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

Chapter 284: The First Phase [1]

A large stage, red curtains drawn.

Balconies.

Thousands of velvet seats.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

One person after another began to appear, their bodies forming from out of thin air.

”...This should be the place.”

”Stay on guard.”

The number of people grew with each passing second. Almost immediately, the atmosphere grew tense as they all focused on the view before them.

”It’s just like the initial scouting reports.”

The Section Chief mumbled, scanning the surroundings.

The layout was exactly the same as the abandoned opera house. The only difference was that it looked newer, grander, and more imposing. Each seat was empty, seemingly waiting for everyone in attendance to fill the seat.

”Have some people scout the perimeter. Go.”

None of the teams immediately sat.

Instead, they each sent a small team to scout the perimeter.

The Section Chief looked around, but didn’t assign a team to do it. He didn’t feel the need to, considering that they were doing it for him.

He turned to face the seat, and set himself to sit on one when—

”Hm?”

He felt a small tug on his sleeve, and he turned his head to see Clara looking in the distance, her face somewhat pale.

The Section Chief looked confused.

’What’s wrong with her? We’ve already gone through this scenario before. She should’ve expected things to be like this.’

His mouth parted, the words ready to leave his mouth. But right as they were about to leave, Clara’s voice echoed.

”...This is... why...”

Her state immediately made the Section Chief alarmed as he looked at her.

”What’s wrong? What—”

”No.”

Clara swallowed, just barely recovering herself.

Taking a few deep breaths, she forced herself to calm down as she looked at the Section Chief.

”What’s wrong?”

”It’s... nothing. I was just reminded of the ranked gate from the past. This layout is almost identical.”

”Yes...?”

The Section Chief thought about that gate. He had seen the clip, and as such, he was aware. However, it was also true that they had gone through the information about this gate beforehand. The layout was something that she should’ve known.

And as if understanding this, Clara clarified.

”...I know. I think... I was just reminded of that time. The general vibes feel the same for some reason.”

”Mhm.”

The Section Chief nodded without saying anything else.

That gate was a sort of trauma for Clara. Never in her life had she experienced such a massive setback. It had helped her grow, but at the same time, created cracks in her iron mask.

”Don’t worry. It’s not the same gate. That gate has disappeared after being cleared. It shouldn’t be possible for a similar one to appear.”

There had never been a precedent in the past where the same gate appeared twice after clearing. This was why the Section Chief was sure that it was just Clara’s trauma playing tricks with her mind.

”...You’re right.”

Seemingly understanding this concept as well, Clara nodded her head.

The Section Chief turned his attention towards the others in the group and pointed at the seats.

”For now, all of you grab a seat. Get everything that we’ve previously talked about out. In the meantime, I’ll go and check out the situation with the other Team Leaders.”

This was technically a joint operation.

As such, they were all supposed to help each other. At least, outwardly. The Section Chief knew that things weren’t going to be so easy. Every Guild was extremely competitive, and they weren’t going to just easily help each other. Only when the situation turned dire would they try to help each other.

This was the nature of how Guilds operated.

Survival of the fittest.

’I’ll still give it a shot. We’re being recorded throughout the entire world, so it shouldn’t be a problem if I use this—’

”Ah, Tea-Sorry.”

A certain voice shook the Section Chief out of his thoughts as he slowly turned his head. The moment his gaze fell on the figure that had spoken, his face fell slightly.

”...You’re a Section Chief now, aren’t you?”

With soft blue eyes and blonde hair, alongside an appearance that could captivate anyone who looked at it, Hermes appeared before the Section Chief.

He smiled.

”I’d like to congratulate you in advance on your achievement. It wasn’t even long since you were my Team Leader.”

Hermes laughed softly. There was no real malice in his words. He genuinely meant his words, and it was this ’genuineness’ that made the Section Chief’s stomach flip.

He nodded quietly.

”Thank you.”

Though the Section Chief’s expression didn’t show much, his thoughts were rather complicated.

Hermes...

He was once someone he had nurtured extremely carefully. He was someone whose talent could only be described as monstrous. In a way, he was like Kyle and Zoey. But he was also different.

He was a lot more daring than Kyle. He was like a battering ram.

...The type that would do things that were entirely outside the box, and with extreme efficiency.

He was also the reason why he was so interested in Seth. The two of them... They were almost made of the same mold. In the Section Chief’s eyes, Seth was the young and inexperienced version of Hermes.

But Hermes was also his biggest regret.

Without a single mention or goodbye, he directly left the Guild to join another one. This left the Guild scrambling, and it wasn’t long before the Containment Department started to decline compared to the others.

”It’s honestly quite a pity that we can’t interfere with the gate just yet.”

Taking a look at his surroundings, Hermes shook his head in disappointment. Lowering his head to check his watch, he turned his attention towards one of the chairs.

”...Given the orders that we’ve received, we’re only allowed to interfere if the situation becomes too much for you to handle. Otherwise, we’re only supposed to spectate. It’s a pity since I would’ve loved to work with you again.”

Lowering his hand, he calmly turned around and walked towards the nearest chair. But right as he moved, he paused as he looked back.

”Oh, right.”

He cracked a smile as he looked at the Section Chief.

”I’ve heard a lot of good things about Kyle and Zoey. I’m thinking of bringing them back with me. I hope you don’t mind.”

Raising his hand, he bid the Section Chief goodbye before sitting down on one of the velvet chairs. Crossing his legs, he made himself comfortable.

”.....”

The Section Chief stood still on the same spot, his expression unreadable as his gaze wandered over to Hermes.

There were a lot of things he wanted to do at this very moment, but before he even had the time to think about them, a change occurred.

Flick!

The lights faded.

The opera house was plunged into darkness.

All noise ceased as a certain cold took over the surroundings.

The atmosphere shifted with just a change.

The eyes of many changed, with some heading for the chairs. The Section Chief remained where he was. Staring at the distant curtains.

And then—

Swoooosh!

The curtains opened, revealing a grand piano that gleamed under the bright lights of the stage.

Several seats appeared beside the piano, all empty.

All eyes were fixed on the stage, the silence suffocating.

It dragged on for several seconds until...

*Step*

The single sound of a step echoed.

But that was all that was needed to make the hair on every single person present stand, as even the Section Chief couldn’t help but find himself turning extremely serious.

This...

What sort of monster was running this gate?