As soon as the gouge in the wasteland housing Zenith Flight’s cave came into view, a bloody-striped comet rocketed toward Peacock’s position in the sky. Peacock phased to the side, the comet grinding to a halt when it realized it had missed its target.

“You’re a bigger dumbass than even I imagined coming back here a third time. You really have a death wish, don’t you?”

Viseral, no doubt because of cheat orbs, had grown larger since the last time he’d seen him. Not so much in overall size, although he was three times bigger than Peacock, but in sheer mass. Corded muscle thicker than Peacock’s entire forearm layered across Viseral’s limbs, his barrel-chest and thick hindquarters leaving no doubt about the unusual rules of the digital world. Such a creature shouldn’t have been able to fly, yet small, leathery wings kept him aloft with ease. It suited Viseral perfectly. All aggression and no subtlety.

“Are you ready to die?” Peacock’s voice came out breathier than he intended, his excitement at finally taking out the bastard who’d attacked him from the start bubbling up and taking over. He could already taste his blood.

Viseral’s face scrunched up. Uncertainty flashed for a second before his bravado came back in force. “You’ll wish you were dead when I’m done, newb. I’m so good at torture, I’m teaching Nex. You’ll beg for death—”

Peacock cut him off as he slammed into Viseral’s chest, his newly equipped orb necklace hitting Viseral’s and setting off a chorus of chimes.

It was like hitting a brick. Viseral barely wobbled in the air, but it gave Peacock all he needed.

All of Viseral’s buffs ran through Peacock’s head. Every one in the game, all at a stack of ninety-nine. With a few thoughts, three orbs burst off of Peacock’s necklace, and Viseral’s buffs vanished, replaced by a ninety-nine stack of every debuff.

Viseral caught fire. Poison, water, char and a multitude of other unpleasant things dripped from him as he let out an ear-splitting scream. A powerful burst of his wings scattered the scent of rot and burned flesh as he careened back. Small explosions of galaxy-covered dust signaled the use of his own orbs.

Peacock was on top of him before the debuffs disappeared. Euphoria sang throughout Peacock’s body as his teeth sank into Viseral’s neck. The sweet taste of blood mixed with the chemical taste of burned flesh. More. He wanted more.

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Viseral’s flesh mended as he twisted, grappling with Peacock’s smaller body. Now he could show Viseral what a true hacker could do.

Another orb burst on his necklace as Peacock untethered himself from his character and dove into Viseral. Compared to the endless expanse of M and M’s internals, Viseral’s code was miniscule. His anger thrummed fiery red in his core, rapidly pushing out the deep purple of his surprise and pain. Bright nodes connected by silver thread traced his form in all directions and beat in time with Viseral’s pulse.

Peacock’s essence flowed into the nodes, twisting the information contained inside. A quick tweak in one and a swap in two others caused all to dim as an opaque coating settled over each one.

His body, limp and vulnerable in Viseral’s hands, hurtled away. The bands connecting Peacock to his digital self snapped taut. Time stood still for an instant before he rebound, sling-shotting back into his body with enough force to knock the wind from his chest.

Peacock righted himself a few feet from the ground, taking just enough time to renew the buffs Viseral had cleared from him before launching back toward his prey.

Pale dust showered down as Viseral tried to activate his own cheats. Realization hit far too slowly.

Peacock’s claws and fangs sunk into exposed dragon hide. Without its protections, it gave way like butter to a knife, filling Peacock to bursting with the sweet taste of flesh and the even sweeter taste of revenge.

Viseral shrieked, a sound which ended in a gurgle as the last of his health ran out. The no-modifier hack Peacock had placed on him sealed his fate at last. Viseral’s wings gave out. His body’s dead weight tore free of Peacock’s grip, falling toward the wasteland only to vanish in a shower of sparkling dust.

Peacock hovered in the air, licking the blood from his lips. He grinned large and wild at the dissipating dust. Killing him felt good.

The large green, blue, and purple orb appeared in his hands. Its galaxy center swirled slow at first, then faster as Peacock poured his essence into it. The world around him shifted, stretched, then snapped back to normal as it shut him out.

“No!” Anger roiled up, bottomless and molten as Peacock hurled the orb away. It blinked out of existence, reappearing in his inventory just as Haven had programmed it to.

“Nooo!”

Peacock stooped, hitting the ground in a cloud of sand and fury. How could she have done this to him? The orb was to be his magnum opus, his only and last masterpiece. An ultimate hack designed to turn him into a god of destruction.

Peacock tore at the dry soil beneath his claws, raw rage at Haven’s betrayal threatening to hollow him out. She’d never trusted him. She’d pretended to go along with his plans, only to send him to his death. Peacock turned toward the gouge in the land and roared.