Developing Games: To scare players all around the world! Chapter 104: Defeating Genichiro [2000PS]

"Damn it! Natalie’s completely losing it!"

"She’s leveling up faster! Look at her performance!"

"Genichiro's HP is halved! We’re almost there!"

Amidst the deafening cheers from the online chat, Natalie pressed her assault, unleashing a flurry of strikes that finally pushed Genichiro’s health down to its final third.

After enduring nearly three agonizing hours, the samurai retreated to the rooftop’s edge, his breathing heavy, his blade held with unwavering resolve.

"Impressive… Kuro’s guardian. It appears conventional swordsmanship can no longer defeat you."

As he uttered these words, Genichiro shed his armor piece by piece, revealing lean muscle and patches of skin that were blackened and scorched.

"What in the world? What’s wrong with his body?"

"His entire torso looks burnt… like a corpse!"

Even the watching audience was taken aback. Natalie, too, was blindsided by this unexpected turn.

"As long as I can safeguard the Ashina clan… even if I must abandon the mortal path… I shall wield powers beyond human limits."

His voice deepened as he spoke, and an immediate chill permeated the battlefield. The previously clear sky instantly turned dark.

BOOM!!!

A lance of golden lightning ripped through the sky, making the rooftop tremble as thunder boomed.

"Now… witness the terrifying might of Ba’s Thunder!"

Genichiro raised his sword, and lightning from the brewing storm struck his blade. Golden electrical arcs snaked across the steel, sparking ferociously until the weapon itself pulsed with raw power.

"Wait, he can use lightning?!"

"Are you serious? This guy has become a demigod!"

Natalie’s fingers tightened their grip on her sword. This was no longer a mere sword fight; it had escalated into the supernatural.

Then, it happened.

Genichiro leaped into the stormy sky, his lightning-wreathed blade extending into a ten-meter arc of incandescent gold. With a fierce cry, he brought it crashing down towards Natalie.

"WHAT THE FU- "

The combat erupted into chaos.

No one remembered they were watching a game. The spectacle was so cinematic, so extraordinary, that the chat exploded like a firework display.

"He looks incredibly handsome!!"

"This is like something out of an anime!"

"Hollywood can’t compare to this!!!"

Natalie desperately raised her sword to block. Sparks flew as metal clashed against metal, yet the lightning still surged into her body. Electrical arcs enveloped her limbs, her muscles locking up as paralysis set in.

"Damn it! I’m electrified, this lightning attack is unstoppable!" she yelled in panic.

She wasn't wrong. Even a flawless parry wouldn't save her. The instant the blades met, the current transferred through the metal, immobilizing her body.

While she was frozen, Genichiro closed the distance and inflicted two deep gashes across her torso.

Gritting her teeth, Natalie stumbled backward, taking a swig from a healing gourd as she attempted to create space.

She soon realized a critical detail: Genichiro's attack patterns remained consistent, apart from this new technique, Ba’s Thunder. The lightning strike was undodgeable, unblockable, and seemingly impossible to counter normally.

"What the heck?! Why create such an overpowered move?!"

Just as despair began to creep in, Natalie noticed something on the inner wall of the rooftop – a painting faintly illuminated by a white glow.

It hadn't drawn her attention before, but now it was apparent this was meant to be discovered.

Rushing over, she examined it closely. The painting depicted a battle between a radiant woman wielding a lightning-infused blade and an armored samurai leaping into the air.

Beside it, inscriptions were elegantly rendered in brushstrokes.

"In Ashina, there once existed a demon. The lightning he commanded was the fury of the heavens. Without divine understanding, one cannot endure it. However, should one capture the thunder mid-air and return it, the heavens themselves will smite the demon."

A system notification immediately materialized before Natalie.

[Thunder Reversal — Lightning attacks cannot be blocked or dodged, but while airborne, you can catch the lightning on your blade and hurl it back at the enemy.]

Her eyes widened in realization. "So it’s not just his move… I can wield lightning too?!"

With her heart pounding, she darted back into the fray, her focus now razor-sharp. She endured Genichiro’s assault until he once again ascended into the sky, his sword crackling with celestial thunder.

This time, Natalie leaped to confront him.

The lightning struck her blade, but instead of paralyzing her, she redirected it. Power coursed through her arms, golden sparks erupting from her sword as she swung.

In that precise moment, she was no longer defending; she was commanding the lightning itself.

The heavens seemed to tear open as she hurled the thunder back at Genichiro.

"OH MY GOD!!!"

"Holy crap, she caught it!!!"

"She’s become a goddess of thunder!!!"

The chat was in an uproar. To them, Sekiro had transcended its status as a mere samurai duel game; it had transformed into a divine saga, a clash between deities.

And this lightning... it looked even more genuine than scenes from a blockbuster movie.

"Wow, I never imagined I could actually command lightning!!!" Natalie exclaimed, brimming with elation. The atmosphere within Sekiro was utterly absorbing. In this moment, she truly felt like a warrior channeling divine thunder!

This was an unparalleled gaming experience, unlike any other. In most games, one simply presses buttons to witness characters conjure storms or fireballs. But here, she was the one directing the lightning.

Even if it was merely a glimpse, the sensation was unbelievably exhilarating. A completely novel, unprecedented sensation!

"Go!!!" Natalie yelled, sweeping her blade forward. The thunder that had gathered around her weapon erupted into a golden torrent, striking directly at Genichiro!

"Argh!!!" Genichiro’s body spasmed as lightning surged through him, rendering his limbs immobile. Natalie seized this critical opening and slashed directly at his chest!

Once she had mastered the Thunder Reversal technique, Genichiro was no longer an insurmountable obstacle. Following several intense clashes, his health bar was depleted. Her blade plunged into his chest, [One-Hit Kill!]

"Ree...d...Name..." Genichiro’s voice quivered as he uttered his final words before collapsing with a resounding thud.

"YES! Natalie defeated Genichiro all by herself!"

"Finally! After three agonizing hours, you did it!"

"Holy crap, that lightning counter was absolutely epic!"

"I swear, that single move alone made me want to play this game. Who wouldn't want to control thunder?!"

The chat feed exploded with fervent excitement.

Natalie took a profound breath and chuckled. "You're right... It's cool. It’s incredibly cool!!!"

The adrenaline rush from narrowly surviving such a punishing boss encounter, coupled with the godlike feeling of wielding lightning itself, was simply indescribable.

This game was brutally difficult... but equally, astonishingly fun!

Upon Genichiro's defeat, she acquired his battle memory. Her health bar and attack power both saw an increase, and she even unlocked a new martial skill: [Blood Smoke].

According to its description, this skill could transform spilled blood into a smokescreen, impairing the enemy’s vision. The specifics remained somewhat vague, but it certainly sounded promising.

At that precise moment, a playful stream of messages scrolled across the screen, "Hey, Natalie, how did it feel to get zapped?"

She pondered for a second before replying, "Honestly... it felt rather good. Like a pleasant, tingling massage."

"???"

"Natalie, what on earth did you just say???"

"Comfortable? Are you into some strange electrical kinks?!"

"Hahahaha, forget Sekiro, Genichiro just opened a new massage parlor!"

The viewers erupted into fits of laughter. Natalie’s face turned a deep shade of red, yet she genuinely meant what she said. After all, it was merely a game. Tony couldn’t possibly electrocute players with actual electricity.

With Genichiro’s downfall, the gloomy, storm-laden sky began to clear once more. Lord Kuro reappeared on the observation platform, observing her with a serene gaze.

"You have emerged victorious," he stated softly, his expression unreadable.

Just as Natalie prepared to approach him, his eyes suddenly widened, fixed upon the center of the platform. "Lord Genichiro..."

She whirled around, and her movement ceased.

Genichiro’s form, which had been utterly still moments before, began to emit a faint red glow. Then, with a sudden, violent jerk, he stood upright!

"Holy shit! He revived?!"

"Not another one of those immortal freaks!!"

"Don't tell me she has to fight him all over again?!"

The chat went into a frenzy, and even Natalie instinctively drew her blade.

"Lord Genichiro... have you also consumed the Waters of Transformation?" Kuro inquired, his voice tinged with astonishment.

"Yes." Genichiro acknowledged, his eyes now glowing crimson, reminiscent of the Scarlet Demon from earlier. His voice, though steady, carried a twisted undertone. "In my brief existence, I have grasped one truth: humans have limitations. But Ashina... Ashina belongs to me! To safeguard it, I must transcend human boundaries. Therefore... I am no longer human!!!"

With those declarations, he staggered towards the platform’s edge. "The Interior Ministry’s forces are already upon us. I have no time to spar with you. Farewell!"

He then leaped from the platform, vanishing into the mist below. Natalie rushed to the edge, peering down into the abyss, but saw nothing.

"Tsk, another one who isn't even human," she muttered. "The last fellow ended up fried by the sun. I suppose we’ll see how you meet your end later."

She turned back. Kuro bowed his head, his voice laced with profound relief, "My master’s wishes have finally been fulfilled. Thank you."

"Your master?" the Wolf inquired.

"Lord Isshin. I am his physician. He does not seek the Dragon’s Heritage, hence, he desired Lord Kuro’s escape from Ashina."

The name struck like a bolt of lightning. Natalie and the viewers alike gasped – Isshin, the Sword Saint himself!

"What of the water?" the Wolf pressed further.

"That particular research belonged to my master," the physician elaborated. "Imbibing it bestows incredible power and renders the recipient impervious to injury, yet it ravages the intellect, leaving only a husk of madness."

Natalie recalled the horrifying Scarlet Demon and nodded in agreement. It fit the description perfectly. Genichiro likely utilized these very waters to concoct those abominations.

"As for what Lord Genichiro partook of, it was the genuine essence of that sacred water, the source known as the ’Transforming Lake.’ It offers eternal life, even in the face of mortal wounds, and crucially, preserves one’s sanity. However... this nation sinks ever further into the abyss of delirium."

"You don’t say," Natalie scoffed. "Transforming children into Taro soldiers, conjuring Scarlet Demons, mutating oneself into a ghastly lightning aberration – Genichiro is truly deranged."

The physician let out a slow breath. "My duties here are concluded. There is another you must see; Lord Kuro awaits your presence below."

1623 Words.