Eight hours to prepare for an enemy they'd never fought.
Eight hours to fortify a town that didn't know it was about to become a battlefield.
Eight hours to figure out how to survive.
"First things first," Lyra said as they gathered in Nero's room at the Iron Mare. "We need intel. What exactly are Debuggers capable of? What are their weaknesses?"
Finn pulled out the old journal again, flipping through pages. "According to this, they're system constructs—think of them as antivirus programs given physical form. They can detect active reality manipulation, they're immune to most physical damage, and they have something called Termination Authority."
"Which means?" Kade asked.
"They can delete glitch users from existence. Not kill, delete. As in, erase from reality itself."
The room went quiet.
"That's horrifying," Nero said finally.
"It gets better. They don't tire, don't need food or sleep, and they're single-mindedly focused on their target. Once they lock onto you, they don't stop."
"Okay, so they're unkillable murder robots. Great. What are their weaknesses?"
Finn flipped another page. "The journal mentions that they're bound by system rules. They can't attack non-glitch users without provocation. They have to verify their target before terminating. And this is interesting—they're vulnerable to system-based attacks."
Nero's mind clicked. "My abilities. Glitch Hunter specialization. I can literally debug them."
"Can you?" Lyra asked.
"I don't know. But my new abilities are designed to exploit system weaknesses. If Debuggers are system constructs, then theoretically..." He pulled up his skill list, studying the descriptions. "My System Crash ability can disable enemy skills. If Debuggers are essentially walking programs..."
"You might be able to shut them down," Kade finished. "That's actually brilliant."
"It's untested theory that could get us all killed," Finn pointed out.
"So, standard Vanguard strategy."
Despite the tension, Nero smiled. "We need a plan beyond 'Nero tries to hack the antivirus and hopes it works.'"
"Agreed," Lyra said. She pulled out a map of Grayhollow, spreading it on the table. "If they're coming from the east, they'll enter through the main gate or bypass it through the forest. Either way, we don't want this fight in town. Too many civilians."
"Lure them out," Kade said. "Pick our battlefield."
"Where?" Nero asked.
Lyra's finger traced the map. "The old mill. Two kilometers east of town, abandoned for years. Open space for maneuvering, solid walls for cover, and far enough from Grayhollow that civilians won't get caught in the crossfire."
"How do we lure them there?"
"You," Finn said, looking at Nero. "You're what they're tracking. You go to the mill, use your abilities to make yourself visible, and they'll come to you."
"So I'm bait."
"You're bait," Finn confirmed.
"I hate this plan."
"You picked the fight," Lyra reminded him. "Now we make it happen on our terms."
Nero couldn't argue with that logic.
"Okay," he said. "What else do we need?
The next six hours were a blur of preparation. Kade hit the blacksmith, buying every health potion and piece of defensive equipment he could afford. "If we're fighting delete-you-from-existence monsters, I'm going in with maximum armor."
Finn visited his information contacts, spreading word through the underground network. "If Debuggers are system enforcers, there might be other glitch users in the region. Worth putting out feelers."
Lyra scouted the old mill, mapping sight lines and defensive positions. "The structure's solid. We can use it."
Nero studied his new abilities, testing them in small ways. His Debug Swarm revealed hidden elements in his room. A loose floorboard, a crack in the wall, Finn's hidden lockpick set under the dresser.
"Why do you have lockpicks in my room?" Nero asked when Finn returned.
"Force of habit. I hide emergency tools everywhere."
"That's paranoid."
"That's survival." Finn countered.
Whatever.
At hour six, they gathered at the mill. The building was exactly as Lyra described—two stories, stone walls, multiple entry points, and a clear view of the eastern approach.
"Positions," Lyra said. "Kade, you're ground floor with Nero. I'm taking second floor for elevation advantage. Finn, you're mobile—rooftop, shadows, wherever you can exploit openings."
"What's our goal?" Kade asked. "Kill them? Disable them? Survive?"
"Survive first," Lyra said. "Everything else is secondary."
Nero activated his Debug Mode, studying the mill's structure. His new Glitch Hunter abilities made everything clearer—he could see structural weak points, potential exploit locations, even the way magic flowed through the area.
```
[LOCATION ANALYSIS: OLD MILL]
Structural Integrity: 68%
Defensive Value: Moderate
Exploit Opportunities: 7 identified
Ambient Mana: Low but stable
TACTICAL ASSESSMENT:
- High ground advantage (second floor)
- Multiple escape routes
- Confined spaces favor guerrilla tactics
- Environmental hazards: Weak ceiling beams (exploitable)
```
"The ceiling beams are weak," Nero called up to Lyra. "If we need to, we can drop the second floor on them."
"Noted. That's our emergency exit strategy."
At hour seven, Finn's information network sent word: three Debuggers detected approaching from the east. ETA: thirty minutes.
"Three," Kade said, testing the weight of his shield. "Could be worse."
"Could be better," Finn countered.
"Your optimism is inspiring."
"I save my optimism for situations that don't involve reality-deleting murder machines."
Nero stood at the mill's entrance, looking east. Somewhere out there, three system constructs were coming to erase him.
This is insane. I'm Level 10. I've been in this world for three days. And I'm about to fight antivirus programs.
Kade came beside him and asked. "You good?"
"No. I'm Terrified, actually."
"Good. Means your survival instincts work." Kade's grip tightened. "But you're not alone. Remember that. Whatever happens, Vanguard's got your back."
"Even if it means fighting impossible odds?"
"Especially then. That's when it matters most." Kade grinned. "Besides, impossible is just a suggestion. We're adventurers. We make the impossible look easy."
"We really don't."
"We make it look entertaining, then."
Despite everything, Nero laughed.
```
[RELATIONSHIP UPDATE]
Kade Morrison: SOUL BROTHER → UNBREAKABLE BOND (100/100)
[BOND MAXED]
New Effect: [Soul Link]
- You and Kade can sense each other's condition/location
- In critical moments, can share HP/MP pools
- Corruption spread is halved when fighting together
- This bond transcends death itself
```
Nero's breath caught. The notification felt different, like something fundamental had clicked into place.
"Kade—"
"I know," Kade said quietly, and somehow, Nero knew he did know. The bond went both ways. "I feel it too. Metal as hell." Kade's grin widened. "Now let's go kick some Debugger ass together."
Twenty minutes later, they came. Nero saw them through his Debug Mode before his normal vision registered anything—three figures emerging from the forest, moving with mechanical precision.
```
[DEBUGGER UNIT DETECTED]
[DEBUGGER α-7 - Level ???]
[DEBUGGER β-3 - Level ???]
[DEBUGGER γ-9 - Level ???]
THREAT ASSESSMENT: EXTREME
CAPABILITIES: Unknown
TERMINATION AUTHORITY: Active
[WARNING: These entities exist to delete you]
[WARNING: Physical damage severely reduced]
[WARNING: System-based attacks recommended]
[Good luck]
[You're going to need it]
```