----Chapter 1----
I opened my eyes.
And found myself lying on the wide prairie outside Ethille, where all adventurers who played Etherissia Online spawned.
Tall grass moved in the wind. It brushed my cloak. Wildflowers dotted the ground. Hills rolled far away. Birds flew, their calls sharp. This world hummed with digital noise, the same familiar view when I started playing it.
For a moment, it felt peaceful.
Like nothing had happened.
Almost.
Everyone else was Level 1. But me? I kept everything.
Every skill, every spell, every cheat. The glitch gave me power. I remembered all the shortcuts. I could feel magic in my hands.
I hid behind rocks. I whispered,
"Fireball."
A small flame appeared in my palm. Warm, steady, sharp. I smelled sulfur. It was perfect, still mine.
Maybe I should hide my strength, act like a beginner, do easy quests, explore safely, and keep quiet.
I brushed my cloak. I walked to Ethille. The town looked lively: merchants shouted, blacksmiths hammered, children laughed. But something felt wrong.
Windows flickered like broken mirrors. Street lamps blinked, then died. NPCs spoke the same words over and over.
"Welcome, traveler!"
"Welcome, traveler!"
"Wel…come, traveler…"
My stomach tightened. My fingers gripped my sword. The air felt wrong, like static before a storm.
*************
I slipped into an alley. I pulled up my stat window.
_____________________________
[STATUS WINDOW OPENED]
Name: Keileen
Level: 1
Health: MAX
Mana: MAX
Vitality / Strength / Agility: All Maxed
Skills: Fully Retained
Passive: Unlocks at Level 5
Unique Skill: ???? — [LOCKED]
______________________________
The locked slot pulsed. It says Unique skill? But, I couldn't use it.
As expected. Even after the reset, this game had secrets.
I closed the window. I held my rusty, cheap sword tight—the one the system gives you whenever you create a new avatar.
Then, I stepped out.
Act weak, move like a newbie, survive, and hide the fact that I am The Glitch King.
**************
The plaza was crowded. Players panicked. They shouted near the fountain.
"No logout button!" one man yelled. He shook his game screen.
"No way! A bug!" another cried, pale.
New players whispered, scared.
"If we die here… what happens?"
"No one answers from the outside."
"I messaged the support system… no response."
Fear filled the air. Some players laughed, nervous. Others sat, heads down, praying.
I stayed at the edge, silent, watching, invisible.
A chill ran down my back. No logout, no escape. The world was breaking. Lights flickered. Leaves shook. Mountains shimmered strangely.
So… it's really happening just like before.
I walked outside town. There, newly respawned Level 1 players, like me, were trapped.
Kobolds surrounded them.
A furfolk mage trembled. She would be hit. Her robes moved. Her breath was fast.
And then…
_________________________________
[EXCLUSIVE QUEST AVAILABLE]
Save the Adventurers
Reward: ???
Accept Quest?
[YES] [NO]
_______________________________
"Eh!?" I blinked. A new quest? This was new.
The system was testing me: help, and show my power; do nothing, and they die.
Old habits die hard.
I moved. Time freeze.
It's one of my glitch skills. I can mess with time itself, freeze it… slow it… bend it however I want. For me, nothing's impossible.
And then, as the Kobold lunged. Its claws halt mid air.
My cheap blade flashed, cutting twice, clean, precise. silence fell, broken only by fast, shallow breaths.
________________________________
[QUEST COMPLETE]
Exclusive Quest: Save the Adventurers
EXP Gained: +120
Bonus Reward: [Unidentified Scroll]
Cooldown: 12 hours
__________________________________
I raised an eyebrow. "A cooldown for saving people? Harsh."
A glowing scroll lay at my feet.
______________________________
[Message Notification]
Item Acquired: ??? Scroll
Requires [Identify] skill to reveal properties.
Accept / Decline
_______________________________
"Needs identifying, huh?
Click! Accept.
I'll be keeping you for now. Maybe later I'll be needing you… no one knows.
So....
Hmm… wait a minute… so I can choose to decline if I don't want to receive the item.
It seemed like the exclusive quest rewards would most likely be sent to me directly through the mail.
Then, as I flicked my fingers, time started flowing once more.
And in an instant, all the kobolds poofed, turning into dust.
I turned to the three players.
Their eyes were wide, filled with awe and confusion.
"Did you see that?" one asked, shaking.
The furfolk mage stepped forward. "I'm Lyra, Arcane mage."
Next, a dwarf. "Garrick, Rune Cleaver"
Finally, an elf. "Selene, Phantom Rogue. You're not bad."
Selene looked at the place we're fallen kobolds was.
"Wait… they drop a loot?"
She bent down, but grass rustled.
Three players appeared: a mage, a rogue, a Brute Master. They smirked.
"Hey! That's our loot!" the rogue shouted.
The big man cracked his knuckles. "I'm Dieval. Remember it, losers."
I sighed. Of course.
Their laughter brought back an old memory.
************
Thud!
A punch hit my face. Blood filled my mouth. Fists and boots hit me. Pain bloomed.
Why… did it always end like this?
I was quiet, awkward, easy prey.
Then I saw him, Riven. He stood tall, even when cornered. Dark hair, calm eyes. He took the hits.
Something snapped inside me.
"Hey! Leave him alone!" I shouted.
They all turned on me: fists, kicks, laughter, pain.
Later, Riven helped me. He gave me a game disc.
"Try this," he said.
"Etherissia. It's popular. Might be fun."
That night, I put on the CPR gear—Comprehensive Personal Reality. It didn't save lives; it trapped them.
I didn't know it then, that game would swallow me whole.
Now, Dieval still grinned.
"Hand it over, or we'll take it."
I stepped forward. I pushed Selene and Garrick back.
"It's fine. Take it. We're not fighting."
Selene frowned. "What!? That's ours!"
Lyra sighed. "He's right. No time to fight players. Survive first."
Garrick grunted. "Fine."
Dieval's group walked away. The system pinged again.
_______
[NEW QUEST AVAILABLE]
Quest: Blobbling Hunt
Objective: Eliminate 50 Blobblings
Progress: 0 / 50
Deadline: Until Sunset
Condition: Must be in a party of 5 members
Reward: EXP + Random Drop
________
"Good luck, adventurers," Dieval sneered.
"Another one?" I muttered.
The three looked at each other. Lyra spoke. "Will you… join our party?"
Their hopeful eyes. I couldn't refuse.
"Fine," I said. "Can't do this solo."
Selene jumped. "Yes! Welcome!"
Lyra smiled. "Glad to have you."
Garrick slapped my back. "Stick with us, rookie!"
I started to speak. Then I noticed.
"We need five," I said. "Still one short."
"Right…" Lyra looked around. "But where…?"
A soft voice interrupted.
"Can I join your party?"
We turned. A hooded girl stood there, red skin, golden horns, eyes like molten gold. She moved like a predator: calm, dangerous.
Lyra blinked. "Uh… yes? Welcome!"
Selene grinned. "Strong. I like that."
Garrick chuckled. "Perfect timing!"
The girl lowered her hood. She smiled faintly.
"Kina. I usually travel alone, but… this looks interesting."
Just like that, our party was complete.
The system chimed.
___________________
[Party Formed: Green Verdict]
Members: Lyra, Garrick, Selene, Kina, Keileen
Quest: Blobbling Hunt – Active
Location: Ethille Village, Southern Clearing
_____________________
The sun set. Gold and orange painted the prairie. We walked to the forest. Grass crunched. Smoke and wet earth smelled in the air. Leaves rustled, warning us.
Blobblings bounced ahead. They were cute, jelly-like, and quivered. Their bodies reflected sunlight.
"I can't believe we're doing this as a group," Selene muttered. She spun a dagger. Her grin didn't reach her eyes.
Lyra's staff glowed. "Solo isn't always smart. Numbers can save you."
Garrick flexed his fists. "Numbers are fine, but don't depend on them. They freeze up."
Kina adjusted her broadsword. Her golden eyes glinted. "I don't care about teamwork. I fight strong enemies."
I stayed back, quiet, listening. Maybe they were good. Maybe I could trust them. Or maybe I was wrong.
"How long have you been together?" I asked.
Lyra smiled, a sad look. "A long time, since Etherissia started. We were in a dungeon, fighting Pluffs. Then this glitch. Now we're back in Ethille, Level one, no logout."
I nodded. "Same for me… mostly."
Selene's ears twitched. "Maybe if we beat the game, we can leave."
"Yeah, maybe," Lyra said. "But Green Verdict isn't just any party."
"Rock traps, angry bosses, everything," Garrick added, a chuckle.
Kina tilted her head, amused. "Sounds fun."
Lyra nodded. "With you two, maybe we'll clear something big."
The wind stirred. It grew stronger. Leaves rattled. Twigs snapped.
Selene's ears twitched. "Did you hear that?"
Lyra's staff glimmered. "That… wasn't a Blobbling."
Garrick clenched his fists. "Everyone, get ready."
The bush ahead shivered. No system updates, no monster alerts, nothing.
"That's… impossible," Lyra whispered.
I gripped my sword. My pulse quickened. The forest smelled wrong: damp earth, rotting leaves, a metallic tang. It raised the hair on my neck.
The Blobblings scattered. They squealed. Shadows moved in the trees, too fast to see.
I focused. My senses sharpened. My heart beat hard, but my face stayed calm. Act like a rookie, move carefully, and survive.
One shadow lunged. My sword moved fast, a clean arc. A low growl answered.
"Who's ready for fun?" Selene hissed. Her eyes glinted.
Garrick grinned. "Looks like the real game is starting."
Kina stepped into the fight. Her broadsword swung. It cut a Blobbling in two. The halves bounced.
Lyra chanted. Blue magic gathered. Sparks flew. Another Blobbling disintegrated.
I stayed back, calculating. My fireball flickered, warm and steady. This was not just a game. Every move meant life or death, for me and for them.
And then, another sound of rustling towards another bush.
What now? was it a monster?....