GLITCH

Ignoring the Fools

CRYSTAL CITY

Tuesday, November 16, 2500

9:15am

I am the Venom Claw Leader Black Faction, Alobe. I'm the epitome of strength. No one would dare to challenge me. But, I don't think being the epitome of strength suited me anymore.

What in the seventh hell is going on?

It's only a Glitch, a manifestation of fantasy. We are the heroes of Crystal City! We are the righteous order who smite evil! We should be the ones that are more superior to any glitch!

"…this is the third time we're facing a Glitch manifestation here within the city grounds. But we won't falter! We shall dominate this evil!"

That's what I told them earlier to boost their moral but…

It seems that is all just talk…

The enemy right in front of us is the predator, and we are the prey.

My body is shaking from fear; every bit of my nerves is screaming to stay away from this vile being.

"Alobe, sire! What are your orders?"

I just stared at the henchman talking to me, unresponsive due to intense fear.

Goddamnit…

The guild I'm in, the Venom Claw is a prestigious guild in Crystal City. We have our pride protecting the citizens. But then all change when it is splits to two factions, white and black faction. The whites believe that being all powerful isn't that essential in having a guild; trust is all that matters. We, the black faction truly believe that in brute strength, the people will recognize us. We don't need trust; we need the power to tell the people that they don't need to worry. After that, the guild eventually came to turmoil, and some of the black factions have shown what they're made of. Who cares about the citizens' well-being? If weren't for us, their lives are already done!

When we got the warning, the whites immediately spread out and evacuated the citizens. Tch...Why help the weaklings? No wonder the whites are so much weaker than we are. We blacks plunged ourselves to the fray to kill the manifested glitch.

…only to have the tables turned and got our troops die one by one.

•••

The skeleton is way too powerful to be true. I can say that this is a high caliber amongst all chromes I've read in the history books. Now, how should I deal with this one…? I already reached the place and it seems that the Glints are in a pinch. I can save them by acting as bait; I know that Chrome-types attack the person who attacked them and won't stop until the person die by their hands. Moreover, the intriguing factor of this Glitch is that this one was artificially made. My eyes never deceived me. This is the exact monster Sven and I encountered and defeated only to have its core be stolen from a certain someone.

Well, I did think that I'll become the bait, but I don't want to help the shitheads. I leave it be; people with criminal status attached to them, especially murder and r**e, are not suitable to get help. I just stared at them as the skeleton used its weapon to sweep the "dust" horizontally. I only save those the citizens who were still in the vicinity.

A powerful vertical strike from the skeleton shook the ground, leaving a huge c***k and released a cloud of dust. In mere moments, the skeleton rushes towards the group of Glints that I recognized. It's the five thugs last night. I just glanced at them and made my way to search for that barbeque vendor and his daughter. If both of them aren't here, I shall fight the skeleton with all my might.

"ORAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA…!"

With a shout, Sven unleashed his [Knight Assault] towards the enemy. I guess it's his way to divert the skeleton's attention to him, and it worked. He then sprinted towards outside the city. The walking bones is chasing after him with a decent speed despite his size.

Nice one Sven.

"Someone help…"

"!?"

Under the pile of rubbles, possibly from a building, I heard a familiar voice.

"Natalie? It's me, Rylai; the one whom you met last night. Are you safe? Why are you in there?"

"Rylai…? I am safe, don't worry. I'm with a child who got separated from her mother."

Considering the weight of the rubbles, it might've already caused a heavy burden to her. Unfortunately, I lack the strength needed to move it aside. I guess I need to do that.

"Natalie, could you please bear with it for a moment? I'll blast it off."

"Uh, yeah sure, but what do you mean by 'blast it off'?"

Within the rubbles, there's a small gap that is wide enough for me to insert my arm to. I put my left arm inside and warned Natalie to close her eyes and cover the child with her body after she'll hear some kind of blast.

"Are you ready there Natalie?"

"Yes…"

30% of power should be enough.

I used my Tech Gloves to blast off the piles of rubble atop of the two. After the puff of dust disappeared, I saw Natalie covering a cute little child in her arms, coughing from the dust.

"W-wow…a pile of heavy rubbles, in an instant…" Natalie dropped her jaws out of astonishment.

"Well you did your best enduring such heavy load, so you're the more astonishing human here", I said while gazing at Natalie. "The two of you should go now", I continued.

"Thank you kind silver-eyed big sister", the child expressed her gratitude to me with a cute innocent smile.

"You're welcome little one. Now could you come with the other big sister away from here?"

The little girl nodded.

"How about you…?" asked Natalie after looking at the surroundings.

"I'll have some business to take care of. Better go to a safe place will you? Well then, if you'll excuse me."

I throttled at full speed towards Sven's location.

However, I can't shake the thought about what I saw on that little girl. Let's put it aside for now and focus the matter at hand.

"Hold on for a little longer Sven!"