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

CHAPTER 131: The Reptilian Anomaly

Embers clashed with armored scales as the Lizardman maneuvered its hulking form, weaving past talons and blasts of searing heat. Each move was precise, calculated—until, with one final, thunderous swing, it brought both blades crashing down onto the beast's neck, cleaving its head in a dazzling blaze of sparks and fire.

The massive body collapsed in defeat, flames guttering out as they met the cold dungeon floor. Daisuke stood frozen, speechless, heart racing. But just as he steadied himself, a deep rumble echoed through the cavern. The battle wasn't over yet.

KWOOOOAR!

Another ear-splitting shriek reverberated through the dungeon, shaking the very walls as an enormous boar—its size rivaling even that of the fallen bird—charged forward. Each thunderous step sent bones scattering, splintering under its massive hooves as it barreled through the skeletal remains littering the floor, eyes gleaming with fury.

[Tuskanthos Swine | Lvl 242 | Giant | HP: 48251/48251]

Sensing the boar's approach, the Lizardman unleashed a skill eerily similar to Magic Chains—but far more lethal. These chains extended like serpents, each tipped with barbed arrows that embedded deep into the bird's fallen carcass. With a guttural roar, the Lizardman's muscles tensed and bulged, and with impossible strength, it flung the massive corpse as if it were a mere leaf.

Daisuke could only stare, utterly dumbfounded, as the surreal sight unfolded before him. It was like watching a praying mantis effortlessly toss a hummingbird, a feat that defied any logic or sense of proportion.

The headless carcass hurtled toward the boar, a dead weight with lethal momentum. But the beast was unfazed. With a sinister grunt, it lowered its head, its thick neck braced and jagged tusks gleaming, ready to gore and shatter anything in its way, and not necessarily in that order.

As soon as the corpse collided with it, the boar jerked its head upward with ferocious power, like a raging Minitaur at full charge. The bird's body sailed through the air, arcing high over the boar's massive frame. Unfortunately for the savage beast, it had fallen into a deadly trap.

Seizing the opportunity as the boar's vision was momentarily blocked, the Lizardman lunged forward with blinding speed, a streak of silver flashing in its wake. Its sword arced in a radiant path, slicing cleanly through two of the beast's thick, muscular legs with surgical precision. The boar let out a thunderous roar as it buckled, its stocky frame collapsing as blood splattered the cold dungeon floor.

The Lizardman's movements were fluid, precise—one moment holding twin swords, and the next, one weapon twisted and elongated, morphing seamlessly into a spear. Without a second's hesitation, he hurled it with astonishing accuracy, the spear slicing through the air in a graceful yet menacing arc.

The monstrous boar barely had time to register the threat before the spear plunged into its forehead with a sickening crack. Its roar died in its throat, eyes rolling back as the life drained from them. The beast's massive body teetered before crashing to the ground, the echo of its fall reverberating through the dungeon, leaving a heavy silence in its wake.

Daisuke stood frozen, rooted in place. He patiently awaited his own demise, but it never came. Instead, the reptile slowly approached, its movements measured and deliberate, as if it were calculating its next move rather than simply succumbing to primal rage. There was an unsettling intelligence behind its piercing gaze, a flicker of awareness that made Daisuke question whether he was facing an instinct-driven predator or a sentient being that understood the stakes of their encounter.

DING!

[The title «Congenial Denizen» has taken effect.]

Wait, what? That's strange—shouldn't that only correlate with people and not monsters? What's going on?

DING!

[The hidden class advancement quest «????» has been received.]

[????]

[Quest Difficulty: Unknown

[...]

Clear Conditions: ????

Rewards:

▪︎ ???

▪︎ ???

Quest Failure:

▪︎ ???

▪︎ ???]

Daisuke was torn between fear, excitement, and bewilderment, but before he could collect his racing thoughts—

"Fascinating," the Lizardman rasped, his voice a strange blend of hoarseness and eloquence. "Humans, as I have known them, are oft consumed by greed. I find it curious that you did not seek to slay me at once in your quest for glory and all that it entails."

Daisuke's jaw fell open. "Y-You can talk?"

"Of course," the reptilian responded, deftly flicking the crimson stain from his blades before sheathing them in one fluid motion. "I am called Kaizyreus—and, much like you, I too possess a home and a family."

Daisuke's brow knitted in contemplation as the creature's gentle cadence, reminiscent of a bygone era, washed over him like a soothing balm. Now that I think about it, the Goblin Shaman could speak as well, but he was an anomaly. Named Monsters... could they be closer to NPCs than mere mobs? That would certainly explain why the Congenial Denizen title reacted the way it did.

"My name is Haxks," Daisuke said politely, a sense of reassurance washing over him as he realized he was no longer in danger. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kaizyreus. If you don't mind my asking, what brings you to this place when you have a home and a family? Is there really no way to leave?"

The reptilian turned his gaze toward a large skeleton that was reminiscent of a long-dead dinosaur, his eyes gleaming as a memory stirred within his mind. "A demon, wielding the might of a vast army, laid siege to my home."