[Interview Fragment - Recovered from Ruins]
Q:Final question, Captain Smith. The "Andrews" mentioned in your logs—who was he?
Smith:...Our best climber. Volunteered for the [Great Slide] descent during the flood. Last transmission said he'd found survivors trapped in the [Blood Vessels].
Q:And?
Smith:We heard screaming. Then his radio activated by itself—just the sound of...chewing. When we pulled up his safety line, only his helmet came back. Inside...
[Recording Ends]
The voice came muffled through the stone walls—
[Hold on!]
[Don't give up!]
[We will save you!]
No—that wasn't right.
That wasn't me.
The person in that scene, in that memory—it wasn't me.
Who?
Who was there?
[Don't give up, Andres!]
[Just hang on a little longer, we'll get you out!]
[This time we'll succeed—let's try again, okay?]
Where—when did this happen?
Andres...
Was that his name?
What had he done? Why was I seeing this? It felt like...
"Takakai-san! Are you okay?!"
Chika's worried face filled his vision.
Their faces were so close—one slight movement and their lips would touch.
Under normal circumstances, Fujiwara Chika would never behave so intimately with a boy she'd known for barely a day. But now, facing this comrade who'd survived multiple life-and-death situations with her, all sense of shame had evaporated as she gripped his shoulders desperately.
"Careful, I might think you're confessing to me."
Takakai blinked, his consciousness clearing as he responded with mild teasing.
He understood now—
This was the second core grudge.
While traversing the [Blood Vessels], he must have come into contact with the Red Cave's second core obsession. Though he couldn't recall the exact encounter, it had imprinted an additional identity onto him—one that didn't require costumes or roleplay for the anomalies to recognize.
That was why the firefighter entity had clung to him so desperately. In its eyes, Takakai bore only one identity—
The original victim.
The very first person trapped here before the supernatural incidents began.
Andres.
That was the core grudge's human name.
Unlike Li Zhaodi from the first game, simply knowing Andres' name didn't attract the entity's attention. It remained dormant, showing no reaction even as Takakai learned its secrets.
Ironically...it seemed almost friendly?
Takakai never imagined using "friendly" to describe a core grudge—the equivalent of a dungeon's final boss.
"I'm fine. Time to move—are you ready?"
Takakai took a deep breath, placing his hands on Chika's shoulders.
"Mission guaranteed!"
Chika immediately straightened up, her expression turning serious.
Takakai had briefed her thoroughly. Right now in Maki's timeline, the cave exploration team was returning and would soon reach the entrance.
Chika's task was critical—after the exploration team returned to base and completed quarantine, she would don a researcher's uniform to replace one of the three original members. She also needed to deliver three security uniforms so Maki and Kaguya could quickly change outfits and transition to the security guard's timeline.
Neither Takakai nor the rescue team member could perform this delivery—Takakai was already being watched, and the rescue team member, as his artifact's manifestation, would also draw the attention of the white-dress entity guarding the base entrance.
The knocking outside had stopped.
Their refusal to answer seemed to confirm another rule—entities knocking on the security booth door would eventually give up if ignored, regardless of whether the occupants were acting as guards.
Chika removed her explorer outfit and changed into the researcher uniform.
After several costume changes, she'd grown somewhat accustomed to undressing in front of Takakai. Though still embarrassed, her movements showed no hesitation.
(Notably, Takakai had dismissed the rescue team member during this process. Logically, he knew the entity was no longer "Old Guo" nor even human, incapable of desire—yet having it present still felt...wrong.)
(...Did this mean he didn't want other males seeing Chika undress?
...Did that imply possessiveness?)
As Takakai pondered this, Chika finished changing and promptly vanished from view.
Now he could only wait for updates through Maki's messages.
"Haah..."
Leaning against the wall, Takakai exhaled deeply and alerted Maki that Chika had crossed over.
Would this work?
He had to admit his anxiety. Though Chika had proven herself a reliable teammate, she was now operating alone in the very area where Takakai had died during his first attempt.
One minute...two minutes...
Takakai sat silently, fingers tapping rhythmically against the floor as he closed his eyes.
Five minutes...six minutes...
His tapping grew faster, his brow furrowing.
Sixteen minutes...seventeen minutes...
Opening his eyes to the empty booth, Takakai felt irritation creeping in.
Finally, at the nineteen-minute mark—
｛Met up with Fujiwara-san. We're in a side room of the staff lounge. Preparing to change into security uniforms—estimated two minutes. Your status?｝
Maki's voice came through as calmly as ever.
｛Understood. Ready on my end. Count down when you're about to finish dressing—we'll synchronize our transition｝
Takakai stood, resummoning the rescue team member and having it don a security uniform while he did the same.
Based on his first-week experience and Susan/Rick's information, wearing the security uniform anywhere would transport them to the guard timeline's security booth.
Now came the critical moment.
｛Almost dressed—just need to zip up. Three-second countdown｝
As Maki's message arrived, Takakai began the synchronized countdown.
3...2...1—
The world shifted instantaneously.
The booth appeared noticeably newer. Maki, Kaguya and Chika materialized beside him while the rescue team member faced off against the booth's original occupant—a mangled guard corpse so thoroughly crushed it barely qualified as human anymore.
Even without facial features, the entity somehow conveyed sheer bewilderment at suddenly having five "colleagues" crammed into its tiny workplace.