At this moment, the narrow corridor was becoming uncomfortably crowded.
Y/N stepped out and immediately noticed a distinct divide in the people present.
On one side, there was a group of people who looked like they had stepped out of high-definition illustrations—the students.
On the other side, there was a group that looked like standard background NPCs from a gritty drama—the adults.
Y/N saw the "2D" group naturally drifting toward each other, likely sensing a shared "main character aura" or perhaps just finding safety in numbers among people their own age.
The Anime Group (The Victims)
The Service Club: Hikigaya stood with his back to the wall, his dead-fish eyes scanning the area, while Yukino stood slightly in front of him, her arms crossed defensively. They looked wary but stayed close.
The Quint & Tutor: Fuutaro was frantically checking his phone for a signal, while Nino stood close to him, gripping his sleeve while glaring at the creepy hallway. "Fuutaro, don't leave me alone here," she hissed.
The Delinquent Duo: Rintaro looked terrifying to strangers, but he was actually trembling. Kaoruko was whispering comforting words to him, keeping them isolated in a small bubble of sweetness.
The Russian Pair: Masachika stood protectively in front of Alya. Alya looked pale and was muttering in Russian, clearly rattled by the supernatural atmosphere.
** The Soloists:** Ai Hoshino maintained a stiff smile, her eyes darting around, while Ayanokoji stood silently in the shadow of a cabinet, observing everyone without giving away his own confusion.
They were all clearly inexperienced. None of them knew what was happening. They were just scared kids (and a few geniuses) trapped in a horror scenario.
The "Originals" (The Randoms)
Then there were the others.
A middle-aged Asian man with a backpack and a calm face (Tanaka).
A tall white man with thorn-shaped tattoos on his face.
A Black man with a close-cropped buzz cut.
An overweight middle-aged executive with a bulging belly.
These four men looked distinctly different. But aside from the man with the backpack, the other three were clearly panicking.
The overweight executive was wiping sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, muttering, "This can't be real, this can't be real."
The Black man was gripping his rule sheet so hard it was wrinkling, his eyes wide with alertness.
And the tall white man—he looked less like a player and more like a thug. He was pacing back and forth, his expression a mix of fear and violent aggression.
"Students?"
The tall white man muttered in a low, rough voice, looking at the large group of anime characters with obvious displeasure. "Great. Just what we need. A bunch of high school brats. More dead weight."
"Hah?"
Nino Nakano, never one to take an insult lying down, stepped forward, her fear momentarily replaced by annoyance. "Who are you calling dead weight? You look like you're about to pass out from sweating, old man!"
"You little—" The white man took a threatening step forward.
Rintaro instinctively stepped in front of Kaoruko and Nino, his massive frame casting a shadow. He didn't say anything—he was too scared to speak—but his natural "delinquent boss" face made the white man hesitate.
Hikigaya sighed loudly from the back. "Don't fight. It's a waste of stamina."
Before the situation could escalate, the middle-aged man with the backpack—Tanaka—stepped in between them.
"Everyone, calm down. Fighting amongst ourselves is the fastest way to die."
Tanaka's tone was calm, his face wearing a steady smile that felt out of place in this decaying corridor. He gave off the impression of someone reliable—or someone pretending to be.
"Hello. You can just call me Tanaka. We all woke up in one of the rooms here. Did you all find a printed sheet with writing on it?"
Masachika, realizing this man seemed to be the only one not panicking, nodded cautiously. "We did. The Shirakawa Apartments Rules of Life. Do you know what this is?"
"So everyone got one?" Tanaka nodded, glancing at the papers in the hands of the terrified executive and the nervous Black man. "Looks like this time we're in luck. This should be a low-difficulty Dusk-level game."
"Dusk-level?" Kaguya whispered, repeating the term. She exchanged a look with Yukino and Ayanokoji. None of them knew the term, confirming that the "geniuses" were just as clueless as the rest of the anime group.
"So everyone did get one? Looks like we're in luck," Tanaka continued, acting the part of the leader. "I've been through a few of these. This is a low-difficulty Dusk-level game."
"You... you've been here before?" the overweight executive asked, his voice shaking.
"Not this specific apartment, but games like it," Tanaka said, puffing out his chest slightly. "I'm an experienced player. A Veteran."
"A Veteran..." Ai Hoshino blinked, her eyes widening. "So you know how to get us out?"
"Of course," Tanaka smiled, enjoying the attention of the group. "If I were the one in charge, things would be completely different from those who die early. Just follow my lead."
"More details later. Trust me, everyone will be fine. Dusk-level games generally aren't too hard."
Y/N watched Tanaka carefully.
Self-proclaimed veteran. Taking charge of a large group of panicked newbies. In a horror movie, this guy is walking a dangerous line.
But right now, the anime characters—Kaguya, Fuutaro, Alya, and the rest—had no choice but to listen. They naturally huddled closer together, creating a clear "us vs. them" formation against the adults, with Tanaka standing in the middle as the bridge.
Tanaka turned his attention back to the room next door—Room 205.
"The scream came from there," Tanaka said, his expression becoming serious. "We need to check it."
The white man spat on the floor. "I'm not going in there first. Let the kids go."
"I... I don't want to," Kaoruko whispered, shrinking behind Rintaro.
"Scum," Yukino muttered under her breath, glaring at the white man.
"I'll take point," Tanaka said, trying to look heroic. "But stay close."
The group moved toward Room 205. The anime characters moved as a single unit, shoulder-to-shoulder, terrified of being separated.
Y/N, Kaguya, and the others watched as Tanaka reached for the handle of Room 205.
The door creaked open.
And the mixed group of frightened "main characters" and sketchy adults stared into the darkness beyond.