GLITCH

Now, It's Your Turn Knight

FALSE WORLD: FALLEN BLOOD CRYSTAL

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"Don't act high and mighty just because you have an orange horse. Challenge me one on one! DISAPPEAR, DEATH HORSE!"

I tried to blast it with my Tech Gloves Beta.

The gloves started to respond to my command and my surprise, it released a lot more energy than what I anticipated.

"H-hey, what the h--"

Before I could start my rambling, the shot was fired. It's a great lightning pulse...with a great recoil.

I got blasted away from my position in the opposite direction.

My back hurts from being smooched to the ground (I know that my wording is a bit weird, but meh, I'm hungry).

"I didn't expect that."

Well, with that shot...I wonder now how much damage it gave to the horse.

Eh?

It amounts to 50%!?

That's some great damage. I didn't expect this too.

The Death Horse's life is now at 35%. I think I can manage this with just my normal Tech Gloves.

Well, I'll be forced to use my Tech Gloves anyway since my Beta lost its glowing aesthetic. When I checked, it's in cooldown for five days.

If I knew about this drawback, I shouldn't have used this on the horse.

Of course, I'm hungry this time. Without a proper meal, my body can't function in top-notch condition.

"Tech Gloves."

In response to my voice, my normal Tech Gloves replaced my Beta in some sort of digital way.

Now, what's your next move, mister knight?

"Huh?"

Well, who wouldn't react that way?

The knight just culled his horse with a sword (where does that come from? A spatial storage perhaps?) aimed at its neck. The head fell to the ground.

The knight jumps from the now -- wait, how should I call this? Dead horse? Meh, whatever -- here he comes!

The knight instantly came in front of me and swung his sword in a horizontal motion. I immediately launched myself into the air with the help of my gloves and boots.

I thought I was safe.

However, when I was about to land at my initial point, I noticed something that almost cuts my arm.

"!?"

I felt the stinging sensation of my right arm.

I wasn't able to dodge it in time.

I immediately relaunched myself upwards and took a few steps back upon landing, away from the mystical line.

"...my, my... Isn't that a remnant of his earlier strike?"

I looked at the sword and I was indeed right on the money.

The sword has the ability [Motionless Cutter], an ability that allows the wielder to cast a stationary "blade". The location depends on the sword's tip.

The damage is only half of the wielder's attack power.

However, that doesn't mean that I'm safe.

The knight's current stats are abnormal. This Glitch got tons of perks after killing the horse.

I don't have an inkling of knowledge about my stats. And just for the safe side, I'll just continue evading all attacks thrown at me.

It's better to be safe than sorry.

Ugh, my hunger...

Tch. I'm starting to get a little dizzy.

In the end, this is one of the few traits that never changed ever since I got this anomaly of my Mantle.

I'm still a human being, through and through. Yay.

"Let's end this, you Glitch. I'll end you with all I got."

•••

SECRET CHAMBER, Maiden's Gloss City

December 3

10:32 AM

"What's the current situation?"

"Yes ma'am. The queen has yet to be awakened, and that orb that encased her prohibits any of us to touch her."

Ferni agitatedly asked the person in charge of monitoring the queen. They have kept her in a secret chamber just behind the throne room. Moving the queen is a hard quest since the orb served as some kind of a force field. They only managed to pull off the stunt with the help of three of their teleport users.

The queen's loyal "butler" -- Hellus is the name -- is the one who told them about a secret chamber now used to hide the queen's condition to the public.

It would cause a huge uproar, after all.

Both the AGA and the high-ranks of the kingdom considered this a necessary measure.

The news about the queen's absence is now widespread to the Maiden Island's citizens. It's an official statement of the palace. The news stated that the queen is on a voyage to the mainland for diplomatic purposes.

Of course, it's just a cover-up story.

Back to the scene, Ferni approaches the masked Hellus, who's been staring at the queen for quite some time. She stood by his side and started conversing without batting an eye to the receiving end.

"To think that the queen herself is a Fallen too...that gave me quite a shock."

"The queen hid that red crystal throughout her life ever since she got that. However, she didn't do a single thing that's aligned with the Fallen's goals."

"That much I know Hellus. We in the AGA didn't consider her as a villainess. As for the evidence, well...her reigning this country is marvelous. And I couldn't find a single thing that could deny her innocence."

"So that means--"

"However, with her being affiliated with the Fallen, we need to do some interrogations to compile files enough to classify her as your friendly-neighborhood royalty."

"I thought that you guys already saw her innocence?"

"I did say that, but this is also for the sake of Her Majesty."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Just in case someone would try and harass this country if ever the truth leaks out. AGA has enough credibility, thanks to our informants and their discoveries, as well as our services. Overall, that could aid you and your monarchy."

"...is that so?"

"Yes of course."

"..."

"..."

A moment of silence pierced through the room. The AGA personnel and the high-ranked officers present at the moment were eavesdropping on their conversation, which the two of them ignored. Later on, Ferni broke the ice.

"Hey, Hellus, you should take some rest. Even if you're healed, your body's still in a weak state."

"Please don't worry about me, Miss Ferni. I assure you that I am well now. I'm well-trained. It is my duty as her butler and bodyguard to ensure her safety."

Ferni offered Hellus to take some rest, to which he declined. Hellas is worried about Queen Licht after all.

However, as the two of them were having a conversation, someone inserted, much to their surprise.

"You say that you're a loyal bodyguard, and yet you weren't able to protect Licht."

"!?"

"... Who are you!? How did you get here?"

The people were alarmed and some of them were preparing for a fight if ever it'll spring.

Another reason why the AGA's were so alarmed is that a chunk of red crystal is seen embedded in the stranger's chest.

The officials of the country, however, were relaxed after seeing who the infiltrator was.

The stranger possessed red hair and has a yellow band covering his eyes. He's not wearing anything on the upper half but for the lower part, he wore some black jeans and a pair of ominous-looking shoes. The shoes are emitting some kind of fume. He's wearing a melancholic expression while looking at Licht.

"He's a Fallen! All of you get--"

"Stand down, Miss Ferni. I know this guy."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

One of the high-ranked officers stepped in and answered her.

"His name is Nexus Vanguard. He's Her Majesty's lover."