"...D-Don is here!"
As the voice echoed through the corridor, Amamiya's hand closed around thin air—only to pull out a ghostly figure. The specter, wide-eyed and stunned, stared at him in disbelief.
"It's really a ghost wall," one of the girls muttered.
"Ghosts can actually go invisible? That's just unfair!" Umi huffed, her arms crossed as she and the others quickly surrounded the ghost to stop it from escaping.
The ghost girl, paralyzed by the combined efforts of the group's anti-evil skills, could only move her mouth. Her gaze was locked on Amamiya, bewilderment in her voice as she asked, "How can you see me?"
Amamiya replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "Because you didn't make it a priority."
"...Huh?" The ghost's expression was one of pure confusion, a metaphorical question mark hanging above her head.
In truth, Amamiya hadn't initially realized there was a ghost following them, much less an invisible one. However, whether it was the strange dimension or the ghost wall they were trapped in, he deduced that their perception was being manipulated. So, he activated the advanced psychic ability he'd copied from Miko, and suddenly, the ghost's form became visible.
But Amamiya wasn't one to act impulsively.
Knowing that no one else could see the ghost, he played it cool, luring her closer by pretending to be intrigued by Reina's whispered secret. Sure enough, the ghost girl, curious about the hushed conversation, drifted closer... until she was finally within reach.
[You successfully caught the corridor ghost.]
[Upon careful observation, you discern the rule of this ghost: it only traps those who walk without making noise at night. Do you want to scare it?]
Amamiya glanced at the bewildered ghost girl in his grasp. So, if you make enough noise while walking, you won't get trapped?
"Hmm?"
Kaguya tilted her head slightly, watching him with a curious expression.
"Did you make any noise when walking through the corridor earlier?" Amamiya asked.
Kaguya furrowed her brow. "Of course not."
Amamiya nodded. "Next time you walk at night, make sure to stomp your feet or something."
Kaguya blinked, her expression blank. Was he serious? Walking around a dangerous, haunted shopping mall while deliberately making noise was 'not' a good idea!
"Hey, the exit!" Umi's excited voice broke the tension as she pointed ahead. "It's open!"
Without hesitation, Amamiya grabbed the ghost girl firmly. "Let's go. We're getting out of here."
With the source of the endless corridor now in his hands, Amamiya led the group forward. This time, there were no confusing twists or turns. They walked straight out of the haunted corridor.
"Hah, finally out!" The bespectacled girl let out a sigh of relief, patting her chest.
Though they hadn't encountered any physical monsters, the unseen pressure within the corridor had been stifling. If she'd been trapped there alone, she might've broken down long ago.
As they emerged into the main hall, the cold moonlight spilled in from above, casting an eerie frost-like glow across the floor.
Amamiya halted and leaned in, whispering, "Let's go over our main missions first."
"I'll go first!" Chika eagerly raised her hand. "My main mission is to escape the mall before five o'clock."
Umi nodded. "Same here."
Hayasaka chimed in, "Mine's identical."
Kaguya gave a slight nod. "Yes, mine too."
The silver-haired loli tugged at Amamiya's sleeve, tilting her head up to speak. But her voice was so soft that no one could hear her.
"Are you supposed to leave the mall too?" Amamiya glanced down at her. "Just nod or shake your head."
Aharen-san eagerly nodded, her head bobbing up and down without stopping.
"Okay, okay, that's enough. You can stop now." Amamiya reached out and patted her head, unable to shake the feeling that she wasn't the brightest.
"The main missions are all the same, and they seem pretty simple." Amamiya looked towards the exit of the mall, not too far ahead. "Let's see if we can actually leave now."
The bespectacled girl, however, couldn't hold back her skepticism. This midnight mall had already thrown mannequins that turned people into dolls and endless corridors that nearly wiped them out—there was no way it was going to be simple!
"There are no visible monsters up ahead," Hayasaka said, still observing the security footage on her tablet. She adjusted her glasses, then looked at the ghost still in Amamiya's grasp. "...Of course, there's always the chance of invisible ones."
The group cautiously approached the cashier counters.
Suddenly—'bang'.
"Ouch! Hey, everyone, be careful! There's something invisible in the air!" Chika rubbed her forehead and quickly warned the others.
Immediately, everyone grew more alert.
Amamiya narrowed his eyes, scanning the area. "I don't see anything."
Umi extended her hand, cautiously feeling around in front of her. "Could this be… an invisible wall?"
Kaguya moved closer, inspecting it. "It's definitely some kind of air barrier."
One by one, the group started to explore and soon discovered the invisible walls near the exit machines at each register. The walls were firmly connected to the ground, their height unknown, and completely impassable.
Amamiya also reached out, touching the barrier. It felt soft yet resistant, refusing to let him pass no matter how much force he applied.
"Wait..." His gaze shifted to the ghost in his hand.
The ghost's body... passed through.
Half of her form had effortlessly slipped through the barrier.
"What's going on?" Umi asked, intrigued.
The others noticed too and gathered around.
Chika rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Is it because she's a ghost? Maybe the barrier doesn't affect her."
Amamiya, testing the theory, summoned Shimizu.
'Bang.'
Shimizu bumped straight into the barrier, hands clutching her forehead as she glared at him in frustration.
"Clearly not," Amamiya shook his head. "It's not about being a ghost."
Kaguya's lips twitched as she glanced at her "mother," who was pouting at her, and thought aloud, "The ghost can pass through, but we can't. There must be some kind of difference between us that's the key."
"The difference..." Hayasaka murmured, her gaze flickering toward Amamiya, recalling their earlier encounter. Had he figured it out even then?
Amamiya let out a sigh. "Of course, it wouldn't be that easy to leave. That makes sense." He pressed the ghost girl against the invisible barrier, confirming that it didn't exist for her. "Looks like we'll need to catch more of these ghosts for some research."
A notification flashed before his eyes:
[You have decided to capture more monsters for research. The hunt begins!]
"Huh, research?" The bespectacled girl gawked in disbelief. That ghost was incredibly dangerous, and instead of staying far away, they wanted to catch more for research? The gap between people's courage was just too big!
Umi cracked her knuckles with a grin. "Alright, so who do we catch first?"
Amamiya glanced at the spy maid. "What's the closest monster nearby?"
Hayasaka checked her tablet. "There's a Kumamon(Bear Monster)on the second floor."
"Perfect." Amamiya nodded, turning to the ghost in his hand. With mock sadness, he sighed, "She's of no use to us anymore. Let's send her off..."
"Wait! Hold on!" The ghost girl panicked, her voice desperate. "I surrender! I surrender!"
Each player exchanged glances.
It seemed like even ghosts had their breaking point!