GLITCH

Death to All of You

DARK MARKET, Maiden's Gloss City

December 1

10:58 pm

I'm trying to adapt these new gloves of mine and see how it works.

"[Telekinesis]…"

But nothing happened.

I didn't shout it aloud since it would be a bad timing if someone found me out while I'm still practicing here.

I miss my Tech Gloves already. Sniff.

Mhmm, what now?

How should I do it then?

"Who's there?"

Uh-oh, someone spotted me. What bad timing.

Ugh, oh well.

I stared back at the one who spotted me. He's a bulky baldie. That's what I see. Er, well he also has some kind of dragonhead tattoo on his head. But somehow, looking at him makes me feel like I want to laugh so hard instead of being intimidated.

"Me? I'm someone who stirred up some trouble here. Please don't mind me."

"I'm not a dumb goon damn it! We're not in some comedy flick!"

"Ah, my bad…"

Oh well better do this stuff with brute force.

I used my Tech Boots to accelerate and drop a kick to the man but then he wielded a giant sword mounted on his back to intercept my kick—

"RAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

—while shouting. WHILE. SHOUTING.

Why do you guys yell whenever you strike anyway?

That kind of trope is getting old, you know.

But well, between a sharp piece of metal and a meat kick which do you think is more lethal?

It's obviously the metal.

Well I salute this guy for being able to swing a huge sword in a fast pace. But then again, I have this peculiar Mantle and skill that made me gave up being normal and made me expect the unexpected.

My kick just phased through baldie's sword. The man is astonished to see that. Well, actually I am too but I have no time to be in a state of shock—I need to destroy this place as fast as possible and get some leads about the Fallen Blood Crystal.

Ah, my priorities got jumbled up. Oh well.

I hit the man's right shoulder and seconded it with another kick aiming for his face while I'm still in mid-air. I thank my tech boots for letting me do such a feat. He fainted after that. Man, he sure is tough. He was just thrown away for a meter. Or is it that I lack that kind of raw power enough to send him flying? After all, I'm not using my Mantle's strength. I'm using my own, I think.

I'm troubled. I'm thinking that I'm a shell of my former self.

I'm terrified that I may find myself deprived from sanity.

The reason why I'm thinking it is because I noticed another disturbing factor.

When I took a peek at this guy's stats, I saw something that dealt a blow to my very core.

Fern Grudge

Mantle: Brute Scavenger LV 41

Rylai Lux –Death—

LV ? (data unavailable)

To confirm my doubts, I took a glance to all thugs who happens to came by and saw the misfortune of their companion. The result is just the same as that baldie. Only my identification is different. My Mantle isn't even labeled as a Mantle.

And it seems that I really am striding away from the path of normalcy.

"You! What have you done!?"

"Shut up."

A faint feeling of anger and disgust started swelling up, swirling wildly inside of me. These are my honest feelings upon seeing this wretched place, but why? Up until now I was able to keep it in check. Now, the only thing I want to do is to kill them all no matter the cost. This unstable surge of emotions may due to either me realizing that I'm no longer normal human or me seeing a dark side of humanity.

Not that I care.

"Tainted or not, I'll wipe them out."

My consciousness…shrouded…

"What…all of you deserve…is death."

…

When I regained consciousness I found myself lying on the ground outside the dark market surrounded by people. I did a sigh of relief after seeing a familiar person among them.

"You're finally awake! What happened there?"

My head still hurts a bit but I did my best recollecting my thoughts and tried to remember every detail before I passed out.

I began some storytelling for a bit.

I told him what had happened, and he seems to believe me, but his expression says otherwise. When I asked him what had happened to his side while I'm away, he said, "I used the medicine you gave me and even though most of them were staggering as they walk, all of us were able to get out thanks to you. Then while on the way, I just saw you already snoring."

Ah. Embarrassing...

•••

"Eh!? What happened to the building?"

Miss Rylai said as she stood up and scratched her head.

She didn't remember any of it?

So it's just some kind of hallucination? No? Then what is it?

I used [Appraisal] on her and it only say . It's only her name and that ominous word beside it could be seen. I can't see her status, and she's not like me, a half-glitch.

After she went to the upper floors, I did as what she asked me to do. Using the medicine she gave me, which is in the form of capsules, I was able to remove the effects of the drugs. I was also able to meet up with my party members…except one of us.

She probably had been sold already. Or worse, she's butchered and had her internal organs removed.

Just imagining it terrifies me. I know it's pretty late for remorse, but I deeply apologize for having her met a miserable fate after bringing her along with my journey to travel the world. Her existence will always be in my heart.

"We thank you, boy!"

"Don't thank me yet, we need to get out of here first."

"R-right but, the guards--"

"They're no more."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"There's someone up there acting as a decoy for us to escape. Let's flee while we have the chance."

"O-of course!"

Tons of screams and rumbling noises could be heard, so that could only mean that that lab coat lady, which I now know as Rylai Lux, is doing what she can to buy us some time.

This path we're taking on is the only escape route since this is a one-way path. There's a single entrance and exit, so if ever a guard or two exists, we would surely be seen and apprehended.

Luckily, there's no one to be found conscious to do so, since we saw them lying on the floor, groaning like they're experiencing some kind of nightmare. The lab coat lady is the only one who comes in mind if someone would ask who the culprit is. Of course for self-defense, we picked up the weapons these scumbags have. We might engage in combat, so it's best to be prepared.

We're now at the ground floor and the exit is on sight. We embraced ourselves and even some of us cried out of joy. After having our freedom removed and got secluded from the outside world, no one would've thought that we obtain it back.

Our rights…

Our freedom…

It's like a dream come true.

"UWAH!"

Huh?

One of my comrades suddenly freaked out and pointed a hallway.

Wait, I'm pretty sure that that path wasn't there earlier. Perhaps...it's a secret entrance?

"What should we do boy?"

"I'll explore this secret passage. You guys go outside now."

"Are you sure about this?"

"I don't have much of a choice. There might be prisoners like us waiting for help--"

"But there could also be dangers lurking inside."

I know what they are getting at, but…

"I'll be careful don't worry."

"It seems that we can't stop you. You do that then. We'll be waiting for you outside."

"…Of course."

I said it nervously and steeled myself as I traverse this dim passageway.

At the end of the room, there are two cells but with the interior having no lights at all, it's obvious that I cannot see anyone imprisoned within it. I tried to call out and see if someone would reply.

"Is there someone in there?"

There's no one?

"W-who's there?"

"Oh, there is someone! I'm Travis and let's get out of here!"

"T-Travis? Is that really Travis?"

I gasped.

How could I never notice this familiar voice?

It's the voice of my companion and childhood friend, Natalie.

"Natalie! Hang on, I'll destroy these bars!"

"It's no use."

"Huh?"

What is she talking about?

"We can't escape here. No one can."

"But look at me. I was able to--"

"You'll be killed if ever you cross your path with that…that…monster."

"What monster?"

"…"

This isn't good.

She's been tormented harsher than I to the point that it already broke her. How should I console her? I, in particular, am not a person capable of encouraging people.

"Listen, are there anyone there besides you? I can't really see since it's so dark you know?"

"Uh-huh…a part of them…."

"What do you mean?"

Natalie threw something solid and hits the bars.

But then again, I can't see what it is.

I should use my skill then.

"[Appraisal]… Ghurkk!? This is...!"

After I appraised it, I easily gave in and puked.

It's someone's limb.