A suffocating weight pressed down on him.
Struggling to open his eyes, Takakai saw only pitch-black darkness, as if he'd been swallowed whole.
His body felt paralyzed—numb, heavy, like something was pinning him down.
"Hah… hah…"
Breathing grew labored.
An invisible force crushed his chest, though nothing was there.
…Sleep paralysis?
Faintly, he heard sobbing around him—
—and footsteps, slow, deliberate, circling his bed.
Then—
His eyes snapped open.
He lay on a rusty bunk bed, the sheets reeking of mildew, the pillow uncomfortably hard.
Beside him, a red candle burned silently, casting a flickering glow.
By its light, Takakai surveyed the room:
Four bunk beds (upper bunk for sleeping, lower bunk with a desk).
Two large cabinets between beds for storage.
A shelf with towels, toothbrushes, cups.
Two closed windows.
A slightly ajar door leading to the hallway.
On the wall beside him, chalk writing in a cutesy font:
[Alice's riddle game starts now~!]
[Today's riddle:]
"A little broom, everyone should have,
Patrolling morning and night,
Cleaning away the dirt and grime."
[So easy~! Guess the answer, find it, and place it correctly!]
[Complete the game, and you'll be Alice's friend~ ♡]
The contrast between the playful tone and [Alice]'s atrocities made Takakai's skin crawl.
"I've developed a strong dislike for forced cuteness."
Grabbing the candle, he checked his surroundings.
The room was oppressively dark, the only light coming from four candles (one on each bed).
Beneath him, a crumpled paper listed the dormitory's rules:
Never share your riddle or ask for help (or the "Big Bad Wolf" attacks).
Clean your room and fold blankets (or the "Broom Teacher" comes).
"Owl Auntie" checks beds after dark.
No basement (that's just bad kids lying).
"Grandpa Ox" lurks in stairwells.
"Uncle Cat" forbids rooftop access.
"Faucet Brother" drowns water wasters.
Bathroom lights are broken (and something answers if you call).
Another rule-infested hellhole.
Takakai climbed down, noting the three other beds—
—each occupied by a **student with eyelids cut off, staring blankly, their blood-soaked sheets dripping onto the floor.
For now, the candles kept them dormant.
Time to clean house.
Donning the sheep mask (using the rescue badge to counter its corruption), Takakai decapitated the three horrors, stole their candles, then swapped his own candle (to avoid [Alice] tracking it).
Finally, he approached the door—
—and saw the room number:
[304]
…You've got to be kidding me.
Gritting his teeth, he stepped into the hallway—
—just as the next door creaked open.
Miko's Nightmare
Minutes earlier, Yotsuya Miko had woken from a foggy dream.
In it, she and Takakai had fled through dark corridors, pursued by something sweet-voiced yet monstrous.
The dream ended in betrayal—
—her hurting him, torturing him, killing him.
Just a nightmare… right?
Yet it felt eerily real.
And at the very end—
Everything turned crimson.
She heard Takakai's voice:
[What the—?!]
[Hey, wake up—]
Then—
She awoke in a bunk bed, a red candle beside her.
On the wall, Alice's riddle:
"Eight feet long, four corners, two sides,
Knows human faces, not animal ones."
(A mirror?)
Before she could ponder further—
CREAK.
The door opened.
A tall figure loomed in the darkness.
At first glance, it wore an owl mask—
—but as it lurched closer, Miko saw the truth:
A man's face, torn and stitched into an owl-like shape, blood dripping from its seams.
[Asleeeeep~?]
Its lipless mouth hissed, rotten breath washing over her.
Miko froze.
[Asleeeeep~?]
Clawed hands (nails ripped out) scraped the bed as it crawled toward her, its gore-streaked faceinches from hers.
Miko: "..."
She didn't breathe, blink, or twitch.
The thing circled her, studying her, its bloodshot eyes unblinking.
Miko's mind short-circuited.
Pure terror.
Then—
A sound outside.
The owl-thingwhipped its head around, scuttled to the door, and vanished.
[Aslee—]
"ASLEEP YOUR ASS!"
A machete hacked flesh, liquid splattered, and a shriek cut off abruptly.
The door swung open—
—revealing Takakai (sheep mask now off).
Miko stared, dazed, before collapsing back onto the bed, clutching the dirty blanket.
"You're safe now. Stick with me, and these things won't touch you."
As he spoke, Takakai dismembered the other three horrors and snatched their candles.
"I-I'm… f-fine…"
Tears welled in Miko's eyes, her voice shaking.
(So cute. Must resist teasing.)
Patting her shoulder, Takakai urged her up.
Need to regroup with Kumami. Can't risk freeing another player yet—no guarantee they'll be sane.
"Stay close. Tell me if anything feels off."
Mask back on, he led Miko into the hallway—
—unnoticed by the small figure that emerged from their room, watching them leave.