Chapter 139: The Earth Cancer That Was Sanctioned
"A suitable excuse for not answering the phone for more than twenty four hours…"
Hayasaka Ai set her phone down and thought for a long moment. In the end, she could only shake her head.
"Honestly, I can't think of one. Even if we stay overnight at Chika's house, there's no way to hide a disappearance that long. And if we claim we're going somewhere else, the main family won't allow you to go out freely."
"Yes… it's full of difficulties."
For once, even Kaguya Shinomiya could not keep her composure perfectly intact. She bit her lip lightly, silver teeth pressing together, her beautiful red eyes filled with quiet unwillingness.
Even inside her own home, there were servants who served as spies for who knows whom, watching her every move. If she vanished for more than twenty four hours, it would be discovered immediately.
To make matters worse, it wasn't even about disappearing. If she woke up late, someone would report it to the Shinomiya main family as if it were breaking news.
And if they went to Fujiwara Chika's house…
Kaguya's older sister was already in college, and Chika's parents were always busy. Even if they rarely came home on weekends, Chika still had a younger sister, Fujiwara Moeha, who attended Shuchiin Academy's middle school division.
If Kaguya, Hayasaka, and Chika all disappeared at the same time, Moeha would absolutely notice. Then everything would collapse.
At that moment, Hayasaka Ai seemed to think of something.
"How about we say we're staying at a friend's place, then rent a Hotel room? You don't have much pocket money, but I've saved enough salary to cover the Hotel costs."
"No."
Kaguya rejected it immediately, without hesitation.
"Hotels require identity registration. It's too easy to trace. And the only person I can truly call a friend is Chika. If the main family sends someone to verify it, we'll be exposed on the spot, and it will be even harder to explain."
She exhaled softly, forcing her frustration back down.
"Forget it. Since we can't find a way ourselves, we'll call Chika and ask if she can think of something."
Kaguya dialed Fujiwara Chika's number. When Chika answered, Kaguya explained the special circumstances of this Dungeon.
"Eh? Is that so?"
Chika's voice was still full of energy, bright and cheerful as always, as if the word danger did not exist in her dictionary.
"Hmmm… oh, right. My mom and my sister were planning to come home this weekend anyway. I'll just say I won a three day, two night ticket to a Kyoto hot spring Hotel. I'll send them to Kyoto to relax, and they can come back Sunday night. Wouldn't that solve it?"
Kaguya considered it. It really was a good plan.
Still, she asked carefully, uneasy by habit.
"If they all go, what will you say when they ask why you aren't going?"
"Little Kaguya, why are you getting more and more naive?" Chika replied with a smile that could be heard through the phone.
"We have to prepare for the Student Council election and discuss the next plan. Isn't that a perfectly legitimate reason?"
Kaguya froze for a beat.
"Oh… right. I forgot."
"You didn't forget," Chika said meaningfully. "Your mind was just pulled somewhere else."
"What strange things are you talking about again?"
"Never mind if you don't get it. Leave it to me."
…
After hanging up, Fujiwara Chika stared at her phone screen.
A pure, innocent smile, almost angelic, bloomed across her face. She slid a finger along the screen and murmured to herself.
"Saturday… it feels dangerous, but somehow it also feels really interesting."
She tilted her head slightly, eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Should I try it…? Let's try it. Just thinking about it is fun."
On the other side, at Iwanaga Kotoko's home.
"A super long Dungeon that lasts more than twenty four hours, Megumi, is that okay for you?"
Yuuki Asuna's voice carried a trace of worry.
Kato Megumi nodded calmly, as if it were no different from planning a group project.
"Mhm. The weekend is fine. I'll just say I'm staying overnight at a friend's house. My parents trust me."
She had barely finished when Asagiri's phone chimed with the sound of a new email.
He picked it up, opened his inbox, and a faint smile appeared.
"Oh. This is interesting."
Iwanaga Kotoko immediately leaned over, curiosity practically dripping from her eyes as she peeked at the screen.
"What? What's interesting? Let me see."
"Here. Read it."
Kotoko took the phone. She stared at the email for a moment, then her expression turned complicated. Finally, she clenched her teeth with visible resentment.
"That pink haired, big chested devil… she actually did something this shameless."
"Pink hair, big chest…?"
Asuna frowned slightly, hesitant.
"The one who emailed Asagiri… is Chika? What did she say?"
"See for yourself."
Kotoko handed the phone to Yuuki Asuna and Kato Megumi.
Asuna read the message. Her expression became painfully colorful, like she had swallowed something that was both sweet and bitter and did not know which flavor to blame.
[Hello~ Utsunomiya, I'm Fujiwara Chika~]
[After we exchanged email addresses, you haven't sent me a single email~ I'm so sad~]
[Are you free this Saturday? I want to discuss the upcoming election with you. Kaguya has personal circumstances and it's not convenient for her to go out on weekends, so it will just be the two of us~]
[No one will be home at my place on Saturday. Can you come over to talk? Looking forward to your reply~]
"This…" Asuna started, then stopped. Her thoughts jammed.
Beside her, Kato Megumi spoke bluntly, as if she were reading a simple conclusion off a whiteboard.
"This Fujiwara Chika is trying to seduce Utsunomiya, right? Alone at home. The meaning is obvious."
"Chika actually…"
Asuna's mood twisted into something complicated.
Fujiwara Chika was her close friend. She never imagined Chika would send something like this, an invitation that was practically screaming temptation, to Asagiri, knowing he was Asuna's boyfriend.
It was too much.
Was it really true, like Chika once said?
Was love a war?
Seeing their reactions, Asagiri chuckled.
"What are you three thinking? Do you really believe I'm some kind of succubus?"
"Huh?"
Asuna and Kotoko looked at him as if the answer were self evident.
"Isn't that exactly what you are?" they shot back in unison.
"Oh, stop." Asagiri waved it off. "That's Fujiwara Chika. You wouldn't seriously think she's a simpleton, would you?"
His expression remained calm, voice even.
"She's probably already suspecting we're Players."
"You mean she's testing us?" Asuna frowned. "And Saturday is the time we enter the Dungeon…"
Her confusion deepened.
"But why would Chika do this? Will she and Shinomiya enter on Saturday too? If not, fine. But if they are entering, why invite you like this? Just to test you?"
"Testing is possible," Asagiri said, then smiled. "But the bigger possibility is simpler."
He paused just enough to make it sting.
"She thinks it's fun."
"Fun…"
Asuna pressed her lips together and thought about it. With Chika's personality, it was painfully plausible.
Then she looked up at him.
"Then how will you reply?"
"The simplest reply is always the best reply."
Asagiri took his phone back and typed a short response.
…
Elsewhere, Fujiwara Chika sat on her bed hugging her knees, humming to herself. When her phone chimed, she instantly grabbed it, smiling brightly as she swiped the screen.
"Utsunomiya, how will you reply? I'm really looking forward to it… huh?"
The email opened.
There were only two bold words waiting for her.
[Utsunomiya Asagiri: Not going]
"Oh? That's strong. And so concise." Chika's smile widened. "As expected of Utsunomiya."
Then her eyes sharpened with competitive fire.
"But I won't give up that easily."
She quickly typed a long email, added a few cute emoticons, and hit send.
The result was immediate.
[Sending failed. You have been blocked by the other party]
Fujiwara Chika's smile froze in place.
"Utsunomiya…"
"…blocked me?"
Meanwhile, on the other side.
After refusing and blocking with a single smooth motion, Asagiri set his phone down and looked at Yuuki Asuna, Iwanaga Kotoko, and Kato Megumi.
He laughed lightly.
"A game? Who's playing games with her? Block her and we're done."
…
Two days later, Saturday, 2:00 AM.
["Player" Utsunomiya Asagiri, beginning entry into the Dungeon now.]
[Location of this Dungeon: ?? World]
[Time limit for this Dungeon: No time limit]
[Objective for this "Player": Obtain the ??? experimental data stored in the ??? research institute. After any Player achieves this objective, all surviving Players will be considered to have successfully cleared the Dungeon.]
[Hint: Please act discreetly.]
Thick red mist rolled in, then slowly dispersed.
Asagiri, Yuuki Asuna, Iwanaga Kotoko, and Kato Megumi stood together, already changed into combat gear, weapons in hand. As their vision cleared, the scene in front of them made them pause.
"A girl with a sword and a cloak? What is that, cosplay?"
"What anime character is that? Black trench coat, gray mask, chains wrapped around her forearms. That's kind of cool."
"And that one… a mysterious young lady at a masquerade ball? Gorgeous, but she's a bit short."
"There really strange people…"
Voices flowed around them, mixed with curious glances.
Yuuki Asuna froze, staring at the endless stream of pedestrians.
She looked around.
They were standing at what looked like an intersection in a city. People moved normally, chatting, walking, laughing, like this was just another street in Tokyo.
Nothing looked like a Dungeon.
Asuna's voice came out soft, almost disbelieving.
"This… is the Dungeon?"
.....
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