Hacking the Game Didn't Go as Intended

CHAPTER 72: Infighting - Milo's Selfless Sacrifice

"You sure have the habit of wrecking the base," Vernie playfully accused his comrade.

"There are more than enough worthless hands available to clean up this mess," replied the conjurer, his eyes crazed as his body overflowed with power.

Vernie snickered, his response eliciting Rexar's rage who started pacing menacingly toward him. With an icy gaze, Rexar asked, "And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

Elena and Milo gripped their staff in a spell of outrage, already connecting the dots.

"Maybe this will answer your question," murmured Vernie as he outstretched his arms. As he unfurled his fingers akin to a musical conductor, roughly a dozen humanoid creatures materialized from a ghostly mist, flanking him on both sides.

Milo blanched. "Those are... d-demons!"

"You bastard!!" Rexar snapped, his fang piercing his lip in his fury. "Are you the one responsible for the demons attacking our village?"

"H-How could you?!" Elena cried, her face flushed with grief and anger. "Do you have any idea how much pain and suffering you've caused? Every day we lived in fear of our home being raided and our loved ones being killed. Don't you have a heart?"

"Answer me this," said Vernie with a bizarre grin, regarding the grieving Beastkin over his nose. "Do you show compassion when you spear a fish or slaughter a pig—no, you people are far less meaningful than these references. Do you feel remorse when you crush an ant beneath your feet?"

Elena screamed in a rage, her fingers tightening around her staff—and Rexar poised to launch himself into a reckless charge, but Milo managed to stop them both.

"Rexar! Elena!" pleaded Milo, struggling to hold them back. "You both have to calm down; don't fall for his provocation."

"Calm down? CALM DOWN?!" Rexar snapped, absolutely appalled that Milo could retain any level of composure after what was said. "Didn't you hear that bastard? He's responsible for the demon invasions!"

"I heard him!" responded Milo, "b-but we have to keep our wits about us—"

WHAM!

A fist to the face sent him crashing to the ground, and Vernie laughed out loud at the unexpected sight.

"You wouldn't fucking understand!" snapped Rexar. "You're a goddamn human just like he is, so you wouldn't understand how we feel!"

Milo bit his lip, the sting from his friend's words more painful than the blow to his face, but he pushed the heartache aside and looked from Elena to Rexar.

"...Have you both forgotten what Haxks told us?"

The grip of rage over the duo loosened as they recalled the sobering memory.

— "It's likely that we're going to get to the bottom of the frequent demon invasions that's been plaguing Elmridge village. But I want you three to promise me something—don't lose your cool. It's bad enough that we'll be fighting on the enemy's home turf; if you don't keep a cool head, we'll be at a bigger disadvantage and I'd rather not bring back any tragic news to the old woman."

Rexar hung his head and grinded his teeth, feeling bitter and regretful for what he had said to Milo. But before he could open his mouth to form words of apology—

"The demons!" Elena called as she gripped her staff defensively. "They're coming!"

"OHHAIIRRGHHH!"

An ear-piercing screech had the trio ducking their heads and wincing in pain. Rubble cracked and crumbled underfoot as the vile creatures charged in on the offense. The demon in front—the one that heaved the deafening howl—gripped one of the many spikes protruding from its hard exoskeleton and broke it off with a deep grunt.