After securing the three newly acquired Remnants and leaving the trading location, Takakai proceeded to prepare emergency supplies—food rations, flashlights, purified water, and other essentials. Then came the waiting period for the optimal time to enter the dungeon.
Kumami had advised entering the dungeon during the evening hours. She didn't ask how Takakai planned to enter, nor did she explain why evening was the recommended time. But since she'd gone out of her way to provide this information—at considerable personal risk, no less—Takakai decided to follow her suggestion. There was always the chance that saying the wrong thing could drag her into the dungeon world as well.
Kaguya was visibly anxious, eager to enter the dungeon immediately. However, with Kumami's advice in mind, she understood the need for caution and restraint. After Takakai obtained the Remnants, she made an effort to calm herself, agreed on a meeting time with him, and returned home.
From start to finish, the operation to rescue Hayasaka Ai from Shirasawa Elementary involved only Takakai and Kaguya—no one else was informed, not Maki, not Chika, and not even Yotsuya Miko.
There were two reasons for this:
First, based on Takakai's understanding, shirasawa Elementary wasn't the type of dungeon where numbers equated to strength. On the contrary, due to certain hidden characteristics he hadn't yet experienced firsthand, more participants actually increased the likelihood of disaster. It was a dungeon that required a minimal team.
Second, in a Crimson Moon-level dungeon, the assistance Maki and Chika could currently provide was limited. Rather than leading multiple inexperienced girls into such danger, it was better to bring just one.
Well, truth be told, he wasn't entirely keen on bringing Kaguya either. Going solo would've been nerve-wracking, but given Kaguya's personality, excluding her would've been unacceptable. To prevent her from doing something reckless on her own, it was better to keep her close.
Huh, now that I think about it, that makes Kaguya sound like a Husky that'll disappear the moment you take your eyes off her...
Suppressing an internal chuckle, Takakai walked toward the city swimming pool while checking his phone.
He'd added Gotou Hitori as a contact and exchanged messages and calls with her. Honestly, the fact that Bocchi-chan had initiated contact was surprising—given her extreme social anxiety in the original work, reaching out to someone voluntarily must've been incredibly difficult. But when she hesitantly mentioned "Kita Ikuyo" during their call, Takakai immediately understood.
Even though his encounter with the horror-possessed Kita Ikuyo occurred in the erased third loop, he'd mentioned the red-haired girl to Kumami during their fourth-loop debrief.
It seemed Kumami had shared some details with Gotou Hitori regarding Kita, prompting the socially anxious girl to muster the courage to contact him.
But... was this really just a coincidence? Could the KP have orchestrated this?
After learning from Gotou Hitori that she had a way to return to Yoruyama High at any time, Takakai couldn't shake the suspicion.
That so-called KP—the one that had reached out from decades-old hallucinatory footage to strangle him, the one furious at his script-derailing actions—had promised him access to all areas of [School Horror Tales]. Was it pulling strings to ensure he obtained the means to enter Yoruyama High?
Takakai didn't let these thoughts distract him.
Ultimately, no matter how perilous the situation, he'd have to experience it firsthand to truly understand it.
Still, this opened up another branch of possibilities.
If this were an RPG, two quest markers would now appear in the corner of his vision:
[Shinomiya Kaguya & Hayasaka Ai - Shirasawa Elementary Side Quest] (Active, bolded)
[Gotou Hitori & Kita Ikuyo - Yoruyama High Main Quest?] (Inactive, smaller font)
The latter might qualify as a main quest, given that Bocchi-chan's plan involved using dungeon tickets to assemble a team of Crimson Moon players for a full-scale assault rather than sneaking in preemptively.
A jumble of thoughts swirled in Takakai's mind as he approached the swimming pool entrance—and the two girls waiting for him.
"You're about 20 minutes early. No need to arrive so far ahead of time," Takakai remarked with a smile at the sight of Maki and Chika in their casual outfits.
"I just got here myself. Since class ended early, I figured I might as well come ahead," Maki replied, tilting her head slightly, her tone airy.
"Ehehe~ Arriving early is part of a girl's charm, Kai-kun. You'll have to get used to it," Chika chimed in, swaying playfully with her hands behind her back.
That's right—Takakai was on a date. A date with both his girlfriends simultaneously. At a swimming pool, no less, where swimsuits and close contact were guaranteed.
If this had been his single life in his previous world, he'd have probably condemned such behavior vehemently. But now that he was living it? Hell yeah, this is the good stuff!
"I can tell you're thinking something weird again just by your face," Maki deadpanned after one glance at Takakai's subtle expression shift.
"Ahem. Anyway, let's head in."
Takakai led the way into the swimming pool facility, the two girls following close behind.
They weren't visiting the public pool but a private one reserved for VIPs—far superior in both facilities and water quality.
Takakai changed into swim trunks quickly and dove in without testing the water temperature. Maki and Chika emerged from the changing rooms later—Maki in a modest one-piece, Chika in a daring, barely-there bikini. The contrast between their figures was striking, especially given Maki's visibly deflated expression.
"Hey hey, Kai-kun, what do you think? I picked this out specially~" Chika splashed into the water beside him with a grin.
"W-Wah! Don't jump around like that, you're splashing everywhere!" Maki, who'd swum over more hesitantly, complained as water hit her face.
The warm water rippled around them as they played, the afternoon passing in a relaxed blur. Takakai allowed himself this respite, setting aside upcoming worries to fully recharge.
As dusk approached, the trio finally left the pool.
"It's too bad Kaguya-senpai still didn't want to come out today," Chika remarked, a tinge of regret in her voice.
"It's fine. I already talked to her—it shouldn't take more than three or four days to resolve. Though it is a private matter, so she didn't want to involve others," Takakai explained.
He couldn't completely avoid addressing the issue, especially since both Maki and Chika had noticed Kaguya's recent odd behavior.
"Are you sure it's nothing serious? Kaguya-senpai really has been acting strange..." Chika tapped her temple with a sigh.
"Is it dangerous?" Maki cut straight to the point, her brow furrowed as she studied Takakai.
"...Well, claiming there's zero danger would be a lie. But I can promise everything will turn out alright in the end."
Faced with Maki's genuine concern, Takakai couldn't bring himself to dodge the question entirely.
"Don't push yourself too hard. That stubborn oba-sama of mine is an idiot at heart. If anything goes wrong, Fujiwara and I can still help. Don't shoulder everything alone."
Maki clearly wanted to press further but could see Takakai's resolve. In the end, she simply offered this reminder.
"Got it. I promise I won't overdo it."
Takakai nodded solemnly, and Maki smiled, satisfied with his answer.
"Hmm~ Feels like you and Kaguya-senpai are sharing some big secret. But if you've made up your mind, I won't pry. See you tomorrow, Kai-kun~"
Chika, who'd deliberately let Maki take the lead in questioning, waved cheerfully before heading off.
Evening had fully set in by the time they parted ways. As Takakai made his way toward the Shinomiya estate, he texted Kaguya to notify her of his arrival.
The streets at dusk were unexpectedly crowded—perhaps due to some local event. Navigating through the throngs of distracted pedestrians slowed his progress considerably.
Where did all these people come from? And why is no one watching where they're going? At this rate, someone's bound to crash into me—
Thud.
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than someone barreled into him from the side. The impact barely budged Takakai but nearly sent the other person sprawling. The stranger wobbled unsteadily, muttering something under their breath without even glancing up from their phone.
Fragments of their words reached Takakai:
"The new round's starting... but the referee stepping in is just pathetic... if they lose this, they should just kill themselves..."
It sounded like they were engrossed in some game or gamble.
After a few more steps, Takakai turned back—but the person had already vanished into the crowd.
That was... odd. Am I overthinking things?
His phone chimed with Kaguya's reply—she was ready.
After a brief hesitation, Takakai dismissed his unease and pressed onward.