I Became A Side Character Fated To Suffer-Chapter 26:Let’s Play A Game

"AHhhhhhhhhhh!"

I roared..

The scream of pain came tearing out of my lungs so violently that the windows trembled.

It wasn’t just pain, rather it was raw, primal agony ripping through nerves that had never known such brutality.

My voice cracked midway, rising into something animalistic, something feral. Veins bulged along my neck, my body convulsing as blood sprayed and splattered across the wooden floor. The sound echoed, bounced, and clawed at the walls as if trying to escape the room itself.

"That’s some godly scream of a guy who doesn’t know pain, and I absolutely love it," Noel said, licking his lips.

He then moved closer and extended his hand.

A magic circle appeared, and a light flashed. I didn’t know what happened, but all my pain disappeared.

I was still staring at my fallen hand like it had personally betrayed me.

Blood pooled slowly beneath it.

The room smelled metallic.

Noel crouched down calmly and picked up my severed hand.

He examined it from different angles.

"Hm," he muttered thoughtfully. "Clean cut. Good wrist alignment. I’m improving."

He tossed it onto the table casually. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"We can fix that if you reply properly."

My face had gone pale.

"You— you—"

"Yes, yes, me.. Me," Noel waved his hand dismissively. "Also your pain,shock and looks of betrayal. Very dramatic. We can unpack your emotions later."

I looked at him..no, I tried to but my eyes kept slipping, like my mind refused to process him; Noel looked perfectly normal, too normal, with a relaxed posture, sharp features, and that constant smile that wasn’t warm but predatory, like he was already bored and waiting for me to break, while his bright, excited eyes locked onto me as if I were a gift he couldn’t wait to unwrap.

His movements were too smooth, too deliberate, every gesture carrying intent like I was part of some performance, and his shadow...

It didn’t follow him, it stretched and twisted on its own, alive, watching me, waiting, hungry, while his presence pressed down on me from everywhere my chest, my mind, my instincts screaming danger without a sound.

And the worst part wasn’t the magic or the way he took my hand like it meant nothing, it was the certainty in him, the calm, the way he looked at me like the outcome was already decided, like I was already in his trap, and all that was left was for him to enjoy the process.

How..

There was only one question revolving in my mind...

That was how can a character setting change so much unless...

He stood up and dragged a chair across the floor with a slow screech.

SCREEEEEECH.

I flinched harder at the sound than the amputation.

Noel sat down in front of me, elbows resting on his knees, chin on his clasped fingers.

He smiled.

But this smile gave me déjà vu.

It was a smile that screamed—

Defy me.. Defy me more so that I can enjoy.. Haha.. I love it.

"I know you are wondering what I am and who I am.."

"We will come to that part but before that.."He casted a cheeky smile.

Noel said pleasantly, "let’s try this again."

Shadow thickened behind him like a living audience.

"Are you," he tilted his head, "the developer?"

My breathing was uneven.

Okay...Okay.

This is survivable.

People survive torture.

Noel leaned closer.

"Before you answer, quick tip." He pointed at my remaining hand.

Noel’s eyes sparkled.

"I enjoy interactive conversations. If you lie, something falls off. If you tell the truth, something stays on. It’s like a reward system."

I swallowed.

He’s insane.

He is actually insane.

He clapped once, delighted at his own creativity.

"I call it ’Confess & Keep.’ Catchy, right?"

I stared at him in horror.

Why is he branding this?

Noel’s smile widened.

"Let’s add stakes. Fingers are beginner level. Arms are intermediate. Legs are in advanced mode."

"Then.."he paused.

The silence stretched longer and my heart went berserk when I saw his gaze lowering down.

I followed his sight and finding where he was looking gave me fright

"Fuck..."

"Correct.. Let’s take the balls in nightmare mode."

"...."

He leaned in and whispered softly—

"And soul disassembly is endgame content."

My brain screamed.

He knows about developers. He knows about transmigration. He knows too much.

Noel suddenly stood up and paced theatrically.

"You see, Reed, I dislike puzzles I cannot solve." He turned abruptly. "And you are a puzzle."

His shadow stretched unnaturally across the wall, forming jagged shapes.

"You fainted after looking at me."

"You talk about butterfly effects."

"You mention characters."

He crouched again, grabbing me by the chin.

"And you almost said something very interesting earlier."

My thoughts spiraled.

If I confess, he might kill me.

If I deny, he will definitely dismember me.

If I stall—

Noel snapped his fingers.

A thin blade of shadow manifested and hovered near my shoulder.

"Time limit," Noel sang lightly. "Five seconds."

"One."

As soon as the words left his mouth, a blade pressed slightly into my skin.. No, wait... this looks like a stick.

"Two."

A fucking stick.. No.. I don’t have time.

This is not a simulation. This is not a debug screen. This is real.

"Three."

My vision blurred.

Why did I transmigrate into hard mode?

"Four."

Noel’s grin widened.

"I do hope you pick wisely. I’d hate to start symmetrical trimming."

"WAIT!"

I shouted.

Noel froze mid-count, visibly pleased.

"Yes?" he asked eagerly.

I panted.

"I—"

My mind raced.

He already assumes I’m the developer.

If Maybe.

Noel leaned closer, eyes glittering like a child opening presents.

"Well?"

I shut my eyes.

"...Yes."

Silence.

The shadow blade dissolved instantly.

Noel blinked and then smiled slowly.

"Oh."

He stood upright and brushed imaginary dust off his sleeve.

"See? That wasn’t so hard."

He glanced at my severed hand on the floor.

"Unfortunate casualty, though."

He tilted his head, genuinely thoughtful.

"Should I reattach it?"

He tapped his chin.

"...Nah. Let’s keep motivation visible."

My face twitched.

Noel crouched again, his voice dropping into something cold beneath the humor.

"Now," he said softly, "tell me everything."

The smile returned.

"And don’t worry."

His shadow curled affectionately around my remaining arm.

"I’m having a wonderful time.. If you lie, then we can begin the play. After all, which kid doesn’t like to play.. Hahahhaha!"

Madman..

This guy is an absolute madman..