Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary!
Chapter Summary
Despite being muffled by her voice, the rushed steps of the others, the steps echoed clearly within the surroundings. Yet they pressed closer and closer, each one heavier than the last, as though the air itself recoiled from them. Looking up, she saw the Section Chief looking at her as he grasped her by the arms.
Chapter 272: Easy Clear?
[2] "Quickly get in!
Quick!
" Clara’s voice reverberated loudly within the darkness.
What followed after her voice was the single sound of certain steps.
Despite being muffled by her voice, the rushed steps of the others, the steps echoed clearly within the surroundings.
*Step* *Step* *Step* They were slow.
Unhurried.
Yet they pressed closer and closer, each one heavier than the last, as though the air itself recoiled from them.
"Quick!
" Clara clenched her jaw, pulling one of the scouts by the arm as they stumbled through the area.
The small light coming from the narrow gap of the door flickered faintly, warping their shadows as they darted forward.
The door was ahead.
Just a little further!
"Move!
Faster!
" Clara shouted, her voice breaking under the suffocating weight of the tension.
She looked ahead, and she counted everyone.
One, two, three...
There were sixteen people in total.
’Perfect...
Everyone is here!
’ Bang!
One of her scouts stumbled onto the floor, their face pale and eyes trembling.
’I can’t do this.
I can’t do this.
I can’t do this...
’ Their body was locked in a state of shock as the trauma from all their experience came crashing down on them.
"Shit, get up!
" Rushing towards them, Clara picked them up from the floor and tossed them on her back.
"Ukh—!
" She groaned.
With two bodies behind her back, she found herself struggling.
’Almost.
Almost...
’ But she couldn’t give up here.
Failure meant restarting.
...
That was the last thing that she wanted!
Getting to their current position wasn’t easy.
Each reset, the gate layout would change.
It wasn’t easy to collect everyone before they died.
Not only that, but the time frame that they had in order to collect everyone and reach the Jester wasn’t long.
Not only that, but there was also no guarantee the Jester would remain.
They couldn’t afford to let this chance waste.
Therefore— "Uakh!
" With a heavy groan, Clara forced herself forward as she dragged two bodies behind her.
*Step.
* The step was closer now.
It was almost behind her.
Clara’s heart skipped a beat.
A sinking feeling crept down her spine as her body tensed and she pushed herself further.
She didn’t dare look back, but she could feel it.
The presence.
Cold and steady...
drawing nearer and nearer to her.
Almost as if it was savoring her fear.
Clara clenched her teeth.
Her node activated, and a dark mist shrouded her body as she sped up.
’There!
’ That little push was all she needed to finally reach the door.
Thump!
Thump!
Clara shoved the unconscious bodies she carried on her back, her legs stumbling forward as her chest heaved up and down.
She wanted to fall on the ground, but things were far from over.
*Step* "....!?
" She froze.
The step...
It was right behind her.
A shadow cast right above her.
The long arm extended, holding onto the knife.
Clara’s chest tightened, her heart beating loud enough to hurt.
With every ounce of strength she had, she turned around, and just as the knife was about to plunge into her...
Bang!
The door closed.
A Jester appeared.
Their eyes met as the surroundings turned quiet.
Then— The world turned dark.
".....
" By the time Clara regained her senses, she was standing before a familiar setting.
Her body was drenched in sweat, breath uneven, as her gaze swept the area.
Faces surrounded her, countless and unclear, pressing in as she struggled to grasp the reality of the scene before her.
Get away from me...
Get awa— "Hey!
" A voice shook her out of her state.
Looking up, she saw the Section Chief looking at her as he grasped her by the arms.
"Calm down.
What’s going on?
" "Ehm..
Ah...
" Clara covered her mouth, stepping back as she finally managed to regain a sense of herself.
"Haa...
Haa...
" She breathed heavily, forcing herself to slow and steady her racing chest.
The Section Chief finally released his grip when he saw her begin to calm.
Clara met his gaze for a brief moment before drawing several deep, deliberate breaths.
Around her, agents from the bureau rushed forward, moving swiftly toward the others behind her.
Clara didn’t pay attention to that.
Instead, she thought about her recent state.
’What happened to me?
Why was I like that...?
’ It was unusual for her to lose her composure by this much.
The last time it had happened, it was back when— Ah.
She saw the pattern.
The last time...
It was when the Jester was present.
The same was for this time.
That...
Jester.
"Have you finally calmed down?
" Raising her head, Clara nodded her head.
"A little.
" She looked around, confused.
There were a lot of agents present, including several important figures.
Her head tilted slightly.
"What’s going on?
Why is...
" "We detected an abnormality with the gate.
It’s also the reason why I rushed here.
" "An abnormality?
" Clara blinked her eyes.
"Yes.
" The Section Chief nodded, his face turning grim as he stared at the gate behind her.
"The gate’s energy had been steadily rising with each passing minute.
It hadn’t yet reached the next tier, but it was dangerously close.
Fortunately, just before it could, you appeared with the others.
" Pausing, the Section Chief scanned the area, his brows knitting tightly as he moved with caution.
He leaned closer to her, lowering his voice.
"Can you tell me what happened in there?
Judging by your current state, I can only assume you barely managed to clear the gate.
With the growing rank, it must’ve also been incredibly difficult.
" "Barely clear?
Difficult...?
" Clara stared at the Section Chief, her expression blank.
Slowly, she lowered her gaze, and that’s when she noticed the fragments clutched in her hand.
She blinked slowly.
When...?
"Clara?
" "Oh, yes.
" Her gaze cleared as she looked at the Section Chief.
"About the gate.
It wasn’t difficult.
In fact...
" She paused, her expression turning strange.
"It was incredibly easy.
" "Eh...?
" It was the Section Chief’s turn to look at her blankly.
"Easy?
" He looked at her.
The state she was in.
He found it hard to believe her words.
But then, her next words made his expression stiffen.
"VILE - 2013.
The Jester.
" She only needed to say those words for the Section Chief to understand, as his eyes widened.
"We managed to clear the gate without any problems because of the Jester.
It...
" Clara paused once more, thinking about the melody he played.
That haunting, yet beautiful melody.
"It...
" Clara paused once more, turning to look at the group behind her.
"It was the reason why all seventeen of us were able to get back without any problems and clear the gate.
" Clara clenched her teeth as the words left her lips.
She slowly lifted her head to meet the Section Chief’s gaze, and froze, caught off guard by the strange expression on his face.
What’s..?
What— "Seventeen, you said?
" Clara blinked.
"Yes.
Seventeen" Was there something wrong with what she said?
The Section Chief’s expression turned even stranger as he looked at her.
Unable to understand his confusion, Clara turned back.
And it was there that she realized something.
Seventeen...?
Wait, why seventeen?
She was only supposed to rescue eleven people.
Counting her and her squad, they should’ve been sixteen in total.
And yet...
Looking before her, all she saw was fifteen people.
Where was...?