The Game Design

'It's all by design.'

A blunt text appeared on the large monitor.

Kaito stared at it, a knot tightening in his stomach. He and the others had concluded their testing for the day, and now he was left alone to compile his report and suggestions for Yumi.

Beyond the goblin request, they completed numerous others tasks, and eventually ventured outside their starting city to the bustling, grand capital. Utilizing effective infinite wealth, they had purchased the even most expensive gear that was available and outfitted themselves to an absurd degree. They'd even found and slain a dragon, it was a breathtaking encounter that showcased the game's unparalleled capabilities.

The combat system was magnificent, a fluid, intuitive experience that mirrored real-life combat with startling accuracy. However, despite these high points, Kaito had noted multiple glaring issues.

From the perspective of an ordinary player, someone without an "infinite money glitch," the game would be a miserable experience.

They had discovered that hunger and thirst were active mechanics in the game, and if unaddressed, resulted in major debuffs to stats and performance. Yet, food was relatively expensive, and the income they found from quests and other jobs was woefully lackluster. Aside from the Adventurer's Guild, they could take on various other professions like crafting or gathering, but these also paid poorly, barely covering the cost of basic sustenance.

Yumi's next text illuminated the screen, pulling Kaito from his critical assessment. 'Our experts have designed the game to exploit human cognitive patterns to their extreme,' she typed, her words stark and unsettling. 'It would feel hopeless to move forward, to make progress, but there is always a path if you keep moving, if you keep trying. Not only that, when they see other players – like yourselves, who appear to not be struggling – it would encourage them to take the path of least resistance: by spending real money. The game would be treated not as a traditional pastime, but as a second life, painting it as an investment in their virtual existence rather than just a casual entertainment.'

Kaito felt a chill.

Yumi continued, a new message appearing. 'Furthermore, from the data we managed to extract from Durandal's archives, which we are slowly implementing into the game, we can market the existing brutal difficulty, and the future implementations, as a hardcore virtual MMORPG with unparallel realism. Those who quit as a result of difficulty can only be a target of shame, missing out on a truly 'new world' for the sake of comfort and convenience.'

"But," Kaito returned a question, "isn't a game supposed to be about having... fun?"

Yumi's response was immediate and sharp. 'How naive, Kaito. It was always about making money.'

Then, Yumi suddenly stopped typing. There was a prolonged silence, the only sound the faint hum of the lab equipment. Kaito watched the screen, puzzled by the abrupt pause.

Finally, another text popped up. 'Ah... I've finally understood them... those greedy game CEOs...'

"Yumi?"

A series of rapid, silent characters scrolled across the screen, indicating Yumi was laughing to herself.

Kaito, unsettled by it, quickly excused himself from the room. He returned upstairs, carefully moved Tamamo, who was asleep on his bed, to her futon in the closet, and drifted to a peaceful slumber.

At Sakura Academy, the usual lunchtime chatter was buzzing with a new, feverish excitement. Ren, his eyes wide with anticipation, practically bounced over to Kaito.

"Kaito, have you heard about it?!" Ren exclaimed, his voice practically vibrating with enthusiasm. "New World Online! It's finally launching globally soon! The world's first true VRMMORPG, boasting 100% realism!" He pulled out his phone, already queuing up a trailer. "I've been absolutely blown away by the footage from the beta testers. Every single one of them gave the game raving reviews. The hype is completely off the charts!"

Kaito, who had experienced the game for the last months with Maria, Tamamo, and Durandal, simply looked at Ren with a sad, almost pitying expression. "Yeah," he said, forcing a casual tone. "I'll be playing it with Maria when it releases. I've already pre-ordered it with the VR Device."

He lied as easily as he breathed. His personal account had already reached near endgame, and he'd explored every nook and cranny of the virtual world. He knew he'd likely be back in there soon enough, testing new updates.

The truth was, Kaito couldn't fathom how ordinary players were supposed to beat the bosses Yumi was implementing from Durandal's archives – especially the ones ranked even higher than the Minor Apocalypse Beast. And it wasn't just the monsters. Tamamo, with her boundless ego, kept pestering Yumi to increase her in-game boss power and lore scaling, transforming the virtual Tamamo no Mae into a literal sun goddess capable of ending multiple universes.

Then there was Roland. At Durandal's insistence, Roland was also a hidden in-game boss, designed purely for one-on-one combat. The kicker? If a player dared to challenge and lost to him, their account would be permanently deleted. Surprisingly, Yumi had actually implemented this, claiming it would be "fun" and would add a layer of ultimate stakes. She had, however, assured Kaito that players would receive multiple in-game foreshadowing clues before facing Roland, though never explicitly revealing the account deletion consequence.

"I wonder how New World Inc. manages to figure out 100% realism that they boast about," Ren mused, still captivated by the thought of the upcoming game. "Especially when tech companies worldwide struggle to achieve even a fraction of that."

"Must be magic," Kaito replied, a dry, knowing tone in his voice. He knew, with absolute certainty, that it was magic.

"Yeah, no kidding," Ren chuckled, oblivious to the truth. "I heard rumors that they're involved with the US government, maybe some kind of supernatural abilities managed to achieve it."

"It certainly does sound suspicious..." Kaito conceded, playing along with the speculation.