[The Grudge: 500,000]
"Five hundred thousand Fear Points just from the film being pulled from theaters?" Edward looked at the numbers floating before him, his eyes carrying a trace of thought. He had been wondering just how far The Grudge's fear points could go, but he never imagined that by the end it would pile up into a staggering five hundred thousand. That number gave Edward a rather complicated feeling.
Half a million Fear Points was already incredibly high in his eyes. However, it only granted him four lottery draws. Edward couldn't help but think that the system's requirements for future draws would only rise higher and higher.
"Draw." Edward yawned lazily. Since that first time, he had never pulled again. His plan was to wait until The Grudge went completely off-screen, see how much fear value he had saved, and then enjoy a big spree all at once. Although four draws were already available now, it was still far from the ten-in-a-row lottery he had dreamed of.
[You have obtained: Fear Juice Maker]
[You have obtained: Advanced Stage Control]
[You have obtained: Immersive Audio (Expert)]
[You have obtained: Movie World Travel Voucher (x1)]
"…? Why are the rewards still so strange this time?" Edward scratched his head in puzzlement. Of the four items, only two were immediately understandable to him. The other two left him uncertain.
[Advanced Stage Control: Enhances your ability to manage and control all details on a filming set.]
That much, Edward had more or less guessed. As soon as he saw the name, he knew it would be something to boost his filmmaking. But "control over all kinds of details on set"? That was a phrase he had never heard before, so he wasn't sure exactly how useful it might be.
Still, since he would continue shooting The Truman Show later today, he would soon have a chance to test it out.
[Immersive Audio (Expert): Makes your movie's audio effects more realistic, pulling audiences deeper into the experience.]
Edward's expression remained calm. This one was also within his expectations, especially since he had already gained a similar ability before—only now it had been upgraded. It was another solid improvement for his films.
Of course, with Master-Level Cinematography already in his arsenal, this sound enhancement was simply icing on the cake. Combined with all his other skills, his movies were destined to become more and more terrifying. That thought alone put him in a very good mood.
Next, a strangely shaped juicer appeared in his hand. Edward studied it carefully. At first glance, it looked no different from an ordinary household appliance—plain, unremarkable. If it hadn't been directly summoned out by the system, he would have thought he had picked up his own kitchen's juicer by mistake.
[Fear Juice Maker: Insert a whole number of Fear Points to produce "Fear Juice." Drinking it replenishes mental energy and relieves fatigue. If given to Ghost-type Pokémon, every 100ml consumed increases one full Effort Value point.]
The corner of Edward's mouth twitched. Truly worthy of being a system product—it could even restore mental energy and soothe exhaustion. If ordinary overworked people in the world ever caught sight of this, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Even more interesting, it functioned as a kind of flavored alternative to Fear Candy. Edward was actually quite satisfied. With this, he could finally improve the taste experience for Q, Fortune, and Void. And if Gengar ever found out, he would surely be ecstatic—after all, the fellow had long developed an obsession with scarfing down Fear Candy by the handful.
Still, the item that caught Edward's curiosity the most was the so-called travel voucher.
[Movie World Travel Voucher: Give yourself a holiday. Upon use, you may travel to any movie universe you have directed and shot, enjoying a leisurely vacation there. (During your vacation, you are immune to all damage and malicious spirit attacks.)]
He examined the slip of paper in his hand. It looked completely ordinary, with only the three words "Travel Voucher" printed in bold block font. Nothing about it suggested it could transport him to an entirely different world. The sheer simplicity of it piqued Edward's interest.
"…But it has to be from movies I've shot myself?" He scratched his head, counting them silently. He had made Dead Silence, One Missed Call, Alien, A Wicked Ghost, The Grudge, and The Truman Show, which was still filming. Sherlock Holmes didn't count—it was a television series, not a film.
That narrowed the options.
Most of these horror films shared fairly similar modern settings, differing only in era or location: Dead Silence in the West, A Wicked Ghost back in his hometown, while One Missed Call and The Grudge were distinctly Japanese. All still rooted in contemporary settings.
From a purely profit-driven perspective, Alien was easily the most attractive.
Though labeled horror, Alien was essentially science fiction—and sci-fi worlds were full of fantastical technology. Cryogenic stasis pods, advanced weapons, even androids—all highly tempting.
Androids might be stiff and costly, but they were undeniably practical: programmable, obedient, and a solid labor force. Even with the headache of maintenance and upkeep, any such technology transplanted into the Pokémon world would be revolutionary.
[Warning: Movie World Travel Vouchers do not allow you to bring back any items or powers from the movie world.]
Just as Edward's excitement rose at the thought of vacationing in Alien and maybe "purchasing" a few androids, the system issued this cruel notice. His enthusiasm deflated instantly.
"…Seriously? I had it all planned out already." He sighed helplessly. If nothing could be taken back, then Alien was a poor choice. If he ended up stuck on a starship during its voyage, it would be nothing but dullness. Space looked thrilling in concept, but in practice it was mostly endless black emptiness with the occasional planet.
Worse, given the technology of the Alien universe, interstellar travel still required long stretches of cryogenic sleep. Depending on how much vacation time he was granted, he might wake up only to find his holiday over.
Might as well call it a "Simulated Space Nap Voucher."
"Had I known, I would have made more historical films instead." Edward shook his head. A Gladiator piece, for instance, would at least let him stroll through ancient history. That would have been far more engaging.
Thinking it over, he decided The Grudge's world might be his best option. He was curious whether Kayako's curse, so overpowering and relentless, had already spread beyond Nerima to engulf all of Japan. He was also eager to learn more about Kayako's personal experiences in the "real" version of the curse's universe.
Such insights would help him tremendously in filming a sequel.
The Grudge was an iconic horror property, but as its sequels multiplied, its ratings steadily declined. Edward remembered that before his transmigration, the latest installment had been Netflix's series adaptation. The last theatrical film, if memory served, had been the crossover Sadako vs. Kayako.
And given that film's poor reception and box office flop, he doubted the franchise would ever be revived.
"One important question: if I use this voucher, does time here still flow normally?" Edward asked cautiously.
[Once activated, you will be arranged a proper vacation itinerary. Time continues to pass normally.]
His lips twitched. He had half-hoped the voucher paused real-world time. That way he could slip away whenever he pleased. Now, though, he would have to finish filming The Truman Show before considering a trip to the world of The Grudge.
Yawning, Edward left his home and made his way to the set.
By then, many people were already present. Today's filming covered Truman returning home and noticing his wife's strange behavior, deepening his suspicion of both her and the very world around him.
"Director Edward, here, have some tea." Jim smiled warmly as he sat beside him. Edward accepted the cup with a smile of his own, taking a sip and savoring the comfort. On a cold winter morning, a hot drink really did hit the spot.
He rubbed his hands together. There was one skill he hadn't used this time—the one that allowed characters from the films to directly "possess" actors. The reason was simple: there was no real need. The Truman Show was essentially Truman's one-man performance, with the other roles handled by competent actors. Bringing in the "real" characters seemed unnecessary.
As for Truman himself…
Edward glanced at Jim. His performance was already outstanding, powerful enough to shock Edward into silence. Calling forth the "true" Truman might make the portrayal even more genuine, but honestly, it wasn't needed.
Besides, Jim himself seemed genuinely happy. Edward had never seen such joy on his face before. Previously, the man had always carried a shadow of melancholy. But now, he was smiling brightly.
Meanwhile, inside the Ghost Amusement Park…
Three men clutched their tickets excitedly at the entrance of the haunted house, eyes glittering as they scanned the crowds.
"Do you think we'll get to meet Miss Tomie today?" one asked breathlessly.
At those words, their leader silently pulled a cloth strip from his pocket and tied it across his forehead. Bold words stood out on the band: [Tomie Kawakami Forever]
The surrounding people gave him strange looks, but the man showed not a hint of embarrassment, only solemn determination as he gazed at his companions.
"My brothers! To see Miss Tomie today, I bought twenty haunted house tickets!" he declared passionately.
His friends lit up, their eyes brimming with anticipation. With firm resolve, they too pulled out headbands from their pockets and tied them across their brows. Though embarrassed by the stares of strangers, their spirits quickly rose as they stepped into the attraction.
"Welcome… Which attraction would you like to try?"
Tomie herself appeared before them, smiling serenely. Her gaze lingered briefly on their headbands. They caught her attention for only a moment—no more.
She had seen far more extreme gestures in her time. Admirers had written her name in blood, even used their broken bodies to form letters of devotion. Compared to that, these simple cloth strips were hardly worth noticing.
"Miss Tomie… Is there an attraction where we can keep seeing you the whole time?" the leader asked, his eyes full of obsession. He admitted it: he was utterly captivated. From the moment he laid eyes on her, he had known his life was doomed to belong to this woman. Her beauty had shaken him to the core, leaving him unable to let go.
For Tomie, he was willing to do anything.
"Oh? You wish to play such a game?" Tomie's lips curved into a playful smile. She had already read his heart clearly, felt the raw desire he could not conceal.
It amused her. She had deliberately suppressed her cursed charm—it was her boss's strict instruction. Yet even with her allure restrained, fools still stumbled straight into her web.
"Yes! We want to as well!" the other two blurted out, trembling with excitement.
Her smile widened, dazzling in its brilliance. To her, they were nothing but sheep marching willingly to slaughter.
Her employer forbade her from harming guests… but surely bending the rules, just a little, was fair game.
"Very well then," she said sweetly, her beauty shining all the brighter. The three men stared at her in enraptured silence.
"Fifty tickets per play. Is that acceptable?"
Without a second's hesitation, three pairs of hands reached for their wallets.
(End of Chapter)