Hacking the Game Didn't Go as Intended

CHAPTER 81: Observation & Planning

Finally, the elder’s nefarious gaze fell upon the two remaining humans who had yet to learn their fate. As the creature advanced, Morgana instinctively stepped in front of the terrified Amara, shielding her from harm. With a quick assessment of their surroundings, she

The thick appendage struck the ground where Daisuke’s head had been just milliseconds ago. The kobold, a bipedal creature with both reptilian and lupine features, tilted its head, using its keen sense of smell and sight to track its prey as Daisuke retreated into the canopy of trees using a golden chain.

“Magic Missile.”

A perfectly aimed projectile targeted the creature’s eye, but it raised a small shield to defend itself. When the beast lowered its arm, Daisuke had vanished from the limb where he had been just a moment ago.

The kobold flinched as the accursed chain wrapped around its neck, dragging it towards the trunk of a tree. It despised the feeling of bondage, but at least now it knew the location of its prey.

As the predator readied its sword for a decisive strike, it soon realized that its quarry wasn’t hiding behind the tree as it had assumed. The chains had been wound around two other trees to create that illusion. In reality, the human was directly—

The Lipanthyer’s Fang struck true, sinking deep into the creature’s back, piercing flesh and bone with a satisfying thud. The monster staggered, its movements faltering as agony coursed through its body. It collapsed in a tangle of limbs upon the forest floor.

But as the echoes of its demise faded, the ominous presence of its brethren emerged from the shadows, their predatory instincts keen and their thirst for vengeance palpable.

“That’s right,” Daisuke mused as he threw himself into the fray. “Come at me, you confusing bastards! Are kobolds lizards or dogs—which is it?!”

[Your inventory has reached its maximum capacity for storing monster corpses.]

Sitting atop a heap of lifeless kobold bodies, Daisuke rubbed his chin in contemplation as he stared down at the notification window. It was essentially a slap in the face for being too greedy.

he thought with a hint of disappointment.

Using his powerful jaws, Zephyr strenuously dragged the limp body of a Kobold Sprite towards Daisuke. The creature, almost twice as large as the canine, was the juvenile stage of a Kobold. It bore the traits of a quadrupedal wolf.

Whenever the sprite became lodged between rocks or tangled in tufts of grass, Zephyr would clamp down on it fiercely and vigorously shake his head in a display of anger and frustration.

“It’s okay, buddy,” Daisuke called out. “I can’t fit anymore in my inventory, but I appreciate the hard work.”

“Arf!”

As the pup ascended the mound of lifeless bodies to join him, Daisuke’s gaze shifted from its bloodied fur to the lifeless bodies of the sprites strewn across the forest floor.

Daisuke admitted with a hint of guilt.

With a mental command, he summoned a handful of Vitaberries in his hand and fed them to the weary pup. “I forbade you from using Emberstorm because I’m worried about setting the forest ablaze, but it seems you’re having a tough time as a result. Are you sure you wouldn’t rather sit this one out? Sure you wouldn’t gain as much EXP, but at least you wouldn’t risk getting hurt either.”

“Grrr,” the canine gave a low growl, a clear sign of refusal.

Daisuke raised his hands in surrender. “Well, alright… but the dirtier you get, the longer you’ll need to spend in the bath later.”

Zephyr’s eyes widened, and his ears and tail drooped in response.

Daisuke chuckled. “You’re such a weirdo! Where I’m from, dogs love water—yet here you are, acting like a cat. Weren’t dogs supposed to be direct descendants of wolves?”

“Ahrrr~” the pup emitted a displeased murmur, and Daisuke playfully tousled his fur.

“Now that I think about it,” Daisuke pondered, capturing the pup’s attention, “is it possible for you to learn new abilities from a skill book?”

“Rawrwu,” Zephyr responded, tilting his small head in confusion.

“I need to remember to test that theory. But while we’re on the subject of acquiring new skills,” Daisuke muttered, casting a glance at the Volturax’s materials, “I need to become stronger myself. It’s hard to forget how much I struggled, both inside the dungeon and against those golems.”

[Volturax Fang]

[The sharp canine teeth extracted from the Volturax. Handling them requires utmost care due to their lethal sharpness. Suitable for forging into equipment or trading with merchants.]

[Volturax Tail]

[The tail harvested from the Volturax. Its weight is primarily concentrated in the mace-like tip. While robust, its flexibility renders it a potent weapon for the monster. Ideal for crafting specialized equipment or trade with merchants.]

Daisuke strategized, his thoughts racing ahead.

Even as Daisuke organized his thoughts, his fingers instinctively moved across the interface, leading him to the skill window. There, his gaze lingered on two specific abilities. While he didn’t dwell too long on the one that was bugged, his mind gravitated toward the other, contemplating its potential significance.

[Alchemy]

[Rank: Unique

Classification: Active Skill

Lvl: 1

Proficiency: 0%

An ancient and arcane fusion between science and magic, carefully honed to perfection over time by the greatest chemists. Centuries ago, following its completion, the art was sealed away out of fear that its power would fall into the wrong hands.

Skill Effect:

▪︎ By using mana as a catalyst to tap into the Aether Field, Alchemy allows the user to endlessly harness the secrets of nature to transmute, combine, and manipulate matter.

Mana Cost: N/A

Skill Cooldown: N/A]

Daisuke sighed.