unstable upgrades

The fire lion's menacing roar echoed through the clearing as it faced Kevin, Zoey, and Emily, its fiery mane casting flickering shadows on the forest floor. The creature, massive and fierce, seemed to embody the very essence of the game's challenges. Every movement it made was accompanied by a rush of heat, and the intensity of its gaze was enough to make even the bravest tremble.

But Kevin was far from trembling. His sword, now glowing with a vibrant blue energy, had leveled up to 35, and he could feel the power coursing through it, almost too much to contain. His grip tightened on the hilt, and a new notification flashed before his eyes:

**Kakze's Error: Glitching Shockwave unlocked you can now use it again.**

Kevin didn't hesitate. Channeling the energy into his blade, he unleashed the Glitching Shockwave. The sword vibrated with the release of power, sending a distortion through the air as the shockwave tore toward the fire lion, crackling with a chaotic energy that seemed to warp the very space it touched.

The fire lion, however, was quicker than Kevin anticipated. With a surprising agility for such a large creature, it dodged the incoming attack, moving with a speed that left Kevin momentarily stunned. The shockwave glitched as it passed, distorting the scenery around it and leaving behind trails of static and flickering pixels, but it missed its mark.

Frustration surged through Kevin, but he pushed it aside. He needed to focus. "Zoey, now!"

Zoey, ever the quick thinker, immediately sprang into action. She raised her sword, which shimmered with a strange pink acid. With a swift motion, she launched her attack. The acid splashed onto the lion's flank, and a sizzling sound filled the air as the corrosive substance began to eat through its fiery hide. The beast roared in pain, momentarily distracted by the burning sensation that spread across its body.

Emily seized the moment, summoning her Moonblade and lunar shield. She hurled the shield with precision, the silver disk spinning through the air before slamming into the fire lion. As soon as the shield made contact, the lion froze in place, its shadow locked by the lunar energy. The once formidable creature was now immobilized, unable to move as the acid continued to burn through its defenses.

Kevin knew this was his chance. The Glitching Shockwave, still pulsing with erratic energy, homed in on the paralyzed lion. This time, there was no escape. The wave crashed into the lion, enveloping it in a glitchy aura that flickered and buzzed with digital noise. The lion's form began to break apart, glitching as the game's code unraveled.

With one final, desperate roar, the fire lion disintegrated into a cascade of pixels and light, shattering like glass before vanishing entirely. The clearing was silent once more, the oppressive heat dissipating as the remnants of the lion's digital form faded away.

Kevin lowered his sword, breathing heavily as the adrenaline from the battle slowly ebbed away. He turned to Zoey and Emily, who were both catching their breath after the intense fight. A question had been nagging at him since the battle began, and now that the immediate danger had passed, he couldn't hold it in any longer.

"How did you guys level up so quickly?" Kevin asked, his brow furrowed in confusion. He had been fighting just as hard, but his progress seemed slower in comparison.

Zoey gave him a small, knowing smile. "It's because of our weapons, Kevin. The game allows us to sync our level with our weapon's level. If your weapon is at a higher level, you can match it, which boosts your overall stats."

Emily nodded in agreement. "It's something they explained in the tutorial. They went over how important it is to upgrade your weapons because your character's strength directly depends on it."

Kevin blinked in surprise, the pieces slowly falling into place. "The thing is… I skipped the tutorial," he admitted, his voice sheepish.

For a moment, there was stunned silence as Zoey and Emily stared at him in disbelief. Then, they both exclaimed, "You skipped what?!"

Kevin couldn't help but grin sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I'm not really one for tutorials. I just wanted to jump into the action."

Emily sighed, shaking her head in exasperation. "Of course you did."

Zoey chuckled, the tension in the air easing as they began to understand the unique situation Kevin was in. "Well, that explains a lot. But don't worry—we'll help you catch up."

Kevin's grin widened, feeling a renewed sense of determination. The road ahead would be filled with even greater challenges, but with Zoey and Emily by his side, he was ready to face them. Together, they would uncover the secrets of Kakze, one battle at a time.

The air hung thick with tension as the fire lion's shattered remains scattered across the battlefield, dissipating like digital dust. Kevin lowered his sword, its glow dimming as the energy from his last attack faded. He was about to catch his breath when something caught Zoey's eye.

"Wow, look at all these items!" Zoey exclaimed, her voice brimming with excitement. Scattered around the area where the lion had fallen were various objects, each shimmering with the promise of power.

Emily knelt down, inspecting a few of the items. "These are enhancement drops. You can use them to upgrade your level or even boost your weapon stats."

"Really?" Kevin asked, intrigued. He was still trying to wrap his head around the intricacies of this new world.

Zoey shot him a playful glance. "How would you know? You skipped the tutorial, remember?"

"Not that again," Kevin groaned, rolling his eyes. He was getting tired of being reminded about his impatience.

But Emily wasn't letting it go. "Actually, Kevin, I've noticed something strange. Your sword's level keeps fluctuating. Sometimes it's stronger, and sometimes it's not."

Kevin frowned, looking down at the blade. "The middle-aged avatar said the sword's level isn't fixed. It glitches, jumping to higher or lower levels at random."

Emily nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense. The sword isn't fully stable, which explains why it acts the way it does."

Zoey grinned, tossing a few items Kevin's way. "Here, try using these. Just select them from your inventory and see what happens."

Following her instructions, Kevin opened his menu and selected the items. Instantly, he felt a surge of power as his level shot up to 5. The sensation was overwhelming, like a jolt of electricity coursing through his veins.

Zoey, not one to be outdone, quickly upgraded herself to level 15. Emily followed suit, her level soaring to 25 with a satisfied smile.

Kevin looked between them, shaking his head in disbelief. "So... our next journey is to the abandoned castle, right?"

"Right," Zoey confirmed, pulling up her map. "From there, we'll head to the Peak and Lagoon." She paused, her brow furrowing as she studied the map more closely.

Emily noticed the shift in her expression. "Zoey, what's wrong?"

Zoey's eyes widened, and she looked up at them with a mixture of fear and realization. "According to this map, we're going to encounter the final boss sooner than we thought."

Kevin's grip tightened on his sword. The final boss... already? The weight of their situation pressed down on him, but he couldn't afford to hesitate. Not now.

"Then we need to be ready," Emily said, her voice firm. "No more skipping tutorials, no more shortcuts. We need to face this head-on, together."

Zoey nodded, determination filling her gaze. "Together."

And with that, the three of them set off toward the abandoned castle, each step bringing them closer to the inevitable confrontation that would decide their fate in Kakze.