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What it means to be rich and powerful
The four teams quickly chose their respective exploration targets and swiftly separated.
Amamiya Natsuki naturally grouped with Shinomiya Kaguya and a few others, plus a lone player, Kobayashi, choosing the most dangerous area for exploration—the Haunted House.
"Playing in a Haunted House within a horror game dungeon feels so weird," Kitagawa Marin couldn't help but complain.
"Exactly," Fujiwara Chika nodded in agreement, "There's a subtle sense of déjà vu."
"I remember now," Amamiya Natsuki intertwined his fingers, reminiscing, "During Golden Week, when we went to the amusement park, someone accidentally got lost in the Haunted House and almost cried."
Shinomiya Kaguya's cheeks puffed slightly at his words, and she turned to glare at him.
If it weren't for that mirror in the Haunted House suddenly moving, how could she have been scared?!
However…
"The Ramune was delicious."
The Sheltered Ojou-sama lightly pursed her pink lips, recalling the Ramune under the evening sun that day.
After clearing the dungeon, she'd go back and have it again.
In contrast,
Passerby player Kobayashi's mood was the most complex right now.
On one hand, she worried about her friend's safety; on the other, she felt guilty and self-reproachful for her desertion, and finally, there was an intense sense of unreality.
While she was still struggling to clear dungeons, others were already plastering 'play-along' and 'power-leveling' ads within the dungeons… The disparity between people was truly terrifying.
Even seeing it with her own eyes, it was still somewhat unbelievable.
"We've arrived at the Haunted House," Juju-sama reminded softly.
Shining the flashlight, they could see a building ahead, its main entrance shaped like the mouth of Shuten Doji, depicted quite vividly, a typical Haunted House entrance.
"Welcome, welcome, a warm welcome!"
A sharp laugh suddenly echoed in the night.
Their steps halted, and they quickly heightened their vigilance.
Amamiya Natsuki raised an eyebrow slightly, sweeping his flashlight in the direction of the sound, and a clown-dressed monster appeared in the light.
A large red nose, a pointed hat, a red painted smile, short stature, dressed very festively, and carrying a bunch of balloons, it looked very much like a circus clown, both frightening and comical.
Amamiya Natsuki looked at the clown, his tone thoughtful: "It looks somewhat familiar."
Fujiwara Chika: "I think it looks familiar too."
Kitagawa Marin: "Have we seen this clown somewhere before?"
Finally, Juju-sama broke the truth: "It looks a lot like Buggy the Clown."
"That's right, it's Buggy the Clown!" Kitagawa Marin's eyes lit up, and she made a fist with her right hand, lightly hitting her left palm, "Especially that red nose, it's too familiar!"
"Speaking of which, after Kaido's defeat, new Four Emperors have emerged," Amamiya Natsuki continued the topic, "They are Luffy, Shanks, Blackbeard, and Lord Bugs Bunny. Sure enough, the strongest in manga are always the comedic characters."
Passerby player Kobayashi: "…"
The monster clown is right in front of you, can't you be a little more serious?!
As they spoke, the clown, carrying balloons, approached them.
"Good evening, esteemed guests," the clown bowed, first grinning, then showing a pitiful expression, "Balloons are unsellable, please help this poor clown."
"You want us to buy balloons, right? Okay," Amamiya Natsuki said with interest, "First, show us your 'Chop-Chop Fruit' ability. We're all very curious."
Clown: "???"
You human are very strange.
"Oh my, guests, please don't joke, I'm just a poor clown," the clown squeezed out a distressed expression, looking at Juju, "Please buy a balloon for this little friend."
Juju-sama immediately got angry: "…I'm a high school student!"
She's just a little short; calling her a 'little friend' is too much!
"That's too much," Amamiya Natsuki patted Juju's small head, "She's clearly a big friend, how can you go against your conscience and call her a little friend?"
Slap.
Juju-sama angrily slapped Amamiya Natsuki's right hand away.
I'll settle the score with you later!
"Mr. Clown, have you seen anyone like us?" Fujiwara Chika asked about the serious matter.
"Yes, there's nothing in the amusement park I don't know about," the clown replied with a smile.
"You really saw Ryoko?" The passerby player quickly pressed.
"Of course I did," the clown said, "You mean the girl from this evening, blonde, very tall, looks fierce, right?"
"That's right, it really did see Ryoko!"
The passerby player immediately became excited.
Kitagawa Marin quickly asked, "Where is that girl?"
"If you want to know, guests, please buy a balloon first," the clown smiled again, "As long as you buy a balloon, I'll tell you where that girl is."
"A balloon?"
The passerby player looked up at the balloons in the clown's hand; clearly, buying a balloon would likely lead to something terrible.
But if she didn't buy one, what would happen to Ryoko?
"Guests, please decide quickly," the smile on the clown's face grew more sinister, "Your friend is not in a good situation."
Kobayashi bit her lower lip, took a deep breath, and whispered, "I'll buy a balloon."
"Please pay," the clown extended his left hand, "One balloon is ten thousand yen. Thank you for your patronage."
"Th-that expensive?!"
The passerby player was shocked.
On the way here, Fujiwara Chika had given her bread and mineral water, both food bought from a Convenience Store, so she already knew that there was currency circulating in this dungeon, but it was exclusive currency, not real-world money.
But ten thousand yen was too expensive no matter how she thought about it! Is your balloon made of watermelon?!
"Hey, hey, what's the complaint number for the amusement park?" Amamiya Natsuki complained from the side, "I want to report Mr. Clown for price gouging."
"Please don't get excited, esteemed guest. My balloons are not ordinary balloons; you'll know their specific effect once you buy one," the clown smiled, "Of course, given that you guests might not have much money, I can also offer a conscientious exchange service."
"For example, this guest's eyes are very beautiful," the clown looked at Shinomiya Kaguya, "You can exchange an eye for a balloon."
Your sister! Exchanging an eye for a balloon, and you still claim to be conscientious? Your conscience must be black!
The passerby player Kobayashi immediately panicked.
A person wouldn't die from losing an eye, but no one could calmly exchange an eye for a useless, eerie balloon.
Shinomiya Kaguya's expression was calm; she slightly turned her head to look at Amamiya Natsuki.
"Are these balloons guaranteed fresh?" Amamiya Natsuki stepped half a pace forward, expressionless.
"They're all guaranteed genuine," the clown's gaze turned to Amamiya Natsuki, "This guest's kidneys are quite good. You can exchange one kidney for two balloons."
"Sorry, my kidneys are still useful."
Amamiya Natsuki narrowed his eyes, speaking as he reached into his pants pocket: "Come, come, let me show you what it means to be rich and powerful."
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