[The Dawn Does Not Brighten] Please Save Me #Star’s Flow #Izumi Kainoh #Suzuha Koga #Yukari Akabane
The game starts right before the first stage boss I couldn’t beat last year.
The only light in the wide dark room comes from the flickering sparks of the short circuits exploding all around.
The protagonist throws the arm of a once comrade onto the floor and says,
[This feels really gross.]
I felt the same way last time; it’s really what I want to say. But having experienced it once last year, I wasn’t as scared this time.
“By the way, Yukari had a dawn broadcast too, right?”
“Akakat! That’s right. I too enjoyed this with my Servant Demons!”
One of the reasons is undoubtedly because I have Koga and Akabane with me.
“…Well, if there’s any downside, it’s that this game relies too heavily on visual effects rather than tapping into fundamental human fears. If this thing had less of that, it wouldn’t feel like much, right?”
Still, I couldn’t help but shake my head at what Akabane just said.
Nope. It’s just scary. Even from the story alone, it’s terrifying.
I’m alive here, so why are zombies popping up out of nowhere?
Pfft?!
The harmonica played a high note, as if it sympathized with my fear.
[🧡 95]
And that high note seemed to ease my highly tense mental state just a bit, dropping my heart rate from 108 to 95.
– You’re so scared ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
– You might not say it, but I get what you mean.
– Another ending will end with crying today, huh…
– The outcome is already visible in this game.
– Isn’t the reaction difference too extreme between the two next to you?
Izutomo seems to know how much I hate horror games, so there were many more mischievous comments than usual.
From asking me to cry quickly to betting I’d give up before even halfway through…
It’s true that my horror game tolerance is 0, so I’m not going to deny everything they said is completely wrong.
But right now, I have Koga and Akabane with me, and the secret weapon, the harmonica.
I’m fully equipped and invincible now, so you won’t easily see the reaction you want from me!
Pfft?!
I take a breath and recall the last time I played.
If I turn around here…
[Graaaah!]
[What the hell!]
A zombie’s arm shot up from under a corpse toward the protagonist.
I already know. So I won’t panic.
Pfft?!
Honestly, it’s scary, but it’s not to the point that I can’t do anything.
[🧡101]
I aim my gun at the zombie and spam the A button.
[Graaaah!]
[Curse it!…]
But the protagonist’s arm was already bitten off by the zombie, leading to my HP dropping to 50%, just like last year.
No way, that’s absurd?!
I even had my gun out in advance and thought my reaction time was super fast!
Pfft?!
As I blew the harmonica in frustration, Akabane chuckled and said,
“This part is a forced event before the boss, so your HP drops to 50% for sure.”
…Oh, is that how it is?
After defeating the zombie and drinking a potion, the protagonist let out a quiet sigh.
[When the hell is this hell going to end?]
Gugugugu…
At that very moment, a massive rumbling echoed from the ground, and the dark room was illuminated by tremendous sparks of short circuits.
It’s coming. That thing is coming.
Pfft?!
As I recalled that moment, my heart rate began to climb rapidly.
[Ugh!]
And even without me controlling it, my view tilted downward, where a giant zombie’s hand, filled with nasty veins, was gripping the protagonist’s leg.
[GUOOOORRRR!!!]
In an instant, the floor collapsed, revealing the final boss of the first stage I had lost my mind over last year.
[🧡 129]
An opponent I already know.
Still, the grotesque sight of its long, torn mouth and its glistening tongue was enough to unleash the fear I had been trying to hold back inside.
Pfft?!
★
[Haah… What on earth is this…]
The exhausted protagonist’s breath echoed.
Beneath his feet lay a grotesque enormous zombie, bleeding green blood.
[What the hell is going on…]
I want to know too.
Why am I in a situation where I’m playing this game…?
[🧡 124]
Pfft…
The harmonica let out a mournful sound that echoed my emotions.
– But not crying is commendable.
Pfft…
I’ve already seen what kind of boss this was last year.
It’s incredibly scary, and honestly, I wanted to give up, but I wasn’t at the crying level yet.
I suppose I’ve grown….
“Are you okay? Your eyes look a bit moist, Izumi?”
“Akakat! If you’re scared, you can stop here. I’ve enjoyed enough already!”
Pfft…
– How cute
– Yuu-chan is so composed.
“I’m the Red Witch, after all. I’ve gone through much scarier things than this.”
“So when does Yukari get scared?”
“Hmm… Probably when the grandma comes to visit.”
– Yuu-chan really only fears her master, huh~
Listening to Koga and Akabane’s chitchat, I began to seriously contemplate.
Akabane said it’s okay to stop here.
Koga didn’t seem particularly opposed, and the chatroom seemed satisfied enough.
If that’s the case, there’s really no need to continue this game, right?
[Next destination…]
But if I stop the game here, how is that any different from running away?
The current me is different from the me last year.
I’ve grown significantly and have comrades I can trust and rely on around me.
Even equipped with the secret weapon, the harmonica, would I run away now?
A middle-aged uncle with a mental age of 40, who has cleared the Arcana Shooter Purgatory and ST with over 239,000 subscribers and a 3D model owner VTuber named Izumi Kainoh… is that all I am?
No… There’s no way that could be true.
“You planning to keep going?”
“Are you sure it’s okay?”
Pfft?!
Koga and Akabane looked at me with worried expressions, but I nodded confidently.
Just as Koga said last year, it’s just a game after all!
I don’t need to be scared.
Just like any other game, I can enjoy it as a game.
[No way to return to the base now …]
Yeah. I can’t go back now. This is the path I’ve chosen.
Today, I will grow once again by playing the Dawn.
[🧡 111]
– I haven’t done anything, and I already got 111…
– Not thinking of going down, huh.
I should be able to grow, surely.
★
After defeating the first boss, the upcoming zombies were surprisingly not that different in design.
Just a bunch of ordinary zombies, which made it less frightening.
Pfft?!
[Haah, haah…]
The protagonist, relentlessly chased by zombies, gasped for breath as he hid behind a utility pole.
When entering certain segments, the character automatically moves, marking the beginning of the story.
[Should I just take a break here…?]
Saying that, the protagonist looked toward a hospital ominously blinking with a green cross.
Why would he enter such a place with no visible lights?
It’s clearly a death flag. Is this guy’s head on straight?
Pfft?!
“Still, I think it’s better to rest there than in a dangerous area.”
That’s definitely true.
Having accepted Koga’s words, I quietly nodded and headed toward the hospital.
[…Nope, no one seems to be here.]
Since the lights were off inside the hospital, I moved forward with my flashlight, illuminating the corridor.
Since I don’t hear anyone else’s footsteps, it seems that thankfully the hospital is completely free of zombies.
But that doesn’t mean I’m going to let my guard down.
I came in here because of the story, so something’s definitely going to happen.
[Is this also locked?]
All the doors to the patient rooms seemed locked for some reason.
I tried breaking in with my gun or an axe, but it seemed like they couldn’t be destroyed, only leaving scratch marks on the walls.
What a total piece of junk game.
Pfft?!
“If everything could just be destroyed, it would actually get weirder, right?”
That’s certainly a point.
“…How do you understand everything I’m thinking?”
“Because your thoughts are predictable, Izumi.”
– This is the bond of Suzuiz.
– Princess seems genuinely taken aback, haha.
[Hmm?]
Pfft?!
As I walked forward, something glimmered in my flashlight.
It was a blood-stained notebook.
I rushed over to pick it up, hoping to check its contents.
Even though it felt ominous, the protagonist’s reaction meant it must have something.
But the pages were so bloodied that I couldn’t make out almost anything.
[Month XX Day XX]
[I ■■■ for ■■■. I ■■ ■■■ to ■■■.]
[Month XX Day XX]
[Why ■■■ would ■■ ■■■? I ■■■ want ■■. I ■■ ■■■ ■■■.]
– What is even written here?
– I can’t read any of it.
I glanced over, and it seemed like the chatroom shared my confusion.
Koga and Akabane seemed to intentionally stay silent.
But as I turned a few pages back, thankfully, some pages became readable.
[Month XX Day XX]
[There seems to be a survivor on the 5th floor, room 502. But outside, there are ■■■ everywhere…]
[Month XX Day XX]
[Somehow, the ■■■ have gone ■■■ the hospital. That girl, is she still alive?]
[Month XX Day XX]
[She looked like she was just ■■■ alone. If it gets a little safer, I’ll try to go meet her. ]
[…Looks like that attempt failed.]
The situation became roughly clear from the protagonist’s words.
The owner of that notebook must have thought the zombies had cleared out and came out of the patient room to meet the survivor, but they ended up dying because of the remaining few zombies.
That said, room 502, huh?
Since I’m currently on the 2nd floor, I just need to go up to the 3rd floor.
With this blatant hint given in the game, there was no way I wouldn’t check it out.
– You’re becoming quite composed.
– It’s not particularly scary at this point.
[🧡 93]
Just as the Izutomo said, my heart rate had already dropped to the low 90s.
Well, I’ve pledged not to run, so there’s no way I should be trembling in such an atmosphere.
Pfft?!
“In order to show a confident front to my Izutomo, I’ll blow my harmonica!”
As I played, Koga suddenly burst out laughing for some reason.
Wondering what was up, I stole a glance, but Koga waved her hand as if to say it was nothing.
…Something feels off here.
Swallowing that feeling, I began making my way through the keypad.
As expected, the doors to the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors wouldn’t open.
Looks like only room 502 mentioned in the notebook will open.
Arriving at the door of room 502, nothing seemed particularly different from any of the other rooms.
No markings or anything at all.
…What if this door doesn’t open either?
That would mean the only thing I’m walking out with from this hospital is that notebook?
With that thought, I opened the door.
Pfft?!
“Pfft?! Graaaaaah!!!”
[🧡 155]
– 155 ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
– (*つ﹏⊂)
– 155 popped up!!!
– Thanks for the meal.
What lay there was the corpse of a zombie hanging by its neck with ropes, completely drenched in blood.
“Huuuh… Huuuuurk… Huuh….”
“Akakakak!!!”
“Pfft…”
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