[System Announcement]
Welcome, Survivors.
Humanity's final trial begins now.
Apocalypse Protocol initializing…
That was the last thing every living human heard before the sky shattered.
I still remember that day—the scent of burning asphalt, the distant screams, the cold static buzzing in my head as blue holographic panels flickered before my eyes.
[Player Detected.]
Name: Unknown
Age: 22
Class: Unassigned
Skill: ERROR: Undefined Ability
Special Title Acquired: [Glitched One]
Status: Critical
"Error…?" I muttered, staring at the floating screen in front of me.
Around me, the world was ending.
Skyscrapers crumbled as gigantic centipede-like monsters burst through concrete and steel. Fire rained from the sky, scorching everything in sight. Black, horned figures—Raiders—descended from glowing red portals, slaughtering everyone they could reach.
People ran. Some received weapons and armor from the System—glowing swords, rifles, spellbooks—and tried to fight back.
Me?
I got this broken screen. No sword. No weapon. No skill scroll.
Just an error.
And then, another panel appeared.
[Unique Skill Activated: Glitch Code: Rewrite]
Description: You may manually alter System Code at your own risk.
Limitation: Unknown
Warning: Using this skill may attract the System Administrator.
What the hell was this?
"Rewrite…?" I whispered.
I reached out to touch the flickering text. Instantly, a glowing blue code window opened in front of me—a console, like something ripped from a game's cheat system.
Lines of strange symbols and commands filled the space.
> STATUS: CRITICAL (HP: 1/100)
COMMAND: [REWRITE: HP = 100/100]
I hesitated… then pressed "Enter."
A faint glow enveloped my body. The bleeding cuts on my chest sealed. My vision cleared. Strength returned to my limbs.
[System Warning]
Unauthorized modification detected.
Glitch Level increased.
Risk of System Erasure: 3%.
I laughed bitterly.
"I just cheated Death itself."
But I wasn't safe yet.
A low growl rumbled behind me.
A monstrous shadow loomed—a Hellhound, Level 10, its fiery eyes locked onto me, smoke curling from its jagged fangs.
[Boss Encounter: Hellhound — Lv.10]
Difficulty: High
Recommended Party Size: 5+
Alone, I was supposed to die here.
But I wasn't helpless.
The code window was still open.
With a grin, I quickly typed:
> ENEMY_LEVEL = 1
[System Warning]
Illegal code manipulation detected… Override complete.
The beast suddenly froze. Its body shrank. Its burning eyes dulled. Its immense power dropped instantly.
I gripped a broken steel pipe from the rubble and charged.
With one swing, I smashed its skull.
The Hellhound collapsed.
[Boss Defeated.]
EXP gained: 500
Level Up!
New Ability Unlocked: [Glitch Code: Summon]
I wiped the sweat from my brow.
"So this is my cheat… I can rewrite the System itself."
But just as relief washed over me, the air turned cold.
The sky rumbled.
A voice—ancient, mechanical—echoed from the heavens.
[Warning: System Administrator is observing you.]
Glitched One… Your existence threatens the Balance.
A glowing figure of light appeared in the sky, far above the ruins. Its gaze pierced my soul, freezing my body in place.
So this was the price of my broken power.
The real game had just begun.
---