The eyes didn't blink again.
They charged.
Molgrin shrieked, and Ash barely had time to hold before they were hit by a wave of snarling bodies and jaws. The beasts weren't big, but they were fast. Dozens of hyenas with fungus growing up from their skins with too many teeth. They swarmed like they hadn't eaten in days.
Molgrin reacted like a monster that had never eaten.
His claws cut through the first creature's skull with the same ease as if it were rotten fruit. Ash maintained his grip with pale knuckles while his spine received each impact. Another enemy lunged from the side, Molgrin didn't even look, he felt it through Ash. His boned tail elongated, coiling like a scorpion's whip, impaling the creature mid-air. The creature let out one final scream before its body went limp while being impaled like a piece of skewered meat.
Bones cracked. Claws screeched. Flesh tore. The battle turned into a complete massacre. The beasts dropped one after another until only the last one remained to cry while Molgrin's talon held it motionless.
Ash breathed hard, chest rising like he'd just outrun death. He somehow was never close to falling from the mount, but holding his spine together while Molgrin dodge and jumped was another thing.
The cursed mount was powerful, but it didn't leave unscarred. Many places were bleeding, superficial, but still hurting. He was tired, Ash could feel it, he could barely move.
"Rest." Ash ordered, petting the creature's neck. "While we can." This damn place was turning out to be too unforgiven. God was unforgiven. Since they were summoned event after event happened.
So Ash didn't waste time, while Molg was lying down.
"Status." He called again.
This time it didn't glitch.
But it was different.
A black screen appeared.
Ash slowly studied it.
Name: Ash Mercer
Nickname: CarrionLord
Rank: N/A
Level: 1
Race: Human (Corrupted)
Realm: Mortal
Class: Carrion Lord
Mount: Molgrin, the Maw That Crawls
Title(s): Glitched Summon
CXP (Corrupted XP): 70 / 1000
He sighed. "I am still a human. A corrupted one, but a human. Funny." Was he corrupted just because he made a pact with a cursed beast or was it because something else?
"I have no idea about Rank or Realm, too bad I am a mortal. And the title is a joke!"
Glitched Summon: Just a reminder: You weren't supposed to be here.
He scowled. "Yeah, thanks for that."
[Attributes]
STR: 17 (+1)
AGI: 15
VIT: 25
INT: 10
WIS: 11
DEX: 9
LCK: 1
HP: 284
MP: 140
Willpower: 32
"What? How did my attributes get this high?" His blue eyes widened.
[Traits & Skills]
Symbiotic Bond: You and your mount evolve together. Attributes, growth, and corruption are shared.
Feral Senses: Senses temporarily enhanced during nighttime or in rot zones.
[Carrion Lord Traits]
Gluttonous Assimilation: Devour the hearts of fallen foes. Gain CXP and a chance to steal their stats, skills, or instincts.
"Oh." Ash muttered. "I'm leeching off Molg's stats. Classic parasite move."
He squinted at the last line. "And I level up by eating hearts?"
A long silence.
"I might turn into a vegetarian if I ever leave this place." Ash's eyes twitched, not knowing how to react. There was a good part, he would gain skills and stats. Xp was also good. But the price? Ripping out hearts and chewing on them like they were power bars? That wasn't just disturbing, it was psychotic.
"Can I cook it at least?" He asked, half-joking.
Molgrin screeched as if horrified by Ash's words.
"I guess this is a no?"
Ash stared at the black screen again. This system wasn't just different, it was wrong. No levels from kills. And apparently no quests, no shiny loot drops. It didn't feel like he would be progressing… it felt like he would be eaten his way into something else.
"Maybe I really am a bug." He muttered. "A glitch. An error that God chose to not delete."
The worst part? He was kinda liking it. He was stronger. For the first time in his life, he didn't need a chair. He had a monstrous mount with a taste for legs, hearts and blood. And a bond that made him feel less alone.
He should feel scared. Or disgusted at least.
But, instead, part of him wanted to see just how corrupted he could get.
"What else does this screen have?" He kept scrolling, having half accepted his path.
[Evolution Progress]
Realm Evolution: 0% - Path unknown. Corruption disrupts normal breakthrough methods.
Mutation Thresholds: 0 / 5
Inventory: Basic Wheelchair, 2x Minor HP Potion
Mount: Molgrin
Type: Cursed Beast
Tier: Cursed - I
[Molgrin Traits & Skills]
Blood Scent: Detects bleeding creatures within 50 meters.
Symbiotic Anchor: Rider cannot fall from the mount. Movement is fused.
Hollow Beak: Heavy beak attack that deals bonus damage to weakened enemies.
Rend and Rupture: Targets below 50% HP take bleeding damage over time.
Spine Tail: Tail mutates into a whip-like bone spine. Used for piercing, slashing, and impalement.
[Evolution Progress]
Shared Hearts with Rider: 1 / 15
Ash blinked. So that's why he hadn't fallen off earlier, he couldn't. Symbiotic Anchor. Creepy name, but helpful. He really was like a parasite.
The evolution info, though? A dead end. No clear realm path, corruption had corroded a normal route. The only thing clear was that Molgrin needed more hearts. And Ash had to share it with him.
"I guess teamwork really does make the dream work." He said laughing, patting Molgrin's neck.
He looked at the dead corpses nearby. "How about a snack before the next thing jumps on us, Molg?"
Molgrin screeched in approval, getting up, skillfully opening one chest cavity, founding the still warm heart. He severed it in half, offering it to Ash with a low, garbled growl.
Ash sighed, he didn't hesitate this time, grabbing the half heart. He just stared at it, then took a bite like it was part of some sick tradition now.
"Let's see what I get for the happy meal this time."