Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary! novel Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Exit [4]

"W-what...?"

I stared at the notification in front of me with wide eyes.

'I'm not seeing things, am I?'

I rubbed my eyes for good measure.

Even then, no change occurred. The notification remained the same, and I felt my expression change.

'Wandering Nightwalker Acquired...?'

I licked my lips and waited for the lights to flick back to darkness.

Flick!

As the world around me plunged into darkness, I immediately pulled the laptop close, eyes locked on the camera feeds.

But this time...

Nothing.

No twisted silhouette creeping through the corridors.

No echo of rushing footsteps.

Just still frames and a suffocating silence.

'...Since it's no longer present, it must mean three things. I beat it up to the point where it was now too scared to approach me, it is hiding somewhere, waiting to lunge at me, or I have somehow managed to capture it.'

The truth was already right before my very eyes. And yet, I still struggled to believe it.

Flick!

Light returned, and I helped myself up.

Looking around, I walked towards the nearest door and turned the doorknob.

Click!

It was just unfortunate that the door was still locked.

"....."

I stood in silence for a brief moment before looking at the notification again. A thought crossed my mind, and I turned my attention towards the computer.

I pressed onto the mousepad and scrolled the time stamp, turning it back to the exact time that I had started beating up the strange shadow.

'There.'

Finding the right time, I clicked the mousepad and watched the scene.

'Looking at it now, this did look a lot more dangerous than I expected. Thank god my plan worked.'

Staring at myself beat up the strange, shadowy creature, I wiped the cold sweat that had formed on my forehead.

It only dawned on me now just how dangerous what I had done was.

If not for the fact that my idea worked, I probably would've been strangled to death. That was unless I was somehow rescued.

"Hm?"

My brow suddenly rose.

Staring at the computer screen, my head unknowingly leaned closer as my eyes squinted.

"What the..."

I paid close attention to the screen, slowing down the replay as my eyes locked onto the shadowy figure that was on the floor.

Trapped by the computer's constant flickering and thoroughly beaten by me, it twitched on the ground.

I kept my eyes focused on it until...

"There!"

The lights flickered, and I saw a faint black shadow shoot towards my arm.

My arm?

A sudden chill crawled across my skin, creeping up my spine.

Instinctively, I lowered my gaze to my arm.

And then...

I saw it.

".....!"

My expression changed, and my breath caught in my throat.

A strange, dark mark was coiled around my arm, almost like a tattoo. I reached out, but the mark seemed to squirm just out of my touch.

"What the hell is this...?"

Seeing that there was no danger, I quickly calmed down and carefully eyed the strange black marking.

The more I looked at it, the stranger it felt to me.

And then—

Flick!

The lights turned off, and my vision faded. However, it was at that moment that the marking stopped moving.

Even though I couldn't see it, I felt it. _{freewebnovel.cσ๓}

And my lips pursed.

I thought back to the notification and soon pressed on the marking.

The air suddenly grew colder, sending shivers down my entire body. I instinctively shrank up as I grew alert.

".....!"

That was when I felt it.

A presence.

It materialized before me, shifting, dark, like a shadow that had taken form. I couldn't make out any distinct features, but I could feel its eyes on me.

The black marking on my arm faded, retreating into my skin as if it had never been there to begin with.

I raised my head to meet the shadow's gaze.

It stood in silence, watching me.

Waiting for me.

"....."

I stared at it for a second before licking my lips as my mouth felt strangely dry. Then, my lips parted.

"....Help me find the exit."

The shadow remained still.

It didn't move as the silence returned, my entire body tensing as a result.

'Did it not work? Does it not listen to me? What if it attacks me...? What if—'

Step.

The gentle sound of a single step shattered the silence.

Click!

'I did it.'

'He... should be doing fine, right?'

After all, Kyle had undergone the same trial in the past. He knew just how hard it was.