The Glitch beast's claw punched through the wall like it was paper.
Sparks flew. Concrete split. Screeching static filled the air, a sound that wasn't meant for human ears or whatever Null was now.
He stood still.No fear.
Only red eyes glowing in the dark.
---
> [Codex: Emergency Edit Mode Engaged]
*Edit Radius Expanded: 15 meters
Stability Threshold: Critical
Glitch Threat Level: Fatal+
User Options: [Command Override] – Temporary Access Granted*
---
Null's display flickered. The Codex hovered in front of him like a second brain.
"I'm done running," he muttered, raising his hand. "Time to debug."
His fingers typed midair. The Codex responded with shimmering lines of glitch-code.
> [Target: Glitch beast]
[Core Stability: NULL]
[Inject Loop Error]
[Execute?]
[Y] or [N]
He hit "Y."
The Glitch beast froze mid-snarl. Its body began to vibrate, flickering like a corrupted game file.
Its limbs twisted, unreadable text scrolled across its skin, and then
BOOM.
It imploded into a cascade of zeroes and fractured pixels, sucked into a blinking error cube that hovered in the air.
---
[Codex Notice]
*Threat Terminated: Type-Error Null-Eater
You have gained: 1x Fragmented Line of Code
Description: "An unstable string left behind by a corrupted entity."
Use: Unknown*
---
Null reached out and grabbed the cube.
It melted into his palm, leaving behind glowing circuit-like patterns along his veins. His body pulsed with a faint hum, and something clicked deep inside his chest.
For a second, he felt whole. Then the sensation vanished.
He exhaled.
"Note to self debugging monsters is way more satisfying than punching them."
---
He walked back to the terminal. The ZionTech feed was still blinking. A new prompt had appeared.
> [New Directive Unlocked: ASCENSION ALGORITHM]
*Description: A system program once designed to elevate human potential.
Status: Corrupted. Incomplete.
Warning: No known survivors.
Do you wish to install?*
Null tilted his head. "Ascension Algorithm… that's the name of this story, isn't it?"
He grinned and tapped Install.
The terminal exploded with light. The entire room shook as wires danced and circuits reconnected. The Codex interface changed shape, becoming sleeker, more aggressive.
---
> [New Feature Unlocked: Thread Manipulation]
*You can now "see" the threads of reality in Glitch Zones.
Certain threads can be edited, stolen, or destroyed.
Caution: Overuse may collapse the zone or you.*
---
Reality bent.
Lines began appearing across the room. Threads of code visible to him now ran along the walls, through the floor, into the machines. The world looked like a partially-completed simulation, stitched together with broken programming.
"Okay," Null whispered, eyes scanning the threads. "This is getting weird. But also… awesome."
He followed a thick thread leading out of the building. As he reached for it
> [Thread Type: Data Gate]
*Function: Transports code from one zone to another.
Destination: Unknown
Risk: 99%*
Null paused.
"Unknown destination? High risk?" He cracked his neck.
"Perfect."
He grabbed the thread and pulled.
Reality shattered.
---