Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary! Chapter 560: Swaying Bodies [1]

"You—!"

The sudden arrival startled the entire group. Yet, they reacted swiftly, encircling the newcomer while their senses sharpened and their forms tensed for any threat ahead.

Yet, against what they anticipated, the individual stayed composed, examining the suspended corpse with calm focus.

"Mhm, he’s definitely been deceased for no less than an hour."

As though verifying his assessment, he pivoted toward them. The instant he did, Esteban’s face showed a faint alteration, a chill racing through him upon meeting those shadowy eyes.

Still, he rapidly snapped out of it, identifying the person right away.

"It’s you?"

Esteban couldn’t possibly fail to know him.

Actually, the whole team knew him instantly. Who wouldn’t, given he was the sensation of the moment? The biggest name in Congress.

But a problem existed—

"Who would’ve thought I’d see you here?"

A voice rang out from Esteban’s rear as a towering man advanced, his build surpassing even Esteban’s. With his thick eyebrows knitting fiercely, Drake shoved Esteban away and positioned himself in front of Seth.

Next to Drake, Seth seemed diminutive.

"...Oh, it’s you."

Seth seemed to know him too.

How could he not?

"You’re the guy who ranked behind me."

"You—"

"Work hard."

Seth shifted his attention from Drake, showing zero desire for a verbal clash. Instead, he directed more curiosity toward the nearby corpse.

Drake’s features shifted mildly, his mouth opening, but Esteban stepped up and placed a hand on Drake’s shoulder before he could speak.

"Now is not the time. Jordan is dead."

Drake’s mouth shut promptly, though his stare intensified further.

Esteban breathed a sigh of relief.

True, he served as the Squad Leader, but Drake held the title of the strongest among them. Their power levels differed markedly, yet Drake’s temperament posed the real challenge.

He tended to be impulsive.

"Let’s figure out what happened."

"There’s no need to figure it out."

Seth interjected abruptly, gesturing toward the cord around Jordan’s throat.

"He killed himself."

"What sort of nonsense are you spouting?"

Drake burst out, barely containing himself as he advanced on Seth.

"We’re all trained professionals over here. We all take the most advanced mental examinations. Jordan is also one of the most elite members of our Guild. Someone like him would never commit suicide."

"Well, he did."

Seth shrugged, utterly unaffected by Drake’s intimidating stare.

Indeed, he remained undisturbed. He’d witnessed far too much. Plus, they were trapped in hell.

"Haa."

Drake inhaled deeply, shutting his eyes to maintain composure. Simultaneously, he glanced at Esteban.

"I’ll look for whoever is responsible. The body is still warm, so it can’t have happened long ago. I don’t know how this happened right under our noses, but I’ll get to the bottom of it."

"...You won’t find anything."

Seth’s voice resounded again, making Drake’s face darken more.

But right as he opened his mouth, Esteban cut in.

"Why do you think so?"

Unlike Drake, Esteban genuinely sought his view. Seth not only outranked Drake but had topped the First Trial charts. Input from such a figure had to hold value.

’Perhaps, he might even know where we are.’

"This place is affecting your minds. I’m sure you’ve noticed it. The longer you stay, the heavier your thoughts become. Your chest starts to feel empty, and thoughts you’d never once considered begin creeping in."

Seth’s statement subtly altered the group’s expressions.

"What bullshit!"

Drake snapped suddenly, his gaze sharpening as he faced Seth.

"I’ve been trying to hold myself back. From the moment I saw you, I wasn’t exactly pleased, but I kept quiet for the group’s sake. But you’re making that difficult. What would someone at the Second Order really understand about this? How can you spout such nonsense? What thoughts? My mind is completely clear."

"That’s because you need a mind for you to hear anything. I’m also not talking to you, am I?"

Seth turned toward Esteban.

He’d grasped the team’s structure from the outset.

"You—"

"Stop."

Esteban lifted his hand, halting Drake mid-sentence.

His eyes narrowed as he switched between Jordan’s remains and Seth. He seemed deep in contemplation, the quiet stretching until he finally nodded.

"I believe what you said is true."

"Squad Leader?! Why would you—"

"Stop letting your prejudices affect your mind. It’s because you’re like this that I’m stuck being the Squad Leader when you’re far more qualified than me."

With a sigh, Esteban approached Jordan’s body.

Halting just in front of it, he scrutinized it thoroughly before adding more.

"Not long before we spotted the body, Jordan was with us. That’s why we never took notice of his disappearance. Since he probably killed himself an hour ago, someone or something pretended to be in our group."

"...Likely."

"However, the moment we arrived here, there was no longer a fourth member with us."

"..."

"Then you suddenly show up out of nowhere, and you explain all of this?"

Esteban regarded Seth steadily.

He refrained from striking or acting out. Rather, he met Seth’s obsidian eyes with poise. Somehow, they appeared deeper now as Seth returned the look.

"I’m sure you understand where I’m getting at, right?"

"I can see your point, yes."

Remarkably, Seth stayed mostly serene.

The doubt cast his way didn’t rattle him in the least.

"I certainly do look suspicious if you put it that way."

"I’m glad you know."

Esteban inclined his head.

Meanwhile, Drake materialized behind Seth.

"We’re not going to harm you. However, until we figure out what’s going on and whether you’re truly with us, I’d like you to cooperate."

"....."

Seth scanned the area, sensing the hostile stares surrounding him.

He possessed the skills to flee or confront them.

But—

"Sure."

He grinned.

"I’ll co-operate with you."

***

They hadn’t bound me or similar.

Still, it was like an invisible chain held me as the team ahead inspected the lifeless form. They posed questions occasionally, and I responded as well as I could.

Naturally...

"You really don’t like me, do you?"

I eyed the burly fellow before me.

His demeanor since the Ranking Announcement remained unchanged.

"I do not like you."

He proved direct in his answers too.

"I still do not believe that you deserve the spot that you’ve achieved. I’ve worked tirelessly throughout my entire life to crack the top 100, and yet, out of nowhere, you come and take over the rankings with minimal work. I do not like it."

"...Is that so?"

That logic checked out.

’But I wonder if there are more people here. If so, should I try looking for them too?’

While seated by a tree, I kept watch over the environment. I checked for irregularities nearby, and as time ticked by, I finally noticed one.

"There’s an anomaly coming not far from here. North."

The team froze, all attention on me as Esteban eyed a gaunt man with a ghostly pallor. When Esteban looked his way, he shut his eyes. That response suggested he was the team’s [Hunter].

Wrinkles creased his brow while he searched for signs, yet...

"I can’t feel anything."

Upon reopening his eyes, he shook his head.

"...There’s nothing."

Drake’s mouth curled in derision.

But prior to his comment, I reached out and triggered [Trait Transfer].

He moved in response almost instantly, but I chuckled.

"Hahaha~"

His attempt halted abruptly, twisting his features as a shadowy layer coated my flesh, twisting and reforming into a pistol’s shape. Without pause for reactions, I squeezed the trigger, and—

BANG!

I fired straight at Drake’s head.