Hacking the Game Didn't Go as Intended [Part One]

CHAPTER 59: Final Gambit

Daisuke's words were prophetic, but the Volturax was about to demonstrate that his warning was futile. Electricity, which had previously only rippled or discharged from the creature's body upon attacking, became a constant phenomenon. And its once-golden eyes were now a fiery red.

RAWRRRRRR!

Another deafening roar reverberated through the chamber.

DING!

[The Volturax's skill «Predator's Dominion» has induced the fear status.]

DING!

[You were subjected to a mental attack. Αφινίτη's Blessing has countered the threat and preserved the sanctity of your mental state.]

Daisuke's heart sank, and a sense of dread twisted his stomach. The System Notification brought only partially good news. His expression crumpled when he turned to look at the party, noting the petrified and defeated expressions etched on their faces.

Elena slowly slumped to the floor, her body trembling uncontrollably. Milo had passed out, and Gavric clung to his sword and shield, his mouth agape in trepidation. Lyanna struggled to catch her breath, while Zephyr remained unaffected, likely thanks to his secret passive skill. Finnian wrestled to maintain his composure with his warrior's spirit.

But the Volturax couldn't wait; it wouldn't—not while its blood boiled like liquid magma in its veins. Every fiber of its being thirsted for retribution, and the destructive electricity discharging from its massive frame reflected its immeasurable fury.

Defying the laws of gravity, the beast raced along the side of the wall in a mindless rage. It coiled into a ball and hurtled toward Daisuke like a giant, spiked bowling ball. Rocks and debris exploded as electricity rippled outward.

Time seemed to slow, and despair hung in the air like a dark shroud. Daisuke's eyes widened as the meteorite-like sphere descended upon him, and he couldn't help but wonder, After everything I've been through, is this the end?

DING!

[The Composure Stat has increased by 7 points.]

Summoning every ounce of his self-control, Daisuke's expression shifted, his eyes narrowing in calculation as he crafted a plan. He couldn't afford to lose his cool; not when there were so many lives riding on the decision he would make in the next few microseconds.

In an instant, a faint memory surfaced amidst the sea of thoughts flooding his mind, serving as a guiding light. From there, he took a daring gamble.

"Zephyr!" he called out with a commanding tone.

Simultaneously, Daisuke's body dipped low, his daggers held in a reverse grip, his eyes gleaming with the intensity of a predator. Then, in the blink of an eye, he vanished, reappearing elsewhere, coating his blades with the residual poison left over from Elena's prior Poison Dart spell.

BOOOOOOOOM!

Zephyr, blessed with extraordinary speed and fortified defenses from his Extreme Speed, Berserk, and Divine Armament skills, crashed into the side of the rolling Volturax like a battering ram.

The impact sent the beast slamming into the cavern wall and falling onto its back, averting a potential disaster that would have flattened the party. Zephyr's impact also triggered the Paralysis and Blindness debuffs on the creature, effectively immobilizing it.

Then, like a demon from hell, Daisuke descended upon the beast. His speed was beyond anything the party had witnessed before, his movements were blurred, his arms moving like bullets. His daggers found their way into the Volturax's eye before its third eyelid could close.

The creature's agonized roar only made it more vulnerable to further trauma. Daisuke was there in an instant, relentlessly attacking its tongue in a series of stabs and slashes. Then Zephyr took over, unleashing a deadly torrent of flames down the creature's throat.

Daisuke felt no pity or remorse, no hesitation or pause. Fear and the instinct for survival had forged him into a cold-hearted killer. He targeted the Volturax's sole weakness—the base of its tail—and unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks.

Even as his muscles and bones screamed in pain, begging for respite, Daisuke didn't stop. He knew Haste only lasted for 30 seconds, and his weapons and equipment were subpar. Zephyr would also succumb to exhaustion and collapse when his Berserk skill ended.

To ensure their survival, he had to maintain both the Poison and Bleed Status and extinguish the monster's health completely. The Volturax couldn't be allowed to rise again.

"AGHHHHHHHHHH!"

Daisuke roared at the top of his lungs, pouring every ounce of energy into his arms. Warm blood sprayed from the creature's tail as it was severed, and Daisuke's eyes widened in alarm as the paralysis wore off and the beast's legs began to twitch.

In a final, desperate gambit, he hurled a pair of Flarial Seeds and a Frost Prism into the creature's gaping maw. Without a moment to spare, he scooped up Zephyr and bolted, his heart pounding with adrenaline. A fierce explosion erupted as the opposing elements collided, sending the entire party hurtling helplessly through the air.

DING!

[Congratulations! You have slain the Dungeon Boss «Volturax»!]