Hacking the Game Didn't Go as Intended

CHAPTER 83: Morgana's Plight

Through the surge of unpleasant emotions, Daisuke shifted his focus to the creature's name, intrigued by its correlation with "Honeywasp." Consulting the Monster Guide Handbook, now seamlessly integrated into the System interface, he discovered that Honeywasp Orcs inhabited the Thra'gul Mountains.

Upon reaching maturity, these Orcs permitted Honeywasps—a winged insect—to inhabit their hollow tusks. In exchange for providing a safe haven from predators, the Orcs occasionally received honey. It was a perfect example of symbiosis—a mutually beneficial relationship.

Daisuke wasn't impressed. "Well, I hope I never have the pleasure of crossing paths with one on a straight and narrow road," he muttered sarcastically.

"Rawrwu~"

"You're right, buddy—let's dive back into the heart of the matter," Daisuke remarked, his hand coming up to cup his chin in contemplation. "If I could store twenty-five corpses, does that mean I can also store the same number of live monsters?"

In response to the rhetorical question, Zephyr seized the initiative and darted into the thick foliage in pursuit of prey. Daisuke nodded appreciatively, acknowledging his companion's instinctive action, before reaching into his inventory to discard a single corpse.

The Forest Imp quietly materialized on the ground, its still form enveloped in a faint blue glow that dissipated like pixie dust. It was one of the earlier monsters Daisuke had salvaged on his way to Elmridge with Elena and the others. Like food, he noted that the corpse hadn't decomposed at all.

It didn't take long for Zephyr to return, his jaws firmly gripping a flailing Horned Rabbit. It was evident that the effort had taken a toll on the pup to bring it back alive.

"Great work!" praised Daisuke, his hand promptly grasping the creature by its long, furry ears. "Now, let's put that theory to the test."

DING!

[Your inventory has reached its maximum capacity for storing monsters.]

"Darn. Well, so much for that idea," Daisuke muttered, effortlessly dispatching the white-coated fiend with a swift slash of his blade. "But hold on a sec!" he exclaimed, a memory of hunting expeditions with Professor Bayley surfacing in his mind. "What if I use a magic bag? Could I haul more mobs that way? The real kicker is the cost; they'd likely demand my organs as payment."

"Krrk," Zephyr growled, tugging on Daisuke's pants with his teeth, harmless yet insistent.

"What's the matter?" Daisuke inquired.

Zephyr twirled around, as if chasing his tail, then darted ahead and stopped to gaze intently at his comrade.

"Do you want me to follow you? Is that it?" guessed Daisuke.

"Arf!"

"Now that I think about it, you weren't running away from those Kobolds, were you?"

Zephyr barked in confirmation.

"In that case, I'm right behind you," Daisuke said as he inventoried the Horned Rabbit instead of the Imp. "Just lead the way."

***

In the suffocating embrace of darkness, a lone girl sat, her skin slick with sweat, her delicate face marred by soot. Memories stirred within her as she slept, flickering like wildfire in her mind's eye. The ominous rattle of chains, the chilling touch of metal restraints, the monstrous profile of a crazed butcher, futile attempts to escape, excruciating pain, and then, enveloping blackness.

Morgana's eyes snapped open in alarm, her chest heaving with ragged breaths. As she sat on a bed of hay against a cavern wall, a wave of nausea washed over her, and her memories felt distant and hazy. Yet, a dull ache and a vague recollection drew her attention to her waist.