[Yoruyama Academy Dormitory Survival Rules]
[If you can read this, tell no one. They cannot see what you see. They will not believe you. Find others like you. Remember these rules. Survive.]
Never call someone's name without seeing them. Never answer a voice in the dark.
Follow the schedule. If you're here at the wrong time—stay silent.
Check under your bed daily. If it's not empty, don't sleep there.
Never enter a room uninvited. Especially empty ones.
After lights-out: Don't leave. Bathroom trips under 5 minutes only.
If you hear a woman scream and a thud—don't look. Don't leave. Wait 30 minutes.
Never go to the rooftop. Never.
Don't lose your key. If you do, never return to your bed.
Stay curious—but not too curious. Find others who see what you see.
[—The Living Club]
The paper was stained, handwritten, with smudged ink and misspellings.
Takakai memorized every word before turning away.
The hallway stretched ahead under flickering, cobwebbed lights. The air reeked of dust—yet no source in sight.
The Living Club?
His gaze lingered on the signature.
Doors creaked open. Faceless students shuffled past, ignoring him.
Maybe I just can't hear them... yet.
[Shijou Maki: Confirmed—I only see the 'normal' rules. You're sure they changed?]
[Takakai: Positive. 30 seconds of staring, and it morphed. Don't look too long.]
[Shijou Maki: If it were observation-based, we'd see it too. This is your anomaly. Did you trigger something?]
[Takakai: Well... I saw a face under my bed. Peeked at me, then vanished.]
[Shijou Maki: So you can't sleep there tonight. Which violates the 'normal' rules. Lovely.]
At the stairwell, Takakai paused.
Two rule sets. One visible. One hidden.
This dungeon was rewritten from scratch.
Normal recon: Multiple teams, 3-5 attempts, gradual intel gathering.
His run: First try. Perfect clear or permadeath.
...Yeah, this is bullshit.
The Male Players' Reunion
The dorm's layout became clear:
Floors 1-3: Male dorms.
Floors 4-6: Female dorms.
Two staircases (east/west). One main entrance.
So girls have to pass through male dorms to reach theirs?
Practically co-ed. No wonder parents protested.
Takakai checked the hallway clock: 7:10 AM.
30 minutes until mandatory evacuation.
Hayashibe Kenta and Katabuta approached—completing the male player roster.
"Takakai-san, status?"
Hayashibe, the more outgoing of the two, summarized their dorm's situation. Katabuta added curt details.
Same as Takakai's room: three non-human roommates, passive for now.
"You saw the rules?" Takakai asked casually.
"Too normal. Feels wrong," Hayashibe admitted.
Katabuta activated a crystal orb artifact, muffling their conversation from potential eavesdroppers.
Takakai recited the Basic Rules verbatim.
"Eight clauses, same as yours," Hayashibe confirmed.
Katabuta nodded. "Identical."
"Huh. Thought I miscounted—maybe seven? Need more fish oil, I guess."
Takakai shrugged, watching their reactions.
"Impossible," Hayashibe frowned. "There's only one rulesheet. Always eight."
Katabuta's brow furrowed. "How could you miscount?"
"Hence why I said I was wrong," Takakai replied smoothly.
The trap was sprung.
"Fish oil" was their prearranged codeword for "I've found hidden dangers."
The correct response? "Eat fish eyes instead."
But neither reacted.
Li Zhaodi's Blessing confirmed they were human—yet their confusion was genuine.
They'd been programmed to disbelieve any second ruleset's existence.
[They cannot see what you see.]
The first Survival Rule echoed in Takakai's mind.
Well, fuck.
The Unshareable Truth
[Takakai: Maki, confirm—Yotsuya really sees the same rules as everyone else?]
[Shijou Maki: Yes. No anomalies. Why?]
[Takakai: But I see a different ruleset, no?]
[Shijou Maki: Of course. We discussed this earlier. Is something wrong?]
[Takakai: If I can see it, Yotsuya likely can too. She should've reacted.]
[Shijou Maki: ...That's impossible. There is no second ruleset.]
The calm certainty in Maki's voice sent a chill down his spine.
Even through their Black Watch-forged mental link, the dungeon's influence had seeped in.
Two conflicting truths coexisted in her mind:
She knew Takakai saw different rules.
She believed no second ruleset existed.
And she saw no contradiction.
This dungeon didn't just hide its dangers—it made them unspeakable.