David leaned in, the excitement of the idea flickering in his eyes as he started laying out the concept for the ARG. "So, here's the plan," he began. "We're going to set up a regular stream—something your audience expects, like a horror game. You know, the kind that gets the tension running. But then, mid-way through the game, we're going to add a twist."
Kisuke nodded, listening intently.
"There'll be a moment when, instead of the usual creepy things happening in the game, something happens in your room, simultaneous to the game" David explained, a grin playing on his lips. "A shadow or silhouette—barely noticeable at first, like it's lurking in the background of your webcam feed."
Nokotan's eyes widened, clearly intrigued. "Something that blends into the environment but is off enough to catch people's attention?"
"Exactly," David continued, his enthusiasm building. "At first, it'll be subtle, maybe not everyone in chat will notice. But eventually, the figure will become more defined—enough that people will start pointing it out, freaking out in chat."
Nokotan chuckled. "That'll get them going for sure."
David nodded. "And we won't stop there. As soon as the chat starts blowing up about the figure, you will help make it even more immersive. You'll start acting sluggish—like something is draining you. Your speech slows down, your reactions are delayed. It'll feel like whatever this figure is, it's having a real effect on you."
Kisuke raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You want me to act like I'm being affected by it? How far do I go with that?"
David grinned. "Just enough to make it believable but not over the top. Maybe you start rubbing your temples, looking confused or out of it. Let it build gradually. The idea is to make the audience question what's real and what's part of the game."
Kisuke tapped her fingers on the table, thinking it through. "This could be insane. My community loves weird stuff like that."
David leaned back, satisfied with how the conversation was going. "The best part is, since you'll be playing a horror game, they won't expect it to bleed into reality like this. It's the perfect setup to blur the line between the game and what's happening on screen."
Kisuke's eyes gleamed with excitement. "I love it. But, I've gotta ask, how will we pull off the figure in the room? Is it pre-recorded, or will it be live?"
"Live," David replied confidently. "That's where the fun comes in. I'll control it remotely from behind the scenes using my quirk."
Kisuke smirked. "So you'll be my puppet master for the night, huh?"
David laughed. "Something like that. But seriously, we can keep tweaking it until it's just right. The key is to make it subtle and creepy enough that it feels organic."
She nodded, clearly onboard. "Alright, I'm in. Let's spook the hell out of them."
David couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement.
This was going to be good.
---
Nokotan's stream began as usual, the camera showing her excited face as she adjusted her deer themed headset and waved at her audience.
"Heyo, guys! Welcome back to the stream!" she exclaimed, her usual energy radiating through the screen. "Tonight, we're playing Blue Alley ! You guys have been hyped about this one in my inbox, so let's see what it's all about."
The screen transitioned from her face to the game's eerie menu, and she wasted no time clicking 'Start Game.' The game opened with her character, a patrol officer, walking through dark, deserted alleyways, lit only by the occasional flickering streetlamp.
The atmosphere was creepy from the start, but Nokotan was in her element.
She moved her character through the narrow alleyways, scanning for anything strange.
The game's eerie ambient noises filled her headphones as she passed by dumpsters, broken crates, and abandoned cars.
The sound of distant footsteps echoed through the virtual city, making her stop for a moment.
"Okay, that's creepy…" she muttered, her eyes narrowing as she kept moving forward.
> Spectre13: Looks spooky already!
> KaijuKing: Omg, I already hate this.
> StarGazer: Keep going, Noko! Don't stop!
The chat was buzzing, but Nokotan barely had time to respond as the game's tension ramped up.
Her character turned a corner, and suddenly, there was a loud bang, followed by a dark figure darting in the distance.
"Ahhh, what the heck?!" she exclaimed, laughing nervously. "They got me with that one."
> CreeperFan: Did you see that??
> GhostHunter: RUN, NOKO, RUN!
> Voidheart: Something's there!!
Her character sprinted down the alley as the dark figure—the Kryptoid—emerged from the shadows.
She dodged obstacles, the character in game panting as the tension heightened and adrenaline meter rose.
Her character barely managed to escape into a hiding spot, and she let out a sigh of relief.
"Okay, close call. I don't like that thing at all," she chuckled, shaking her head.
> NightShade: You almost died!
> PhantomWolf: You made it!
> StarGazer: That was too close!!
Suddenly, the screen flickered. It was so brief that Nokotan didn't notice, but the chat picked up on it.
> GhostHunter: Did anyone else see that?
> Voidheart: Her camera just glitched…
> Spectre13: Wait, is that just me??
Nokotan continued playing, seemingly unaware.
She walked her character into another alley, the shadows growing darker, the fog creeping in more thickly.
But her webcam flickered again, this time lingering just a second longer.
A dark silhouette appeared behind her in the real world, just barely noticeable in the corner of the frame.
It seemed to stand in the shadows, still and unsettling. The chat noticed it immediately.
> PornGazer: NOKO, THERE'S SOMETHING BEHIND YOU.
> CreepFan: Holy crap, what is that?!
> PhantomWolf: Noko, look behind you!!
But she didn't react. Her focus was entirely on the game, guiding her character through a tight, narrow corridor.
The tension in the game was mirrored in the stream, but something was wrong.
The viewers could see it—the shadowy figure behind her had moved slightly closer, its form distorted.
> GhostHunter: Why isn't she reacting??
> Spectre13: Noko, turn around!!
> NightShade: SHE'S NOT SEEING IT.
Still oblivious, Nokotan pushed on, leaning forward as she concentrated on the screen.
She reached another part of the game, a courtyard filled with strange graffiti talking about drowned demons and broken bottles.
The Kryptoid was close—she could hear it, but there was something else…her webcam flickered again.
This time, her movements slowed.
Her acting perfect.
"Ugh, what's going on? My head's feeling kinda weird…" she muttered, rubbing her temples.
The chat exploded.
> Voidheart: WHY IS SHE TIRED??
> PhantomWolf: Something's happening to her!
> GhostHunter: The shadow is getting closer!!
The silhouette in her room shifted once more, now more clearly visible. Nokotan's movements were sluggish, her reflexes in the game slower than before.
Her hand slipped off the mouse for a moment, her eyes blinking slowly.
"Sorry, guys, I…I'm feeling kind of off," she mumbled, her voice weaker. "But let's keep going. This game's creepy as hell."
The chat was going wild, but she pretended to not be seeing any of it. The figure in the background moved closer, but Nokotan remained unaware, her attention still glued to the screen.
She wasn't reacting to the increasingly frantic messages from her viewers.
> StarGazer: Noko, PLEASE look behind you!!
> Spectre13: THE SHADOW IS RIGHT THERE.
> PhantomWolf: Something's wrong, seriously.
> CreeperFan: WHY IS SHE IGNORING US??
Nokotan's head bobbed slightly as she tried to focus. "Yeah, I don't know what's up with me tonight…" she said weakly, trying to laugh it off, but her voice had lost its usual energy.
The figure behind her seemed to loom larger now, its outline barely distinguishable from the shadows in her room.
Nokotan still looked like she wasn't aware, her chat's warnings growing more frantic as she continued playing, unaware of the eerie presence right behind her.
As Nokotan's gameplay grew more sluggish, her movements became even slower.
Her head dipped slightly as if she were fighting to stay awake, and she let out a small sigh, rubbing her eyes.
"Guys… I don't know what's going on," she muttered, her voice faint and tired. "I feel... really tired all of a sudden."
The game continued for a moment longer, the eerie atmosphere pulsing in the background, but Nokotan's focus wavered.
She blinked hard, trying to shake off the strange fatigue.
"I think I'm gonna call it a night, sorry everyone..." she said, her voice sounding more distant as she reached for her mouse.
Her chat exploded as she prepared to end the stream.
> StarGazer: Noko, don't go yet!
> Spectre13: WAIT, THE SHADOW!!
> PhantomWolf: NO, DON'T TURN IT OFF!!
> Voidheart: IT'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU!!
But Nokotan didn't read the messages. Her movements were slow as she fumbled to end the stream, barely glancing at the chat.
Her webcam suddenly expanded, filling the screen as she leaned back in her chair, her face growing blurry in the dim light of her room.
Just before the stream cut to black, the shadow loomed right behind her, fully visible for a split second—its dark, distorted form inches away from where she sat.
And then, the stream went dead.
And the internet got set on fire again.
=========================
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