Chapter 290: The Code of Wealth (13)

Meanwhile, on the other side, Hayasaka felt the world around her dim slightly, as though an encroaching darkness was swallowing everything. In the next moment, a bright light pierced through, illuminating her surroundings. 

A surprised voice reached her ears, brimming with relief: 

"Hanamori-chan!" 

Instinctively, Hayasaka raised her right hand to shield her eyes from the glare. The voice, she quickly deduced, belonged to Umi. 

"She's out! She's out!" another jubilant voice chimed in—the pink haired girl, unmistakably. "Kaguya-chan's reasoning was spot on!" 

"Move the flashlight away from her face," someone else murmured. 

"Hanamori-chan, we finally found you!" 

"Wait… where's Amamiya-kun?" 

"…" 

The flurry of voices overlapped in her ears, but that final question made Hayasaka's chest tighten. She turned her head quickly, scanning her surroundings. 

Sure enough, she was alone on the staircase. Amamiya was nowhere to be seen. 

"Hanamori-chan, are you okay?" Umi hurried up the stairs to her side, concern etched on her face. 

"I'm fine," Hayasaka replied, turning her face slightly to the side and letting her hair fall to shield her expression. She didn't want Kaguya to recognize her flushed cheeks. "…But Senpai is still inside. He hasn't come out yet." 

"Hmph. That guy's probably dead," came a smug, mocking voice. 

Hayasaka's gaze snapped toward the speaker, her brows twitching. 

It was none other than the ghost-story Hanako—a pale, sharp-toothed elementary school girl with an air of mischief. 

"Hanako." Kaguya crossed her arms, her expression calm but commanding. "Where are the stairs now?" 

Hanako pouted, reluctantly revealing the new location. 

"Wait," Umi interjected suddenly. "You forgot to grab the ghost-story videotape!" 

Hayasaka glanced down and noticed a tape lying near her feet. She bent to pick it up, slipping it into her pocket for safekeeping. The group then made their way to the staircase's new location. 

On the fourth floor, in the east corridor, they found it. 

"One, two, three, four, five… thirteen steps!" Chika counted eagerly. "This is it!" 

Kaguya turned her gaze toward a quiet girl with long black hair and said gently, "Komi-san, if you would, please." 

"Mm." 

Komi nodded quickly, her actions silent yet efficient. She opened her notebook and began transmitting information through the air. 

Hayasaka watched intently, piecing everything together. 

'So, this is the passerby player Amamiya mentioned. A skill like hers—transmitting information across spaces—is incredibly strategic. I have to keep an eye on her.' 

Sensing Hayasaka's gaze, Komi trembled slightly but kept writing. 

Moments later, under the watchful eyes of the group, a figure materialized on the thirteenth step. 

It was Amamiya. 

"Amamiya-kun, you're back!" 

Relief and joy swept through the group as they saw him safe and sound. Even Hayasaka felt her tension melt away, a small sigh of relief escaping her lips. 

He was back. 

Click. 

A videotape materialized and landed at Amamiya's feet. 

Noticing this, Kaguya's lips curled into a faint smile, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. 

"I'm back," Amamiya announced as he descended the steps, rubbing his shoulder. "But my shoulder hurts." 

Umi immediately raised her hand. "Let me massage your shoulders!" 

"My legs hurt, too," Amamiya added, glancing at Chika. 

Chika hesitated for a moment before offering, "Uh… I can help with your legs?" 

Amamiya's lips twitched. "I've been waiting for you to say that." 

"…" 

With the group reunited and the rescue mission a success, Umi turned her attention to Hayasaka. 

"Hanamori-chan, you must be starving, right?" 

"No," Hayasaka replied, shaking her head. 

In truth, there had been no food in the alternate space. While she'd found water in the bathroom, she hadn't dared to drink it, unsure of its cleanliness. 

"I really haven't eaten yet," Hayasaka admitted. 

Umi placed the box she was holding onto the floor, opened it, and began unpacking its contents. With a bright smile, she urged, "Then eat quickly." 

Hayasaka blinked in surprise. "Where did the food come from?" 

"The food Amamiya-kun bought earlier," the succubus girl explained, resting her hand on her hip. "When the food stall was closing, Amamiya-kun figured you might not have eaten, so he packed a few takeout meals. Unfortunately, they're cold now." 

Hearing this, Hayasaka couldn't help but glance up at Amamiya—only to catch Kaguya standing nearby, her sharp gaze trained on her. 

Their eyes met. 

Feeling a jolt of unease, the spy maid quickly averted her gaze and focused on her meal, silently hoping to avoid further attention. 

"That Hanamori-san…" Kaguya murmured, finally breaking her gaze and turning to Amamiya. Her voice was soft but thoughtful. "She feels… oddly familiar." 

Kaguya's eyes lingered on him for a moment before adding, "When Hanamori-san came out just now, she dropped a ghost-story videotape." 

"Hmm?" 

Amamiya glanced down at the tape in his hand and quickly understood her implication. "So, if someone exits the alternate dimension, they drop a videotape?" 

"It's a possibility that can't be ruled out," Kaguya confirmed with a small nod. 

"Then let's test it," Amamiya declared decisively. 

In this strange alternate dimension, there were two primary objectives: survive for forty-eight hours and submit a ghost-story videotape. While the first task was a matter of endurance, the second was considerably more challenging. 

Ghost-story videotapes weren't easy to obtain. Simply lingering near the site of a ghost story wouldn't work. You had to actively engage with the story—often dangerously—and ensure it was "captured" on film to complete the recording. 

Thus far, very few had succeeded in submitting a videotape. Even experienced players like Kaguya, Umi, and Komi hadn't managed to secure one. 

If this alternate dimension on the thirteenth step could reliably produce ghost-story videotapes… 

'Then a whole new avenue for clearing challenges could open!' 

It was late at night, approaching midnight. Most of the players were visibly fatigued, yet Amamiya's theory reignited their energy. After all, the looming main quest was a heavy weight on everyone's shoulders. 

"Are we heading back into the alternate dimension?" Umi offered enthusiastically. "I can go with you, Amamiya-kun!" 

"Not so fast," Amamiya replied, his tone steady. "There's something we need to do first." 

His gaze shifted, landing on the quiet girl with long black hair. 

"…" 

Komi's posture stiffened immediately, her body going rigid as she straightened up. 

"The duration of your skill is about to expire," Amamiya said bluntly. "To be safe, I'll need to copy your skill again." 

"...!" 

Komi's eyes widened in panic, darting around nervously. 

Copying skills required physical contact—specifically, holding hands. 

Although shy and flustered, Komi understood she couldn't refuse. Still, her pleading eyes silently begged him: 'Not here… please, not here…' 

The mere thought of holding hands with a boy in front of everyone was mortifying. No matter how she tried to rationalize it, it was impossible—utterly impossible! 

Chika, ever observant, spoke up sympathetically. 

"Oh, I'm so tired today. Umi-chan, why don't we find a classroom, clean it up, and rest for the night?" 

Umi nodded. "Good idea. Let's all clean up together, then take turns resting." 

A wave of agreement swept through the group as players began filing into the nearby classroom to prepare it for the night. 

Komi instinctively followed the others, hoping to escape the awkward situation, but Chika turned back and stopped her. 

"It's fine, Komi-san. We'll take care of the cleaning. You and Amamiya can stay out here." 

"…" 

Komi froze, her eyes pleading as she glanced toward Sajuna for help. 

But Sajuna turned away, guilt flickering across her expression. 

"I-I'll go clean up," Sajuna muttered hurriedly, disappearing into the classroom and leaving Komi to face the inevitable. 

'I'm sorry, Komi-san… but this is your battle to fight.'