"Thank you, Senpai…"
The junior high school girl's eyes welled up with tears, and she thanked him gratefully.
Amamiya Natsuki casually said:
"Please show sincerity when thanking me."
"Eh…?"
"I misspoke," Amamiya Natsuki corrected nonchalantly, patting the junior high school girl's small head. "You can thank me later. Let's find Moeha first."
"Mhm, mhm." The junior high school girl quickly nodded, bit her lip, and then suddenly bowed ninety degrees, pleading, "Also, my older brother, he suddenly disappeared because he also entered this door. If Senpai helps me find my brother, I'll agree to anything!"
She had heard Moeha mention the nightmare incident before, but because she was in the adjacent class, she hadn't experienced it herself and was only half-believing of Amamiya Natsuki's abilities, mostly disbelieving in her heart.
Later, when her brother disappeared, Moeha wanted to ask Amamiya Natsuki to help investigate, but Amamiya Natsuki refused, which made her view Amamiya Natsuki even more as a swindler who deceived junior high school students.
But now…
After personally witnessing Amamiya Natsuki holding an axe and chopping down the evil spirit that emerged from the mirror, she completely believed Moeha's words.
An exorcist hidden on campus!
Evil's bane!
The only hope to rescue her brother!
"Don't make such sweeping statements," Amamiya Natsuki complained. "Would you agree to excessive things too?"
"Th-that…" The junior high school girl's face quietly flushed, and she secretly glanced at Amamiya Natsuki's profile, then stammered softly, "If it's Senpai, even excessive things are fine… B-but I can't have a baby now…"
Hey, hey, you're a junior high school girl, you're thinking too much!
Amamiya Natsuki's lips twitched slightly, then he said seriously, "Alright, stop talking. I can help you find your brother, but your brother has been missing for several days, so it's hard to say if he can be found. You need to be mentally prepared."
"I know…" The junior high school girl bit her lip and said softly, "Even if there's only a slim chance, I still want to see my brother again…"
Amamiya Natsuki walked out, promising:
"Let's go. I'll try my best to help you find your brother."
"Thank you, Senpai."
The junior high school girl breathed a sigh of relief and quickly followed behind Amamiya Natsuki, carefully walking out of the room.
They arrived at the hallway.
Amamiya Natsuki looked at the girl behind him and asked:
"Who was the person who hid in this corridor with you?"
"It was an office worker big sister…" The junior high school girl's face showed a wronged expression, and she said softly, "I accidentally tripped while wearing slippers, and then she… just looked at me and kept running forward."
Amamiya Natsuki could understand the junior high school girl's grievance.
This junior high school student, like Chika, came from a wealthy family, with loving relatives and friends. She grew up surrounded by love and beauty, naturally developing a kind personality. She would worry even if she saw a kitten or puppy injured, always believing that everyone in this world was kind and friendly. As a result, when she fell, the other person didn't even bother to help her up, and her worldview was inevitably shaken.
"Don't mind it," Amamiya Natsuki patted the junior high school student's small head and said softly, "So-called passersby are strangers you only see once in your life and will never see again, so there's no need to take it to heart."
It's actually quite normal for them not to help you. When people are preoccupied with their own safety, they only think about protecting themselves. Pushing you down to buy time and escaping themselves is what you call evil.
Of course, there's no need to tell these things to the junior high school student. After solving the kaidan and returning to reality, the junior high school student's life will quickly return to peace.
"Oh~"
The junior high school girl nodded obediently, following closely behind Amamiya Natsuki, one hand holding the corner of his clothes. If she weren't embarrassed, she would probably use both hands and directly hug Amamiya Natsuki's arm.
"Don't be nervous, here's a flashlight."
Amamiya Natsuki pondered for a moment, then took out a flashlight and handed it over. He didn't need illumination after drinking the potion, but the junior high school student needed it quite a lot. In a castle infested with evil spirits, a lighting tool could greatly increase one's sense of security.
"Thank you, Senpai!"
The junior high school girl thanked him gratefully.
Amamiya Natsuki looked down at the ground, continuing to track footprints, leading the junior high school student forward. They quickly passed through the hallway and arrived on the third floor, finally stopping at the door of a room on the third floor.
"It's inside," Amamiya Natsuki reached out to push the door, found it locked from the inside, and turned to the junior high school student, "Next time you encounter danger, remember to lock the door."
The junior high school girl's small face flushed slightly, remembering that she didn't even lock the door when she hid, and she stammered shamefully:
"I-I was too nervous then… It definitely won't happen next time!"
Amamiya Natsuki said:
"You probably won't have a next time."
"Oh~" The junior high school girl nodded obediently, then asked softly, "Senpai, the door is locked, how do we get in?"
Amamiya Natsuki asked back:
"Have you ever watched American dramas?"
The junior high school girl quickly nodded and said:
"I have, I have. I've watched 'Breaking Bad' and 'The Walking Dead'. They both feel so wonderful."
I didn't realize you had such a wide range of interests, not picky at all!
Amamiya Natsuki said:
"Since you've watched American dramas, you should know how the FBI raids, right?"
"Eh?"
The junior high school girl's eyes were blank, her expression quite dazed.
Amamiya Natsuki instructed:
"Take two steps back."
"Mhm, mhm." The junior high school girl hugged the flashlight and quickly took two steps back. "I'll light the way for Senpai."
Unlocking and knocking on the door were troublesome, and it was unclear if there were obstacles behind the door, so Amamiya Natsuki chose the most time-saving and brutal American-style raid: a direct leap and front kick.
Boom!
Wood splinters flew.
The entire door shattered suddenly, raising a cloud of dust.
"So… so brutal…"
The junior high school girl's eyes widened, looking at the dust-filled room, her small mouth slightly agape.
Violence.
Too violent!
But… it feels so exciting.
Amamiya Natsuki's expression was calm as he stepped into the room and said:
"Let's go in."
"Mhm, mhm."
The junior high school girl quickly nodded, blushing as she secretly peeked at Amamiya Natsuki.
He could kick down such a thick door with one kick, Senpai is super cool!
Entering the room, Amamiya Natsuki's gaze swept around, quickly identifying the woman's hiding place. He stopped and said:
"Miss, it's too dirty under the bed. Please come out."
The junior high school girl mustered her courage and said:
"Senpai has already chased away that evil spirit, it's temporarily safe. You can come out now."
"…"
There was still no movement in the room.
Many people choose to play ostrich if they haven't been completely caught.
Amamiya Natsuki raised an eyebrow and said:
"If you don't come out, we'll leave, and you can hide by yourself."
"Wait, wait a minute…"
Finally, a sound came from under the bed, followed by a woman in pajamas crawling out from under the bed. Her face and body were covered in dust, making her look somewhat dishevelled.
After the woman crawled out, she first glanced at the junior high school girl, then looked warily at Amamiya Natsuki, and cautiously said:
"I haven't seen you before. May I ask who you are?"
"This is my Senpai," the junior high school girl proudly lifted her chin, her voice clear. "He's a super powerful exorcist. Senpai just chased away the evil spirit."
The woman was skeptical, clearly not entirely convinced.
However… it's better with more people than being alone and hiding under the bed. Being dirty is nothing; the main thing is the psychological pressure is too great, and fear could crush her.
Amamiya Natsuki subtly glanced at the mirror in the room. He could vaguely see the figure of an evil spirit woman emerging in the mirror.
This evil spirit clearly remembered being chopped earlier. She was hiding in the mirror and hadn't come out, merely staring at Amamiya Natsuki with venomous eyes, eager to devour him.
"Since you're fine, let's go out first," Amamiya Natsuki said coolly and casually. "As for my identity, we'll talk about it later."
The woman's expression was hesitant: "You…"
Amamiya Natsuki said calmly:
"If you're not at ease, you can also act alone. I don't mind, as long as you don't regret it."
"…"
Upon hearing this, the woman immediately shut her mouth and obediently walked to the junior high school girl's side.
Many people are like this.
Being overly enthusiastic in offering help can make the other party suspicious of ulterior motives; in such cases, a cold attitude is sufficient.
"Let's go, we'll meet up with everyone else first."
Amamiya Natsuki deliberately lagged behind when exiting, exposing his back to the female ghost, but unfortunately, the female ghost did not launch an attack until he left the room.
What a pity.
She learned her lesson after just one axe blow; her intelligence probably reached the level of a Border Collie.
"Let's go back to the first-floor hall first."
Amamiya Natsuki stepped downstairs.
He had just contacted Shinomiya Kaguya through his clone, and quickly learned that Kaguya was more efficient, having already found three new rookies, so after a brief discussion, they decided to return to the first-floor hall to meet up.
The woman in pajamas followed beside Hanamori, her face full of guilt, and she apologized in a low voice:
"I'm so sorry just now… My daughter was just born, I can't abandon her, I must go back alive…"
"Ah, it's okay." The junior high school girl quickly shook her head upon hearing this, and although she was still a little bothered, her values, cultivated since childhood, instinctively made her choose to forgive the other party, whispering, "I accidentally fell myself, it's not your fault."
"Anyway, I'm terribly sorry!"
"…"
Amamiya Natsuki listened to the conversation between the two behind him, his heart completely unmoved.
No one knew if the female office worker had a daughter, and Amamiya Natsuki didn't care if what she said was true or false, if she was sincerely apologizing, or if she was intentionally saying it for him to hear; she was just a passerby, and after leaving here, he probably wouldn't encounter her again in this lifetime, so he didn't take it to heart at all.
A moment later.
Amamiya Natsuki led the two women, one adult and one young, to the first-floor hall first.
Not long after, Shinomiya Kaguya arrived with three other passerby players.
"Eh, Kaguya-senpai?"
The junior high school girl widened her eyes, looking at Shinomiya Kaguya in surprise.
Amamiya Natsuki was just the Student Council President, but Shinomiya Kaguya was one of the three great beauties of the high school section, with a higher reputation than Amamiya Natsuki, basically known by everyone.
"Hanamaru." Shinomiya Kaguya nodded gently and said warmly, "It's good that you're alright."
The junior high school girl was flattered and said:
"How does Kaguya-senpai know my name?"
"I saw you on the surveillance before…" Shinomiya Kaguya briefly explained, then looked at Amamiya Natsuki, "President, there's still a middle-aged man we haven't found."
Amamiya Natsuki nodded and said:
"You take care of them, I'll go find him."
Shinomiya Kaguya agreed, saying:
"Leave it to me."
If it were Shoko, who has communication disorders, it would be quite difficult for her to manage five rookies, but Kaguya had no problem; let alone these people were already startled birds, even if there were truly troublemakers, Shinomiya Kaguya could easily handle them.
Amamiya Natsuki then warned:
"That female ghost can appear through mirrors, but it's very possible it's not just through mirrors; any reflective surface could be a possibility, so be careful."
A new rookie cautiously said:
"Um, is there really a female ghost?"
"Of course there is!" The junior high school girl was the first to speak up, "I saw it with my own eyes; that female ghost drilled out of the mirror at the time, but was chopped down by Senpai with an axe, and who knew, her body turned into black mist and drilled back into the mirror."
Another man's face was pale as he said:
"I saw it too, there really was a female ghost, it just flashed by in the mirror."
A woman hesitated and said:
"I didn't see the female ghost… Could it be a real-life prank?"
Shinomiya Kaguya crossed her arms over her chest and said coldly:
"Our only target to protect is Hanamori; if you suspect it's a prank, you can leave now, we won't stop you."
"…"
The woman immediately fell silent.
Waking up in the middle of the night due to severe chest pain, seeing a strange door appear on the wall, entering the door, and appearing in an abandoned, unfamiliar villa… Everyone clearly knew that the probability of it being a prank was extremely low.
Shinomiya Kaguya would also not indulge these people; if any of them caused trouble, she would directly let them leave.
Explain?
Completely unnecessary.
The other party would make their own assumptions and then naturally stay, as grouping together for survival is human instinct.
At this moment, Amamiya Natsuki had already gone up to the second floor; all five new rookies had been found, leaving only the last middle-aged man, who for a while, he didn't know where he was hiding.
Because he was an 'old player', the middle-aged man was quite cautious; Amamiya Natsuki followed the traces on the ground, arriving at a room in the corner, which was actually empty, with no discoveries.
"Has he already been attacked by the female ghost?"
Just as he was wondering whether to summon Mrs. Shimizu, a terrified scream suddenly came from next door.
Next door room.
The middle-aged man stood in front of the mirror, his face full of terror and despair, being dragged into the mirror by a female ghost gripping his shoulder.
When ordinary people are touched by a female ghost, they feel a chilling sensation rapidly spread throughout their body, followed by a complete loss of response, leaving them with no power to resist.
The middle-aged man could only watch helplessly as he was dragged into the mirror, just like a person being swallowed little by little by a giant python from their legs upward; the despair in his heart was already overflowing.
Bang!
The door was suddenly kicked open.
Immediately after, Amamiya Natsuki's figure appeared in the room.
The middle-aged man hadn't even reacted to what was happening when he saw a look of terror on the face of the female ghost, whose upper body was protruding from the mirror, followed by a sudden release from the suffocating cold that had spread throughout his body, and then a crisp sound.
Crash!
The mirror shattered into countless pieces, and the female ghost disappeared with it.
"Tsk, it escaped again."
Amamiya Natsuki looked at the middle-aged man, who was drenched in sweat, slumped on the ground, and covered in blood, and took out a flashlight to illuminate him: "Get up, let's gather on the first floor first."
The middle-aged man, still shaken, sat up with rapid breaths:
"Who, who are you?"
Amamiya Natsuki said solemnly:
"I am an exorcist specializing in dealing with anomalies; everyone else has already been found, you're just the one who hid the deepest."
The middle-aged man: "…"
A moment later.
Amamiya Natsuki led the middle-aged man back to the first-floor hall.
"Eh, what happened to Uncle?"
Someone asked in surprise.
Amamiya Natsuki casually said:
"He was attacked by the female ghost, thankfully I arrived in time, otherwise he would have been gone."
Seeing the middle-aged man covered in blood, with torn skin and flesh, looking particularly miserable, the few rookies who still had a hint of doubt now had their suspicions completely vanished.
Little did they know, the middle-aged man's mood was even more complex.
One, two, three, four, five… all five rookies were safe and sound; aside from being a bit dusty and disheveled, no one was injured.
Meanwhile, he was covered in wounds and had just walked a circle on the edge of life and death; comparing the two, he immediately felt like crying without tears.
"The one who knocked on the door just now was me; a female ghost wouldn't politely knock on your door." Amamiya Natsuki glanced at the middle-aged man, adding another jab, "If you hadn't taken the lead and run, we would have all saved ourselves trouble."
"Senpai, don't say anymore." The junior high school girl couldn't bear it and whispered, "Uncle is about to cry."
The middle-aged man: "…"
Amamiya Natsuki looked at Shinomiya Kaguya and said softly:
"The female ghost in the villa is quite intelligent; she was about to drag him into the mirror just now, but when she saw me break into the room, she decisively let go and hid back."
Shinomiya Kaguya pursed her lips upon hearing this and whispered:
"We don't have that much time…"
The female ghost in the mirror would be afraid; in other words, as long as Amamiya Natsuki was present, it shouldn't dare to show its face, and they could easily pass six hours until the stage ended.
But Chika and Moeha's situations were still unknown, so it was impossible to waste six hours in the villa.
Therefore…
"We can only deal with that female ghost." Shinomiya Kaguya took a deep breath, her gaze quickly firming, and she said softly, "I'll go to the restroom alone and let that female ghost drag me into the mirror, then deal with it in the mirror dimension."
Uncertain of the number of female ghosts in the villa, someone had to stay outside to watch over these ordinary people; setting aside the passersby, they couldn't just ignore Moeha's friend.
Amamiya Natsuki shook his head and said:
"You have a phobia of mirrors, I'll go to the restroom instead."
Shinomiya Kaguya looked up in confusion, asking:
"That female ghost remembers you, how would it attack you?"
Amamiya Natsuki casually said:
"I copied Hanamori's transformation skill; transforming into your appearance will be fine."
"Hmm?" Shinomiya Kaguya narrowed her eyes upon hearing this, instantly noticing the crucial point, and said faintly, "…Didn't Hanamori go back to her hometown in Hokkaido? Why does the President still have the transformation skill?"
Temporary skills obtained through Copy and Paste can only exist for a few days before disappearing; Hanamori had already left several days ago, so logically, the copied transformation skill should have long disappeared, but now the President said he still had the skill, unless…
"Sorry, I misremembered." Amamiya Natsuki turned and left, "Anyway, leave it to me."
Watching Amamiya Natsuki walk alone towards the restroom, Shinomiya Kaguya gently bit her lip, then silently sighed.
"Kaguya-senpai, are you alright?" The junior high school girl asked softly, "Why did Senpai suddenly leave?"
"I'm fine." Shinomiya Kaguya gently shook her head, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, casting a shadow that obscured her eyes, and she said softly, "The President went to deal with that female ghost… Don't worry, it'll be taken care of quickly."
At the same time.
Amamiya Natsuki arrived alone in the hallway, used his transformation skill, transformed into Kaguya's appearance, and then entered the restroom.
The restroom was exceptionally quiet, and also covered in dust everywhere.
Amamiya Natsuki stood in front of the mirror, turning on the faucet to wash his hands; fortunately, clear water still flowed out.
At the same time.
In the mirror in front of Amamiya Natsuki, the figure of a female ghost quietly emerged, silently walking from the restroom door to stand opposite Amamiya Natsuki, a grotesque expression on her face.
Amamiya Natsuki pretended not to see her, lowered his head, pulled open his collar, and looked inside, feeling as if they had gotten a bit bigger; it seemed the previous massage indeed had some effect, but unfortunately, Kaguya was too shy, and ever since the Forest Camp day ended, she had never let him help massage her again.
The next second.
A pair of hands suddenly reached out from the mirror, gripping Amamiya Natsuki's shoulders tightly, dragging him into the mirror.
Amamiya Natsuki did not resist, allowing the female ghost to drag him into the mirror.
Seeing her first prey of the night, the female ghost's face showed a grotesque smile.
However, she soon saw that Amamiya Natsuki's face also showed a brilliant smile, and a sense of absurdity and confusion arose in her heart.
What was this human smiling about?
Facing her, she actually dared to smile?
"Die…!"
The female ghost shrieked, her jaw suddenly tearing and stretching, making her look even more terrifying.
However, Amamiya Natsuki remained expressionless. He grabbed a blood-stained fire axe with a backhand, and then his figure changed, transforming into a tall male.
Seeing Amamiya Natsuki return to his original appearance, the female ghost's shriek came to an abrupt halt.
Amamiya Natsuki raised his axe and smiled, "Miss, shall we play a fun game of tag?"
Female ghost: "..."