[Midnight Mall Monster Party] - Cleared.
[Rewards are being calculated...]
[Basic clearance reward: 50 game coins]
[Players' dungeon completion rate exceeds 90%, reward boost activated]
[The MVP of this game will receive additional rewards]
[Settlement complete: 240 game coins]
Different dungeons have varying levels of difficulty, and the basic rewards reflect this. Given how challenging this game was, receiving just 50 game coins as the base reward isn't surprising.
Players who purchased the "nozamA Clearance" service likely only received the basic completion rewards.
Clearly, the game doesn't favor a strategy of merely surviving until the end.
Hiding isn't necessarily wrong, but doing absolutely nothing and giving up isn't in line with the game's competitive spirit.
As the rewards for active participation and passive completion continue to diverge, the stronger players will only become stronger, while the weaker players will fall further behind, rapidly widening the skill gap.
[Based on the player's overall performance, a new title has been earned.]
[Humility, Honor, Mercy, Bravery... none of these apply. You relied on sneak attacks, ambushes, traps, provocations, and group battles in this scenario. Many monsters have jointly complained about you, and you've earned the title: "Scum of the Earth."]
[Detected: This title has already been unlocked.]
[Title upgrading...]
[New title: True Scum of the Earth]
"Nani, this is called tactics, not dirty play!" Amamiya was left speechless.
When ordinary people face monsters or evil spirits, only a fool would engage them one-on-one!
[Title reward: +1 Charm Point]
Well, as long as there's a reward, it's fine.
Amamiya calmed down.
It's been a long time since he saw the charm attribute increase, but why would someone called the "scum of the earth" be rewarded with charm points?
Is this what people call "ironic"?
Next up was the MVP bonus—two out of five rewards...
"Hmm?"
Amamiya raised his eyebrows.
[Due to your outstanding performance in this scenario, you may choose two additional rewards from the following five options:]
"There's one extra reward."
Amamiya silently thought "claim" in his mind, and five reward cards appeared before him, floating in the air.
[Item: A Large Watermelon]
[Attributes: Sweet/Fruity/Attractive Color]
[As we all know, Japanese watermelons are the most expensive in the world. Selecting this item grants you watermelon freedom.]
Amamiya blinked in confusion.
Selling watermelons in a mall... Is there anything wrong with that?
Nope, makes perfect sense.
Moving on...
[Item: Unlimited Milk Tea Refills]
[Legend has it that a cow can produce 10,000 bottles of beef sauce. Inspired by this idea, a milk tea lover invented unlimited refill milk tea.]
[As the name suggests, this milk tea can be refilled infinitely, automatically refilling at 6 AM, 12 PM, and 6 PM every day.]
[Note: Moo Milk Tea ensures milk tea freedom.]
"..."
Amamiya suddenly felt like the game was making fun of him.
If you can't finish harvesting leeks, you can feed them to cows. But what in the world is unlimited milk tea refills?
Drinking three cups of milk tea a day isn't "milk tea freedom"—it's slow suicide! In less than six months, someone would be lying in the ICU!
Amamiya silently gazed at the remaining three rewards. As expected, there were no skills or summoning cards—just a bunch of random junk.
A sense of malice washed over him.
"Why'd you go quiet all of a sudden?" Umi asked curiously, helping him towel off his back.
Amamiya sighed and told her about the "two out of five" reward choices.
"Is there even a question?" Umi's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Obviously, I'd pick the unlimited milk tea refills!"
The moment milk tea was mentioned, it was like an automatic trigger—how much do girls really love milk tea?
Amamiya turned to her and said, "If you drink three cups of milk tea a day, you're going to 'become' a milk tea."
"You don't have to drink it all, just because it's there. Just have it when you feel like... huh?"
Umi's eyes widened slightly, her gaze falling on Amamiya's face.
Strange.
Why did it seem like Amamiya suddenly looked more attractive? She couldn't pinpoint the exact change, but something definitely felt different.
Umi's heart began to race. She could practically hear the rapid pounding in her ears.
Not good, not good, not good!
My heart's racing out of control! I need to get out of here!
As she shook her head in a panic, Amamiya, confused, asked, "Did something get in your eye?"
"No," Umi muttered, turning her blushing face away and making an excuse to leave. "I'm going out... Ah!"
The towel wrapped around her hair suddenly slipped, falling over her eyes. In her haste, she lost her balance and stumbled—falling directly onto Amamiya's back.
"..."
The soft, smooth, and delicate sensation immediately registered in Amamiya's mind, causing him to inhale sharply.
'Coach! Someone's dribbling into someone! This is a serious foul—give them a red card, quick, or we're all going to lose control!'
Thankfully, Umi reacted swiftly, propping herself up before Amamiya could spiral into further thoughts. She hurriedly got to her feet, abandoning the towel and instead clutching her chest. Without looking back, she dashed for the door.
"I'm going out!"
'Bang.'
As the door shut, Amamiya let out a quiet breath, suppressing the distractions in his mind.
The two-out-of-five rewards could be claimed later. It'd be a waste to ignore them now, even if the options weren't ideal.
Besides that, there was still one final reward to consider.
[The instance "Midnight Mall Monster Party" has crashed and can no longer be accessed. As an apology, we are issuing compensation.]
It seemed that this particular dungeon could be entered multiple times. But with the crash, there'd be no future opportunities, so each player received a compensation gift.
Amamiya noticed that newer players in the mutual aid group had already been discussing their compensation. The rewards were random—either game coins or useful items.
But...
Amamiya stared at the compensation blind box in his hand. Rather than opening it right away, he hesitated, his eyes narrowing.
A prompt flashed in front of him.
[After careful observation, you notice a faint and ominous red glow surrounding the blind box...]
"Are you kidding me?!"
Amamiya promptly tossed the compensation blind box into his game backpack.
Other people got game coins or useful items, but of course, he had to deal with something sinister. It really felt like the game was targeting him!
Sighing, Amamiya relaxed and continued his peaceful bath.
Afterward, he stepped out of the bathroom to find it was already dawn. The night had quietly passed by.
Umi was sitting on the sofa, playing on her phone. When she noticed Amamiya emerge, her face flushed slightly. She picked up a cup to sip some water, then pointed toward another glass on the table with her slender, pale fingers.
"Thank you," Amamiya said, picking up the glass and taking a refreshing sip of the cold, ice-filled water.
"Why aren't you sleeping?" he asked, sitting down on the sofa.
"I'm staying up," Umi replied, sipping her water. "It's already morning. After breakfast, I'll pack my things and head home. I haven't been back in a few days, so I need to tidy up..."
She trailed off, her lips pursing slightly, a faint feeling of reluctance settling in.
Today would mark the end of their time living together...