[Identity V Otome] The Strange Newcomer Keeps Claiming to Be a Gamer

[Permanent hiatus notice, meow: Starting in February, I'll be moving my things to that Tomato site under the same name. This story may no longer be updated here, but I won't delete it either. On the other site, I'll redo and revise the story from the beginning, and may make major changes because I've thought of something more exciting. The core will stay the same, but the outline will be revised. Thank you so much to everyone here for bookmarking and encouraging me!!! Thank you so, so much... I'll never forget you all. TVT Mainly, it's inconvenient to post pictures here, and it's too quiet. If you'd like to follow future updates, please switch to... cough, cough, cough... Sorry for the trouble, everyone!!!]

[1.12: I don't think it's dead. Daily 2k updates should resume early next month. I've been a little busy lately.]

12.2: Haha, I should be updating, but the writing is still unfinished. At least I finished one picture... I'll draw another full-body Ita when we enter the instance. After that, each instance will get a new cover. I'll do my best to keep things balanced! Ugh... the picture got squashed and stretched, but never mind, just make do with it.

11.23: Meow, I don't have the stage reference anymore, but I really will post a dance CG tomorrow _(:з"∠)_. Come take a look! It'll probably go up around 6 p.m. I asked a friend to help, so hopefully they can make the covers long-term ovo. Edit: Yay! I think I managed to make it in time? The author actually can't design clothes ( ), so Dance will have to put up with it... (prostrating myself). Also, still hoping for comments, meow TVT. There should be three more chapters before we enter the instance.

Next cover preview: Ita's compensation. Those who sent a green bottle can also click to see the picture.

11.19: My head's all fuzzy! How did my bookmarks pass 70?? And someone sent me another nutrient solution, so thank you so much?!! (munch munch) This really makes me think my writing is interesting... I'll just put my hands on my hips for a moment, quietly. It's rather like a running account, but there's plenty of it, so it'll fill you up.

11.11: I'm writing purely for love, but comments, update requests, and suggestions are all welcome~ I'm the sort of person who only gets motivated when people ask for updates (meaningful wink).

9.26: Setting a small goal: update more diligently at the start of the month and write up to the blurb. Also, here's a little doodle of a crying Ita. I'll occasionally draw illustrations based on the plot and use them as covers, but each one will only stay up for seven days.

Wu Yi, I'm begging you, please make a comeback... I dreamed that there were countless amazing authors making quality fanworks for me to enjoy, and I woke up laughing.

8.22: This probably means I'm back and planning to update daily again. Starting a story and not finishing it feels so irresponsible... I read a lot of stories over summer vacation and realized there's so much to consider when writing fanfiction. Finishing a complete story is really, really hard. The pressure is huge, but I'll do my best to fill in the hole... Authors who start a story, update daily, and finish it properly are all so amazing!!!! QAQ

Third edit: Don't mind what the blurb says, just read the story. Some details don't match the blurb (covering my head). I'm too lazy to revise it again, blah blah. That's the downside of having an outline, but not much else! (crying)

[The setting is a modern alternate universe where Identity V doesn't exist, plus a game world based on a modified medieval era (meaning it includes supernatural elements). Content warnings are at the end of the blurb.]

You're a devoted player of combat strategy and survival adventure RPGs. One day, you decide to try something different.

So you fill out a questionnaire and get picked to beta-test an RPG with romance routes. The beta is called "Mysterious Manor: A Festive Gathering of Freaks"... That's quite a long name. You don't get it. You play combat games.

Honestly, if this hadn't been the first time you'd been selected after filling out so many game surveys, you wouldn't even have glanced at it.

The player thinks for a moment, eyeing the download link in the text message with suspicion. In the end, though, the promise of romance routes persuades the player to download the game.

[Loading game…]

Who can tell you what kind of monsters all those gorgeous romanceable characters are!

At first, you really did play it as a romance game, but none of the characters acted like a normal person!

One would turn on you halfway through your attempt to get close and win them over, demanding that you have [a specific skill specialty]. Otherwise, they'd lock your affection level and call you shallow.

Another would help you twice in the game, making you think, "Maybe this game actually has some kind characters...?" Then they'd hit you with a devastating blow.

Full of confidence and affection, you asked the first character who'd shown you any friendliness to start a romance, only for them to hurriedly and angrily adjust the mask on their face and cry that you weren't her, that no one could ever replace her, and so on. They rejected you and locked your affection level, too.

Three times. Three whole times. You were devastated. Weren't romance games supposed to go smoothly if you just followed the usual steps?

With tears of frustration streaming down your face, you filed a complaint with customer service.

You got this reply: [That sounds so sad, dear. Maybe you need to unlock the characters' past stories in special instances before you can unlock their romance routes again, dear. Did you perhaps not read our game instructions carefully, dear?]

You ignored the tactful second half and suddenly understood. So that's what it was? Your level was simply too low, so the romance routes weren't available yet! The player had just used the wrong approach and tried to take a shortcut.

You were fired up. Then you'd level up first and try the romance routes afterward! [Special instances], here comes your player!

Rules: [Special instances can be paused at any point. While the player is experiencing this mode, each instance allows only one life. When you leave, you can take any special items obtained in the instance with you. Any long-term effects caused by an instance will also become part of the game. Now, player, are you ready to experience a variety of gameplay modes? Yes or no?]

When you saw the manor give way to a beautifully rendered open world with a minimap, and even found you could equip weapons and finally see your status screen, you were thrilled. This was what you wanted to play!

Was that even a question? You rubbed your hands together like a fly. Whoo, were you finally in your element? The player would get revenge for all the grievances from earlier! Romance could happen whenever.

After all, what you loved most was adventure, role-playing, and the thrill of combat you could replay from a save point!

You dove right in.

You played mom and looked after a child on a freezing snowfield. Are you saying this tiny kitten will grow that, big (to you), then go to the manor and slaughter the characters because its guilt toward [you] has turned into a twisted obsession? ...Your head is a mess. Give the player a moment to sort things out.

You became everyone's ray of sunshine in a circus that looked glamorous on the surface. Looking at the circus's corrupted status screen, you took the debt contract Grandpa had given you in the backstory and kicked the former ringmaster out. All right, now no one can stop the player from rebuilding [Hullabaloo] to level 100 and earning the hidden achievement! (The whole circus crew)

You became the only friend of a boy who was deeply despised in a noble family famous for producing outstanding people.

In medieval England, the player inherited a run-down bakery. The owner can't count as a child laborer, right? This time, the determined player was sure they could become the world's greatest baker! Make a fortune, then support their stubborn childhood friend, whose pride was as strong as ever, until the game was cleared.

At the orphanage, you and your adorable follower were kidnapped by an outer god...

...Wait, wait, wait. Did something terrifying get mixed in there?

(The instances may not be written in the order above, and every character will appear. There will be more content than what's listed here, including a second playthrough where the characters pursue you instead.)

You're naturally empathetic and easily moved. When playing, you can't help treating characters with strong self-awareness as if they were real people. But you still like joking around and playing little pranks on them. The player's shattered heart won't heal that easily, hia hia hia, (evil grin)

Only after you'd proudly completed every achievement in every special instance and returned to the main story did you realize that the characters whose stories you'd finished with either a bad or happy ending had changed their attitudes toward the player enormously.

You belatedly opened the affection menu and discovered that all the locks on their hearts had been removed, and their affection levels were almost maxed out!

You only felt proud. You knew your way of unlocking the romance routes in this game was the right one!

But...

Why was the prize sent to your house after the beta ended a stack of tickets to transmigrate!??

Had the consequences of your fourth-wall-breaking player behavior in the game finally caught up with you?

You closed your eyes in resignation, afraid to look at the characters standing stiffly in your doorway.

Even when you later tried to confront the developers and demand an explanation, there was nothing you could do. Once the beta ended, the shameless profiteers had already run off.

[Content warnings, probably?] A fairly satisfying power fantasy, but the logic doesn't hold up to scrutiny, so try not to overthink it. Growth and leveling up. After getting rejected and shutting yourself away, you really turn the game into an exploration adventure. An absurdly powerful golden finger, slow pacing, a fondness for running-account narration, lots of original settings, and an all-characters-love-you fake harem, with plenty of delightfully cheesy melodrama.

All characterizations and backstories are based on online sources and the author's personal interpretations. Please forgive any possible deviations from the original characters or plot.

Each instance will have a second playthrough in which the characters retain their memories and pursue you in turn, healing you. (The characters probably go up to the Archer.)

The extras will probably feature the characters transmigrating with you into a world where the Identity V mobile game exists... This cheesy author loves that kind of plot.

There are elements of angst, with a roughly 1:2 ratio of angst to sweetness in the main story. The group doting on you only happens in the middle and later parts.

The author only accepts writing suggestions that are both kindly phrased and clearly and specifically explained, I have no heart, and if I do, it's tempered glass :(

Blurb written on 2025.4.19

Theme: Want to play another thrilling game?