Tokyo: The Player Behind the Scenes.

Chapter 32: Three Players

"I'm a man now?!"

When Uesugi Hitomi, with the mindset of "whatever, let's see what new tricks the illusion can come up with," completed a series of settings and entered the game, she realized that she had underestimated the illusion.

What is this for me?

Is this still my rented apartment?
Can hallucinations be this real?

The slightly unsettling air, the cold aluminum alloy walls, the glaring LED lights, and the ever-receding scenery outside the window.
more importantly!
Her chest—was flat!
"It's so easy to be a man without any burdens. It's so nice to be a man."

Uesugi jumped while looking at the reflection in the car window, his hands sliding up and down the suit jacket on his chest without any movement, and he didn't feel like he was falling when he jumped up and down.

However, when she tried to take off her pants, she found that she couldn't, and she also lacked the ability to control her urination and defecation.

She had originally wanted to try what it would feel like to be hard, but now that wish has been dashed.

"Can't we take our clothes off? It seems this isn't a game with a high degree of freedom."

"But have I ridden this train before?"

[We are approaching Tsukiji Station. The exit is on the left. Passengers heading towards Tsukiji Market, please exit through the left door. Please take your valuables with you when you disembark.]

"Ah, the Hibiya Line."

Uesugi's expression gradually shifted from indifference to seriousness as he looked at the pair of men's hands he had extended, examining them closely.

It's filled with palm print details and realistic fingerprints. There's even a small scar on the index finger, and a fingernail can leave a cut when it scratches the skin: "This isn't an illusion. I really was chosen to join a game. Heh, interesting."

As a live streamer who wears a costume, she rarely chats with her fans; she usually plays games, mainly horror games.

She didn't find those horror games particularly scary. In her opinion, all horror games followed a similar formula: music and visuals created atmosphere, subtle noises served as foreplay, the face-jumping kill was the dessert, and the chase was the core.

As long as you have a clear understanding of the process and the map, and maintain a calm mindset—along with the ample room for maneuver left by the game designers—it's so easy!

But she soon realized that a costumed character calmly playing games wouldn't be appealing, so she added a character who panics in the face of trouble and is afraid of ghosts and the dark.

Sure enough, after that, the number of her videos increased dramatically, and her fan base grew rapidly. She was finally able to support herself by working as a live-action costumed character.

She is quite satisfied with her current life, but wouldn't mind adding more fun to it.

The train stopped, and the empty platforms on both sides seemed to exude a bright yet eerie atmosphere.

Uesugi stretched out his arms and took a deep breath, looking quite pleased with himself. Now, the horror game had come to life, which was at least a little more fun than a cold screen.

I looked at my belongings. My phone showed the month, but the year was blurry.

"March 15th." She tried adding a guessed year minus one to the beginning of the number, then entered her phone password. She tried twice, but both attempts failed.

Then she stopped trying, took the flowers, and got out of the car through the right-hand door.

In horror games, simply following the voice prompts to go left will definitely not end well. Look at the contrast between neatness and messiness; it's actually designed to provoke a rebellious mentality, guiding you to go right first. After dying a lot, you'll go left, and then die even more miserably, only to realize that you need to collect key items on the right before going to the left to solve the problem.

Otherwise, why would a game developer go to the trouble of building an extra scene? Do they have so much money they're just wasting it?

By applying game development thinking, Uesugi Hitomi actually stumbled upon the key point.

However, this is on the premise that it's not a game like Iwanna or Cat Mario, which are full of malicious layering.

Even someone as cautious and meticulous as her, who thought three steps ahead for every one step, still risked her life to figure out the function of the surveillance camera.

Back in reality, she straightened up in the gaming chair, clenched her fists, and after a long while, she opened her eyes, pale-faced.

She quickly skipped over the reward announcement after her first playthrough, paying it little attention. Right now, she was more interested in completing the game than in the rewards.

So he quickly opened his social media account and started editing a leave request notice.

[Torizuki was so scared she lost some feathers o(╥﹏╥)o So I'm taking three days off starting tomorrow to get my feathers groomed! (つ｀)つ——Your noisiest (scratch that) cutest Torizuki-chan]
(P.S.: See you in three days! If you don't come back on time, I'll be punished by turning into fried chicken nuggets and being eaten by you guys!)

Leave application complete!

Uesugi Hitomi roused herself and began searching for information on the computer based on the simple data she had obtained from the game.

Shinichi Higashiyama witnessed the two players' gameplay firsthand and was quite satisfied with them so far. These two players truly deserved their high score of 80. Playing puzzle games was like drinking water for them; they could quickly grasp the key points and did not show much fear. Even the near-death experience did not scare them into stopping.

Now, only one player remains.
Chira Nobi.

He was the one who accepted it the fastest of the three.

Perhaps it's because he hasn't outgrown the age of daydreaming.

However, at the same time, the game completely hit his weaknesses.

Terrifying. So terrifying.

Even though he had adjusted his breathing countless times and encouraged himself countless times, he still hesitated in the carriage for half an hour.

"I can do it! I can do it! The brave fear no dungeon, heroes never die at the hands of the demon king! Monsters and demons, leave! Monsters and demons, leave!"

Finally, after the twentieth self-suggestion, he picked up his briefcase and flowers, and following the prompts, got off the train through the left-hand door.

thump.

"Whoa!! The door is closed."

Nobita had a bad feeling.

But at this moment, he had no way out.

We can only try to look around to see if we can find any clues.

“The style of the platform is not from the Reiwa or Tenjin era; it’s probably from the Heisei or even Showa era. I need to know what events happened at Tsukiji Station during that time. And what does March 15th represent?”

"And this card... does it hint at any clues?"

This is our first anniversary together, and we'll celebrate our tenth, twentieth, and thirtieth anniversaries together forever.

Nobi Tomoro looked at the card on the flowers; it contained very little information, only expressing a husband's love for his wife.

"No, perhaps this is telling us that we must have a strong desire to leave this place."

But what can I desire?

Nobi was confused.

Outside the station, outside of reality, there seemed to be nothing he could cherish.

"No, I also need to keep my promise to my friends, to not be bullied or looked down upon."

Nobita clenched his fists, carefully navigating around the debris as he explored.

(End of this chapter)