Within the chaotic and twisted cave structure, Takumi was moving forward with his head lowered.
Fujiwara Chika carefully followed behind him, occasionally glancing around.
After explaining the basic situation to Chika, driving away the guy with the hole in the back of his head, and waiting for the other party to put on the explorer's clothes, the two then began to act. This standard procedure did not encounter any accidents and ended in an entirely ordinary manner.
{Shijō Maki: So that means, if Oba-san and I stay in this research base until the fifteenth day, even if we do nothing at all, we will still be killed? And you yourself cannot come over either, otherwise this matter will happen ahead of time.}
{Takumi: That's right. From this point of view, the information for this instance—the research base—can only be investigated and explored by you and Miss Shinomiya, the two of you.}
{Shijō Maki: And then you also said that Fujiwara Chika, who goes to the same school as me and Oba-san, is now right by your side, and the two of you are acting together right now?}
{Takumi: Mm. I didn't expect she'd become a new player, and she just happened to be quite close to where I started. She's a very smart guy; more or less, she can help me out a bit. You also need to watch out for the other players whose starting location is in the research base—be as careful as possible, okay?}
{Shijō Maki: Of course I'll be careful. Um… Fujiwara Chika—I'm not that familiar with this person…}
While moving forward, Takumi would, from time to time, chat with Maki, mainly sharing some information from the first run over there. Of course, it was selective sharing of information; things like bathing together and sleeping in the same bed, Takumi would not stupidly tell Maki.
Speaking of which, this feeling was truly quite strange—like setting up a voice chat group. Takumi and Maki could send and receive messages anytime and anywhere. After a message was transmitted, they could choose to listen to it immediately, or wait a bit and listen later, but a message that had already been listened to once could not be replayed.
It was a rather convenient and useful ability.
'This watch—by the looks of it—the more times I die, the stronger the power it gives me.'
'Maybe after the next time I die, I can directly make a wish like being able to immediately know the method to break the core obsession, or directly clear the game, or something like that? Uh… it feels like that probably isn't very possible. Or even if the watch really did give me that kind of power, the cost would probably be something I simply could not possibly bear.'
'After all, whether it was increasing the number of people who rewind, or establishing a mental link, even though the watch granted me power in this regard, using that power still required consuming my rewind counts. In other words, the fulfillment of wishes was not unconditional; in the end, there had to be a corresponding price to pay. And now my rewind counts had already only left 8. And within this instance, at present there was no way to replenish these rewind counts.'
However, through blood to plunder Obsession Items, the fulfillment of this wish does not require consuming rewind counts.
'If I can properly grasp the degree of wishing and keep a good sense of proportion, then maybe I can obtain wishes whose cost is not that heavy?'
These thoughts flashed rapidly through Takumi's mind, but they did not affect his actions.
At this moment, Maki was no longer continuing the conversation with Takumi. She had already seen Kaguya and the other two Explorers step into the entrance of the Red Nut Grey Cave and begin their exploration inside, and thus, for the time being, she could not spare any attention to continue chatting with Takumi.
Takumi, for his part, did not continue to interfere on Maki's side. Instead, he shifted his attention to the matter at hand.
Finding the safety rope—this was the most important task right now.
After going through the trial-and-error of the first playthrough, what Takumi needed to do now was to find the safety rope as quickly as possible, complete the task of [Reaching the Heart], and then return to explore the Large Space area and the areas further ahead that he had not been able to explore in the previous playthrough.
Takumi could faintly sense a feeling, as if he were being watched by something. He knew that because he had already come into contact with that core Obsession Item and possessed memories related to it, his current self inside the Red Nut Grey Cave would be discovered by it and watched by it. However, compared to the core Obsession Item of the first dungeon, this thing's influence on him was very small. At most, it was just a vague feeling, as if someone were watching him at all times.
However, this was because his current location was not inside that research base. If he were inside the research base, this seemingly insignificant gaze would rapidly develop into a major threat capable of wiping out everyone. Moreover, although this thing would not do anything to him right now, once he planned to leave this dungeon, things would definitely not be as easy and relaxed as they were at present.
Besides, could his current state really be considered relaxed?
Takumi lowered his head and looked at the printed sheet of paper he was holding in his hand.
[Red Nut Grey Cave Explorer Category II Rules]
This was the title printed on that sheet of paper.
When Fujiwara Chika looked at this rules sheet, what she saw was still the [Category I Rules], namely the very first set of rules. But in Takumi's eyes, the text on this sheet of paper had already become completely different from before, turning into an entirely new set of rules.
[You are an Explorer. Please remember: you are an Explorer. This is an identity you must never forget (there are repeated traces of smearing and overwriting on the word "Explorer," as if it had undergone difficult deliberation and revision).]
[Being able to see these rules means that you have learned some things you should not have known. Leaving this cave will, for your current self, become extremely difficult—but it is not impossible. It is not yet time for despair. These rules will guide you to escape from here. Escape, just as every lucid trapped person wishes to do—escape from here.]
[1. Maintain the identity markers of your status as an "Explorer," and check your clothing once every 20 minutes. If the Explorer outfit on your body begins to become sticky and difficult to remove normally, you must find other Explorer clothing to replace it as soon as possible. Do not continue wearing the original Explorer outfit.]
[2. The "Heart" is a place that every Explorer must go to. Ensure that you have gone there at least once. Ensure that, in terms of identity, you are an Explorer who has reached the deepest part of the Red Nut Grey Cave and is preparing to leave this cave. This is a mandatory procedure for leaving, and do not forget that you must not grasp damaged safety ropes.]
[3. You do not recognize the word composed of the five letters h, u, m, a, n. You do not know its meaning. You will not speak this word. You are only an Explorer. You only need to remember the identity represented by the clothes you are wearing and remember your own name. If you are unable to recall your own name, refer to Rule 1 and find other Explorer clothing to change into.]
[4. When changing Explorer clothing can no longer help you recall your own name or alleviate the stickiness of the clothing, look for other clothes to change into. Rescue Team member clothing is the best first choice. Staff clothing and security uniforms should be avoided as much as possible. If unavoidable, after changing into them, search for other replacement clothing at the fastest possible speed. Do not change into yellow-and-white striped clothing, black protective suits, or white coats. The Red Nut Grey Cave does not contain these three styles of clothing.]
[There are no white skirts stained with blood here (the entire line of handwriting is extremely chaotic and differs from the handwriting above and below, as if it were added later).]
[5. The route from the Stone Pillar Plaza to the Blood Vessel may already have undergone tremendous changes in your eyes. You may encounter many unbelievable scenes. Pass through as quickly as possible. Do not change clothes within these areas. Avoid all suspicious personnel that appear here. No matter how normal everything may look, do not forget where you currently are.]
[6. Find the Blood Vessel. Find a narrow cave—one that can only be advanced through by climbing, and that shows no traces of artificial modification. Only by passing through the Blood Vessel can you leave. Only Explorers who pass through the Blood Vessel, climb up the Great Cliff, and return to the entrance of the Big Slide have hope of leaving. No matter what, maintain your rationality. Ensure that when you reach the end point, you still retain a clear sense of self. This is the only path to survival for an "Explorer."]
[7. Do not wear Tourist clothing.]
[8. The Tourists do not know what kind of terrifying things have happened here. They are merely continuing to laugh, merely continuing to play. Do not pay attention to them—unless you want to join their party.]
[9. Can you see this line? Have you already seen it? Stay away from those pulleys; they will fall. (Added afterward in chaotic handwriting.) Just like that time when you failed before—it is all the same.]
[10. The dangerous situations that the Category I Rules require you to avoid still need to be avoided now. They will not disappear; they will only become more dangerous than before. They do not think—no matter how similar they may look, do not go and disturb them.]
[11. But this is what we deserve.]
[12. ■■■■■... (Illegible text, as if it had been deliberately blacked out with a ballpoint pen.)]
[13. Do not delude yourself into trying to save anyone. Save yourself first. Save yourself first… (The text afterward becomes increasingly chaotic due to interference and is no longer readable.)]
[If you cannot find the entrance to the Blood Vessel, then go to my office. I am behind the red door. They have always left that door for me. I will leave a key inside. The red door—that is where I am. Please come find me. I will take you and safely leave here. You can call me Wilbur. I am here to help you.]
Compared to the first set of rules, this set of rules seemed even stranger. Many of its clauses looked as though they had been revised repeatedly, and the handwriting was extremely chaotic, as if the writer were sleepwalking; the difficulty of discerning its content was much greater.
Only, why was he seeing this altered set of rules—seeing content completely different from the first playthrough?
Was it because he was being watched?
In the midst of his thoughts, Takumi had already found the narrow cave where that safety rope was located.
However, this time, unlike before, there were already other people here—and they were people he had seen before.
"Two more players have joined up again. Looks like our luck this time isn't too bad."
Looking at the four people already inside the passageway, Takumi's brows could not help but furrow.
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