Arin emerged from the glitching forest into a wide, barren landscape that shimmered unnaturally under the distorted light. The ground beneath him looped in faint patterns, rising and sinking like a corrupted heartbeat. The air smelled faintly of burnt code, and distant mountains flickered in and out of existence.
"This… is new," he muttered, flexing his fingers.Advanced Code Rewritepulsed with energy in his hands. "If I want to survive Kael next time, I need to push this skill to the limit."
The first step was testing it. Arin paused time, letting the world hang midair. He moved debris, reshaped sections of the terrain, and experimented with enemy patterns using imaginary monsters as stand-ins. Each manipulation required focus, creativity, and careful timing—mistakes could destabilize him or the environment.
3… 2… 1.
Time resumed. A small glitch in the ground crumbled as he manipulated it, creating a temporary ramp. Arin jumped and landed safely on top, feeling the thrill of success. "Okay… that worked."
Suddenly, the air shimmered, and figures emerged from the flickering horizon: corrupted beasts unlike any he'd seen before. Their bodies were twisted, some humanoid, some animal, all glitched and jagged. But what caught his attention was how they moved—they seemed to anticipate him, like they were adapting to his tactics.
Arin's pulse quickened. This was a test—not just of his skill, but of his creativity and reflexes.
He activated Pause Function, dodging attacks and repositioning strategically. He duplicated rocks and twisted terrain midair with Code Rewrite, forcing monsters into traps and confusing their patterns. For every move they made, he countered creatively, exploiting glitches in their AI-like behavior.
[Glitched Beasts Defeated. Bug Exploit +1 Acquired.]
Panting, Arin stepped back, heart racing. The landscape itself seemed to pulse in approval—or perhaps warning. The skill was powerful, but exhausting. Every manipulation drained him more than he expected.
He paused for a moment, surveying the zone. There were loops in the mountains, corridors in the air, and patches of corrupted terrain that seemed almost alive. The possibilities were endless… and so were the dangers.
Arin clenched his fists. "If I'm going to survive Kael next time… I need to master this skill completely. I need to know the world, the glitches, and myself."
A flicker caught his eye. A shadow moved differently than the rest—a humanoid figure, glitches streaming from its form, but deliberate, controlled. Not a monster… a player.
His pulse quickened. "Another one?" he muttered. "Great. Just what I needed."
The figure stepped closer, and a distorted voice echoed through the bugged landscape. "So… this is the Bugged One. Interesting."
Arin tensed. Another player meant another challenge, another rival, another risk. But also… another opportunity.
He flexed his hands, feeling Advanced Code Rewrite humming with potential. This world could be controlled, bent, even rewritten. But only if he stayed sharp, creative, and relentless.
As the shadow advanced, Arin smiled faintly. "Fine… let's see what you've got."
The Glitched World was unpredictable, dangerous, and unstable. But for the first time, Arin felt like he could keep up.
And this time… he wouldn't just survive. He would adapt, evolve, and fight back.
The first real test of his upgraded skill had begun.