"So this is the dormitory for so-called 'elite students'."
Takakai lowered his gaze, surveying this so-called dormitory with its carpeted floors, walls adorned with exquisite paintings, and individual rooms for each student equivalent to small apartments, fully equipped with all amenities. He couldn't help but shake his head.
"Just goes to show how skilled the school administration is at fostering division. But then again, Crimson moon-level instances are always... colorful in their cruelty. Otherwise, they wouldn't qualify as instances of this tier. After seeing this kind of thing a few times, you'll probably become numb to it."
Kumami, puffing on her cigarette, exhaled white smoke as she replied with complete composure.
"To be honest, every instance I've experienced so far has been pretty damn cruel, and the level of cruelty just keeps escalating. It's like witnessing the depths of human depravity step by step. I'm almost afraid to imagine what else we'll encounter next."
After catching sight of certain "decorative items" placed in one of the open dorm rooms, Takakai frowned and sighed again, his tone laced with resignation.
"No helping it. This is the world of the supernatural. For places like this to form, they usually require immense resentment and madness to manifest, inevitably dragging along all sorts of unsettling elements. You'll get used to it. Hmm, the path ahead seems clear for now. Let's go."
Chattering away like a seasoned veteran, Kumami took the lead to the stairwell. After carefully confirming there were no dangers, she motioned for the other two to follow.
They passed through the 10th floor and reached the 11th without encountering any abnormalities.
Although Fujika Academy was teeming with supernatural entities, the [Elite Students], who served as key sacrificial offerings, almost never turned into specters. In this instance, they existed only as complete corpses, so Takakai and the others faced no obstructions in the elite students' dormitory area.
That said, it wasn't entirely obstacle-free. For example, the thing lying on the ground—even if they could bypass it, it was undeniably an eyesore.
"These are..."
Miko's face paled slightly upon seeing the inconspicuous object on the floor, visibly shaken.
"This should be the [Pencil Elder Brother] mentioned in the rules. So this is what it meant?"
Takakai didn't approach recklessly but observed the thing from a distance.
It was barely moving, though it seemed to be barely breathing. It had no limbs and was a bloody mess, yet it didn't emit much of a bloody smell. It was certain that this thing had once been human and... had genuinely been used as a pencil.
"Don't touch it. If you do, your limbs will fall off. The curse on this thing affects anyone who comes into contact with it, forcing them to experience what it endured."
Kumami sternly warned the two behind her before moving ahead.
So far, Alice still hadn't appeared.
Takakai could sense that the rescue team member in the 0th Floor hadn't been eliminated yet. It seemed he had successfully stalled those supernatural entities for now. Of course, that was only temporary, and it only applied to the three Alices without physical forms. Takakai hadn't forgotten that the fourth Alice—likely the incarnation of the Relic—had yet to make an appearance.
As for the thing chasing them from the 0th Floor, Kumami, using her Blessing, discovered that it wasn't moving particularly fast—more like a leisurely stroll than a pursuit. Still, the three of them couldn't afford to slow down. After all, no one understood its killing mechanisms or behavioral patterns. Who knew if it might suddenly teleport into their faces once it got close enough?
"Stay sharp. We're almost at the top—just the 12th floor left."
As they reached the stairs between the 11th and 12th floors, Kumami's expression grew even more serious as they neared their destination.
"I'm fine. Miko, do you sense anything?"
Takakai responded quickly, keeping an eye on the cautious black-haired girl beside him.
"I-I'm fine too. It's very quiet here. Since earlier, I've only been able to faintly hear some sounds coming from very far away."
Miko hurriedly answered, still nervous but slightly more at ease now that she was back in her own clothes.
By the way, since they had been in the bathing pool, both Takakai and Miko's clothes were completely soaked. And Miko's school uniform, when wet... well, it was somewhat transparent, revealing the color of her underwear beneath. Somehow, Takakai found this even more tantalizing than if she had taken it off.
Bypassing the [Pencils] lying on the 11th-floor hallway, they ascended the stairs to the 12th floor.
As the highest floor of the dormitory, the scene here was completely different from the floors below. The pungent smell of blood filled the air, and the walls, floor, and ceiling were covered in dark red stains, as if the entire floor had been dyed in blood.
In the middle of the hallway stood a tall, blood-red stone pillar that almost completely blocked the corridor, leaving only a narrow passage that required sidling through.
"Looks like we've found the elite students' creative workspace."
Kumami compared the width of the bloodstains and quickly confirmed that these marks had been made using the [Pencils] from downstairs.
"There are some inspiration notes here. Kumami, is that thing still far from us? If it is, I'll investigate a bit to see if I can find any useful information. Uh... Miko, maybe you shouldn't look at these?"
In a small room with its door ajar, Takakai discovered a desk piled high with documents and notes. After a brief discussion with Kumami, he began examining them. Unsurprisingly, the contents were mostly the kind of deranged, unspeakable things unfit for children's eyes. Just as Takakai was flipping through these sanity-draining materials, Miko also approached, seemingly intending to help.
"I-It's okay."
The girl shook her head lightly, her face still pale but her resolve firm.
"I want to do what I can to help, not just be protected all the time. So let me see too."
With that, Miko took a deep breath and picked up one of the records.
What she picked up was a documentation of a stone sculpture, the "material" for which was a pair of siblings, and the method of "filling" was...
After reading less than two paragraphs, Miko already felt like vomiting.
"You've already helped us plenty. You really don't need to force yourself to look at this garbage. I'm only reading this to see if there's any valuable information. Don't get distracted by the horror-show descriptions."
Seeing Miko struggling but persisting, Takakai couldn't help but remind her again before quickly flipping through the records.
He was looking for any information about the [0th Floor]. That eerie floor gave him a terrible feeling, and he vaguely sensed that the [students] were aware of its existence. Thus, there should be some records about it in Fujika Academy.
Noticing Takakai's focused investigation, kumami searched a few other unlocked rooms. From one of them, she retrieved a three-meter-long iron chain covered in bloodstains, which she wrapped around her arm as a makeshift bracer. She also found some rope and used it to barricade the stairwell they had come from, dripping her own blood on it as a rudimentary alarm system.
It was then that Takakai found what he was looking for.
[Casual Notes: ■/■/■]
"Today, the administrators from Yoruyama Academy came for a visit and insisted we Class 1 students greet them. So boring—couldn't they have sent other classes?"
"My inspiration was interrupted. So frustrating. The other two grades' Class 1 students might have almost finished their graduation pieces. What if they beat me to entering the 'new world'? No—I can't lose to anyone! I'm the best!"
"I need to find a way to perfect my work. There must be something I'm overlooking."
"Come to think of it, since this afternoon, the 'materials' have been gossiping about a 'non-existent floor' in the dormitory? Ridiculous. How do these trash heaps, who don't even know how long they'll live, have time to care about such nonsense rumors?"
"Could it be something the school and Yoruyama are working on together? I hope it doesn't interfere with my graduation piece. There aren't many 'materials' left alive now. I'd hate to have to compete with classmates for them. Ugh, I should've rationed them better from the start."
This was a note—essentially a diary entry left behind by a former Class 1 student.
Yoruyama Academy—this school's name had appeared again.
As expected, Takakai had felt that the [Non-Existent 0th Floor] had the air of an urban legend, bearing similarities to Yoruyama Academy's research projects.
Shirasawa Elementary, Fujika Academy, and Yoruyama Academy—these three schools weren't just competitors. They were also collaborators. Yoruyama Academy's research projects even had some presence in Fujika Academy.
If that's the case, could the supernatural entity possessing Kita Ikuyo have wandered into Fujika Academy because of this connection? The ties between these three schools are tighter than I thought. I wonder if the supernatural phenomena from Shirasawa Elementary's area might also manifest here in some way...
"Well? Find anything useful?"
Kumami, who had dismantled a room door, had noticed Takakai pausing while reading a document. After waiting a moment, she spoke up, her legs slightly bent, ready to deliver a swift kick to Takakai's head if necessary.
Gathering intel in a Crimson moon-level instance was extremely dangerous. A single misstep could lead to corruption or distortion. Thus, knowing how to snap an investigator back to reality as quickly as possible was knowledge every Crimson moon player needed.
With her Relics mostly depleted, kumami could only resort to the most basic method: "physical awakening." In this regard, she took pride in her precision—able to deliver just enough force to shock someone awake without knocking them out or killing them.
But this time, the situation was different. Though reading the notes had indeed placed a significant mental burden on Takakai, he showed no abnormal reactions after finishing. He even remained vigilant enough to avoid reading the last line—[I, as an elite student, command you who read these words to gouge out your eyes.]—and still had the presence of mind to shield Miko's eyes when she accidentally stumbled upon dangerous content while reading.
This guy's mental fortitude... Is he really not some veteran player pretending to be a newbie?
Kumami couldn't help but marvel inwardly at Takakai's unshakable demeanor.
"The connection between Fujika Academy and Yoruyama Academy is likely very deep. The 0th Floor in this dormitory is actually a project developed by Yoruyama Academy. The rules of that floor—[entering by breaking walls or taking wrong paths] and [living beings who enter being marked by its entities, with near-certain death upon contact]—were probably deliberately designed that way when the floor was first created."
As he spoke, Takakai pulled Miko away from the most dangerous document she had picked out—one that radiated malice even without being read—marveling at her luck while leading her out of the room.
But kumami's expression suddenly changed.
"It's here. It just broke through the blood-and-rope trap I set. That should've held it longer. Move—now! To Room 1207!"
Kumami rushed ahead of Takakai, placing the dormitory door she had dismantled against the wall.
"Trap?"
Takakai was momentarily stunned, but his hands moved without hesitation, immediately inserting the Blood Key into the lock of the door kumami had brought over.
"Players who clear Crimson moon instances undergo physical changes—they become more 'appetizing' to specters. So using blood combined with supernatural items can create traps to lure them. Think of it like us becoming tastier, more enticing prey. But you can't overuse these traps, because supernatural energy can seep through the blood and affect us in unpredictable ways. Anyway, is the door open yet—HOLY SHIT—"
While kumami was explaining, Takakai had already opened the door. But instead of the expected location, it led into another dorm room—where seven or eight specter students, their clothes in disarray, turned to stare at them.
"Don't mind us. Carry on."
SLAM!
Takakai yanked the door shut, pulled the key out, reinserted it, and turned it again.
This time, the door opened to a stairwell. Simultaneously, the sound of another door opening echoed from the hallway.
It seemed that while Takakai and Miko were investigating, kumami had dismantled two doors. One had been placed near the stairwell leading to the rooftop, while the other was kept on hand as an emergency escape route.
Damn, she's really reliable. Why didn't I encounter any super-dependable veterans like this in my first or second runs?
Without wasting a single word, the three of them rushed through the door and sprinted up the stairs.
The footsteps of the thing chasing them from the 0th Floor echoed—slow yet closing the distance unnaturally fast.
But faster still were Takakai and kumami, who crossed the stairs in under two seconds, reaching the rooftop entrance with Miko practically floating behind them like a kite.
The rooftop door was locked, but aside from a key, it could also be opened with an access card.
Beep—
Takakai swiped the magnetic card over the sensor. With a sharp electronic chirp, the door slowly creaked open, revealing the concrete expanse of the rooftop and a sliver of the crimson moon in the sky.
Takakai stepped onto the rooftop first, followed closely by Miko, whom he shielded. Kumami, bringing up the rear, shut the door behind them and jammed her fingers through the thick metal, destroying the locking mechanism and rendering the door impossible to open.