Hacking the Game Didn’t Go as Intended

The following day, the class underwent a division into three groups, their fates determined by the combination of theoretical knowledge and practical skills displayed in the assessments.

In a spacious classroom, Daisuke found himself alongside Elena, her circle of friends, Osten, accompanied by his loyal lackeys, and a few others who had demonstrated exceptional prowess in the examination. They gathered before a beaming guild clerk, eagerly awaiting the next phase of the screening.

“Congratulations on completing yesterday’s assessment at the top of the class, everyone. My name is Thalia Misthaven, and I’ve been designated as your homeroom teacher. Hiiiiiiiiiiiii~”

Daisuke’s poker face twisted into a cringe as the woman began enthusiastically waving at him like an exuberant child. Osten and his companions looked on in disgust.

“Before we proceed with the field test, the third and final phase of the exam, I'll be equipping you with essential information to aid you in your future endeavors.”

Thalia paused for a moment, allowing her words to sink in. “Let's start with the fundamentals. Can anyone here tell me the purpose of an adventurer?”

“To defeat the bad guys, liberate the people, and get the girl in the end?” quipped a male student who seemed more fit to be on a theater stage rather than in the guild.

“Sounds about right,” another adventurer chimed in with a grin, earning laughter from the entire class.

Thalia couldn’t help but snicker, her delicate fingers hiding her small mouth. “Sounds more like a hero to me, but there’s one thing that a hero and an adventurer share: they primarily represent the people. The fundamental purpose of an adventurer is to cull and control monster populations on the surface, as well as to prevent dungeon breaks underground.

The Adventurers’ Guild and its members are committed to protecting the people; that’s the guild’s mission statement. And since monsters pose the greatest threat to people, dungeons are a significant part of an adventurer’s geographical assignment.

Before I delve into dungeons, it's crucial to understand the origin of mana. Mana flows like the lifeblood of the earth itself, permeating every facet of nature—from the vibrant foliage to the creatures that roam, from the boundless expanse of the air to the depths of the sea, and even within the very heart of the mountains.

Scholars hypothesize that mana is generated from the planet's core, its potency increasing as one descends to lower depths, hence explaining the presence of stronger monsters deeper within dungeons.

Unfortunately, there is no known record of when dungeons first appeared in the world. We simply assume they have always existed, regarding them as natural disasters that need constant surveillance and control.

Dungeons are scattered all across the world, with new ones popping up regularly, keeping the demand for adventurers high and ever-increasing. There are two types of dungeons: Hidden or Irregular, and your regular dungeons. The main thing to know is that Hidden Dungeons are like a quick snack—up to 5 floors, and once you clear them, poof, they vanish and show up somewhere else.

Normal dungeons, on the other hand, they're more like long-term relationships. They stay put and can have loads of floors. The monsters inside respawn after some time when killed, and some of these dungeons can even experience what is known as a Dungeon Break.”

Sighs of astonishment filled the room as Thalia continued her explanation. “Let’s set Hidden Dungeons aside for now and focus on the characteristics of a normal dungeon.”

***

 

Daisuke casually made his way toward his customary corner of the cafeteria, a tray of food in hand. However, his once solitary table had undergone a transformation, now bustling with activity as a group of Beastfolk surrounded Zephyr. Laughter and animated chatter filled the air as the girls took turns pampering and fussing over the fortunate canine, who lapped up every moment of attention with evident delight.

Meanwhile, in hushed voices not far away—

“Daisuke’s pretty cool,” a girl whispered to her friend, her gaze fixed on his retreating posterior. “But have you noticed? He hasn’t said a single word to anyone. Do you think he might be… y’know, gay?”

Daisuke’s eyebrows furrowed in irritation at their speculation.

“Or maybe he’s just special,” the other girl chimed in. “And Zephyr’s like his service companion or something.”

A vein throbbed visibly on Daisuke’s temple, but he managed to keep his annoyance in check. Instead of proceeding to his usual seat, he finished his kebabs, placed the empty plate on an unoccupied table, and quietly exited the room.

***

 

“Hey, you,” Thalia greeted as Daisuke approached the counter in the guild’s main lobby. The din of the mingling adventurers filled the air. “Shouldn’t you be eating and resting up for the next class? I’m just covering for Racine while she’s on her lunch break, then I’ll be right there.”

“I was just curious, can I sell monster materials here?”

Thalia nodded, her eyes reflecting the genuine interest of someone passionate about their work. “Yes, but including Mana Crystals, we only accept a few kinds of materials at this counter,” she responded as she rounded the counter to join him. “Follow me. I’ll take you to the butcher shop.”

A backdoor at the eastern wing of the lobby led to the aforementioned room. A hulking man in a bloodied pair of overalls paused his work on the goblin carcass that lay splayed on his table to greet his guests.

“Oh, Thalia… to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?” he called, one hairless eyebrow raised in question. “And who do we have here?”

Thalia made the introductions, her voice warm with friendliness. “Cleave, this is Haxks. Haxks, Cleave.”

Cleave greeted Daisuke with a jovial demeanor, extending a gloved hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

Daisuke’s gaze flickered to the bloodied hand with little interest.

Cleave chuckled heartily at the slight awkwardness. “Bahahaha! Sorry about that; my mind is still partly engrossed in my work. So, what brings you both here today?”

“Haxks here was asking about selling monster materials, so I figured I would bring him to the specialist,” Thalia explained.

“Is that right?” the man grinned, his white teeth in stark contrast to his chestnut facial hair.

“I need to get back to the counter,” Thalia explained as she scooted for the door. “Cleave, I’ll leave him in your care. And, Haxks, I’ll see you in class.”

“Hahaha! Leave it to me!” laughed the man, bloodied hands cupping his hips. “She’s quite the looker, isn’t she?”

“So will I be able to sell the materials here?”

The man’s grin faded disappointedly. “You’re pretty uptight for a youngster.”

“I need to get back to class soon, so I’d rather get straight down to business.”

Cleave playfully sighed, theatrics oozing from his voice. “You’re no fun. So, where are they?”

Daisuke walked over to a vacant table, summoned his inventory with a simple gesture, and then began to lay out the materials he had acquired, one by one.

 

[Slime Essence x4]

[Troll Essence x3]

[Horned Rabbit’s Hide x16]

[Malevocroak’s Legs x16]

[Forest Imp’s Tail x19]

[Exiled Hilitroll Chief’s Tusk x2]

[Lipanthyer’s Fang x16]

 

Cleave briefly scanned the materials, his arms crossing his chest. “Okay, but where’s the rest of the monster?”

“Eh?” Daisuke was baffled.

It was only after Cleave’s question did his eyes widen in realization. The truth hit him like a lightning bolt. He had always assumed that monsters simply disappeared over time after being killed, and their drops magically whisked away into his inventory. But that was only the case for a standard player, and it had become painfully obvious he was much more than that.

He had been on such a crazed and relentless killing spree that he never once bothered to check what could be salvaged from a carcass after a monster fell. Even the Hilitroll Field Boss had been left abandoned in that gaping hole without a second thought.

Cleave’s suggestion brought Daisuke back to the present. “The next time you slay a monster, bring the entire corpse to me.”

Daisuke nodded, his gaze contemplative. In this virtual world, monsters were akin to the animal population of the real world—sure they were ugly, but most of them were edible and surprisingly very delicious. Their meat was called monstron.

“I’ll separate the meat from the materials,” Cleave continued to explain. “Both can be sold here or on the market. Now for the items you currently have, I’d suggest selling the Slime and Troll Essence to the apothecary; they’ll pay more for items they actually use in potion-making.”

Daisuke listened attentively, absorbing the information.

“I don’t mind taking the Forest Imp’s Tail and Malevocroak’s Legs off your hands,” Cleave offered. “But I would suggest you sell the others to a Blacksmith, or have him use them to forge weapons or equipment. That Hilitroll’s tusk, in particular, is a relatively rare material. Field and Dungeon Bosses are notorious for yielding great materials for forging equipment.”

Daisuke stroked his chin in contemplation. I didn't really get anything noteworthy from the Elemental King, but I did receive the tusks from the Exiled Hilitroll Chief. Maybe I should consider hunting it one more time—and, while I’m at it, there are a few experiments that I’d like to test out.