Previously on Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary!...
Zoey and the other Section Chiefs were overwhelmed by the Butcher's immense power and its ability to kill those behind its attack. As the creature's strength grew and the island began to shake, Soran stepped forward, revealing that she had healed sufficiently to intervene. Her appearance caused the Butcher and the entire island to freeze mid-movement.
'Failure is not an option. The instant you falter, everything you've built will collapse. For your initial endeavor, you will merge with the Ranking system. With your innate talent, ascending to the apex should pose no significant challenge.'
Within this world, a peculiar system was in place.
This system determined an individual's worth based solely on their attained Ranking.
However, this Ranking System was far from a precise indicator of true strength. In actuality, it only accounted for individuals who were still in the recruit stage. Once a person attained the rank of Section Chief or Guild Master, they were automatically removed from the Rankings.
Consequently, while those within the Rankings were considered the most potent, there existed individuals far exceeding their capabilities. These superior beings, however, were considerably more constrained in their actions.
This limitation was imposed by the BUA, codified as Article 57.
The actual reason behind this article?
Only those holding such esteemed positions were privy to its truth.
Article 57 also placed limitations on Guild Masters and Section Chiefs, restricting their actions beyond a predetermined scope. Soran had always harbored a deep curiosity regarding this restriction, assuming she would eventually uncover the reason upon reaching their level.
Well, that was certainly what she had believed prior to this moment.
'...Disappointing.'
Even now, Soran could vividly recall the Guild Master's icy pronouncement as the first fissures began to manifest within her node. She had barely managed to establish her reputation before the cracks started to proliferate, leading the Guild Master to withdraw his attention.
It was utterly preposterous.
Reflecting on it, all of this stemmed from the immense pressure exerted by the Guild Master's expectations. She couldn't even pinpoint why she had driven herself so relentlessly. The more the Guild Master bestowed upon her, the more she felt an unyielding compulsion to surpass her previous limits.
It was a truly destructive cycle of expectations that had ultimately led her to her current predicament.
Perhaps...
She might still be enjoying life, free from the incessant torment that plagued her mind.
The constant medical examinations would have been entirely unnecessary, and more importantly, she would still be capable of taking action rather than being relegated to witnessing the downfall of others while she could do nothing but observe.
'Well, it's certainly something to ponder.'
Soran took a solitary step forward, her nodes whirring within her mind as the surrounding reality appeared to freeze. Even the Butcher was caught in this temporal stasis.
Or at least, that's how it initially seemed.
Gazing intently at the Butcher, Soran discerned that it was, in fact, still in motion. The menacing blade continued its descent.
Her lips curved into a wry smile at the sight.
"I may be rusty, but damn... I'm facing something like this the moment I reactivate my nodes. This is one seriously tough adversary."
Soran extended a hand towards her nodes, absently wiping a finger beneath her nose as her gaze fixated on the crimson stain marring her digit. It was a sight that hardly came as a surprise.
In fact, it was performing better than she had anticipated.
**Step. Step—**
Soran advanced deliberately, finally reaching the Butcher's terrifying presence. Standing directly before the grotesque entity, she tilted her head back, her eyes narrowing as she met its gaze. Despite the apparent suspension of time, it seemed to be looking directly back at her.
The blade's trajectory accelerated.
Soran's brow furrowed as she felt a warm, wet sensation trickle down from both her ears and eyes. A sharp, piercing pain shot through her.
She could discern multiple cracking sounds originating from the depths of her mind, echoing like distant thunder.
"Well, it truly appears I've become quite rusty~"
Soran cast a glance toward the individuals positioned nearby. Her attention was particularly drawn to the Section Chief and the other Chiefs from the various other Guilds.
She let out a resigned sigh upon observing them. This was especially true considering their valiant efforts to shield the individuals positioned behind them.
"...Heavens. In the end, I am the sole individual capable of truly intervening."
Soran's left eye pulsed erratically. The intense throbbing was almost unbearable.
The agony she was enduring was sufficient to incapacitate any ordinary person on the spot, yet Soran had, by necessity, grown accustomed to pain. She regarded it with a profound sense of indifference as she continued her unwavering stare at the Butcher.
She was acutely aware that her time was rapidly diminishing. After a moment's contemplation, she retrieved several objects from her satchel and affixed them to the Butcher's form.
"Honestly, I require authorization to deploy these, as they possess the potential to inflict significant destruction. However, I am confident they will overlook this instance."
She strategically positioned the retrieved items around the Butcher's hulking frame. These objects, resembling bricks in shape, immediately adhered to its flesh upon contact.!
The Butcher's movements intensified dramatically. Concurrently, Soran experienced a simultaneous surge within all her nodes, accompanied by a relentless symphony of cracking sounds reverberating through her consciousness.
She paid them no heed, diligently continuing to affix the items around the Butcher. However, with each additional item she placed, maintaining her own mobility became increasingly arduous. Blood cascaded freely in every direction, her vision progressively blurring.
This was hardly beneficial, particularly considering she was already succumbing to partial blindness.
"Oh dear~"
Soran absently scratched the back of her head, her gaze drifting downward to the crimson pool that had formed at her feet. In that precise moment, she comprehended the futility of continuing, necessitating a strategic retreat. She took several measured steps backward.
As she did so, the Butcher's frantic movements approached the same velocity as they had been prior to her intervention.
"What a tough bastard."
Observing the situation, Soran knew she couldn't afford to waste any time. With a flick of her finger, the items affixed to the Butcher detonated simultaneously.
There were no grand fireworks or displays. The instant Soran flicked her finger, the bricks exploded, unleashing a terrifying surge of energy that hurtled towards her in less than a heartbeat.
Just as the intense heat was about to engulf her, Soran's nodes began to spin even faster than before. They whirled with such ferocity that the pool of blood beneath her feet expanded, and her vision plunged into complete darkness.
"He... He."
Despite this, Soran let out a laugh, pressing her hands together.
Cra Crack! Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
The relentless yet deafening sound of her nodes cracking echoed in her mind as the edge of the explosion halted mere inches before her.
Then—
As if time itself were rewinding, the explosion began to recede, drawing back toward its origin. Simultaneously, time outside the blast zone returned to normal, and Soran started to discern faint voices in the distance.
Still...
She hadn't finished.
Keeping her hands clasped, Soran's nodes continued to crack as the explosion diminished further and further, constricting around the very spot where the Butcher had stood. The terrifying energy churned within the 'time bubble' she had meticulously created.
The more she compressed the bubble, the more concentrated the energy within it became, forcing the Butcher to endure the full brunt of that horrifying power all at once.
Cra Crack! Cra Crack!
Soran's nodes groaned under the immense strain, the pain so severe it would make anyone cry out. And yet...
All Soran did was smile, her gaze fixed in the direction where the Butcher had been.
She couldn't see, but she continued to smile.
And soon—
The bubble condensed further, adopting the silhouette of the Butcher just as Soran finally lowered her hands. She remained standing, even as blood began to stream from every available orifice.
A heavy silence descended in the aftermath of her actions, not a single sound disturbing the surroundings. There was no colossal detonation, no dramatic finale.
Just silence.
Not a soul spoke a word.
But that silence was fleeting.
Step—
The distinct sound of a single footstep shattered the quiet, causing Soran to blink rapidly. Then, as she grasped the source of the sound, she suddenly erupted into laughter, turning her head and pointing towards the direction of the step.
"...hey, hey, hey~".
Her eyes blinked again in quick succession.
"I admit I'm a bit out of practice, but am I seriously this rusty? There's no way it's still standing after that. What in the hell is this thing even made of?"
