The glitch-monster was unlike anything the knights of this world had ever faced in their chronicles. To the soldiers escorting the carriage, it was a divine abomination.
But to Grey and All For One, it was a coding error, a scrap left behind by the Author in this new medieval prison.
The monster, sensing that Grey was not following the "rules" of this world, let out a piercing shriek. It dematerialized, its limbs turning into lines of black text before reforming just inches from Grey's face.
"These movements... it's like fighting an enemy that's lagging," Grey grunted, activating his combat reflexes.
He tried to use his Quirk, but a searing pain shot through his skull. In this world of chivalry, the air didn't have the same "consistency." Using a Quirk here was like trying to run modern software on a typewriter.
"Don't force it, Grey!" All For One shouted. Despite losing much of his power during the transfer, he still maintained an aura of dread. He raised his hand, and a small black filament a remnant of one of his thousands of Quirks shot out, but it twisted strangely, taking the shape of a medieval lance instead of a beam of energy.
"The Author has changed the parameters! Here, our powers are translated into the language of chivalry."
As Grey struggled to adapt, the soldiers around the carriage stood petrified. One of them, a captain in plate armor whose crest depicted a falcon, dropped his sword. His hands shook so violently that his gauntlets clattered.
"Demons..." the captain whispered, his eyes fixed on All For One. "The monster is attacking them because they are of the same brood!"
The soldiers didn't even try to defend the carriage. To them, Grey and All For One were as terrifying as the beast. They were trapped between a unknown nightmare and two "sorcerers"
.
Suddenly, the monster projected a series of black spikes toward the carriage. Without thinking, Grey threw himself in front of the impact. He didn't try to strike; he tried to "block" the script. Upon impact, instead of the sound of metal, there was a noise of tearing paper. Grey managed to deflect the attack, but his left arm became temporarily transparent, revealing lines of source code.
"We're disintegrating here," Grey realized, his teeth grit. "If we don't end this fight fast, this world will reject us like viruses."
Inside the carriage, a voice rose, calm despite the chaos:
"Knight! If that is what you are... strike where the light casts no shadow!"
It was the occupant of the carriage, a scholar or a noble of this world, who seemed to have understood that the monster was not physical.
The glitched monster contorted, its limbs stretching at impossible angles and leaving trails of static pixels in the medieval air. Grey was panting, his arm still flickering with unstable lines of code.
All For One did not move an inch. His eyes, accustomed to anticipating the most complex Quirks, scanned the scene with terrifying precision. He didn't see a monster; he saw a flaw.
"Observe, Grey," All For One said, his voice rising above the chaos. "This thing does not follow the laws of physics; it follows a syntax. It isn't attacking us because it's hungry; it's attacking us because our presence here generates a system error."
The monster projected a new wave of black spikes. All For One raised a hand, and instead of using brute force, he made a "swiping" gesture, as if closing an invisible window. The spikes stopped dead in mid-air, vibrating violently before transforming into harmless flower petals that drifted to the ground.
"What did you do?" Grey shouted, stunned.
"I rewrote the object's finality," All For One replied with a predatory smile. "In our world, I stole Quirks. In this one, I am beginning to understand how to steal administrator privileges."
He turned toward the beast. "This monster is a loop. It attacks, glitches, and starts over. Grey, use your perception Quirk. Don't look at its body; look at the spot where the image refreshes the slowest. That is where the heart of the error lies."
Grey understood instantly. He focused, ignoring the dull throb in his skull. He then saw a small sphere of pure white light, hidden beneath the creature's translucent chest. It was the point of origin the "Source Code."
"I see it!"
"Then strike," All For One ordered. "But do not strike with your sword. Strike with the intent to delete."
Grey lunged. The soldiers, still petrified, watched as the stranger took flight in a movement that defied gravity. Grey did not draw his blade; he outstretched his hand, fingers splayed. At the moment of contact, he didn't scream the name of an attack; he simply visualized the word [DELETE].
A blinding flash illuminated the chivalric forest. A sound of shattering glass rang out, so loud that the escort's horses reared up. The monster fragmented into millions of black cubes before collapsing into nothingness.
Silence returned, heavier than before. Grey fell heavily to the ground, his arm having returned to its normal form but trembling with fatigue.
All For One slowly approached the carriage, his footsteps echoing on the dirt path. The captain of the soldiers, regaining his senses, pointed his sword at him, but his hand shook so much he nearly dropped it.
"Put that toothpick away, Captain," All For One said without even looking at him. "We just saved your precious cargo. Now, I would like to speak with the person inside."
The carriage door opened slowly. An old man dressed in a robe embroidered with gold thread and astronomical symbols stepped out. His eyes held no fear, only immense curiosity.
"You... you are not demons," the old man said. "You are the Travelers of the Great Rift spoken of in the forbidden prophecies. Those who should not exist."
All For One tilted his head slightly, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Prophecies? Now, that is becoming interesting. Tell me, old man... what does your 'script' say about us?"