Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary! novel Chapter 113

It all happened so fast that nobody had time to react. One moment, Kyle was mid-sentence, talking to Seth.

The next—

A soundless ripple formed in the air, like heat distorting the air itself.

Then... it was there.

A tall, lanky figure appeared behind Seth, its presence so sinister it seemed to suck the warmth from the room. It wore a tattered black suit, the fabric slightly loose, and atop its narrow head perched a crooked top hat that hid its features besides the sick and twisted smile that marred its pale face.

Kyle's breath caught. The thing raised one arm, and slowly, almost lovingly, traced its long fingers along the side of Seth's neck.

'When did it….'

By the time clarity returned to Kyle's mind and he started to react, Seth slowly raised his hand and placed his finger over his lips.

His calmness was so unsettling that it left Kyle momentarily at a loss.

Perhaps, it was a good thing that he didn't speak, because... Allerman, a Third Order Recruit, spoke before anyone could, his voice echoing loudly.

But that was probably his worst mistake.

"Fuck! Hurry! I'll—!"

It was as if the words summoned it.

A few brief moments after he opened his mouth, a figure would materialize behind him, its lanky body casting a large shadow over him as the moonlight flickered in.

Crack—!

Allerman's hand snapped upward at a weird angle, bones cracking like dry twigs. Before he could even draw breath to scream, a hand clamped over his mouth, thin and slender fingers curling over his face.

"...!"

CRACK!

Muffled, panicked cries leaked through as his other arm folded backward with a sickening crunch. His legs buckled next, knees bending the wrong way, and his body limped down.

Thud.

He fell to the floor, his expression twisting as a figure loomed before him.

It had all happened so fast that nobody even had the time to react, leaving everyone at a complete loss whole staring down.

Silence.

The room was silent as Allerman remained on the ground, his body twitching.

What in the world just happened?

How…

"Haaa—!"

A scream followed right after.

Iris, a blonde recruit of the Third Order, whipped out her special gun, aiming it at the twisted figure. At the same time, her mind churned, her nodes flaring up, turning her eyes blue.

She was ready to attack it with all she had.

"You sick bastard! I'll fucking kill—!"

But...

CRACK!

"HA!"

The moment she raised the gun, her elbow bent with a sharp pop, folding inward as if her bones had turned to soft clay. Her knees buckled beneath her, and she crumpled to the floor like a broken doll, eyes wide and dazed, the weapon slipping from her grasp.

Thud!

The sound was met with a brief moment of silence.

But then...

Changes began to occur to her.

Her skin began to pale and thin, pulling tight against her skull. Veins darkened, shriveling beneath the surface of her body. Her limbs twitched once, then stiffened... and then, her frame began to whither.

Her lips cracked, her cheeks hollowed, and her eyes, still open, began to cloud over, watching nothing.

She was still alive...

Kyle watched the entire scene with bated breath, his entire body stiff.

This was the first time... the first time he felt this much at a loss.

His mind was blank, and his mouth was dry. This anomaly... It was without a doubt of a high order. Kyle felt helpless. He didn't have enough information.

He—

No, wait.

All of a sudden, Kyle had a certain thought as his face slowly turned towards Seth, who remained standing still, his expression strangely calm as his finger continued to press against his mouth.

What was he trying to say? To stay quiet...?

Their eyes met, and Seth nodded slowly.

Kyle's brows rose, but eventually, turning to look at the others, he also placed his hand in his mouth.

'Stay quiet! Don't make a sound!'

Though he didn't say the words, he tried to convey the message with his eyes.

Thankfully, the others listened, shutting their mouths and keeping their breaths in check. It was also in that moment that the anomaly stopped moving, its gaze locking into Seth, who closed his eyes.

Seth was well aware of his circumstances. The Twisted Man... was merely having fun at this point.

It had already found him, and so, it was now just slowly killing everyone who was making a sound.

This situation…

It had now turned into a game for it.

Games he loves, games he plays.