Furukawa Hirozawa wasn't the only one who did this.
His colleagues Kinoshita, Hayamikawa, and Sugita were all dragged into it one after another.
"Damn it! Furukawa, I really admire you. Can't you be a decent human being? You know how fast Old Thief Furuhara's knife is, and you still dragged me into this?"
"Exactly, exactly! After playing to the After Story, I was completely numb from the knife. Old Thief Furuhara is simply insane; I've never seen anyone use a knife like this.
Why didn't he knife the male protagonist too?
What's the point of staying in this world when your wife and child are dead?"
"Furukawa, that's where you're wrong. Although we also liked Old Thief Furuhara's game before, we never thought this one would be so heartbreaking. You've already experienced it yourself, and you still want to drag us into the pit. That's where you're wrong."
"I didn't do anything. I just recommended you to check out the pokeni Community forum."
"Ah, this…" Everyone thought about it carefully, and it really seemed to be the case.
"Speaking of which, it's all those guys on the forum's fault for misreporting the situation and giving everyone the illusion that this game was so warm and healing."
"I really am…"
"Never mind, never mind. I don't want to say anything else. Anyway, after I played the game, I immediately gave it a good review on the forum," Kinoshita said indifferently.
"Eh?"
The others exchanged glances.
But seeing Furukawa Hirozawa's calm expression, everyone suddenly understood.
"No way! We have to let others experience the taste of being knifed by Old Thief Furuhara too!"
…
Everyone returned to their workstations, opened their computers, and started posting on the forum.
Then, as players pulled one another in, like a snowball, the number of registered users on the pokeni Community forum grew, and the number of good reviews also increased, truly creating a false impression that "this game must be wonderful."
This led to more players getting hooked, who then continued to post good reviews, bringing in new players…
In marketing, this method is called viral marketing, and the influence it can generate is actually very terrifying.
So, very quickly, thousands of good review posts appeared on the pokeni forum.
When Aoki Haruhi saw these comments, his head started to ache.
So many good reviews, yet he couldn't feel happy at all.
In fact, the higher the ratings they gave, the more the game's experience was praised, the more uncomfortable Aoki Haruhi felt.
Never before had such a situation given Aoki Haruhi a headache.
Human nature, why is it so despicable?
Can't stand to see others do well?
If you fall into a pit yourself, you have to trick everyone else into it too?
Is there no conscience left?!
However, Aoki Haruhi couldn't think that way; once he admitted that the good review posts were meant to lure people in and kill them, it felt like denying himself.
But then again…
Aoki Haruhi believed that it was because these guys hadn't played the hidden ending.
There was a way to make the meaning of all current comments positive, and that was to let players know about the existence of the hidden ending.
If an easter egg is buried too deep, it becomes self-admiration.
Aoki Haruhi had thought too highly of the players, believing that with their tireless exploration, they would surely discover the Producer's painstaking efforts. Now it seemed, only plan B could be adopted.
So he posted a new thread online, stickied and highlighted:
"What do the light orbs in the game mean?
Hey, have you noticed something strange:
After completing some side quests, when you return to the initial easter egg screen, a few light spots inexplicably appear under the big tree.
According to the information revealed in the game, this thing seems to be called a light orb, representing the desires of one's heart.
What happens if you collect all the light orbs?
If any expert knows, please let me know the answer.
Many thanks."
After writing it, Aoki Haruhi was very pleased, and after carefully reviewing it again, he felt there should be no problems.
Just then, Ayase Akane's voice suddenly rang out in his ear: "Akiko? President, you actually call yourself Akiko?"
Akiko's Japanese pronunciation: Akiko
This sudden voice startled Aoki Haruhi, almost making him fall off his chair.
"What are you doing? Peeking at other people's computers?! I'm the president, you know?"
"It's because you were so engrossed in posting just now that you didn't answer for a long time when I called you?"
HR-chan was still very self-righteous.
"But…" The next second, Ayase Akane burst out laughing again, "President, it's too strange for a big man like you to be called Akiko, isn't it?"
"What does it have to do with you?" Aoki Haruhi said grumpily, "What do you know? In marketing, a girl's image is easier to approach players and makes them less wary.
I'm trying to get closer to the players."
"Yes, yes," Ayase Akane rolled her eyes, "You're absolutely right."
"So, what is it about?" Aoki Haruhi asked with a frown.
He had been in a good mood just now, but after someone found out his online alias was "Akiko," a sense of shame began to overwhelm him.
This made Aoki Haruhi feel so ashamed that he wished he could dig out a three-bedroom, two-living-room apartment with his toes.
"It's almost October, you know. Job hunting activities are about to begin. I'm here to ask about this year's recruitment requirements," Ayase Akane asked politely, holding her notebook like a professional.
"Hmm… about that."
Aoki Haruhi frowned.
Who were the great masters graduating in 1994 again?
…
A single stone stirred up a thousand ripples.
Akiko's post immediately caught the players' attention and quickly sparked a wave of discussion about "light orbs and hidden endings."
"Eh, don't tell me it's really possible. I found two light orbs under the big tree after clearing Fuko's route.
If these are really light orbs, then this player named Akiko's guess is very reasonable."
"Really? How many light orbs are there? If I can collect all of them, can I revive Nagisa and Ushio?"
Reviving Nagisa and Ushio had become the common wish of the players.
However, most people were actually very pessimistic.
"From what I know of Furuhara Tsubaki, that guy wouldn't be so kind as to set up a hidden ending, and it's even less likely that he'd revive Nagisa and Ushio."
"As a loyal fan of pokeni, I've played so many of his game, and other than the new MD version of onmyoji having an IF route where Yuuki Rei doesn't die, I've never seen anyone revived after being knifed by Furuhara Tsubaki."
"Old Thief Furuhara's knife isn't an ordinary knife; it's a grim reaper's scythe. One slash, and there's no chance of survival."
"A hidden ending exists, I believe that. But Nagisa and Ushio being revived, I definitely don't believe that."
"If Nagisa and Ushio could truly be revived, Furuhara Tsubaki wouldn't be Furuhara Tsubaki!"
…
In short, everyone discussed it with great enthusiasm, but there were still some who wanted to try.
Furukawa Hirozawa was one of them.
Although he also held no hope for the revival of Nagisa and Ushio.
And no one actually knew how many light orbs there were, but by completing all the side quests and trying out all the dialogue options one by one, he should be able to collect them all, right?
In short, the players all gave their all for this hidden ending.
Furukawa Hirozawa wasn't the fastest, because he still had to go to work.
A few days later, a verification post indeed appeared on the forum:
"Great!
It's true!"
A player named [Furukawa Nagisa Is My Girlfriend] posted a verification on the forum.
"After approximately 300+ hours, a total of 20 days, I tried all the side quests and successfully collected all the light orbs.
The hidden ending is real.
When I saw the hidden ending, I was so moved I cried.
To avoid spoilers, I won't go into specific details about what the hidden ending is here.
Saying a few important elements should be fine.
First, there are a total of 13 light orbs.
Second, you can only unlock the hidden ending in the third playthrough, but everyone must have confidence and not be discouraged.
Perseverance is victory.
In the easter egg, there's not only the hidden ending everyone wants to see.
It also intersperses content from other pokeni game.
For example, the place where Quilt Man and Hedgehog Girl once lived.
There's also a small Hedgehog with white spines hiding in the grass, a real animal Hedgehog, not Hinata Minami.
That swaying quilt on the clothesline, it's uncertain if it belongs to Quilt Man. If it does, then it can explain one thing—
Quilt Man has truly regained his human identity.
Then there's mermaid's tears, which is probably something that runs through all pokeni game. The creation of light orbs, including the wishes of the townspeople, all seem to be related to mermaid's tears.
But the specific information and truth are unknown.
The only guess is that mermaid's tears are very widely present in the world.
And just like the setting of mermaid's tears—
Those who obtain mermaid's tears can have one wish granted, but it will bring a deeply unforgettable emotion.
Whether this deeply unforgettable emotion is good or bad is unclear.
However, from the Furukawa couple to Ibuki Fuko… it seems they all obtained mermaid's tears.
In short, I can only say this much. Saying more would be a spoiler.
Everyone must believe in the light orbs and the hidden ending.
The hidden ending will definitely not disappoint you!"
This person was a genuine player, not arranged by Aoki Haruhi, so when he saw this post, he was also very excited.
"Ah~ Great! Finally! Finally, a player can understand the production team's painstaking efforts.
The easter egg we set up finally has a day to see the light of day!"
Fantastic, these are the players I want!
These are the players full of exploratory spirit and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
A perfectionist.
Perfect.
…
Encouraged by [Furukawa Nagisa Is My Girlfriend], countless players began their journey to explore the hidden ending.
More and more strategy guides also appeared online.
Although it took some more time, under these circumstances, Kawasaki Toshihiko also successfully collected all the light orbs and successfully reached the third playthrough of AFTER STORY.
His speed was actually quite fast, mainly because Kawasaki was currently on vacation, so he spent almost all his time on the game CLANNAD.
For office workers, this might take even longer.
Kawasaki Toshihiko had already experienced Furukawa Nagisa's death twice, and other than some minor details, nothing seemed to have changed.
If it weren't for the forum post before that insisted on persevering, Kawasaki Toshihiko would have given up long ago.
Isn't being knifed once enough?
He actually had to be knifed three times.
Old Thief Furuhara is truly insane.
Everything proceeded as usual, and then came the part where Nagisa was on her last breath after giving birth to Ushio.
Reliving this for the third time, Kawasaki Toshihiko's tears began to fall in large drops before Okazaki Tomoya even spoke.
If in the end, the so-called hidden ending turns out to be a scam, I'd be such a fool.
Just a big baka.
Who in the world would do such a thing, to watch Nagisa's death three times?
"Hey, Nagisa…"
Tomoya was sobbing, unable to find anything else to say at this point.
Nagisa's hand suddenly lost its strength.
"Nagisa! Nagisa!"
Tomoya desperately re-gripped her hand.
"Nagisa, you're not allowed to go anywhere."
"You said you'd always be by my side!"
Tomoya said, his voice choked with tears.
"You are the dream I've always been searching for."
"Nagisa, Nagisa!"
Tomoya called her name over and over again.
Endlessly… ceaselessly…
And just then, Nagisa's hand dropped, and she closed her eyes.
"Heh heh."
Good.
Still dead, huh?
Kawasaki Toshihiko sneered twice, ready to mail razor blades to pokeni tomorrow, and also to drag out and beat up the person who posted about the "hidden ending."
And just then, the entire screen suddenly turned white.
Tomoya was in a dazzling light.
Kawasaki Toshihiko's pupils suddenly contracted, realizing something, and he quickly sat up straight.
This… could this be the legendary hidden ending?
Countless light orbs converged, making the screen pure white, and light enveloped the male protagonist.
When his eyes readjusted and he opened them again, the scene before him gradually became clear—
At the bottom of the slope in front of the school gate.
Nagisa was still standing there.
…
The scene switched back to the first meeting between Tomoya and Nagisa.
It was still that day, on the school path, under the cherry blossom tree, the girl murmured to herself, calling out "red bean bread," cheering herself on.
However, unlike their first meeting, the male protagonist here did not talk to Nagisa, and the two had already passed each other by.
The male protagonist, whose consciousness had returned, quickly turned around and shouted, "Nagisa!"
After shouting, he dropped his bag and rushed towards Nagisa, embracing her.
Although it was the scene of their first meeting, the Nagisa here seemed to have shared all those past memories.
Both of them had been reborn; this was Kawasaki Toshihiko's first feeling.
At the same time, the joy of seeing a living Nagisa again brought tears to his eyes, and his throat choked up.
"That's wonderful," Nagisa smiled, "I was just wondering if Tomoya-kun also thought it would have been better if we hadn't met?"
"You made me so worried."
"But I'm very happy to have met Tomoya-kun."
"I am very happy."
"So, I hope that no matter what we encounter or what happens in the future, please, Tomoya-kun, don't regret meeting me."
"No," Tomoya cried tears of joy, "I am very happy to have met you."
Next, the light quickly swept past, and various scenes of the town intertwined like a revolving lantern.
The wish-granting light orbs began to work, and the scene returned to the day their daughter, Ushio, was born.
Originally, after their daughter Ushio was born, Nagisa's face was exceptionally pale, she was on her last breath, and she died after saying a few words to the male protagonist.
This time, although Nagisa was still very weak, and her face was covered in sweat, her complexion was no longer so pale, and she was no longer on her last breath.
"Mr. Okazaki, mother and daughter are both safe, you can rest assured," the doctor said.
The male protagonist finally relaxed.
Nagisa said, "Perhaps it was the wishes of the people in this town that brought about this miracle."
Tomoya asked, "Is the town a dango daikazoku?"
Nagisa replied, "Yes, the town is a dango daikazoku. Don't you believe it?"
"No, I've believed it for a long time."
"Then, now I want to sing 'dango daikazoku' for Ushio."
"Dango dango dango dango dango daikazoku…"
A cheerful BGM played.
Kawasaki Toshihiko was moved to tears.
At this point, the game had completely ended.
Old Thief Furuhara finally had some conscience left and did a good deed.
Kawasaki Toshihiko wiped his tears, turned off the TV, and then sat on the tatami, feeling a sense of loss.
He instinctively reached for the beer on the table, but when it reached his lips, he couldn't bring himself to drink it.
Something was welling up from his throat.
Or perhaps,
It felt as if he had lost something very precious.
The ending of the game was clearly a happy reunion.
What was going on?
It's divine.
CLANNAD.
It's divine.
Furuhara Tsubaki, you're divine.
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