Hacking the Game Didn't Go as Intended

CHAPTER 194: The Misfits - Into the Den of Strangers

The sun dipped low, casting long shadows of the men who surrounded Daisuke, their grins stretching wide with ill intent. They loomed over him like wolves cornering a lost puppy.

At the front stood a particularly smug midget—leader of the pack—who had taken the liberty of climbing onto a wooden stool to gain some semblance of height. Arms folded, chest puffed, he grinned like a villain in a bad stage play.

"Well, well, well! Lookie here, boys!" he barked, tilting his head back theatrically. "A lil' baby fresh from his mama's teat has come to take our job!"

His lackeys cackled, their faces plastered with equally sinister grins.

To his right, a burly man built like an ogre cracked his knuckles, the sound akin to boulders grinding together. "Tch, what's a brat like you doin' here? This ain't a playground."

Another man, lanky and mean-eyed, smirked. "Hey, maybe the noble that hired us wanted a mascot. Y'know, a cute little baby to wave at visitors."

More laughter followed, particularly from the background lackeys, but Daisuke remained unimpressed. He sighed, rubbing his temples. "Are you all done?"

The men's amusement dimmed slightly.

The midget sneered. "Listen, runt. This job? Our job. You? Just some dumb kid who should take his diaper-wearin' ass back to the guild."

Ogre-man cracked his knuckles again for emphasis. "Hand over half your pay, and maybe we'll let you stick around as our water boy."

Daisuke yawned. "No thanks."

The air shifted.

The midget's left eye twitched. "What was that?"

Daisuke crossed his arms. "I said, no thanks. You guys look like the kind of idiots who'd trip over their own swords, so I'm not too worried about working alongside you. As for paying you off?" He deadpanned. "I'd rather set my money on fire and warm my hands over it."

A thick vein bulged on the midget's forehead. Ogre-man's grin dropped. The others exchanged glances, their expressions darkening.

"Alright, that's it!" the midget snapped. "You little shit! Beat his ass!"

Ogre-man lunged.

He barely made it two steps before Daisuke's elbow drove into his gut.

"Guhh—!"

His entire frame bent inward like a folding screen, his eyes rolling back as he collapsed like a felled tree.

The remaining men gawked as the hulk foamed at the mouth.

"Eh—?!"

The midget barely had time to react before Daisuke grabbed his face and lifted him effortlessly off the stool.

"This is getting annoying," he muttered, looking genuinely exhausted.

Panic flickered in the men's eyes.

"S-Screw this!" one man stammered, then everyone began activating their respective skills.

But it was too late.

Daisuke's free hand shot forward, firing off a barrage of magic missiles. The projectiles zipped through the air and detonated in their faces upon impact.

"GYAAAAHHH!!"

Each of the goons was blasted backward, crashing into walls, barrels, and each other. They rolled around on the cobblestone, flailing and howling in pain.

The midget, still clutched by the face, saw his comrades in a heap of misery and decided it was time for survival tactics. "[Titan Shell]!"

A shimmering cocoon of energy wrapped around him. Inside, he cackled triumphantly. "You little bastard! You can't touch me now!"