"Since you're injured, just rest properly and stop talking. In any case, the next exploration can only be done by me and Oba-san. I never thought the new generations of the Shinomiya and Shijō families would end up relying on each other's backs in a place like this."
Saying this, Maki sat directly on a small wooden stool beside Takumi, first checking on his condition. After confirming that he was fine, she turned her head toward Kaguya to discuss their next course of action.
In the corridor, Yamamoto Hiroshi was still repairing the broken door lock of Room 204. He had already finished the task once before, but due to the wall clock's time reversal, he now had to redo his work all over again. As a result, Green—who had to take on guard duty once more—was yawning out of sheer boredom. By contrast, Jamal was quite excited; for him, this was his first time truly experiencing supernatural power, and he couldn't help but feel a faint thrill. If it weren't for the need to avoid making too much noise and attracting something unpleasant, he probably would've already been cheering excitedly on the spot.
Carefully, Maeda Miwa brewed three cups of tea using the tea leaves she had found in Green's room. She placed them on the table in the living room, then obediently stepped aside. Although she was a fool who wasn't exactly bright, this woman at least knew enough to stay quiet when she couldn't be of help, so she had been keeping silent the entire time.
Kaguya began telling Maki about her specific experiences on the 3rd floor (omitting the part about being pressed close with Takumi), going over the various precautions in advance. During the process, Takumi occasionally added a few of his own thoughts. In a sense, the three of them were gradually summarizing the basic survival rules within the eerie space of Shirakawa Apartments as it stood now. Unlike during Kyosei's period, when the survivors at that time would write down the rules they had learned to ensure they could help everyone, the three of them now only analyzed and summarized their findings verbally. Of course, that was also because—even if they wrote the rules down—there were no future survivors left who would need them.
"If only we could go straight to Room 309… I still feel we should find a way to enter 309. The situation with 304 just seems way too dangerous…"
After their discussion concluded, Maki murmured helplessly.
"That's impossible. The complex environment on the 3rd floor no longer allows us to search other rooms beyond 304. Only 304 can be located through the direction of the footsteps. Besides, 309 might indeed be a key point, but that man called Kyosei is basically confirmed to have died inside. If we really found 309 and opened the door, what if he came out to attack us, just like the corpse guarding the door of Room 201? Right now, we only have the key and related information for 304. Taking things step by step is what's most important."
Kaguya firmly rejected Maki's idea, speaking with decisive opposition. She stood up, stretched slightly, and was already prepared to set out again.
"Well, maybe you're right. Anyway, we'll leave in half an hour. Hopefully this time we won't come back empty-handed."
Maki pouted slightly and turned her head away, saying nothing more.
The Rescue Team emblem, the Blood Puppet, the scalpel, the blood key.
Each of them carried a scalpel and an emblem; the key was entrusted to Maki, while the Blood Puppet was under Kaguya's care. Because Takumi was injured and unable to accompany them, the watch capable of storing Obsession Items couldn't be used by the two of them—so all these Obsession Items had to be carried on their persons.
"By the way, Takumi, do you really know nothing about this watch's situation?"
After putting the Obsession Item away into the backpack snatched from Tanaka, Maki looked at Takumi lying on the floor spread with a blanket (using the relatively clean reverse side of the blanket as bedding). After thinking it over, still not quite at ease, she spoke up to ask.
"I only wish I knew what this thing is all about…"
Takumi shook his head a little helplessly. He truly had no idea what the origin of this thing was. Personally, he very much hoped this watch would be like the heaven-sent cheat in those mindless power-fantasy stories—an item you could enjoy without caring about its source—but after two rollbacks he knew full well this thing absolutely had a big background, though even if he learned it, there wouldn't be anything he could do.
"It's best not to let others learn about this thing easily."
Kaguya came a little closer, bent down, sat by Takumi's side in the standard kneeling posture used by Japanese people, then looked at him and spoke slowly.
"Although we've only had preliminary contact, it's obvious that merely possessing an Obsession Item puts a burden on a person's mind, whereas your watch can store this kind of dangerous item at no cost. If we run into veteran players like those two from before again, they might chop off your hand to try to seize this thing."
Kaguya spoke quite bluntly.
Knowing perfectly well she was stating facts, Takumi could only nod lightly and say, "Thanks for the warning."
He had always thought that things like setting sights on his watch, coming up to rob, kill, and plunder were the kind of plots that only appeared in novels. 'I never expected that one day I would have to worry about this myself…'
Takumi sighed helplessly in his heart, but he had long since understood this possibility. Some things require making mental preparations and taking precautions early; this principle he did understand.
In the time that followed, Maki and Kaguya began making the final preparations for the next operation, while the somewhat bored Takumi, feeling both annoyed that he couldn't participate and idle, took out from the watch that blood-red cloth doll whose use he had yet to find and once again fiddled with it to pass the time.
This was the Obsession Item belonging to that veteran player who had disguised herself as Maeda Miwa.
Thinking back to the previous loop, that woman stayed in 205 all day yet could clearly know the clues they obtained and strike at critical moments; she must have had a way to learn about the outside situation. On careful thought, what she very likely used was this Obsession Item. But after Takumi got this thing, he still hadn't figured out its use; it didn't seem as convenient as other Obsession Items for testing functions.
Maybe, like the rescue team's emblem that only takes effect when worn, it also needs to be activated through some special means.
Thinking this, Takumi turned the cloth doll over and found a zipper on the back, which he pulled open, revealing cotton inside that had been thoroughly soaked with blood.
After a brief moment of thought, he tore off a bit of his own bloodstained bandage and stuffed it into the doll, then zipped it back up.
The next instant, a cold sensation made Takumi's whole body tremble.
This feeling… it was as if he were being held in the hand of something enormous, and his vision felt strange, as though there were two different perspectives… Wait, hold on—this sensation, I can control the doll's movements and perceive the surroundings through it?!
Finally understanding the use of this thing, Takumi couldn't help showing a look of delight. He released the doll; the cloth doll that fell to the ground first turned invisible for a short moment, then reappeared again. When Takumi raised his hand, the doll beside him also raised its hand, swinging its arm along with him, drawing the attention of Maki and Kaguya, who were preparing to depart.
"Hey, you two beautiful ladies over there—wait, wait, can I still hitch a ride with you?"
...
"It feels… kind of weird."
Tying one ankle of the doll with a thin string and attaching it to a strap of her backpack, Maki turned her head to look at the doll lying on her shoulder, its line of sight facing straight ahead. Then she turned to glance at Takumi beside her, and her gaze suddenly sharpened a little.
"What's wrong, is it uncomfortable hanging like this? Then maybe try seeing if it can hang from the backpack instead? But if we do that, I'm afraid I won't be able to control the doll's movements properly."
Sitting on the ground with a completely serious expression, Takumi spoke, his eyes full of innocence.
"It's just that something feels a bit off somehow… Never mind, let's not think about it. Oba-san, let's move out. Takumi, I'll be counting on you this time to act as our camera and warning system—keep us updated if there's any danger around me or Oba-san."
Although she felt somewhat suspicious deep down, Maki ultimately didn't say anything more. After giving Takumi those final instructions, she and the silently waiting Kaguya set out together, heading toward the third floor.
The blood-colored doll controlled by Takumi sat steadily upon Maki's shoulder, proceeding along with her.
As for Takumi himself, it was as if he now possessed a second perspective, a second body—he could clearly feel Maki's body through the thin layer of her clothing, clearly smell the scent of shampoo from her brown hair, and when his hand touched her shoulder, he could feel the texture of her skin in exquisite detail, as though he were truly touching it with his own hand.
Wow, this actually feels pretty nice.
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