A countdown echoed in their minds.
"I hear a strange countdown," Chika said, covering her ears as if to block it out. She tilted her head and shook her ears in frustration, her chest bouncing with each motion. "Did anyone else hear that?"
Unfortunately for her, nobody seemed to care.
This wasn't just any countdown—it was a death sentence.
Amamiya glanced at Kaguya, feeling the corners of his eyes twitch in exasperation.
How unlucky can one get?
Teaming up, as it turns out, was a forced act, and apparently, there was no need to confirm consent!
"…I'm sorry," Kaguya apologies, her voice tinged with the resolve of the eldest daughter of the powerful Shinomiya family. Being raised as an heir meant she had to take responsibility for her actions. Only cowards would run away. She bit her lip, speaking cautiously. "I just got a system message that says the team formation process has been 'optimized' to improve player experience. Now, physical contact triggers a team."
"Optimized?" Amamiya muttered bitterly. "This sounds more like a trap for players!"
"I didn't touch either of you, did I?" Amamiya couldn't help but ask.
He could accept if Chika was her teammate—but why was he dragged in too?
Does mere eye contact count?
Kaguya, still holding her composure, continued explaining. "Anyone within a three-meter radius is automatically considered a teammate…"
Now is definitely not the time to tell us this!
Amamiya closed his eyes and sighed. Great, another liability.
"What are you two talking about?" Fujiwara blinked in confusion, looking left and right. "Why don't I understand anything?"
"Don't worry, you'll understand soon enough," Amamiya responded, his tone laden with grim anticipation.
Just then, the ominous countdown resumed in their heads.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[0]
---
Amamiya's surroundings suddenly changed. He was now standing on a decrepit playground, surrounded by what appeared to be students, but these weren't ordinary classmates. Their skin was ghostly pale, their eye sockets were hollow and dark, and their bodies were marred with grotesque bloodstains. Blood, long dried, covered the ground, along with unsettling drag marks.
Noticing Amamiya's gaze, one of the ghostly "students" turned toward him, baring sharp fangs in a twisted grin.
A haunting notification sounded in his mind:
[Location: Haunted School]
[Game: The Seven Wonders of the School]
[Objective: Complete three challenges or survive until 4:44 AM]
[Current Challenge: Red Light, Green Light]
[Objective: Press the button on the back of the robotic ghost before time runs out. Failure results in elimination.]
As the chilling announcement ended, Amamiya regained his ability to speak and move.
"Wha… What is this?!" Chika cried out in panic, her voice trembling with disbelief.
Her loud outburst immediately caught the attention of both players and ghosts alike.
"Quiet!" Kaguya quickly covered her friend's mouth and whispered in her ear, her face tight with concern. "This is... my fault."
Kaguya was struggling to maintain her usual composure. While Chika could be a bit unpredictable at times, she was still Kaguya's closest friend. Guilt weighed heavily on her—getting her involved in such a dangerous situation was too much.
"I see. This isn't Kaguya-san's fault." Chika clenched her fists, her expression serious and a dazzling light emanating from her body. "Kaguya-chan actually participated in such a dangerous game. As a friend, how can I just sit back and watch… Let me protect you from now on!"
Kaguya blinked in surprise at her friend's sudden burst of confidence. But Amamiya couldn't help but think: How about apologizing to the innocent bystander who got dragged into this mess first?
With a confident thumbs-up, Chika declared, "I'm great at games! I can totally win this!"
Amamiya inwardly groaned at the rising sense of foreboding.
In horror movies, it's always the overly optimistic one who dies first.
"Oh, please," a mocking voice interrupted. "You think you can protect someone in a game like this? You must be a newbie."
There were other players in the playground, and unlike Amamiya, Kaguya, and Chika, they clearly had experience with this nightmare. Their faces were grim, but they didn't seem as shocked as Chika.
"How did you know?" Chika asked innocently. "It's true, this is my first time playing. Could you give me some tips?"
The woman who had mocked her earlier was stunned. "Wait, what? There's no way a first-time player would get thrown into something this difficult."
Kaguya lowered her head in embarrassment.
[Game Start.]
As the cold and merciless voice rang out, the game officially began.
The massive robotic ghost at the far end of the playground swayed as it turned its back to the group. Amamiya immediately felt the invisible pressure on his body ease as he regained full control of his movements.
The haunting tune of a children's song echoed through the air, signaling the start of the challenge. Both the players and the ghostly students began cautiously making their way forward.
The challenge? Reach the robotic ghost and press the button on its back without getting caught when it turned around.
Amamiya quickly gauged the distance—it was about 200 meters. He also noticed the button was located at the top of the robotic ghost, approximately three meters up.
Then, something strange caught his eye. A line of text appeared above the tumbler, visible only to him.
[I'm a happy robo ghost. My vision can't penetrate objects. I'm about to turn around. Three, two…]
Amamiya froze just before the countdown ended.
With a sudden, unnatural speed, the robotic ghost turned around. A ghost student who hadn't stopped in time was immediately caught. His head exploded, releasing a puff of dark smoke as his body collapsed.
Despite the lack of gore, the scene was horrifying.
The playground fell into a deathly silence.
After a moment, the robotic ghost turned its back again, and the eerie song resumed.
"So scary…" Chika whimpered, clutching her chest in fear. "I thought failing meant you'd just leave the game, not—"
Did she think this was some kind of children's game?
Amamiya kept his eyes on the tumbler. After ten seconds, the same prompt appeared.
[I'm about to turn around...]
He stopped just in time, right before the tumbler could catch him. But this time, another player wasn't so lucky. He moved just a fraction too late, and his punishment was swift.
A vengeful spirit nearby seemed to give up on the challenge entirely. In despair, it turned toward Chika, reaching out with its blood-soaked hands.
But before it could grab her, Amamiya took a quick step forward and intercepted the ghost, gripping its wrist firmly.
"Th-thank you, Natsuki-san," Chika stammered, pale with fear.
The ghost glared at Amamiya, baring its sharp fangs, but before it could retaliate, the robotic ghost began its countdown again.
Amamiya acted swiftly, crouching behind the ghostly student just as the tumbler turned.
More unlucky players were eliminated as the game continued in deadly silence.
"Chance!" Amamiya muttered to himself, preparing to make his move.
He bent his knees, aimed at the ghost's back, and called out:
"Ninjutsu against evil spirits, 'Thousand Years of Death!'"