Jayce, determined to grow stronger, set out to hunt more glitched monsters. His blade cut through corrupted entities, his movements becoming sharper as he tested the limits of his newfound strength.
With each battle, he gained more experience and skills:
- Fragmentation Blade -- The weapon “%@#$01&%#*” shatters into pixelated fragments, striking enemies from multiple angles before reforming.
- Desync -- A rapid evasion technique that let him flicker out of sync with reality, making attacks pass through him.
- Rollback -- A restorative skill that allowed him to rewind a portion of his body’s state, undoing damage taken within a short window.
Between fights, he explored his surroundings and stumbled upon an area unlike the rest of the distorted battlefield. A pool of water, shimmering unnaturally, caught his attention.
[SYSTEM SCAN -- Valuable Resources Detected. Evaluating… Processing…]
[SYSTEM SCAN -- Complete!]
[SYSTEM NOTICE! -- Pure Condensed Mana] [Potable Substance]
[SYSTEM NOTICE! -- Substance Recognized!] [Cache Integration Possible]
[Would you like to INCORPORATE?] [Y/N?]
“Yes!”
[SYSTEM NOTICE! -- Cache Integrated!]
[Would you like to save PREFERENCES?] [Y/N?]
“Yes please!”
[SYSTEM NOTICE! -- PREFERENCES CREATED!] [USER_PREFERENCES -- SAVED!]
[SYSTEM UPDATE! – FOLDER CREATED!]
[C:\Users\
[SYSTEM NOTICE! – Substance Eligible for Archiving]
[Would you like to ARCHIVE?][Y/N?]
“YAAAAAAAZZZZ!....” Jayce uttered with a disgruntled face…
[SYSTEM PROMPT!] [function_displaySystemMessage(“System message: Sighing with an EXASPERETED SNORT! CONFIRMATION_ACCEPTED!."){alert(&@$#^^-_-^!!!);}]
[SYSTEM NOTICE! -- Substance ARCHIVED!]
[Would you like to do this for the rest of the other ENTRIES?] [Y/N?]
Jayce face-palmed in disbelief…
[SYSTEM NOTICE! -- CONFIRMATION_ACCEPTED…]
[SYSTEM UPDATE!] [USER_PREFERENCES – SAVED!]
[PURE CONDENSED MANA]
[Stored Function: Consumable -- High Grade Substance]
Type: Mythic -- Substance
Usage: Alchemy, Consumable
Description: Pure Concentrated Mana -- The Essence of Creation
A power beyond mortal reach, one the raw heartbeats of the universe, from which all magic flows. It shimmers like liquid starlight, dense with infinite potential -- capable of igniting worlds or mending time itself. Neither forged nor controlled, it bends only to those who glimpse the code of reality. To wield it is to hold the script of creation itself -- a gift to the worthy, a curse to the unprepared.
Effects & Bonuses: Harnessing Pure Concentrated Mana grants overwhelming power, but only to those capable of wielding it. Some of its effects include:
- Limitless Magic Power -- Spells enhanced by it become absolute, bypassing traditional resistances.
- Reality Reformation -- Reshapes matter, space, and time at the wielder’s will.
- Unparalleled Energy Source -- A single drop can power ancient relics, revive fallen lands, or sustain a dying soul.
- Instant Mastery -- Grants perfect understanding of magic for those attuned to it.
- Divine Empowerment -- Temporarily grants godlike status, increasing all stats beyond mortal limits.
Fatal Risks:
Attempting to wield Pure Concentrated Mana without proper control is a death sentence. It is too vast, too volatile, too perfect for the unworthy. Risks include:
- Mana Overload -- Instantly shreds the user's body from within, reducing them to nothing.
- Mind Collapse -- The sheer knowledge and power fractures the soul, leaving an empty husk.
- Reality Distortion -- Without mastery, a simple misstep can erase one's existence or warp reality unpredictably.
- Corruption -- Prolonged exposure mutates the unworthy into abominations, consumed by unstable energy.
- Attraction of Higher Beings -- Cosmic entities and divine forces may intervene, destroy, or claim the user for their own ends.
Jayce stared at the shimmering pool of liquid. He first noticed that, although clear, he couldn't see his reflection. Haven’t drank anything refreshing in a long time, the sight of such was “lip-smackingly” tempting. He just stood there, holding his ground and gazing steadily at it. What a sight to behold in this Godforsaken place. Radiating with aura that is visible to the naked eye, the clearest liquid he has ever seen.
Disregarding the System’s warnings, Jayce knelt beside it, He gave in to temptation. Scooping up some of the liquid gold, it pulsed with raw mana, dense enough that he could almost feel the energy vibrating in his palm. He drank a small amount -- nothing happened. Not yet, but something told him this would be important once he left this place.
Coughing as he continued to have his fill, Jayce also noticed other things.
Nearby, he spotted clusters of strange plants and mushrooms, growing alongside jagged mana crystals embedded in the ground. These could be useful.
For now, he continued his grind, focusing on leveling up and gathering as much as he could before making his next move.
Jayce returned to his camp, dropping his gathered materials beside the small fire he had set up earlier. He eyed the plants, mushrooms, and the pure condensed mana, deciding to put his newly unlocked Cooking skill to the test.
He crafted a makeshift pot using scavenged materials, then poured in pure condensed mana , setting it over the fire. As it heated, he added the mushrooms and plants, stirring the mixture carefully. The broth glowed faintly with residual mana, and the aroma…
Was disappointing.
Jayce took a sip, his face twisting at the bland taste. No salt. No herbs. No spices. It was edible -- barely -- but it was clear he needed better ingredients if he wanted actual flavor.
Still, he finished his meal. Even without taste, the warm broth settled in his stomach, providing some level of nourishment.
Once he was done, he stretched his limbs and prepared to continue hunting. Each battle pushed his limits, his skills refining with each fight. His stats improved, and his movements became more fluid as he adapted to combat against the corrupted entities.
The more he fought, the stronger he became. Soon, he knew, he’d be ready to leave this place.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Jayce continued his hunt, cutting down glitched creatures and steadily growing stronger. But as he moved deeper into the corrupted landscape, he stumbled upon something new -- an area unlike any he had seen before.
The air here was different. It crackled faintly, like an unstable program struggling to load. At the far end of the area stood a massive stone door, covered in strange engravings that pulsed faintly with an eerie glow.
As he stepped closer--
[SYSTEM ALERT: Destabilization Disturbances Detected -- Proceed with Caution.]
Jayce narrowed his eyes. This wasn’t a normal dungeon door.
Something was wrong.
With that in mind, he turned back, heading to camp to prepare.
Once he was fully equipped and ready, Jayce returned.
With a deep breath, he reached out--
And pushed open the door.
The chamber beyond was vast, its stone walls covered in cracks oozing with a strange, greenish mist. In the center of the room, something shifted.
A massive frog-like creature emerged from the shadows, its slimy, grotesque body covered in pulsating pustules.
[SYSTEM ALERT: Boss Battle Initiated -- Toxic Devourer Detected.]
Jayce barely had time to react before the Toxic Devourer made its move.
The massive, frog-like creature let out a guttural croak, its throat swelling grotesquely before unleashing a torrential spray of acidic sludge straight at him.
His instincts screamed -- Move!
Jayce dashed sideways using Phantom Step, narrowly avoiding the deadly liquid as it splashed onto the stone floor. The impact was silent -- no sizzling, no crackling -- because the stone wasn’t just melting.
It was being erased.
Jayce’s eyes widened.
This wasn’t just any acid. It was breaking down reality itself.
The air thickened, the mist around the beast darkening.
[WARNING: HIGHLY TOXIC FUMES DETECTED.]
Jayce staggered back, feeling a wave of dizziness hit him -- before the feeling abruptly vanished.
A new notification flickered into view.
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED: ERROR NULLIFICATION -- IMMUNITY TO NEGATIVE EFFECTS.]
Jayce grinned.
“Guess I’m immune to your tricks now.”
The creature let out another deep croak, its beady, soulless eyes locking onto him. Then, with an unnatural burst of speed, it lunged forward, its massive bulk crushing the ground beneath it.
Jayce barely had time to raise his sword.
CLANG!
The impact sent him skidding backward, his arms numb from the force. The Toxic Devourer’s raw strength was nothing to underestimate.
It wasn’t just a mindless beast. It was hunting him.
Jayce countered, slashing at its slimy hide. His sword bit into flesh, but instead of blood, a sickly green liquid oozed out -- acidic bile that melted even the metal of his blade.
“Tch--” He yanked his sword back, retreating before it could fully corrode.
The Devourer croaked again, and this time, the fumes thickened, filling the entire chamber. Visibility dropped.
Jayce’s vision blurred. But with his Error Nullification, he wasn’t affected. Instead, he focused.
If the poison couldn’t hurt him, then he had one major advantage.
He disappeared into the mist, stalking his prey instead of being hunted.
The creature twitched, sensing movement, and let out another powerful acid blast -- but Jayce wasn’t where it aimed.
He was already above it.
With a burst of speed, he leaped high, his sword crackling with glitched energy.
Then, using Adaptive Glitch he stole something.
[SYSTEM NOTICE: Skill Acquired]
[New Function Stored: Weapon Skill -- ???]
Jayce activated it immediately.
A strange, fragmented energy surged through his weapon, as if it were rewriting reality itself.
With a fierce battle cry, he slammed his sword down, striking the Devourer directly on its grotesque head.
The corrupted beast let out a deafening screech.
It convulsed violently, its entire body glitching and distorting. It tried to leap away, but its movements were now jerky, sluggish -- corrupted.
Jayce’s eyes flashed.
He wasn’t done yet.
Taking advantage of its moment of weakness, he activated another stolen skill.
[SYSTEM NOTICE: Skill Acquired]
[New Function Stored: Travel Skill -- ???]
His body blinked out of existence for a split second, before reappearing instantly behind the boss, right at its exposed back.
Jayce thrust his blade forward--
The finishing blow.
Jayce exhaled, rolling his sore shoulders as the Toxic Devourer's corpse began to disintegrate, leaving behind shimmering loot and resources.
He glanced at his Status Window, and sure enough--
[LEVEL UP! +5 LEVELS GAINED]
A surge of newfound strength coursed through him.
[Status Window]
Name: Jayce Bengco
Class: Glitch Slayer
Job: ???
Title (Primary): The Broken One
Title (Sub): ???
Level: 19
[Stats]
- HP (Life): 390 (Severely Injured)
- ???: [Hidden]
- ???: [Hidden]
- STR (Strength): 28 ?
- VIT (Vitality): 22 ?
- DEX (Dexterity): 20 ?
- INT (Intelligence): 26 ?
- SPD (Speed): 40 ??
- LCK (Luck): 15 ?
- ???: [Hidden]
- ???: [Hidden]
- ???: [Hidden]
- ???: [Hidden]
- ???: [Hidden]
- EXP: [Visible]
- RILTS: ???
- BITS: ???
- Stat Points: (Can be manually distributed)
Jayce smirked.
"Looks like the system is finally stabilizing a bit more for me."
Not only could he now see his EXP bar, but Stat Points were officially unlockable for manual distribution. That meant he could fine-tune his growth, prioritizing what he needed most.
For now, he held off on distributing them -- he wanted to experiment a bit before committing to any changes.
But there was something else.
His Crafting Menu had changed.
[NEW CRAFTING OPTIONS UNLOCKED!]
- Smiting
- Alchemy
Jayce whistled. "Now we're talking."
With Smithing, he could reinforce and craft weapons -- which meant better gear, and possibly even repairing his damaged sword.
With Alchemy, he could start brewing potions, antidotes, and maybe even mana-related concoctions -- though he still couldn't use mana yet.
It was a huge step forward.
Now, for the loot.
[LOOT ACQUIRED -- TOXIC DEVOURER]
- Corrosive Frog Leather -- Resistant to physical and elemental damage, useful for crafting armor.
- Venomous Gland -- Can be extracted for potent poisons.
- Toxic Core -- A pulsating, acidic gemstone with strange properties.
- Acid-Resistant Bones -- Durable material that can be used for reinforcement.
- Beast Meat (Tainted) -- Not edible in its current state but can be processed.
- Glitched Essence -- ???
Jayce examined the Glitched Essence, a shimmering, unstable fragment pulsing with distorted energy.
His instincts told him it was important, but he'd need time to figure out how to use it.
Satisfied with the loot, Jayce shifted his focus to scavenging the area.
His eyes scanned the battlefield. The Toxic Devourer’s acidic nature meant most of the terrain was ruined, but there were still resources to be gathered.
Scavenging for Raw Materials
Jayce collected:
- Unscathed Beast Hide -- Good for basic leather armor or trade.
- Toughened Bones -- Strong enough for crafting reinforced handles or armor plating.
- Mana-Infused Mushrooms -- Slightly glowing, possibly useful for alchemy.
- Mana Crystals -- Found embedded in the cave walls, valuable for future mana-based crafting.
- Raw Beast Meat (Non-Tainted) -- A rare find, still edible with proper cooking.
Jayce slung his scavenged materials over his shoulder and made his way back toward camp.
Tonight, he would refine his loot, try out his new crafting abilities, and plan his next move.
It was time to get stronger -- before leaving this glitched prison behind.
Jayce exhaled as he settled back at camp, the tension from his recent battles finally easing. His body ached, and his wounds, though healing, still throbbed with dull pain. He had earned this break.
The flickering light from his campfire cast long shadows as he leaned against a jagged rock. He glanced at the nightmarish world around him -- this glitched wasteland had become his battlefield, his proving ground. He had grown stronger, but he knew it wasn’t enough. Not yet.
Then, without warning--
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: NEW SYSTEM UPDATE AVAILABLE!]
Jayce’s heart skipped a beat as his interface pulsed with a new notification.
[Applying System Patch… Verifying Data Integrity…]
Lines of code and shimmering text scrolled across his vision. This wasn’t like the usual notifications he had received from leveling up or acquiring new skills. This was different. It felt… official.
Then, the update details unfolded before him.
Overview:
A system recalibration has been applied to address inconsistencies in the user’s growth trajectory.
Changes Implemented:
Stat Growth Normalization:
- Previously unaccounted stat increases have been recalculated.
- Base stat growth per level has been standardized.
EXP & Level Scaling Adjustments:
- Past EXP gains have been consolidated and applied.
- Required EXP for the next level is now visible.
Manual Stat Distribution Enabled:
- Users can now allocate Stat Points manually.
- 10 Stat Points are awarded per level, separate from base stat growth.
Jayce frowned, absorbing the information.
“Wait… so my past level-ups weren’t actually applying my stat increases properly?” he muttered, scrolling through the details.
It seemed like the system had corrected itself, finally applying the stats he had technically earned. His Strength, Vitality, Dexterity, Intelligence, Speed, and Luck had all seen a proper increase, reflecting his efforts.
[STATUS WINDOW UPDATED]
[Updated Stats -- Level 19]
Name: Jayce Bengco
Class: Glitch Slayer
Job: ???
Title (Primary): The Broken One
Title (Sub): ???
Level: 19
[Stats]
- HP (Life): 390 (Severely Injured)
- STR (Strength): 28 → 38 ?
- VIT (Vitality): 22 → 32 ?
- DEX (Dexterity): 20 → 30 ?
- INT (Intelligence): 26 → 36 ?
- SPD (Speed): 40 → 60 ??
- LCK (Luck): 15 → 20 ?
- EXP: 13,650 / 3,200 (Needed for Level 20)
- Stat Points Available: +50 (Manual Distribution)
Jayce rubbed his chin, deep in thought.
“So I finally have manual control over my growth…” He flexed his fingers, feeling the latent energy coursing through him. He had 50 unassigned stat points, meaning he could optimize his strengths further.
The realization sent a chill down his spine -- just how strong could he become now that he had full control over his stats?
His thoughts drifted back to his battles. The System Enforcer. The Glitched Beasts. The Toxic Devourer. Every fight had pushed him further, forced him to adapt. He had barely survived, but he had survived.
Now, with this patch, his efforts had finally caught up.
He let out a slow breath. It was time to plan his next move.
Would he distribute his stats now? Or would he keep leveling up and gather even more points before making a major decision?
Either way, he wasn’t stopping anytime soon.
The Glitch Slayer was just getting started.
A BIGGER FIGHT is about to go down on the next Chapter so.... Till next time! ;))