Escaping the dormitory while a dangerous ghost roamed the halls wasn't particularly difficult for the trio.
First, Hitori created a doppelgänger to jump from the sixth floor as a test. When it landed safely without supernatural interference, Takakai and Hitori followed—with Takakai carrying Miko.
A six-story drop would cripple normal humans, but for players like Takakai and Hitori with superhuman physiques, it was trivial. Only Miko, with her lesser enhancements, needed assistance.
Of course, to avoid triggering the survival rule [Don't look out the window], all three kept their eyes tightly shut until landing.
Pale moonlight bathed the campus.
Unlike Fujika Middle School or Shirasawa Elementary, there was no blood-red moon—just an ordinary, unremarkable one.
This isn't right.
Crimson Moons were signature features of Crimson Moon dungeons. Their absence here was...concerning.
I'm definitely inside the [School Urban Legends] dungeon. That clown KP couldn't change that. So if I can't see the Blood Moon...does that mean this school is fake? Like Fujioka's abandoned campus facade?
Takakai pondered this as they moved, though it changed little about their immediate plans.
1:01 AM
"The main building at night. Definitely creepier than expected."
Takakai slid open Classroom 1-9's window.
Just as the [Occult Club Recruitment Poster] described, after 1 AM, the previously unbreakable windows became operable.
The night-shrouded campus remained eerily silent—no movement, no insect sounds, just oppressive stillness.
"I-I'll go first."
As before, Hitori sent in a scout—this time a jittery, star-glasses-wearing clown with an afro that moonwalked through the window before breaking into Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal moves.
Does she have to give every decoy these absurd quirks?!
Takakai barely suppressed the urge to facepalm. Hitori's social anxiety made criticism risky, so he suffered in silence.
Ten minutes later, the scout confirmed:
All classroom doors except 1-9's were locked
No lit rooms
No withered plants
No trash piles
No anomalies in restrooms
Seemingly safe...for now.
Since the survival rules warned against stairwell anomalies, Takakai decided to enter after the first-floor sweep.
But he knew better than to expect smooth sailing.
The [Jumping Ghost Girl] encounter suggested dungeon entities required specific rule triggers before activating. Players likely had to [break minor rules first] to access deeper survival guidelines—which then unleashed the real threats.
All three had already seen the main building's survival rules (Takakai via rule-breaking, Miko through her innate perception, Hitori post-memory-erasure). Meaning all listed dangers were now active.
They'd considered the annex building—where untouched survival rules might mean dormant threats—but Takakai suspected entering would instantly activate everything anyway. Better the devil you know.
Just survive this damn building.
That was all he could hope for now.
Tap—
Even stepping lightly, Takakai's footfalls echoed unnaturally in the dark hallway.
The first-floor search went quickly. Locked classrooms were avoided, with focus on potted plants and corners where the poster's mentioned key might hide.
Notably, his [Blood Key] failed to open the courtyard doors—a sign the area was pivotal enough to be protected by core dungeon obsessions.
"See or hear anything?"
At the first-floor stairwell, Takakai checked with Miko again.
"...No. Nothing. It's...quiet."
Miko shook her head nervously.
"Alright. Second floor next."
Without hesitation, Takakai stepped onto the stairs—
Tap-tap—
—and immediately heard two overlapping footsteps.