A crossover anime/manga story, set in everyday Tokyo, but within a loop of a game.

Asagiri interrupted the two arguing with a serious expression, looked at Yuuki Asuna and Iwanaga Kotoko, and slowly spoke.

"By the way, I have two hands, so I can massage both of you at the same time."

Upon hearing this, Yuuki Asuna was stunned for a moment, then her face flushed red, and she gritted her teeth and said hatefully.

"Who...who asked you to rub it! How did you get infected by her too..."

At this point, Asuna Yuuki paused, then sighed and rubbed her forehead, looking helpless.

"I'd forgotten, if we're talking about sheer audacity... you're probably even more neurotic than her... what kind of people did I end up teaming up with...?"

"Okay, let's get down to business."

After a brief moment of abstract relaxation, Asagiri brought the topic back on track.

"The app gave us the option to leave early? I didn't expect that. The app icon looks quite scary, but as an external system for the game, it's actually quite user-friendly."

Asuna Yuuki nodded, thinking that the goal set for players in the dungeon was to survive for the twelve-hour time limit. Now that the source of the hotel's strangeness had been eliminated, along with the earthbound spirits created by the floating corpse and bound to each floor through water, they should also have disappeared.

There are no longer any dangers in this hotel that could affect the three players' ability to clear the dungeon. That's probably why the app unlocked the function to leave the dungeon early.

only......

Asuna Yuuki pondered, "What exactly does that special hint about Necro's instance mean...?"

Like Asagiri and Yuuki Asuna, Iwanaga Kotoko also achieved a high-level completion rating of S- in the beginner's quest.

When she entered the instance, she also received a special notification from the app regarding this instance.

The most dangerous strangeness is not the strongest strangeness.

"Literally speaking, the most dangerous and eerie thing should refer to the floating corpse evil spirit that we just eliminated."

Kotoko Iwanaga propped herself up with her hands, sitting on the front desk of the hotel reception like a child, her legs swinging in the air, her hands supporting her cheeks, and she began to analyze softly.

"However, although it is the most dangerous, it is not the strongest. In addition, the APP just mentioned that we have eliminated all the 'hostile' evil spirits in this hotel. If we think about it this way, it means that there is a strange thing in this hotel that is more powerful than the floating corpse evil spirit. Unlike those earthbound spirits, it was not created by the floating corpse evil spirit, but was born due to other factors. However, it is not hostile to us."

Asuna Yuuki asked with skepticism, "Strange things that don't seem hostile... do such things really exist?"

"Of course."

Kotoko Iwanaga shrugged and explained with a smile.

"In fact, most of the strange things in the real world belong to this type. They just want a peaceful life and have no desire to harm humans. However, a very small number of them will harm humans, frequently appear in front of humans, and like that floating corpse evil spirit, they kill people because of their excessive resentment. If they interfere with the evil spirit that maintains order, they need to be eliminated in order to maintain the boundary of non-interference between strange things and humans."

"I see."

Asuna Yuuki looked at Asagiri and asked.

"However... since that strange creature isn't hostile towards us, there's no need for us to provoke it, right? You've already expended a lot of mental and physical energy. I suggest we call it a day..."

Just as Asuna Yuuki was speaking, a childish little girl's voice suddenly rang out.

"Big brother, big sister, where are you... going?"

Upon hearing this sudden sound, not only Asuna Yuuki, but even Kotoko Iwanaga trembled involuntarily.

She looked at the little girl not far away, who had appeared at some unknown time and was standing there quietly. She was wearing a dress, had blonde hair and blue eyes, and was very cute. A hint of shock appeared in her eyes.

Kotoko Iwanaga, who possessed the talent of a "strange god of wisdom," was completely unaware of the other party's presence until the little girl spoke, at which point she belatedly realized she sensed something...

A terrifying aura that sent chills down her spine. 4

045 The person in black

"Big brother, big sister, why are you ignoring me?"

The blonde little girl looked a bit aggrieved, tilted her head, and spoke softly.

"You killed that aunt... Now I'm all alone in this place... Why don't you two stay here forever and stay with me forever?"

Seeing the little girl's innocent expression utter such chilling words, Asuna Yuuki couldn't help but tug at Kotoko Iwanaga's sleeve and lower her voice.

"You, aren't you an expert at dealing with supernatural beings? Think of a way to negotiate with her; you shouldn't be attacked by the supernatural being..."

"This thing isn't an ordinary evil spirit, no... I'm not even sure if she's an evil spirit anymore."

Kotoko Iwanaga tried her best to stand on tiptoe and get close to Asuna Yuuki's ear, since there was a 15-centimeter height difference between the two.

"The only thing I'm sure of is that she really doesn't have any hostility towards us. In her mind, keeping us here forever, accompanying her, is actually protecting us."

“This lady is right.”

The blonde girl took two steps forward, looking very worried, and spoke softly.

"The outside world is too dangerous. If you go out, you will definitely die. You should stay here with me."

Kotoko Iwanaga shielded Asuna Yuuki behind her, looking directly into the blonde girl's eyes. Her expression showed no fear or panic, but rather a sweet smile as she asked in a gentle tone.

"Do you know how dangerous the outside world is? Have you left this hotel?"

"No."

The blonde girl shook her head and answered very obediently.

"I can't leave here."

"That's it."

Kotoko Iwanaga gestured to Asagiri and Asuna Yuuki not to speak yet, and continued to guide the little girl gently.

"So what do you remember? Were you a guest at this hotel before?"

"Hmm... I don't remember. I only remember that I seem to have always been here... Those aunties and uncles would often play with me."

Kotoko Iwanaga had already guessed that the aunt and uncle the little girl was referring to were probably the earthbound spirits bound to this hotel. However, their situation seemed different from those earthbound spirits; they did not disappear along with the floating corpse evil spirits after they were destroyed.

"Then how do you know the outside world is dangerous? Has anyone else been here besides us?"

Perhaps it was because of Kotoko Iwanaga's talent, but the blonde girl did not hide anything or show any hostility towards her, and answered very honestly.

"Yes, people came before... but it seems like a long, long time ago. They were all dressed very strangely, all in black clothes and wearing black helmets. They looked really scary, unlike you older sisters who are so kind and friendly. I didn't dare to show my face in front of them."

"People dressed in black...did they appear here suddenly like us?"

The blonde girl shook her head.

"No, they came in from outside. After they came in, they took a look at the water tank and then left."

The blonde girl's words contained a tremendous amount of information.

Has anyone been here before? Someone dressed in all black and wearing a black helmet?

Are you a player?

No, the little girl said that those people came in from outside and had already experienced two instances. Asuna Yuuki felt that, just as Asagiri had said, she, Asagiri, and Kotoko Iwanaga were the first players of this mysterious game.

Adding to the previous newspaper, we can tentatively conclude that this entire world, encompassing the Giant Mountain Mental Hospital and this hotel, is a bizarre world.

Therefore, it's impossible for any reward obtained through the game to be powerful enough to move freely in this world, or for any so-called veteran player to have more seniority than her, Asagiri, and Iwanaga Kotoko.

If you're not a player...

Are they native to this world? Or perhaps members of the Metropolitan Police Department or the FBI?

What was their motive? Those people had clearly been to the room with the water tank; they should have found the source of the strangeness. Why didn't they just eliminate it? Instead, they simply left?

With too little information available, Asuna Yuuki is unable to draw a reasonable conclusion.

"So this is ah......"

Kotoko Iwanaga nodded noncommittally and looked at Asagiri standing there, clearly implying that he should make a decision on whether to use the app's function to leave the instance before the blonde girl launched her attack, lest it be too late later.

But Asagiri didn't respond. Instead, she walked up to the blonde girl and said with a smile.

"Little sister, if we leave, won't you be lonely here all by yourself?"

The moment she heard those words, Asuna Yuuki realized what was going on.

Diplomats, is it about to begin again?

"Yes...so, big brothers, can you stay here with me?"

When faced with the blonde girl's question, Asagiri did not respond directly, but instead guided her gently.

"Hey, little sister, that's not right. If we stay here with you, we can only stay for a little while, not too long. Besides, do you think this place is fun?"

The blonde girl shook her head: "It's not fun."

"That's more like it. Staying here is so boring."

Asagiri first replied with a smile, then slowly opened her mouth and said something that neither Iwanaga Kotoko nor Yuuki Asuna expected.

"So, do you want to come with us?"

"Hey? Shall we go together...?"

The blonde girl looked very interested, but in the end she shook her head, looking troubled.

"But big brother, I can't leave here... I've tried, but I can't leave..."

"No, others may not be able to, but I can take you away from here. Come..."

At this point, a fluffy teddy bear suddenly appeared in Asagiri's hand.

He handed it to the blonde girl, then pressed the start button on the back of the teddy bear. What followed was a sound that left Asuna Yuuki utterly speechless.

"o~yeah~O~yeah~give it to me~~~"

Accompanied by these seemingly irreverent English words, the teddy bear doll was striking poses and making moves that resembled pole dancing, which, combined with its憨厚 (honest and simple) appearance, made it look exceptionally funny.

"How about it, is it fun?"

Seeing the blonde girl staring at the teddy bear with her eyes shining, Chao Wu reached out and gently stroked her head, smiling as she spoke.

"Come and become my persona."

046 Rewards after clearing the level

When Asagiri said those words, Asuna Yuuki and Kotoko Iwanaga exchanged a glance, both with incredulous expressions.

What does it mean to...

To become his persona?

What does it mean?

Just then, Asagiri's phone suddenly vibrated. He didn't even need to look to know what the app was trying to tell him.

"Can I go with the big brother...? Okay..."

The blonde girl took the teddy bear from Asagiri, gently hugged it to her chest, and nodded vigorously with a sweet smile on her lovely face.

"Yes, I want to go with big brother."

The moment the blonde girl uttered those words, her eyes suddenly turned a bright golden yellow, just like the color Asagiri's eyes turned when she summoned the Persona.

Immediately afterwards, the blonde girl's figure transformed into a ray of light, which then coalesced into a half-illusory, half-real, rotating card, which gently landed in Asagiri's palm.

Persona: Alice

Alice: A pure eeriness born from the fusion of the eerie and deathly atmosphere of a certain hotel.

Strengths: Mental fortitude

[Weakness: Lacks the ability to fight independently]

Alice's exclusive skill: Please die for me.

【Die for Me: When you summon Alice, you can consume a large amount of mental energy to make her perform a curse-type attack centered on you, targeting all targets within a ten-meter radius except for you. Any target whose mental energy cannot pass the detection and who does not have immunity to curse-type attacks will die instantly.】

[Note: The range and effect of this skill will increase as your mental strength grows.]

[Corresponding Tarot Card: Death (Upright)]

Unlike the human Shura, Alice herself has no combat ability. As a Persona, she only has one skill, which is to conduct a mental strength test on all targets within a certain range except for Asagiri herself.

Is your mental strength insufficient to pass the detection, and are you unable to resist curse-type attacks?

That's an instant kill.

As the illusory card bearing the image of the Grim Reaper from the Tarot cards gradually disappeared into Asagiri's palm, Asuna Yuuki's lips parted slightly in disbelief.