live, Winter is unable to contract with Vera."

"Hmph. How remarkably practical and pragmatic. Though you speak as if I could be killed on a whim."

Cross shook his head.

"Father is unaware of your anomalous nature."

"Oh? I thought you reported on me to him. What did you do instead...? Were you following us the entire time?"

’That would explain how he’d learned so much about me.’

"It’s none of your concern. Shut up and ready yourself."

"It seems you were."

It was a stretch, but...

’Was he protecting us from the Hounds?’

It was indeed strange that they’d gone so long without encountering members of an assassin group that specialized in tracking. Ash and the others hadn’t exactly been difficult to locate. Their destination was known, and only four paths led to it.

Cross offered no answer. Instead, he thrust his hand forward, sending one of the massive stakes barreling across the space between them before chucking the other to follow it.

Before the stakes covered even half that distance, white light flared from the dais. Its brilliance swallowed Ash’s vision.

When the glare receded, the two stone stakes lay in molten heaps between them.

Cross lay beside the smoldering remains, sprawled facedown upon the floor.

Idolan, free of his chains, stood over him with one flame-wreathed foot pressed against his back. The fire remained unnaturally contained, clinging to the king without spreading to Cross or the floor beneath them.

"I said, stand down."

Cross tried to open his mouth, but a pillar of fire slammed into the floor inches from his face, threatening to scorch his lips.

’I thought he was supposed to be a swordsman?!’

Only then did Idolan glance back at Ash.

"As for you... you’d do best to heed my warning as well. Or would you like me to trample all over your meaningless pride?"

Ash scoffed.

"Get off of him."

Idolan laughed, equal parts amused and bewildered.

"Seriously... what is your deal?"

"He’s yet to answer me properly. If he won’t, then I’ll simply force it out of him. Though I won’t kill him yet."

Idolan took a deep breath, then muttered:

"I guess I was wrong to ever get between children at play."

A moment later, the shattered chain coiled across the floor and sprang toward Idolan. Its broken end lashed itself around the shackles on his wrists, then snapped taut. The violent pull wrenched his foot from Cross’s back and flung him across the chamber, returning him to the dais.

Cross planted his remaining hand against the floor and forced himself upright. He began dusting himself off.

"How bold... to dare face me, provoke me, then say you’ll do so without the intent to kill. And I’m the arrogant one?"

Ash watched as Cross retreated a step and reclaimed his stance.

"Yes... It is a person’s duty to find their own path in life. To confront the problems they face — or fall before them. Cl... Cross, where do you get off doing something so self-serving as meddling in another’s life and claiming it’s for their sake?"

Cross’s eyes widened slightly, then he laughed.

"Ah... is that it? It’s not me you despise, but someone who did something similar in the past. In that case, I can’t help but want to teach you a lesson. Perhaps you’ll learn why that person did what they did. Or maybe... you already understand, and it’s their reasoning that haunts you. And, I wonder... were you the one saved?"

Ash shattered the stalemate with a sudden step, then started across the chamber toward the weakened prince.

Cross held his ground, his eyes locked upon Ash as he yelled:

"So, I was right! How pathetic you are, chimera! Taking out your self-loathing and regret on me."

"Such regrets are beneath me."

A stone stake materialized beside Cross as he shook his head.

"Oh, come on. You seem like regret incarnate. Nobody turns out so self-serving because of success, but failure."

"Think what you will."

Ash gambled and activated [Focus].

Cross smirked.

"Trying the same trick?"

Ash’s slowed perception sharpened as he crossed the remaining distance. He swept [Sealed Fate] horizontally toward Cross’s armless side, forcing the prince to defend across his body.

Cross whipped his stone stake into the blade’s path, but [Sealed Fate] cleaved through it without slowing. The sword continued toward him and grazed his remaining arm, carving a hair-thin line across the exposed skin.

Cross chuckled and sprang backward.

"Or not."

A purple wisp appeared and began revolving around [Sealed Fate]’s petal guard.

With speed Ash could never hope to match, Cross bounded farther back, widening the gap separating them. Once safely beyond Ash’s reach, he clasped the shallow cut on his arm.

"Impressive weapon you’ve found. But, how did you regrow your limbs anyway, chimera?"

[Focus] ended. Ash straightened and resumed his advance at a leisurely pace.

"My name is Ashley Grave. You’d do right to call me Ash."

"Hmm... why introduce yourself now, and why think I care?"

Ash sneered, then hurled Cross’s own words back at him.

"Because... you, Cross Frichella. You have earned my disrespect."

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