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

"Um...I'm sorry..."

Kato Megumi pursed her lips and lowered her eyes as she spoke.

"Because my presence is relatively low, that's why Iwa... Necro became this guy's target. I'm sorry..."

Upon hearing this, Asuna Yuuki shook her head with a wry smile.

"What's there to apologize for?"

Kotoko Iwanaga then added with a smile, "That's right. You didn't activate your talent on your own, or deliberately lower your presence to guide that guy to attack me. It's just that your presence is relatively low to begin with, while mine is very high. It's not your fault."

"You don't need to keep belittling yourself."

Asagiri also comforted her with a smile.

"Members of a team naturally have different roles, strengths, and weaknesses; that's normal. Besides..."

At this point, Asagiri suddenly changed the subject.

"You were chosen by the great Leader, Violet, and Necro to join the strongest strategy team, a high-level player codenamed Phantom. Don't say things like that again, or you'll be questioning our judgment in choosing teammates?"

Upon hearing Asagiri's words, Kato Megumi couldn't help but smile, her eyes regaining their sparkle, and she nodded vigorously.

"Yes, I won't say things like that again."

Seeing Kato Megumi's expression, Yuuki Asuna and Iwanaga Kotoko's hearts skipped a beat again.

It seems like...

This was the first time Kato Megumi had shown a genuine smile of joy in front of them.

The way things are going...

right?

"Now how to do?"

Yuuki Asuna temporarily suppressed those inappropriate thoughts in her mind and looked at Asagiri to ask.

"Judging from the map, there are no scientific research laboratories or similar facilities in this hospital. We don't know where the so-called antibody reagents are stored. Which building should we explore first?"

Instead of answering directly, Asagiri first asked Kotoko Iwanaga for her opinion.

"Our top priority is to find the wandering spirits in the hospital mentioned in the special tip. Where do you think they are most likely to be?"

"Since they are wandering souls..."

Kotoko Iwanaga stared at the hospital sign, then extended her delicate white index finger and gently tapped a spot on it.

"If you were to ask where in the hospital you'd most likely find a lost soul wandering around, it would definitely be the morgue, right? There are morgues in the basements of both the first and second inpatient buildings, so let's go to the one that's closer first."

"Okay, let's go then."

Seeing that Kotoko Iwanaga and Asagiri hit it off immediately and walked out of the building without hesitation, even seeming somewhat eager, as if they were going on a spring vacation rather than to the gloomy morgue, Kato Megumi was taken aback and a strange idea popped into her head.

Could it be that... these two are actually the normal ones, and it's abnormal that I'm hesitant and afraid because of the idea of ​​going to the morgue?

As if reading Kato Megumi's thoughts, Yuuki Asuna reached out and patted her shoulder, letting out a soft sigh.

"It's okay, we're the normal ones. Those two guys' thought processes are beyond the comprehension of ordinary people."

To be honest, Asuna Yuuki was very welcoming, even glad, that Megumi Kato had joined the team.

Finally, a normal person has arrived.

Who can understand Asuna Yuuki's feelings? In the previous instance, when it was just her, Kotoko Iwanaga, and Asagiri, she, like Megumi Kato right now, also began to doubt herself.

Is it true that Asagiri and Iwanaga Kotoko's fearless, even eager, attitude towards evil spirits is the right one, and that my fear stems from my cowardice?

Seeing Kato Megumi's reaction, Asuna Yuuki breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to confirm the truth.

It's normal for people to be afraid; what's abnormal is that Asagiri and Kotoko Iwanaga are both afraid.

Asagiri is there purely to play the game; she's a true "player."

Kotoko Iwanaga was no less impressive. Perhaps it was because she was the goddess of wisdom in the real world who helped strange beings solve all sorts of problems, but whenever she encountered a strange event, she had an inexplicable excitement and an eagerness to uncover the truth.

In short, two extraordinary individuals.

……

A few minutes later, the group arrived at the stairwell leading to the basement of Building 1 of the inpatient department.

Whether it was an illusion or because it led underground, a faint, chilly breeze seemed to be blowing through the stairwell, and strange, soft noises could be heard from below from time to time.

Asuna Yuuki, who was walking at the front, gripped her long sword tightly and walked down the stairs step by step, her movements very cautious, so that she could respond immediately if any sudden danger occurred.

Kotoko Iwanaga followed behind Asuna Yuuki. After all, if any special infected or other enemies suddenly appeared, she would have to activate her skill by making eye contact to assist Asuna Yuuki in killing the enemy.

Kato Megumi, who currently has no direct combat ability, is in third place, while Asagiri is responsible for bringing up the rear.

Step by step, she arrived at the entrance to the basement and saw the heavy, closed fire door. Asuna Yuuki finally breathed a sigh of relief, but before she could continue forward, she suddenly heard a faint, eerie sound coming from behind the fire door.

"Woooooooo..."

"Is that... a cry?"

Upon hearing the sound, which resembled a woman crying, Asuna Yuuki's first reaction was not fear or panic. Instead, she immediately turned to look at Asagiri and whispered.

"Calm down, don't rush in again."

At this moment, just as at that moment.

Recalling the last hotel instance, Asagiri summoned Persona immediately after hearing the crying of the red-clad female ghost on the seventh floor. She subdued her with lightning speed, so fast that the red-clad female ghost was already defeated just as Yuuki Asuna went down one floor.

This time, we can't be so reckless.

"Is it another player...? No, that's impossible."

Kotoko Iwanaga stared at the tightly closed fire door, moved a little closer, and then shook her head.

"Other players couldn't have arrived here at this time, and there's no strange aura behind the door, so it can't be ghosts or anything like that. It can only be a special infected person."

"The issue is……"

Kato Megumi frowned slightly as she looked at the closed fire door.

"This door seems to open inwards. If we try to open it, we might be suddenly attacked by the person who is crying. Colliding with a special infected person whose body has undergone some kind of mutation at such close range is not a safe choice..."

"Then it seems we have no choice but to..."

Asuna Yuuki looked at Asagiri, paused halfway through her sentence, and then changed her words.

"No, that won't do. Your talent consumes a lot of energy. Unless there's a special situation where you absolutely have to use it, it's best to conserve your physical and mental strength. Hmm... what should we do then..."

"Let me do it."

Kato Megumi volunteered: "I can activate my talent effect and open that door. Once the door is open and the condition of making eye contact with the special infected person behind it is met, Necro can activate that mental curse skill, right? Then, when the other party makes a mistake, Violet, you can deliver the fatal blow, how about that?"

"That's what I said, but..."

Seeing the slight worry on Yuuki Asuna's face, Kato Megumi shook her head, her tone gentle but her attitude firm.

"Clearing the dungeon is inherently risky. As a member of this team, I naturally need to contribute. Don't worry, even if the special infected at the door has sharper senses than a regular zombie when I'm using my talent, it won't be able to detect me immediately. Having me open the door is the safest option, isn't it?"

71

Chapter 71 A monster in human form.

"That's right..."

Yuuki Asuna seemed somewhat hesitant, but ultimately decided to seek Asagiri's opinion.

"Leader, what do you think?"

"Let's do as Phantom says."

Asagiri nodded, speaking casually.

"Don't worry, if anything goes wrong when I open the door, I will immediately use castling."

Upon hearing this, Asuna Yuuki frowned slightly: "Castration? That would certainly guarantee the safety of the Phantom, but after the switch, wouldn't you have to face the attack of that special infected?"

"Wrong, completely wrong."

Asagiri waved her hand and corrected him in a serious tone.

"That special infected person will soon face my attack."

"Where did you come from...?"

Asuna Yuuki was speaking when she suddenly recalled Asagiri's performance in the Shuchiin gym.

It seems... there's nothing wrong with what I said.

Asagiri's physical abilities were already at the level of a professional athlete. In addition, when equipped with the Persona "Human Asura", she would gain a passive effect that would further enhance her physical abilities, making her practically a human monster.

If it really comes down to close combat with a special infected person... the advantage is indeed on his side.

"Then let's do it."

Asuna Yuuki said this first, then looked at Kotoko Iwanaga and emphasized it with a serious expression.

"If something unexpected really happens later, you must..."

"No need to remind me specifically."

Kotoko Iwanaga interrupted firmly, "Even if it risks his prosthetic leg shattering, I will absolutely not let him get hurt!"

Asuna Yuuki sighed softly, saying helplessly.

"It's just to remind you to use your skills in time. It consumes mental energy, what does it have to do with your prosthetic leg? Just how deep is your obsession with the fact that your prosthetic leg was damaged..."

Hearing the three of them chatting jokingly, Kato Megumi, who was originally very nervous but had only forced herself to muster up her courage, couldn't help but relax a bit in this lighthearted and cheerful atmosphere, and revealed a gentle smile.

"Then I'll go open the door."

After saying that, Kato Megumi activated her talent effect and walked step by step toward the tightly closed fire door.

The woman's crying outside the door continued, exuding an eerie and sinister aura.

Kato Megumi walked to the door, took a deep breath, and slowly placed her hand on the doorknob of the fire door before carefully turning it.

"pat..."

With a slight sound, Kato Megumi slowly opened the fire door. Even though she was mentally prepared, the sight that appeared before her eyes still startled her, and she even stopped breathing for a moment.

A woman wearing only underwear, covered in blood, so thin that her ribs were clearly visible, as if she were malnourished, with her long hair obscuring her face, was kneeling on the dimly lit ground outside, covering her face with her hands and sobbing incessantly.

The other person's hands... had sharp, blade-like nails, nearly ten centimeters long, which had turned blackish-red from being stained with blood.

Kato Megumi held her breath, not daring to make a sound, and waited silently. The three people not far away also remained quiet.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

Nearly ten seconds passed before Kato Megumi finally and cautiously opened the fire door completely. During this process, the crying woman did not raise her head or react in any way; she simply remained kneeling there, continuing to emit eerie cries.

"Prepare……"

Asuna Yuuki lowered her voice, about to tell Kotoko Iwanaga that she was about to launch an attack, when suddenly a crackling sound of electricity rang out in the corridor on the first basement floor.

The next second, the previously dimly lit corridor suddenly flashed with light.

The moment the light shone, the woman who had been kneeling on the ground suddenly raised her head as if stimulated by something. Only then did everyone realize that what she was shedding was not tears at all, but two lines of dark red blood tears.

The moment she looked up, her gaze locked onto Kato Megumi, and she let out a shrill scream that sounded almost like she was going crazy.

"The throne has been changed!"

Without hesitation, Asagiri activated his skill. After instantly switching positions with Kato Megumi, he didn't pause at all and delivered a simple side kick to the withered chest of the special infected.

With his enhanced physical abilities and the use of such a highly lethal move, the special infected person who had just let out a sharp howl and was still in the pre-attack animation was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string. His back hit the wall of the underground corridor with a dull thud.

"jingle……"

Almost at the same moment that special infected person was kicked away, Asagiri took out his equipment, the "Cursed Vampire Rope Dart," and the metal chain wrapped around his forearm rubbed against each other, making a slight sound.

Immediately afterwards, with practiced ease, he threw the rope dart in his hand, which pierced through the forehead of the special infected creature. The force was so terrifying that more than half of the sharp rope dart had already sunk into the creature's skull.

"solve."

It wasn't until Asagiri said those words that Asuna Yuuki, Kotoko Iwanaga, and Megumi Kato realized what was happening and rushed to the other person's side. They saw that the slender, wiry, and disheveled special infected person was lying on the ground, completely lifeless.

Asuna Yuuki and the others were dumbfounded.

Is that all?