You say this is a love game?

【Koizumi Hanako's Diary】

[Description: I met Principal Hiiragihara, and he knelt on the ground... begging me.]

Mizutani Makoto: "?"

This first sentence left Mizutani Makoto confused.

The more he continued to read, the more incredible it seemed to him.

[Principal Hiiragihara...]

[I don’t remember seeing him like this very often…]

He was clearly a calm, modest, gentle, generous, and truly wonderful man. Everyone praised him as a selfless philanthropist, but when he appeared before me, he was pale and terrified, as if he were about to die.

[I'm very scared. Why is the principal kneeling on the ground begging me?]

I'm confused. How could someone like me have anything to do with the principal?

I'm confused too...

So many things have been happening lately. Mom and Dad said we're moving out of Night Light City because of work, but I still can't let go of what's going on between me and Hayabusa...

I went to his house this afternoon, hoping to see him again, but my aunt said Hayabusa was still in school...

[I don't know why Hayabusa suddenly hates me so much, but we may not have the chance to meet again in the future. Is this the end of our relationship?]

[At this moment, I suddenly ran into the principal, with whom I hadn't had much interaction before. He suddenly felt very strange. Seeing him kneeling on the ground, my mind became even more confused...]

In this story, Soichiro Hiiragihara seemed to be wandering around, kneeling down in front of Hanako Koizumi with a pale face. When the girl tried to flee the scene in panic, he kowtowed heavily, and in the most incomprehensible way, he kept Hanako Koizumi.

“They’re going to die.”

“It’s too late for everything.”

[“What a long dream…”]

“I have failed the efforts of our ancestors.”

"But, Kaneda Hayabusa... If I'm not mistaken, that child's name is... Hayabusa. He still loves you. He pushed you away to save your life, but he's going to die tonight. If you don't go to school to save him, everyone's death will be meaningless."

"Go and save those children," he pleaded with me.

[It’s hard to describe what kind of feeling this is.]

[However, the moment I heard that Falcon would also die, my mind went blank.]

"You must get around their Shikigami... I'm sorry, I'm not an Onmyoji, so I can't help you much. The only thing I can give you is probably this guiding candlestick..."

"Please take this paperweight with you... Even if you die, please bring it to school. He doesn't know about this thing. As long as you can take it with you, no matter what the outcome, at least Hayabusa's soul won't be trapped..."

[When I came to my senses, the principal had disappeared.]

【However, two things appeared in my hands. 】

【"Falcon..."】

My heart is pounding, and I'm terrified. I have this feeling, like I've encountered a ghost, and also... like I'm about to die. Such an unfounded thought, but it seems like the principal just now isn't the same principal I usually see.

[So scared…]

【But, Hayabusa, I like you. 】

I want to save you.

"..."

Mizutani Makoto frowned. This diary was a heavy blow to his speculation.

He always felt that the ceiling and bottom boss in the background of this private Hiiragigaoka Academy was most likely Soichiro Hiiragihara... Kurosawa Ryohito's speculation pointed to him, and the student council and Sato Ayako's diary also pointed the finger at Soichiro Hiiragihara.

Going back to ancient history, the ill-fated relationship between the Hiiragihara family and the Nue has been entangled for 42 generations, accompanied by the curse of the vengeful spirit.

No matter from which angle you look at it, Soichiro Hiiragihara is the strongest contender for the BOSS position.

But as such a big boss, he actually knelt down and kowtowed to Hanako Koizumi?

what is this?

Come to your senses?

Or is there something else hidden behind this?

Makoto Mizutani stared at the records in the diary, which mentioned the key prop "paperweight".

Paperweights are actually wonderful little props used by the Chinese people.

Similar to the four treasures of the study, namely pen, ink, paper and inkstone, a paperweight is the "small five" in the study of ancient scholars. Its function is to be placed on the desk for appreciation, and at the same time to be used to press paper or books... This small object was passed down to Japan, and its nickname is "paperweight".

Paperweight... Mizutani Makoto thought about it and actually remembered it.

In the memory revealed by Gu Chun, the monk once threw his arm and an object into the deep pit where the Nue was buried. The object was later confirmed to be a "paperweight" by the Yin-Yang master, and the Yin-Yang master also used the monk's paperweight as the center of the formation and added a formation with unknown function.

Mizutani Makoto suddenly realized:

"Soichiro took that thing out."

"He also gave the paperweight to Hanako Koizumi?"

This paperweight must have some special function, otherwise why would the monk throw it into the deep pit?

Most of the time it has the effect of suppression or purification.

With Koizumi Hanako's diary, Mizutani Makoto finally understood what the student union's rebellion was all about.

The student council may be aware of the conspiracy behind the private Hiiragigaoka Academy and try to collude with Sato Ayako to backstab Hiiragihara Soichiro, but their resistance is obviously wishful thinking... A group of ordinary people, even if they unite, can't even get past the ghost bear in the cafeteria, let alone rebel against the Hiiragihara family.

Moreover, there are actually "Shikigami" guarding that place?

There is no need to discuss this. The faint spark of the student union has most likely been unreasonably extinguished.

The core reason why Soichiro Hiiragihara failed was due to the intruder Hanako Koizumi... Relying on the candlestick given by "Soichiro Hiiragihara" and her love and courage, she bypassed the guarding Shikigami and broke into the private Hiiragiyama Academy where the sacrificial ceremony was being held with a paperweight in her pocket.

So it was Hanako Koizumi who blew up Soichiro Hiiragihara?

No, it's too unrealistic to expect Hanako Koizumi, who is powerless, to blow up the conspirator.

Judging from the ending, Hanako Koizumi also died, and her death was extremely miserable. It looked like she was killed in a fit of rage.

But no matter what, it was definitely the arrival of Hanako Koizumi that successfully disrupted the sacrifice that year.

And in this story, there are two Soichirou Hiiragihara!

Mizutani Makoto couldn't help but take a deep breath and tried his best to sort out the clues in his mind, but he still felt that it was a mess.

"Who is Soichiro Hiiragihara?"

"A paperweight? Just considering the secret of the paperweight, it does seem real..."

"Who is Soichiro in that school?"

"Are there any masters?"

I've run into something I don't quite understand again.

Clearly, he was missing a crucial piece of the puzzle.

Regardless of whether it is the real Soichiro Hiiragihara or not, he must find out who the conspirator hiding in the deepest layer is...

Mizutani Makoto put the diary away.

Hanako Koizumi's diary is almost the longest diary he has ever encountered, and the information it reveals is crucial.

"...Time to find the remaining puzzle pieces."

The [Principal's Key] was still lying quietly in Mizutani Makoto's backpack.

Coincidentally, once the issue of "Hanako-chan in the Toilet" was resolved, the entire mission of "The Eighth Color of Youth" came to the final stage.

"Only the stairs are missing."

If he wanted to get to the principal's office upstairs, he would have to go through the staircase.

The thirteenth staircase, one of the seven strange stories lurking in the teaching building, had been blocking his way to higher floors. According to the information previously provided by Kurosawa Ryohito, that thing was in the middle position.

And median...

Today, even if Mizutani Makoto does not activate the Descendant God and Explosion Mode, he has reached the level of the middle level. It is usually easy for him to defeat such a middle level monster.

Is this the joy of returning home in glory?

The strange story that I didn't even dare to look at before, now, thirty years have passed and the young man has returned arrogantly.

There is no need to go anywhere, the stairs to the teaching building are right behind you.

This strange story about the staircase could be considered his first encounter with a supernatural murder case. In that incident, Sakamoto Kohei and Takahashi Shugo were murdered, which truly revealed the unknown side of the private Hiiragigaoka Academy.

Makoto Mizutani stood in front of the stairs, where the light was still flickering faintly.

How to trigger?

This thing looks like a concept. No matter which staircase he goes to, it will appear and block his way. This shows that even if the stairs are smashed, it should not affect its existence.

Mizutani Makoto had three exploration opportunities tonight, and he'd already farmed all the necessary first lives, so there was nothing to worry about. He immediately headed up the stairs, determined to experience an authentic campus ghost story.

"one two Three……"

Follow the urban legend and count as you go.

Blood-red moonlight streamed in from the corridor, mingling with the flickering light and illuminating the mottled steps. He counted his steps, one, two... until the twelfth.

But the stairs continued.

The moment he stepped onto the twelfth step, the world in front of him seemed to distort. The staircase, which originally ended at the twelfth step, suddenly extended under his feet and the thirteenth step appeared.

Makoto Mizutani stood on the twelfth floor, looking down at the staircase that extended abruptly.

He gave an affable smile.

Without hesitation, he stepped onto the thirteenth level.

The moment he landed, the entire staircase space shook violently!

In an instant, the upper and lower ends of the stairs seemed to be stretched, becoming endless. The surrounding walls began to twist and collapse, the lights went out, and darkness surged in like a tide. When the vision stabilized again, it was discovered that the whole world had fallen into nothingness, with only the stretched stairs connecting heaven and earth.

Pairs of skinny ghostly hands slowly stretched out from the cracks in the stairs.

"Tsk-!"

Lightning burst out from the Kadorimaru in Mizutani Makoto's hand, and arcs of electricity jumped in the air.

Thunder swept across, and the ghost hand could not get close.

He swung his sword to drive back the ghost hand and continued to climb upwards.

A vast number of human bones lay scattered along these extended staircases. Some of the bones looked as if they had died not long ago, their clothing still intact; they were the uniforms of Yami High School. Others seemed so weathered that only a barely discernible human form could be seen.

The most unlucky ones should be the broken bones scattered between the stairs. They must have been forcibly dragged into the gap by the ghost hand, and the remaining bones on their bodies were crushed beyond recognition.

"This place is a cage."

Chidori reminded.

At this time, Mizutani Makoto also noticed it.

"That does fit in with the content of this urban legend."

In urban legends, there is a saying that one will disappear after stepping onto the thirteenth step. The most common legend of this legend has two endings: one will die if he steps on it, or one will enter a different dimension if he steps on it. The current situation is obviously the latter.

"So, the reason this strange story is here... is to block the road."

I have to admit that as a roadblock blocking the way, it is really disgusting to set this thing here.

If things go as expected, even if he continues to move forward, the outcome will not change.

But there is no BOSS in this place except the ghost hand that catches people.

Mizutani Makoto narrowed his eyes slightly and suddenly wanted to try a "violent break".

This thing is just a weird story. Even if all its abilities are specialized in the skill tree of "trapping people", there is no reason why it can trap everyone to death.

But just when he was rummaging through his backpack to get the [Boiling Blood Secret Medicine], Mizutani Makoto caught a glimpse of the [Red Crayon]

This thing is used to guide the way.

In an instant, Mizutani Makoto seemed to understand something.

He took the [Red Crayon] out of his backpack, and the crayon in his hand suddenly started waving rapidly without any wind.