Chapter 04: The Open Door
After saying this, Asuna herself was a little surprised. She glanced at the grotesque, blood-covered face pressed against the observation window and hesitated.
"So... it's not actually trying to get in, but wants us to open the door and leave quickly?"
"Of course. Just look..."
Asagiri raised his hand and pointed at the bloodstained face with a faint smile.
"See how anxious this guy looks? He's practically begging us to leave. A Martian rescue, perhaps? And..."
He paused for a moment before continuing, his tone still casual.
"Judging by its appearance, it's clearly not a living human. Considering the word 'Caregiver' from the hint, I suspect it's a ghost, a banshee, or some lingering resentment left behind by a Caregiver who died here. Its anxious behavior, trying to get us to leave, confirms your theory. One hour—no, now about fifty minutes remain. When that time's up, something abnormal will happen in this sanatorium, and no one will be able to leave."
"G-ghost... ghost?"
Asuna's face went pale, her voice trembling slightly. "Are there really ghosts...?"
"Hmph. What's so strange about that?"
Asagiri replied nonchalantly. "If something like suddenly appearing in another location can happen, why can't ghosts or banshees exist? Besides, this might not even be the same world we came from."
Before Asuna could say anything, Asagiri abruptly changed the topic.
"Anyway, speculation only takes us so far. There's only one way to confirm our theory: open the door and step out. If we're wrong, the thing outside will probably attack us immediately. So the question is—who's opening the door, you or me?"
Asuna froze, staring again at the bloody face beyond the glass. Fear crept up her spine.
He was right. No matter how logical their deductions seemed, no one could guarantee their accuracy. There was only one way to find out—and if they were wrong, the result would be fatal.
If one of them went to open the door and was attacked, the other might still have time to close it and survive.
Truthfully, Asuna was terrified. She didn't want to face that thing—or die. Part of her wished he would be the one to take the risk instead. But...
Why should he?
Throughout the analysis, Asagiri had led the discussion. She had simply followed his reasoning, adding small thoughts along the way. And now, could she really ask him to risk his life for her?
Even though she was afraid, Asuna couldn't bring herself to do that.
"I... I'll go."
She took a deep breath, her trembling hands slowly tightening into fists.
"I'll open the door. If it attacks, I'll push it away, and you close the door immediately."
Asagiri didn't hesitate. He stepped aside and gestured politely.
"Oh, how admirable. Lady Yuuki Asuna, I'm truly moved. As a gentleman, I insist—ladies first."
For a moment, Asuna was speechless.
Opening the door had been her decision, yes—but did he have to sound so delighted about it?
"You're really a strange person..." she muttered helplessly as she walked toward the door.
Reaching the rusty knob, she looked through the glass once more. The bloodied face outside stared back at her. Fear numbed her limbs; her mind went blank.
In the eerie silence, she slowly reached out, gripping the cold, corroded doorknob with her trembling hand.
Just as she began to turn it, a firm hand caught her wrist.
"Alright, that's enough."
"Huh?"
Before she could react, Asagiri stepped forward, chainsaw in one hand, grasping the knob with the other. Without the slightest hesitation, he opened the door and said cheerfully,
"Chainsaw Man is here~"
Click.
The door swung open.
The scene that met Asuna's eyes made her blood run cold.
At last, she saw the true form of the blood-faced monster.
It wore tattered, blood-soaked light blue work clothes, the remnants of an ID badge still hanging from its chest. Its stance was unnatural—its body hunched, bent at a disturbing angle, as if it had been peering through the observation window moments ago.
When the door opened, the creature straightened. Its head almost brushed the ceiling. By Asuna's rough estimate, it stood close to three meters tall.
The sheer size and oppressive presence made her breath catch.
But in the next instant, the suffocating tension shattered.
"Excuse me, coming through~"
Asagiri's tone remained relaxed, as though he were greeting a passerby, not a towering blood-soaked monster.
And then—to Asuna's utter disbelief—the massive creature actually stepped back, clearing a path for them.
"What are you waiting for?"
Asagiri stepped into the corridor, then turned back toward the stunned Asuna.
"Time's ticking. The evaluation and rewards might depend on how fast we clear this dungeon. Hurry up—let's go."
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