Online, players enraged by Raize's ill-intentioned mockery exploded in fury, venting across all kinds of forums and chat platforms.
But this was exactly what Raize wanted to see—it was all part of his plan.
Right now, opinions about his games online were sharply polarized.
They were undeniably popular, but they also drove certain players completely mad. There weren't that many top-tier gamers—out of ten players, nine were howling, and the last one was screaming even louder.
As for the resentment and rage of clumsy players who felt mocked, Raize had no intention of apologizing.
Instead, he released the high-skill gameplay showcases and no-damage boss fight videos he had long prepared onto the official website.
Whether Sekiro or Devil May Cry, both were difficult—but not unreasonable.
Raize's own gameplay clips, along with the videos he commissioned from skilled players, were all uploaded online.
Each video also came with his personal message.
"Sekiro is a game for the strong. Devil May Cry has difficulty options. If you can't handle Sekiro, you can go play Devil May Cry. Running away may be shameful, but it works~"
"Sekiro has no difficulty options because, in my mind, it is a game made for strong players. It may be a bit difficult for ordinary players, but in a high-difficulty game like this, the goal is not only to select skilled players, but also to help ordinary players grow stronger."
"Sekiro trains a player's willpower, reflexes, intelligence, and overall ability."
"My original intention was this: anyone who can clear Sekiro is definitely stronger than others."
These words from Raize played a crucial role. Although the opening line about 'running away' angered many players, once they read the rest, the polarized comments gradually became more positive.
At the very least, the number of players complaining about difficulty dropped sharply—even though they knew Sekiro was hard, they still wanted to play it.
Everyone has a sense of competition and comparison, and competition in games is even more common. This time, however, it wasn't about character strength or how much money you spent.
Sekiro and the highest-difficulty Devil May Cry tested only one thing: player skill.
Anyone who can clear Sekiro is stronger than others!
Raize's words struck directly at players' hearts—especially those who showcased skill in livestreams and videos.
Sekiro being hard was justified. It was meant to select the strongest players. If you were bad, you didn't have to play it. Without solid skills, why play Sekiro at all? Go play Devil May Cry on the lowest difficulty.
"Raiden Game Company is very sincere—two refined action games. Anyone who's played them won't say they're bad. If you can't handle Sekiro, Devil May Cry is also a top-tier action game."
"Heh, if you're aiming to be the strongest, of course the difficulty should be high. It's not like it's impossible to clear."
"A game as good as Sekiro should be hard. There's no pay-to-win—skill is all that matters. If you can't beat it, go check guides online."
"Agreed. After playing Sekiro and Devil May Cry, other action games feel ridiculously easy. Skilled players can show off in Sekiro, and ordinary players can improve through it."
"If you think your willpower, reflexes, or intelligence aren't up to par, then you should play it even more."
"Both of Raiden Company's games are top-tier productions. You can complain that they're hard, but they're absolute classics. In today's action game market, what can really compare to Sekiro and Devil May Cry?"
"After experiencing Devil May Cry's intense thrill, I can't even look at other action games the same way. There's just no comparison."
"Sekiro's combat system and impact feel are obvious to everyone—it's clear Raiden Company put real effort into it. Complaining about difficulty is fine, but attacking other aspects is not."
Because Raize had already anticipated this situation, he was fully prepared. The polarized opinions gradually turned into widespread praise.
Game sales skyrocketed uncontrollably.
Sitting behind his desk, watching the pre-order numbers continuously rise and seeing the game icons on the system catalog gradually gain color, Raize smiled.
"You really pulled it off, Boss."
Looking at the comments on the official site, Kobayashi finally let out a sigh of relief. After Raize's bold maneuvers, it was impossible not to worry.
Kobayashi didn't want to see the company's game flop.
Previously, many employees had feared the launch might go badly, but to their surprise, although many complained about the difficulty in the first few days, those voices gradually faded—replaced by overwhelming praise.
The reason was exactly as Raize said: every player has a competitive mindset. From the very beginning, Raize intended to ignite that spark, burning Sekiro and Devil May Cry brighter and brighter, then revealing the true intent behind Sekiro's difficulty.
Those who wanted to complain or smear the company gradually fell silent.
The game quality itself was simply too strong. The only angle critics had was "too difficult." If anyone dared to criticize the quality, they would be torn apart by other players.
Anyone with eyes could see how good the game was. Difficulty was the only "flaw" they could vent about.
But once players vented enough, Raize released his earlier statements, sealing off that outlet completely.
Both skilled and ordinary players could play Sekiro. Strong players could prove themselves; ordinary players could grow stronger through it.
Many players who were beaten mercilessly by Sekiro tried relaxing with other action games—only to find those games shockingly easy.
"Sure, I'm a newbie in Sekiro, but in other action games? I'm a king."
"After taking the Sekiro entrance exam, playing other games feels like going back to kindergarten."
Raiden Company hadn't been exaggerating. Playing Sekiro and Devil May Cry genuinely improved player skill.
As a result, complaints about difficulty eventually disappeared. Difficulty itself became one of the game's defining features.
After experiencing Sekiro's intense combat, it was hard to return to anything bland.
Clack, clack!
Just as Raize and Kobayashi enthusiastically browsed online discussions, a sudden tapping sound came from the window.
Raize's office wasn't on the ground floor. At this height, only one thing could be knocking…
"Tohru…"
Kobayashi looked helplessly at the window, where an orange-haired girl in a maid outfit smiled brightly. She had strange dragon horns on her head and demon-like wings on her back.
Raize, however, simply smiled and opened the window to let her in.
"Thank you, Raize-san~"
After entering, Tohru greeted Raize warmly, then turned to Kobayashi with a cheerful smile.
"Kobayashi, I'm here to take you home!"
Because of her affection for Kobayashi—and Raize's serious request—Tohru had been extremely attentive toward her.
Raize hadn't encountered any ghouls in the area lately when going out at night. Thinking about it, it was likely due to Tohru's concern for Kobayashi's safety and what Raize had mentioned before—she must have dealt with them somehow.
"I told you it wasn't necessary."
Kobayashi looked uncomfortable and subconsciously touched her lower back. Previously, after oversleeping, she had gotten a free ride to work on Tohru's dragon form—free, yes, but the price was a strained back.
Seeing this, Raize laughed and added fuel to the fire.
"I think it is necessary. If Kobayashi goes drinking alone, who knows where she'll end up."
And indeed, Kobayashi did need someone to look after her. Raize wasn't comfortable with her being alone.
With Tohru around, no one would dare mess with Dragon Tamer Kobayashi.
"That was just a one-time thing!"
Hearing Raize say that, Kobayashi blushed slightly. She had wandered into the mountains while drunk and was lucky Raize found her.
She knew it was dangerous to roam around drunk at night—she'd just been lucky.
But thanks to that, she met Tohru.
"If possible, I hope there won't be any 'one-time exceptions.' If you wander off drunk again and stumble into a ghoul nest, what then?"
Raize didn't indulge her luck-based thinking. This world wasn't simple, and many things couldn't be judged by past experience alone.
Kobayashi had been lucky—but luck wouldn't last forever.
"With me protecting Kobayashi, those ghoul scraps won't be able to hurt her!" Tohru said seriously, patting her chest confidently.
Raize's guess had been correct. For Kobayashi's safety, Tohru had indeed wiped out all the ghouls in the area—without mercy.
Not only for Kobayashi, but also for Raize. Through conversations, Tohru learned about Raize's past.
Raize's family had died due to ghoul attacks. For Kobayashi's safety and to repay Raize, Tohru felt nothing but disgust toward ghouls.
There wasn't a single ghoul left near Kobayashi's home or workplace. Tohru regularly scanned the area—if any appeared, she eliminated them instantly.
"That's a relief…"
Watching Kobayashi and Tohru walk away together, chatting and laughing, Raize smiled sincerely, wishing the absent-minded Kobayashi and the lonely Tohru well.
Though Tohru might initially make Kobayashi uncomfortable, Raize believed they just needed time to adjust. He was confident they would become the most important people in each other's lives.
With Tohru's help, Kobayashi might even step into the supernatural world. According to Raize's knowledge, Kobayashi possessed extremely rare magical talent—once she found the right path, her future would be extraordinary.
Raize's own path to strength was now firmly on track. All he needed to do was keep making games, grow stronger through playing them, and deepen his foundation under the guidance of the little god around him.
These days, most of the games he played didn't boost his strength much—mostly small games from his previous life. Even something like "Kick the Buddy" only improved his physical condition slightly.
Playing Forest Ice Burning Man only yielded diamonds with ice and fire attributes, which could be used as training resources.
The best one was yesterday's game. He played a game called Double-Edged and obtained the warrior's template from it, which caused Raize's physical abilities to surge significantly.
After all, the story of Double-Edged was based on Greek mythology. The protagonist defeated many powerful enemies and monsters along the way, so his strength was naturally not to be underestimated.
"I hope a pretty good game drops tonight…"
The June night air was stiflingly hot, but for someone with ice-element powers, it hardly made any difference.
Once the games went explosively well in sales as planned, he intended to celebrate a bit with his employees and properly reward them.
"But before that…"
Raize's previously calm eyes gradually turned sharp. He slipped into a pitch-black corner and began moving at high speed, lightly pressing off the ground before his body leapt up with ease.
After just a few light rebounds, he had already reached the top of a skyscraper and began sprinting, rapidly weaving through the city.
Raize arrived in a sparsely populated area. After landing atop a building, he took a mask out of his inventory space and put it on, then changed all his clothes.
This area had already been sealed off by the CCG. Based on the memories he had obtained from Mado, as well as the information he had people gather over the past few days, once news of the lockdown reached his ears, he began preparing to act.