Chapter 88.
The broadcast turned off.
The camera turned off.
404’s gaze blankly stares at the screen that has turned pitch black.
The childish voice of 404, which had been noisily chattering just moments ago,
Has disappeared into silence.
Swoosh.
…….
Through the faint darkness, 404’s yellow eyes gleam toward my existence.
If I weren’t scared of the current situation…
That would be a lie.
I can roughly guess what this guy will do next.
But,
I have to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.
I’ve made the necessary preparations to pull out the ‘Mass-Produced Hero’ from my employee ID.
If this guy shows even the slightest hint of something unusual, I’ll draw the Mass-Produced Hero.
Suddenly!
!
The yellow eyes approach me, and a heavy voice echoes through the air.
【…Older brother.】
‘…Is he serious?’
Then there’s no time but now.
If this is the moment to pull out the Mass-Produced Hero, then so be it.
【This is… the first reveal, right!!】
【A business selling ghost stories? That’s unique! Interesting! Why didn’t I think of this? To miss out on such a great business idea… Ugh! So frustrating!】
【I could’ve done this too!!】
Suddenly!!
One more step closer, and the distance between his pupils and mine would overlap.
…….
It’s unnerving, to say the least.
But,
It worked.
Fortunately, things seem to be unfolding as I initially expected.
I listened to the excited voice of the guy.
【Today’s broadcast is really a hit! Who knew you’d bring such great broadcast material!】
【You can’t just appear like this next time! Ah, no… Actually, could you just appear regularly on my stream from now on!!】
‘He’s asking me to appear on his broadcast?’
A sudden offer from a top-tier ghost stories streamer in the ghost storybroadcasting industry.
And not just anyone.
It’s an offer from 404 himself, a scene that’s quite rare to witness.
So, I immediately made my stance clear.
“I truly appreciate the offer. However, as a mere employee, it would be difficult for me to spare the time.”
Appearing on a broadcast? No way.
I’d rather not get tangled up with this guy any further.
I have no desire to appear on a life-threatening broadcast day after day.
……Hm?
Wait a minute.
Now that I think about it…
If I just roll this thought around in my head a bit.
‘What I’m doing right now isn’t all that different, is it?’
For some reason, the thought that my current relationship with Noise isn’t all that different flashes through my mind.
…No.
Still, Noise doesn’t suddenly try to kill me.
Especially since I’ve already lost my left arm to Noise, if I provoke him any further,
I might end up losing another perfectly fine body part.
‘So don’t worry, Mr. Noise.’
I’m still on your side.
For now…
For now, I reaffirm in my heart that I am still Noise’s loyal employee.
Meanwhile, 404 is currently.
【……Hmm……Ah……Ugh…….】
Seemingly lost in deep thought.
I don’t know what he’s pondering so deeply about,
But this was my chance.
I slid my left hand into my employee ID while scanning the numerous cameras scattered around.
Then, I made an offer to 404 right in front of me.
“Regular appearances are difficult, but there’s something I’d like to propose to you.”
【Huh? What proposal? Is it fun? Is it something that’ll make for good broadcast material?】
…This broadcast-obsessed freak.
But right now, I’m going to exploit that very part of him.
A broadcast angle no streamer could resist.
And one of the few escape routes I have left in this place.
“Since I’ve been invited to your broadcast, how about a ‘strength contest’ between me and another ghost story? What do you think of that as content?”
【!!】
Wide-eyed!
404’s eyes sparkled excessively.
For a moment, I thought his eyeballs would pop out and fall to the floor.
<A strength contest against a ghost story.>
404 wouldn’t refuse this offer.
Because this guy…
Is a broadcast-obsessed freak.
Right now, he must be thinking:
Broadcast gold.
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
High demand, limited supply.
Given my earlier remarks about ‘selling ghost stories’ on air, there must be many curious about my true capabilities.
He must’ve caught onto that.
【A-Are there any restrictions, Senior brother!!】
【If Senior brother wishes, I’ll prepare dozens… no! Hundreds of participants!】
Hundreds?
Don’t joke around.
“Since it’s a simple event-style content, two participants should be enough.”
Two is just right for me right now. Two is manageable.
And the reason I made this offer is that 404 has
A so-called ‘content warehouse’ filled with various props.
Inside that warehouse are
Humans and ghost stories.
The reason for this twisted hobby is simple:
Purely for entertainment.
Purely for the broadcast.
They’re nothing more than expendable props prepared for the sake of content.
Of course, he’s not so dopamine-addled that he’d capture ghost stories stronger than himself, so the highest-grade ghost stories he has are probably
C-grade at best.
If it were the old me, maybe not.
But now, with the Mass-Produced Hero and the toy ghost storyembedded in my pen,
I might just pull it off.
No.
I will pull it off.
Sparkle, sparkle, sparkle!!
After hearing my proposal, 404 busily began setting up the broadcast.
【Then, as Senior brother suggested, I’ll arrange for two participants!】
“Arrange”?
As if he doesn’t already have them on hand.
【I’ll handle all the filming locations! Don’t worry too much and take a comfortable break in the meantime!】
Whoosh!
With exaggerated movements straight out of a European cartoon, he began frantically rearranging the set.
Crash! Bang! Clatter!
Tap-tap-tap!
Clatter-clatter-clatter!
…….
—
“You look busy.”
404 was tearing down the wallpaper and floor without hesitation, reconstructing the space.
Their movements didn’t seem like those of an amateur.
I watched the guy move with flawless efficiency for a while.
The moment I realized his attention had shifted away from me.
I double-checked the white mask I had taken from the temple pass earlier and the first teddy bear moving inside my pocket.
Scribble, scribble!
“…Yeah, yeah.”
And finally.
Plop.
A familiar drop of ink fell from the fountain pen in my right hand onto the floor, and within it, a single phrase surfaced:
“The child… just loved toys, that’s all.”
The black letters faded, and as they did, a white pillow bounced out of the dark puddle and landed in my arms.
‘It’s done.’
All the preliminary preparations were complete.
Tap-tap!
Right on cue, the guy seemed to have finished his setup as well.
[You’ve waited so long!]
[This is a coliseum-style set, just for you, senior brother! You like it, right?!]
“With such special treatment, how could I not be grateful?”
……Wow.
For a second, even I got chills from my own words.
I’ve reached a point where smooth talk flows out of my mouth effortlessly.
Brushing off the goosebumps rising all over my body.
404 suggested that since filming would begin soon, I should head over to the set they had prepared as soon as I was ready.
Whoosh.
My gaze swept over the hastily constructed set.
Dirt-covered ground, massive stone walls arranged in a circle, bright stage lighting, and camera angles setup with no gaps.
…It was really well-made.
The fact that all of this had been set up in less than five minutes was nothing short of astonishing.
Thud, thud.
Following the guy’s instructions, I walked toward the filming location. And the moment I stepped onto the set, the first thing that caught my eye was.
Inside a dimly lit space where light barely reached, a faintly glowing iron cage seized my attention.
The thick darkness filling the space inside the cage.
That was where I’d be fighting the ghost story creature 404 had selected.
Even in ‘Ghost Story Record Storage,’ it’s mentioned that 404 possesses a considerable number of ghost stories.
To this day, the full extent of the ghost stories he holds remains unknown.
But.
Just like in the game.
No matter how many characters someone has.
There are always a few standout favorites.
The ghost story creatures 404 has featured most frequently in his broadcasts so far?
Exactly three.
—(Member-nim, it’s time to exercise.)
—(What’s today’s target?)
—(Unreleased video.)
The only combat-oriented ghost stories were those three.
It was painfully obvious that two of them would be sent out for this battle.
Tap, tap.
The sound of microphone feedback reverberated through the space, followed by 404’s booming voice.
[Alright! Let’s get the broadcast started agai—…]
“Before that, I have a question.”
[Huh?]
I pointed to the first teddy bear tucked in my pocket and continued.
“Since I’ll be facing two opponents, I’d like to use this little guy. That won’t be a problem, will it?”
[…Hmm, well, a little balance adjustment should be fine.]
Once 404 gave permission for the first teddy bear to participate, his playful voice echoed through the space again.
[Then! Let’s really start the broadcast this time!]
“Go ahead.”
[Cue!!]
Whoosh!
With the broadcast’s ‘cue’ signal, the numerous cameras lighting up the coliseum all turned toward me at once.
—The broadcast had begun.
[‘Slaughter Squad,’ I hope none of you died waiting! But I’ve brought some incredible news!]
[For the first time ever… a special guest ‘Man with Black flame’ will be facing off in a ghost story battle!]
ㄴ. Hiiiiii~
ㄴ. Heh, looks fun~
ㄴ. Ugh! Kick out the tryhards!
The moment I saw my face zoomed in on the broadcast screen.
‘Should I wave or something?’
I gave a light wave to the camera filming me.
[This will be a 2-vs-1 battle! Of course, our senior brother is the ‘1’!]
‘Well, technically, I’m not alone, I have two.’
[Now, without further ado, let me introduce the ghost stories our Man with Black flame will be facing!]
ㄴ. Is it Eye-nim?
ㄴ. Obviously that gym freak.
ㄴ. Nooo, it’s Eye-nim!
Clank!
Rumble.
With a heavy, dull sound.
The iron cage positioned in a straight line began to rise.
Thud!
The sensation of something hitting the ground.
Flex!
Flex!
Beyond just intimidating downright grotesque, a muscular man emerged from inside the cage.
[Muscle loss! No! Muscle loss! No!]
Following right behind him.
[Like▒what▒video▒.]
Amidst the broken static, a slender adult male figure appeared, wearing an old, heavy metal-framed projector on his head.
The two ghost stories that had revealed themselves were like.
A brutish bully and a scrawny weakling.
‘The size difference is like five times.’
As soon as the opposing ghost stories had fully appeared, I pulled out the first teddy bear from my pocket.
Hop-hop!
Planting its left foot and right arm one after the other.
The teddy bear struck a triumphant pose, hands on its waist.
……Huh.
Cute.
Looking at my first teddy bear, I felt a slight sense of calm return.
Once both sides were ready, 404 continued the proceedings.
[Senior brother! Shall we begin?!]
“……”
Holding the white mask up to my face, I replied in a composed tone.
“Yes, let’s begin.”
[Then! The battle featuring the highly anticipated ‘Man with Black Flamer’ starts noooow!]
Whoosh!
[???]
A sharp gust of wind grazed my skin as a dark shadow loomed over the projector-headed guy.
[Like▒video▒.]
“Who even watches videos these days?”
The man’s left hand seized the projector.
Crunch!
“It’s all about OTT now.”
Without a moment’s hesitation.
The projector hurtled toward the dirt floor.
Boom!
Crack!
And shattered into pieces.
[………Huh?]
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