"Hah… hah…"
Takakai's breathing was heavier than ever before.
The [Berserk Blessing] had been active for several minutes straight. At this moment, his stamina and mental energy had been pushed to the limit—so much so that his vision swam, his head spun, and he felt like he might collapse at any second.
Even so, he couldn't afford to stop.
The black shadow clung to him like a curse, relentless in its pursuit.
Two [Suppression Bullets] had slowed the Maw Flower for a brief moment, but it wasn't long before the thing caught up again, forcing Takakai into a desperate retreat.
He didn't use [Alice's Safe House]. The reason was simple—this wasn't like before. He wasn't being hunted because he'd assumed the fake [Teacher] identity. No, this time, he was trapped in this blood-soaked school building for a different reason entirely. Until he figured out how to break the situation, he had to struggle to survive. If he died now, even a retry wouldn't change the outcome.
[Giggle giggle~ Sensei, why are you running?]
A little girl's light laughter echoed from the distance.
Hachiya Chiyo, who had also taken two [Suppression Bullets], was still moving sluggishly. Takakai had a deep understanding of this Core Obsession, so the bullets affected her far more than the Maw Flower. But even so, she wasn't completely immobilized—she was still inching closer, step by step.
[Everyone dies eventually, you know~]
[So really, does it matter if it's a little sooner or later?]
[And if everyone dies together, then no one has to suffer anymore. Doesn't that sound nice?]
The small girl swayed as she walked, her knife glinting in the dim light.
Communication was impossible. Takakai had tried multiple times to reason with Hachiya Chiyo as he fled, but no matter what he said, she just repeated the same phrases—like a broken record, devoid of any real response.
If this were Alice, he might've had a shot at talking his way out. But once a true Remnant entered its triggered state, it was hopeless.
Drip—drip—
Crimson liquid continued to fall.
In the hallway littered with corpses, Takakai pushed forward, kicking off the wall in a flip to evade a monster emerging from the shadows. His hand flashed, and a bottle of [Sleeping Pills] appeared.
A twisted specter began manifesting from the bottle—but before it could fully form, Takakai flicked his wrist, and the Maw Flower lunged, its jagged teeth clamping down on the emerging apparition. Only the pill bottle remained in his grip.
Success!
A devourer-type Remnant could indeed suppress others.
Without hesitation, Takakai pulled out more Obsessions—[Scalpel], [Blood Doll], [Bloody Scissors]—luring out their cursed manifestations before baiting the Maw Flower into consuming them.
Though the monster could kill players easily, the indestructible nature of Remnants meant it couldn't truly destroy what it swallowed—only forcefully suppress them. After devouring several apparitions, its movements grew sluggish, like a poorly optimized game running at 3 FPS, stuttering with every motion.
Good. Now those Twilight-grade Obsessions are usable again.
Takakai let out a small sigh of relief—
—only for Hachiya Chiyo, who had been moving slowly, to suddenly accelerate, closing the distance in an instant.
[Come on, Sensei~ Let's all rest together… forever.]
With a low giggle, the demonic little girl swung her blade.
——
Eyes opened.
A suffocating stench. The oppressive weight of confinement. The cold bars of a cage reflected in dim light, casting a dazed expression.
I… Where am I…?
Memories trickled back sluggishly.
Being saved by Takakai and Kaguya.
Falling into the Deep Layer.
Holding Takakai close… and the kiss she'd initiated.
And finally—the mad laughter of that terrifying little Remnant.
Everything came back.
But why… was she back in this cage?
"Whine…"
The little golden retriever let out a pitiful sound.
Creak—
Shinomiya Kaguya, her expression dazed, stepped into the Dog Pen, her gaze sharp as she surveyed the area.
Squeal—
The door at the far end of the pen slowly opened.
Am I… dreaming? Or is this something I can't understand? Why is Ojou-sama here? Why am I a dog again? Why does everything feel so familiar—like time has reset?
And… where is Takakai-san?
In her confusion, Hayasaka watched as Kaguya was transformed by the Butcher's power into a black-and-white husky puppy, then shoved into a cage.
Both of them now seemed trapped in a dead end.
Even in her weakened, canine state, Hayasaka's instincts screamed that things were spiraling out of control.
[Heh…]
A mocking laugh echoed faintly.
Someone was enjoying this.
Was it someone here?
Or… something far, far away—something untouchable?
Her already-foggy mind grew hazier.
The golden retriever wobbled, on the verge of collapse.
Clang—!
Her body bumped against the cage, the noise ringing out.
The Butcher emerged from the depths of the pen, lumbering toward Hayasaka's cage, its hollow eyes locking onto the trembling puppy.
The cage opened.
A massive hand reached in to grab her—to slaughter her, to cook her.
The real Hayasaka would've hidden perfectly, avoiding detection. But now, disoriented by recovered memories and eerie hallucinations, she could only watch helplessly as she was lifted by the scruff of her neck.
"Awoo!"
The husky suddenly barked.
Kaguya didn't recognize the golden retriever as Hayasaka, but something in her stirred at the sight of the helpless puppy. Defying her fear, she barked, trying to distract the Butcher.
So its other hand reached in—and dragged the husky out too.
Things were getting worse.
Takakai, hunted by the Core Obsession Hachiya Chiyo.
Kaguya, lured into the Dog Pen by the shadows.
Hayasaka, mentally drained and now in the Butcher's grasp.
All three were now in mortal peril—as if an invisible hand were sealing every escape route, ensuring their deaths right at the start.
[Heh…]
Hayasaka heard the laugh again.
Eager. Impatient. Like it couldn't wait for the show to begin.
Then—silence.
Crack. Crack.
The sound of bones breaking.
The Butcher collapsed.
Lights flickered on in the pen, revealing a figure in a military uniform, standing arrogantly in the center.
[Butcher—you have been expelled from Shirasawa Elementary. You are now… unnecessary trash. Hehehe…]
The thing laughed.
Gunshot wounds and bayonet stabs manifested across the Butcher's body, rendering it immobile.
The golden retriever's eyes widened—her mind cleared.
She bolted for the door, jumping to bite the handle. The husky rammed into it with all her strength, and together, the two puppies forced it open, scrambling out just as—
—the Dog Pen flooded with blood-red light.
A small girl with a cleaver materialized inside, her gaze locking onto the blurred figure standing over the Butcher.
——
A Notice of Expulsion lay on the ground.
The name written on it: [Butcher].
A fresh slash mark cut across the paper—where Hachiya Chiyo's blade had nearly pierced through.
But Takakai had written the name just in time. The Principal Remnant's power worked on other Remnants, and so the Butcher became its target. Hachiya Chiyo vanished from Takakai's sight, as if some chain mechanism had activated.
Even the 3-FPS Maw Flower was gone.
"Hah…"
Takakai slumped to the ground, sitting amidst the mutilated corpses, too exhausted to care about the filth.
Finally… I found the solution.
And this method should've also helped Hayasaka escape. As for Kaguya… he'd have to find a way back to the Surface Layer to regroup.
But for now…
After catching his breath, Takakai pulled out a hairpin from his watch.
One of Hachiya Chiyo's Obsessions, its effect was simple—it created a portal to a crumbling orphanage.
The place where she had received this hairpin.
The place where, for just a moment, she had been happy.
[Happy birthday, Chiyo-chan~]
A kind voice. A cheap but cherished gift. The smiles of the caretakers and the other children.
Even as the hairpin faded with time.
Even as the orphanage fell to ruin.
She had kept it.
Because in her dreams, she could still go back.
"Alright. One more try."
Gritting through the exhaustion, Takakai forced himself up—
—and in an instant, he was inside the orphanage.
What he didn't see was this:
Behind him, the blood-red hallway darkened, reverting to its black sludge-covered state.
And as it did…
The mutilated corpses—the ones that should've been completely dead—began to twitch.
Squelch. Squelch.
Rotten flesh and organs slid to the floor.
But the broken bodies stood up.
Purple umbilical cords flickered into existence on them—then vanished.
Vrrrrrm—!
The roar of a chainsaw.
A blood-drenched figure crashed into the hallway, rising slowly—
—its eyes bloodshot, its mind gone.