"Tentacle monster!" Umi shrieked, quickly latching onto Amamiya's arm in fright.
Hayasaka's expression shifted slightly, her eyes betraying a brief twitch of unease.
It was well-known that girls naturally feared tentacle monsters.
But to be honest, it wasn't just the girls.
Even Amamiya felt a knot of anxiety tighten in his chest at the sight before him.
After all, who wouldn't be a little scared when faced with such a massive tentacled creature?
"It's an octopus," came a mysterious voice, resonating in the minds of everyone present.
While octopuses had mouths, they clearly weren't capable of speaking human languages. This voice, echoing directly within their minds, felt more like telepathy.
"Eh?" Umi gasped, eyes widening in disbelief. "A talking tentacle monster?"
"..."
Amamiya calmly placed a hand over Umi's mouth, then addressed the creature with a composed but respectful tone:
"Mr. Octopus, how may we assist you?"
"Humans," the octopus telepathically replied, its massive body blocking the entire doorway as it stretched out its tentacles, "since you have awakened me, I demand you leave the treasure you hold behind. In return, I will allow you to leave unharmed."
Amamiya, unfazed, asked, "And what if we wish to leave with the treasure?"
"Then we shall play a game," Octopus Paul responded, extending one of its tentacles to reveal an old-fashioned flintlock pistol. "Human, take this flintlock and shoot yourself in the head. If you survive, you may take one treasure and leave."
What the hell?
This was straight-up Russian roulette! Both sides gambling with their lives, the winner walking away with everything, and the loser meeting their end.
Amamiya glanced at the flintlock in front of him, and soon a prompt appeared in his vision:
---
[I bet there's no bullet in this gun.]
---
Oh, come on!
Now was the time for a more decisive hint, not vague guesses!
"No!" Umi clung tighter to his arm, biting her lip anxiously. "That game's too dangerous! You absolutely must not play it."
Hayasaka, her tone serious, added, "Don't act on impulse."
"I'm really not being impulsive…" Amamiya reassured them, shifting his gaze away from the flintlock. His decision was already made.
Risking his life in Russian roulette, just for the chance to take one item? That wasn't a smart bet.
Only children chose between options—adults took everything!
"Mr. Octopus," Amamiya said calmly, "give us a moment to consider."
"Fine."
Octopus Paul seemed in no rush, leisurely extending his tentacles to rummage through the treasure chests scattered around the room.
Seizing the opportunity, Amamiya discreetly glanced at Hayasaka and gave a subtle blink, signaling her. Then, his gaze dropped to her right hand.
"Hmm?"
The spy maid tilted her head slightly, quickly catching on to his meaning. She quietly extended her hand toward him.
Amamiya reached out a finger, gently tracing a message into her palm.
The faint, ticklish sensation that danced across her skin made Hayasaka instinctively want to pull back, but her rigorous spy training helped her remain steady and silent, allowing her to focus on the message.
"Take off your cloak and give it to me. I'll distract the octopus monster," Amamiya instructed.
"..."
Hayasaka blinked in surprise. Why did he need a cloak? Did he actually think he could hide from the octopus right in front of it? That wouldn't work—the octopus's eyes were far more powerful than a human's.
But Amamiya wasted no time. "Mr. Octopus, I've come to a decision," he said confidently.
Octopus Paul flexed his tentacles. "Human, do you wish to take a gamble?"
Amamiya's expression remained serious. "I have a strict policy of avoiding both gambling and drugs."
Once someone fell into gambling, they might never escape its grip. Sensible people stayed far away from such dangers.
"What about you?" Octopus Paul's gaze shifted toward the three girls.
The girls shook their heads in unison.
"Only fools play roulette," Umi said.
"I refuse," Hayasaka added firmly.
"Please don't look at me, Mr. Octopus," the third girl said, shrinking away.
"..."
"So, you've chosen to leave empty-handed?" Octopus Paul asked, his tone tinged with disappointment as he slowly moved his tentacles away from the door.
"Wait," Amamiya interrupted, changing the course of the conversation. "Perhaps I can solve Mr. Octopus's dilemma."
"Dilemma?"
Amamiya continued, "A creature as powerful as you, Mr. Octopus, must have trouble finding toys that can withstand your strength. You can't enjoy them for long before they break, am I right?"
"..."
Octopuses are known to have high intelligence, comparable to that of a young child, and they naturally enjoy playing. When they're not hunting for food, they spend their time seeking out objects to play with. One famous study even showed that octopuses would spray water at floating plastic bottles, a game akin to octopus golf.
Octopus Paul, being no exception, loved to play. But his immense size and strength always presented a problem. Ordinary toys never lasted long in his grasp.
"Human, what are you suggesting?" Octopus Paul's massive eyes bore down on Amamiya, their weight almost palpable.
Amamiya, maintaining his composure, said, "Not long ago, I acquired something that I believe Mr. Octopus will find very interesting."
With a practiced calm, Amamiya reached behind him and produced... a pair of gym pants.
The three girls stared in bewilderment.
"Eh? Why did Amamiya-kun pull out a pair of gym pants?"
"Is he... surrendering with his underwear?"
"But they're not white gym pants, so that won't even work... right?"
"..."
Had Kaguya been present, she would've immediately recognized the pants—these were the very same stretch gym pants that Miss Wolf wear.
After completing the quest at "Snowstorm Villa," Amamiya had been named the MVP and was awarded one of five items: Durarara!!, the Summoning Card of the Undead Maid, the Collar of the Loyal Girlfriend, the Stretch Pants of the Werewolf Lady, and a 10% Permanent Ice Resistance buff.
None of the rewards had seemed particularly appealing at the time. While the Summoning Card piqued his interest, it was just a trial card, and the other options didn't seem worth much. So, he had held onto the items without much thought—until now.
It turned out the Werewolf Lady's stretch gym pants were perfect for this situation.
"These are the latest in stretch fitness pants, developed by the renowned company 'Super Wearable,'" Amamiya explained with an air of professionalism. "They're designed to adapt to any body shape, no matter the size or form."
With a smile, he handed the pants to Octopus Paul. "Go ahead, give them a try. I think you'll be impressed."
Intrigued, Octopus Paul gingerly wrapped a tentacle around the gym pants and began pulling. To his astonishment, the fabric stretched to extreme lengths without tearing, despite his immense strength. Excitement flickered in his huge eyes.
"Eh?" Umi whispered, wide-eyed. "Amamiya-kun, how are those gym pants still intact?"
"They're knockoffs of the Hulk's shorts," Amamiya replied with a smirk.
Of course, these pants weren't as indestructible as the Hulk's, but they were more than sturdy enough to handle an octopus—especially one like in front of them..
"These gym pants are incredibly valuable," Amamiya continued. "Surely it's fair that I trade them for three treasures, right?"
Octopus Paul paused for a moment, his massive body still. "Human, you may take only one item from the treasure room."
Amamiya smiled. "How about two?"
"No. Only one."
"..."
The girls stood frozen, dumbstruck.
Where was the promised boss battle?
How had this negotiation turned into a simple trade for stretchy gym pants?