Hacking the Game Didn't Go as Intended

CHAPTER 23: Sheba's Selfless Resolve

"W-Winston!"

The butler clicked his tongue discreetly. He's lost quite a bit of blood; I need to finish this quickly.

The beast looked on, enraged by the injury, while Winston simply smoothed his slick, permed hair back into place, his expression dreary.

His seemingly unassuming demeanor then transformed into that of a fierce warrior as he unsheathed a long knife concealed within his jacket. Without hesitation, he charged at the monstrous entity that Reginald's ambitions had brought forth. The clash was fierce, a dance of primal power against calculated precision.

Again and again, Winston's blade met the armored scales coating the creature's chest, the resounding clangs resonating in the chamber.

Winston frowned. I can't get through its armor.

Undeterred, his eyes darted across the beast's hulking form, seeking vulnerabilities. A gap caught his attention—a slender opening nestled between the protective plates at the base of the torso.

Striking with a lethal focus, he aimed for the weak point. However, his knife's durability had waned from the previous flurry of attacks. The blade shattered upon impact against the unyielding leather that spanned between the scales.

Time seemed to stretch as if suspended in a void. In that moment, Winston's fate was sealed. The fragments of stainless steel from his knife reflected his crumbling nonchalance.

The sight of his body being torn asunder shimmered in Reginald's widened eyes, a haunting realization of the consequences of his actions.

Suddenly, the creature's head snapped around, its expression ravenous as it closed in on its unfinished meal. Then, a gut-wrenching scream echoed from the heart of the lab, accompanied by the gruesome sounds of breaking bones and rending flesh.

***

Thousands of miles away, a figure cloaked in shadows stood, extracting his sword from the eye socket of a lifeless corpse. As he stood amidst the aftermath of a bloody battle, a subtle disturbance resonated through the metaphysical vessel of his power, akin to ripples in a bowl.

"...One of my puppets just had its strings severed," he mused with indifference, his gaze casually drifting to the side.

***

Drunken eyes, a perverse smirk, brutish hands—her mind trembled in recollection, yet her body remained frozen.

Unwelcome words, suffocating closeness, and the blatant violation of her boundaries and innocence—these haunting memories surged through her mind like an unyielding tempest.

Despite her efforts to quell them, they surged forth with an intensity akin to molten steel in a fiery forge, sending shivers of discomfort rippling through her body—a constant reminder of the pain she longed to forget.

Suddenly, amidst the turmoil, a pained scream shattered the suffocating silence, jolting Sheba from her nightmarish stupor.

CRASH!

The backdoor exploded open, unleashing chaos as two guards burst in, their faces contorted in terror. Around them, residents stirred from their slumber, their faces drained of color as the ghastly chorus of bones cracking and flesh tearing echoed through the night.

One guard leaned against the door, desperation etched in his features. "You fool!" he barked at the other man, his voice a desperate plea. "Quickly, get something to block the—"

BOOOM!

A second explosion rocked the room, sending shockwaves of panic rippling through the trembling onlookers. A monstrous arm burst through the door, seizing one of the guards in its deadly grasp and tearing him mercilessly through the splintered wood.

As his agonized screams pierced the night, his sword tumbled to the ground, landing amidst the tense gathering of Beastfolk.

The guards' scheme to unleash the chimera upon the slaves and flee now appeared nothing but a desperate fantasy. Aware of the folly of their plans, the remaining guard brandished his sword at the approaching beast, its menacing presence creeping closer with each passing moment.

In the midst of his kin's panicked cries, an older Beastkin retrieved the sword and leveled it at the snarling creature.

Under normal circumstances, the guard might have chained the slave to a post outside and lashed him in the presence of his people for his insubordination. But now, facing imminent danger, such distinctions were trivial. Death did not discriminate between races, and the guard knew this all too well.

As the older Beastkin frantically scoured for any semblance of a weapon, Feng sprang into action. A single glance told him the odds were firmly stacked against them; opposing the beast wasn't a solution, but simply a distraction.

He clicked his tongue in frustration when he realized that all the horses were paralyzed by fear. Dammit, they're pretty much useless in this state!

"Everyone!" his voice boomed, commanding attention. "Get outside, now!"

Driven by panic, they fled the building, leaving behind the valiant few who stood against the creature. As the building emptied in a panicked frenzy, Sheba's senses honed in on April's fallen form near the doorway.

A flicker of crimson emanated from within the structure, signaling the advancing threat. Sheba's heart quickened, a heady mix of dread and determination coursing through her veins as she reminisced about her mother and siblings.

Her gaze lingered on April, a silent vow echoing in her mind. She refused to let fear paralyze her again, knowing all too well the consequences of inaction. With a shaky breath, she ran forward, her steps fueled by a newfound resolve.

As she reached April's side, the intensity of the creature's presence loomed closer, its ominous eyes piercing through the darkness.

Sheba's pulse raced, her trembling hands reaching out to lift April from the ground. With a swift motion, she cradled the girl in her arms, a surge of protective instinct flooding her senses.

Every fiber of her being screamed for escape as she bolted toward the others, yet she knew fleeing was futile. The creature's relentless pursuit echoed behind her, its presence a looming shadow.

With a heavy heart, Sheba gently lowered April to the ground, her voice urgent yet tinged with sorrow as she urged the girl to run.

"B-But what about you?" April protested, her fingers clenched into defiant fists as tears welled up in her eyes.

"I'll distract it while you escape with the others," Sheba reassured with a smile. "Please hurry! Run as fast as you can! There's not much time!"

"No!" April shouted stubbornly, her face turning red. "You're lying!"

Sheba's gaze shifted, finding solace in the sight of Aldric racing toward them to forcefully pull April to safety. With a fleeting moment to spare, she sought out Feng's eyes, a bittersweet smile playing upon her lips, conveying a blend of remorse and gratitude.

In a hushed tone, she whispered, "Find them for me."

Feng's eyes widened. "Sheba!" his cry pierced the chaos, determination propelling him forward. Yet his momentum faltered as the creature's limb descended like a blade, its lethal claws finding Sheba's vulnerable body.