Chapter 306: The Captured Girl
At the same time.
In a dark, gloomy room.
A blindfolded blonde girl, completely naked, sat huddled in a corner, hugging her knees, lifeless.
Amamiya shone his flashlight in her direction. The pale glow illuminated her snow-white skin, which gleamed starkly in the light.
The next moment, a hand reached out and covered his eyes.
"Amamiya-kun, you can leave now!" Chika said firmly.
"Exactly," Umi added, taking the flashlight from him. "This is no longer your concern. Go outside."
Kaguya crossed her arms and decisively declared: "Amamiya, leave the room."
"…"
Everyone was in agreement—Amamiya had to go.
Considering the state of the captive girl—stripped of her clothing, her body covered in scars, and likely subjected to cruelty—Kaguya and the others also decided to leave the room, leaving behind only the passerby girl, Kobayashi, to tend to her friend.
"Ryoko-chan!"
Kobayashi cried out in anguish as she ran to the blonde girl's side.
The blonde girl looked up sluggishly. "…Kobayashi?"
"I'm so sorry I was late!" Tears welled up in Kobayashi's eyes. "Those monsters… They really did this to you…"
Still somewhat dazed, the blonde girl blinked at the others in the room, slowly regaining clarity. After a moment, she exclaimed: "Wait, it's not what you think!"
"But your clothes are gone, and you're covered in bruises!" Kobayashi sobbed, crying even harder. "In those comics, no matter if it's a saint, a princess, or a female knight, once they're caught by monsters, they always end up being forced to get pregnant…"
"So stop reading those awful comics already!" Ryoko interrupted, her voice tinged with exasperation. Her eye twitched as she continued, "Those monsters don't even have the tools to do something like that. They couldn't get me pregnant if they tried!"
Kobayashi wiped her tears, still looking distraught. "Then where are your clothes?"
"They were taken!" Ryoko replied, her face darkening. "A puppet monster said my clothes were pretty and decided to keep them for itself."
"And the bruises?"
"Those are from me fighting back earlier." Ryoko sighed, then asked, "Why did you come back? Who were those people with you just now?"
"It's Amamiya-san group."
Kobayashi's eyes sparkled as she wiped away her tears, removed her jacket, and handed it to her friend. "I've finally found the black organization."
"Huh?"
"…"
After explaining everything and helping Ryoko get dressed, the two girls left the room together. As they walked out, the distant sound of lively chatter reached Ryoko's ears.
Is that… laughter?
Curious, Ryoko leaned on her friend for support and followed the sound down the corridor, eventually reaching the hallway. The sight before her left her stunned.
In the eerie, dimly lit living room, a single candle flickered, casting a warm glow that pushed back the shadows.
Over twenty players were gathered, chatting and laughing. Meanwhile, the terrifying monsters from before were now huddled in a corner, crouching with their hands over their heads. Their expressions were… oddly pitiful, almost as though they were the ones being bullied.
Ryoko's mind reeled.
Wait… Are the roles of the monsters and the players reversed?
"Kobayashi-san, you're here!" Chika greeted them warmly, approaching with a bottle of water she had prepared earlier. She handed it to Ryoko and said gently, "Drink this, and have something to eat."
"Thank you," Ryoko replied instinctively.
She hadn't had anything to eat or drink since yesterday, and her hunger and thirst were unbearable. Wasting no time, she twisted the cap off the bottle and downed the water in one go.
When she finished, she let out a satisfied burp.
"So refreshing~"
Amamiya's voice drifted over from the side.
"You're satisfied far too soon."
"Sorry!" Ryoko stiffened, her nervousness immediately returning.
Earlier in the room, Ryoko had overheard her friends talking about Amamiya. There was no doubt in her mind—this handsome young man in front of her, who didn't look very old, was the real big shot in this game.
But why did he say she was satisfied too early?
Was it because she didn't greet him first after coming out of the room?
What should she do now?
Would he vent his frustration on Kobayashi because of her oversight?
Feeling increasingly uneasy, Ryoko's thoughts were interrupted by Amamiya's calm voice:
"Who hit you just now?"
"Huh?"
Ryoko blinked in surprise and looked up.
The other players turned their gazes toward her as well.
Amamiya pointed at the captured monsters and continued:
"Whoever hit you—you can hit them back now."
"…"
Not only were the players stunned, but even the clown was left speechless.
What is wrong with these humans?
Breaking into the dormitory building was already bad enough, but now they were seriously going to start beating people up?
The roles of monsters and humans had completely reversed!
Amamiya turned back to the blonde girl. "Will you do it yourself, or would you like someone to help?"
Ryoko gritted her teeth, her face a mix of anger and resolve. She took a deep breath and said firmly:
"I'll do it myself."
"…"
The girl approached a captured ghost doll, clenched her fists, and punched it squarely in the face. She followed up with a flurry of punches and kicks.
Bound and unable to move, the monster could neither fight back nor dodge. It simply endured the assault in silence.
Amamiya stood nearby, observing with a calm expression.
When navigating this chaotic world, gaining people's trust and support was critical.
How do you earn loyalty?
By clearly separating gratitude from resentment and letting others vent their frustrations when needed.
This girl had endured unspeakable horrors and cruelty in that room. If she walked away without a chance to express her anger, it could leave deep psychological scars. Allowing her to vent her resentment here was essential.
The beating continued for a while and ended with a sharp sidekick from Ryoko.
Snap!
The puppet's head separated cleanly from its body, tumbling to the floor.
The players watching the scene were visibly shaken.
"Wait… is that real?"
"Did she just kill an evil spirit?"
"Can players actually kill evil spirits?"
"…"
Amamiya curiously examined the decapitated puppet head rolling on the ground but quickly lost interest.
Despite the dramatic scene, the doll wasn't truly destroyed. Its eyes and mouth were still moving, indicating it was far from dead.
"Hah… I feel so much better."
Ryoko closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then turned to Amamiya. Bowing at a perfect 90-degree angle, she expressed her heartfelt gratitude:
"Amamiya-san, thank you so much!"
Amamiya replied, "Rescue complete. It's about time we leave."
---
Twenty minutes later, at the zoo entrance.
"Mr. Clown, could you make a few more balloons tomorrow?" Amamiya asked with a smile.
The clown's face stiffened, and he stammered, "S-Sorry… Balloons aren't that easy to make."
"Really?" Amamiya raised an eyebrow, his tone dripping with mock disbelief. "You sure about that? Because if not, I might just bring another group here tomorrow to check out your operation again."
The clown's painted smile faltered. "…"
Amamiya extended his right hand in a mock gesture of friendship.
"Now, you don't want me to bring more people here tomorrow, do you? You understand what I mean, right?"
The clown was silent, his spirit thoroughly crushed.
How is it that even ghost stories get extorted? Please, just be human and leave already!