Takakai spent about thirty seconds reducing the attacking researcher back to an immobile pile of flesh.
A faint dizziness lingered in his head—likely mental contamination from reading the man's final words. But given Takakai's current multiple layers of protection, the effect was negligible. When the researcher-turned-monster attacked, Takakai immediately reacted, swiftly cutting it down with his machete until it could no longer move.
While this wouldn't permanently destroy an inhuman horror, it rendered the creature completely immobile, unable to even twitch.
"What a classic excuse—'I was just following orders, it's not my fault.' Should I call this the epitome of clichés?"
Muttering to himself, Takakai stepped out of the room and cast his gaze toward the deeper recesses of the shadowy research facility.
He was close now.
Close to where he had sensed one of [Alice]'s gazes lurking underground.
What awaits me there?
As he carefully advanced, Takakai digested the information he had gathered.
Perhaps the truth about [Alice] lies ahead.
That said, he already had some hypotheses.
The Enigma of [Alice]
First, this so-called [School Horror Story], much like Nutty Putty Cave, was a disaster born entirely of human actions.
But even worse.
At least Nutty Putty Cave had pre-existing supernatural phenomena before human interference. Here, Fujika Academy was deliberately transformed into a living hell.
The researchers engineered a realm of nightmares, and even as the situation spiraled out of control, they refused to halt their work, allowing everything to descend into total annihilation.
Now, organizing his thoughts:
[Alice] is an entity whose core rule revolves around [Making Friends].Players can only be killed after completing the "friendship ritual."The highest priority is given to the flesh dolls representing her "friends."A little girl who loves making friends?If [Alice] was originally a selected "vessel," she might have been an ordinary girl before the experiments.The researchers exploited her personality and memories, molding her into a weapon—one that obeys "teachers" and obsessively seeks "friends."They succeeded… but the resulting horror broke free of its constraints.
Plausible… but incomplete.
Inconsistencies in the Timeline
Takakai had witnessed [Alice]'s concert in a vision—a living idol with overwhelming popularity, seemingly set in the 1960s or later.
But the experiments here dated back to World War II.
Meanwhile, the [Alice] entities within Fujika Academy:
Lack physical forms (manifesting only through illusions or possession).Require external mediums (such as the human-skin umbrella, likely crafted from [Alice]'s remains) to attack directly.
From the underground lab's records, [Alice] annihilated the school, slaughtering everyone within.
Yet, after the war, the abandoned academy remained "safe"—few would stumble upon its hidden sectors.
Until the 7th Principal (whose identity was erased from records) reopened the school, possibly reawakening [Alice].
Later, [Alice] regressed into a horror—dismembered, her remains divided into four, likely corresponding to the four zones of Fujika Academy.
The black umbrella might belong to the sealed Pool or Field area.
The Pivotal Question
[Alice] is not the core resentment of this dungeon.
So why does removing her relics lock down entire zones?
Normally, only core relics wield that level of influence.
For example:
In Shirakawa Apartments, collecting all rescue team badges would prevent the flooded lobby from reappearing.But those are minor changes—nothing like [Alice]'s overwhelming dominion.
It's almost as if… the entire school is her domain.
Takakai's footsteps halted abruptly.
He scanned his surroundings, reassessing everything.
What if…
Fujika Academy—including this underground lab—is merely an illusion?
What if none of this is real?
What if every clue, every horror encountered so far, is just a facade—a false reality constructed by [Alice] herself?
"…Hah."
A sharp inhale.
Then—Takakai sprinted.
He had to confirm this immediately.
The Final Door
As he ran:
Researcher and teacher horrors emerged from the walls—ignored.The 7th-floor team located the isolated room marked on the principal's map.The 6th-floor team entered the biology lab, where [Turtle Teacher] was dissecting a model, searching for something.
And finally—
Takakai reached the last door.
He swiped his keycard.
The meter-thick barrier groaned open.
The Truth?
The chamber beyond was vast, reeking of decay.
Empty incubation pods lined the walls.Rotting flesh piled on the floor.Pipes converged at the center, feeding into a small platform.
Upon it lay [Alice], eyes closed, as if asleep.
No—
Not [Alice].
A cane.
A meter-long cane, woven from vertebrae, ribs, and assorted bones.
Beside it lay a corpse in modern casual wear (utterly out of place in this 1940s nightmare).
Takakai approached.
The man had died from two gunshots—chest and head.
Clutched in his hand: a crumpled ticket.
The Ticket
After prying the stiff fingers open, Takakai examined it.
A concert ticket, partially smeared by sweat.
[Perfect Idol Alice · Japan Tour ■■]
[Date: 197■/■/■ 19:40]
[Venue: ■■■■ Stadium]
[Seat: ■■-■■]
[Become Alice's ■■ best ■■ friend~?]
Before he could process it—
Footsteps.
That familiar, chilling presence.
A giggling voice echoed:
[That belongs to Alice's friend, sensei~ You shouldn't touch it.]
Takakai turned.
There stood Yotsuya Miko, smiling sweetly—
—while dark red sludge oozed through the doorway behind her.