The path back to Viridian felt longer than it should have. My steps were heavy, weighed down not by distance but by the swirling questions in my mind.
What was that glitched Pokémon?
Why did the system give me admin-level tools?
And why me?
Quest Updated: "The Code Beneath – Glitch Signatures Detected"Next Signature Location: Viridian Forest
"Of course it's the forest," I muttered, adjusting my pack as Charmander walked beside me. Its flame-tail flickered with quiet determination, unaware or perhaps entirely aware of the weight pressing down on our path.
As we entered the towering green expanse of Viridian Forest, the world dimmed. Sunlight filtered through thick leaves, casting patterned shadows that danced with the wind. The deeper we went, the more I felt something was… watching.
Not a wild Pokémon. Not a trainer.
Something… else.
Scan Mode Activated: Wild Pokémon Detected
Caterpie [Lv. 4] – Passive
Weedle [Lv. 3] – Passive
Pidgey [Lv. 5] – Fleeing Behavior
Unusual Activity Detected: Area Scan Conflict – Signal Interference Nearby
"Signal interference? What, like… Wi-Fi?"
Before I could make another sarcastic remark, the system pinged.
[! Warning: Glitch Signal Nearby]Stability Decreasing.
Proximity Alert: Unknown Entity Approaching – 20m… 15m… 10m…
A rustle in the underbrush.
I spun around, ready to command Charmander but it wasn't a wild Pokémon that stepped into view.
It was a trainer.
Or… something that looked like one.
Tall. Cloaked in a deep violet robe. No visible eyes beneath the hood, only a reflective shine like glass or no, like a UI screen.
??? AppearedClass: ???Title: Watcher of Code
Interaction Available: [Talk] / [Battle] / [Observe]
My breath caught. Was this… part of the system too?
"Who are you?" I asked.
The Watcher tilted its head, voice speaking in a layered echo like multiple people talking through radio static.
"You see the cracks. The others don't. You are not of this world but now, you are of it.""The Code accepts you. The Glitch hunts you.""Choose wisely, Codewalker."
System Message: Title Earned – "Codewalker"You are now able to interact with Hidden Nodes and Glitch Events.
System Fragment Gained: World Anchor (1/5)
Before I could ask what any of that meant, the Watcher vanished flickered out of existence like corrupted data.
Only the forest remained.
And the feeling that this world… this game, if it even still was one… had just gotten very, very real.
New Quest Chain: The Code BeneathObjective: Investigate the 1st Hidden NodeLocation: Deep within Viridian ForestStatus: Active
I swallowed hard and pressed forward into the deepening woods. Charmander growled lowly, sensing the change.
No turning back now.