Glitch Overlord: The NPC Who Hijacked the Gods’ Player Syste

Chapter 2: First Taste of Power

The noise in the plaza grew louder as more players rushed in for the event rewards. Golden light continued to fall from the sky like warm rain. Everyone around Jax cheered and laughed while they collected free buffs and items. But for him, the air felt thick and heavy. Something dangerous was waking up in the game, and he could feel it watching.

CrimsonKing69 stared at Jax with narrow, angry eyes. His hand still glowed from the spell he had just lost.

"Why do you look different, you worthless piece of code?" he demanded again. His voice carried across the nearby crowd, and a few players turned their heads to look.

Jax stood straight for the first time in years. The new strength in his body felt good, but it was still weak compared to a real player. He knew he could not win a straight fight yet. The system had given him only a small edge, and he needed to use it carefully.

Before he could answer, CrimsonKing69 raised his glowing red sword and charged forward. The blade cut through the air with a sharp whistle.

Jax moved to the side at the last second. The sword missed his shoulder by inches, and sparks flew when it hit the marble floor. His heart pounded hard. This was not like the scripted deaths before. This time it hurt more because he was actually trying to survive.

"You dare dodge me?" CrimsonKing69 shouted. His face turned red with rage. He swung the sword again, faster this time.

Jax ducked low and rolled away. The blade passed right over his head. He felt the heat from the glowing metal on his skin. Around them, more players stopped to watch the strange scene. A lowly janitor NPC was actually fighting back. Some of them started laughing, thinking it was part of the event.

Mira stood a few steps away. Her eyes widened as she watched. For the first time, her scripted face showed real confusion and a small spark of hope.

Jax breathed fast. His legs felt tired already. The small power he had stolen gave him better speed and a little strength, but it was not enough to match a level eighty-seven player. He needed to steal more without getting killed.

He focused on the new feeling inside him and whispered the word again.

"Yes."

A faint red glow appeared around his hand. He reached out toward CrimsonKing69 and pulled with his mind.

[Skill Theft Attempted: Basic Sword Mastery]

[Success Rate Low. Struggle Required.]

The sword in CrimsonKing69's hand suddenly shook. The player cursed loudly and gripped it tighter. A small part of the skill flowed into Jax, but it felt incomplete and weak. His arms now knew the basic movements of sword fighting, but his body still struggled to use them properly. It was like learning something new while running for your life.

CrimsonKing69 laughed with anger. "Is that all you have, trash?" He stepped forward and kicked Jax hard in the stomach.

Pain exploded through Jax's body. He flew back and crashed into his cleaning cart. The wood broke under him. His health dropped sharply. Blood filled his mouth from the hit. This was real struggle. Not the quick scripted death from before. He felt every bruise and every cut.

The crowd grew bigger. Some players cheered for CrimsonKing69. Others looked confused and whispered among themselves. SilverVesper crossed her arms and smiled like she was watching a funny show.

Jax pushed himself up slowly. His ribs hurt badly. Every breath sent sharp pain through his chest. But the anger inside him burned hotter than the pain. He had spent too many years being kicked and killed. Today he would not just lie down.

He stood again and faced the player. His hand still glowed with the weak stolen fire. He threw a small fireball toward CrimsonKing69. The spell was slow and small, but it forced the player to step back and block with his sword.

"Good try, but you are still nothing," CrimsonKing69 said with a sneer. He raised his hand and cast a stronger spell. A wave of fire rushed toward Jax.

Jax dove to the side. The flames burned the edge of his clothes and stung his arm. The smell of burnt cloth filled the air. He rolled on the ground to put out the fire and came up breathing hard. His health was dropping faster now. He knew he could not last much longer in a direct fight.

Mira took one small step forward. Her hands shook. "Jax..." she whispered softly. Her voice sounded different. Not completely scripted anymore.

That small sound gave Jax a burst of will. He focused again and tried to steal more power.

[Skill Theft Attempted: Flame Burst]

[Partial Success. Host Body Under Heavy Strain.]

A little more strength entered his body. The fireball in his hand grew slightly bigger and hotter. But the effort made his head spin. The system warned him that stealing too much too fast would break him. He had to be careful. This was the core struggle. Power came with pain and risk.

CrimsonKing69 noticed the change and grew even angrier. He charged again with the sword raised high.

Jax met the attack this time. He used the small bit of sword mastery he had stolen and blocked the blow with his cleaning mop handle. The wood cracked but held for a moment. The impact shook his arms and sent pain up to his shoulders.

The two of them pushed against each other. Jax looked straight into the player's eyes.

"You have taken everything from me," he said through gritted teeth. "My life. My wife. My dignity. Today I start taking it back."

CrimsonKing69 laughed, but there was a hint of unease in his voice. "You are just code. You cannot win."

He shoved hard and Jax stumbled back. The sword came down once more.

At the last second, Jax twisted his body and the blade cut a deep gash across his side instead of his chest. Blood flowed freely. The pain was terrible, but he stayed on his feet.

The crowd was fully watching now. Whispers spread through the players. This was not normal. An NPC was actually fighting and talking back.

Jax's breathing came in short, painful gasps. His health bar was low. One more strong hit and he would die again. But this time, dying felt different. He had a purpose now.

He raised his glowing hand one last time and poured everything he had into the next attack.

The small fireball flew forward, brighter than before. It struck CrimsonKing69 on the shoulder and exploded. The player shouted in pain and dropped to one knee. His health dropped noticeably. Not enough to kill him, but enough to hurt his pride in front of everyone.

For the first time, the arrogant player looked shocked.

"How..." he started to say.

Before he could finish, a new red warning appeared only in Jax's mind.

[Overseer Alert: Anomaly detected in Lumora starter zone. Investigation team dispatched. Arrival in thirty minutes.]

The pressure grew heavier. Jax knew he had little time. He needed to finish this quickly or escape and hide.

CrimsonKing69 stood up slowly. His face was twisted with rage and embarrassment. He pointed his sword at Jax.

"You will pay for that, you glitch. I will delete you myself."

Jax wiped blood from his mouth and stood tall despite the pain. His body hurt everywhere, but his eyes burned with new determination.

He was no longer the helpless janitor.

He had taken the first real step.

But the road ahead would be full of struggle and danger.

The crowd waited to see what would happen next. Mira watched with wide eyes. And somewhere in the code, the Overseers were already moving closer.