Agreeing to Create Bad Games, What the Hell Is ‘Titanfall’? Chapter 262: “Malignant BUG” Robert

This?

Is this the “brilliant boss design” that Sekiro players hyped up so wildly, even tagging him by the thousands on social platforms to make sure he saw it?

This?

Koizumi Kazuo felt both angry and amused at the sa ti, even unsure what kind of expression to make facing the situation now in front of him.

Yes.

Yes, Koizumi, still recovering in the hospital, ultimately couldn’t resist the endless “suggestions” from countless players.

Plus, being alone in the hospital with nothing to do made it worse.

So, with a defiant attitude, Koizumi opened a ga streaming platform.

He wanted to see exactly what this so-called “top-tier boss battle design” that players raved about really looked like!

The result?

Less than twenty minutes in, the live stream of Neon’s top ga strear Hideki suddenly went silent on his screen.

So the boss design you all hyped up so much was just about a monster that couldn’t be killed at all?

Fine!

I’ll admit this boss design is unconventional.

And your unconventional approach did shock everyone and stir a ruckus among players and viewers alike.

But the problem is—

“How the hell am I supposed to clear this?”

At this mont, Hideki stood on the corridor bridge, clutching his head, running like a scared rat, wailing in despair:

“No no no! Bridge tofu sack! Bridge tofu sack!!!”

Boom! Boom!

Boom!!!

The massive greatsword slamd heavily behind him.

The entire wooden corridor bridge trembled violently!

Step, step, step again!

Hideki had completely lost his fighting spirit, frantically dodging without daring to confront the armored warrior’s sharp assault head-on.

Because, just a mont ago, he realized that the once invincible, never-failing death blow couldn’t even deal fatal damage to this armored giant.

Looking closely, not a single drop of blood was lost!

Yes.

In Sekiro, the posture bar is an extrely important combat chanic.

Under normal circumstances, in a fair fight, the enemy’s posture bar will always break before their health bar.

And the posture bar is displayed prominently above the enemy’s head, far more noticeable than the health bar.

So usually, players don’t pay much attention to the enemy’s health.

But this ti was different!

This armored dude simply couldn’t be death-blowed!

Kusabimaru couldn’t even nick his neck!

So Hideki shifted his gaze to the enemy’s health bar, wondering if this boss was special—unable to be death-blowed and only killable by whittling down health.

The result was despair-inducing!

“No! Wait! You don’t lose health, can’t be death-blowed, so what the hell am I supposed to—damn it!!!”

A loud crash.

Hideki dodged too late and was knocked flying more than three ters!

The viewers went wild with laughter—

“wwwww completely invincible”

“Bug, right? This ga’s hard, but not to the point of making an invincible dude.”

“This bug is hilarious, especially with that airtight armor, it makes sense.”

“Looks like the ninja can’t take advantage against a fully armored dieval knight.”

“But gotta admit, this knight’s moves and actions are really cool, with a fierce charm.”

“Suggest Little Yellow make a dieval-thed wolf ga next, I wanna wear heavy armor too.”

“ 1, I wanna use a greatsword.”

“Hahaha just restart, this bug is too serious.”

“Stop struggling in vain...”

“...”

After much analysis, both viewers and Hideki gave up resistance.

Clearly, this was a bug.

Hideki agreed and gave his analysis when restarting the ga:

“I get it, the special design of this boss must be in his health bar,”

“Since he’s wearing heavy armor, we can’t damage him, so theoretically, we have to break his posture bar to death-blow him,”

“But since his health is locked, there could be a ‘invincible’ bug in the program logic,”

“Sigh, I’ll try again. After all, it’s Golden Wind’s first 3S-level masterpiece, a few bugs won’t hurt...”

Saying that,

Hideki stood at the front of the corridor bridge again.

Since this was the only road to Immortal Peak Temple’s main gate,

he had no choice but to kill this armored warrior to proceed.

“Co on! This ti, I’ll give you a righteous death blow!”

With that,

Hideki sprinted to the middle of the corridor bridge.

The armored warrior unsurprisingly charged out from the observation deck again, swinging his greatsword, clashing with Hideki.

Clang! Clang! Bang!

Crack, thud!

With last ti’s experience, Hideki was much calr facing the armored warrior’s heavy strikes this ti.

He also found that the prosthetic ninja arm’s large axe, which he had used against shield soldiers before, was extrely effective here.

He seized the opportunity to strike one or two blows, then combined with parries and attacks.

This ti, he didn’t even use resurrection, only two healing gourds, and again broke the armored warrior’s posture bar.

“Ha!”

Hideki let out a wild roar:

“Accept my righteous death blow! Xi—Nei—”

Shhh shhh shhh—Slash!!!

A shower of sparks flew!

Hideki clearly felt the friction of blade against iron armor, accompanied by the piercing tallic screech!

“What—the hell?!”

Thud!

Hideki rolled to the ground, eyes wide with terror as the armored warrior charged at him again!

“For my son! Put down your weapon!”

Buzz—

This ti, Hideki forgot to resist, staring helplessly as the giant sword swung down at him!

Boom boom! Boom—

“Dead.”

At this mont, all the players who had reached this point couldn’t hold back anymore!

“WTF! Bug! This is a bug! Definitely a malignant bug!”

“Aiyah, damn it, can’t kill it at all! WTF!”

“Suka! There’s no way to beat this! Suka buly!”

“Stop thinking about your son! Can I be your son? You’re really my dad! You’re even stronger than the Dragon Bloodline!”

“Hehe, always play gas with a smile, just like hehe—I'll play the mother’s ga!”

“Gah—ya—!!!”

Really couldn’t hold on!

From strears to ordinary players,

no one who reached here wasn’t stuck!

Watching all these frustrated players, Koizumi in the hospital laughed heartily!

...

Fine!

Fine fine fine!

Originally, I just wanted to see what’s so amazing about your ga design.

Never expected this shaful scene!

You have to know, this mini boss on the corridor bridge is one of the mandatory bosses in the ga’s progression.

Only by killing him can players enter Immortal Peak Temple and obtain the Undying Severer.

But now, such a crucial boss has this “unkillable” malignant bug!

Even the fastest strears are helpless against this bug!

In an instant,

Koizumi realized his opportunity.

Though attacking Sekiro’s reputation now wouldn’t help their own ga Torii’s sales,

if I can’t benefit myself, can’t I at least hurt you?

Even if it can’t save my ga’s sales, dragging down your reputation and affecting your sales is good enough!

Thinking this,

Koizumi imdiately picked up the phone and called his assistant.

Actually, the atmosphere inside Kora was very subtle, or rather chaotic.

The previous mishandling at the gaming festival caused Moriya to severely beat Koizumi, sending him to the hospital.

Then Moriya announced resignation as head of this marketing campaign, causing Torii’s follow-up marketing to collapse.

The gaming festival failure, marketing chief’s sudden resignation, the 3S-level masterpiece’s poor start, and continuous decline in public opinion...

Amid all this chaos, Uekoe Kagemasa should have taken swift action to stabilize the situation.

Then launch secondary marketing to stabilize Torii’s declining reputation, and order Koizumi to adjust the ga.

After all, the first week’s sales hadn’t been released yet—better late than never.

However,

Kora’s higher-ups made no response or move, like a stagnant pond, seemingly treating Torii and all gaming festival entries as abandoned children.

Thus, Koizumi Kazuo, as director of Koizumi Studio and lead designer of Torii, without higher-level instructions, naturally beca the project’s full responsible person with so PR authority.

Just like that!

Within just half an hour!

Riding the wave of players’ doubts and strears’ furious complaints,

posts about “Sekiro’s serious malignant BUG!” quickly spread across major ga forums.

Chaos reigned as players debated wildly!

...

“...If you ask , just change your approach. Look, it’s already spreading online, this is a malignant BUG.”

anwhile,

Wang Yong took a drag from his cigarette in the motion-sensing bar’s smoking area and handed his phone to Zhao Yi:

“It’s not your thod, this is a BUG. Many strears switched routes to explore other places.”

In the ga, after players defeat Genichiro at Tenshukaku for the first ti, Genichiro uses his accumulating resurrection ability to escape.

After that, players embark on the true main storyline: “Cutting the Undying.”

Because cutting the undying requires the Undying Severer and the Spirit Incense to enter the Palace of Origin, so players go to Immortal Peak Temple to find the Undying Severer, like Quinn and Hideki.

Others choose to go to the Fallen Valley first, to gather materials for synthesizing the Spirit Incense.

As for Zhao Yi, he chose to go to Immortal Peak Temple to find the Undying Severer.

Yes, Zhao Yi has a gaming trait—slow to adapt at first, but fast at grasping the whole system.

Any ga in his hands starts with stumbling and clumsiness.

But once he understands the chanics and environnt, his powerful learning and analogy skills kick in.

Like a late-ga hero—weak early on, but with experience and gear, he dominates.

Now Zhao Yi caught up with the first-tier players and encountered this completely unkillable armored warrior.

“Hm—”

Browsing the online discussions, Zhao Yi clicked his tongue thoughtfully:

“Such a serious bug... wouldn’t Golden Wind have noticed before release?”

Obviously, Zhao Yi didn’t fully agree with the bug theory.

“Indeed,”

Wang Yong was also a bit puzzled:

“So so players say this is a ga chanic, aning it’s not yet ti to kill the armored warrior,”

“Maybe you have to find a special item elsewhere first to kill him completely.”

This analysis seed reasonable.

However,

Zhao Yi shook his head:

“No, that doesn’t fit the ga’s design logic.”

By this point, Zhao Yi had a fairly clear understanding of Sekiro.

Every boss you can currently fight is ant to be defeated on the spot.

After all, even the first encounter with Genichiro can be beaten, turning him into a stealth kill “Trashichiro.”

How could Golden Wind design a boss that makes players struggle endlessly but never let them pass?

“Torture maybe,” Wang Yong shrugged naturally after hearing Zhao Yi’s analysis, “Old Thief’s gas are always like that.”

“Ah—that’s wrong,”

Zhao Yi shook his head slowly:

“There’s a fundantal difference between torturing players and just being nasty,”

“Old Thief likes to torture players, to throw them off ntally through countless deaths, but ultimately you can beat the ga,”

“He would never design a boss that’s impossible to clear, just to annoy you.”

This...

Hearing this, Wang Yong opened his mouth.

Zhao Yi’s argunt made sense.

From the ga design perspective, this doesn’t fit Sekiro’s tone.

But the problem is, the situation is right here.

Players just can’t find a way to clear it?

“Then you just haven’t found the right thod!”

Saying that,

Zhao Yi stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, waved away the smoke, and left the smoking room to re-enter the motion-sensing pod.

anwhile, Wang Yong’s playti was up, so he also shut down his battle royale ga and connected to Zhao Yi’s perspective.

Must say!

After diving deep into Sekiro, Zhao Yi’s skills improved drastically.

Thud! Slash!

Before entering the corridor bridge, Zhao Yi stood at the bridgehead, raised his hand and stomped the ground, two lights—a red and a yellow—lit up on his body.

Yaksha Sugar, Mortal Body Sugar.

These were two consumable items in the ga.

The first sacrifices 50% of max health temporarily for a 20% attack boost, helping players execute death blows faster.

The second reduces enemy posture damage by 66%, aiding better parries.

Whoosh whoosh!

Because these buffs last only 25 seconds, Zhao Yi needed to finish the fight quickly!

“For my son! Put down your...”

“Shut up!”

Before the armored warrior finished speaking,

Zhao Yi dashed forward, prosthetic arm swung—

Crackling!!!

A burst of firecrackers exploded right in front, interrupting the armored warrior’s words and scaring him into shielding his face!

Slash! Slash! Slash!

Three consecutive strikes!

The armored warrior staggered back, sparks flying from his body!

Kusabimaru scraped over his impenetrable armor, emitting piercing tallic chis!

“Ugh—!!!”

Buzz!

After the brief three strikes, the armored warrior quickly recovered and swung his greatsword at Zhao Yi!

Clang!

Sparks flew!

Zhao Yi’s posture bar rose slightly, while the armored warrior’s posture bar reached a quarter!

“Damn!!!”

Wang Yong watching in sync gasped!

So damn strong!

Opening with firecrackers, three strikes, one parry, the armored warrior’s defense dropped by a quarter in a smooth flow!

Then Zhao Yi’s moves were pure “Sekiro wolf” style!

Step on blade, nod, parry, deflect...

Blades flashing, the armored warrior retreated step by step, unable to hit Zhao Yi!

Clang!

With the final deflection’s tallic ring, the armored warrior’s posture bar shattered instantly!

Zhao Yi seized the chance, leapt forward for a death blow!

Shhh—!

Thud thud thud!

Sparks flying, the armored warrior staggered backward but still did not die!

This ti!

Zhao Yi was certain—this was definitely not a bug!

Rember, this is a motion-sensing pod ga.

Though the pod at the bar wasn’t the latest Yiyou X2 but an older Polar Bear model,

the full tactile feedback was still very clear.

Zhao Yi could distinctly feel the blade scraping armor, unlike any previous execution sensation!

If this were a bug, why would Golden Wind deliberately calibrate the feeling of blade cutting armor here?

So!

Watching the posture bar recover halfway and the armored warrior rush back, Zhao Yi raised Kusabimaru again:

“Sothing’s off. This is definitely not a bug. There must be a way to clear it. Keep an eye for !”

Speaking,

a cold glint flashed from his blade as he t the armored warrior’s attack once more!

Clang! Bang! Clang!

Sparks flying, Zhao Yi and the armored warrior fought fiercely!

anwhile, Wang Yong’s mind raced!

As a cloud player, he hadn’t experienced the ga firsthand, but through many live streams and Zhao Yi’s “live broadcast,” he understood the combat chanics well.

In Sekiro, there are three ways to damage enemies—

Stealth backstab, normal attacks, breaking posture for death blow, and using prosthetic arm tools.

But stealth was useless here, the armored warrior’s awareness was too high.

Normal attacks did no damage.

The prosthetic arm only caused debuffs, no damage.

Death blow only made this iron can stagger a bit.

Zhao Yi took hit after hit, breaking the posture bar again and again.

One, two, three tis...

Prosthetic arm, sugars, gourds, resurrection...

Death blow, death blow, and more death blows...

That roaring iron can seed tireless, wildly swinging his greatsword at Zhao Yi.

As ti dragged on, Zhao Yi’s situation grew dire, all cards played, only a sliver of health left!

Their battle turned chaotic, the corridor bridge a ss!

Wooden window fras on both sides shattered, even the railing near the observation deck was smashed to bits!

“Woooah—! Put down! Your weapon!”

Buzz!!!

With the armored warrior’s furious roar,

the greatsword seed to carry the force of a thousand thunders, charging down on Zhao Yi!

Clang clang clang—clang!!!

At this point, Zhao Yi was on his last legs, his steps unstable, retreating rapidly, nearing the observation deck!

Stomp stomp stomp—

Below was a sheer cliff!

Above was the thunderous greatsword!

A mont of life and death!

Hoo—

Clang—!!!

In an instant!

Sparks flew!

A perfect deflection shattered the armored warrior’s blade and, at the last mont, broke his posture bar!

Zhao Yi’s heart rate shot to 150!

Seeing the red dot appear, he instinctively moved forward for another death blow.

Just then, a sudden scream sounded in the voice channel!

The unkillable iron can, the stagger from death blow, the shattered corridor bridge...

“Damn it! I got it!”

Wang Yong shouted excitedly:

“Circle around! Circle around! Kick him! Now!!!”

Shala—!

Hearing this, Zhao Yi almost instinctively stepped aside, circling behind the armored warrior, swapping positions, stepping lightly and launching forward.

Kusabimaru slashed across the armored warrior’s neck again, then his legs tightened like a compressed spring, kicking midair!

Thump—!!!

Stomp stomp—stomp stomp stomp—!

The armored warrior staggered several unsteady steps, his heavy body like a bulldozer barreling toward the railingless observation deck, reaching out to steady himself, but the airtight heavy armor was too cumberso!

The fall happened the next second.

A fearful yet unwilling roar echoed through the towering Immortal Peak Temple gorge, startling a flock of birds—

“Ro—bert—!!!”

Hoo—

Thud!!!

The sound of a heavy object hitting the ground ca seconds later.

“Obtained: Buddhist Beads.”

Then, a trophy popped up in the lower right corner of Zhao Yi’s HUD—

“Boss Defeated (Armored Warrior).”

In an instant!

The voice channel inside the motion-sensing pod fell silent for five seconds!

Then, two shouts burst out simultaneously!

“I—!”

“Damn—!”

Shh—

The pod’s lid opened, and Wang Yong and Zhao Yi saw unmatched excitent in each other’s eyes!

More than two hours of exploration!

Dozens of attempts!

Countless analyses!

Hundreds of parries and dodges in the final battle, six rounds of death blows!

Two grown n slapped hands hard, the crisp sound ringing!

“Cleared! Damn! Cleared! Bro!!!”

“Aweso!!!”

“We’re champions! Hahaha Wuhu—!!!”

...

And at this mont!

Binjiang.

Golden Wind Ga Company.

Vice President’s Office.

Sato sat on the sofa opposite Gu Sheng, looking worried:

“Player discussions are already intense, all ntioning us, demanding explanations,”

“Many players are attacking us on major forums and social platforms, and their words... are very harsh.”

Two hours after the malignant BUG incident, the public outcry about Sekiro’s major bug needing urgent fixes swept the gaming community.

Though many players remained sowhat rational, defending Golden Wind,

claiming the “invincible bug” was just players taking the wrong route, or that Little Yellow lacked experience and deserved so leniency for their first 3S-level title.

But don’t forget,

Kora’s PR team was fanning the flas amid the chaos.

So the situation escalated, with more players demanding Golden Wind explain themselves.

After all, this was a major bug affecting the ga’s main storyline.

As director of Steel Chain Fingers Studio and Sekiro’s main responsible person besides Gu Sheng, Sato felt helpless and anxious.

He had sensed sothing was off when designing this boss.

Though “terrain execution boss” settings aren’t rare in the gaming circle,

usually such settings co with very obvious hints.

So gas even have companions directly telling players what to do.

But Sekiro had none.

Not to ntion direct instructions, players got zero hints fighting the armored warrior.

Purely trial and error!

The key point was, their ga’s torturous nature was prominent.

Sato couldn’t imagine the explosive mindset players would have after struggling to beat a boss that never actually falls, and just charges at them again like nothing happened.

And now,

he had witnessed it firsthand.

“Or... should we release a walkthrough video?”

Sato suggested.

If this continued, the ga’s sales and reputation would suffer seriously.

“That would just make players call us stupid.”

Gu Sheng was calm.

He clicked the pen cap, twirled the pen in his hand, and gave Sato a reassuring smile:

“Relax, there’ll always be stubborn ones,”

“They spent all night beating Genichiro on first encounter,”

“Soone will stubbornly keep fighting the armored warrior and try to clear it,”

“Don’t worry, let Robert fly a bit...”

Hearing this, Sato wanted to say more.

But at that mont, a notification sounded on his phone.

He took out his phone and saw a hot post from the world’s largest player community forum SNG—

“Immortal Peak Temple Armored Warrior No-Damage Walkthrough (With Video and Strategy Guide).”

Posted five minutes ago.

Replies—

80,790.

Sato’s words suddenly stuck; he froze like dusa’s gaze turned him to stone on the sofa.

Gu Sheng twitched his mouth.

“Emmmmm...”

He opened his mouth, even a bit embarrassed to break Sato’s petrification:

“Is—our reputation reversing?”

“Yes...”

Hearing this,

Sato slowly lifted his head, swallowed,

then turned his phone to Gu Sheng:

“Soone has cleared the armored warrior,”

“80,000 replies in five minutes,”

“Our reputation not only reversed,”

“But reversed so much—”

“That it got out of control...”