"....We're here."
The cab pulled up to a sleek, polished building with a spotless exterior. Large windows adorned its facade, offering a glimpse into its dimly lit interior.
I got out of the car and retrieved my items from the trunk before taking out my wallet.
The driver stopped me.
"Ah, about that... considering what had happened before, it's on me."
"No."
I took out a twenty-dollar bill and handed it to him.
"No, I insi—Wait, hey!"
I tossed the money inside and left.
I was practically the one responsible for the incident.
Putting my wallet away, I pulled out my phone and messaged Kyle. My fingers kept slipping as I typed, causing me to misspell several words.
[I'm hwere. Wheree r u?]
I couldn't be bothered to correct the mistakes, so I just sent the message as it was.
I was currently in no state to care.
'Ah, it's still trembling.'
Ever since I received the message on my laptop, my hand hadn't stopped trembling for a second. I constantly found myself checking my surroundings as I tried to stay away from anything that could produce any music.
But it was hard.
Despite it being late into the night, there were quite a lot of people around the area.
The surroundings were brightly lit, with people passing by every second.
Under normal circumstances, I would've felt safe, but now, it only amplified my sense of unease. Especially since I had no idea how it managed to find me, despite supposedly belonging to the initial scenario.
"Seth!"
Just then, a familiar voice entered my ears.
Turning my head, I was greeted by a figure about my height—around 180 cm—waving at me. His disheveled, dirtish-brown hair swayed with his movements, and as his sharp green eyes locked onto me, he moved closer before stopping.
His brow rose in surprise as he looked at me.
"....Wow, you look like a mess."
"You think?"
Not only did I get fired, but a strange system suddenly manifested before me—throwing me into a scenario where a single wrong move could've killed me, gaslighting me into accepting it by preying on my weaknesses, changing the entire world and then later discovering that the strange monster in the weird scenario was now haunting me?
The fact that I had yet to have a mental breakdown was a miracle in itself.
'No, but seriously... how am I still sane?'
"Well, you'll get through it, Seth. I think this might be a good change for you."
"Ho. Really?"
If not for the fact that I knew he was referring to something else, I would've already thrown hands.
'Wait, can I even do that now...? He did say he now works for a Guild...'
"Yes, of course. Now that you're no longer a slave to that company, you can finally take some time to work on your own game. You're quite talented, so I'm sure you can figure something else out. And if you can't..."
Kyle paused, shifting his attention towards the Guild office behind.
"...Well, you can always get some sort of inspiration or real-life experience to further improve your game."
"I..."
"Oh, right."
As if recalling something, Kyle massaged the back of his head and put on an embarrassed expression.
"I forgot that you hate horror."
"Right..."
There was that too, but mainly because—whether I liked it or not—I was going to get my fair share of experience. If we were strictly talking about experience, I was going to be getting plenty.
Just the thought made me groan.
"Well, let's go now. I'll bring you to your room."
Kyle turned around and led me toward the building near the main guild. It wasn't as tall or eye-catching as the main guild—but it didn't need to be.
He guided me in.
"This is the residence building. Normally, an observer wouldn't be able to stay here, but I've been doing quite well for myself recently."
Kyle puffed up his chest with pride.
"Of course, this building is primarily reserved for Guild employees rather than Guild members. In a way, you could say you're lucky."
"I'm lucky...?"
"Oh, yeah."
Kyle walked up to the reception, grabbed a key from the wooden cabinet keyholder, and headed straight for the nearest elevator.
"...Those guys at the Guild. They're lunatics. For your own sake, I'd recommend you just stick with the regular employees. The reason you're lucky is because you don't get to see them."
"I see."
For Kyle to be so wary of them, just how bad were they?
"We're here."
We stopped before a small wooden door with the numbers [501] imprinted on the front. Kyle handed me the keys.
"This here is your apartment. It's nothing big, but you can stay here for as long as I'm here. If anybody asks who you are, just tell them you're with me."
"With you...?"
I took the keys and raised my brow at Kyle as he grinned.
"Like I said, I'm doing quite well for myself."
He slapped me on the back, then brushed his messy hair back as he turned around and raised his hand to wave.
"Enough said, it's quite late. I'll leave you to it for now. Good thing you made up your mind today. Tomorrow is the new recruits' orientation day! Even though you're not a recruit, you'll still learn a thing or two if you loiter around. I'll see you there!"
And like that, he left.
I could only quietly stare at his departing back before shaking my head.
Orientation day?
I guess that might not be too bad.
***
The next day eventually came.
But it felt like forever had passed by the time it arrived.
"...."
I didn't sleep a single wink.
I tossed and turned all night, trying to sleep, but every little noise rattled me awake, forcing me to stay awake all night.
'I feel like shit.'
"You look like shit."
Even Kyle thought so as he greeted me at the entrance of the Guild. He wore a black coat that reached down to his knees, partially concealing a white shirt underneath.
He was dressed differently than I expected.
On the other hand...
I glanced at the nearest window and caught my reflection—just a plain shirt, long brown pants, and black shoes. I looked rather bland.
Creepy if one took into account the glaring dark circles beneath my eyes.
"I didn't get much sleep."
"You were that excited?"
"....Yes, think of it that way."
It was easier to explain things this way.
The two of us eventually made it into the Guild, with Kyle exchanging a few brief pleasantries along the way. As we walked through the large lobby, I noticed a wide variety of people. Some were clad in armor and armed with cold weapons, while others were dressed formally—and a few casually—as they moved in all sorts of directions.
The lobby was large, with the white marble floor reflecting the lights from above.
"Ha, I was also confused the first time I came here."
As if reading my thoughts, Kyle smiled while stopping by the elevators.
"You probably know, but there are all different types of Gates. Some Gates require heavy armor, while others... well, they don't need them as much."
We both entered the elevator, and Kyle scanned his card.
"We're part of the Containment Group, meaning that we don't need to wear any fancy and eye-catching armor. Oh, and we're also going down, not up."
"Hm?"
I glanced at the bottom he pressed, and my eyes shot up.
- 5th floor?
'What the hell...?'
"We have no choice."
Kyle shrugged as he saw my reaction.
"The lower floors are the only place where we have enough space to contain all of the Anomalous entities we gather from gates and the real world."
"Oh... Huh?"
What did he just say?
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"No, I mean... You just... Real world..."
"Oh, you're talking about that."
Kyle pressed his hand over my shoulder.
"Relax, it's normal for Anomalous entities to escape from undiscovered gates. They're usually a lot weaker than when inside the Gates, so dealing with them isn't a problem. Hm, well..."
Eyeing me, Kyle laughed.
"You'd probably die if you got targeted by one."
"....."
"No, never mind. You will die."
"....."
"But don't worry—it's not like that'll actually happen. You'd be dead before you even realized it, haha."
"....."
"Well, unless they're toying with you. Then it'd be a different story. If—"
"Stop."
I cut Kyle, biting my fist.
"Just... Stop talking."
I needed some time to think about what to write in my will.
-x-X-x-
Ding!
The elevator doors finally opened, revealing a spacious room adorned with a gray carpet that stretched across the entire floor. Several white chairs were neatly arranged in rows, all facing a large projector screen.
The place was already fairly packed, with several people chatting and exchanging pleasantries.
But not all were like that, there were quite a few that had tense expressions on their faces.
"Oh, look who's here!"
A man, tall and sharply dressed in a gray suit and black tie, made his way toward us. His gaze was fixed on Kyle.
"Of all people, I didn't expect one of our star prospects to come to some rookie orientation day."
One of our star prospects?
I glanced at Kyle, who laughed nervously, clearly embarrassed.
"Come on, you're exaggerating."
Him?
"Exaggerating?"
The man dismissively waved his hand.
"Come on... You and I both know you're one of the hottest prospects in the Guild right now. The number of inquiries I've been getting about you from other guilds? It's been a headache."
The more I listened to the conversation, the more peculiar my expression became.
'So not only the world changed, but Kyle has now become some sort of highly sought-after prospect?'
"Anyways..."
The man turned his attention to me, tilting his head as if he'd just noticed me.
"...Who might this be? Seems like a fresh face. Is he one of the new recruits?"
"No, he's with me, Section Chief."
"Ahhh."
The Section Chief paused, as if he'd just had a sudden thought, and slapped his fist into his open palm.
"Could he be that observer you were talking about?"
"Yes."
"I see, I see."
The Section Chief shot me one more curious glance before turning back to the end of the room. He waved his hand at someone across the room.
"Come here! There's someone I'd like to introduce you to."
Soon, a young man with short, bowl-cut black hair and brown eyes appeared.
"Section Chief?"
His face was slim, and dimples appeared on the sides of his cheeks as he walked over. My initial impression was favorable—he seemed like a nice guy.
"Here, Kyle," the Section Chief said, patting the boy on the shoulder, "this is Myles. He's got potential. When you have time, try to help him out. He'll be useful for us down the road."
Myles?
I cocked my head slightly while looking at the young man who went on to greet Kyle politely.
As I looked at him, I couldn't help but squint. Something about him felt vaguely familiar. I couldn't quite explain it, but the more I stared at Myles, the more I felt a strange sense of déjà vu, and it started to unsettle me.
I just couldn't quite put my finger on what made him feel so familiar.
"Hello."
"Hm?"
I blinked, snapping out of my thoughts. Before I knew it, he had come to greet me.
He had a polite smile on his face as he extended his hand towards me.
"Nice to meet you."
"...Oh, hello."
I greeted him back, shaking his hand.
I wasn't great at conversation, and the moment after I let go of his hand felt strangely awkward, but Myles didn't seem bothered. He simply smiled again.
"I heard that you're here as an observer. Are you looking to enter the Guild?"
"Me?"
I quickly shook my head.
"No, far from it. I'm just a game developer. I'm here to gain some experience so I can create a better game."
"You're a game developer?"
He looked intrigued as he asked.
"Yes."
Not a great one, but one.
"What type of genre? Horror?"
"...Yeah."
I couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed admitting it.
"Hmm."
Myles' expression shifted slightly, almost awkward. He seemed to want to say something, but at the same time hold back.
It made me grow curious.
"What's wrong?"
"No, it's..."
He pursed his lips.
"...I don't know, I just feel like horror games are not it."
"Eh?"
He shook his head and sighed.
"You know, while not many people work in Guilds, with most sticking to relatively normal jobs, there are plenty who've witnessed some pretty horrific things—many on a daily basis. I just... don't think horror is a great genre overall. If you want to create a horror game, you'd need to make one that truly stands out."
"...."
I stood in silence, unable to utter a single word back.
Why didn't I think about this before?
Indeed, this world wasn't the same as my old world. With Guilds, Gates, and all that nonsense around... people's tolerance to horror was much higher than back when the world was normal.
In short, horror games sucked in this world.
'Ahhhh...'
I wanted to groan out loud, throwing whatever curse I could think of in the air.
'And just when I thought things couldn't get worse.'
At this rate, I really was going to die in just a few months.
"Everyone, please gather around!"
The Section Chief's voice boomed throughout the room as he gathered the attention of all those present.
"Please take a seat. The orientation will start shortly."
I scanned the room for Kyle. I eventually spotted him near the projector, speaking with someone wearing a black hoodie and hat. Their head was lowered, obscuring their face, but the way Kyle looked so stiff, so respectful, told me they were someone important.
"You want to sit with me...?" Myles asked all of a sudden, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"...Sure."
I replied, relieved to have a familiar face beside me. We made our way to an empty seat. So far, my impression of him has been great.
He felt quite down-to-earth.
As the noise quieted down, all eyes turned toward the Section Chief and the person in the hoodie and hat, now sitting behind him with one leg crossed over the other, hands buried deep in their pockets.
Kyle sat next to them, his back straight.
"It's nice to see so many talented people present."
The Section Chief smiled, his expression satisfied.
"I won't make your orientation boring. There are a few things I want to cover first, but before we get into that, let me introduce you all to two of our star rookies."
Kyle stood up, drawing immediate applause as everyone seemed to recognize him. The attention was intense, and I noticed a few envious glances aimed at him.
He merely waved his hand before going back to his seat.
Then, the Section Chief pointed to the person in the hoodie.
"I'm sure you all will like the next person up."
With a playful smile, the Section Chief nudged the person in the hoodie. They soon stood up with a resigned sigh, slowly removing their hat to reveal a long cascade of blonde hair that fell down their back.
Unzipping her hoodie, she revealed an olive-green military jacket that seemed to match the color of her eyes, layered over a black crop top that showcased her toned midriff. Her cargo pants, equipped with utility pouches, completed the look.
The moment she stood, the room fell into complete silence. Some clearly stunned by their appearance, while others stunned by her fame?
I wasn't sure, nor did I have time to be sure because I was also stunned.
But it wasn't for the same reason as everyone.
"Looks like quite a few of you recognize her..."
The Section Chief introduced her.
"....This right here is the second rising star of our department, Zoey Terlin. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask her or Kyle. They'll be around today to help with orientation."
"Yo."
Zoey spoke, waving casually as she rubbed the back of her neck. She looked somewhat tired.
The surroundings remained silent after her greeting.
I just stared, frozen. My mind was blank, and my thoughts empty. I didn't know how to react at all after seeing her.
After all...
I knew her.
Of course, I knew her.
How could I not?
She was one of the characters of one of the games I had previously created.
Zoey Terlin.
She was a named character that appeared in [Forest Nights], a game I helped design by my previous company, Nightmare Forge Studios.
The story's premise centered around Zoey and her rich family setting off for a fun trip to a remote island. But disaster struck when their helicopter crashed en route. Stranded on an unfamiliar island filled with terrifying monsters, Zoey was left alone, her parents missing, forcing her to confront the island's horrors in a desperate bid to find and rescue them.
In the end, the game ends on a happy note with her managing to rescue them.
There was no bad ending to the game, and that was what probably caused it not to do so well.
'This must be some sort of joke, right? A shitty coincidence...?'
"Most of you probably know her story. After accidentally crash-landing on Sentriest Island and single-handedly taking down multiple Titans before making it out alive, she's gone on to clear several ranked Gates since then. What can I say? She's a star."
Yes, so it wasn't a coincidence.
It really was her.
The fact that they even mentioned the Titans—monsters specifically designed to exist only within the island—only confirmed it further.
'...So, not only has the world changed, but have the characters of games I had previously worked in appeared in this world as well?'
I paused for a moment and thought about all the previous games I had worked on.
There were quite a few. A total of thirty one to be precise. From low-end graphics to high-end graphics.
So... you're telling me there's a chance a character from each game could be in this world?
Motherfuc—
"Now that I've introduced our two superstars, I'll get straight to the main topic."
The Section Chief pressed a small remote in his hand, and the projector came to life.
A blank presentation slide appeared with just four words.
[Containment Sector Orientation Day]
It looked kind of plain.
"I know what you're thinking. It looks boring, plain..."
At least you know.
"But it's not about how pretty it looks—it's about how clearly it presents the information. There's no point spending hours making it look nice when you're only going to see it for ten minutes."
In other words, you were too lazy to do it properly.
The slide changed.
[What do we do?]
Wow, he really went hard with the presentation.
"As the name of our sector implies, we're responsible for containing and studying anomalous entities and items. But where do these entities and items come from?"
The slide changed again, now displaying a black vortex hovering in the air.
"That's right, Gates!"
Bang, Bang—!
"....!?"
Two loud bangs echoed in the air, startling me and the few others next to me as colorful confetti fell down from above.
By the time I processed what had just happened, I noticed Kyle and Zoey standing behind the Section Chief, their faces flushed red and heads lowered, clearly trying to hide their embarrassment as they held onto two confetti poppers.
Oh god...
What sort of place was this?
"The Gates are each categorized into different types, and we at the Containment Sector handle Anomalous Type Gates. Now, what are Anomalous Type Gates?"
The slide changed.
[Anomalous Gates]
"Anomalous-Type Gates are Gates that go beyond the simple clearing Gates. Instead, they involve puzzles and strange challenges, like mind-bending problems and changing rules. They aren't Gates one can just brute force their way into clearing. If it were that simple, we wouldn't have the highest m—Keum."
He was about to say the highest mortality rate, wasn't he?
"...It's kind of dry in here, isn't it?"
No, it wasn't.
I felt lucky knowing that I was merely here as an observer. Just the thought of working here made me want to puke.
At the same time, I made sure to memorize all the information given in the presentation.
It was, as Kyle said, this was important information I couldn't afford to miss.
"If an Anomalous-Type Gate isn't cleared or found in time, there's a high chance that the Anomalous Entity residing within the Gate slips into the real world. And that's when it becomes a real problem."
My ears perked up then.
I suddenly recalled the conductor from the 'scenario' I had previously experienced, and felt this next piece of information was closely related to me.
"...If an Anomalous Entity ever manages to enter our world, we'll have a short window to find and contain it. At first, it'll be weak, but as time passes and it gets used to our world, it will grow stronger."
They will get stronger...?
My heart squeezed, and I felt my muscles tense.
'Does that mean that the conductor will become stronger?'
I felt my breath leave my body.
"That's why we need to stay on high alert at all times. If you notice anything unusual, don't hesitate to report it, even if it seems insignificant. That 'insignificant' detail might be the one thing that saves your life—and many others."
I pressed my lips together and looked at Kyle.
'Should I come clean to him?'
The thought had crossed my mind yesterday when I met him, but I wasn't yet sure of his position within the Guild or their stance on such matters. I didn't want to drag him into something so dangerous.
I also couldn't shake the worry of them wanting to dissect me, or something equally unsettling.
'But listening to them now and seeing how much Kyle had understated his position, then perhaps...?'
"And last but not least!"
The slide changed again, and the expressions of several people changed.
[Don't be a pussy!]
"Yes, it's as you've read."
The Section Chief tapped onto the projector screen.
"Don't be a pussy when handling Anomalous entities. Even if they are scary, you mustn't be a pussy. It's okay to be scared and brave, but its not okay to be scared and a pussy."
Why did it feel like I was being targeted?
"Of course, rationality is key, but if you're being chased by something like the ghost of a little boy, chances are it can't really hurt you. The more fear you show, the stronger some entities can get. In situations like that... just kick the little ghost boy."
The Section Chief did a kicking motion.
"It's satisfying, trust me."
"....."
What sort of...?
I turned my attention towards Kyle, who turned his head away in shame.
"Oh well, it looks like the ten minutes are almost up."
Checking his watch, the Section Chief pressed the remote.
[End]
"For a finishing statement, I'll say this. There are many different ranks for Anomalous Gates. I can understand that some are scary, and that the survival rate isn't quite high for people in our industry, but our job is crucial for maintaining order and peace in the world."
He looked serious as he spoke.
"It's okay to be scared. It's a natural part of being human. Fear is something we all feel when faced with the unknown."
Putting the remote in his pocket, he eyed all the recruits present in the room.
"What's important is that you don't stay passive. You need to actively engage in solving situations and handling cases. If you're passive in this industry, the only thing you'll get is a gruesome death."
The projector turned off, and silence filled the surroundings.
Then, just as everyone was busy processing his last words, he clapped his hands.
"Alright, enough with the presentation. Now that we've covered the basics, let's move on with the practical stuff."
He turned his back on us and walked past Kyle and Zoey.
"...Shall we get to work and see how good you all are?"
-x-X-x-
Don't be passive?
The further we walked from the conference hall, trailing the Section Chief to the -4th floor, the deeper his words sank into my thoughts.
'He does have a point. Dragging things further will only make the situation more troublesome for me. I should tell Kyle about my current situation. This is so that I can handle it before it gets too strong."
I tried to move a little faster and get to Kyle.
But right as I did, a voice stopped me.
"Hey."
I turned my head and saw Myles, his dimples deepening with his smile.
"Oh, hey."
He looked towards the Section Chief ahead of us.
"So... what did you think about that?"
"About the presentation or the Section Chief?"
"....Both."
I paused, and so did he.
Then, we both burst out into a quiet laugh as if understanding exactly what we were thinking.
"I wouldn't say he's the type of person I'd imagine to run a place like this."
"Tell me about it."
Myles covered his mouth and looked around.
"This place looks a lot plainer than I thought."
"Oh, yeah."
I looked around me. We were currently walking along a long white corridor with white lights flashing above. People in white suits walked past us, not sparing us a glance as they held onto notepads and scribbled some stuff.
"From what I've heard, the fourth floor down is designed to hold the Gates?"
"Not quite."
Myles shook his head.
"The Fourth Floor is the containment Section. It is where most of the Anomalous objects and entities are stored."
"Oh."
That made some sense.
It could also explain why there were so many people in white clothes. They were probably researchers.
That also made me think.
"In that case, you won't be entering a Gate?"
"No, we're not ready for that. We're still new recruits."
"Oh, I see."
That also made sense.
"Chances are, we'll be tested with one of the Contained objects—or thrown into some kind of simulation without any information. I don't think it'll be anything dangerous, considering that it's our first day."
I thought for a moment before looking at the distant Section Chief.
I wasn't so sure about that...
"We're here."
The Section Chief came to a stop in front of a large metallic door. He scanned his ID badge, and with a soft hiss, the door slid open, revealing a small white room filled with various devices and a large monitor wired into the wall. At the far end stood another metallic door, identical to the first.
"Everyone, get yourself ready. We'll be starting shortly. Take a piss. Take a shit. Preparing your kicking motions. I don't care. Just get ready."
With a yawn, he slumped over the chair by the monitors, sliding a few meters before hooking his heels on the ground and forcing his way back.
Staring at him, I felt a small pat on the shoulder.
It was Myles.
"I guess... I'll get ready."
His smile seemed forced as he held onto his own ID badge.
"By the way, about you... being here to observe. Does that mean you're not going to participate in the test?"
"...No."
"Oh."
His smile grew even more forced.
"Good on you." He said.
Looking at him, he felt a little pitiful.
I could only give him a half-hearted good luck before finding a corner and sliding down on the ground.
I took the chance to retrieve my laptop from my bag.
As the app started to load, a shadow cast over me.
"Are you going to sit here and observe everyone take the test?"
"Hm?"
I looked up to see Kyle staring at me from above, his ID badge dangling over his neck and bouncing off my forehead.
"Seriously...?"
"Sorry."
He pulled his ID back and looked behind.
"The Section Chief said you can take the test if you're up for it. It's a relatively easy one. You won't die—but I can't promise it'll be painless."
"You need to work on your pitch better. Can't promise it'll be painless...? I'm even less interested in doing it now."
"I said it because I knew you wouldn't take it."
"Good that you know."
I looked down at my laptop, eyes fixed on the app that was nearly done loading. As I watched the progress bar creep forward, my earlier thoughts came rushing back to me.
"Oh, right. There's something I need to tell you."
I called out to him, my expression turning serious.
Noticing the shift in my expression, Kyle tilted his head curiously.
"What is it?"
"It's—"
Ding!
Halfway through my words, my laptop vibrated and I froze.
My heart gripped as I slowly lowered my head to stare at the screen.
"What?"
Kyle frowned upon seeing my reaction, but I ignored him and stared at the message plastered on the screen in front of me.
It was just one message, but it was enough to make my heart sink.
[You mustn't reveal anything related to or involving the system. Directly or indirectly.]
"You're acting weird. Why aren't you answering me?"
I yet again ignored him and typed a message on the application.
—What happens if I do?
As I pressed 'send,' my heart clenched even tighter, and a message soon appeared on the screen.
[You will die]
I inhaled a cold breath as I slowly raised my head to look at Kyle.
"...You okay?"
He had a worried look on his face as he looked at me.
He seemed almost concerned, and as I looked at him, my head slowly turned towards the group of new hires, waiting for their trial.
Without fully understanding why, my lips parted, and I mumbled,
"The trial... can I take part too?"
"Eh?"
Kyle froze for a brief moment before his eyes widened.
"Wait, seriously? You? I thought you were scared of scary stuff. Why are you suddenly—"
"...Don't be passive."
I mumbled the Chief's words back to Kyle as I placed my laptop in the bag and stood up.
Following that brief interaction with the system, something became extremely clear to me.
"I can't be passive."
To be passive meant to be unprepared.
It became very clear to me that whatever this system was, it wasn't my friend.
I couldn't just wait and let it dictate my actions.
I had to take initiative and figure out how to handle situations, even when they were thrown at me out of nowhere by the system.
The only one I could rely on was myself.
The system made this clear to me just now.
"Wait, what...? I..."
Kyle blinked his eyes at me, his mouth opening and closing as he struggled to formulate any words. I didn't mind it and just walked past him, heading towards the group in the distance as they slowly walked up to the door and entered.
"Wait—"
Kyle called out to me, but I ignored him.
The Section Chief glanced at me as I lined up behind them, but didn't give it much thought. He didn't even give us any instructions, telling us to solve the situation on our own and that in case we wanted to quit we could just say the words 'I quit' and we'd automatically be teleported out. I could only silently close my eyes and wait for my turn.
It soon came, and the world turned dark the moment I stepped in.
When I regained my vision, I staggered back, hitting the wall behind me.
"..."
I looked up to see the lights flickering above me.
Flick.
Dark.
Flick.
Light.
Each flick lasted for a total duration of five seconds.
I held my breath and looked around. I found myself in a long, narrow corridor. The walls were plain white, and the corners loomed ahead, casting shadows that seemed to stretch unnaturally long.
The silence was suffocating.
'Alright, you can do it. This should be a very low-level situation. It shouldn't be too scary. This is the perfect chance to learn.'
Step.
My step echoed loudly as I moved forward.
The corridor seemed endless, each step of mine beating loudly in my mind, mimicking the sound of my own beating heart.
Step.
I continued forward, each step heavier than the last, my senses heightened by the eerie silence. The air felt colder here, and as I let out a breath, I saw a gentle mist flow out of my mouth.
My steps never faltered.
Eventually, I reached the corner and turned.
But...
"..."
Another identical corridor met my gaze.
I paused, glancing back. Nothing. No sounds. No movement.
Flick.
The lights flickered again, and the surroundings turned dark.
My ears perked up, and the silence around me amplified.
I kept walking. Each step echoed louder, the sound stretching in the dark.
Step. Step.
I paused for a moment.
Something didn't feel quite right.
And that's when I heard it.
Step.
The sound of a step.
One... that didn't belong to me.
Step.
The footsteps crept closer.
Every hair on my body stood on end as I jerked my head back, only to be met with darkness.
Step. Step.
They were getting closer.
Too close for my own comfort.
My heart pounded like it was trying to escape my chest, each beat louder than the last, drowning out everything else.
As my breathing grew louder... it happened.
Flick!
The lights turned on again.
A long corridor stretched before me, with nothing in sight.
Just the silent hum of the lights above.
I swallowed my saliva.
'There's no one...'
Regardless of where I looked, I saw no one in sight. The steps were also gone.
"Was I just imagining things...?"
I thought for a moment before shaking my head. There was no way this was the case. This was certainly part of the scenario.
In fact, just because I couldn't see them didn't mean that they weren't present.
'They could very well be still heading my way.'
The moment the thought crossed my mind, I immediately hurried my steps, moving forward. The goal of the scenario was simple. Find the exit. That was all the Section Chief said before letting us in.
"Find the exit..."
I looked around. The corridor stretched on, just like before—a long white hallway with two corners at each end. Nothing had changed. And somehow, that made it feel even more wrong.
Rushing my pace, I reached the end of the corridor, and yet...
"...The same."
The same long hallway greeted my sight.
No, wait!
I looked up and suddenly saw a black object hanging above the ceiling, staring directly at me.
'A camera...?'
Before I could fully process the situation, the lights above flicked.
Flick!
The darkness took over once more.
My hearing heightened, and my breathing grew more laboured.
'It's just a straight line. I need to—'
Step.
"....!?"
The step returned.
This time, closer than before.
My entire body turned rigid as my stomach churned.
I didn't think twice.
"Fucking...!"
I moved once again, my pace picking up as I tried not to run too fast, afraid of hitting the turn in the distance.
Step, step!
Moving forward, I could tell that the distance between me and the steps was increasing. I was slowly starting to get away from it.
'This is crazy!'
Was this the level of something that was supposed to be manageable?
I clenched my teeth and increased my pace further.
The steps behind him were starting to lag more and more, and then—
Flick!
The lights returned, and everything turned quiet.
"Eh...?"
Looking back, my steps stopped as I realized there was nothing behind me.
"What? I could've sworn that..."
I took a deep breath and quickly pieced all the information together in my mind.
'Ten-second intervals. The lights switch on and off. Every time the light switches off, the steps return. When the light turns off, they disappear.'
As I started to sort through the information I had, I moved forward, slowly inching towards the corner before me.
I was just a few steps away.
'...If I'm right, this is a cycle. Every time the lights go out, the footsteps return—and each time, they get faster.'
My stomach flipped at the thought.
I wasn't very fit to begin with. I was already a little tired from just walking faster.
If the steps grew faster every ten seconds, then...
'I need to quickly find the exit before it's too late.'
But how?
How exactly was I going to do that?
Eventually, I reached the corner and I turned.
".....!"
It was just as I turned that my steps froze.
As I stared down the long corridor, my eyes quickly landed on a door tucked into the right wall. When did that...!? At the same moment, I caught sight of a camera mounted farther down, its lens pointed directly toward me.
I felt watched under the eye of the camera as the lights above me flicked.
Flick!
Yet again, it turned dark.
Step, step, step!
"...!?"
My entire body tensed.
The steps... They were faster again!
Before I knew it, they were almost upon me.
Every hair on my body rose.
'Shit!'
I didn't hesitate to pick up my pace, my heart beating out of my chest as my stomach clamped up and I felt bile build up in my throat.
'...Ah, fuck, I'm about to puke.'
I was now almost jogging.
Speed walking to some extent, as I moved my hand in front of me. Just in case I crashed into the distant wall.
Step, step!
The air felt colder, and the sound seemed to amplify in my mind.
I moved, and moved, and moved.
'How much longer?'
The ten seconds seemed to stretch endlessly as anxiety started to build up from within me.
I could feel the stamina slowly start to drain from me.
It wasn't anything bad, just yet.
However, I knew I didn't have much time left.
I needed to persist.
Persist until the lights turn back on.
And then...
Flick!
They did.
"Haa..."
I let out a sharp breath, swallowing my saliva as I looked around me. The same corridor. The s—No, it wasn't the same.
"....."
I fixed my attention on the door that stood in the middle of the corridor.
Without thinking twice, I moved towards it and reached for the metal doorknob.
Click, click!
But the moment I turned the knob, it refused to open.
'It doesn't work.'
I tried a few more times before giving up.
The door was locked.
I covered my mouth before looking towards the nearby corner. I didn't know how much time was left, but after a brief thought, I rushed forward.
'I just need to confirm something.'
As I reached the corner and turned, my eyes landed on the corridor ahead, and widened instantly.
"As I thought..."
The same hall. The same camera lens. And the same door... or more precisely, the same two doors.
Indeed, right on the opposite end of the first door, there was now another door.
'As expected. Changes don't just occur when it turns dark. Each time the light turns on and I turn a corner, a new change occurs in the corridor. New things get added...'
My heart sped up then.
I felt like I was starting to slowly understand the rules of the scenario.
Soon enough... I could think of a way to find the exit.
I just needed to—
Flick!
Takakaka!
"....!?"
The steps were no longer steps.
They were sharper and faster than before.
My heart almost leaped out of my chest as I immediately rushed forward.
I could feel my breathing growing faster as I ran, but I didn't pay any attention to it.
'One... two... three...'
I just slowly counted the time in my head.
'Ten!'
Flick!
The lights returned, and I held onto my chest.
I didn't waste a second and moved forward, towards the next corner, and turned it.
And as expected...
'Another change.'
Waiting for me at the corner were three doors.
But there was only one problem.
Click. Click. Click.
They were all locked.
I pursed my lips and swallowed quietly.
'If I just resist a little longer, the locks of some of the doors will unlock. At least after I reach a certain number of cycles. I just need to hold on for a little longer.'
All I needed to do was hold on.
But there was only one problem with that.
Clutching my shirt, I tried to collect my breath.
"Haa... Haaa..."
I didn't think I'd be able to hold on for much longer.
I was running out of stamina.
I was...
Flick—!
Darkness.
Flick!
Light pierced my eyes.
"Haaa! Haa—!"
Holding onto my chest, I bent over and supported myself with my knees.
I could hardly focus.
My lungs seared with every breath, and my legs trembled beneath me.
Sweat dripped freely from my chin.
"Shit... I might.. haa... puke!"
I slapped a hand over my mouth as my stomach churned violently and the built up bile almost left my body.
Barely holding it back, I lifted my head. Six doors. Three on each side.
Each one was locked.
I scanned my surroundings before forcing myself forward again.
".....!"
As I moved, my legs threatened to buckle from exhaustion, and each breath burned like fire in my lungs.
'Should I... just quit?'
I couldn't last much longer. In fact, I was already on the verge of collapse. If I pushed myself further, the steps would reach me. Either this cycle or the next...
If that happened, then—
A cold shudder ran through me.
'I should just quit. I've already found all that I needed to find.'
The main goal was for me to experience how a low-ranked scenario worked. I had achieved my goal.
In that sense, I could now quit and go back to making the game.
As my lips parted open and the words 'I quit' were about to slip my mouth, I paused.
"...."
Staring ahead, I licked my lips.
'Might as well, right...?'
I wanted to see what changes would occur once I turned the corner.
Though the distance was short, it still took me a lot of effort.
And when I did, my eyes fell on the corridor ahead.
The same white walls. The same distant camera. The same six doors. Everything about what was ahead was the same.
Everyth—
"Eh?"
Wait.
I blinked my eyes and looked around me.
Six doors?
My eyes widened at the realization. But before I could fully process the situation, the lights above me flickered.
Flick!
Yet again, I was plunged into darkness.
The moment that happened, my entire body tensed, and my heart clenched tightly. Without wasting a single second, I bolted forward.
The rushed sound of steps thundered loudly from behind me.
Takakakakakkakaka—!
I threw all thoughts out the window.
'One...'
My lungs spewed fire, my legs trembling as I sped as fast as I could.
I could hardly breathe, each gulp feeling like the last as the air around me seemed to turn colder and colder.
The steps behind me drew nearer by the second.
'...Three.'
They were catching up fast!
I was too tired. I could hardly maintain my speed, slowing down each second.
Takakakakakkakaka—!
'Five'
My body was falling apart. My throat burned.
The sound—those steps—grew louder.
They filled everything.
'Seven...'
I couldn't keep up any longer.
I was on the verge of falling. Looking ahead, the only thing I saw was an endless darkness. I knew I was close to one of the corners.
'Nine'
I could feel its breath on my neck, tingling the back of my neck as I almost froze on the spot, my heart leaping out as I opened my mouth.
It was behind me.
About to touch me.
No—!
"I—"
Flick!
Light.
I collapsed in front of a white wall.
"Haa.... Haaa..."
Heavily gulping for air, my head spun, and I could hardly focus. However, slowly turning my head, I saw it. The same six doors.
I groaned, feeling my entire body almost crumble.
'Three...'
I helped myself towards the nearest door.
Click.
It was locked.
'Five'
The next door.
Click.
It was also locked.
'Six.'
Click.
Locked.
'...Seven.'
Click.
Locked.
Arriving my the fifth door, I felt my anxiety shot up, slowly taking over my mind. Time was ticking away, and the doors were all still locked. My hand trembled as I reached for the fifth door.
'Please, please...!'
I touched the handle.
'Eight.'
Click!
".....!?"
A familiar clicking sound echoed, but before my heart could sink, I saw the door slowly open.
My eyes widened.
It worked!
But just I managed to open the door, the lights behind me flicked.
Flick!
Darkness.
".....!?"
I didn't think twice.
The moment the darkness arrived, I quickly plunged myself into the room and smashed the door behind me, locking it directly.
Bang!
"Haaa... haaa!"
Slumping down on the ground, I felt my knees give up on me as I gulped for air once more, my hand touching the ground as my head started to spin.
I was done.
I could hardly lift a finger.
This was where my stamina ended.
I didn't know how long had passed since entering the room, but the moment I recovered my breath and was able to lift my head, I looked at my surroundings.
"What the..."
It was then that I noticed it.
I was inside a small, windowless room. A single wooden table sat in the center, accompanied by a plain chair and an old computer. The screen was already on, casting a pale, flickering glow that barely lit the surrounding space. That faint light was the only thing keeping the darkness at bay.
There was nothing else—no decorations, no sound, just that eerie silence and the dull hum of the machine.
The air felt heavier. Stale. Like someone had just exhaled into the space seconds ago.
I slowly pushed myself up and sat down on the chair before looking towards the computer.
"The cameras..."
The screen displayed a corridor. That corridor.
All six doors in view.
'It's the same corridor I was in before. I can even see all six doors.'
Just as I was in the middle of observing the video, the screen suddenly turned black, and I flinched.
However, I soon calmed down when I saw a green text beneath.
[Do you wish to turn on night-vision mode?]
'There's that feature?'
I reached for the mousepad and was just about to confirm when I realized something.
'There's a time stamp at the bottom, and it's stretching for the same amount of time that I've been here.'
More or less a couple of minutes.
A thought occurred to me, and I reached for the stamp and moved the time back. The video started to change, and my eyes widened shortly after as I saw my figure appear on the screen, catching my breath as I desperately reached for the doors.
The corridor was still well lit.
'I look like I total mess.'
From my hair to my clothes. Everything was a mess.
The sight woke me up completely as the computer screen turned black shortly after.
'Ah, this must be the part where the lights turn off.'
I was just about to skip the part when I saw the same text from before.
[Do you wish to turn on night-vision mode?]
"Wait, this can work with recordings, too?"
I held my breath before clicking 'yes'. Immediately, the recording turned green, and the moment it did, my breath almost left my body as I saw a figure standing behind the me in the recording, their slim black hands reaching out for me as I frantically ran forward.
'Judging from the pace and how frantically I'm running, it looks to be this round.'
I held onto my chin while staring at the figure. It was also right as the ten seconds were up that I noticed a sudden peculiarity.
"Huh?"
Rather than just disappearing, before the timer completely reset, the shadow moved towards one of the doors and entered.
The lights turned on shortly after that.
I appeared shortly after, turning the corner as the camera displayed me moving from one end of the corridor to another.
'That's really trippy to see.'
Did it work the same when the doors weren't present in the first few cycles?
Nonetheless, the video had finally caught up to my last moments in the corridors. It was right at the moment I was about to enter this room.
First.
Second.
Third.
Fourth.
I watched as the me in the recording tried to enter each room.
Fif—
'Wait...'
My thoughts paused as I saw myself reach for the fifth door.
A dreaded realization hit me shortly after as the door opened and I entered.
That...
'That's the same door the shadow entered!'
"Haaa."
A breath. Warm. Damp...
It tickled the back of my neck as my entire body turned cold.
Realization hit me quickly.
I...
Wasn't alone in the room.
"Shit!"
I jumped up from the seat the moment I felt the hot breath from behind me and reached for the chair, throwing it directly at the shadow behind me.
Bang!
A loud crashing sound reverberated throughout as I looked behind me.
'There!'
This time, I saw it.
The instant I turned around, the air turned frigid. A towering shadow, vaguely human but warped, loomed before me. Its form writhed like smoke given shape.
Black, sinewy arms slithered toward me, fingers stretching rapidly toward my neck, grasping it.
I didn't even have the time to react before it grabbed me.
".....!?"
I couldn't breathe. I couldn't scream.
All I felt was dread as my right hand reached towards the hands on my neck, trying to peel them away. However, regardless of how much I tried, its grip was too strong.
My strength was slipping away, drained by the previous exhaustion. Each second felt heavier than the last, and soon, the fight in me began to fade. My limbs sagged, and the darkness crept closer, waiting to swallow me whole.
"Uekh—!"
Desperation kicked in. I fumbled behind me, hand brushing against something hard.
Computer...?
My fingers wrapped around it. I lifted it, ready to smash it against the shadow—until a memory flashed.
The corridor. The light.
An idea struck. No time to think.
With the last of my strength, I flipped the computer in front of me, screen aimed at the creature.
"....!?"
An immediate reaction!
The moment the screen of the computer moved before the shadow, it vanished from sight, the grip on my neck vanishing as well.
Thump!
I collapsed, gasping, dragging myself backward with the laptop clutched in front of me. Only when my back hit the corner did my breathing begin to stabilize.
"Haa... Haa..."
Every part of my body screamed as I struggled to maintain the clarity of my vision. My chest rose and fell in rapid motions, like the pistons of a car in motion.
I could hardly think properly as my lungs burned in pain.
I was on the verge of passing out, but I knew that I couldn't.
'I... still can't pass out.'
I took another deep breath and tried to manage my mind.
It was difficult, but soon, I was able to think properly again.
It was then that I finally assessed my situation and looked around me. It was dark, with the faint light of the computer casting a dim light over the surroundings, the shadows around me sending chills down every part of my body as every little motion left me unsettled.
'....The monster, or whatever that thing is... it can't come to life as long as there's light.'
The prior events proved this to me.
That meant that as long as I held onto the laptop, I was safe.
But was I really?
I glanced down at the screen.
'13% battery..'
I licked my lips, swallowing nervously.
The battery was a lot less than I had anticipated. I pressed the battery tab and looked at the time it had left.
[15 minutes of battery life left]
"Fifteen...?"
I looked at the laptop and almost cursed. What sort of shitty battery was this? Usually, they'd be able to last at least an hour.
'...I guess this is part of the setting.'
I stopped questioning the battery and started to think of a way to get out of the situation.
'Since the monster only shows up when it's dark, that means that as long as I have the computer with me, I'll be able to keep it at bay. The only issue is finding the exit.'
I thought about the corridor from before.
'Turning corridors won't lead to anything anymore. That means that the way out is between one of the six doors. I've tried the first five doors, with the first four locked. Could the exit be on the sixth door? ...Or could it be in one of the previous four doors?'
My mind squirmed as I thought about all possible scenarios. The best-case scenario was clearly the sixth door opening and me finding the exit. But would things really be that easy?
I hoped so.
But if it wasn't?
My heart sank.
A thought crossed my mind, and I started to shiver.
"Don't tell me I'll have to defeat that thing, right...?"
My chest felt heavier at the thought.
However, pressing my lips together, I let out a long breath and increased the brightness of the computer.
The room grew brighter, and I turned the laptop to face my way.
Without hesitation, I started to type on the laptop.
Takakaka—
Within the silence that pressed over the room, the sound of the keyboard strokes echoed across the entire room as I got to work.
The entire process took no longer than a minute, and by the time I was done, I checked the time left.
[7 minutes of battery life left]
"....I'll make do."
I turned the computer around and lowered the brightness again.
Then, taking another deep breath, I stood up.
"Alright."
I nervously looked around me.
'....I hope this works.'
With my back facing the wall, I kept the computer screen turned away from me as I moved sideways, towards the entrance of the room.
Eventually reaching it, I leaned my head forward to stare at the computer and at the same time reached for the knob.
The moment the lights on the corridor switched on, I turned the knob and moved into the corridor.
Without wasting a single second, I moved towards the sixth door and reached for the knob.
Click!
But as expected.
The moment I tried to open the door, it refused to budge.
'Shit.'
My heart sank at the realization.
'....As expected, things aren't that easy.'
I quickly looked at my surroundings before shifting my attention towards the computer. The cameras were still working, and I saw myself standing in the middle of the corridor with my gaze locked on the computer.
And then eventually—
Flick!
The lights turned off.
A faint humming sound echoed in the air as I stared at the computer.
But the silence was soon broken.
Takakaka!
The heavy sound of steps echoed in the air, sprinting my way at rapid speeds. In that moment, staring through the cameras, I saw it.
Appearing by the end of the hall was a shadow.
The moment the lights turned off, it stared in my direction and sprinted towards me at full speed.
By the time it took me to breathe, it was already upon me, and I quickly moved the computer in its direction.
".....!?"
A bright light manifested, and the shadow disappeared.
I was just about to sigh in relief when...
"Haaa."
I felt a hot breath running down the back of my neck.
My entire body shivered.
But at the same time—
"Got you!"
I slammed my finger down on one of the laptop keys, activating the code I had previously typed in, then whipped it behind me in one motion.
The laptop flared to life.
Flick! Flick!
The screen stuttered—light, then dark. Light, then dark.
I spun around.
It was there.
The shadow stood inches away, arms reaching for my throat—its body twitching in and out of existence, trapped in the strobe of flickering light like some sort of glitched out character.
'Now!'
I didn't hesitate.
I clenched my free hand into a fist.
And drove it straight into the shadow's face.
Bang!
Timing it perfectly with the darkness, my fist hit something solid, and the shadow quickly fell to the ground, its features distorting.
I didn't stop.
I moved forward, adrenaline drowning out fear.
I kicked down on the shadow—again and again—timing every strike with the flicker of the screen.
Bang, Bang—!
I didn't know how long I kept going.
Blow after blow, each timed with the flicker of the light. My body moved on instinct, drained yet unwilling to stop.
By the time I collapsed to my knees, gasping for air, the shadow was no longer fighting back.
It twitched weakly on the ground, its body glitching on the ground.
I stared, chest heaving.
"Haa... Haa..."
Flick.
The ceiling light flicked once more, casting the room in a dull, sickly glow.
An ever present humming sound lingered in the air.
I slumped to the floor, my mind barely registering the situation.
"Did... I do it?"
I turned my head slowly, eyes scanning the place where the shadow had been.
Still.
Silent.
'Gone?'
I moved forward, just barely.
And then—
FLASH.
A notification flickered across my vision.
: [Basic Node : Containment Vessel Activated!]
Ranked Spirit: Wandering Nightwalker Acquired.
"W-what...?"
I stared at the notification in front of me with wide eyes.
'I'm not seeing things, am I?'
I rubbed my eyes for good measure.
Even then, no change occurred. The notification remained the same, and I felt my expression change.
'Wandering Nightwalker Acquired...?'
I licked my lips and waited for the lights to flick back to darkness.
Flick!
As the world around me plunged into darkness, I immediately pulled the laptop close, eyes locked on the camera feeds.
But this time...
Nothing.
No twisted silhouette creeping through the corridors.
No echo of rushing footsteps.
Just still frames and a suffocating silence.
'...Since it's no longer present, it must mean three things. I beat it up to the point where it was now too scared to approach me, it is hiding somewhere, waiting to lunge at me, or I have somehow managed to capture it.'
The truth was already right before my very eyes. And yet, I still struggled to believe it.
Flick!
Light returned, and I helped myself up.
Looking around, I walked towards the nearest door and turned the doorknob.
Click!
It was just unfortunate that the door was still locked.
"....."
I stood in silence for a brief moment before looking at the notification again. A thought crossed my mind, and I turned my attention towards the computer.
I pressed onto the mousepad and scrolled the time stamp, turning it back to the exact time that I had started beating up the strange shadow.
'There.'
Finding the right time, I clicked the mousepad and watched the scene.
'Looking at it now, this did look a lot more dangerous than I expected. Thank god my plan worked.'
Staring at myself beat up the strange, shadowy creature, I wiped the cold sweat that had formed on my forehead.
It only dawned on me now just how dangerous what I had done was.
If not for the fact that my idea worked, I probably would've been strangled to death. That was unless I was somehow rescued.
"Hm?"
My brow suddenly rose.
Staring at the computer screen, my head unknowingly leaned closer as my eyes squinted.
"What the..."
I paid close attention to the screen, slowing down the replay as my eyes locked onto the shadowy figure that was on the floor.
Trapped by the computer's constant flickering and thoroughly beaten by me, it twitched on the ground.
I kept my eyes focused on it until...
"There!"
The lights flickered, and I saw a faint black shadow shoot towards my arm.
My arm?
A sudden chill crawled across my skin, creeping up my spine.
Instinctively, I lowered my gaze to my arm.
And then...
I saw it.
".....!"
My expression changed, and my breath caught in my throat.
A strange, dark mark was coiled around my arm, almost like a tattoo. I reached out, but the mark seemed to squirm just out of my touch.
"What the hell is this...?"
Seeing that there was no danger, I quickly calmed down and carefully eyed the strange black marking.
The more I looked at it, the stranger it felt to me.
And then—
Flick!
The lights turned off, and my vision faded. However, it was at that moment that the marking stopped moving.
Even though I couldn't see it, I felt it.
And my lips pursed.
I thought back to the notification and soon pressed on the marking.
The air suddenly grew colder, sending shivers down my entire body. I instinctively shrank up as I grew alert.
".....!"
That was when I felt it.
A presence.
It materialized before me, shifting, dark, like a shadow that had taken form. I couldn't make out any distinct features, but I could feel its eyes on me.
The black marking on my arm faded, retreating into my skin as if it had never been there to begin with.
I raised my head to meet the shadow's gaze.
It stood in silence, watching me.
Waiting for me.
"....."
I stared at it for a second before licking my lips as my mouth felt strangely dry. Then, my lips parted.
"....Help me find the exit."
The shadow remained still.
It didn't move as the silence returned, my entire body tensing as a result.
'Did it not work? Does it not listen to me? What if it attacks me...? What if—'
Step.
The gentle sound of a single step shattered the silence.
I snapped my gaze to the laptop screen, my pulse quickening.
There it was—the shadow. Right on the screen, a few inches away from me.
It moved slowly, its figure gliding across the floor like smoke. My breath caught in my throat as its long, slender finger extended, reaching toward the keyhole of the first door.
It hovered there, for almost too long... then began to turn.
Click!
A gentle click resounded in the air.
At that moment, I understood.
'I did it.'
I had completed the trial.
***
"How much time left? They should be coming out soon, right?"
"Yes."
"Did anyone ask for help yet?"
"...None. Not enough time has passed for that yet."
"Are you sure?"
"Kyle."
The Section Chief paused, his chair turning around as he looked at him with an annoyed look. That look changed rather quickly as he soon smiled and kicked the air.
"Shut up or I'll kick you."
"...."
Kyle forced a smile then, quickly shutting his mouth. He had actually been kicked before by him, so he knew it was anything but nice.
He then shifted his attention towards the monitors in front of the Section Chief.
There was all sorts of data and information on the monitors. Though they didn't directly show what was happening inside, they made sure to display any anomaly that may be occurring within the trials.
'He... should be doing fine, right?'
The reason for Kyle's nervousness was obvious.
Seth.
For whatever reason, Seth suddenly wanted to participate in the trial, leaving Kyle at a complete loss.
This wasn't just some random simulation.
It was a real trial!
And even though it was of the lowest rank, it was without a doubt dangerous. There was no guarantee that no accident would occur, and that made him worried.
Especially since he was... so scared of scary things.
"Hmm."
The Section's Chief voice abruptly captured Kyle's attention as his head flicked towards him.
Sitting by the control panel, the Section Chief leaned forward while drumming his fingers on the desk.
Calmly scanning the analytics, he mumbled, "The first ten minutes are up. There should still be another ten minutes before the first candidate comes out. So far, everything looks alright. I'm rather surprised your friend is still inside. He must have some great stamina."
He does...?
As far as Kyle was aware, Seth practically had no stamina. He rarely worked out, spending most of his time on his computer.
He didn't believe for one second that he had enough stamina to last for long.
After all, Kyle had undergone the same trial in the past. He knew just how hard it was.
"You're worrying quite a bit. That's quite unlike you."
A soft voice pulled him from his thoughts.
He turned around, and there she was—Zoey, casually leaning against the wall. Her gaze was glued to her phone, fingers moving quickly as she appeared to be playing some sort of game.
Ting—!
"Tsk."
Following a soft chime, she clicked her tongue and pulled her phone away. Judging from her annoyed expression, she probably lost.
She shook her head and looked up at Kyle.
"....Is he the guy you said grew up with you?"
"Yes."
"Hmm, interesting. I didn't think you'd know someone else who would want to enter this industry."
"Ah, no."
Noticing that she was misunderstanding, Kyle corrected her.
"Actually, he's not here as a talent."
"Huh?"
Zoey gave Kyle a weird look.
"He's not?"
"No..."
"Then what the hell is he doing in the trial?"
"...I want to know that too."
Kyle massaged his head. His head hurt whenever he thought about Seth's impulsive decision.
"He's supposed to be here to observe and learn so that he can develop better games, but I didn't think he'd go this far."
"Hm? Games?"
Zoey's head snapped up. Her eyes glinted with interest.
"Your friend develops games?"
"Yeah..."
Kyle pursed his lips before adding,
"Horror games."
"...Oh."
Kyle watched as the interest quickly faded from Zoey's face as she nodded her head.
"I see. Good for him."
She lowered her head and pulled out her phone again.
"...I hope he learns something from the trial. If he can get o—"
Click!
A sudden 'click' echoed in the air, attracting the attention of everyone present. As the heads turned towards the door that led to the trial, a figure calmly walked out, a laptop squeezed in between his armpits.
It was the man in question as his calm gaze scanned the surroundings.
Eventually, his gaze fell on the Section Chief, and he pulled the laptop out of his armpit.
"I took this by accident. Who do I hand this over to?"
-x-X-x-
"....."
Finally reaching the exit, I walked out of the door and felt several pairs of eyes directed my way.
It was silent as they all looked at me.
'Is there something on my face?'
Their gazes felt somewhat uncomfortable. But then, I suddenly recalled something and handed over the laptop to the Section Chief.
"I took this by accident. Who do I hand this over to?"
I had been worrying about this ever since I came out of the weird place. Though it wasn't a pricy model, it still looked somewhat expensive.
I didn't want to get charged for it. I couldn't afford it.
"...Oh, yes."
The Section Chief retrieved the laptop and placed it on the desk.
He nodded his head while mumbling, 'How kind of you. To hand the laptop back. It's very kind. Very...'
His expression quickly shifted before he slammed his hand against the table.
Bang!
"That's not the point!"
I flinched, turning my attention towards the Section Chief, who stood up abruptly.
"How did you manage to clear the trial? What did you do?!"
His face was filled with shock.
"This is the fastest I've ever seen someone clear this trial. How does this make sense?"
"What...?"
I looked at the Section Chief, confused.
He didn't see?
"How did you get out of the trial so fast?"
"...I used the computer," I replied, pausing briefly as my eyes drifted toward the monitors.
But then I froze. The monitors... they didn't display any footage belonging to the trial. If anything, it contained all sorts of different metrics that seemed completely unrelated to the trial.
As if understanding my thoughts, the Section Chief clicked his tongue.
"I wouldn't be asking if I saw, would I?"
"That makes sense..."
"So?"
"Like I said, I used the computer."
I reached for the laptop and flipped the lid open. Without wasting a second, I launched the program I had coded, the screen flickering on and off.
Turning the laptop slightly, I angled it toward the Section Chief.
"Since whatever that thing inside was scared of light, I just created a program that would make the laptop flicker on and off, essentially trapping it. After that, it was rather easy."
For obvious reasons, I omitted certain information, but it wasn't like the method I was currently describing was wrong. In that sense, I didn't have to worry about them finding any loopholes in my story.
"I'm not saying it's perfect, but this was the best I could do with my current abilities."
I finished there and waited for the Section Chief to speak. Instead, I was just met with silence as the eyes of everyone present locked in my direction.
"....."
The silence felt uncomfortable.
Until—
"Wow, holy shit... You can do it this way?"
Zoey's voice cut through the silence as she found herself unable to hold her tongue.
Her words snapped the Section Chief out of his thoughts as he sat back down on his seat and analyzed the program on the computer.
"Why didn't I think about this before?"
He looked at a complete loss before suddenly looking back at me. Seeing his gaze, I stepped back.
I suddenly started to have a bad premonition.
"Say, are you sure you want to just be an observer?"
He closed the laptop and moved closer to me.
I took another step back.
"Look, you're clearly quite talented. The fact that you were able to come up with a way that we hadn't even thought of before shows that you're talented. It would be a waste if you didn't join us."
"About that..."
I looked at Kyle for help, but instead, all I received was a baffled and shocked expression from him.
"The benefits we provide are quite high. Our signing bonuses are quite high. You'll be given an adequate strategy and—"
"I'm thankful for your offer, but no."
Seeing that no one was going to help me, I directly cut the director off.
"I'm rather scared of horror stuff."
"....."
The Section Chief gave me a face, his expression seeming to say, 'What sort of bullshit are you spouting?'
I coughed.
"It's true."
He still didn't seem to believe me.
"...I also like my job."
The system made it so I had to develop games. If I joined the Guild, then I knew it would be impossible for me to have time to develop the games.
"....Perhaps in the future, but for now, no."
"Alright."
The Section Chief looked like he had more to say, but eventually accepted my stance and just nodded.
"Since you don't want to join, I can't force you. It's a pity, though. I think you really do have some talent."
"Thank you."
In the end, the Section Chief didn't pursue the matter any longer, and I quietly walked back towards Kyle, leaning back on the wall and sliding down.
"Haa..."
That was when I let out a long breath and finally relaxed.
'I really thought I was going to die."
Every second within the trial felt agonizing. I wasn't sure what came over me then, but looking back at it now, I really must've lost it.
'...I don't want to have anything to do with horror for the next week or so.'
This was a big wish of mine, but thinking about the monster that was still haunting me, my stomach churned.
So much that I felt the urge to go to the bathroom.
I was just about to when a certain voice reached my ears.
"Why didn't you accept the offer?"
The voice belonged to none other than Zoey, standing with her arms crossed and her back casually pressed against the wall, eyes fixed on me with a subtle frown.
"The Section Chief rarely praises people. You should be grateful and take the opportunity. Many people would be dying for the very same opportunity."
I frowned, listening to her words. What sort of argument was this...? Indeed, she was just like the game settings. Quite blunt and sheltered. A princess of sorts.
'Then again, after what she went through, I'm rather surprised she still acts like this.'
"Is that so?"
I just gave her a casual reply, hoping she'd leave me alone, but that only seemed to annoy her more.
Knowing just how quickly things could spiral, I rose to my feet, cutting her off before she could utter a single word.
"Let me be. I don't have the luxury of a choice, unlike you."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
I gave her a quick glance before mumbling, "I don't get to rely on my rich parents when things don't go my way."
If I did, I wouldn't be worrying about some stupid medicine.
Furthermore, the system prevented me from having such a choice.
"Wha... What did you say?"
Her entire body seemed to stiffen at my words. I probably hit the mark with my comment, but it wasn't like I was lying.
And more than anything, I really needed to go to the bathroom.
"Say it again. Say—"
"If you don't mind."
I side-stepped and moved past Kyle as he looked at me with a weird expression. He looked a little stiff, too, alternating his gaze between me and her.
Was he still shocked by my performance?
Probably.
'Whatever the case is, I really need to go.'
***
Shaa—
The cold water ran down the sink as I washed my face.
"Kh...!"
A groan suddenly slipped from my mouth.
Slowly lifting my head and staring at my own features, my teeth clenched as I held onto the sides of the sink, keeping my body upright as my hands started to tremble.
I.... was having another episode.
"D-damn it."
It wasn't a serious one, but it was still there.
I had to keep myself steady in order to keep myself from falling. The pain lingered at the back of my mind while my arms continued to shudder.
It wasn't anything serious, but it made it hard for me to keep steady.
"Haa... Haa..."
As my chest heaved up and down repeatedly, I swallowed in silence.
'As expected... I really do hate horror.'
The attacks had become even more frequent than before. All due to the anxiety and fear that I had experienced recently.
"This d—"
Creak!
The soft creak of the door opening pulled me from my thoughts.
I turned my head slowly, my chest slowly calming down—
—and then I saw him.
Myles. Walking in with no expression.
He felt a little different than usual.
However, the moment he caught sight of me, his expression changed, and dimples appeared on his face.
"Oh, you were here."
He strolled to the sink beside me, casually pumping soap into his hands.
"...I heard you came out first in the trials."
"Oh, yes."
I gave a short nod, trying to steady my breath.
"That's impressive."
"Thank you, what about you?"
"Second. I got second."
"Oh."
A thin, fleeting silence settled over us.
It held for a beat too long—until Myles broke it again.
"I thought you weren't going to participate."
"Right..."
I licked my lips, shaking my head.
"...It just happened like that."
"It just happened? Can something like that just happen?"
"Hm, what?"
"Never mind. It's good that you did well."
He smiled again, turning on the tap and washing his hands with calm, rhythmic motions.
"...."
I stood in silence, the previous conversation lingering in my mind.
Something felt off.
I glanced sideways at him, searching. But nothing stood out—he just calmly dried his hands with a pair of tissues.
Still, I couldn't shake the feeling gnawing at me.
'Myles... Myles... Myles...'
From the moment I met him, something about him had unsettled me.
And I still couldn't place it.
"I'll be leaving now."
He flashed that same gentle smile, dimples and all, then reached for the door.
Just as he pulled it open—
"Hey..."
"Hm?"
He paused and turned back toward me.
"What is it?"
"About..."
I hesitated, then finally asked, "I forgot to ask you before. What's your last name?"
"My last name?"
He blinked, confused for a moment.
Then, with one hand on the door, he answered—
"Holms."
Clank!
The door clicked shut behind him, and the bathroom returned to stillness.
I remained where I stood, eyes closed, as the name echoed through my mind.
"I... see."
Suddenly, it all clicked.
The strange sense of recognition. The unease. The familiarity.
Myles...
He was another game character that appeared in one of the games I had previously worked on.