"Congratulations, you have been selected."
[Game is under construction...]
[Construction successful]
[Players, please prepare. You will enter the game in ten seconds.]
"It's a trigger-type scenario, similar to Midnight Subway," Amamiya swiftly assessed.
In the next instant, a hand reached out, tightly gripping Amamiya's right hand.
Turning her head, Amamiya looked at Umi, whose face was tense with anxiety. Amamiya gave her a small nod.
"Don't be nervous... There's no point in being nervous."
"…"
In the blink of an eye, the ten seconds were up.
Amamiya felt the world around him fade to black, a slight wave of dizziness washing over him. The next moment, he found himself in a dark, narrow space.
"Amamiya-kun?"
He heard Umi's nervous call.
"I'm here," Amamiya replied softly.
"Thank goodness," Umi breathed a sigh of relief. The difference in the sense of security between randomly entering a game alone and entering with someone was immense.
"This is such bad luck," Umi grumbled. "We just came to the supermarket to grab a few things, and now we've been chosen by the game?"
"I haven't even put on my contact lenses yet!"
Amamiya's brow twitched slightly as she sighed. "At a time like this, don't worry about your colored lenses. Your eyes are beautiful enough without them."
"Ehh? Really?" The gyaru girl blushed faintly, mumbling, "Amamiya-kun actually knows how to flatter girls…"
Who has time for flattery? The point is to keep you focused, not worrying about cosmetic lenses!
Taking a calming breath, Amamiya steadied himself. When challenges arise, you face them head-on. When water floods in, you block it with earth.
Regret is one of humanity's most useless emotions. Now that they'd been chosen by the game, there was only one thing left to do:
Play and Survive.
It was a shame Chika wasn't with them—without her, their 'sweep the evil' combo couldn't be used. That sense of security instantly felt diminished. Truly, the pink-haired girl was the ideal guardian spirit.
"What's your main mission?" Amamiya asked, opening his game panel.
[Current Scene: Hide-and-Seek Battle]
[Main Quest: Complete a game of hide-and-seek. Try not to be eliminated. Once eliminated, you will bear the consequences.]
[Game Duration: 120 minutes]
[Friendly Reminder: I am a relic of the old world, and the new world has no place for me!]
[Note: The difference between hunter and prey often lies in a single thought.]
"It's hide-and-seek... We're playing hide-and-seek?" Umi muttered as she read her main mission aloud. Both missions were identical.
"What's up with that 'friendly reminder'?" Umi placed her hand on her hip, frowning. "That's literally something Whitebeard would say."
At the same time, in the shadows of a distant corner...
"A horror game?" Hayasaka murmured, her eyes wide with surprise as her consciousness struggled to catch up with the situation.
One moment, she was standing in a brightly lit convenience store, and the next, she found herself in a dark, damp environment, the air thick with a musty odor. The idea of a horror game immediately surfaced in her mind.
This was no illusion.
Her awareness was sharp.
There was no discomfort in her body.
Listening to the conversation between Amamiya and Umi, Hayasaka quickly regained her composure.
"They seem to know exactly what's happening... Are they experienced players?"
"Is Kaguya-sama also the same?"
The thought of Kaguya immediately crossed Hayasaka's mind.
After a quick analysis, the sharp-witted spy came to a clear conclusion.
Undoubtedly, her young miss was also a player in this twisted game.
Amamiya and Umi weren't aliens, nor were they visitors from another dimension or beings with supernatural powers. They were simply unlucky souls chosen to participate in this horrific game.
——
"The room is so dark, and there's this weird smell." Umi wrinkled her nose. "Amamiya-kun, what do we do now?"
"It smells like the sea," Amamiya responded calmly. "First, let's check the room. Then, we leave."
"Why leave?"
"If we could just stay in one place and win, what's the point of playing hide-and-seek?"
"That… makes sense."
"…"
After a brief exchange, Amamiya's eyes gradually adjusted to the dim surroundings.
The air carried the damp stench of mildew, mixed with a strong, fishy smell. The room occasionally trembled ever so slightly. There was a single small window on the wall, and faint moonlight trickled in from outside, barely providing enough light to see.
Ignoring the unpleasant odor, Amamiya's gaze quickly focused on a long table in the center of the room.
The table was cluttered with items like compasses, roses, parchment maps, and miniature figureheads.
A prompt appeared before him.
[After careful examination, you confirm this is the captain's quarters.]
Amamiya stated calmly, "If I'm not mistaken, we're on…"
"A ship," a strange voice suddenly interrupted from the corner of the room.
"Eh?" Umi jumped in surprise. "There's someone else here!"
Amamiya narrowed his eyes and glanced toward the corner.
From the shadows, Hayasaka stepped out, moving into the dim moonlight, allowing Amamiya and Umi to see her clearly.
Umi blinked, her curiosity piqued. "She looks familiar…"
"She was with us at the convenience store," Amamiya recalled. "I saw her once."
Her short blonde hair was tied up in a high ponytail, and she wore an all-black outfit. It was a subtle choice of clothing, which explained why she had gone unnoticed earlier.
"I didn't mean to startle you," Hayasaka said, her acting skills on full display. Her right hand clutched her chest, her expression pale, and her voice trembling. "Can you explain what just happened? I was just buying something at a convenience store, and suddenly, I'm here. Then I heard a strange voice in my head…"
"Eh?" Umi asked in surprise, "Is this your first time entering the game?"
"I think… it might be," Hayasaka replied hesitantly, playing the role of a frightened, inexperienced player.
"Oh, bad luck for you then."
"…"
Hayasaka bit her lip, already grasping the deadly nature of the game, even as a supposed first-timer.
Regret.
Deep, gnawing regret.
Had she known this was her fate, she would have gone straight back to the villa instead of stepping foot into the convenience store!
"The Horror Games are dangerous. If you're not careful, you'll get trapped in one forever…"
Umi placed her hand on her hip, sharing her wisdom with the tone of an "experienced player." Clearly, teaching was ingrained in human nature.
"I see," Hayasaka continued her role as the helpless novice, her voice timid. "My name is Hanamori Yumiri. It's nice to meet you. Please look after me."
After all, it was only natural for a spy to have several aliases, right?
"Hanamori-chan, right?" Umi responded quickly. "For the rest of the game, just stay close to Amamiya-kun and me."
"Thank you so much!" Hayasaka replied with feigned gratitude.
"Enough talking." Amamiya stepped toward the door of the captain's room and attempted to push it open. Unfortunately, it didn't budge. "The door's locked."
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