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

CHAPTER 200: Rescue Mission for the Elves

Cradled in his arms, Tiphanna held onto him, her breath steadying after the daring invasion. The moment he set her down, she willed strength back into her legs and moved toward the window she had used in her previous infiltration. Her sharp eyes immediately noted the change—the window had been repaired, the metal bars reinforced.

Daisuke leaned against the wall, arms crossed, a smirk playing at his lips. "These guys are usually bored out of their minds, but it looks like they've been keeping pretty busy. Who knew you'd be doing them a favor by breaking in again?"

Tiphanna huffed a quiet laugh, shaking her head. Unlike the tension and paranoia that had gripped her before, she felt strangely at ease this time. There was something about his presence—a balance between danger and security—that made her pulse race in an entirely different way.

With a subtle flick of her fingers, wind gathered at her command, swirling around the metal bars. The steel groaned softly before giving way, sliced clean by her magic. She climbed inside first with Daisuke following right behind her.

The corridor ahead was cloaked in darkness. Moving in perfect sync, they communicated through a series of quick hand signs, slipping soundlessly through the hall until they reached their target—a familiar door standing between them and the captive children.

But this time, it wasn't unattended.

Daisuke held up a hand, signaling for caution. From his inventory, he retrieved a small pouch of shimmering powder. With a flick of his wrist, the sleeping agent scattered through the air, settling like dust upon the guards stationed outside the door. One by one, they swayed, then collapsed like marionettes who had their strings cut.

[Slumbering Dust]

[A finely ground powder stored in a small leather pouch that is infused with potent sleep-inducing properties. When released into the air, it swiftly lulls those who inhale it into a deep slumber.

Skill Effect: Induces sleep

Cooldown: Single-use item]

Tiphanna was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when two guards remained standing, clearly unaffected. Her heart lurched as one of them reached for his weapon while the other bolted toward the alarm bell.

Daisuke moved first.

Like a shadow, he closed the distance in an instant, striking the first guard across the back of the head and rendering him unconscious. At the same time, the second man was mere steps away from raising the alarm.

Tiphanna didn't think—she reacted. Her movements were fluid and incremental, almost like a martial arts dance as she guided a current of wind with her arms.

The rushing air wrapped around the guard's torso, yanking him backward just as he reached for the bell's rope. He stumbled straight into Daisuke's waiting grip, and with one clean strike, the man slumped into unconsciousness.

Wasting no time, they dragged the bodies into the shadows, ensuring they wouldn't be discovered too soon.

Tiphanna's sharp gaze flickered to the door. "Wait," she whispered. "The locking mechanism is augmented with a magic circle. The moment you try opening the door, your mana will be disrupted—it'll throw off your balance and make you disoriented."

Daisuke, clearly undeterred, reached out to take the key from her tentative hand. Without hesitation, he slid it into the lock. The magic circle activated instantly, glowing with an eerie blue light, its energy surging toward him.

Tiphanna tensed, expecting him to waver—

But nothing happened.

He remained completely unaffected. Instead, the runes she had painstakingly etched into the key pulsed in response, neutralizing the spellwork. The energy dissipated, and with a soft click, the door swung open.

The elven blacksmith exhaled in relief, a small smile of satisfaction curving her lips. "Looks like my runes worked after all. But why weren't you affected by the spell?"

Daisuke smirked. "I'm immune," he simply said before moving forward.

But the moment they slipped into the chamber, their smiles faded. The transition from the dim, oppressive hallway to the pristine, pearl-white expanse was jarring. The room was brightly lit and immaculate—too immaculate.

The walls gleamed like polished porcelain and the artificial windows with etched curtains gave the unsettling illusion of a home. A bedroom, kitchen, and dining area were arranged in an open layout, yet the space lacked warmth. It wasn't designed for comfort but for control, like a stage set for something far more sinister.

Tiphanna hesitated before speaking, her voice tinged with sorrow. "This place... it's a grooming facility," she admitted, her hands balling into fists.

Daisuke's gaze sharpened. "Grooming? For what?"

"To train the children. Servants, courtesans... playthings for the nobles," she answered bitterly, her eyes averted as though ashamed to even utter the words.

A slow, cold rage settled into Daisuke's chest. His fingers twitched at his sides and for a fleeting moment, the thought of razing the entire manor to the ground seemed like a tempting solution.

But the children came first.

Forcing his emotions into a tight leash, he scanned the perimeter for traps.

"We secure them first," he muttered as he removed his mask, striding toward a white door at the far end of the room.

Tiphanna's breath hitched. "Wait! Be careful!" she urged, her heart pounding a frantic tattoo as she rushed to follow.

But Daisuke's pace didn't slow.

He was already reaching for the doorknob, unaware of the tiny magic circle etched into the ceiling overhead that was enchanted with invisibility. The moment his fingers brushed the handle, the trap activated.

Tiphanna gasped, her head snapping up just as thin, vein-like tendrils of light slithered across the walls, spreading like a web of poison ivy. A deep, ominous hum filled the chamber as both the entrance and the adjoining door were sealed shut.

The air grew heavy. The lights flickered and dimmed. A mechanical whirr sounded above. Then a trapdoor in the center of the ceiling slid open with an eerie, drawn-out hiss. From its depths, an entity was expelled—

The fiend plummeted, slamming into the marble floor with an impact that sent fractures spiraling outward like ink bleeding into white paper. For a moment, it knelt, as if gathering its strength. Then slowly, ominously, it rose.

The towering monstrosity loomed before them, its grotesque form a fusion of molten rock and jagged crystal that pulsated with a golden glow. Encased in blackened stone, its body was riddled with luminous veins as though magma strained to escape from within. Spiked protrusions jutted from its shoulders and limbs, resembling a walking fortress of obsidian and fire.

Its head, or what served as one, was a faceless, elongated mass crowned with twisted, jagged spines. Across its chest, skeletal-like ridges pulsed with energy, each glow intensifying as it adjusted its stance.

[Sheen | Lvl 85 | Homunculus | HP: 46270/46270]