Glitching Shadows
Kevin tightened his grip on the sword, haunted by the memory of the boy's horrific glitching death. It wasn't just fear gripping him now—something darker was at play. As he stood lost in thought, a girl with dark hair approached, her eyes a mix of fear and curiosity.
"Tough day?" she asked, her voice steady but tinged with concern. "I'm Emily."
Kevin nodded, still consumed by his thoughts. "That boy... when he touched the sword... I can't stop thinking about it. What if he's gone in the real world too?"
Emily sighed, her gaze distant. "Whatever's happening out there, we can't control it. All we can do is survive here."
---
The Real World
Meanwhile, downstairs, Kevin's mother was preparing dinner, her mind preoccupied. Normally, by now, Kevin would have come down, annoyed at being pulled from his game. But today, there was nothing.
"Kevin! Dinner's ready!" she called, her voice echoing through the hallway. There was no response. A frown creased her forehead as she wiped her hands and headed upstairs. "That boy... always so absorbed in that game," she muttered.
She found him in his room, unmoving, his VR headset on. She sighed, a mix of frustration and concern tightening her chest. "Kevin, you've been at this for hours. Come down and eat."
But Kevin remained silent, lost in the game. She watched him for a moment, her expression softening with worry. She reached out, but hesitated, pulling her hand back. "He'll come down when he's hungry," she whispered, a hint of sadness in her voice as she left the room.
In the living room, Kevin's father was flipping through TV channels when he stopped on a news bulletin. The anchor's grave expression caught his attention.
"In a bizarre turn of events, players in the popular game Kakze have been unable to log out for the past 10 hours. Families are growing increasingly worried as attempts to reach the players have been met with silence. Experts are baffled, and the gaming community is in a frenzy, trying to understand what's going on inside the game."
Kevin's father's face hardened. "What? Kevin's still playing that game?" he asked, looking over at his wife as she entered the room.
She nodded, concern etched on her face. "He hasn't moved... I'm starting to think something's wrong. Maybe we should try to get him out."
His father stared at the screen, fear gnawing at him. "This can't be real... It's just a game, right? He'll be fine."
But doubt lingered in his heart, the kind that made him question everything he thought he knew.
---
Back in Kakze
"Hey, everyone! Get over here—quick!" a boy's avatar shouted, fear lacing his voice. The group rushed over, eyes widening at the sight of a colossal Level 20 Death Worm, its body a mass of scales and teeth, pulsating with malevolent energy.
"We're doomed," someone whispered, fear creeping in. "The highest level among us is only 5!"
A middle-aged avatar—the game's creator—stepped forward, determination in his eyes. "We have to fight, or we're all dead. I'll go first—"
"Not so fast, old man I'll handle this," Kevin interrupted, stepping in front of him. "This one's mine."
Kevin's sword began to hum with energy, glowing deep blue. Suddenly, a status menu flickered into existence, glitching as if the game was struggling to maintain control.
**New Skill Unlocked: Kakze's Error: Glitching Shockwave**
The text glitched, warping and twisting as if corrupted. The words "Kakze's Error" appeared clear, then blurred and distorted. It felt unstable, reflecting the game's volatility.
"What is this?" Kevin whispered, closing the menu. The sword's level skyrocketed to 50, shocking Kevin. "This... this is amazing!" he exclaimed, charging the Death Worm with renewed vigor.
The creature lunged at a nearby player, but Kevin was faster. With a swift slash, he severed the worm's tail, sending it thrashing in agony.
The Death Worm turned on Kevin, enraged, but he was ready. The sword cut through its armored hide with ease, leaving glowing wounds. Realizing it was outmatched, the worm tried to burrow underground, seeking escape.
But Kevin wouldn't let it flee. With a powerful leap, he shouted:
"Kakze's Error: Glitching Shockwave!"
He swung the sword, sending a pulsing blue shockwave toward the worm. The creature twisted to dodge, but the shockwave glitched, changing direction mid-flight. The worm tried to dodge again, but the shockwave glitched once more, slicing the beast cleanly in two.
As the Death Worm disintegrated into pixels, the group stared at Kevin in awe. He wasn't just a player anymore—he was something more, something powerful and terrifying.
---
The group stood before four massive gates, each pulsating with a different kind of energy. Kevin felt the weight of their situation—this was no ordinary game anymore. He sensed the fear and anticipation in the others as they faced the reality of splitting up.
The middle-aged avatar, now the de facto leader, surveyed the gates. "These lead to different parts of the game. We must split into groups to survive and progress."
Kevin tightened his grip on the glitching sword. He couldn't shake the feeling that it was more than just a weapon—something deeply wrong. But now wasn't the time to dwell on it.
The group began dividing. Kevin noticed Emily standing alone, uncertainty in her eyes.
"Emily," Kevin called, walking over. "Stick with me. We'll get through this together."
She nodded, relief washing over her. "Thanks, Kevin. I don't want to do this alone."
The leader assigned the lower-level players to the Action Gate, mid-level to the Magical Realism Gate, and then turned to Kevin. "You'll take the Fantasy Gate with the high-level players. The sword is unpredictable—you're best with those who can handle it."
Kevin hesitated. "What about you?"
The older man gave a grim smile. "I'll take the Sci-Fi Gate. It might lead to the final boss. I'll face him if I have to."
Kevin nodded. "Good luck."
With Emily and Zoey at his side, Kevin approached the Fantasy Gate. The sword hummed as he plunged it into the gate, which glitched and slowly creaked open, revealing the path ahead. The air shimmered with an eerie, dreamlike quality, as if stepping into another world entirely.
As the last players passed through their gates, a hooded boy slipped quietly through the Fantasy Gate behind Kevin, unseen by the others.
"This isn't over," Kevin muttered, determination hardening his voice. "We'll survive this."
In the shadows, a figure watched unnoticed. A hooded boy's avatar slipped into the gate.
The gates closed behind them, the group of 28 now divided, each facing their own challenges. But in the world of Kakze, nothing was as it seemed, and danger lurked in every shadow.