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

CHAPTER 128: Beast Slayer, World Shaker - The Looming Price of Power

Daisuke swiftly sprang into action, jamming a Poison Bomb into a Goblin's mouth before kicking it straight into the path of the incoming tongue. Unable to stop the inevitable, the hapless creature got pulled into Gorgothor's gaping maw. As the Field Boss gagged on its unexpected meal, the toxic fumes spread throughout the area, poisoning both it and the nearby Goblins in a choking haze.

SWISH~

Zephyr darted through the remaining horde of incapacitated Goblins, dispatching them to the netherworld.

BOOOOOM!

Gorgothor let out a pained howl as a Flarial Seed detonated in its gut, its massive head tilting back in excruciating agony as black smoke seeped from its gaping jaws. The unfortunate Goblin that was trapped in its mouth fell limply to the ground, its head blackened and charred.

Seizing the moment, Daisuke and Zephyr lunged at the floundering ape like a bat out of hell, their fangs, claws, and daggers relentlessly tearing into flesh like a hot knife through tofu.

Suddenly, the Berserk skill wore off, and Zephyr helplessly collapsed to the ground. Just as the pup was about to be caught and crushed by the beast's steely grip, Daisuke swooped in, snatching him up and tucking him safely into his shirt.

Without missing a beat, he activated Magic Chains and swiftly wrapped them around the weakened fiend. Then with a burst of energy, he leaped off the walls, propelling himself upward and kicking off the ceiling above.

Unable to break free, Gorgothor tilted its head back and snarled, unleashing another sticky glob of saliva. Daisuke reacted instinctively, hurling a Frost Prism into the projectile's path, freezing it solid mid-flight before shattering it with a Magic Missile. In the next instant, he plummeted down like a bolt of lightning, driving both daggers deep into the creature's eye sockets.

Gorgothor thrashed and bellowed as its bulging eyeballs exploded like overripe fruit. Just before its enormous arms could swat him away, Daisuke propelled himself off the beast's face, landing at a safe distance. Drunk by the embers of battle, and the all-consuming need for self-preservation, he slowly began pacing forward, his daggers slick with green blood, golden eyes gleaming with cold malice.

Gorgothor sensed nervously as the harbinger of death approached, and a twisted grin spread across the fiend's features—a mocking acknowledgment of its impending defeat. But it had absolutely no intention of perishing alone.

With a deafening crash, it slammed its fists into the ground with the remainder of its strength, sending tremors rippling through the earth. The ground shattered beneath Daisuke's feet in a sudden, unforgiving collapse, sending both him and the monster plummeting in the gloom.

DING!

[Haxks has slain the Field Boss «Gorgothor».]

[124,200 Experience Points have been acquired.]

[Level Up!]

[Ironhide Bulwark has been acquired.]

[Antarctic Balm x3 has been acquired.]

[Lunar Dew x2 has been acquired.]

[Reinforcement Tablet x2 has been acquired.]

[Celestial Cube (Blue) has been acquired.]

[Silver Ingot x2 has been acquired.]

[Gold Ingot x4 has been acquired.]

[677 gold has been acquired.]

[Zephyr's level has risen!]

***

While Daisuke's fate was currently shrouded in mystery, the same couldn't be said for his reputation. Over the past several hours, countless news channels, social media platforms, blogs, and internet forums across the real world buzzed with one name: Haxks.

The unprecedented pace at which this person slayed special-grade monsters had captivated the world, sparking endless debates. Was Haxks a player or an NPC? And more importantly, how was it possible for someone to achieve such a remarkable feat? The internet was ablaze with speculation, and everyone was desperate for answers.

The familiar chime of a popular theme song drifted from a large television mounted on the wall, filling the cozy living room of a family home.

"Give it here!" shouted one twin, tugging at the TV remote, trying to pry it from his brother's grip. "It's my turn to choose cartoons! You had your turn yesterday!"

"Nuh-uh!" the other snapped back, clutching the remote tighter. "I let you take my turn yesterday, so I get to pick today!"

"Says who? It's not my fault you gave up your turn, dummy!"

While the twins bickered endlessly, their older brother casually swooped in and snatched the remote. Without even bothering to take off his school bag, he flopped onto the couch and urgently cranked up the TV's volume. The twins exchanged a glance but didn't dare say a word.

— "Welcome back to The Virtual Wire," announced a familiar, energetic voice from one of Sehreneti Online's most beloved anchors. "In the six years since Sehreneti Online launched, only a few events truly rocked the community: the initial release of the game, of course, and the rollout of the first expansion.

Now, for the third time in SO's history, the community is in an uproar—all thanks to one individual: Haxks! So, what exactly has this person done to shake up the game to such an extent, you ask?

Well, finding Field Bosses, Hidden Dungeons, and Named Monsters is usually like searching for a needle in a haystack—they're nearly impossible to locate. But Haxks hasn't just found them; he's managed to take them down solo, all in an astonishingly short amount of time!"

Chucking the remote aside, the teen paid no mind to his younger brothers who immediately dove after it like Olympic divers, tumbling in a tangled mess.

Once in his room, he tossed his bag carelessly to the side, collapsed onto his bed, and slipped a Tootsie Pop into his mouth. Fishing his phone out of his pocket, he began scrolling through the latest trending articles: Godlike Hacker or the Luckiest Player Alive?, Haxks: Dev or GM in Disguise?, and Enigma of the Century. His finger hovered briefly before settling on The Mysterious Noob! How Do We Find Him? With a faint smirk, he tapped the headline and scrolled straight to the comments section.