023 My House in Shibuya is Very Big
After leaving school, Yuuki Asuna and Asagiri walked together to the train station near the school. She pursed her lips and asked softly,
"Is there anything else we need to prepare?"
Asagiri replied in a flat tone,
"There's nothing really to prepare. After all, the APP's rules state that no real-world items, equipment, armor, tools, or the like are allowed. I think since this APP and the so-called dungeons already involve real supernatural power, the chance of successfully exploiting a bug, while not absolutely zero, is negligible, so there's no need to waste time on that."
"Mm, I see..."
Yuuki Asuna nodded first, then didn't speak again, but she also didn't leave. She just stood there, looking hesitant, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't, in an awkward manner.
Seeing this, Asagiri instantly saw through Asuna's thoughts and said with a smile,
"Since we're teammates, it's best if we stay together before entering the second dungeon, right?"
"Yes, I just...."
Yuuki Asuna stopped halfway through her sentence when she noticed Asagiri's smiling expression. A blush of embarrassment appeared on her face, and she quickly changed the subject, lowering her head and kicking a small stone on the ground, pretending to be calm.
"You... since you said so, and you're the Leader, then I'll listen to you..."
"Yuuki."
"Mm? What is it?"
"Tsundere is outdated."
"I, I, who's being a tsundere with you!?"
"Such a classic tsundere line."
Hearing Asagiri's teasing, Yuuki Asuna's pretty face flushed. She felt both shy and a little exasperated at being called a tsundere. After letting out a soft snort, she raised her hand to adjust her flaxen long hair, pursed her lips, took a deep breath, and then bravely said,
"Then... go to your place... or come to my place?"
Asagiri frowned upon hearing this and asked back with a puzzled expression,
"What's 'your place' or 'my place'?"
"Huh? Are you serious?"
Yuuki Asuna frowned tightly and explained patiently,
"You aren't thinking that we'll just stay together in a cafe, internet cafe, library, or somewhere like that until it's time to enter the dungeon, are you?"
"Leaving aside whether staying in such places for too long would attract unwanted attention, we must ensure that the location where we enter the dungeon is absolutely private and safe. Otherwise, if someone sees us suddenly disappear and then suddenly reappear after some time, our identities would be exposed."
"And what if someone sets up an ambush at our return point while we're in the dungeon, just waiting for us to come back to launch a surprise attack?"
"In summary, only the two locations I just mentioned are suitable to be used as return points when leaving the dungeon."
"Wait a minute...."
After saying this, Yuuki Asuna suddenly felt that something wasn't right. Suspicion appeared between her brows, and she stared intently at Asagiri's face.
"How could you not have thought of something I could think of? Are you testing me again?"
Asagiri nodded and smiled, "There is indeed a part of it that's a test."
Yuuki Asuna pressed on, "A part? Does that mean there are other reasons?"
"Mm."
Asagiri looked directly into Yuuki Asuna's eyes and said very seriously,
"I'm worried that you're taking advantage of the opportunity to enter the dungeon to come to my place and plot against me."
"Plot against your head..."
Yuuki Asuna rolled her eyes and retorted irritably. Remembering what Fujiwara Chika had said to her in the classroom, she felt utterly speechless.
Asagiri was indeed handsome, but Yuuki Asuna, who understood his personality, no longer associated him with the image of a handsome high school student living in Tokyo in the slightest.
If she really had to say it...
The Shibuya Chainsaw Devil of Tokyo, a psychic who can summon black phantoms at any time, a person without fear or pity, a Player who purely enjoys the thrill – in front of these weighty labels, mere outstanding appearance is no longer worth mentioning.
"Come to my place."
After teasing Yuuki Asuna for a while, Asagiri switched to his serious Player mode, preparing to clear the dungeon.
"In case your parents suddenly decide to visit you on the weekend and happen to catch us just as we're about to enter or have just left the dungeon, that would be very difficult to explain. So, it's better to come to my place."
Yuuki Asuna asked curiously upon hearing this, "But couldn't your parents also suddenly drop by?"
She only knew that Asagiri lived alone in Shibuya and didn't know his family composition.
Asagiri shook his head and replied with a smile,
"Heh, if something like that really happened, we'd need to call a professional exorcist."
......
After taking the train and arriving at the apartment where Asagiri lived, located in the bustling Shibuya area of Tokyo, Yuuki Asuna felt a bit uneasy. After all, this was her first time coming to a boy's place, and... right now, there were only her and Asagiri in the apartment.
After sitting down on the sofa, Yuuki Asuna smoothed her skirt, took out a new set of sportswear from her shoulder bag, folded it neatly, and placed it beside her. Then, she couldn't help but curiously examine the furnishings in the living room. She wanted to know what the home life of someone with Asagiri's personality was like, apart from being a Player when entering dungeons and a genius at Shuchiin Academy.
"Asuna Yuuki, please don't stare at my TV with eyes like a pervert, okay?"
Hearing Asagiri's words, Yuuki Asuna finally came back to her senses and nodded awkwardly.
"Oh, oh, sorry, I was thinking... Wait, who's the pervert!?"
"See, you're getting flustered again."
Asagiri opened the refrigerator in the living room, took out a can of frozen Coca-Cola, twisted it open, took a big gulp, and then looked at Yuuki Asuna, who was sitting on the sofa looking a bit reserved, and smiled.
"What do you want to drink?"
"Mineral water is fine, thank you."
"Alright, catch."
After taking the mineral water Asagiri tossed over, twisting open the cap, and taking a small sip, Yuuki Asuna's nervous emotions also eased. Looking at the other person sitting on the single sofa, she took the initiative to speak.
"Oh right, last night, I suddenly remembered the information we found in that Kyozan Mental Hospital last time. I tried searching online for 'Kyozan Mental Hospital' and the name 'Chris Walker', and it turns out that this place name and the patient's name are both from a horror game called 'Outlast'."