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Two minutes later.
Both sides successfully met.
"Sanshoku."
The pink-haired girl called out happily.
"Shikimori."
Pansy pushed up her Glasses, a hint of excited smile appearing on her face.
Just now, the flag took effect, and the cardboard box silently deformed under the attack of the Shadow Cat, which really gave them a fright. It wasn't until they entered the darkness that they finally relaxed.
Amamiya Natsuki let out a soft breath, then said,
"I'm going back."
"You must be very tired, right?" Shikimori pursed her pink lips and said softly, "Do you want me to go back in your place?"
"No need." Amamiya Natsuki shook his head. "You and the Class President just need to provide remote support."
"..."
After a brief exchange, Amamiya Natsuki put on the cardboard box and turned to go back.
In the brightly lit Corridor, the thick, ink-like Shadow Cat stretched its body on the wall, seemingly very interested in the cardboard box. Soon, it pressed down on the cardboard box's shadow, making Amamiya Natsuki unable to move.
"Woof."
Shikimori, majestic and imposing, spoke to drive it away.
"Um, I just heard that." Pansy asked in confusion, "Why did Shikimori bark?"
"Because cats and dogs are at odds..."
The pink-haired girl repeated Amamiya Natsuki's reason.
"It sounds somewhat reasonable, but we previously analyzed that the Shadow Cat is actually some kind of creature." Pansy analyzed, "If it really is a creature, many sounds should be able to scare it, not necessarily just 'woof woof woof.' Other loud noises should also work."
Shikimori: "..."
Thinking carefully.
This statement seems more reasonable.
So, she was tricked?
At this thought, even the heroic Shikimori couldn't help but puff out her pink cheeks and clench her fists.
"Ahem, that's just my guess." The Glasses Girl lightly coughed twice. "The truth might not be like that."
Shikimori took a deep breath: "We'll know once we verify it later."
At the same time.
Amamiya Natsuki had already returned to the abandoned warehouse, still wearing the cardboard box.
"You can get up now."
Shinomiya Kaguya's pleasant voice came from above.
"I'm never doing that crawling thing again, it's tiring on the legs." Amamiya Natsuki lifted the cardboard box, ruffled his hair, and looked at Kaguya. "Were you scared being alone?"
"Of course not."
Shinomiya Kaguya slightly raised her voice.
She's not a child; how could she be scared just by staying alone in an abandoned warehouse? All she had to do was turn on the flashlight and keep it pointed at the wall.
"Let me tell you about the information I just gathered." Amamiya Natsuki didn't rush to leave with Kaguya. He extended a finger and tapped the cardboard box. "The Shadow Cat didn't directly attack the cardboard box. All these claw marks are damage inflicted on the cardboard box's shadow."
"Shadow?"
Shinomiya Kaguya crossed her right arm over her chest and mused:
"Since the cat can damage shadows, can we also use shadows to damage the cat?"
"Possibly, or rather, very likely." Amamiya Natsuki nodded. "Inferring, there will be unit volume collisions between the cat and the shadow."
Shinomiya Kaguya's mind was sharp: "You mean...?"
"Rest is over." Amamiya Natsuki clapped his hands. "We can set off. Come in quickly."
"Mm."
Shinomiya Kaguya agreed and came under the cardboard box.
Darkness.
Shaking.
Narrowness...
Moving while squatting in a cardboard box was actually quite oppressive and uncomfortable.
Thinking of this, Shinomiya Kaguya couldn't help but look up at Amamiya Natsuki in front of her.
Everyone else only had to go through it once, but only Amamiya Natsuki went back and forth. He must be very tired by now, right?
Amamiya Natsuki suddenly stopped.
"What's wrong?"
Shinomiya Kaguya asked in a low voice, and soon discovered that the right side of the cardboard box was silently caving inward without making any sound.
Clearly, the Shadow Cat had launched another attack.
"Ah--"
The next second.
A majestic voice suddenly rang out.
Amamiya Natsuki and Shinomiya Kaguya were both startled. Immediately after, a tearing claw mark suddenly appeared on the cardboard box, and a thin ray of light shone in from outside the box.
Holy crap!
Seeing this, Amamiya Natsuki was instantly startled and quickly reached out to cover the crack.
Humans naturally cannot grasp shadows, so the 'Seize and Eliminate Evil' combo skill was completely useless. If the Shadow Cat were to invade, Amamiya Natsuki and Kaguya would both have to commit double suicide!
Shinomiya Kaguya also understood the seriousness of the situation. Being closer, she was the first to block the crack with her hand.
The space under the cardboard box was already small, and the two were pressed close together. The moment Amamiya Natsuki turned his head, he clearly felt a cool, soft touch slide across his cheek.
Eh? Eh? Eh?!
Shinomiya Kaguya's eyes instantly widened.
They touched, right?
That temperature and the electric-like feeling just now, it must have been a touch, right!
After realizing what happened, the temperature on Shinomiya Kaguya's face rapidly rose, her heart rate directly exceeding 180, and steam billowed from the top of her head.
Although it was only a touch on the cheek, it still counted as a kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss...
Dizzy in her mind, Shinomiya Kaguya involuntarily thought of the punishment for losing the game this morning.
Did she just make up for the punishment?
"Wake up, don't faint!"
The distance between the two was very close. Amamiya Natsuki could clearly see that the Sheltered Ojou-sama's eyes had already turned into mosquito coil eyes, and the strength in her hands was rapidly decreasing.
At a time like this, she's still thinking of letting go? Does she not know what danger is?!
Seeing Shinomiya Kaguya's eyes hazy, staring blankly, seemingly not yet recovered from the recent bombing strike, Amamiya Natsuki, out of helplessness, had to launch a higher-level nuclear strike:
"Don't let go, do you believe I'll kiss you?"
"And it's the kind of kiss Shimizu-nee mentioned this morning!"
"…"
Shinomiya Kaguya's eyes widened blankly, her body trembled slightly, and she nervously averted her pretty face.
He actually wants to use the kind of kiss Mom mentioned? The place and occasion are all wrong!
"Are you two alright?" A voice came from afar. "That Shadow Cat has left. You can continue moving."
Amamiya Natsuki said in a deep voice, "Continue forward."
"I, I know."
"Cover that most important gap with one hand, don't let go."
"Mm."
Shinomiya Kaguya took a deep breath to calm herself down.
The two continued to move.
A moment later.
Shikimori and Pansy's voices finally sounded, "Successfully arrived, you can get up now."
Amamiya Natsuki lifted the cardboard box, let out a soft breath, and turned to look at the Sheltered Ojou-sama behind him.
Shinomiya Kaguya's pretty face was flushed, like the evening glow in the summer sky, magnificent as fire.
Their gazes met.
Shinomiya Kaguya quickly averted her eyes.
"Everyone is here." Shikimori held her bamboo sword. "Now we can discuss the next action plan."
"The factory only has two floors."
"We're on the second floor, right next to the stairwell. There's no light in the stairwell, so we can go to the first floor."
After a pause, Shikimori continued:
"I just went down and took a look. The hallway on the first floor also has lights. The cardboard box doesn't seem like it will last much longer. Shall we go to the rooms downstairs to find cardboard boxes and reinforce them?"
"…"
"No need." Shinomiya Kaguya crossed her right arm over her chest. "I already know how to clear the game."
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