Splash— Splash—
The weather these past few days had been more erratic than expected. The afternoon had been sunny, but by evening, as Takakai walked, the skies darkened ominously. By the time he hailed a taxi, torrential rain began pouring within half a minute.
"Really strange weather lately," remarked the bespectacled taxi driver, who bore an uncanny resemblance to one of the "Ramen Four Heavenly Kings" from Kaguya's manga. He adjusted his glasses while driving, making small talk.
"Yeah, no kidding," Takakai replied distractedly, his mind preoccupied with the impending dungeon dive.
Sensing his disinterest, the driver fell silent, focusing on the road.
Boom—
A pale flash of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a deep roll of thunder.
Shijo Maki, holding an umbrella, stepped out from the side of the street, watching the taxi disappear into the distance.
"So Kai-kun really is heading to Kaguya oba-sama's place..."
Her brow furrowed. Though Takakai hadn't revealed anything and had seemed normal during their swim, Maki had sensed something off—particularly his uncharacteristic restraint. Normally, he couldn't keep his hands to himself, but today, he'd been almost... gentlemanly. That small detail told her his mind wasn't at ease. The entire afternoon had likely been spent mentally preparing for whatever awaited him.
What could make him so serious that even lewdness takes a backseat?
After some thought, Maki concluded there were only two possibilities: either a powerful hidden enemy was forcing him to stay vigilant, or he was preparing to venture into an extremely dangerous dungeon.
Considering Kaguya's recent odd behavior, the disappearance of her ever-present maid, and Takakai's evasiveness under the guise of "Kaguya's privacy," Maki leaned toward the latter. If it were an enemy, he wouldn't keep it entirely to himself.
A dungeon? But the monthly synchronized dungeon event is still days away. Unless... like when he got dragged into Fujisaki Academy because of Yotsuya-san, something similar happened again? Or—is he planning to enter one voluntarily?!
He just got back! After barely a day's rest! Why push himself like this? Doesn't he care about his own well-being? Or... is the situation truly so dire that only he can resolve it?
Whatever the case, Maki knew she couldn't stand by.
To her, Takakai was irreplaceable. If he was risking his life alone again, she had to intervene—whether to dissuade him or, if necessary, assist him. Just like during Fujisaki Academy, when she, Chika, and Kaguya had coordinated with Kohatori and Gotou Hitori to create an opening for his victory.
Steeling herself, Maki stepped forward—only to spot Fujiwara Chika standing in a nearby alley, also holding an umbrella.
"Maki-Chan~? Fufu, I knew you'd notice too. Kai-kun was way too well-behaved today~"
The pink-haired girl blinked, a mischievous smirk playing on her lips.
"But if he chose not to tell us, maybe there's a reason. Crimson Moon dungeons come with nasty information hazards, after all. If we barge in, we might just make things harder for him."
Her words presented a perspective Maki hadn't considered.
"...I know. But I can't just not worry. Even if it's something he can't talk about, I at least need to ask."
Maki wouldn't back down so easily.
"Mmm, figured you'd say that. Then let's go together~ C'mon, c'mon—"
"W-Wait, don't squeeze so close—ah! The umbrella's tilting, stop pushing!"
Their voices—one playful, one exasperated—faded into the rain as they moved forward together.
Meanwhile, Takakai's taxi had arrived at the Shinomiya estate.
Even from a distance, he could see Kaguya waiting at the gates, sheltered by a servant's umbrella.
While he'd spent the afternoon relaxing, she'd clearly been stewing in anxiety. Not the best mindset before a dungeon dive, but Takakai understood—if it were Maki or Chika in danger, he doubted he'd fare any better.
Especially for someone like Kaguya, who had so few close to her.
Still, she's really lost her cool.
He recalled their first meeting in Shirakawa Apartments—waking up in Room 204 to her icy, impassive gaze. Back then, he'd been just an ordinary man, while she'd outclassed him in both physique and intellect. To survive, he'd needed her.
That version of her was far more imposing. Cold, but reliable. Kind of like a yakuza matriarch, I guess.
Splash—
As he stepped out of the taxi, a servant rushed to shield him with an umbrella.
"Eaten yet?"
Takakai grinned at Kaguya, his tone deliberately casual.
"...No. The chef has prepared dinner. Let's talk inside."
Caught off guard by his nonchalance, Kaguya paused before responding, then led the way.
Dinner was light—easily digestible dishes. Neither ate much, stopping at around half-full to avoid sluggishness during potential life-or-death scenarios. Though for Players, "half-full" equated to a normal adult's full meal.
"Ready, then?"
Takakai adjusted his gear, glancing at Kaguya.
"Yes. I'm prepared."
Unlike her earlier agitation, she now radiate calm—the composed "Ice Kaguya" persona fully restored.
"Honestly, this is basically a blind run. All we've got are those four cryptic hints, so... stay sharp."
His gaze shifted to the eerie doodle on the table.
The only reference he had were the four unchanging game prompts for Shirasawa Elementary—unlike Fujisaki Academy's numerous hints, these remained identical even after the dungeon's downgrade to Dark Night level. Many players speculated this implied one of the hints was simultaneously true and false.
The four prompts read:
Be obedient, be obedient. Good children who obey won't be punished.
Don't be scared, little one. Teacher's here. Teacher will protect you.
I'm a smart kid, not a dumb one. Grown-ups can't trick me.
I don't need anything. I'm not worse than anyone else.
Unlike typical Sacrifice Game prompts, these resembled dialogue—as if spoken by someone in a specific context. Unfortunately, due to Shirasawa Elementary's severe information contamination, no player could share their interpretations. Takakai would have to decipher them himself inside.
Come to think of it, I've obtained tickets to both Shirasawa Elementary and Yoruyama High through "plausible" means. That leaves Bydos Academy... Wait, no—Abydos and Bydos are completely different. If that KP really intends to give me access to all [School Horror Tales] areas, how will it "reasonably" deliver Bydos Academy's ticket to me?
Boom—
Outside, the storm intensified. A deafening thunderclap shook the air—
Snap.
—and the lights went out, plunging the room into absolute darkness.