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

CHAPTER 121: The Gladiator Candidate - Daisuke VS Lekton

BOOOOOOM!

The polearm smashed into the wall with a deafening explosion, embedding itself deep within the stone. Ribbit's face drained of color, a series of panicked farts sputtering out like a deflating balloon.

Garrett, eyes wide in terror, staggered backward and landed on his rear. The rest of the kids huddled together, trembling. But Daisuke? He had disappeared into thin air.

Before Lekton's eyes could shift from his weapon and refocus, Daisuke materialized before him, a blur of motion. In the same heartbeat, he funneled all of his stats into Strength and delivered a bone-shattering blow.

DING!

[The active skill «Meteor Smash» has been acquired.]

[Meteor Smash]

[Rank: Unique

Classification: Active Skill

Lvl: 1

Proficiency: 0%

Every ounce of your being channels raw power, concentrating it into a singular, earth-shattering blow, crushing your target with the force of a falling meteor.

When activated, all your stats are reallocated to Strength, allowing you to deliver an attack of overwhelming force.

Skill Effect:

▪︎ Reallocates all Stat Points to Strength, increasing Attack Power by 300%.

▪︎ Upon usage, Stat Points return to their original distribution, and the Stat Reset skill is disabled for 6 hours.

Mana Cost: 200

Skill Cooldown: 24 Hours]

With a single devastating punch, the so-called mighty warrior's eyes bulged in shock. The impact rippled through his body, shattering his armor like brittle clay. He clutched his stomach, collapsing to his knees in disbelief before emptying the contents of his stomach onto the cavern floor.

Adrian stood paralyzed, his once calm and collected demeanor shattered like fragile glass. His usually composed and beautiful face now twisted into a ghastly expression of shock, fists clenched and trembling. The children were no less stunned, their wide eyes reflecting the disbelief that filled the room.

Brek glanced over at Zephyr who wore a smog grin, and then at the mysterious feline with its indifferent expression. It was clear both of them knew what Daisuke was capable of. But how had he managed to become so powerful so quickly? What had he gone through to trigger such an immense change?

Brek's gaze dropped to his own palm, noticing the absence of calluses. It was a glaring reminder that he wasn't pushing himself hard enough. If Daisuke hadn't stepped in earlier, the glaive would have split his head open like a ripe watermelon.

"I need to become stronger," he muttered, clenching his fist tightly as an image of his baby sister flashed in his mind. "If I can't even protect myself, how am I supposed to protect anyone else?"

The dull thud of Daisuke kicking the self-proclaimed warrior like a soccer ball snapped Brek's attention back to the battlefield.

Lekton hit the ground hard at his employer's feet, still writhing in pain from the earlier blow. Adrian stood above him, seething with fury. He clenched his jaw, the rigid lines of rage deepening across his face.

But then, without warning, something changed—Adrian's tension melted away. His clenched fists relaxed, and his hardened expression shifted. Tilting his head back, a strange giggle bubbled up from his throat. His palm slid over his face as the giggle darkened, evolving into an unsettling, maniacal laugh that echoed through the cavern.

"I was only planning to rough you up a bit," he admitted darkly, pulling a small, marble-like medicinal pill from his pocket and forcing it into Lekton's mouth. "But now it seems I'll have to slaughter your pathetic friends and break a few of your bones before you start taking this seriously."

Lekton's eyes widened in horror as the pill slid down his throat, its bitter taste searing his senses. His body convulsed, muscles rippling unnaturally beneath his skin. Veins bulged grotesquely, his breaths turning shallow and ragged as he clutched at his chest.

A sickening crack echoed through the cavern as his bones began to shift and warp. His limbs elongated, skin stretching taut over his altered form. His fingers thickened into jagged claws, his once-human features contorting into something primal. His mouth stretched wide, sharp fangs protruding as a low, guttural growl rumbled deep from his throat.

Lekton's eyes blazed with feral intensity as they found their prey, pupils narrowing into menacing slits. Now towering over everyone, his body had swelled to twice its original size, coarse fur bristling across his skin. No longer recognizable as human, he stood as a monstrous homunculus, the effects of the strange pill coursing through him like wildfire.