Dungeon admission tickets.
This was Takumi's first time seeing such a thing—something that, for players, could be considered both a necessity and a hard currency.
Extending his hand to lightly touch it, he felt a texture like sandpaper, along with a faint chill.
It clearly existed physically, something he could tangibly touch—yet with just a single movement of the old man's hand (twenty-eight years old), the old, worn ticket bearing the words "Red Nut Grey Cave Sightseeing Ticket" disappeared into thin air and reappeared in his palm.
When he touched the writing on the ticket, Takumi could faintly hear what sounded like someone reciting the words "Dusk-level Dungeon Admission Ticket - Claustrophobia."
"There are three in total, all admission tickets for the same location, and they're Dusk-level. If I were trading with other people, I could gain tremendous profit from these three tickets. But right now, I'm willing to lower the price and make the deal with you."
Holding the three admission tickets, Kogawa Itsuki spoke in a low voice.
"You said this is a dungeon that hasn't been fixed yet?"
Takumi did not immediately negotiate the price. Instead, he frowned and asked first.
"Correct—unfixed. Therefore the core Obsession Item has not manifested. At this stage, the dungeon is the easiest to clear. It doesn't even require anyone to die; a full-team escape is possible."
Kogawa Itsuki once again let out a laugh, then noticed Takumi's furrowed brows and quickly realized what he was worried about.
"If you're worried about the dungeon becoming fixed after you enter, there's no need to be so pessimistic."
"A dungeon's 'fixing' does not begin suddenly—it forms gradually, in a way players can detect in advance."
"And based on the feedback from the players who entered this dungeon last month, there are currently no signs of it becoming 'fixed.' You can be completely at ease. Of course, I admit that there are dungeons that suddenly become fixed, but such cases are extremely rare. To this day, only three instances have been found on the player network. I believe none of you would have that kind of luck."
Talking and laughing as he spoke, Kogawa Itsuki placed the three admission tickets on the table and made a palms-up gesture toward the three of them.
"I see…"
Takumi really wanted to complain about this old man. If he had left out that last part, Takumi might actually have thought it was fine. But once that guy added the final line, Takumi immediately felt as if a flag had just been raised—something like "after this battle I'll go home and marry Maki"—and that the next mission was doomed to go terribly wrong.
"What do you want?"
Seeing that Takumi didn't intend to say anything more, Kaguya took over and asked.
"We want the Blood Puppet from the Women-Face Gang. Aside from that, choose two more Obsession Items for the trade—one Obsession Item for one ticket. Three Obsession Items for three tickets. The transaction is that simple. Of course, we won't only give you the tickets; we'll also provide information on this dungeon. I can guarantee you that this intel is brand-new, first-hand, and absolutely capable of helping you clear it."
Kogawa Itsuki chuckled. If not for the insects crawling out of his face from time to time, one would almost have said that this old man's face looked somewhat kind.
Three Obsession Items including the Blood Puppet?
Takumi fell into thought.
This trading target had clearly been decided from the very beginning, and the three Obsession Items to be traded had also, in fact, been predetermined.
The battle between Shijō Maki and those two veteran players had been extremely dangerous. The bloody death match had pushed the two Obsession Items Maki retrieved from those women to the brink of losing control. This was one of the important reasons Takumi had to contain the Obsession Items Maki obtained. And with the Blood Puppet being such a bizarre Obsession Item that none of the three intended to keep, it could only be said that Kogawa Itsuki's goal was already very clear.
In that case, after eliminating the Women-Face Gang, the only Obsession Items remaining would be Blood Scissors, Black Umbrella, and Rotten Hand. But considering they hadn't paid much of a price for them, it wasn't exactly a loss.
Takumi did not speak. Maki and Kaguya were both frowning in thought, still unable to make an easy decision.
"I know you have many doubts. Whether it's that piece of flesh or those out-of-control Obsession Items, all of them are of great significance to us. I'll be direct: the Obsession Items in the hands of the Women-Face Gang—there's something very wrong about their origin. Although we haven't found precise evidence yet, what's certain is that the way they obtained these things was not normal. So handing these troublesome items over to us is a win-win. Of course, if you insist on keeping them, feel free. But if you do, these three tickets won't be given to you. The Market doesn't engage in haggling. I'm willing to meet you mainly because of the potential the three of you possess."
Seeing the three of them hesitate, Kogawa Itsuki spoke frankly.
His attitude was very clear. He definitely wanted those three Obsession Items, but to be honest, they were not worth three Dusk-level admission tickets for the same scenario. Even tripling their value wouldn't be enough. Therefore, if these three young people really intended to drag things out and haggle, he had no reason to continue the transaction. After all, the ones who truly needed these tickets were Takumi's group—they were the side with greater urgency.
Kaguya and Maki were unable to make a decision right away. They hesitated, still somewhat wanting to try continuing the negotiation.
After a brief silence, Takumi chose to turn his gaze toward Aoyama Nanami, who had been observing from the side the whole time.
"Miss Aoyama, as the witness of this transaction, can you guarantee the fairness of this deal?"
He slowly asked, his attitude extremely serious.
"Of course. During the past six months that Mr. Kogawa has operated the Tokyo Trading District, he has always been completely fair. And I've already confirmed the items he's offering today in advance—there are no issues with them."
Facing Takumi's question, Aoyama Nanami replied with equal seriousness.
After receiving this answer, Takumi did not hesitate. He nodded directly at Kogawa Itsuki, then took out the Obsession Items from his watch.
From the lack of surprise on Kogawa's face, Takumi realized that his ability to store Obsession Items in a watch had already been exposed beforehand. He just still didn't know when the other party had begun paying attention to him, or what method he had used to monitor him while ensuring he wouldn't be discovered.
Could it have been insects?
"Takumi-kun…"
Maki hadn't expected Takumi to act so decisively and subconsciously called out in a small voice.
"It's fine. The other party's attitude has already been clear enough, so we can't be overly stingy. But I still want to ask first—what specific dungeon intel can you provide?"
Placing the Blood Puppet and the two nearly out-of-control Obsession Items on the table, Takumi comforted Maki with a brief remark, then turned and looked toward Kogawa Itsuki to ask.
"The map, the materials inside the dungeon, and the method for clearing it."
As the old man spoke, he once more materialized the three admission tickets in his hand.
At that moment, a peculiar sense of connection linked Takumi and the old man. He faintly heard something like "transfer confirmed," and then found that the ticket had appeared in his hand. Moreover, this time, in his perception, the ticket seemed to be connected to him—it could appear or disappear at will, and no matter how far it was, he could instantly recall it through his own intent.
If only admission tickets came in the shape of banknotes… no, no, no, it was better not to have such strange thoughts.
The three Obsession Items were seized by some invisible force, moved to Kogawa Itsuki's side, and swallowed by the shadow on the table.
Immediately afterward, a set of documents was pushed toward the three of them.
[Red Nut Grey Cave dungeon intel data:]
[I. Clear method]
[Play the roles of tourist and guide, enter from the entrance area, and, following the viewing sequence of Entrance → Gentle Slope → Plain → Grand Plaza → Plain → Stone Forest Path → Entrance, walk through the entire Red Nut Grey Cave. After that, you will be able to leave this dungeon normally. The current shortest clear record is 2 hours 25 minutes.]
[Note: Do not approach the direction of the Big Slide. The tourist you are playing only moves within the sightseeing area. You are playing an ordinary tourist without an exploration permit and have no interest in scenic areas such as the Big Slide that are not open to ordinary tourists.]
[Note 2: Do not look at any maps inside the cave, especially any complete map of Red Nut Grey Cave that involves areas not open to tourists.]
[Note 3: Do not pay attention to anyone who asks you for help and wants you to go to the Big Slide. Ignore them.]
[Note 4: Do not respond to anyone who talks to you and asks you to help guide their way. If you are blocked and cannot leave, you may tell the inquirer to go look for the staff at the entrance.]
[Note 5: Do not discuss any topics involving words such as "crowded," "narrow," or "claustrophobia" inside the dungeon. It is best to quietly enjoy the sightseeing the whole time. You know you are not really here to sightsee, so don't overact.]
[Note 6: The one playing the guide may directly shout down anyone who blocks the way, using "don't disturb my work" as the reason. Violence may be used if necessary.]
[Note 7: It is best if the one playing the guide can give an introduction at every scenic section. At the end of this document, a Red Nut Grey Cave travel brochure recorded from the recollections of players who have cleared the dungeon will be attached, which can be used as a reference.]
[Note 8: If, during the visit, you encounter anyone wearing a soldier's uniform, immediately evade and do not make contact with them.]
[Note 9: If, during the visit, you encounter anyone wearing a yellow uniform, immediately evade and leave the area where they are as soon as possible.]
[Note 10: If, during the visit, you encounter a sightseeing group made up of multiple people, any players who are able to evade should do so at once and avoid the area where the group is. After confirming that the evasion is complete, select a second player to play the guide.]
[Note 11: If you successfully leave this dungeon alive after finding out what is behind the Big Slide, then do not come back again.]
[II. Red Nut Grey Cave map]
[III. Red Nut Grey Cave tourism guidebook recorded from players' recollections]
[Dear travelers, welcome to Red Nut Grey Cave. This is an ancient hydrothermal cave with a history of several million years. Here it is like spring all year round, warm in winter and cool in summer, and various strange landforms handed down from ancient times are distributed throughout. This guide will lead you in exploring the various scenic spots in this cave. We hope you will gain a wonderful experience here.]
[1. Entrance]
[Entrance of Red Nut Grey Cave]
[The entrance of Red Nut Grey Cave has undergone multiple rounds of manual renovation, and visitors may now enter the cave via a specially constructed staircase. Please note that the stairs are steep. Do not play or horse around at the entrance to avoid slipping and falling.]
[After entering Red Nut Grey Cave through the entrance, you will arrive at a stone-cavern terrain with multiple natural levels. From here, you officially enter Red Nut Grey Cave. Please do not climb over the railings, and do not proceed beyond the cordoned-off areas. Those zones are not yet developed for tourism, and entering them without permission may lead to danger. This scenic area bears no responsibility for such incidents.]
[2. Gentle Slope]
[When you depart from the entrance and arrive at the road's fork, you will see two different paths. If you choose the path on the right, you will enter the "Gentle Slope" area of Red Nut Ash Cave.]
[This is a tunnel approximately 120 meters in length. The tunnel's overall height is relatively high, with its lowest point still reaching 220 cm, so even tall visitors do not need to worry about hitting their foreheads.]
[Here, the terrain undulates, and you will repeatedly go uphill and downhill. However, don't worry—the slopes here are mostly very gentle. We have also built a variety of handrails and benches, allowing you to walk forward slowly and fully enjoy this naturally formed cave passage.]
[Additionally, please note that although most slopes in the Gentle Slope area are mild, there is a fissure in the central section of this tunnel. This fissure exceeds 300 meters in depth. Please do not climb over the railings. If, after signing the liability waiver, you become trapped in this fissure, you must pay for your own rescue and compensate the scenic area for any damages.]
[3. Stone Forest Path]
[At the fork near the entrance, if you choose to proceed along the path on the left, you will enter the "Stone Forest Path" area of Red Nut Grey Cave.]
[This path is approximately 150 meters long. The passage is relatively narrow and low, and many sections have low stalagmite formations. Tall or larger-framed visitors should take caution when passing through this section.]
[The Stone Forest Path is a gently sloping walkway with abundant stalagmites and stone pillars, resembling a woodland sculpted from rock and filled with unique natural beauty. We have set up several viewing platforms along this walkway where you may take photos. Please do not climb over the railings or damage the stalagmite formations.]
[4. Plain]
[After exiting either the Gentle Slope or the Stone Forest Path, you will arrive at the "Plain" area of Red Nut Grey Cave.]
[This is the largest area inside Red Nut Grey Cave—a naturally formed rock-layer cavity. It is said that 300,000 years ago, this place was still completely submerged underwater. Here, you can see many unique cave landforms, and we believe you will have a rewarding experience.]
[We have also set up some simple benches and stone stools here for resting, making it convenient for you to take a break here. In addition, please do not litter; cleaning inside the cave is very troublesome, and we hope you can understand how hard the staff work.]
[5. Grand Plaza]
[If you continue forward from the Plain, you will reach the final area of the Red Nut Grey Cave sightseeing zone, the "Grand Plaza" area.]
[This area is a slightly undulating stretch of flat ground dotted with several large stone pillars. It is a very suitable place to stroll and rest. At the edge of the plaza there is also water seeping down from the lake and flowing through; please do not drink it casually.]
[Although this area is already in the deeper part of Red Nut Grey Cave, due to the cave's own structure, cool breezes often blow through here instead, making the temperature here extremely cool. If you come to visit the cave in winter, please make sure to keep yourself warm before going deeper into this area.]
[4. Detailed Records of Players Who Have Cleared]
…
The information in these materials was really quite extensive. Besides the basic things summarized in the front, in the back there were also reflections and insights left behind by each player who had cleared it.
If Takumi had to describe this set of materials, he could only say that he practically felt as if he were experiencing those beginner tutorial levels that teach you the process step by step.
Especially when he thought back to his awful experience in the first dungeon, Shirakawa Apartments, he even for a moment felt as if he might burst into tears.
So this was what a Dusk-level dungeon felt like?
So this was what it felt like to have reliable veteran players providing support?
"These materials were paid for with the lives of players. I hope you will cherish them. The Market will remember the friendly attitude you have shown here. In the future, if you run into any trouble, you can come to me for consultation. I have high hopes for your future."
After saying this, Kogawa stood up and left, bidding farewell to everyone.
"Well then, we should get going too. Make the most of this easy experience, and do your best to stay alive."
Aoyama Nanami took Gotō Hitori and left quickly as well. Before leaving, she was still cheering on Takumi and the other two.
"An easy experience, huh?"
Takumi muttered under his breath, and in order not to raise a flag, he did not say the rest of what he was thinking aloud.
As long as the dungeon didn't get fixed, there would be no change in difficulty; it would still be a simple task, basically with almost no difficulty to speak of.
As long as this dungeon… didn't get "fixed," and its core Obsession didn't manifest...
Amid the click-click of the camera shutter, Maki and Kaguya had already taken photos of every page of the materials. Takumi, frowning because of a faint unease in his heart, was responsible for bringing the materials back. Next, before the mission began, would be the time for the three of them to prepare for this simple-difficulty dungeon.
At least, this was what Maki herself was thinking right now.
She was still thinking this way right up until she saw Kaguya call out to Takumi, who was about to leave.
"Takumi-kun, do you have anything going on today? If you don't, could you come with me somewhere this afternoon?"
Up until the moment when Kaguya, who had almost never invited anyone to do anything, called out to Takumi and suggested acting together, Maki hadn't thought too much of it.
"Hah? Oba-san, what are you even talking about?"
"Oh? Did you need something from me?"
Maki's voice actually rang out a beat earlier than Takumi's. Before Takumi could turn his head to ask Kaguya, the girl quickly stepped in front of him, looking at Kaguya with an expression as wary as a little cat.
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