Game: Chapter 1/4

Chapter 1: Youthful Everyday Life, Yet a Reincarnation Game

Kyushu, Sakura Autonomous Region, Tokyo City, Ginza Commercial District.
In the bedroom of a luxury apartment building.

A beautiful girl with delicate features, fair skin, and light brown hair casually draped over her shoulders sat frowning slightly, dressed neatly in her pajamas, her expression carrying a trace of homely laziness as she stared at the lines of text displayed on her phone.

[Congratulations, Yuuki Asuna, you have been selected to become a "Player"]

[You will enter the novice instance in five minutes, please be prepared]

"Instance? Is this... some cheap mobile game ad?"

Looking at the strange app that had suddenly appeared on her phone, with an icon resembling an eye that gave off an eerie feeling, a hint of doubt and wariness appeared on Asuna's delicate face.

The time was 4:55 a.m.

Five minutes ago, Asuna had been sleeping soundly. When she woke and picked up her phone, she discovered this unfamiliar app had appeared out of nowhere, displaying the cryptic messages she now read.

Naturally, her first instinct was to delete the app. But no matter how many times she tried, the icon vanished only to reappear instantly, impossible to uninstall or remove.

"Did my phone... get infected with a virus?"
Asuna muttered softly. Staring at the eye-like icon on her screen, the crimson words that seemed to bleed—"Please be prepared"—reflected in her eyes, sending a chill down her spine.

Rationally, she didn't believe in anything supernatural. Most likely, her phone had been hacked, and some malicious program had been remotely installed.

But... what if that wasn't the case?

With that uneasy thought, Asuna quickly changed clothes, then went to the living room to grab the sharp fruit knife from the coffee table. After finishing her preparations, she glanced back at the phone screen—the countdown showed only sixty seconds remaining.

"Hoo... hoo..."

As the seconds ticked away, her heart pounded faster. Her right hand, clutching the fruit knife, trembled slightly despite her efforts to steady it.

When the countdown reached zero, a line of blood-red text flashed on the screen.

["Player" Yuuki Asuna, entering instance now.]

The next second, a dark red mist flooded her vision. She forced herself not to scream as her surroundings distorted.

The thick mist writhed, forming lines of text before her eyes.

[Instance Location: ??? Sanatorium]

[Time Limit: One Hour]

[Player Mission Objective: Escape from the ??? Sanatorium within the time limit]

[Hint: When the Player's room is sealed, it becomes a safe zone where no "caregiver" can enter]

Asuna barely finished reading the last line before the mist vanished, revealing stained yellow walls covered with patches of moss.

"This is...?"

Before she could process what was happening, a male voice suddenly spoke, carrying a hint of amusement.

"It really does feel like something straight out of a survival game. Now this is getting interesting."

Startled, Asuna instinctively gripped the knife tighter. In that instant, she was thankful she had brought it with her—just in case. But then...

The sight before her froze her thoughts, her lips parting slightly in shock.

In this decrepit hospital-like room, she wasn't alone. Another person stood there—the one who had just spoken.

But what shocked her wasn't simply his presence—it was his appearance.

He wore a heavy black coat suited for winter, with a black long-sleeved shirt, black pants, sneakers, a mask, and sunglasses. His entire face was concealed. His clothes bulged oddly, as if stuffed with something.

And the most alarming part was...

"An electric drill... and an electric saw?"

Seeing the electric drill in his right hand and the electric saw placed beside him, Asuna froze, wide-eyed.

"You... you're also a 'Player'...?"

The man chuckled lightly. "Yeah. Nice to meet you. My name's Haruaki Fusaishi. And you are?"

"I..."

Asuna hesitated, taking a cautious step back, her knife raised defensively. "Can I not answer?"

"You're cautious. Good."

His tone carried approval, almost amused. Though he hadn't made any aggressive moves, Asuna couldn't relax. His strange outfit and those power tools were anything but reassuring. She pressed her back against the stained wall, unwilling to get closer.

Is this guy... really another "Player" like me?

Asuna glanced down at her fruit knife, then at the electric drill and saw in his possession, feeling an overwhelming sense of imbalance.

She had been proud of her foresight to grab a weapon, yet this man had come equipped like a professional killer.

From the app's sudden appearance to their transfer into this so-called "instance," only ten minutes had passed.

So where in the world had he gotten an electric saw and a drill?

While she pondered, the man reached into his coat pocket, pulled out his phone, and opened the same eye-marked app.

[Player Name: Utsunomiya Asagiri]

[Physical Fitness Level: Outstanding (Professional Athlete Level)]

[Talent: Not yet unlocked]

[Profession: Not yet unlocked]

[Player Level: Rookie]

(To be continued.)

Chapter 2: Mental Hospital Room

"Instead of standing there in a daze, why not search this room for mental patients and see if you can find any clues to help clear the level?"

Hearing Asagiri's words and seeing him observing something by the window, Asuna, though still cautious, couldn't help but ask,
"Fusaishi-san, how do you know this is a room for mental patients?"

"Isn't it obvious at a glance?"

Asagiri stepped back two steps and pointed toward the window. Asuna followed his gaze and saw that the window was only about thirty centimeters wide and long, with steel bars as thick as a thumb.

"The hint says this is a sanatorium, but just looking at this window, it's clear that this room is more like a cell. And also this..."

Asagiri walked to the hospital bed, placed his hand on the iron railings on both sides, and after rubbing them carefully, spoke in a calm tone. "These railings aren't the type installed in normal hospital rooms to prevent patients from falling off while sleeping. They're fixed and can't be lowered. Look here—there are clear signs of wear near the head and foot of the bed. That's because whoever was restrained here struggled constantly, leaving these marks."

"The edges of the bedsheet also have dried bloodstains, which matches what I said. It proves that whoever was restrained struggled until their wrists and ankles were worn raw."

"From these clues, this room either held violent mental patients who couldn't be left unrestrained, or it's the scene of a sadist's crime. But a sadist wouldn't go out of their way to place a hospital bed just to let their captive lie down. Plus, the APP hint said this is a sanatorium of unknown name, so the former is more likely."

Hearing Asagiri's analysis, Asuna was surprised—not by his intelligence or keen observation, since anyone careful enough could draw the same conclusion—but by something else entirely.

Wasn't this mysterious man, who called himself "Haruaki Fusaishi," getting into the situation a bit too fast?

Anyone suddenly appearing in a completely strange place would at least be confused for a while, maybe take out their phone to call the police or check for help. That would be a normal reaction, right?

But he just checked his phone briefly, confirmed something, and then started calmly investigating?

This person… was his mental state normal?

"Um… is there something padded under your clothes?"

Hearing Asuna's cautious question, Asagiri waved his hand, answering as if it were the most natural thing. "It's nothing special. I just stuffed magazines and books under my clothes and wrapped my arms and legs with them using tape. Since I'm entering an instance, basic protection like this is necessary."

Asuna was speechless.

From the moment the APP appeared to the time before entering the instance, there were only ten minutes of preparation time. Assuming this "Haruaki Fusaishi" had the same situation as her, that means in ten minutes, he managed to pad himself with books, arm himself with an electric drill and a saw, and enter the instance?

That kind of quick reaction… wasn't it a bit too fast? Didn't he even consider the possibility that the phone was infected with a virus or some Trojan program?

Her doubts were reasonable, but Asagiri's case was special.

Utsunomiya Asagiri, sixteen years old—the same age as Asuna—should have officially started high school today in the real world. But he was a transmigrator.

For him, since transmigrating to another world could happen, the sudden appearance of this Space and becoming a Player wasn't all that unbelievable.

"Instead of being curious about me, why not use the clues I've found to think about how to escape?"

Hearing Asagiri's words, Asuna came back to her senses. Although she still didn't fully understand the situation, she tried to calm herself and think seriously.

First of all, she was sure that "Haruaki Fusaishi" wasn't his real name. The reason was simple, if he told her his real name that easily, what was the point of wearing a mask and sunglasses?

Moreover, when she chose not to reveal her name earlier, he had said, "You're quite cautious, good." Clearly, he was testing her.

However, in this situation, regardless of whether this "Haruaki Fusaishi" was mentally stable or not, the most reasonable choice was to cooperate. It would be foolish to become his enemy. After all, Asuna didn't think she could defeat a man over 1.8 meters tall, holding an electric drill and a saw, with just a fruit knife.

Thinking of this, Asuna recalled the red text she saw before entering the instance and murmured, "Escape within sixty minutes, which is one hour… That's the Player's mission objective. But it doesn't say what the penalty for failure is. Does that mean there's no penalty? Or does it mean that escaping within an hour is the only way to survive, so no penalty is needed?"

Asuna paused, glanced at the barred window, then at the electric saw near Asagiri, and finally shook her head. "No, that's impossible. Even if the saw could cut through steel bars that thick, the window is too small for us to climb through. The only way to escape is through the door. But… what exactly are these so-called 'caregivers'...?"

Halfway through her sentence, her peripheral vision caught the door of the hospital room.

That single glance made her blood run cold. Terror gripped her body so tightly she couldn't move.

On the closed door, there was a small transparent observation window, just like in a regular hospital room.

And behind that glass, a bloodstained, twisted face was pressed against it.

Those bloodshot eyes were staring straight at her.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 3: The Duties of a "Caregiver"

Asuna's pupils widened in shock. She instinctively wanted to scream, but at the last moment, she raised her hand to cover her mouth, suppressing the fear in her heart. Not a sound escaped her lips, though her shoulders and legs trembled slightly.

Seeing this, Asagiri made a silent judgment in his mind.

As expected of Asuna, who had received elite education since childhood. Even in such an environment, faced with a sudden horror, she still managed to maintain basic rationality. She didn't scream or panic like those brainless female characters in horror movies.

"Someone's here? Let me see what's going on."

He said this in a calm, almost casual tone, picked up the chainsaw that had been on the ground, and began walking slowly toward the door of the ward. Asuna could only watch in disbelief.

When he was just two or three steps away from the door, the blood-covered monster outside suddenly seemed agitated. Its neck arched back violently before it slammed its head into the glass observation window.

"Bang!!!"

The loud crash made Asuna instinctively take two steps back, nearly collapsing onto the floor.

"Oh ho, trying to scare me?"

Compared to the startled Asuna, Asagiri remained unnervingly calm. Without hesitation, he stepped up to the door, his face only inches away from the transparent window, staring straight into the twisted, blood-smeared face on the other side.

Then, in a gentle tone, he said softly,
"What are you looking at? Are you looking for your mother's urn?"

Asuna froze for a few seconds before she processed what he had said. She hadn't made a sound earlier, even when startled, but now she couldn't help parting her lips slightly and uttering a confused syllable.
"Huh?"

Was that... an insult?

A well-bred young lady like Asuna would never curse, but she wasn't so sheltered that she couldn't recognize an insult when she heard one.

The strange part was, his tone was polite—he even used "you" and "your mother."

"No... now isn't the time to think about that."

She shook her head, forcing the absurd insult out of her mind. She looked at Asagiri, who stood before the door holding the chainsaw, and frowned.

"Fusaishi-san, you're not thinking of opening the door to fight that thing outside, are you? That thing should be the 'Caregiver' mentioned in the hint. It said that as long as our ward is closed, they can't come in. That means we're safe, at least for now, as long as we don't act recklessly."

"Are you planning to cooperate with me? We should be analyzing the information we have, not doing something rash."

Asagiri didn't respond directly, nor did he turn around. He kept his eyes fixed on the bloodstained face pressed against the glass.

"It seems I'm a more capable Player than you. Since you want to cooperate to clear this game, the least you can do is show some sincerity and introduce yourself, right?"

Asuna hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
"Yes, you're right. Then, let me introduce myself. My name is Yuuki Asuna."

She knew this situation was no prank or reality show. With her background, no television station would dare pull such a stunt. Besides, she lived in an apartment building in Tokyo's Ginza district, one of the most secure and prosperous areas. Her parents would never have allowed her to live there alone if it weren't completely safe.

Given the circumstances, cooperating with this Player in front of her was the most logical choice. Although his personality seemed a bit unusual, he was bold and quick-thinking. Judging from how naturally he handled the chainsaw, his physical ability was impressive too.

Working together to escape was the best option.

"Okay, nice to meet you. My name is Haruaki Fusaishi."

Hearing him repeat that name again, Asuna frowned slightly. Was he underestimating her intelligence, or did he simply not care that she'd already guessed "Haruaki Fusaishi" was a fake name?

"You said something wrong just now."

"Hm? Said something wrong?"

"Yes, wrong."

Asagiri remained relaxed, maintaining eye contact with the bloodied face outside, his tone light and unbothered. If someone didn't know better, they might think he was just watching animals at a zoo.

"It's not 'our ward,' but 'the ward we are in.'"

Asuna hesitated. "Is there... any difference?"

"Of course there is, and it's an important one."

He continued to stare through the observation window. "Since we're Players, it means that every time we enter a dungeon, it's like starting a game. And what's the first thing a Player does after entering a game?"

Asuna thought for a moment, then shook her head honestly. "I don't play games, so I don't know."

Asagiri didn't tease her or build suspense. He simply answered. "It's to obtain an identity. In simulation, adventure, or role-playing games, the Player is always given a role or a perspective—a defined identity."

Although Asuna had never played video games, she immediately understood.
"So, what you meant by the wording difference... is actually a hint about our identity as Players? We don't have our own ward because our role in this dungeon isn't that of patients in this sanatorium?"

He nodded lightly. "That's most likely the case. Of course, that's assuming this game isn't trash and actually has meaningful hints hidden in its dialogue and details. If we go by that logic..."

Before he could finish, Asuna suddenly realized something. "The main duty of a 'Caregiver'... is to look after the patients in the hospital. If we're not patients in this sanatorium, then... the Caregiver won't stop us from leaving?"

(To be continued.)

Chapter 4: The Open Door

After saying this, Asuna herself was a little surprised. She looked at the hideous, blood-smeared face pressed against the observation window and hesitated.
"So... it's not actually trying to get in, but wants us to open the ward door and leave here quickly?"

"Of course, just look..."

Asagiri raised his hand and pointed at the grotesque face, smiling slightly.
"Look how anxious this guy is? He's practically here to do a Martian rescue for us, and..."

He paused for a moment before continuing,
"Judging by its appearance, it's definitely not a living person. And based on the word 'Caregiver' in the hint, I'd say it's probably a ghost, a Banshee, or some lingering resentment left behind by a Caregiver who died in this sanatorium. Its anxious behavior, urging us to leave, confirms your earlier guess. An hour... no, now we have just over fifty minutes left. After fifty minutes, something abnormal will happen in this sanatorium, and when that time comes, no one will be able to leave."

"Ghost... ghost?"

Asuna's face turned pale, her voice trembling slightly. "Are there really ghosts..."

"Hmph, what's so surprising about that?"

Asagiri replied casually, "Even something like suddenly appearing in another location can happen, so the existence of ghosts or Banshees isn't that strange, right? Besides, this might not even be the world we came from."

Before Asuna could respond, Asagiri suddenly changed the topic.
"However, no matter how much we analyze or speculate, there's only one way to verify whether our guess is correct: open the ward door and walk out. If we're wrong, we'll probably be attacked by whatever's outside the moment the door opens. So the question is, you or me—which one of us opens the door?"

Hearing this, Asuna looked again at the monstrous face outside the window, fear creeping through her heart.

That's right.

No matter how many deductions they made, no matter how much information supported them, there was no guarantee their reasoning was correct.

There was only one way to verify it, and if they were wrong, the consequences were obvious.

If they could close the door quickly after seeing the Caregiver's reaction, maybe one of them could survive.

To be honest, Asuna was terrified. She didn't want to face that horrible creature and she definitely didn't want to die. She wanted him to open the door and test their theory.

But... why?

During their discussion, this mysterious man calling himself "Haruaki Fusaishi" had been the one leading the analysis. She had simply followed his reasoning and offered obvious conclusions. Now she was supposed to make him risk his life to verify it?

Even though she was afraid, even though she was trembling, Asuna couldn't bring herself to let another Player take all the risk for her.

"I... I..."

Asuna took a deep breath, her fists clenching tightly. "I'll open the door. If it attacks, I'll push it away as best I can, and you can close the door right after."

Hearing that, Asagiri didn't hesitate. He immediately stepped aside and gestured with one hand, inviting her forward.
"Oh, that's great. Asuna-sama is so righteous, I'm deeply impressed. I'm a gentleman after all. Come, come, ladies first."

Seeing his reaction and hearing his tone, Asuna was speechless.

Opening the door had been her decision, yes, but still...

You're being way too casual about this!

"You're really a strange person..."

Asuna sighed helplessly and walked toward the door.

When she reached it, she glanced at the hideous face outside the observation window. Her body was so tense with fear that her limbs felt numb, her mind almost blank.

In the dead silence, she slowly wrapped her trembling fingers around the rusty doorknob.

Just as she braced herself to turn it, a hand suddenly gripped her wrist.

"Alright, that's enough."

"Huh?"

Before Asuna could react, Asagiri stepped forward, holding the chainsaw in one hand and gripping the doorknob with the other. Without a shred of hesitation, he pulled the door open and said in a relaxed, almost playful tone, "Chainsaw Man is here~"

Click.

The door swung open.

The scene beyond it made Asuna's blood freeze in her veins.

For the first time, she saw the true form of the blood-faced monster.

Its body was covered in tattered, blood-stained light blue work clothes, and it wore something resembling an ID badge. But what stood out the most was its posture—its body wasn't upright. It was bent forward, hunched like an old man, its head angled low to press its face against the ward window.

As the door opened, it slowly straightened its body.

At full height, its head nearly touched the corridor ceiling. From a glance, Asuna estimated its height to be close to three meters.

Facing this overwhelming presence, Asuna's breathing stopped.

But the next moment, the tension shattered completely.

"Excuse me, coming through~"

Asagiri's tone was still relaxed, completely devoid of fear, as if facing a towering monster was nothing unusual.

And to Asuna's astonishment, the creature actually moved aside, retreating to clear the doorway.

"What are you spacing out for?"

Asagiri walked out of the ward, turned around, and looked back at her. "Time's running out. If we're late, it might affect the evaluation and rewards after clearing the dungeon. So come on, let's go."

(To be continued.)