Why is my journey to the world of anime a strange tale of rules?

"Try saying something to each other and see if it brings about any changes, or if anything can transmit the information you're exchanging to the other side. If so, I think the sound itself might be some kind of supernatural phenomenon, a special phenomenon that arises based on some kind of connection between people."

"Although I'm not entirely sure why this change occurred, since we've encountered this situation, I think it's necessary to carefully verify whether it's an obstacle or a useful help."

As he spoke, Catman soon began to try to utilize this strange "mental communication" phenomenon by talking to himself.

"There are no immediate dangers around, so we can definitely give it a try, although we have absolutely no idea what's going on."

Upon hearing this, Masaaki Ishido pondered for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the seemingly unchanged, broken ruins around him. He then exchanged glances with Akira Toyama, and finally nodded, making a decision to give it a try as Cat Brother suggested.

To be honest, this is quite risky. In a normal dungeon, Ishido Masaaki probably wouldn't do this. But since Cat Brother from the Lazybones gang, who has been investigating here for a long time, has proposed this idea, he feels that the other party should have a certain degree of confidence, so it's worth taking a slight risk.

However, what should we say in this situation?

"Just say a few words and see if they get through to them. And even if they do get through, we need to be able to hear them. Don't worry too much about what to say."

Seeing that Ishido Masaaki seemed unsure of what to say, Akira Toyama spoke first.

"I think your sister is quite pretty. You don't mind if I ask for her contact information, do you?"

The next second, Hu Baoxiong, with a very serious expression, took over the conversation.

"climb!"

Although he had lost all memories of his sister, Akira Toyama instinctively glared at Kobo and gave a clenched-teeth reply.

"Believe me, if you don't cure your dog addiction, no woman other than those with special interests will accept you."

Shi Tang Zhengzhao nodded in agreement and began to criticize Hu Baoxiong in a very serious manner.

Cat Bro, who was listening to the conversation between the three, twitched his lips and decided to pretend he hadn't heard anything.

Meanwhile, the three members of the Red Knot Society, who had just finished their pointless conversation, quickly received another message that appeared to be a telepathic communication. Just like last time, the voices were those of Kenta Hayashibe and Ren Nanakawa.

[Holy crap... I heard... Brother Hu is going to... play Ace Love Affair with Brother Yuanshan?!]

Don't talk nonsense... It's clearly... he's being Yuanshan's dog...

Judging from this content, it seems that because some information was lost during transmission, the already problematic topic has become even more problematic.

Chapter 100: The Battle on the Battlefield and the Gradually Approaching End.

The fighting continues.

More and more players gathered, and with virtually no survivors left to escort, one after another arrived at this battlefield teeming with flesh-and-blood monsters, joining the final, frantic battle against the [Hospital].

Gao Hai's golden domain now covers almost the entire city of Tokyo. It's safe to say that no matter how much the [Hospital] goes mad, even if it manages to wipe out all the players present, it won't change its inevitable defeat. However, if the [Hospital] is allowed to continue its rampage, even if it ultimately wins, it will only be a Pyrrhic victory. Especially considering the potential for further trouble, Gao Hai must continue fighting to the death until the enemy is completely annihilated.

Rumbling--

Amidst the deafening roar of collapse and shattering, the flesh-and-blood monsters launched another attack.

They howled.

They cried out.

They emitted meaningless, purely bloodthirsty roars, driven solely by the killing desires instilled in their very being since birth, charging forward in an unquenchable frenzy.

Rumble, rumble——

Amidst the even more deafening explosions, the battle lines established by the players stood firm against the raging monsters in the torrential rain, crushing every single one of them without letting them escape.

People keep dying.

Whether it's being overwhelmed by the power of their obsession, failing to retreat in time after exhausting their strength and losing their fighting ability, or simply being unlucky enough to have their weaknesses exploited. Even though the players who can stand here are all extraordinary, each a superhuman who has undergone multiple dungeons and possesses various enhancements, they are still bound to make sacrifices in this extremely stressful battlefield.

Of course, it's not just about sacrifice. Every now and then, as those golden rays break through the barriers of distorted space and reach this place, dead players will rise again, heal their wounds, regain their fighting power, and some will even become stronger than before.

"Hold on! Mr. Gao is watching us. We will win under his gaze!"

At the forefront of the battlefield, Xiaoheshu shouted loudly, stepping forward to face the countless monsters ahead.

The power of the ghost story writhed within his body. As one twisted and deformed insect after another was activated, the area around the little river tree transformed into a sea of ​​insects. In the blink of an eye, the overwhelming swarm of insects covered an area of ​​hundreds of meters, forcefully intercepting the blasphemous flesh and tearing it all into minced meat.

The power of this single strike was equivalent to that of several Dark Night-level players fighting together for several minutes, showcasing the formidable strength of Red Moon-level players. As Xiaohe Tree single-handedly shouldered most of the pressure on the front lines, the flesh-and-blood monsters changed their course, converging on him in ever-growing numbers.

Countless insects were flying and dancing.

Even as the number of enemies increased and the pressure on the defensive line grew, Kagawa Tree remained steadfast at the forefront of the battlefield, bearing the vast majority of the attacks alone.

Clearly, such continuous use of the power of an object of obsession comes at a heavy price, especially with the obviously high-level Crimson Moon-grade object that Xiaohe Tree is currently using. Therefore, after using this power recklessly for a period of time, an extremely strong backlash began to take effect. At this moment, if someone were to approach Xiaohe Tree and observe him, they would find that the already severely aged Xiaohe Tree had almost become a withered human skin. His flesh, internal organs, and bones had been almost completely devoured by insects. He had shrunk to less than a meter tall, his body less than three or four centimeters thick, resembling a paper doll—a state that was no longer that of a living person.

Having suffered such a severe backlash, he should have died long ago. But after hours of continuous combat, Xiaohe Tree remained steadfastly on the front lines, amidst the shattered ruins, continuing to unleash more and more insects, blocking the vast majority of the flesh-and-blood monsters released by the [Hospital] and maximizing the relief of pressure on the lower and middle-level players. While the occasional influx of golden light that broke through spatial distortions to penetrate his body undoubtedly contributed, Xiaohe Tree's own will was likely the key to his success.

"If this continues, your body will soon break down. My power cannot repair your body indefinitely. Please stop using your power. If you exhaust your soul at this rate, even I cannot save you."

Gao Hai's voice rang in Xiao Heshu's ears. Whenever those golden lights broke through the spatial blockade, Gao Hai's mental link could also connect to this battlefield. Therefore, he was well aware of how bad Xiao Heshu's condition was, but he had no way to really make any improvements.

"..."

no answer.

At this moment, Koga no Kiku had focused all his attention on releasing the power of the object of his obsession and could no longer hear Gao Hai's voice.

Or rather, even if he heard Gao Hai's voice, he wouldn't be able to focus on answering Gao Hai's question. As his power dwindled, his thinking became fragmented, and his consciousness grew hazy. In this state, he could only concentrate his remaining willpower on the present moment, on continuing to release the swarm of insects to resist the flesh-and-blood monster. If he relaxed even slightly, or shifted his attention to something else, the broken Little River Tree would likely face immediate death.

【…】

After confirming Xiaoheshu's condition once again, all Gao Hai could do at this point was remain silent.

Rumbling--

Amidst the deafening roar, the battle continued relentlessly. Blood and flesh flew amidst the burning ruins, and the pungent stench grew ever stronger. Those monsters, hastily created by the [Hospital] and knowing nothing but a bloodthirsty killing spree, had already left vast swaths of carnage on the players' battlefield, their casualties reaching an incalculable level. Even so, they continued their charge, relentlessly advancing deeper into the battlefield.

As Yotsuya Miko approached the edge of the battlefield, she saw players struggling against the flesh-and-blood monsters with their obsession objects and blessings. She saw the golden-red power of Takami and the blood-red power of the [Hospital] continuously intertwining, bringing even greater power to both sides on the battlefield, making the battle between them even more intense and frenzied.

This is my limit. My power can only push this far. The deeper parts of the battlefield have fallen into complete spatial chaos. After that, I will no longer be able to check on your situation. You will have to rely on yourselves then.

Takami's voice rang in Miko's ears, as well as in the ears of Chika and Maki, who had arrived at the same place.

With Tokyo largely recaptured, Chika and Maki are freed from their duties of guarding the territory and protecting survivors. They then join Miko on this final battlefield to participate in the last struggle to annihilate the "Hospital" and the battle to strangle the "Surgeons."

This is clearly a very dangerous situation. Putting aside everything else, the very act of Miko voluntarily stepping into battle is a huge provocation to the hospital, which has always wanted to kill her. However, given the current situation, regardless of whether the hospital is provoked, she has to come. Moreover, Miko didn't back down from either the previous psychologist or the internist. Now that only this last doctor remains, she absolutely cannot accept abandoning the mission for her own safety.

"Don't worry, Ah Hai, we'll be fine. Just trust us."

Chika continued to laugh and joke as always, her face full of confidence.

"I'll be fine. In fact, this stalemate is only a loss for us. We must take down the last vestige of the hospital as soon as possible."

Empress Zhenfei, whose expression was somewhat aloof, also spoke up, her gaze fixed on the chaotic battlefield ahead.

"Yes, I'm fine too. I've been through similar dangerous situations more than once. So please don't worry, senior."

Seeing that Zi replied to Gao Hai in a soft voice, she even clenched her little fist and waved it to cheer herself up.

After a brief exchange, the three quickly got to work, approaching the battlefield and soon crossing it to venture deeper into the area.

The three girls have different missions. Chika will remain on the outer battlefield, using herself as an anchor point to guide Takami's power in, further breaking through the interference of the [Hospital] to support the players present. Because her blessings and bestowals are not well-suited for combat, she generally won't intervene unless in an emergency. Meanwhile, Maki will remain in the currently unclear spatial distortion area. Using Chika as a relay point, she will establish a mental communication network in this area, allowing players within the area to reconnect. Furthermore, Maki's blessing power allows her to establish a close connection with Takami, enabling her to forcibly transfer Takami's power in crucial moments.

As for Miko herself, she will go directly to the inner battlefield where Kaguya, Ichiri, and Kita are fighting against the "Surgeon," attempting to observe the enemy directly at extremely close range in order to find key clues for a breakthrough. Undoubtedly, her actions are the most dangerous, but considering the girl's previous actions, Takami decides to trust this strong girl who has grown up and is no longer the pitiful figure she was at Fujika Middle School.

Chika and Maki's missions were quickly completed. Chika rapidly stabilized the frontline battlefield, which was under immense pressure, while Maki's network provided a considerable surprise to the Red Moon-level players who had ventured deep into the spatial distortion zone. Since Maki herself hadn't participated in this mental network, she didn't know what the players were saying. Alice, who was now in close contact with Gao Hai, could check the information through this new network at any time, but for some reason, she hadn't appeared. Even Gao Hai seemed unsure where she had gone, which was truly puzzling.

However, Alice had been assisting everyone in their actions and hadn't done anything to harm Takahashi. Therefore, although Maki was somewhat annoyed that she couldn't find her, she didn't say much. She just thought that Alice was probably doing something on her own again, and she could only wait for her to show herself.

That being said, she still couldn't understand why Hai Jun insisted on creating a new individual from the mind model of the enemy who had caused him so much harm. Could it be that any boy would actually like this kind of thing that's always mocking people and completely uncontrollable, always causing trouble?

Forget it, there's no point in thinking about it. Kai-kun probably has some kind of perverted idea again. Like those shameless games he plays with Fujiwara and Hayasaka, I don't really understand these things, but as long as I don't get involved, I don't have to worry about them being used on me. That's enough.

Various thoughts swirled in my mind.

Maki looked in the direction where Miko had disappeared, then at the endless, broken ruins in the darkness, and finally let out a long sigh.

"...How much longer will this last? This night has been going on for far too long."

As she spoke, the girl raised her head and reached out to shield her forehead from the relentless downpour.

In the depths of this distorted space, in a subway station passage hidden underground, a lawyer carrying heavy books stepped onto an escalator on one side of the passage and quickly entered a dilapidated subway platform that seemed to have been severely damaged not long ago.

There was a strong smell of blood, and also a faint human scent. It seemed that some survivors had broken in not long ago and escaped successfully using the power of the fragments of the Crimson Domain.

I wonder what kind of survivor they were who managed to escape from such a place; they must not be ordinary people.

Normally, a lawyer might be interested in assessing the other party to see if they could be recruited into the team. But right now, that's not important. All he cares about is that last remaining Red Moon-level instance, that last anchor point under the control of the [Hospital].

"Kisaragi Station, I've found it."

The lawyer, having said this, took another step and looked towards the side of the platform where the subway doors were already open. Without hesitation, he stepped onto the train.

Although the train was still shaking and making strange noises, and although it was empty, it sounded as if many people were struggling and ramming into the carriages from the inside, the lawyer paid no attention to it. He simply stepped inside and sat down in his seat.

He knew he was violating the rule that he could only enter the carriage after the train had come to a complete stop and the engine had been turned off; if the train was still making noise after stopping, entry was prohibited. In fact, the lawyer was deliberately breaking the rule. His purpose was simple: using normal methods to slack off and help the team find the key to the dungeon and its core obsession had failed, so deliberately breaking the rules might work—that was all.

Buzz - buzz -

The subway was shaking violently.

Sensing the sudden surge of chilling energy, the lawyer, who remained motionless in his seat, knew he had found the right path.

Chapter 101 The Ruthless Man's Self and the Moment of Penetrating the Silent Darkness.

The lawyer could sense that he had entered another dimension.

That chilling aura that gradually spread across his body was all too familiar to this veteran player; no subtle change in that aura could escape his notice. Therefore, when the space itself shifted, the lawyer immediately sensed the change in the situation.

It was pitch black outside the window; nothing could be seen. The only sound was the vibration of the train itself, sensing its gradual movement. Where it would lead, and what awaited the lawyer at its destination, were questions that remained unanswered for the time being. However, considering he had been brought here after breaking the rules, he suspected he would be met with an extremely powerful attack, or even killed by some unprecedented force.

However, even knowing he would face such a situation, the lawyer himself showed no reaction. For this player, whose emotions and humanity had been almost completely eroded by obsessions and strange objects, even if death were imminent, he would not have any particular reaction. After all, in his senses, these emotions had been absent from him for far too long, so long that he could no longer recall what he had felt.

He had regretted paying such a price. Losing his name, being forgotten by family and friends who weren't players, and constantly losing his own emotions—these things had truly tormented him, causing him to feel remorse more than once.

But for now, none of that matters. For this lawyer, who has almost completely lost his humanity, those memories are nothing more than a movie he can't immerse himself in, nothing more. In fact, at this point, the lawyer is, in a sense, just an AI operating according to his original personality model. Apart from fulfilling the rules programmed into this body, he cares about nothing else. You could say he's already dead.

Whether it's saving innocent bystanders, fighting against the forces of the "hospital," or now this act of deliberately violating the rules to infiltrate the deep space, for the lawyer now, it's all just necessary actions to complete the task of "playing the role that this body once possessed."

He does not experience emotional fluctuations from witnessing the deaths of survivors.

He would not be afraid of the enemy's ferocity or consider whether to abandon the operation.

For a lawyer, these are all unimportant and meaningless. He wouldn't think about such questions; he would never consider things unrelated to playing the role of his main personality. Even though his friends had pondered more than once, "Can he really be considered alive now?" the lawyer remained completely unperturbed. This is who he is now.

[Lawyer...where...are you...we...can't find you...]

I heard a faint, intermittent sound, which sounded like Xiong Mi's voice.