Swoosh—
In the ceaseless sound of falling rain, Takakai sat on the small bedroom bed, looking down at the number [36] written on his hand.
He remembered clearly that he had just used the entry ticket to enter the Shirasawa Elementary dungeon with Shinomiya Kaguya.
That is to say, this should be the very beginning of their mission.
Yet his hand bore marks that shouldn't exist.
Why did I write this?
Takakai frowned. He had absolutely no memory of writing this number. No matter how hard he tried to recall, not a single fragment of memory surfaced.
But the handwriting was unmistakably his own. He was certain of it. Moreover, he faintly sensed a subtle dissonance—that what he was seeing and thinking right now might not be as simple as his cognition suggested, not as straightforward as he believed.
This place is not safe.
My current situation is extremely dangerous.
Despite seeing nothing threatening, despite everything appearing completely normal...
Takakai vaguely felt in his heart that he was already in danger.
Something must be wrong.
Kumami had said that compared to other Crimson Moon-level dungeons, this one had a much higher survival rate—but it inflicted severe mental torment. Research from player forums showed that many who survived this dungeon developed serious mental illnesses or self-harm tendencies.
Most who entered were already Crimson Moon players—veterans with numerous blessings, enhancements, and cursed objects, their mental fortitude formidable. If even they suffered psychological damage, the dungeon's corruption had to be extraordinarily insidious.
So this [36]...
Did I write it for myself? Did I encounter this number somewhere and record it? Does it hold some special meaning?
Regardless, he needed to act.
He had to regroup with Kaguya as soon as possible, then work together to find Hayasaka Ai and unravel the mysteries of this dungeon.
With this thought, Takakai looked up at Yoshitaka, who was sitting by the bed typing on the computer.
"I need to write down what I know. It'll help me organize my thoughts."
Noticing Takakai's gaze, Yoshitaka turned and smiled at him.
"That's a good approach, but be careful. In a place like this, information itself might be contaminated."
Kaguya nodded in agreement. Takakai did the same.
Takakai stood by the wall, sighing softly, while Miyazawa Hana gently patted his back as if to comfort him.
One, two... six people stood before him.
Yes, the six of them had entered this dungeon together to find Hayasaka Ai.
This was normal. There was nothing unusual about it.
Takakai looked back at the [36] on his hand.
I still don't understand. Why is this here? Is it the influence of some supernatural force? But I don't feel anything.
If I don't feel anything, then my mind hasn't been corrupted. If there's no corruption, then everything is normal... No, that's not right. There's still cognitive blocking.
If a red cloth is perceived visually, but the signal is altered from red to blue before reaching my consciousness, my brain would process it as "this cloth is blue." This "normalcy" is anything but normal.
So... am I already in an abnormal state?
Takakai's gaze shifted to Yoshitaka, still typing diligently, to Takai sighing and Miyazawa Hana comforting him, to Kaguya deep in thought, and to the other Takakai meeting his eyes.
None of this seemed abnormal.
Neither himself nor the six people before him showed any signs of being unusual.
Frowning, Takakai looked down at the number on his hand again.
I just entered this dungeon. I just started exploring alone. But... no. If my perception has truly been affected, if I'm under some cognitive-blocking mechanism, then my inability to realize it makes sense.
"Teacher?"
But I remember nothing. I know nothing. In my cognition, everything is normal. I haven't even encountered any supernatural attacks.
What should I do? What kind of situation am I really in?
"Teacher? Teacher, aren't you going to take care of us?"
A child's voice, tender and young, reached his ears.
Teacher? Why am I a teacher? What does this identity have to do with me?
Confused, Takakai looked toward the door—now inexplicably open—and the children standing outside.
One, two... many children crowded the small living room, all staring at him, all motionless, their expressions blank.
A black pistol appeared in Takakai's hand.
Amid the clash of normal cognition and abnormal instinct, his mind grew increasingly chaotic.
Finally, he sensed something wrong.
Unlike Kaguya and the other Takakai, who were cautiously wary of these children, unlike Yoshitaka, Takai, and Miyazawa Hana...
These expressionless children finally made Takakai feel abnormality.
He vaguely realized that these seemingly ordinary children were likely all cursed entities.
Is this "abnormality" I can't perceive caused by them?
If they're the source, then using this gun on them might break the illusion.
His finger rested on the trigger.
Yes, this thought, this reasoning, was completely normal.
But if what he perceived as normal was actually abnormal, then this choice would... change nothing.
"Teacher?"
Takakai ignored the voice. Instead, he lowered the gun to his lap, ejected the magazine, and examined the bullets inside.
Eight rounds remained.
Before entering this dungeon, he had fired one bullet capable of suppressing supernatural entities. That meant there should have been nine left.
But now, there were only eight.
One bullet had been used without his knowledge.
I must have fired it in this dungeon. Likely at something I perceived as "abnormal," trying to change the situation. But it must have failed. That's why I remember nothing. That's why everything seems normal now.
So what I should do now isn't shoot the "abnormal"—but the "normal."
Takakai slowly raised his head and looked around the room again—at Yoshitaka, Takai, Miyazawa Hana, Kaguya, and the other Takakai.
All of them were normal. In his eyes, there was nothing wrong with them.
"Teacher? Why aren't you speaking? Could it be... you're not really a teacher?"
The children who felt abnormal to him had now entered the room, stepping closer one by one.
Takakai's gaze swept over them calmly. Without a word, he pinned the Rescue Team badge to his chest.
Then he reversed the pistol—
—and pressed it against his own forehead.
"The most 'normal' thing here... isn't what I see. It's me*, the one who thinks all of this is normal."*
Takakai murmured softly.
If the normal was actually abnormal, then he must be under the influence of this cognitive-blocking force.
Firing a bullet capable of suppressing supernatural power at himself...
Would surely bring real change.
"Takakai, what are you doing?!"
"Mr. Takakai, stop!"
"Have you lost your mind?!"
"Teacher... do you want to die too?"
The voices around him could no longer sway his resolve.
"Here goes."
With those final words—
—he pulled the trigger.
BANG.