Becoming the Strongest as a Game Dev

The man strode into the training room, his silver-grey hair and wise aura commanding attention.

"Aria, so you've arrived." His gaze settled on his daughter.

Aria straightened. "Greetings, Father."

The man's gaze shifted to Sam and Yuna.

"And who might our guests be?" he inquired, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity.

"Father, allow me to introduce Sam Briar and Yuna Minami."

She gestured towards them. "This is my father, Cedric Silverstone. The previous head of the household."

Sam offered a friendly smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

Yuna inclined her head, her expression more guarded. "Greetings, Mr. Silverstone."

Cedric shows a warm expression. "You can relax. You're our guests," he says.

"Aria, how's your training coming along?"

"Very well, Father. I'm making good progress."

"But I heard you've hit a bit of a roadblock?"

Aria nodded. "Yes, but I'm determined to overcome this challenge."

"I see." Cedric's expression softened. "It happens to the best of us. Take your time, but I also understand you've been looking for a developer?"

"That's right," Aria confirmed.

Cedric gestured towards the door. "Well, I've invited a talented one myself. Please, come in."

The doors open, and a young man strides in, his confident bearing and gleaming eyes drawing everyone's attention.

"Greetings! I'm Adder Foley, but you might know me as Caliban - the creator of the acclaimed simulation, 'Night Raid.' It's an honor to meet the esteemed Silverstone family." Adder's gaze sweeps the room, his lips curling into a self-assured smile.

Sam's eyes widen as he recognizes the familiar face.

Adder continues, "I've heard so much about your family, and I'm excited to have the opportunity to collaborate with you."

Cedric introduces Adder to Aria. "This is Caliban. He is a talented and experienced developer. I invited him to help you."

Aria looks at Adder, scrutinizing him. "Thank you, Father, for inviting another developer to assist me. However, I have already invited developers of my own to work on my project."

Adder's lips curled into a confident smile. "Now, now, Ms. Silverstone. I'm not some run-of-the-mill developer. I'm confident I can bring more to the table than whoever developer you've hired."

"I'm sure my team can more than handle my request."

"Oh? Then let me see this developer. If you don't mind?"

"Of course, these are the two of them." Aria gestured towards Sam and Yuna.

Adder turns to Sam and Yuna, and he is surprised to see Sam, to whom he now just noticed. "You! Genesis! What are you doing here?!"

"Hello, we meet again," said Sam.

"So we meet again, my rival! So you're here to steal my job," said Adder with arrogance.

"Again, since when did we become rivals. This is our only second meeting, and no. I'm not here to steal anyone's job. Aria invited me."

"Ha! That's the same thing!" said Adder.

Yuna shifts uncomfortably, sensing the tension between the two developers. Aria observes the exchange with a slight frown, her eyes narrowing.

"Have you two met before?"

Sam nods. "Yes, we briefly crossed paths at the World Developer Expo. I was receiving an award for my work on 'Devil May Cry' when Adder was also honored for 'Night Raid.'" He glances at Adder, a hint of amusement in his tone. "It seems our paths have a habit of crossing, though I wouldn't exactly call us rivals."

Adder scoffs, his eyes narrowing. "Humble as always, Genesis. But don't think for a second that I've forgotten our little encounter. I'm not about to let some upstart steal my thunder again."

Cedric's gaze shifted to Aria. "Are these two the developers you've invited to assist with your project?"

Aria nodded. "Yes, Father. This is Sam Briar, also known as Genesis. He is the winner of this year's World Developer Expo for his work on 'Devil May Cry.'"

"Genesis, you say? I've heard a lot about him in the developer circle. It's an honor to have you here." He turned to Yuna. "And I'm sure Yuna here is another talented developer."

Yuna's cheeks flushed as she shook her head. "N-No, I'm just Sam's assistant." She averted her gaze, her voice soft and hesitant.

Cedric turns to Adder with an apologetic expression. "I'm afraid I may have wasted your time, Adder. It seems my daughter has already invited these two developers to assist her."

"With all due respect, Mr. Silverstone, I don't believe that's necessary. I'm more than capable of handling this project on my own." His eyes narrow as he turns to Aria. "May I know what is your request, Ms. Silverstone?"

Aria meets his gaze evenly. "I've asked Sam to create a simulation focused on twin pistols. It's a weapon style I'm particularly skilled with."

"Is that so? Well, then, I propose a challenge." He turns to Sam. "Let's see who can create the better simulation for Ms. Silverstone. The winner will be the one she chooses to work with."

Sam frowns, puzzled. "Why do I have to challenge you? Aria has already made her choice."

Adder's expression turns almost predatory. "To prove who is the better developer, of course. Surely you're not afraid of a little competition, Genesis?"

Cedric's brows rise, and he watches the exchange with growing interest. "Well, this is an intriguing proposition. If you two are willing to accept the challenge, I'd be happy to offer a prize for the winner."

Adder grins. "So what will it be, Genesis?"

"Fine, if it's to get you off my back. Then I accept."

"Perfect! I will definitely show you who the better developer is. Be prepared, Genesis! We will have two months to work on the simulation. See you in two months," Adder said, his lips curling into a self-assured grin as he turned and strode out of the room.

Yuna glanced at Sam, concern etched on her features. "Are you alright?"

"I will be. I just didn't expect Adder to be so... persistent."

"Father, why did you allow this competition to take place?" asked Aria.

Cedric chuckled, his expression amused. "It's not a loss for you, Aria. Having two talented developers work on your project can only benefit you. And it will be quite entertaining to see the results of their challenge."

"If you say so, Father." She turned to Sam and Yuna. "I apologize for the disruption. Please, continue with your work."

Sam offered a reassuring smile. "It's alright, Ms. Silverstone. Yuna and I will do our best to create a simulation that meets your expectations."

With a nod, Sam and Yuna took their leave, already discussing their strategy for the upcoming challenge.

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