Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary! Chapter 597: Final Awards [1]
Previously on Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary!...
The footage concluded right there.
Yet, even once it finished, silence enveloped the entire stadium.
All eyes stayed locked on me while I struggled to hide my feelings. Glancing around, I could clearly see the expressions on their faces.
The fear and shock from watching what I had pulled off.
I still couldn't fully comprehend why they revealed everything like that.
Turning to my teammates nearby, Ariel's faint whisper reached my ears as she murmured softly, "See? I... told you that he’s the craziest one. You call me crazy, but look at him. He’s... way past that."
No, that's nonsense.
I did amp up the drama in the footage and setup, but the situation forced my hand.
She was the actual maniac.
"Ehm."
The Vice-Director’s voice rang out again.
Only then did the crowd shift their focus to him standing in the middle.
"I’m sure you’re all stunned by what you saw. Truth be told, I was too, just like the team who prepared the playback. That footage was massively long, and without our cutting-edge system highlighting the key moments, it would’ve taken a full year to review it all."
Not a word escaped anyone.
Plenty got it. I got it too.
Frankly, I wasn’t sure how to react to that.
Was it just for kicks?
...Or did his move hide something more profound?
No matter what, my status had flipped entirely. I had some fame before, but nothing like the elite Paragons. Now, everything was different.
I was certain that, for the foreseeable future, I’d be the planet’s biggest name.
The thought didn’t thrill me.
I’d evolved. I knew my changes ran deep.
But this side of me stayed the same.
I despised crowds as fiercely as ever.
"The main reason we aired this footage for everyone was to clarify why Seth earns an extra point for grabbing the data transmitter. Plenty would’ve complained otherwise. But beyond that..."
The Vice-Director halted, his gaze settling on me.
"...I simply wanted you to see what it takes to rank among the industry’s elite."
I parted my lips, then shut them again.
BOOM—!
"Waaaah!"
"That was insane!!!"
"He’s lost it! Totally lost it!"
The crowd erupted then. The stadium trembled as chants of my name filled the air from every corner, sending chills racing across my skin.
But those were the only feelings stirring in me.
The spotlight didn’t excite me much.
Particularly knowing ’they’ were tuned in—those likely sharing my system.
Having hit this milestone, they all knew about me now.
Life wouldn’t get simpler from here.
It would turn far tougher.
Even so...
For that brief instant, I allowed my thoughts to unwind amid the roaring cheers.
"Considering he snagged the data transmitter and gave us a fix for the trap above in case others fell for it, we’re granting him 5,000 points total. Which means..."
The Vice-Director’s announcement hushed the venue once more.
Shock rippled across countless faces anew, and even I, who’d kept cool till now, felt stunned as I lifted my eyes to the refreshed leaderboard.
——[Guild Ranking]——
⌈1⌉ — Severed Stars [Points: 60] + 5533
⌈2⌉ — Helios Vanguard [Points: 75] +1390
⌈3⌉ — Eclipse Sovereign [Points: 71] +880
⌈4⌉ — Obsidian Bastion [Points: 73] +860
⌈5⌉ — Crimson Oath [Points: 68] +810
⌈6⌉ — Arithmus [Points: 61] +760
⌈7⌉ — Melson Sanders [Points: 62] +735
⌈8⌉ — Argent Vanguard [Points: 62] +710
⌈9⌉ — Evening Sun [Points: 60] +650
.
.
——[Guild Ranking]——
Gazing at the new standings, words failed me completely.
This...
***
The remainder of the Congress lacked any real thrill. Apart from minor shifts among Oak Circle members, nothing major altered. The leaderboards held steady overall.
Precisely because they stayed that way, the world exploded in frenzy.
For the first time in years, the balance between top guilds and the Oak Circle shattered.
A lone guild claimed the top spot outright.
Not just that—they dominated utterly.
Everyone knew exactly why.
Breaking — [Seth Thorne claims WC MVP with landslide votes.]
Breaking — [Out-of-nowhere comet rises: Seth Thorne, fresh WC MVP.]
Breaking — [Seth Thorne shuts down haters. WC MVP champ.]
Breaking — [Seth Thorne, WC MVP. Market value skyrockets. New price tag? Guild wars incoming?]
Breaking — [Reputation in ruins. Leon Drave’s future?]
Headlines flooded the web. Most hailed Seth’s triumph, though some targeted Leon too. With global eyes on his blunders, his flawless image collapsed.
His fanbase plummeted, shedding hundreds of thousands hourly.
Helios Vanguard scrambled to stem the bleed, but too late.
At least Leon retained hardcore supporters.
Above all, his talents rang true.
He was phony, yet his skills weren’t.
Unlike Leon, Seth’s followers surged wildly. Severed Stars’ PR crew pulled all-nighters, onboarding extras to manage the influx of calls.
Seth’s buzz turned scorching, exploding further next day with formal bids hitting the guild.
Breaking — [Crimson Oath bids 150 million for Seth’s contract.]
Breaking — [Eclipse Sovereign bids 160 million for Seth’s contract.]
Breaking —[Obsidian Bastion bids 165 million for Seth’s contract.]
Top guilds ignited a fierce auction, upping stakes hourly.
The globe watched breathlessly.
All wondered.
Would Seth Thorne stick with Severed Stars, or jump to a powerhouse?
The world hung on every update.
Where would the Mad Crown land?