Hacking the Game Didn't Go as Intended

[Name: Haxks

Species: Human

Level: 43 | EXP: 124,877/288,906 (43.22%)

Daisuke moved toward the apothecary, his thoughts drifting back to the recent battle. I raked in a lot of EXP fighting those guys earlier, he mused, a trace of fatigue still tingling in his bones. Seems like humanoid monsters and players are more likely to drop gold—and they yield more EXP, too. The thought reminded him of the Mhaledictus, where he’d first noticed the pattern.

“Ohya? Welcome back,” the elderly woman greeted from behind the counter, her gentle voice warm and familiar. “It’s a relief to see you in good health. Now, how may I assist you today?”

“Miss Verna,” Daisuke began, his voice low and serious as he summoned a vial onto the counter. “If it’s not too much trouble… there’s something I’d like you to examine.”

[Homunculus Serum (Residue)]

[Category: Alchemy Material

Quantity: 1

Rarity: Unique

A curious fluid that seeped from the homunculus’s corpse after its demise as a result of its highly immiscible properties. Now exhibiting a slightly coagulated consistency, this serum possesses mysterious qualities that make it a valuable component for skilled alchemists. However, its unsettling origins provoke ethical questions and caution in its use.]

The woman’s once gentle expression turned sharp, her eyes narrowing as they flicked over the vial’s contents. “This is…” she murmured, her voice laced with caution.

She cast a wary glance around, then met Daisuke’s gaze, gesturing for him to follow. They moved to the back of the store, slipping into a dimly lit workspace where she drew the curtains tight. Stepping around the table where Daisuke had set down the mysterious fluid, she fixed him with a look of intense curiosity and urgency. “Explain everything,” she demanded quietly.

***

In the secluded nook of the apothecary store, Daisuke watched as the elder, a bent woman with silver hair twisted into a loose bun, turned the vial of coagulated fluid between her weathered fingers. Her sharp eyes, gleaming with years of medicinal wisdom, studied the residue with a mix of fascination and unease, her lips moving in inaudible murmurs.

“Curious, isn’t it?” Verna muttered, more to herself than to Daisuke, her voice like the soft rustle of leaves.

On the cluttered workbench, she gently poured the fluid onto a parchment inscribed with a detailed magic circle. With a steady hand, she channeled her mana into the circle, and instantly, the symmetrical lines and arches began to glow with a deep purple light.

The intricate formula pulsed, slowly analyzing the substance at its center. Gradually, symbols appeared around the circle’s edge, shifting and rearranging until they coalesced into clear, readable words, each one revealing more about the mysterious fluid.

“What’s happening?” Daisuke asked in a hushed tone, as if the sound of his voice might somehow jeopardize the intricate process.

Verna’s eyes narrowed, the glow of the magic circle casting sharp shadows across her face. “This circle is designed to analyze whatever is placed inside of it,” she explained, her voice steady, “and produce a complete breakdown of all its possible ingredients.”

After memorizing the list, Verna carefully poured the extract back into the vial, ensuring she didn’t make direct contact with it. She then gestured for Daisuke to step closer, her gaze intense. “Are you sure this… residue is all that leaked from the creature after it perished?”

Daisuke nodded, though a faint unease crept into his stance as he recalled the twisted transformation he had witnessed.

Verna sighed, drawing back a stained sleeve as she dipped a long metal rod into the vial, stirring the fluid gently. “Look here,” she instructed, nodding towards the slow, almost reluctant way it clung to the rod before finally separating in viscous strands. “Highly immiscible, just as you described. This serum doesn’t merely cling to its form, it resists blending. It’s almost as if it’s… alive. Or, well, a remnant of life.”

Daisuke frowned. “Could it be that the serum itself has properties tied to transformation? How do you think it was made?”

The woman’s brows knitted together as she thought, her gaze becoming distant. “Transformation, yes. But to forge something that defies nature so stubbornly… that requires dark practices. If a mere pill turned a man into such a creature, then this serum would be a byproduct of that violent alchemical reaction. Alchemy often seeks to defy the natural order, but this… this points to an ambition untethered by reason.”

The old woman rummaged through a pile of dusty tomes stacked near the edge of the table, pulling out one bound in worn leather. She flipped through pages filled with various species of flora, ancient runes, alchemical symbols, and sketched diagrams until she landed on a chart labeled Animus Extracts.

“Look here,” she said, tapping on an entry. “This fluid resembles compounds used in ancient transmutations—specifically those that ‘unbind’ the core essence of a living thing and reshape it.”

“Unbinding?”

“Yes,” she replied, her tone grave. “In this instance, the unbinding agent unravels the core of a person and reweaves it into something new—a homunculus, in this case. You see the serum’s coagulated consistency? That tells me it contains not only alchemical ingredients but vestiges of a person’s soul. It’s… disturbing, to put it mildly.”

Daisuke cupped his chin, his mind racing. “So, in essence, this residue is the product of alchemy, meaning that small pill somehow altered a person’s soul, turning them into a monster.

But that’s not really new information; I saw a man being force-fed the pill and watched him transform. What I’m wondering is, how exactly does it work? How do you craft a single pill capable of altering someone’s soul? What’s the process?”

“I’m afraid I don’t have much more to offer,” Verna said with an apologetic tone. “What I do know is that our ancestors once used a similar technique to alter plants and monsters, synthesizing the necessary materials to create potions and remedies. But this pill—it’s much more rooted in alchemy than in medicine.”

Daisuke’s brow furrowed, a touch of disappointment creeping into his gaze. Only Cedric and a handful of others possessed true knowledge of alchemy, so it was already a surprise that Verna knew what it even meant.

“In that case, what did you manage to figure out from the magic circle?”

Verna nodded thoughtfully. “From the traces of medicinal ingredients I identified earlier, it seems the pill was crafted with a specific and deliberate combination of elements.

Initially, there’s something meant to undermine the body’s natural defenses and dull the pain as both the body and soul undergo the transformation. Following that, the pill contains components designed to enhance blood and mana circulation, boost regeneration, increase metabolism, and amplify strength and endurance, among other effects.”

“I see,” Daisuke nodded, a hint of gratitude in his tone. “Thanks for humoring my selfish request.”

Verna shook her head, her smile warm but laced with concern. “It was no trouble at all. But, Haxks… I don’t know who created such a horrid thing, nor can I guess what you intend to do with it. Still, I must warn you: be careful. These dark arts were never meant for mortals to tamper with. Such practices are bound to incur the gods’ wrath.”

***

Before leaving the apothecary, Daisuke bought several recovery items to replenish his dwindling supplies. It feels like ever since I hit the thirties, the mobs just don’t drop potions and berries as much as they used to. Looks like the algorithm’s becoming a bit more savage now.

“Hey there, lad,” greeted a familiar blacksmith, his skin glistening with sweat and covered in soot. “Did you manage to get those high-quality materials forged into weapons over at the capital?”

“Not yet, unfortunately,” Daisuke replied with a hint of disappointment. “I’m actually in the middle of getting ready for the trip, but before I head out, I wanted to ask—do you offer any tinting services?”

The blacksmith scratched his head, a look of regret crossing his face. “Alas, blacksmithing’s all I’ve ever known. Sadly, tinting isn’t something I can help with.”

“Did you say you’re looking for tinting services?” a low-leveled player asked as he stepped into the shop.

Daisuke’s muscles tensed, fingers instinctively curling, though he didn’t draw his daggers—yet. “Yeah. I want to change the color of my armor.”

“Have you checked the dyesmith?”

“I haven’t. Where’s that?”

“It’s a few blocks down on the right side,” he replied, gesturing down the street. “You can’t miss it—there’s a big sign with a paintbrush and a red pot on it.”

“Got it,” Daisuke said, smiling appreciatively. “Thanks, man.”

“Don’t mention it,” the teen replied with an easy grin. “Catch ya later.”

Daisuke waved as he stepped out of the shop. I guess Nigel was right, he mused, feeling a slight sense of relief. There really are good players out there, after all.