"I was so upset, but now I can't help but laugh. Did I really pay this much for a game?!"
"Anyway, I refuse to accept this ending! If anything, the earlier endings are the real ones!"
"By the way... is it possible that the only difference between the fake and true endings is that we didn't see the truth, not the other way around?"
"Shut up!!"
"I was wrong, I was so wrong. Doubting sensei's script!!"
"Once again, I've been destroyed by the master's genius, and now I feel like I've lost all hope..."
"This pain is deeper than any other I've ever felt!"
"I haven't even played The Witch's House yet, and I'm so confused. Isn't it just an extra item? Why has everyone's opinion changed so fast?"
"At first, we all didn't understand the plot, so we had shallow interpretations! It turns out, it wasn't the creator's story that was the issue, it was us! We were too stupid!!"
"Not played The Witch's House yet? Bastard! Stop reading these posts and go play it right now!!"
"Exactly! Go play it! This game is amazing!!"
"I'm off to recommend it to my friends. I won't allow anyone around me to not have played this game."
"Is it possible I've already recommended it to everyone?"
"This game is so excellent, everyone has to play it!"
""
At first, players were expressing their pain, but as the tide shifted, the mood quickly changed.
Now, those who had discovered the truth, while heartbroken, were also taking action.
If the creator's previous works had brought sadness followed by a shift to hope and understanding, The Witch's House only left behind total despair.
From every angle, all that could be felt was pain. After experiencing that pain, there was no way to recover.
So...
"Let's spread it!"
"I can't be the only one feeling this pain!"
"Everyone should experience the love and beauty that The Witch's House brings!"
[195] Damn it, thank you so much!!
The next day, Sunday.
Early in the morning, Akifumi logged into his Steam creator's account, following his usual habit from the previous day.
The sales numbers that appeared on the screen made his eyes widen in disbelief.
"No way!?"
The last time he checked before going to bed, the sales were just over 180,000.
Now it's 274,655!!
A nearly 100,000-unit increase in sales overnight!
It's not even the first day of release. Even with a feature on the recommended page, this is way too ridiculous!?
"What the hell happened?"
What exactly is going on here?
The sales boost from the anime adaptation of Steins;Gate only lasted for a short while after the airing. By 11 PM, the sales had already stabilized.
Yet, in less than 10 hours...
"That means nearly 10,000 units per hour!?"
Even on a Friday release day, such numbers were unheard of!
"So, what exactly happened during these 10 hours!?"
With this thought, he instinctively opened the game's review section.
"An amazing game! I was in tears after finishing the ending!!"
"A classmate recommended this to me. After playing, I realized how incredible it is! I'll definitely 'thank him' properly when I see him on Monday!"
"The gameplay and storyline are irreplaceable masterpieces!!"
"From this game, I felt the indescribable essence of Love and hope."
"This is the best horror and puzzle-solving game I've ever played!!"
"Even without considering the genre, this is an absolute masterpiece!!"
"The must-play game of the year!"
"..."
"Huh!?"
At a glance, the review section was filled with nothing but praise. The overwhelming positivity stood out like a beacon.
Even players who had previously left one-star reviews had edited their comments and ratings!
The harmony and praise were so surreal that Akifumi almost thought he was witnessing a review bombing.
But that was impossible.
On Steam, players can only leave reviews after playing for more than two hours.
That means every review was genuine!
If he had actually paid for fake reviews, he wouldn't even break even.
"Then what exactly is going on here?"
Before going to bed, the reviews were still mixed.
How did the comment section completely flip overnight!?
Instinctively, he refreshed the page.
Akifumi's eyes narrowed.
"Damn it! You bitch! How the hell did you feel 'Love and hope' from such a despair-filled story!? Isn't it nothing but despair!? Just thinking about the plot makes my brain tremble!! What kind of twisted story is this!? Is the developer even human!? Aaaaaahhhh!!"
The sheer despair and resentment in the comment could be felt through the screen.
But what caught Akifumi's attention was the reply below it.
"Yo~hooooooo!"
"Nice! Another newbie trapped! Keep up the good work, guys!!"
"Feeling hopeless, huh? Feeling miserable, huh? Just imagine how much better you'd feel if someone shared that pain with you."
"I'm feeling absolutely euphoric right now!"
"See all those positive reviews? That's our will! You got that?"
When Akifumi refreshed the page again, the original comment had mysteriously disappeared, replaced by a new one.
"This is the best game I've played this year!! "
"Tsk."
Akifumi clicked his tongue and then smirked.
"This guys are really something else."
He couldn't deny it. Their strategy was working perfectly.
After all, the glaring sales figures on the creator's dashboard don't lie!
To the players who were eagerly pulling others into the pit, Akifumi only had three words to say...
"Keep it up!"
While the players were enjoying the twisted satisfaction of dragging others into despair, Akifumi was not only having fun but also raking in the profits.
Humming a cheerful tune, Akifumi walked out of his room.
"Mugiho-kun seems to be in a great mood today," Mahiru said curiously.
"The game is selling like crazy."
Mahiru tilted her head. "But when your manga sold well, you weren't this happy."
"It's different this time."
Akifumi didn't bother explaining further.
At least with his manga, he showed some restraint.
But with The Witch's House, he went all out. He wouldn't be surprised if some players rage-quit and unfollowed him.
Now that the players were experiencing both pain and the satisfaction of sharing that pain, there was no need to worry about losing fans.
Why wouldn't he be happy?
Seeing his smug grin, Mahiru simply smiled and changed the topic.
"Come have breakfast after you wash up."
The morning passed in a flash.
Looking at the sales that had already surpassed 300,000, Akifumi let out a sigh despite his joy.
"Even with this many players, no one has unlocked all the endings yet!?"
Judging from the players' reactions, the true ending had already been discovered.
Someone even managed to complete the no-save, one-life clear.
But there was still one final achievement left the hidden, special ending.
Staring at the "???" achievement on the dashboard, Akifumi sighed at the Ellen's Diary displayed before him.
"How am I supposed to give you guys this final gift?"
At that moment, the dimmed achievement icon suddenly lit up!
"Huh?"
"All endings unlocked!?"
Akifumi blinked in surprise before grinning.
Without hesitation, he logged into his account and posted an update.
"Congratulations on unlocking all endings of The Witch's House! As promised, here's your reward!
Link: xxxx (Click to access)"
A full volume of light novel content couldn't fit in a simple post.
Akifumi had even built a dedicated platform just to upload Ellen's Diary.
Thinking about it...
"Going through all this trouble just to deliver a reward... I really am such a good person!"
Good thing the fans couldn't hear him.
Otherwise, they'd be gritting their teeth and cursing through clenched jaws
"Fuck you, and thank you so much!!"
Anime Crossover: Becoming Mangaka in Anime World
InsomniaWL
[196] All Endings 'Gift'!
The moment Akifumi posted the announcement, the comment section exploded.
"Ahhh! You heartless bastard!!"
"Damn it! How do you have the audacity to post this!?"
"Hacker! Where's a hacker?! I'll pay 100,000 yen to track down this scumbag's address!"
"You damn traitor! Do you know how I spent last night? I was basking in the sweetness of the latest episode of Steins;Gate, only to be plunged into despair after playing your cursed game! I still haven't recovered from the emotional damage!!"
"Three endings! Three endings and not a single happy one! The more I play, the more depressed I get!"
"I can't even eat because of this damn game!"
"Akifumi-sensei, tell me honestly, are you going through some life crisis to create such a soul-crushing game?!"
"Don't click that link! We all know this so-called 'gift' will only deepen our despair!!"
"That's right! I'm definitely not clicking it!"
"Come on, who would be dumb enough to fall for such an obvious trap?"
"..."
Despite the cries of resistance flooding the comments, curiosity is a powerful force.
One glance... Just one more look... and suddenly, their hand moves on its own.
Damn it! It's not like I want to see what's in that link! My hand just won't listen to me!
Watching the view count on the site skyrocket to five digits within moments, Akifumi couldn't help but grin.
"Please... enjoy it to your heart's content, my dear fans."
Just then, his phone rang. Upon answering, a familiar, resentful voice echoed from the other end.
"Akifumi-sensei..."
"Huh? Machida-san, the editor?"
"Even if it's just a single volume, you should've let me handle the publication!!" Machida Sonoko's heart was bleeding.
Just from a quick glance at the content, she knew this light novel would be a massive hit. Not to mention the popularity boost from The Witch's House game.
Sure, the game was filled with emotional trauma, but that's exactly what drew people in.
And why does she know this?
As an editor, it's her job to keep track of her authors' activities.
Plus, she was one of the first players to achieve the true ending with a no-death run... at the cost of skipping two meals and losing a few pounds in the process.
Faced with her sorrowful tone, Akifumi chuckled. "It's just a little gift for the fans."
"Do you really think your fans will appreciate this 'gift'?"
"Well, as long as they're happy, that's all that matters." Akifumi laughed. "Besides, it's already released. What's done is done."
"No! It still matters!"
Machida insisted, "Next time, please let me handle it!"
"Next time, huh..." Akifumi thought for a moment and nodded. "Sure."
It was just an empty promise anyway. Who knows when he'd write another light novel as a "gift" again.
"By the way, Akifumi-sensei."
"Hmm?"
"There's some good news related to your work."
"Good news?"
"Well, it's not finalized yet, and due to confidentiality agreements, I can't reveal it right now."
'So, this is her revenge for not letting her handle the novel, huh?'
But for Machida Sonoko to call it "good news," it must be something big.
"Is it an anime adaptation?" Akifumi asked casually.
"Sensei, for you, anime adaptations are just a matter of time. That doesn't count as 'good news.'"
Machida chuckled, "Anyway, just wait and look forward to it!"
After hanging up, Akifumi clicked his tongue. "Tch, women and their grudges."
Laugh all you want now. Once you finish reading Ellen's Diary, let's see if you're still smiling.
Akifumi hummed a tune and returned to his work, ignoring the chaos brewing online.
Meanwhile, Machida Sonoko smugly adjusted her anti-blue light glasses, her eyes slightly red from exhaustion.
"Curious, aren't you? Good. That's exactly what I want."
She wasn't about to tell Akifumi that his light novel was about to hit international markets.
With a satisfied smirk, she turned back to her screen.
The moment she read the opening lines of Ellen's Diary, her heart tightened.
'I am burdened with an illness.'
'No one wants to play with me.'
A scene of a black cat hunting its prey played out before her eyes, as the protagonist watched in quiet envy.
Why envy?
'People walking through the alleyways pretend not to see me. When they do notice me, they look away, disturbed by my pale and sickly face.'
'Even the more honest ones quickly frown and leave, as if they've seen something ominous.'
With just a few simple lines, the story painted the image of a girl abandoned by the world, living in the slums.
It was only natural that no one would lend her a hand in such a place.
As the story unfolded, the protagonist's bond with her mother was subtly revealed.
"I'm sorry... I can't let you play outside."
With those words, the gentle atmosphere of the story took a sharp turn.
The protagonist's anxiety surged as her memories drifted back to her childhood.
She vividly recalled the rough, calloused hands of her mother, a sight that filled her with inexplicable fear.
'Why are her hands so rough?'
She already knew the answer.
Her mother's hands were worn not only from work but from taking care of her.
If she continued to be a burden, one day, her mother would abandon her.
Because...
'Only those with the luxury to do so can afford to be kind.'
'Once that luxury is gone, kindness becomes an illusion.'
That day would come eventually.
And the girl knew it.
At that moment, Machida's heart ached for the protagonist.
She tightened her grip on her glasses and braced herself for the emotional rollercoaster that awaited her.
[197] Tragedy, Unfolding
"Damn it! No matter how you look at it, this is just wrong!"
Staring at the words before her, Machida Sonoko clenched her fists tightly.
There was no title, and so far, no mention of a protagonist's name.
But the descriptions of their appearance, the details woven into every sentenceit wasn't hard to figure out who the diary was about.
Ellen.
The witch. The ruthless woman who tormented Viola, fueling their rage and hatred.
The evil being they despised.
This diary told her story.
The story of Ellen before she became a witch.
As an outsider, an adult with a clear sense of right and wrong, Machida could say without hesitationthere was something fundamentally flawed in Ellen's way of thinking.
Terribly flawed.
Yet, when she tried to see things from Ellen's perspective, she found it impossible to say that Ellen was entirely wrong.
Ellen had grown up in the slums, where even survival was a struggle. No one had the luxury to reach out and help others.
