Chapter 23: The missing piece [1]
"....."
I sat in my office, lost in a daze, replaying Kyle's reactions over and over in my mind. I had no idea how long I stayed like that, but eventually, I rubbed my face, a groan slipping from my lips.
"...Not even a single flinch."
Kyle...
He played the game a total of fifteen times. And yet, not once in all those attempts did he flinch, make a sound, or show even the slightest hint of fear.
I knew because I stood by his side the entire time, hoping for something.
Anything.
But nothing. In the end, Kyle showed not one single reaction.
The next part was awkward—he glanced back at me, clearly struggling to muster some words of encouragement, but in the end, what came out felt more like an insult than anything else.
'It's not bad.'
He obviously meant no harm, but his eyes told me everything that I needed to know.
"Maybe it's just him... He is, after all, used to dealing with scary scenarios."
I tried to convince myself that the problem was Kyle, but playing the game again, the previous emotions that I felt for it were no longer there.
"There's something missing..."
There was something about the game that was fundamentally missing. It wasn't because it was still just a framework, but more because the game itself lacked the quality to elevate it to a level where it could scare people.
But what?
What exactly was missing?
'I wonder if I can check what sort of rating the current game I've developed is.'
I scanned through my computer and eventually opened the system app.
─────
Game Developer : Seth Thorne
Status : First Order
▪ Basic Node : Containment Vessel
Items :
▪ Blank Mask.
▪ Spectral Glasses.
Shop : Locked
Quests : Unlocked (Available : 1)
▪ Develop a game with a 1-star rating.
- Reward: Unlocks the Shop
Developed Games :
[Gentle Whispers] Rating : ⯪☆☆☆☆(0.5)
[Work in Progress] Rating : ☆☆☆☆☆(?)
─────
"Work in progress...?"
Immediately, my eyes fell on the bottom of the app. That was where I saw the 'work in progress' area, alongside the '?' rating.
"Ah, it looks like it doesn't give a rating unless the game is fully completed."
It was a bit disappointing to see. It would've been really helpful if it had a feature that showed the game's rating as I progressed.
"Wait."
A thought suddenly occurred to me, and I started to type in the chat box beneath the interface in the app.
[Is it possible to tell the progress of the game that I'm developing?]
Ever since the first scenario, the system had rarely revealed itself. The only way I could communicate with it was through that strange app.
And sure enough, I received an answer not long after.
[Yes, such a feature is available.]
"That's nice."
I was pleasantly surprised by the piece of information.
"If that's the case..."
[What is the current rating of my game?]
[You don't have the clearance available for such a feature. Please try again in the future.]
"....."
I opened my mouth, but soon closed it.
Why did I even expect anything from this?
[Can you at least tell me if my game currently meets the criteria?]
[It doesn't.]
The reply came out blunt, but at the very least, I knew that my previous feeling wasn't wrong. The game... it wasn't scary at all.
But what exactly was it missing?
"I wonder if I can ask the system for any clues."
I began typing on the laptop, asking all sorts of questions, from what was lacking to ways to make it better.
However, the system made its stance very clear from the start.
[You have all the tools necessary to create such a game. Please keep working hard!]
"...That doesn't help me at all."
I ruffled my hair in annoyance.
It became obvious to me that the system wasn't going to help me out at all with the game development aspect. However, it wasn't as though it was completely useless.
"You have all the tools necessary to create such a game..."
The system judged that I was capable of creating such a game with what I currently had at my disposal.
What I needed to do was figure out how to use such tools to my advantage.
'A mask, sunglasses, a strange app...'
I began listing everything I'd received from the system, and as I quietly reflected on it all, my expression grew increasingly grim.
Regardless of how much I tried to think about it, nothing really seemed to be useful.
My mind was completely blank.
But then—
"What about you? Can you help me?"
I looked directly towards the marking on my arm as it wiggled the moment I brought my sleeve down and exposed it to the light from above.
Indeed, ever since the trial, the 'Nightwalker' had continued to remain with me, stuck as a thick black marking that circled across my arm, seemingly looking like a tattoo. I had yet to release it in the open like in the trial, but I felt it in my mind that it would listen to most of my commands.
It also made me wonder about this 'node' thing.
What exactly was a node?
"It almost feels like a skill, but at the same time, I'm not too sure."
I was also not entirely sure about what the Containment Vessel node did. My best guess was that it allowed me to capture anomalies and turn them to my side.
However, I was still unsure of how it worked.
What was the criteria for acquisition, and was there a limit to how many I could acquire? What about the strength limit? Could I capture any anomalies regardless of strength?
There were too many questions and too few answers.
"Haa."
Letting out a long sigh, I once again shifted my attention towards my computer. It was already late into the night, and the hum of the fan was louder than ever. I could feel my computer starting to overheat as I closed down the app and once again shifted my attention towards the game.
'I don't think there's anything wrong with the game. It's more like there's a lack of tension.'
There was no music in the game—only a few sound effects, the most prominent being the sound of footsteps and the increasingly labored breathing that worsened as time went on.
I felt that music—or anything similar—was completely unnecessary, given the nature of the game. It was meant to recreate the scenario I had experienced, and the lack of sound served to make it more authentic. To build up tension.
But was that the right way of thinking?
Did I have to make it exactly like my experience?
"No, not exactly..."
I felt my brows furrow.
However, I shook my head shortly after.
"...Even if I do want to add music, I can't."
The biggest and most important reason for the lack of music was simple. It was because I was afraid that the conductor would once again appear.
For the past several days, I'd kept my distance from anything that could produce even the slightest hint of music, afraid 'it' would show up.
And now that three days had passed?
"Yeah, no way. I'm not sure if it's worse than a few days ago, but I'm sure that if someone hears the mu—"
My words came to an abrupt halt as a thought crossed my mind.
...Just a thought.
And yet, the moment the thought crossed my mind, my entire body froze. It felt as if I'd been plunged into the coldest depths of the sea, every muscle stiffening with sudden dread.
"No."
I shook my head, my lips quivering.
"...D-definetly not."
Anything but that.