Chapter 141: The Saint Megumi Who Sees Through Everything
Hearing Iwanaga Kotoko's analysis, Kato Megumi spoke quietly.
"I think the second possibility is more likely. If it's only a distance restriction… we're currently in central Tokyo. The farthest places in Japan are basically Hokkaido and Kagoshima."
"Even Hokkaido is under four hours by Shinkansen. Kagoshima takes around seven, but by plane it's only about two. If the research institute base isn't in a city, plus time to gather information, twenty four hours is still more than enough."
She continued in the same calm tone.
"And that's assuming we're slow. The four of us don't have special mobility abilities, but other Players might have flight, sprint skills, or transportation type equipment."
Asagiri couldn't help letting out an impressed sigh.
"Wow. This is the most you've talked in one episode."
Kato Megumi's lips curved faintly. She tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear.
"As a team member, I have to contribute too."
Then she glanced at Yuuki Asuna and Iwanaga Kotoko, her tone casual, yet oddly meaningful.
"Besides, both Violet and Necro made very important contributions."
"Uh…"
Yuuki Asuna froze. Not knowing how to respond to that loaded remark, she hurriedly forced the conversation back on track.
"So what do we do next? This Dungeon is different from usual. We don't know if there are Players mixed among the pedestrians. And the clear condition is to obtain experimental data."
She lowered her voice slightly.
"Even if the system says that once any one Player gets it, all Players count as cleared, it's obvious the one who actually obtains the data will get the best reward."
"Exactly."
Iwanaga Kotoko nodded, thoughtful.
"Our team won't fight over it. If there's a chance, it doesn't matter who takes it."
Her eyes sharpened.
"But we also can't hand that reward to other Players, and they won't hand it to us. The system doesn't mandate PVP, but to get the best reward… Players will… no, there will definitely be armed conflict."
"Armed conflict…"
A complicated look surfaced in Yuuki Asuna's eyes.
"First, within twenty four hours, we find the research institute base. That's phase one. After that we break through the defenses, guard against other Players, then locate where the data is stored…"
"Is phase one really that simple?"
Asagiri cut in, shaking his head lightly.
"With how brutal phase two sounds, I don't believe the system would give Players a completely safe twenty four hours just to wander around and investigate."
His gaze swept the street beyond the alley.
"No danger has appeared yet, which might just mean we're in the adaptation window the system left us."
He paused, as if thinking. Then he smiled.
"First step… let's find an internet cafe."
"Huh? An internet cafe?"
"Yes. An internet cafe."
Asagiri nodded at the three girls, expression serious.
"Don't underestimate the power of the internet."
"The problem is…"
Kato Megumi asked carefully.
"An internet cafe costs money, right? We can't bring real world items into a Dungeon, and we don't have any money on us…"
She stopped mid sentence.
Asagiri had pulled a black leather wallet from his pocket. He opened it.
Inside was a thick wad of cash.
"Here. Payday. Twenty thousand yen each, for emergencies."
Yuuki Asuna accepted the bills, then couldn't help laughing as curiosity got the better of her.
"Where did you get this money?"
"Took it."
"…Stole it?"
"Hey."
Asagiri frowned, offended on principle.
"Why do you say it like that? I only took the wallet and didn't even kill him. That's kindness. He should be grateful."
He lifted his chin slightly, as if making a formal declaration.
"I'm a pure Saint Mother at heart."
Yuuki Asuna sighed and shot back without mercy.
"No wonder you keep referencing Water Margin. So you're just a bandit, huh?"
Then she looked down at the cash and softened.
"But whatever. We need money, and this isn't our world anyway. We'll take it."
"Oh?"
Iwanaga Kotoko smiled mischievously.
"Violet, your moral standards are getting more and more flexible. You're nothing like the stiff, boring person you were when we first met."
"Heh."
Yuuki Asuna rolled her eyes, annoyed.
"That's because I got infected by you and Leader."
…
They put away their weapons and obvious combat gear, then stepped back out onto the street, searching for any internet cafes nearby.
"This…"
Kato Megumi pressed her lips together and asked quietly.
"Is it just my imagination? People have been staring at us since a moment ago."
"No, it's not your imagination."
Yuuki Asuna glanced at Asagiri and Iwanaga Kotoko walking beside her, then sighed helplessly.
"With these two around, it's hard not to get noticed…"
Even without masks, Asagiri and Iwanaga Kotoko attracted attention everywhere they went.
Kotoko was not only cute, her every gesture carried the poise of a young lady. Add her elegant western style long dress, and she stood out immediately.
As for Asagiri…
There was only one explanation.
He was simply too eye catching.
Yuuki Asuna leaned closer to him, smiling.
"Why don't you put your mask back on? You're even more noticeable without it. I didn't expect that."
Asagiri smiled back.
"You're not exactly invisible either."
"Huh? Me?"
Yuuki Asuna looked genuinely confused.
Asagiri shook his head, voice softer.
"You really don't understand how cute you are."
He spoke plainly, as if stating a fact.
"Necro and I have strong presence, sure. But a tall, beautiful girl with a graceful vibe walking down the street is obviously going to draw eyes."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Don't tell me you think you're plain."
Yuuki Asuna's face warmed. She turned away, tucking her flaxen hair behind her ear, her voice dropping.
"I… I know I look decent…"
"Oh, so you were pretending not to know because you wanted me to praise you. I really fell for it."
"Go away. What are you even saying?"
Yuuki Asuna lightly shoved his shoulder, embarrassed and irritated, cheeks red.
"Do you think I'm like you? I'm not that narcissistic."
Behind them, Kato Megumi followed quietly like an invisible person. After watching the crowd's curiosity swirl around those three, she finally stepped closer and pointed ahead.
"Leader. There's an internet cafe."
"Good. Let's go."
…
They took an elevator up to the third floor. Asagiri led them to the front desk.
"So this is an internet cafe…"
The three girls looked around with curiosity. None of them had ever been to one before.
There was no open seating area. Instead, narrow private booths stretched inward, separated by wooden partitions. Signs on the walls read NO SMOKING and PLEASE KEEP QUIET.
"Welcome, three…"
The female attendant glanced up, then her smile froze when her eyes landed on Iwanaga Kotoko.
"Huh? Middle school students?"
She looked back at Asagiri with an awkward smile.
"Um, sir… if there's no parent accompanying them, we can't allow middle school students in."
"I am the parent."
Asagiri placed a hand on Kotoko's head and stroked it naturally, without hesitation.
"This is my niece."
Iwanaga Kotoko bit her silver teeth. Her cheeks puffed up like an angry steamed bun.
After a few seconds, she deflated, nodding weakly as if she had lost a battle she never wanted to fight.
"Yes. I'm his niece."
Her voice turned stiff.
"This is my uncle."
Inside, Kotoko cursed herself. If she'd known, she would've had Kato Megumi use Shadow Dancer to slip inside first, then quietly join them after Asagiri booked the room. Then she wouldn't have had to suffer this humiliation.
But she couldn't even bring her ID into the Dungeon. She had no way to prove she was actually in high school.
So she had no choice but to add one generation to Asagiri's age.
"Um…"
Kato Megumi, after hearing the attendant say "three," sighed lightly and corrected her with a calm face.
"It's four people, actually."
"Huh? How is there one more?"
The attendant blurted it out, then immediately panicked.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, that was my oversight."
She quickly forced her smile back.
"Since there's a parent, it's fine. May I ask…"
"We want your largest private room."
"The largest private room? We only have double rooms right now. Since there are four of you, how about two double rooms?"
"Don't make it difficult for her."
Before the attendant could even finish processing the situation, Asagiri waved a hand calmly.
"One double room is fine. Six hours first."
Yuuki Asuna and Iwanaga Kotoko didn't understand. They had money, so why squeeze four people into one double room instead of taking two?
Only Saint Megumi, silent as ever, guessed the real reason behind Asagiri's choice.
.....
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