The conflict between Kaguya and Hayasaka was no longer within Takakai's sphere of concern.
He could tell—while Kaguya was furious about Hayasaka's "sneak attack," her anger wouldn't escalate into anything serious. Better to let them sort it out themselves. After all, in the end, he would be claiming both.
As for the voice message he'd sent after Hayasaka's SOS text? Dating wasn't something he had much experience with before, but after Maki and Chika, he wasn't nervous anymore. Still, with Kaguya, he'd have to tread carefully. She was even more prone to emotional meltdowns than Maki. If he remembered Akasaka's original work correctly, Kaguya could faint just from having her crush touch a strand of her hair—absurdly fragile.
But these were all problems for Future Takakai. Right now, he had other priorities.
"You're not going to suddenly dive into another dungeon this time, are you?"
Beside him, Maki turned, frowning seriously.
"No. Absolutely not. Even if someone slaps an invitation in my face, I'm not going. Outside of the mandatory monthly mission, I'm staying far away from any dungeons. I've suffered enough—it's time for a proper break."
Exiting the Shinomiya estate, Takakai stretched lazily, his expression relaxed.
At this point, only two issues remained:
Explaining to Kogawa Ki that he'd been forced to recall the Obsession Objects he'd lent out to survive the dungeon.
Figuring out how to bring Fujiwara Chika—who only had one Twilight-clear record but had actually cleared a top-tier midnight dungeon—into a midnight mission without her being dragged down by weaker teammates.
As for the idea of keeping the girls away from high-difficulty dungeons to protect them? Takakai had never entertained it.
Sure, it would reduce their risk—but risk and reward were inseparable. Shirasawa Elementary had proven the dangers of underpowered allies. Worse, the Faceless One had made it clear: his Black Watch cursed him with unavoidable high-difficulty encounters.
If Shirasawa Elementary's pseudo-Crimson Moon difficulty stemmed from this curse, what about next time? The dungeon had dragged Hayasaka in—meaning the curse's range wasn't limited to him. If the girls trained separately in safer dungeons, they'd survive, yes—but if his curse ever entangled them again while they were still weak, what then?
So even if it meant greater danger, Takakai insisted on bringing Maki and the others into high-difficulty missions. Only then could they grow stronger—strong enough to survive.
And on this point, both Maki and Chika agreed. Having missed two dungeons already, they were feeling the pressure. Takakai had managed to stop them from joining Shirasawa Elementary, but if he tried that again? They'd team up against him.
"I've scheduled a meeting with Kogawa-san tomorrow morning. Hmm… he sounded even more respectful than before. Did clearing Fujisaki Academy and Shirasawa Elementary shock him that much? If so, maybe we can afford to be more aggressive. I bet he won't even ask for the Obsession Objects back."
After a call with the Market, Chika blinked up at Takakai, casually suggesting underhanded tactics.
"Taking back payment after receiving the goods is just robbery, isn't it?"
Before Takakai could respond, Maki interjected with a sigh.
"True, but without those Obsession Objects, Takakai would've faced way more trouble. Even if Twilight-grade items are weak in Crimson Moon dungeons, that medicine bottle alone gave him a huge recovery advantage. And against devourer-type phantoms, flooding them with Twilight items can suppress their activity."
"Plus, unlike Fujisaki Academy—where he had a Crimson Moon player backing him—this time, Takakai solo-rushed a Crimson Moon dungeon and cleared one of the hardest zones. With that credibility, we should negotiate from a stronger position. Maybe even secure more benefits."
"At the end of the day, this is how things work here. To be respected, you must be strong—and not too accommodating. That's true in normal society, and even more so among players. If not for the fact that—aside from Takakai—the rest of us aren't that strong yet, I'd suggest forming a new faction right now."
Chika, ever the pragmatist, laid out her reasoning without hesitation—her family's political instincts shining through.
"You've really thought this through… Well, I won't argue. But the Market has supported us well so far. No need to be too aggressive. Oh, tomorrow we should also ask if they have any Obsession Objects that let normies retain awareness of the supernatural. If they do, I can get better support from my family. Auntie's got the Shinomiya household under control, but I don't trust their nature. With my parents' understanding, I could mobilize the entire Shijō family."
Though not fully convinced, Maki chose to table the debate, shifting to another topic.
Takakai nodded, filing the idea away—just as Chika suddenly pounced on him, giggling about visiting a new dessert shop.
Maki, caught off guard by the abrupt shift from business to romance, hesitated—then shyly latched onto Takakai's other arm.
Under the envious stares of passersby, Takakai strode forward, a beauty on each arm.
None of them knew it yet, but the ripples of Takakai's return were already spreading.
The Market
In a conference room deep within an abandoned underground mall, several players gathered. At the head of the table, Kogawa Ki remained silent for a long moment before finally speaking.
"It's confirmed. Takakai Hiroshi—no, Takakai—has cleared the [Shirasawa Elementary] dungeon zone. He destroyed its core Obsession, erasing that area. From now on, the [School Horror Tales] Crimson Moon dungeon only has half its original zones remaining."
The room erupted in gasps—some of shock, some of awe, some just sucking in air out of habit.
"I avoided approaching the Shinomiya estate to avoid provoking them, but based on conversations with their maids, he achieved his goal: rescuing a civilian trapped in the dungeon. Shinomiya Kaguya, who only had two clears, also returned unharmed. Meaning he cleared one of the deadliest Crimson Moon dungeons while carrying two deadweights."
Kogawa paused, letting the room inhale sharply again. Whispers broke out—"No way," "Is he even human?" "This sounds like bad fiction!"
The news was simply too unbelievable.
But Kogawa wasn't done. He waited, letting the tension build, before continuing.
"I know it sounds impossible. But every Crimson Moon player with a [School Horror Tales] ticket has confirmed Shirasawa Elementary's disappearance. And as we all know, a dungeon only vanishes one way."
"Furthermore, we have a witness: [Red Covenant's] Tōyama Akira, who's confirmed to have returned. He was 'killed' in Fujika Academy, and [Loafers Guild's] Vice-Captain Kumami later reported he'd survived—but had been possessed by an Obsession Object. Yet now, he's back. Fully recovered. (Though with some lingering side effects.)"
"But that's not the main point. Tōyama claims Takakai defeated him in one-on-one combat, stole the Obsession Object possessing him, and saved him during the dungeon's collapse. Meaning even before clearing Shirasawa Elementary, Takakai could fight a berserk Crimson Moon player head-on. Even if he exploited dungeon mechanics, that's insane."
This time, no one gasped.
The room fell dead silent.
In a corner, Aoyama Nanami frowned, scribbling [Takakai] into her notebook. Beside her, the forcibly recruited Gotō Hitori trembled, eyes wide.
That Takakai-san… can really do something like that?
If even Shirasawa Elementary—that nightmare dungeon—was no match for him… If he could save someone possessed by an Obsession Object… Then what about Yoruyama Middle School? What about Kita-chan? I… I…
Even as a player, Hitori's social anxiety hadn't improved. But for the first time, she felt an overwhelming urge—to find Takakai and beg for his help.
I don't matter… but if Kita-chan can still be saved…
"Last night, the [LoafersGuild] and [Red Covenant] held an emergency meeting. As the Market's manager—and due to my prior contact with Takakai—I was invited. Next month's mandatory mission will see both factions jointly investigating [School Horror Tales], with the Market's support. And the key to this operation? Takakai. I trust you all understand why."
Kogawa's final words landed heavily.
Nanami closed her notebook—once filled with voice-acting notes, now crammed with dungeon intel—and glanced at Hitori, whose mind had clearly checked out.
"Someone like that… really exists? It's like heaven sent a hero."
She couldn't help but murmur.
If only someone like that had appeared earlier—and by her side. Maybe then, she wouldn't have had to abandon her dreams, get dragged into player politics, and end up here.
Nearby, Kogawa was still discussing tomorrow's meeting—how to gauge Takakai's attitude, what stance to take.
Bored, Nanami stood and lightly bonked Hitori on the head with her notebook.
"Eep?!"
The pink-haired girl snapped back to reality, blinking up at her.
"Come on. The rest isn't our concern. Let's go."
The two girls soon left the room.
And unbeknownst to Takakai, his name continued to spread—quietly, inexorably—like an undercurrent beneath calm waters.