Lily: The betrayer!

The pixelated aesthetic of "Minecraft" was bound to be the primary point of criticism. In an era where virtual reality dominated, a blocky pixel game would feel restrictive. Sure, players might initially be drawn in by the novelty and engaging gameplay, but the outdated graphics could become a limitation.

Fortunately, texture packs were now available, giving players control over the game's visual style. They could choose mods that suited their preferred art style. Originally, John had considered making a few texture packs himself, but this development saved him the trouble. He could always add more interesting mods later when he had time.

"Let me show you something," Bella grinned as she typed a few words into the search bar of the creative workshop.

John was speechless. The text she entered was "Pokémon."

"Boss, what do you think of this game mod?" Bella asked with a wider, mischievous smile.

John blinked. "If I remember correctly, I don't think I gave you permission for this?"

Despite the fancy texture packs and high-tech mods, players in this world were familiar with modern warfare mechanics. But adding something like Pokémon? That was a whole different level of appeal. Pokémon was already a major hit, and seeing it incorporated into Minecraft mods was no surprise.

John checked the upload time—it had only been a few days since the mod went live, and it was already climbing the ranks, quickly landing in the top 100. The mod clearly had potential to go much higher.

"Hehe, all thanks to Lily! She helped us gather the base stats," Bella teased.

"Wait, what?" John's eyes narrowed as he noticed the girls' expressions change—mocking, teasing, even a little accusatory.

Did Lily sell him out?

"Ahem. Well, as I said before, I raised these sheep for others. Gathering a little wool isn't a big deal," John replied, trying to maintain his composure while sounding righteous.

(It was hard to understand the meaning of this line, so I leave it up to you.)

"Oh, I wonder if there are other little 'secrets' you've kept from us, boss," Emily teased, feigning innocence.

"None at all," John said quickly. Then, realizing how defensive he sounded, he straightened up. "Hold on. I'm the boss! Why am I explaining myself?"

Before he could continue, the girls skillfully shifted the conversation.

"Do you have any new assignments for us, boss?" Sophie asked, redirecting the focus.

"Yeah, we're all eager for your next game. Got something for us to work on?" Olivia chimed in.

The success of "Minecraft" had boosted their reputation considerably. Some competitors had even tried to poach them. But after witnessing John's talents—making even casual games a massive hit—they weren't going anywhere. They eagerly awaited his next project.

"You're such a heartless boss, only coming to us when you need something," Bella teased, pulling a mock pout. "Lily was right; we're just your tools!"

"???" John raised his eyebrows. "Did Lily really snitch on me the moment I left?"

"Do you guys have too much free time?" John finally adopted his authoritative tone, leaning back in his chair with his legs crossed.

"No, no, it's great. We get paid to play games all day!" Emily responded cheerfully.

"Yeah, my Dratini is about to evolve, thanks to Grace and Lily's help."

"By the way, boss, when are you going to release the next Pokémon update? I heard from Lily that you've got hundreds more Pokémon that haven't been added yet," Bella asked, looking genuinely curious.

John shook his head, not even surprised by how much Lily had spilled. Clearly, she'd been sharing a lot.

"The Pokémon updates can wait. I've actually got a different task for you today."

"What's the task, boss?" Sarah Evans, the team's leader, asked eagerly.

"I need you to draw some illustrations for me."

"Illustrations?" Bella perked up, her interest piqued. "For your next game?"

"Yeah, they'll be used for promoting it," John confirmed.

One Piece was a complex world with a rich background that needed to be explained to the players, otherwise, they'd have no idea where to begin. Even Minecraft had its clear survival and creative modes. However, John didn't intend to fully recreate the anime. It would be too much work, and it wasn't necessary for the game.

Instead, he planned to release a brief intro to the story, setting up the background, alongside a summary of the various factions within One Piece. This way, players could have a general direction when they entered the game.

He wanted the game to be its own world, with the plot unfolding similarly to the anime but with player-driven choices. Some players might align themselves with the Navy, eventually becoming top officers, while others would opt to be pirates with their own unique adventures. Those who just wanted to explore and hunt for treasure could wander freely, enjoying the world without a clear objective.

"Do we need to start on the next game already?" Sarah looked a bit disappointed.

"What do you think I've been doing these past few weeks?" John chuckled as he pulled out his phone and sent a draft of the One Piece intro plot to their group chat.

…

As the file uploaded, John noticed the name of the group chat—"A Man Among Us?".

"???"

"What the hell is with this group name?" John asked, glancing at Sarah, the group leader.

Sarah blushed. "Ahem, well… it's true, isn't it?"

John sighed, shaking his head in disbelief. "I thought you were the sensible one…"

A/N: Thanks for reading, and donate some stones for extra chapters.

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Enjoy✌️.