Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary!

Tap. Tap.

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[Set the rules of the Gate]

Rules :

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Description: Set the rules of your Gate. You have a maximum of four rules you can set. The rules must align with the selected anomaly’s abilities. More rules don’t necessarily mean better!

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Tap. Tap. Tap.

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[Anomalies]

◉ Twisted Man: 40,000SP

◉ Blood Butcher: 25,000SP

◉ [Slot Open]

◉ [Slot Open]

Description: Available anomalies are judged based on those encountered and analyzed. The maximum available slots are four. Encounter more anomalies to unlock additional ones. Captured or contained anomalies will not be included in the list!

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I stopped drumming my fingers, my attention shifting between the two settings before pressing the next one. A series of new pop-ups immediately appeared.

—[—[Appearance]—]—

● Face

● Hair

● Nose

● Clothes

● Decree

—[—[Appearance]—]—

Tap. Tap.

My fingers resumed.

—[—[Abilities]—]—

Ability 1: [Please write down the anomaly ability. Cost will be calculated depending on ability.]

Ability 2: [Locked]

Ability 3: [Locked]

—[—[Abilities]—]—

Creating a Gate was a lot more difficult than I had previously anticipated. I had tried it before, and it hadn’t been nearly as difficult back then. The issue came from the fact that I needed to make the Gate actually function as a gate.

There were rules that needed to be followed.

That wasn’t all.

’Although the system didn’t explicitly say it, I’m sure it’s going to try to make actual people enter the Gate to solve it.’

This was the problem that I was currently tackling. I didn’t mind people entering my Gate, but what was going to happen if they were to somehow clear the Gate? I didn’t think it was like the games where everything was all good and dandy.

I had a feeling that it was deeper than that.

’...Maybe not just that, but the Gate at least can’t be easy to solve. The harder the Gate, the more points or rewards I get.’

In that regard, I needed to think deeply about the Gate that I wanted to create.

"That’s easier said than done."

"Hm? Squad Leader? Did you say something?"

Lifting my head, I shook it quickly.

"Don’t mind me. I was talking to myself."

"Oh, alright."

For some reason, it felt as though Mia had jumped from her seat the moment our eyes met. Looking around, everyone seemed to be diligently working.

Hmm, right?

My eyes narrowed as I looked at them, and as I did, I couldn’t help but notice something.

’Are they avoiding my gaze?’

None of them was looking at me. It was almost as if—

Ariel?

No, there was one who was looking back at me. She didn’t shy away from my gaze, but she didn’t show much of a reaction either. Her eyes were rather languid, almost as if she were drunk on something.

’That’s likely the Guild Master’s seal at work.’

The normal Ariel couldn’t be controlled. This much, I was very well aware of. It was thanks to the seal that the Guild Master had placed on her that she didn’t go crazy all the time.

In some ways, I felt glad that she was sealed. But at the same time, it made me feel like shit too.

Though I couldn’t see it, I could almost picture it.

The leash attached to Ariel’s neck.

’I don’t know if I can remove it just yet, but I need to be careful.’

I pulled up a certain quest.

——●

[New Quest Activated!]

- Difficulty: N/A

- Reward: 10 Fragments [Purity 50%+]

- Objective: Help break the seal in Ariel’s body.

- Location: N/A

- Failure: The user will have their identity exposed.

Description: A certain seal has been placed on Ariel’s body. She is now extremely obedient and follows every order of the one who placed it on her. She has been ordered to keep a close eye on you.

Time Limit: N/A

——●

Amongst the quests that I still had active, this one was probably one of the ones that I had for the longest time. I did accept the quest a while ago in hopes of removing the seal from her, but I hesitated when thinking about what failing would do.

In this case, it would have my identity exposed.

’It’s basically saying that I’ll turn the Guild Master against me.’

I wasn’t quite ready to do that just yet, or perhaps ever.

The Guild Master was someone who I couldn’t quite get a good read on and someone that I really didn’t want to go up against. Not only that, but I also didn’t know how to remove the seal.

This was why I pushed it back for so long.

’In fact, there are quite a few things that I’ve pushed back.’

There was still the promise that I had made to Sir. Jingles. I had been working on a little game here and there, but nothing concrete. Then, there was that kid from the Paragon that I met back in Malovia.

Geneva was her name.

I promised to help her brother out but never really got to it.

’Although I actually did do some research for it.’

I pulled up a certain description.

———●

[VILE - 1048]

Class: Melas (Provisional)

Description: No physical description of VILE - 1048 exists. Sole confirmed effect: any person who sees the entity enters a state of sleep from which they cannot be roused. Onset is immediate. Vitals remain stable. Cortical activity is elevated and continuous, consistent with sustained dreaming. No victim has been woken by any method attempted to date.

Recorded Sightings: ■■. No location, structure, or Gate has been associated with the entity. No pattern has been established between occurrences. Intervals between recorded events range from ■ months to ■■ years.

Classification Note: Provisional. No energy emission has ever been measured. Class was derived from victim count alone.

Recovered Materials: ■ items. All photographic and video material produces the effect in viewers. Sealed, catalogued, and unviewed.

Containment: Not applicable. Nothing has been located to contain.

Warning: Sealed materials are not to be opened under any circumstances. Visual search is not a permitted method. Teams that cease reporting are to be treated as sightings.

———●

Ugh.

I ruffled the back of my head.

To be honest, the main reason I pushed it back was because of this as well. The anomaly that had gotten Geneva’s brother was no simple anomaly. Few people had ever managed to catch it, let alone even sniff out its presence.

The entire reason why Geneva joined Royal Chambers was so that she could find the anomaly.

And here I was, saying that I’d help her.

’What the fuck!’

And it wasn’t like I was the one who had actually made the promise.

It was the fucking doppelganger!

I only knew of this because the gate they were in was one that I had created in my fit of madness.

Still...!

’Karma. This is karma!’

I continued to ruffle the back of my head in frustration. There were just so many things that I needed to tackle, and this wasn’t even the end of it. The main problem, and the one that was annoying me the most, was the ’Hand’.

I had bought myself some time, but they were coming.

And the next time they did...

’No.’

I placed my hand over the table and stood up.

’I need to get my shit together.’

I looked around.

’Let’s stop procrastinating and get all of this solved right now.’

My mind was made up. Without looking back, I left the room and took several steps toward the Guild’s exit. But just as I took another step, something stopped me dead in my tracks. I reached for my phone.

The moment I did, my entire body froze.

Breaking — [Severed Stars Guild Master dead at age 47]

What the fuck?

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