This is a Beta Test?! - A Literally Broken System

Another cloud of dust got kicked up as the Wolf King seemed to be... stuck in one place now. It kept repeating the same attacks over and over for a few cycles now, and the tension of the fight was kind of starting to drain away now.

[HP: 61/105]

Looking at my health, it seemed like I've managed to recover a decent amount for me to start attacking again. I seriously hoped that this thing would drop dead already, but... Hmmm...

*It's stuck in a loop?* the dev whispered out. *I guess that bug's not fixed. Dammit...*

My ears perked up. "A bug?"

*You're fighting the Wolf King, right?* she asked, her voice now taking on a bit more volume. *That thing always got stuck on the geometry every time its health gets low enough. So I haven't fixed it, huh...*

My mind whirred at the new information. Getting stuck on the geometry? Did that mean it was literally stuck in the same place complete with an actual running animation?

I immediately trained my eyes back on the monster. Even through all of the dust clouds, I could still see its feet moving as if it was about to charge me. However, it was hilariously running in the same place like there was an actual treadmill on the ground!

"Wait... Does this mean this thing's about to die?!" I laughed out, all pretense of danger now thrown out the window as I casually placed myself just outside its range. "Can I just shoot it every once in a while till it died?"

*Just don't attack the feet,* Guidance mumbled out, the sounds of chewing almost drowning out her words. *It'll reset its grip and make it able to move again.*

"Got it."

Ignoring the annoying sounds of mastication echoing in my ears, I aimed my sights at the poor wolf's head. Seeing as it was just spamming the one howl move it had for the past few minutes now, I was sure that this thing won't be moving anytime soon.

[*BANG! BANG! BANG!*]

[HP: 52/105]

[*whiinneee....*]

Three shots right in the face, three red splotches appearing on the wolf's head as it finally kneeled down on the ground. The poor thing couldn't even let out its death throes as it limped in one spot, its feet sliding across the ground as its entire body was firmly rooted into place.

[COMBAT COMPLETED]

[Kill Wolf King: 1/1]

I let out a sigh of relief as I fell to the ground, my knees buckling as I stared right into the twinkling cave ceiling high above. I couldn't even be bothered to look at the damn thing transforming into motes of light, the sheer spectacle of the fight already cowing me into submission as I waited for the rewards to finally trickle in. I really wanted to be back to full health.

....

.....Any time now...

.......

Okay. What was taking all the sweet [EXP] too long? "Guidance?"

*Mhhm... Yesh?*

"Where are my rewards?"

The quiet sound of what seemed to be a paper wrapper crinkled from across the ether as I waited for the dev to respond. I didn't know what she was doing. She was probably eating, but the subsequent sound of water being gulped gave me the impression that she just finished her break or something.

*Quest rewards are only given after the quest is turned in,* Guidance hummed, her satisfaction with her previous meal still audible in her tone. *Even if you defeat a boss monster in the middle of a quest, you won't get the rewards until you properly finish it.*

Eh.... What kind of quest design was that? "Wouldn't it make more sense for me to get some [EXP] for killing the boss proper than letting it all be given in bulk at the end of the quest?"

A brief shuffling sound could be heard from the ether as Guidance returned to her whispering ways. *The code got a bit funky every time I tried doing that. So I just offloaded it all to the end of each quest to make it easier.*

I blinked at her explanation. "That... kind of makes sense?" I mean, it wasn't the norm, but at least it still worked, right? "What about-"

*I-I have to go, Moriya,* she hastily whispered out. *My break's over and I have a deadline to clear.*

Huh... "Good luck out there then."

I would've yelled, but I was pretty sure that doing so would only be wasting each other's time. Instead, I surveyed the remnants of the battlefield in front of me. Well, nothing was out of place, that's for sure. All of the craters that our fight made were once more covered with grass as the destroyed burrow was once again standing proud in all of its primitive glory. I could only guess that the invisible walls were gone now too... aaand Shizu was currently running towards me with a massive grin on her face.

"That was amazing!" the princess squeed, her body not even looking worse for wear anymore as she already looked as if nothing ever happened. "I was like- Hah! Boom! Heat Action!"

I let out an appreciative chuckle, "At least someone had fun." My [HP] wasn't topped off yet, but I'll live if nothing popped up for a bit. "Can you explain to me what happened to you? I thought you're pretty much out of it."

"I was, but for some reason, I guess I started healing really fast," Shizu hummed. "By the time I opened my eyes though, you already killed it."

Huh... I think I had an explanation for that. And sure enough, her proud level 80 was once again accompanying her ridiculously sounding real name. I guess once the fight was over, the system reverted her level back to what it once was.

"Did you get anything cool from it?" she asked.

"Not yet," I scoffed. "And I won't know what I'll get until after we finish the quest."

For the first time that we've been doing these quests, Shizu actually lit up as she practically began dragging me out of the forest. "Come on then! Let's get this done and see what we've got!"

I laughed, "Sure thing, Shizu."

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