I know everyone is foaming at the mouth with rage over the delay, but I swear it was for a good cause—I had to do some research.
Anyway, this is the longest chapter I've ever written, 8000 words. Enjoy.
............
Checking the time, Alice sighed.
"It's already 4 a.m. I should sleep. I can finish the game tomorrow."
She lay down and closed her eyes.
"....."
"....."
"....."
"Gotta start with the strongest attack… heh heh heh."
"...She'll pay for this…"
"...."
"...."
"...."
"Look at me dodging… Tch, thinking you're so special."
"....."
"....."
"....."
"Just you wait…"
Alice kept murmuring and tossing in bed all night.
"Dammit, I couldn't sleep."
Grumpily getting up, Alice took a shower and went to the kitchen for breakfast. As soon as she entered, she saw Débora sitting at the table with a serious look, reading some reports.
The moment Débora saw Alice walk in, she turned off her holographic bracelet and smiled.
"Sweetheart, you're up early today."
"Couldn't sleep well… Did something happen? You look serious."
Sigh.
"Do you remember that game about androids?"
"Detroit?"
"Yes. I really think that game has a great message—it shows the new generation how things were in the past. It manages to both entertain and teach history to young people. So, I made some proposals to partner with the game. We could use it to reach people more easily. But those damn &^%$&% on the council keep wasting time on useless things, dragging out simple meetings for hours. Some even say games have been losing traction in recent years, so it's better not to get involved. It's maddening. They just want to sit around doing nothing while lining their pockets."
"Mom, you should relax a little. You know those old geezers better than anyone—they love using politics to stall and avoid doing anything."
"Tch, I can't just let this go. I need to secure this partnership while the game is still getting attention. Alice, I'm leaving everything here. Eat your breakfast, clean up afterward—I don't know when I'll be back."
Débora stood up and left, determined not to return until she got what she wanted. Alice quickly ate her breakfast, cleaned up, and started her exercises. By early afternoon, she immediately began her stream.
"Let's get started. This time, I'm finishing it."
Alice didn't talk much—she immediately opened the game.
"Oh, looks like someone here wants revenge."
"Can't wait to see you lose, hehehe."
"Finally! Let's go—I wanna see the ending!"
"No Dark Alice today?"
"What?! No Dark Alice? Nooo!"
Alice chuckled at the comments but quickly focused. She wasn't the best at this game, but dying this much was ridiculous. She opened the game and rushed straight into the fight, dying to the first combo.
"....."
"Hahaha, this is why I pay for the internet."
"You're weak. You lack DETERMINATION."
"Your LOVE is too low, hahaha."
Alice sighed and started again. Every time a new combo appeared, the solid-light controller flew into the wall.
"Seriously, the difficulty here is unreal… Come on."
She focused on the fight without even glancing at the chat. Before she knew it, it was already late afternoon, and she finally saw Sans starting to sweat.
"He's sweating! He's panting… Great, I think it's now—Dammit, the special move again! First, the bones come from below, then I go up and quickly zigzag between them, stop in the middle of the screen, go left, back to the middle, then up… He stopped… He stopped!"
[Well, that's it…
Survive THIS, and I'll show you my most special attack.]
"NOOOOO!"
Instant death.
"Hahaha, that was amazing."
"Couldn't even survive five seconds, hahaha."
"I'll be back tomorrow when you manage it."
It took 87 attempts for Alice to finally beat Sans. When Alex designed this fight, he made sure to ramp up the difficulty—he sped up the attacks. People in this universe had much faster reaction times, so to make this fight memorable, he went all out, ensuring everyone who played it had a bad day.
"YYYYYYEEEEEESSSSS! DIE, YOU DAMN THING! LET'S SEE YOU DODGE NOW, HAHAHA!"
[...Guess that's it?
Just… don't say I didn't warn you…
Well…
I'm heading to Grillby's…
…
…
…
Papyrus, you want anything?]
"....."
"....."
"....."
"Ugh, that ruined my mood."
Alice, who had been ecstatic about finally finishing the fight and celebrating with chat, immediately deflated at Sans' last words. After complaining a bit, she pressed on.
Upon reaching the throne room, she encountered Asgore, but at this point, she lost control of the character.
The protagonist approached the king, who had his back turned while talking to Flowey. They tried to talk, but a fight broke out, and the king fell to a single attack. Then Flowey appeared and finished him off.
Trembling with fear, he began to beg:
[See?
I never betrayed you!
It was all a trick, see?!
I was waiting to kill him for you!
After all, I'm your best friend.
I'm useful—I can be useful to you!
I promise… I won't get in your way…
I can help…
I can…
I can…
Please… don't kill me.]
But without responding, the protagonist attacked Flowey repeatedly, completely destroying him.
"Damn, that was brutal."
"I didn't even like him, but I feel bad."
"This is making me sick."
"Poor Flowey, just wanted a friend… to kill everyone with."
"Haha, this is what I was waiting for."
While chat debated, Alice kept watching. As soon as Flowey was killed, the protagonist slowly turned forward, staring directly at her. A slow, deep voice began to speak—it was hard to tell if it was masculine or feminine, but hearing it sent chills down her spine.
[Greetings, Alice.
I must thank you. Your power awakened me from death.
My 'human soul.' My 'determination.'
They weren't mine—they were yours. At first, I didn't understand.
Our plan had failed, hadn't it?
Why was I brought back to life?
But you… with your guidance, I realized the purpose of my rebirth.
Power.
Together, we eradicated the enemy and grew strong.
HP.
AT.
DEF.
GOLD.
EXP.
LV.
Every time a number increased, that feeling… That was me.
Do you understand?! You brought me back—your desire, your curiosity, your greed.
Now we've reached the absolute. Nothing remains for us here.
Let's erase this worthless world and move to the next.
ERASE. DON'T.]
"@#$%##&, what do I do? This is so unsettling."
Alice debated with chat for a bit but ultimately chose DON'T. But the moment she did, the character began laughing strangely—a laugh that grew louder before cutting to silence.
[But who said it's your choice?]
The character's face distorted, their eyes turning pitch black. With a manic laugh, they attacked the screen.
"AAAHHH!"
Alice flinched and raised her arms to shield herself.
[99999999999999999999999999999]
"Piece of crap game, I'm never playing this again… Ugh, my heart's racing, hahaha."
"Hahaha, look at her reaction!"
"Got full-body chills."
"My hands are shaking a little."
"I screamed so loud, everyone's staring at me."
Alice took a deep breath, staring at the screen.
"Uh… my game closed… Wait, no—it got deleted?"
Alice was lost and confused, but she wasn't alone. Many others had also reached the end of the genocide route, and thousands of videos and theories began popping up. People rushed to redownload the game after it self-deleted, attempting another genocide run to see what would happen. Others tried the pacifist route after genocide to see if anything changed. The game had millions of players constantly exchanging messages, searching for anything new.
Alice sat back in her chair, thinking about everything she'd seen in the game.
"Even though it's a childish game to some extent, when you think about it, this game says a lot about everything humanity went through before the era of peace.
The war with the Exceeds—no one knows how it started, but both sides were determined to wipe each other out.
How sometimes we just keep fighting, even if it's not the best path, not the best route.
This game has a really good message. I truly hope we can succeed in our pacifist route with the Exceeds and get a good ending, even if things are tough now."
.........
Time flew by—in the blink of an eye, the competition's end arrived quickly. But Alex wasn't focused on the numbers. Over the last few days, he, Daniel, and Albert had been working like precision machines. They had little time left to finish everything.
Daniel gathered his team to finish the trailer on time. Alex had demanded many different things—battles, monsters, grand fantasy kingdoms, glimpses of strange worlds, and...
Unique creatures. Daniel had never worked on anything like this before, so he had to rely on the storyboards Alex provided.
This trailer would be a grand showcase of many different works. Even though he didn't fully understand how all these pieces would fit together, he was just doing his part—after all, Alex was responsible for assembling the trailer himself.
Albert, on the other hand, wasn't as relaxed. Unlike Daniel, who only needed to follow the storyboards to finish his work, Albert had to collaborate with Maria and Alex to compose the musical scores and rehearse with the orchestra. The past few weeks had been extremely busy, and now that everything was almost done, he couldn't help but complain.
"Kid, I'm too old to work like this. If you want to pull off something like this again, you better give me way more notice."
"Haha, sorry… The idea for this ad campaign came up suddenly. Anyway, a spry 700-year-old like you still has plenty of energy left to work, hahaha!"
"Tch, aren't you ashamed of exploiting a kind, gentle old man like me?!"
"Stop whining. You love doing this, and besides, I noticed you and Grandma Mari have gotten closer."
"What are you talking about?! We've always been close."
While the two were casually chatting, Maria walked into the office.
"Who's gotten closer?!"
"Ah… Mari… it's nothing. Did you talk to them?"
Albert quickly changed the subject, but she didn't seem to mind, answering cheerfully.
"They responded. We'll be able to… Hmm, Alex, don't you have anything else to do?"
"Huh?! I… I was just checking on how things are going… But why?! Are you hiding something?"
"No, why?! Are you?"
"What?! You're acting weird—what are you hiding?!"
"I'm not hiding anything… Enough! Everything's fine here, you can go home."
With that, she started pushing Alex out the door.
"Wait, I—"
"Okay, Grandma loves you too, bye."
Maria shoved Alex out of the office and closed the door. With a happy smile, she turned to Albert.
"I did it."
"So they agreed… I spent days trying only to be ignored, but you just needed 40 minutes, and it's all set. As expected of the great Maria Belmont."
"Oh, stop flattering me, hehehe. I can't wait to see his face when he finds out."
..........
Kicked out of the office, Alex just shook his head. If the music was ready, that was all that mattered.
He went home and started editing the trailer. Even though he wasn't a professional, Alex had seen enough trailers to know how to build hype. Plus, he had plenty of tech at his disposal. He also sprinkled in various Easter eggs hinting at different projects he had planned.
"I have to admit, Daniel wasn't kidding—this looks amazing."
Alex was impressed by the quality of the footage he received. Everything was at an incredibly high level—the only issue was that Daniel had followed the storyboard exactly. While that wasn't necessarily bad, it was obvious he was afraid to change or add anything.
"I'll have to take things slow. With time, they'll probably loosen up."
In just two days, Alex finished assembling the trailer and began observing students from the design, art, and programming classes, looking for potential talent.
But it seemed that after he took Ed and Fred to the second phase of the competition, many students suddenly became eager when they saw him.
(Hmph, as if any of you are good enough to catch my attention.)
Not finding anyone he considered skilled enough, he gave up on recruiting anyone else.
......….
Soon, the day of the trip arrived. Unlike before, the award ceremony wouldn't be held in virtual space. The competition's finale drew a massive audience, and hosting it physically on the capital planet made it even more spectacular.
Alex and Melissa got a one-month leave from school to attend the event. The two packed their things and got ready to leave. When they reached the living room, they saw their parents whispering.
"Don't forget—stay away from any government virtual spaces. I already asked Liza to activate all cloaking programs. He shouldn't be able to find you… I think."
([N/A: Liza is the family AI. I mentioned her a while back.])
"Damn it, Mark, why don't you go?"
"Are you crazy?! If he finds me, you'll never see this handsome face again!"
"Stop being such a drama queen."
"First of all, it's drama king. Second of all, what do you think will happen if he finds me?"
"....."
"Ugh… Fine. But you owe me a wish. And also—"
"What?! That's not fair! This is a life-or-death situation, you—"
Catharina, who was pouting at Mark's complaints, noticed the kids watching them from the doorway and quickly covered his mouth.
"What are you two eavesdropping on?!"
Melissa eyed them suspiciously.
"You're in the living room—no one was eavesdropping! What are you even talking about?!"
Mark rolled his eyes.
"Nothing. Just your mom trying to weasel a wish out of me."
"I'm not weaseling anything! It's a fair deal."
Watching them like this, Alex couldn't help but be curious.
"one wish?"
"Hmph. Cath and I made a kind of promise back in our military days. Whenever one of us saves the other's life, that person gets a wish. They can ask for anything, no matter what, and it has to be done."
"Yeah, and your dad's racked up eight wishes, while I… Well, never mind. I'm about to get another one."
Alex and Melissa exchanged suspicious glances. Melissa couldn't resist asking:
"And why do you want a wish now?"
"Is there something going on that we don't know about?"
"Hmm… Well… It's nothing serious… We were just talking about your great-grandfather?"
Mark spoke reluctantly—he clearly didn't want to discuss it—so Catharina cut the conversation short.
"Alright, enough questions. Are you two ready? Let's go—I don't want to miss our flight."
"Wait, we have a great-grandfather?! How come you never—"
Without letting Melissa finish complaining, Catharina gave Mark a quick kiss and started pushing the kids out. Despite their protests, she just tossed them into the car and drove quickly to the spaceport.
Once there, they quickly forgot about the earlier conversation. Alex stared at a massive tower that literally extended beyond the atmosphere, connected to a giant spaceflight terminal. He couldn't help but feel excited as he entered the tower, taking in everything around him. Melissa wasn't much different, and Catharina couldn't help but smile at their enthusiasm.
"Excited?! This'll be your first time leaving our galaxy!"
"Yeah, I can hardly believe it."
Alex was genuinely thrilled—but also stunned. In his time, humanity dreamed of setting foot on Mars. Now, they could casually travel across galaxies. Even though he'd read about it and seen images, experiencing it firsthand was completely different.
They quickly checked in with an attendant and stepped into an elevator.
(I can't wait to see everything this universe has to offer.)
Alex didn't even notice the elevator moving. Just as he was about to ask why it had stopped, the doors opened, revealing the spaceport bustling with thousands of people.
"That… was fast."
"Alright, stay close and don't get lost. Our boarding's in 30 minutes—let's go."
Catharina quickly led them through the crowd while Alex looked around in awe. The entire dome of the terminal was transparent, letting him see everything outside. As he approached one of the massive glass walls, he could see half the planet.
(Damn, my heart's racing. Seeing this in photos and seeing it in person—there's no comparison… Look at that curvature. Wonder what flat-Earthers would say now.)
While Alex was marveling at the vastness before him, Catharina wasn't impressed at all. In fact, she was pretty annoyed.
"These competition people made a fortune off your games, but they couldn't even give us a direct flight? Ridiculous."
Alex raised an eyebrow in interest.
"Direct flight?"
"Yeah, you know—the ships that go straight from one planet to another. But they just gave us a basic ticket."
Alex just laughed. Of course the competition wouldn't give every participant a direct flight.
A direct flight wasn't much different from taking a private jet—you didn't need to go to a spaceport, just head to the launch site and input your destination. But that was obviously extremely expensive. After all, human territory spanned countless galaxies—giving direct flights to every participant would be idiotic.
Getting first-class tickets was already great. The main difference was that this wasn't a direct planet-to-planet trip but rather a journey to a central space station in each galaxy, from which you'd board another ship to your destination.
Pretty much everyone in the universe used this travel system—which was also why teleportation research had been so intense in recent years.
"What's so funny? These guys made a killing off you two. A direct flight would've been the least they could do."
"They made some money, but I doubt it was as much as people think. All the games are free—their revenue comes mostly from sponsorships… But whatever. We've got first-class tickets, and I plan to enjoy them."
The three chatted for a while before finally boarding. The trip would take two days, so they were given separate rooms, all expenses paid. As soon as they entered, Catharina grabbed Melissa and immediately vanished into the spa area, saying they were going to enjoy a nice massage.
She invited Alex, but he refused and headed to the observation deck instead. However, unlike what he'd imagined, all he could see were streaks of color flashing by at dizzying speeds. He didn't really understand how this kind of travel worked—and he wasn't too interested in learning.
Since there wasn't much to see outside, he spent the next two days enjoying himself as much as possible—eating, drinking, and trying everything available. Unfortunately, Alex couldn't visit the Galactic Euphoria zone, as it was restricted to those over 60.
But what neither Alex nor Melissa knew was that while they were asleep, Catharina called Mark, activated neural link mode with a solid-light construct, and happily entered the adults-only area—only leaving over 18 hours later.
"Mom, where were you? I wanted to go to the shooting competition, but you disappeared."
"Hahaha, sorry, Meli. Mommy was busy. But how about we go for a swim?"
"Hmm… Okay."
Alex eyed Catharina suspiciously. Last night, he thought he'd heard his father's voice in the hallway—but he decided not to dwell on it.
The two days passed quickly. After enjoying what they could, the three disembarked at the Central Galaxy space station and boarded another ship to the capital planet. This time, the trip only took an hour.
The moment Alex set foot on the capital, he was stunned. Watching people swarm in every direction, he was reminded of the crowded streets of Japan—it was like staring at an anthill.
"Let's go. There should be a car waiting for us around here."
It didn't take long to find the car sent to take them to the hotel. Along the way, Alex studied the city with deep interest. If Night City in Cyberpunk was impressive, this place was downright surreal—skies filled with flying cars, buildings of impossible heights.
But unlike Night City, which was vibrant and full of life (even while hiding humanity's worst), the capital, Gwyddno, felt strangely… lifeless
Colorless, giving off a constant sense of solemnity. The entire planet was covered in metal, its climate controlled by technology, with thousands of orbital launch towers stretching straight into space stations. This place felt more like a machine than a planet.
(Damn, what is this? Did Zack Snyder design this city? Why is everything so gray?! I really want to change this.)
After arriving at the hotel, Alex began reviewing his trailer. Coming to this city only strengthened his resolve to influence people in this universe—even if just a little at a time.
.............
Alex wasn't the only one who had traveled to the capital planet. All the finalists were already on their way, and even the semifinalists were there with their families and friends. This event was shaping up to be one of the biggest ever held by the Game Designer Competition.
This edition of the competition was seen as a way to breathe life into the dying gaming industry—and it was working. The entire entertainment industry was watching.
And William Freeman knew this very well. The moment the competition ended, a war would break out among the biggest gaming corporations in the universe, all vying to recruit the top thousand participants.
The only reason these companies were still waiting was because the organizers had banned any recruitment attempts before the finale. This was partly to protect the competitors' focus, but mostly to prevent corporations from poaching the best talent before the finals.
After all, if competitors were offered billion-dollar deals, would they even bother finishing the competition?
Usually, companies ignored these rules and did as they pleased—but this time was different. The government was sponsoring the event, meaning not a single participant had been approached yet. But once this was over, the bidding war would begin.
(This will be great for everyone who managed to catch even a little attention… except for that guy.)
William sat in an armchair on the balcony of a rented apartment in the capital, watching the nighttime cityscape below. His father walked in cheerfully, carrying several shopping bags.
"Will, look at all the stuff I bought! Hahaha, it's been over 80 years since your mother and I last visited the capital. Hmm… What's with the serious face? Nervous? I know I've said this before, but I'm sure you'll win. Even though I'm not a gamer, I can tell how fun and well-made your game is."
"Haha, don't worry, Dad. I'm not nervous. In fact, I already know the outcome."
"Good! A man should be confident. Hahaha! Come on, kid, I bought a bunch of stuff for you."
Father and son chatted for a while before heading to bed. William lay in bed, arms behind his head, staring at the ceiling.
"I really do know the outcome of this competition… and I have no chance of winning. But I wonder—why is this so exciting? I can't wait to see what that guy presents this time. Whatever it is, I won't fall behind."
William was fully aware of his game's flaws. He had created unique mechanics based on his family's history and archives, along with extensive research on both ancient and modern machines. While developing "The World in Your Hands," he had been immersed in the thrill of creating something new—refining his imagination into something tangible. The sense of accomplishment was incredible.
But when it was time to submit the game, he realized many of his ideas were still in their infancy, needing much more polish.
Then he played God of War—and the difference was staggering. That game had mature, refined mechanics. Technically speaking, God of War felt like the final product of an entire series. Usually, new mechanics or gameplay styles require multiple iterations—testing audience reactions, studying what works, and slowly refining the best parts.
But God of War seemed to skip that process entirely, jumping straight to perfection. And seeing that didn't just unsettle William—it excited him. Many professionals in the field felt the same mix of anxiety and anticipation.
If Alexandre had released this game on his own, people would've assumed a team of designers was behind it, with him just being the face. But since the competition was government-backed, that theory was impossible.
".... Damn it."
Lost in thought, William couldn't sleep. He got up and returned to the balcony, watching the city below.
"I'm genuinely excited for the future."
............
Alexandre Lockhart's POV
............
I'm not usually the type to feel pressure over work. I always believe that no matter how bad things seem, there's always a way to fix them.
But right now, my hands are sweating. My left eye is twitching slightly. My feet won't stay still for a second.
(It's fine. I've been planning this moment for years. Everything will work out.)
Inside the competitors' exclusive car, I kept trying to calm myself. Ten years—that's how long I've been shaping this crazy idea in my head. Now, looking at my holographic bracelet, I can see the first step of putting this plan into motion.
Once I release this trailer, chaos will follow. All eyes will be on me.
(Damn… Why am I getting nervous now? 'You'll calm down with time'—bullshit. I'm shaking in my boots.)
Lost in my thoughts, I didn't even glance at the city outside or check the messages flooding my bracelet. I closed my eyes, mentally rehearsing everything I needed to remember when I stepped on stage.
"We're here."
I opened my eyes to see a massive stage where the awards ceremony would take place. Taking a deep breath, I stepped out of the car. People greeted me, then quickly ushered me into preparations—reviewing schedules, handing me my outfit.
After showering and changing, a woman informed me I should join the other competitors. The event would start soon. I nodded, then double-checked with her about my trailer's presentation.
I'd already discussed it with the organizers, but I wanted to be sure. She promised to verify and escorted me to the waiting room.
Inside, I recognized a few faces but stayed silent, sitting in an armchair until my name was called.
(I can't hear anything… This place must have acoustic dampening. How many people did they say would be here? 20 or 30 million?
That number's insane—but to create the living universe I envision, I'll need to captivate far more than just gamers. I'll need talent working with me.)
Thinking about future recruitment and strategies helped calm me—until I noticed the flood of messages on my bracelet. Some from Mom, a few from Dad, others from Meli, all wishing me luck and telling me not to stress.
I replied, which eased my nerves further. But I couldn't stop thinking about Jade. She hadn't sent a single message. Yesterday, she'd said she was too busy to respond.
Sighing, I kept typing, my mind drifting to future plans. Before I knew it, time had flown by—and a woman stepped in, addressing all of us.
"Everyone ready? No need to be nervous. Remember the last interview—just go on stage and act like you did then, okay?"
I took a deep breath, glancing around at the tense faces. Unlike them, my anxiety wasn't about the competition's outcome—but what came after.
Wiping my sweaty palms on my pants, I followed the others into the hallway. The silent corridor felt endless, the sound of nervous breaths around me deafening.
"Okay, up these stairs, you'll reach backstage. Wait for your names, then enter."
Her eyes scanned us before she smiled.
"Try not to stress too much. Enjoy the experience."
With that, she stepped aside. I didn't hesitate, climbing the stairs—and the moment my foot touched the first step, the atmosphere shifted.
"AAAAAAHHH!"
"OOOOOH!"
Screams. Cheers. Music. My ears nearly burst. The air itself felt hotter. Glancing back, I spotted a semi-transparent barrier—probably soundproofing.
At the top, hundreds of crew members rushed around. A man hurried over, telling me to wait—they'd call us soon.
It didn't take long. Within minutes, the noise exploded as the host took the stage, engaging the crowd with jokes before finally announcing:
"I think it's time for today's stars to appear! First up—Alexandre Lockhart!"
My turn.
I exhaled, wiped my hands one last time, and stepped forward. The blinding stage lights made me squint—but when my vision cleared, my heart lurched.
Before me was an ocean of people—a crowd so vast it literally vanished into the horizon.
I've lived through all kinds of experiences, but this was overwhelming. Just as my mind started blanking, a soft, sweet voice whispered near my ear—
Then, music.
A gentle violin. A piano. More instruments. Voices.
Looking downstage, I saw a massive orchestra—Albert conducting—and beside them, a stunning choir. Front and center stood Jade, in a gorgeous green dress, her signature black makeup, long curly black hair with a single green streak.
Even from a distance, I could see her smile.
All my nervousness vanished—or at least, most of it.
I couldn't help but grin. Why was I so tense? Wasn't I doing this because I loved it? Sighing, I flashed my brightest smile and walked to the host.
As I moved center-stage, a giant hologram lit up above, showcasing scenes from my games—Detroit, then Journey, then God of War. The crowd roared, applause shaking the venue.
I raised my arms, waving before shaking the host's hand.
"Alexandre! Great to see you. So—nervous? Today marks the end of a four-year journey. How are you feeling?"
My gaze flicked to the family section—Mom and Meli waving wildly—then to the orchestra. I just smiled.
"Confident… No, extremely confident. And excited for the future."
"Haha! That's the answer everyone expected from you."
The crowd erupted.
"So arrogant!"
"You'll lose!"
"That's how you do it!"
"God of War 2!"
"#$%&##!"
Cheers, boos, even some curses—but I just kept smiling. The host laughed before asking more questions, then called the other finalists.
Like before, the hologram displayed their games. But one stood out—William Freeman.
Taller than me, dark-haired, tan skin. His games were the only ones in this competition I'd genuinely enjoyed. He was real talent.
(Once this is over, I'll talk to him. If I can train him right, he'll be a huge asset.)
No time to dwell, though. The host soon gathered us for lighthearted banter about our four-year journey. Then the judges entered, praising our work before showcasing their companies' upcoming games—trailers that sent the crowd wild.
It reminded me of the past, when corporations unveiled games at massive events.
Each judge gave speeches, dragging the ceremony on for hours—until finally, the voting began.
Tension spiked. One judge stepped forward.
"Four years—that's how long these young designers have dedicated to this competition. We've witnessed their talent, their determination. They all deserve applause."
The crowd erupted. The sound was deafening, lasting minutes before fading.
"But… only one can win.
After extensive deliberation, analyzing this competition's themes… The result is clear. And so, it's my honor to announce the winner of the 91st Youth Game Designer Competition…
ALEXANDRE LOCKHART!!!"
"OOOooooOOOuuuuuOoo!!!"
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM.
Screams. Cheers. Fireworks blotted out the sky. Holographic confetti rained down.
I exhaled—a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
The host pulled me center-stage as the holograms flashed highlights.
"Alexandre Lockhart—the youngest winner in this competition's history! At just 21, he created three games that shocked, amazed, and captivated gamers across the universe!"
As she spoke, I saw Mom and Meli jumping, celebrating. Jade hugged her choir, beaming.
I didn't even notice my eyes turning slightly red.
............…
Third-Person POV
............…
Back at the Lockhart residence, Mark, Monica, Jade's grandmother, Fred, and Ed watched the broadcast.
"YEEESSS! I TOLD YOU! MY SON WAS NEVER GONNA LOSE! HAHAHA!"
Fred leaped up.
"He won… HE WON! HAHAHA! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!"
"Truly impressive, at least one of my granddaughters knows how to choose a boyfriend."
"My son really is incredible… haha, he got emotional, I think it's the first time I've seen him like this since he got into this gaming stuff."
(You really grew up, kid, even if it's a different path from mine… I'm proud of you.)
...................
Emília, who was watching in her virtual space with some friends she made while talking about Undertale, was also celebrating.
One of the girls jumped joyfully in celebration before stopping and looking at the others.
"Now that he's won, we can show our support and take the chance to ask for an Undertale 2."
"That's a great idea, let's talk to the site's staff to help push for it."
Without anyone noticing, a terrifyingly organized swarm of kids would start flooding DreamHeart's entire website, demanding a sequel to Undertale—and this would go on for decades.
..................…..
On campus, in a large hall with over a thousand students from the design class, everyone was watching the awards ceremony. They were all celebrating, even the professor was there. He looked around with a big smile.
(As expected, you really won… I guess a new path will open for these kids… Maybe I can start helping them bring their imaginations to life again?)
.................
POV: Alexandre Lockhart
.................
I stopped at the center of the stage with everyone's eyes on me. Some assistants approached with a large trophy, seemingly carved from some translucent stone.
I held the trophy and felt my nose sting a little. My entire life, I dreamed of creating a gaming company, of making something that would engage people, something meaningful in some way.
But who would've thought that after spending a whole lifetime failing to achieve that dream, I'd do it thousands of years in the future? I raised the trophy amid the applause.
"Congratulations, Alexandre, do you have something to say?"
I stopped at the center of the stage, took a deep breath, and tried to gather my thoughts.
"You can cry, kid."
"Hahaha"
The judges started joking. I wiped my reddened eyes.
"Oh, shut up, haha… I don't need to cry. I'll save that for when I achieve what I want.
I've always seen games as more than just a bit of entertainment. I believe it's possible to create something that can truly move and change people, something that can inspire and influence someone's life."
(I've seen it happen—games growing bigger and bigger, changing the lives of both those who make them and those who play them.)
"That's why my dream is to create something that will reach everyone in the universe, something that will change how people see this industry, something that will change lives, something that will create friendships, that will create unforgettable moments.
That's exactly why I won't stop until I become number one."
At that moment, the hologram above the stage suddenly expanded, covering the entire sky and creating a starry night, leaving the entire audience stunned. I spoke loudly, making my voice echo.
"Today will be my first step toward making that dream come true."
With those words, my trailer began. A soft melody started playing, and slowly, two pairs of blue hands appeared—one resting lightly on legs, the other slowly joining just above. Then, a calm, soothing voice began to speak.
"It happened a long time ago, but when I remember, I see it clearly."
The scene slowly shifted to a mist-covered forest with shadowy figures darting swiftly between the trees.
"On a night with winter mist, the Rune of Death was stolen, and the demigods began to fall, starting with Godwyn the Golden."
The scene changed to show a man with long golden hair fallen, a deep gash on his back. Then, something seemed to crawl under his skin—his eyes opened and rolled back.
"Queen Marika was pushed to the brink. The Shattering followed, then a war that brought only darkness. The Elden Ring was broken—but by whom? And for what reason?"
The scene showed a gigantic golden tree, pulling back to reveal a massive castle under siege by an army.
"But what did the demigods hope to gain from the war?"
Then, shifting again, a battlefield covered in corpses, spears, swords, and broken weapons scattered on the ground, the sky blood-red, casting a morbid atmosphere.
A woman with long red hair, a mechanical arm with a blade, stood before a giant man clad in golden armor, arms crossed, two massive black-bladed swords planted in the ground beside him.
"The Conqueror of the Stars, General Radahn."
The man crouched slightly, reached for his swords, and at that moment, everything trembled. Drawing the swords, stones flew in all directions.
At that moment, the production team activated wind effects, sending a gust of air through the audience, making people scream in surprise—this was an unprecedented use of holograms and practical effects.
"What is this?"
"My hair!"
"So strong!"
The narrator's voice spoke again.
"And the Blade of Miquella, Malenia the Severed."
Malenia charged at Radahn, but with one strike, he tore off her prosthetic, catching the blade mid-air. Seizing the opportunity, she jumped onto his shoulders and drove the blade into his chest.
Realizing she couldn't win, tentacles wrapped around Malenia, forming strange orange flower buds before blooming in an explosion of energy.
The gust of wind blew again, forcing the audience to squint. The scene shook as if the 'camera' filming the fight had been hit, pulling back to show the entire battlefield—then an area being consumed by rot.
The scene continued pulling back faster and faster until everything blurred, spinning through the void until a world appeared. Diving into it, a battlefield could be seen—a tall man in plate armor holding a two-handed sword. The music sped up as a choir began to sing.
Then, a woman with black hair, violet eyes, and a beautiful face appeared, riding swiftly through the war. But the man blocked her path, and with one strike, beheaded her horse, sending her tumbling. At that moment, a raven appeared and suddenly lunged at the man, piercing his eye and bursting out the back of his head.
The woman stood and began to flee. The raven quickly followed, leaving a trail of smoke. She kept running until she found herself facing an army drawing their bows and firing at the enemy forces.
Then, the two armies clashed. Trapped between them, she closed her eyes and focused. Her necklace began to glow brightly. She crouched, picked up a small stone—it froze. The scene spun behind her, showing an army of knights charging toward her.
Without thinking, she threw the stone at the knights and curled up on the ground. Then, everything began to shake. The audience watching also felt the ground tremble and had to hold onto each other to keep balance. In the trailer, stone spikes erupted from the ground, impaling the knights. The tremors knocked the horses down, burying the riders.
The 'camera' shook as if startled and pulled back, showing the woman grabbing a horse and fleeing the battlefield. The raven flew beside her but suddenly dissolved, leaving behind a silver raven skull.
The scene focused on the small skull, then a gloved hand suddenly grabbed it. The entire environment shifted, showing the war had already ended. Pulling back slightly, a man with feline eyes appeared, wearing chainmail armor and a wolf-head necklace.
"She passed through here."
The man stood as his necklace began to tremble.
Looking around, several four-legged monsters appeared. He slowly drew one of the two swords on his back, and the scene showed him head-on. The man raised his hand, unleashing a jet of fire straight at the 'camera.'
A blast of hot wind hit the audience, making them sweat. The 'camera' was sent flying, rapidly retreating, leaving the planet. Once again, the scene spun but quickly entered another planet.
The choir changed—the women gave way to the men as a new song began.
The scene rapidly descended into the planet, arriving at an ancient village. All the buildings were made of stone, covered in snow, with people wearing strange, rough-spun clothes.
At that moment, a cold wind swept through the audience, making everyone shiver.
In the trailer, everyone was fleeing from something—except one man walking against the crowd. He wore leather armor, wielded a one-handed sword, and had a helmet covering everything above his nose, with two forward-curving horns.
The choir began to sing, the music growing louder. Then, a dragon landed before the man with a massive impact. But fearlessly, the man shouted:
"FUS RO DAH!!!"
A sonic explosion erupted, throwing everything back—even the 'camera'—sending the scene soaring over a beautiful mountain. But as it reached the peak, an enormous dragon appeared, roaring at the sky. It circled the mountain as the choir's voices grew louder, electrifying the crowd.
The scene spun, showing the dragon near a cliff. The man ran forward, then leaped off the cliff toward the dragon, gripping his sword with both hands above his head. At that moment, the music and choir reached a crescendo.
[Dovahkiin, Dovahkiin, naal ok zin los vahriin
wah dein vokul mahfaeraak ahst vaal!
ahrk fin norok paal graan fod nust hon zindro zaan
Dovahkiin, fah hin kogaan mu draal!]
As the two collided mid-air, a massive sonic boom erupted, throwing the 'camera' back again. The scene continued retreating, returning to space, leaving the galaxy and entering another, falling onto another world.
The scene arrived at a vast open field. The music was calm, peaceful—but then, battle cries and roars began to sound. Slowly, the music shifted, becoming more energetic.
A group of four appeared, fighting a massive monster. They wielded abnormally large weapons, using strategy to quickly defeat the beast.
The fight ended, and the group celebrated at a campsite. A cat walking on two legs was grilling food for them. Excited, they each grabbed a cup and raised a toast—but before the cups could clink, everything began to shake.
A distant mountain started moving. The music intensified as the mountain simply stood up—it wasn't a mountain, but a colossal monster. It roared, shaking the ground and trees.
The small group spoke in their own language, but instead of fear, they seemed excited. Grabbing their weapons, they stuffed meat into their mouths and charged at the monster. The little cat just waved at them.
As if fleeing, the scene pulled back again, rapidly leaving the planet. Slowly spinning in space, a seemingly wrecked spaceship floated into view. The audience's curiosity piqued as the scene approached the ship. The upbeat music stopped.
Jade stood in front of the choir. She began singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"—her voice slow, calm, the accompaniment extremely soft. Her voice felt like a whisper in the audience's ears, making them uneasy.
The scene crept closer. Inside the ship, the sight of dismembered bodies appeared. Each corpse flashed a brief scene of their death—grotesque monsters slaughtering everyone aboard.
Then, heavy footsteps approached. A man in strange armor walked carefully, a tube with some green liquid strapped to his back.
Holding a gun with three laser sights, he moved cautiously—when suddenly, a creature over 8 feet tall dropped from the ceiling in front of him.
The monster was thin, with claw-like arms extending from its shoulders, its chest split open, filled with rotting flesh. Its head was a human skull covered in meat scraps.
The audience shuddered seeing the creature up close.
In the trailer, the man didn't hesitate. The gun's sights shifted from vertical to horizontal—with one shot, the creature was bisected at the waist.
As if it were nothing, he stepped over the monster—but then, it lashed out, grabbing his leg. The man simply dodged and crushed its skull under his boot.
But now, Jade's voice grew slightly louder. The man turned to see the room filled with monsters—some like the last, some crawling, some lurking in darkness.
The scene pulled back as if fleeing, the ship floating in space as the music ended. Continuing to retreat, a massive ring-shaped structure appeared, a habitable world inside. But as if tired of strangeness, the scene kept pulling back.
A gigantic space station came into view—millions of beings lived there peacefully. Humans and Exceeds, but also dozens of other races: blue-skinned women, others with slightly curved legs and elongated heads splitting into small horns, gray-skinned humans with four eyes, frog-like bipeds in heavy armor, large, obese figures in full-body suits and breathing masks, thin masked beings, huge furry creatures, giant slugs, tiny ant-like children.
Countless races appeared, but as if exhausted, the 'camera' kept retreating until stopping at another planet. This time, it settled on a small riverside meadow. The music was calm and soft, a cool breeze washing over the audience, making them relax instinctively.
The scene showed a small snail crawling slowly, its shell a perfect spiral. Focusing on the spiral, a girl's voice spoke:
"I've looked everywhere, but he just vanished."
The scene rose slowly, revealing a teenage couple talking nearby. The boy looked exhausted, covered in sweat, his face slightly desperate.
"I… I think I know where he might be… but…"
He trembled, his face contorting as if remembering something terrible. He quickly turned and ran. The girl, saying nothing, followed.
The soft music shifted, becoming heavier and darker. The scene followed the teens as they reached the boy's house. He rushed to the backyard—there stood a wooden shed.
With trembling hands, the boy slowly opened the door. The place was slightly dark. In the center of the shed was a large wooden container. Approaching slowly, the boy gripped the lid and, with shaking hands, lifted it.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH"
[N/A: Here's the image, but if you're sensitive, dislike bizarre things, or have never seen anything by Junji Ito, it's better not to look. You've been warned.]
Inside the container was a man perfectly twisted into a flawless spiral. The audience gasped, chilled—even in a universe full of war and death, this scene made people pale, a shiver crawling up their spines. But it didn't end there.
The girl ran outside and vomited. The boy collapsed to the ground, crying. The scene trembled, radiating deep dread to those watching.
The scene pulled back as if fleeing. As it retreated, the city could be seen—transformed, every structure arranged into perfect spirals. Pulling back further, the continents themselves were spiraling.
The scene spun and fled even faster. After leaving the planet, it turned again, revealing a gigantic eye behind it—formed by a spiral, its iris also a massive spiral ending in a tiny dot: the planet the scene had just left.
The unnerving music peaked, leaving people deeply unsettled. But the trailer wasn't over. The scene fled from the eye, escaping the galaxy. Seconds later, it entered another planet and stopped atop a frozen mountain.
The music shifted, calm and light. The scenery was beautiful and serene, offering relief—until a radio interference sound crackled.
The scene trembled slightly, as if nervous, and slowly approached the noise.
"Lara… hearing… need to return."
A woman appeared, climbing the mountain. She was shivering, but her eyes burned with determination.
"I'm fine… Almost there… I know it's here."
She kept climbing. Soon, she reached the summit. As she pulled herself up, the moment her hand touched the ground, the entire environment shifted—her hand became a blood-covered man's hand.
"Nathan, you're alive?"
The scene pulled back, showing a man covered in wounds, clothes stained with blood.
"I'm fine… Actually, I'm great… I… found it."
The screen split—Lara on the left, facing an ice-covered cave; Nathan on the right, standing before an identical cave overgrown with moss and plants.
They entered. At the back of the cave, both took a deep breath. Ancient scribbles covered the walls. At the center, above, was a creature: an octopus head, demon wings, a shadowy humanoid body. Above it, a phrase read:
"THE CULT OF CTHULHU." x2
BOOOOM.
A thunderous crash. Everything shook. Lara turned her head. Then Nathan. Then Kratos. Rapidly, dozens of characters appeared—some from the trailer, some new—all turning their heads in the same direction.
The audience screamed as a tremor and gust of wind swept over them.
For the first time, the scene cut directly to space. A crack appeared—then expanded impossibly fast, from the size of a moon to a planet, then dozens, hundreds, a galaxy, thousands. The rift seemed ready to tear the universe apart.
The music swelled—then stopped. The crack was so vast that galaxies looked like tiny stars around it. From within, grotesque, terrifying sounds emerged.
The narrator's voice from the trailer's beginning returned:
"And so we dwell in a broken universe, awaiting the Elden Lord."
The scene zoomed in, revealing indistinct, sobering creatures. Then, a gigantic claw emerged and clenched around the scene.
Simultaneously, the hologram projected a claw lunging at the audience, making everyone scream in terror.
Silence. Then, after a few seconds, a familiar melody began. Gears slowly appeared, interlocking and turning. When they aligned, a logo everyone knew emerged:
[DreamHeart].
[Presents]
[Project Omega]
"...."
"...."
"...."
"...."
"OOOOooooOOOOOooooOuuuUuuu."
...............…
Finally finished this chapter. I already had an idea of how the universe the protagonist was creating would work, but it was somewhat abstract.
So, over the last few weeks, I researched other stories—but all followed the same path: the protagonist creates a "lobby" where players gather before entering games.
But I wanted something more integrated, a single universe, like Ready Player One.
Now I know how to make it work. Anyway, sorry for the delay, but it was necessary.
I wanted to include so much in this trailer—Warhammer, Assassin's Creed, Persona, Chrono Trigger, and others—but I was already late, and this chapter was too long. They'll have to wait.