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

No, we can't come out.

Go back inside, it's cold! Go back to the cupboard!

Don't come out! Please don't come out! It has already seen you! It has already found you!

No, no, no, what are you doing? Why did you push my sister back? No, no, no, stop! No—

The bloody color instantly covered everything.

At this moment, the terrifying creature revealed its cruel side in the most direct way, shattering all unrealistic fantasies and wishful thinking.

"Oooh!"

After a scream, Hongxia suddenly widened her eyes and sat up from the ground.

【are you awake? 】

Gao Hai's voice rang out from the girl's consciousness, and the warm aura of this being began to flow through Hong Xia's body, allowing her to recover from that terrifying nightmare more quickly and not to immerse herself too much in that eerie atmosphere.

"I...I saw Liang...Waaah...I saw Liang's blanket..."

However, even though her mental state had somewhat recovered, Hongxia was still trembling and couldn't even speak clearly. Of course, considering the R18G scene she saw in her dream, and the fact that the other person was her friend, it was normal for her to be overly stimulated.

Don't be nervous, don't be afraid, it was just a dream, wasn't it? Don't worry, your friend is fine, your sister is fine, I'm here with you.

Gao Hai's voice resonated once more in the girl's mind. The gentle waves soothed Hong Xia's emotions, gradually calming her breathing and stopping her trembling.

"Is it really... just a dream? Ryo and her sister, are they really alright?"

With her head bowed, the girl with long golden hair asked in a low voice, her voice tinged with a barely perceptible sob.

"Of course they're fine. Trust me, you'll all get home safely, and none of you will be missing."

Gao Hai's assurance was so firm and resolute that Hong Xia, upon hearing his voice, felt an urge to believe him, and her fear finally subsided.

Ah, speaking of which, at the end of the dream, I did seem to see something.

After the terrifying monster seized Ryo and dismembered her alive into pieces, it seemed to see a phantom Ryo, with her eyes closed, slowly drifting out of the pile of rotten flesh like a ghost, and then being embraced and absorbed by a gentle golden ray of sunlight.

Could that ray of light be Mr. Gao Hai?

[Rather than dwelling on your nightmares, I think the more important issue right now is figuring out where you are. Do you agree, Ms. Nijika?]

Before any conclusion could be reached, Gao Hai's voice rang out again. This time, however, his words were no longer gentle reassurances, but rather a serious tone carrying warning and reproach, like a demanding teacher scolding a student who had made a basic mistake.

"Ah? Yes, I'm sorry! I was too careless. I'm very sorry, Mr. Gao Hai. I...I'll get up and investigate the surrounding situation right away!"

Nervous, afraid, and worried, the girl, seemingly subconsciously fearing being abandoned by Gao Hai, hurriedly stood up.

This sight somewhat reminded Takahashi of Yotsuya Miko from Fujika Junior High, though back then Miko was actually more pitiful, and because of her extraordinary talent for inspiration, her "newbie period" was quite short. He wondered how long it would take for Nijika to awaken her own ability. Hmm… hopefully, it'll be an ability that helps in fighting monsters. For a complete newcomer, that's the most important ability.

pat-

Turn on the malfunctioning flashlight.

Amidst the flickering light and shadow, Hongxia looked at the area where she was currently located.

An empty room with nothing in it, looking perfectly normal and ordinary, with simple floor tiles and wallpaper.

Where is this place?

Hongxia shone her flashlight on the ceiling, but she couldn't see the hole she had jumped down from.

Gao Hai had mentioned the abnormal spatial structure, so Hong Xia didn't react much. She simply continued to observe the room, looking for anything suspicious or any entrances or exits.

Soon, she found a wooden door. After confirming that there was nothing else in the room, Hongxia opened the door and felt a cool breeze rush in, and the light from outside shone into the small room behind her.

where is this place?

A long corridor, bathed in warm orange light.

Closer in, a small table on the side of the corridor appears to have several letters on it.

Looking further into the distance, you might see several doors lining both sides of the corridor, and these doors are decorated much more ostentatiously, completely unlike the door to the empty little room you just came out of.

It feels like a place specifically for rich people to visit.

Hongxia's gaze swept over the obviously high-end and expensive fur carpet on the floor, as well as the luxurious wall lamps hanging on both sides of the corridor, which upon closer inspection turned out to be illuminated by candles, and rows of extremely neatly trimmed green plants.

With so many candles, wall lamps, and indoor potted plants, it must take a lot of time every day just to wipe the lamps, water and prune the plants, and do all the cleaning. And this carpet, it looks like it's made of animal fur. It covers the entire hallway; it must be such a hassle to take it down and clean it.

Subconsciously, Hongxia began to analyze and think about the corridor from the perspective of a housewife. However, soon after Gao Hai coughed lightly to remind her, she noticed two opened letters on the small table closest to her.

She walked to the small table, picked up the first letter, and found that it was a letter sent by a company.

[Dear Mr. Isidor K. Coz]

Your painting "The Temptation of Brokenness" is truly a work of genius, and we are confident that our next exhibition will be a great success. However, from our company's perspective, we hope that you will consider public acceptance as much as possible in your creations. Recently, there has been an increasing number of paintings you have submitted containing graphic violence, which will put considerable pressure on government reviewers and may lead to restrictions on our exhibitions.

Of course, we have no intention of imposing any restrictions on you, Mr. Kurtz. We understand that art should not be restricted. However, as collaborators, we still hope that you, Mr. Kurtz, can reduce your focus on elements related to blood and violence. After all, you are aware that you also suffer from the manic-paranoia inherited in the Kurtz family. This illness may have given you abundant inspiration, but it has also brought you considerable danger. This has been proven in your grandfather, your father, your two brothers, and your sister. We really don't want to hear the news of a sixth member of the Kurtz family shooting himself in the head making the front page of the local newspaper.

Regardless, Mr. Koz, our focus is on how to collaborate with you long-term. Some might argue that the works of deceased artists are the most valuable, but we don't think that way. We've worked with your family for many years, and for us, a healthy, creative Koz who can continuously produce new paintings is the most important person.

Regarding your recent discussion of the "hospital" topic in your art exhibition, we hope you can temporarily refrain from discussing it. Perhaps you genuinely believe you saw something specific, or perhaps it's simply a form of artistic expression for you. However, your comments about your perception of "hospitals" have already angered many local hospital representatives. They don't care whether the "hospital" you're referring to is a real hospital or a fictional creation; numerous complaints have already reached our company. They believe that your horrific description of a hospital that enjoys torturing and killing patients will mislead the public and damage their hospital's reputation. We are trying our best to explain, but communication is not going smoothly at the moment. We hope you can understand our difficulties.

In addition, we received a complaint from the Japanese government, who believe that your three paintings, "Cat Man," "Infectious Disease Apartment," and "Poisonous Water," are suspected of alluding to the Minamata disease incident. Therefore, they have protested and demanded that we stop promoting these paintings. However, you don't need to worry about this; we are not so easily manipulated by those Japanese.

Ultimately, that's what fame is like: you gain popularity, but you also face all sorts of troubles. Our company exists to solve those problems for you.

We sincerely look forward to your next creation.

[To you with my sincerest respect]

[— Ecovacs Art Company]

Judging solely from the letter itself, at least Hongxia didn't see anything wrong with it. Only the part about the Japanese complaint made her slightly embarrassed. But at this moment, Takahashi, observing the place with the help of a doll, frowned, utterly shocked by the hidden information in the letter.

This painter named Koz is quite extraordinary. Did he use his clairvoyance to directly see the hospital? And after seeing the hospital, he survived perfectly well and even used it to create art?! What kind of perception ability could achieve such a thing? Or are artists really such unreasonable beings? Isn't this a bit too outrageous?

However, since this place appears in a dungeon world, it proves that the painter was ultimately captured by the power of the [Hospital] and died in the Dark Night-level dungeon where the Sheep Apartment is located. Of course, even so, this is still quite remarkable, after all, this is a genuine Dark Night-level dungeon. For ordinary people without powerful supernatural abilities, simply coming into contact with information related to it could lead to their instant death.

Just like that girl who lacked the basic Twilight-level enhancement and therefore couldn't see the warning message inside the cabinet door, resulting in her being instantly killed upon opening it. It's fortunate she possessed the ability to separate her soul from her body; otherwise, Gao Hai probably wouldn't have been able to save her.

[Take a look at the contents of the other letter]

While he was thinking, Gao Hai spoke to Hong Xia and instructed the girl to take action.

"OK, all right."

Hongxia obediently put down the letter in her hand and picked up another letter on the small table. Gao Hai immediately noticed that this second letter had not been sent. It seemed that Koz himself had casually scribbled some things down on stationery and did not intend to send it to anyone.

[Recorded Time: ■■■■Year■■Month■■Day]

Name: Isidore K. Coz

Recently, my dreams have become increasingly clear.

I know I dug that passage in my dream, I broke through the barrier between myself and that place, so now I can see those things whenever I fall asleep, and those things can see me too. There's no way to escape anymore. This is my own choice, and even if I die because of it, I will never regret it.

I don't know how much time I have left, but I will continue to create until that day comes, and I will complete all the works I can.

This ancestral home, which once housed countless works of art by the Coates family, is now the only thing I still possess. But I'm unsure how much longer I'll have it. I can feel a pull from another world, searching for me, drawing ever closer, almost finding me. Hopefully, before they seize me, I can create art worthy of being displayed in this old house, art that I can be proud of, art that puts me on par with my ancestors.

Now, it all comes down to who achieves their goal first: will they find me and kill me first, or will I achieve my goal first and then go after them?

However, fate is a mysterious thing, and I don't believe my ending is predetermined. Although I can't see it clearly, I believe there must exist a way to truly destroy them, to utterly crush them. No matter the price, no matter how difficult, this is the method I must find. I cannot succumb to fate; I must rebel, just as I rebel against the chaos and fear deep within my heart. I must fight!

At least so far, I've found something that might be useful. Simply put, I tried to draw them. Those terrifying scenes from my dreams, those monsters—I drew them all.

I can't be sure about the results yet. All I know is that those things seem to become more real under my brush, as if they were truly imprinted on my canvas. I even suspect that they might move on the canvas and turn to look at me when I'm not looking at them.

[Not only that, the apartments, office buildings, and hospitals I painted are becoming more and more realistic, so realistic that I have the illusion that I can walk directly into the painting, directly into the world within the painting.]

Those critics who praised me for this won't understand what I'm actually depicting. But that's fine; those hellish worlds shouldn't be exposed to the public anyway, as that would only bring harm.

However, this level is far from enough.

There are still many things I lack; I need to see more, and I need to go deeper into my dreams.

I must draw everything I can see—the monsters, the scenes, the twisted beings. I can feel them approaching, not just me, but everyone, and the world we live in.

That "hospital" wants to harm more people; I can feel it. Those monsters, those buildings—everything is nothing but its claws. I don't know if it has noticed me, or if it has seen me but disregards me? Regardless, I cannot stop here; I must record all of this; I must continue drawing.

Perhaps one day I will become someone I don't recognize, but at least until that day comes, my mission will continue.

[I hope this record will help me retain my humanity, so I don't forget who I am. In the name of the Coz family, I, Isidore, will continue to fight this nightmare.]

Let the flames continue to burn within me, let the pain be my sustenance, and let it guide me ever upward.

At the end of the letter, the increasingly incoherent words seemed to be venting some kind of emotion, making Hongxia feel as if she could really see a figure with disheveled hair and bloodshot eyes, laughing insanely as he wrote something on the paper.

In that strange laughter, the writer's own shadow was stretched and distorted, as if it were gradually turning into something else.

Then suddenly, the shadow turned its head, and the figure also turned its head, its chilling gaze locking onto the girl, who had no way to resist and could only watch the terrifying shadow gradually approach.

Don't get caught up in it; this is just basic mental pollution.

Then, everything vanished, and everything returned to normal with Gao Hai's calm words.

"Waaah... what I just saw..."

After her body trembled twice before she recovered, Hongxia subconsciously grabbed the squirrel doll hanging on her body. She took a few breaths and finally recovered a little. With lingering fear, she asked the doll that Gao Hai was possessing.

[It's just the lingering echo of an artist's obsession; his spirit has been twisted into something inhuman, and thus, what he left behind possesses a certain power. Truly remarkable. With proper guidance, Mr. Kotz's achievements wouldn't be inferior to Miko's. Perhaps it's just bad timing? I never imagined someone could discover so much on their own. Let's go, Miss Hongxia; there are no more clues here. Let's head down that corridor. If I'm not mistaken, the rooms in that corridor should contain his paintings.]

Gao Hai gave Hong Xia another instruction, and the girl did not hesitate. She immediately put down the letter as Gao Hai instructed and headed towards the corridor.

"Mr. Gao Hai is really amazing. Without his help, I think I would have died long ago."

As they walked, Hongxia spoke softly, her tone filled with emotion.

【That's true, but this shouldn't be something you have to bear. Besides, you're friends with Ichiri and Kita, so I'll do my best to help if I can.】

Gao Hai's answers lacked emotional depth. Hong Xia had noticed this all along; during the time Gao Hai remotely possessed the dolls to help them, his tone of voice would occasionally take on a strange, inhuman quality. It was hard to describe; it was as if Gao Hai himself had become an AI machine, a rational being devoid of emotion. Yet, at other times his voice sounded almost indistinguishable from a normal person's, brimming with humanity and emotion—a point that truly puzzled Hong Xia.

Of course, despite some lingering doubts, Hongxia didn't intend to pry into the matter at this moment. Compared to the current predicament, the minor changes Gao Hai himself was unwilling to disclose weren't her top priority at the moment.

step-step-

While she was thinking, Hongxia had already walked to the middle of the corridor and clearly identified the three rows of corresponding room doors in the area in front of her, which were a total of six doors that might hide Koz's paintings.

Hongxia first arrived at the first row of room doors. The door on the right was completely locked, and the doorplates on the rooms were covered with black paint, making it impossible to read what was written on them.

"...The aura of the Crimson Moon level... I need to raise my evaluation of this artist a bit more. Don't try to open this door again, Miss Hongxia. If this door really opens, I might not be able to protect you with the power I've mobilized using this doll."

After a brief silence, Gao Hai spoke, and Hong Xia, being very obedient, immediately stopped touching him.

Shifting our gaze to the right, this time the room door can be opened, and the room's sign is legible, bearing the word "Cage."