Hacking the Game Didn't Go as Intended

CHAPTER 124: Terrors in Tandem

Time slowed to a crawl as Daisuke shifted his head a few centimeters to the side, a wooden spear narrowly missing his ear as it passed over his shoulder.

"Pant! Pant! Pant!"

His breaths came in ragged bursts as he sprinted, the ground pounding beneath his feet. Behind him, the snarling horde of crazed monsters gained ground, their eyes burning with relentless fury, clearly intent on settling a score.

"Are you freakin' kidding me!" Daisuke exclaimed. "So Field Bosses spawn monsters endemic to the area when their HP hits 65%—and they're all elites? Why wasn't I aware of this?!"

With a sidelong glance, he absorbed the terrifying sight. Several elite-class monsters were right on his heels—twice their usual size, twice as tough, twice as mean, and twice as relentless. Their roars reverberated through the air, each one more menacing than the last, making his heart pound even faster.

"Gimmie a break already!"

As if his desperate outcry had stirred their commitment even further, the monsters shifted into overdrive. The Rabid Horned Rabbits, frothing at the mouth, their crimson eyes bulging and veiny, charged with terrifying speed. Burly Forest Imps, bipedal and muscular, pounded their chests like gorillas, snapping thick tree branches as if to demonstrate their intentions for his spine.

Goblins hurled spears and launched projectiles from slingshots, their battle cries cutting through the chaos. The Malevocroaks, Kobolds, Bullet Hares, and Lipanthyer were equally menacing. And towering behind the psychotic progression of monsters was the Exiled Hilitroll Chief, wielding a massive club, his presence adding fuel to the frenzied onslaught.

The beast let out a furious grunt as Zephyr fearlessly darted between its legs. The pup growled, flames bursting from his maw and engulfing the unsuspecting monsters ahead. Enraged, the troll swung its massive club down with crushing force, shattering the earth and leaving a deep crater in its wake. But as the dust settled, the troll's hardened expression twisted in frustration—no blood, no broken bodies. His blow had met nothing but empty ground.

Several Malevocroaks scrambled for cover, diving beneath the nearest bushes. Though singed from the flames, they had escaped the worst of it. The same couldn't be said for the Horned Rabbits and Forest Imps. Fire, their greatest weakness, consumed them completely, leaving nothing but smoldering ashes in their place.

Suddenly, the unmistakable rattle of chains was heard. Before the Malevocroaks could process the sound with their pea-sized brains, a golden chain snapped around their necks, yanking them upward into the branches overhead.

Then, in the blink of an eye, a shadow streaked past, leaving behind a yellow bead in the palm of one monster. The creatures barely had a moment to glance at it before they were engulfed in a surge of electricity, their bodies convulsing as the lethal shock sealed their fate.

Now the shadow hurtled downward at blinding speed, time dragging to a near halt as Daisuke's heels slammed into the Lipanthyer's spine. The massive feline collapsed beneath the force. The earth cracked and splintered, sending dirt and debris floating in slow motion around them. Without missing a beat, Daisuke's dagger sunk into the creature's skull with a sickening crunch, the sound echoing through the still air.

DING!

[Insta-Kill!]

[The effect of One-Hit Kill activates, instantly allowing the targeted enemy to be slain with a single strike.]

Before the beast even slumped to the ground, Daisuke's head swiveled to the side with a chilling, mechanical focus. Then, in a heartbeat, his figure vanished.