GLITCH

The Manipulated and Meet the Unexpected

OUTSIDE CRYSTAL CITY

Tuesday, November 16, 2500

9:24am

"Sven! I'm here!"

I rushed towards Sven, who is already injured in the scene. Sven's armor and the clothes he wore during his practice were already shredded. He has many wounds all over his exposed body. Lying around the battlefield are bodies of the adventurers, few of them are fatally wounded. I think most of them wanted to help Sven…as if that's the only reason behind it.

Putting that thought aside, I'm a bit late!

"Rylai! Get back!"

Sven sprinted at max speed just to get in front of me and positioned himself defensively with his sword. Just when he did, a sudden wind force gusts to us, resulting to more wounds visible to SvenRylai'. The gust then threw Sven away.

This wind isn't just an attack. I sense some form of life in that. Could it be...?

This is a Double Glitch!

Double Glitch is a scenario wherein an unprecedented Glitch appears shortly after the detected Glitch. Double Glitch rarely happen during this month. Well, considering the fact that this Glitch is artificially created, it does make sense.

"Oh? He amazed me yet again! To block my attack is no easy feat!"

"…for me to meet a Morph of all places…"

A Morph is a being that can simply change its form depending on its attribute – pyro (fire), geo (earth), hydro (water) and aero (air). The most infamous one is this being I'm battling against. Since its attribute is transparent, a person can't see the core of these beings.

To be honest, I find it strange. Morphs are one of the rare dormant-types and even live with humans. But then again, the boney (the Skeleton General; I get tired just thinking of its long name so I shall call it boney!) was artificially created so it makes sense that common sense doesn't apply here.

"Oh? You seem to be resourceful young lady!"

A gust of wind started to blow everyone away. I don't care about the black faction dead ones since they're already dead. The ones in the white faction of the Venom Claw guild, which is recognizable since they usually have a white bracer on their right wrist, were also in the vicinity. If they're tossed aside while still having those grievous wounds, it'll kill them!

Oh man, why can't I share my healing capability?

Sven did his best stalling time here.

I shall do my best to make what he'd done here worth it.

The winds started to swirl; I used my eye to detect where the core is.

"There!"

"Kuh…!"

I blasted with 50% of my Tech Gloves' capacity, hoping that this is enough to make the morph flinch; good thing it worked. The swirling gust slowly subsided.

It's a relief, yes. But my intuition tells me otherwise.

After hearing a slight growl, I did a flip backwards to create some space.

If I didn't do such, I would've been butchered by the bone's strike.

"BANG…!"

A loud banging noise reverberated throughout the area and soil and rock debris flung everywhere. Some of it hit me on my shoulders and forehead; the force is enough to feel a stinging sensation to the impacted parts.

For some reason, the Chrome boney didn't move at all earlier. But just then it unleashed a heavy strike towards the ground. The result…? Nothing much, it just permanently changed the landscape. A huge crater was formed, and the grassy plain is no more.

I wanted to search for someone who specializes in healing but my hands are already tied. This is two on one, and I can't retreat for now.

I've been through a lot of life-and-death situations, and somehow I managed to escape from it. Well then, it's time to push my luck.

"To think that a lowly human such as you would be able to hit my core. You're more surprising than that Sven earlier."

The Morph slowly manifests itself in front of me. Slowly but surely, I saw an image of a lady, about the same height as I am, in a black dress. She has black hair and possessed red-colored eyes.

Morph (Aero) HP: 9580/10000 MP: 3200/3900

Monster class: Boss (Unique) Lv. 069

Strength: 110

Dexterity: 190

Constitution: 131

Intelligence: 540

Skill:

WHIRLWIND [ACTIVE]

- A powerful gust is released, and those who can't withstand it will be blown away.

RAZOR WIND [ACTIVE]

- A shredding gust is released, tearing those who comes across its path

GUST STRIKE BARRAGE [ACTIVE]

- It comes in two stages. Step one: the user accumulates enough power and form a sphere made of wind; step two: a spontaneous attack of wind element bullets will be unleashed and hit the target area.

MORPH [UNIQUE TOGGLE STATUS: INACTIVE]

- Changes the physical form to its elemental form.

Status Condition:

MANIPULATED – This is either hypnotized or possessed glitch.

ARTIFICIAL – This glitch isn't manifested by natural means.

I can understand that it's artificial, but a manipulated one…? The one who did this is truly evil. Morphs usually help people, especially if it is weather related. When it's too hot, aero morphs release a cool breeze; when the planting season is on, the hydro Morphs help the farmers in cultivating the fields.

But the Morph I'm seeing now defies all of those gentle traits.

"So that's your true form?"

I just blurted it out. The way it looks is too sinister and more on the malice side. I know an aero morph back in my place; she's a classmate of mine. But this form…this isn't what I've been expecting.

"Yep! Congratulations for seeing my true form! Now, your prize would be…death by my hands!"

As she said that, she put her hands upwards and then a sphere of winds is forming.

"Carlo, would you mind attacking her?"

The boney started to move towards me with its sword readied on a striking position above its head. I see, so it's to stall time. But I think just this reanimated bones is enough to decapitate me you know?

As the sword slashed, I can hear the bones grinding and its whooshing sound from the swinging of the blade. It's fast.

…but not fast enough to outmaneuver me…

I used both of my gloves to unleash a concentrated attack on the boney's sword to parry it. To match its power, I used 65% power capacity. I successfully knocked back the boney but then the morph already finished preparing her magic. This will be troublesome.

"Take this! [Gust Strike Barrage]…!"

A barrage of air bullets came rushing towards me. Since it's unexpected, I wasn't able to change my momentum and just came crashing to the ground. Unlike me, the boney came back to its feet, and swung its sword again; this time, it's not a strike that relied on sheer force, but it's its [s***h] skill. The speed is so fast that it already matches with the expected impact of the air bullets to me.

I just closed my eyes, expecting the grave finale. But then I suddenly heard a fast pace of footsteps and a voice chanting a spell.

"[Iron Barrier]…"

The next thing I heard are the clanging sound of the sword that hit against a metal, and the cussing of the morph towards the ones who undoubtedly defended me.

When I opened my eyes, I saw figures of four people. They're wearing cloaks with the same color – black long with a matching silver cross on their backs – and are super familiar. These are the ones who wield the crown of the strongest group, Silver Crux!

"Bafna the Defender, Furio the Werewolf, Sach the Holy Priestress, and Cram the Brawl Master…?"

"Oh, you seem quite knowledgeable young one."

"You did well good lady. Now let us take over here."

I just nodded as my legs gave up due to exhaustion.

"You're tired right? Let me heal you and the rest of the fallen ones."

Sach – a beautiful lady in her 30s; possessed white hair and emerald green eyes, has a captivating face and a body stunning perfect figure – the well-known healer clasped her hands together as if she's praying. An AOE heal is released, and the wounds and bruises of the fallen glints and the minor bruises and exhaustion I have disappeared as if I don't have it in the first place. As soon as they got up, Cram – a physically fit guy in his 30s, has orange hair and eye; an eye patch covered his left eye and has an aura of leadership – told them to get away from here. He told me to stay away as well, but I insisted to watch the fight.

He then smiled in response and then said, "Well then young lady, witness this fight and learn what you want to learn." He turned his gaze towards Bafna -- a tall dark man with brown hair and dark green eyes and has a physique similar to Cram -- and ordered him to protect me at all cost.

"Don't worry about it leader", Bafna replied with a grin.

"For the ones, who lost their lives, I shall pray for your souls; may you reach the heavens and meet the Creator", Sach said it in a sorrowful voice as she closed her eyes and tilted her head towards the sky.

"Well then", Furio – a man who possessed light blue hair and yellow-colored eyes, with an intimidating masculine figure and a short beard – started cracking his fists and faced the boney.

"What should I do to you?" he said as he put a smirk on his face.