Hacking the Game Didn't Go as Intended [Part One]

CHAPTER 49: Dark Destination - The Players' Moral Compass

Blood flowed from every orifice as he writhed in agony, the wolves rending both flesh and bone, taking him apart like a stuffed animal. It was a gruesome scene, but to most, a fitting end for a heinous human being.

Callista, however, didn't think the same.

"YOUUU!" she hissed with venom, piecing together what had transpired from the survivors cradled in Daisuke's arms. "You left Osten to die!"

In the real world, humans weren't given a second chance when they died; once your heart stopped beating, everything was over. To maintain the severity of this harsh truth while preserving fairness in the game, the developers imposed a harsh penalty for death. A player would lose an entire level upon dying in the game, which was a significant setback.

It might not seem like that bad of a trade-off, but when you consider the fact that leveling up becomes increasingly difficult the higher one's level, it becomes an inescapable nightmare. Losing a level for a «Ranker» was akin to losing months' worth of intense grinding on monsters.

"You heartless bastard!" Blitz's anger surged, teeth grinding as they watched Osten's body mass dwindle. "You chose to save a few worthless NPCs over a player?"

All eyes turned to Daisuke, anticipating a rational explanation, but his response was—

"The Locals have only one life," he explained calmly, his tone steady. "Meanwhile, players can respawn indefinitely. My choice was pretty clear."

The NPCs gazed upon Daisuke with warmth and gratitude, their appreciation evident in their eyes. However, a stark contrast emerged among the players, their expressions now tainted with disdain.

Even those who had once held him in high regard now bore looks of anger, their simmering resentment palpable as they rose to their feet, united in a singular intent—to eradicate both him and the ravenous monsters.

"Let's go."

"R-Right."

As the heart-wrenching sight of Elena's unmoving form cradled in Daisuke's arms played out before them, Rexar and Milo, the two steadfast members from her circle, reacted swiftly. They sprinted to Daisuke's side, their expressions a blend of grief and determination. The remaining trio of NPCs—Lyanna, a tank, and a warrior—followed suit, united in purpose.

Blitz sneered, sharing the sentiment of the players. "This works out perfectly."

"Now we can crush you all at once," said Callista, her words laced with malice as she raised her staff.

The other mages hoisted their staffs in unison, and the warriors brandished their weapons. The NPCs huddled close to Daisuke, and Zephyr took a protective stance at the forefront, growling menacingly.

"So, what's the plan?" Rexar murmured, adopting a martial arts stance.

Lyanna expertly nocked an arrow and drew her bowstring taut. The tank readied a large shield, the warrior a lengthy sword, and Milo clutched his staff, trembling in the back.

A glow denoting the Eye of Verity blazed inside of Daisuke's pupils like a tenacious flame in the wind. "When I give the signal," he whispered in an undertone, "quickly run to the left."

Everyone covertly acknowledged the plan, their glances shifting subtly in the designated direction. An unspoken understanding passed among them, marked by discreet nods. Milo's grip on his staff tightened, and he swallowed nervously.

While the mages initiated their spell with an incantation, Blitz signaled discreetly to the others. "Healers, stay back," he ordered. "The rest of you, ready your weapons; we'll cut down any who manage to escape the spells' bombardment."

Daisuke's gaze pierced through Blitz and the warriors who were arming themselves for a devastating strike. He briefly glanced into the inky abyss beyond them, sensing a lurking menace. Then his attention shifted to the mages, who were nearing the culmination of their incantation.

They raised their staffs high, their voices synchronized in an arcane chant that resonated through the cavern. Power danced in their eyes as they uttered the ancient words of power, channeling their collective mana into a fiery crescendo.

"Inferno, forge thy fury, from the embers of the earth, rise!" At the united command, a seething torrent of flames burst forth, surging with unrelenting fury. It incinerated the Inferno Wolves in an instant. The remnants of Osten's glowing body were reduced to ash, scattered by the inferno's relentless advance. Then the consuming flames barreled toward the next targets.

Milo peed a little.

Daisuke smirked, seizing this opportune moment to enact his plan while the attacking mages were incapable of moving. Without hesitation, he unleashed his Intimidate skill, focusing his will on the menacing beast lurking in the shadows behind the assailants.

DING!

[The target monster's Stats far exceed your own; Intimidation has failed.]

An unfortunate prompt. However, Daisuke harbored no regrets; his objective was not to intimidate but to incite the creature's wrath, and in this, he succeeded.

The colossal figure emerged from the obscurity, bathed in an ominous glow, its monstrous presence filling the chamber.

DING!

[The Floor Guardian's fiery gaze falls upon the trespassers.]

[Giant Inferno Wolf | Lvl 25 | Floor Guardian]

With a deafening roar, the colossal wolf unleashed a searing cascade of flames. Blitz, the healers, the warriors, the mages, and Callista, stood frozen in stunned horror, their eyes widening as the fiery onslaught bore down upon them—a cataclysmic wall of blazing death.

In a blinding flash, they were engulfed, their pained screams echoing off the cavern walls as they melted like plastic to a flame, their very beings disintegrating into columns of radiant light.

"NOW! GO! GO! GO!"

Simultaneously, Daisuke signaled his group to move, a symphony of swift footsteps echoing as they narrowly escaped the fiery cataclysm. They dashed into a narrow passage  that led to a small chamber, where the inferno's deadly embrace could not follow.