"Neon, do you want to join us?" Raven asked nonchalantly.
Given how things had developed, he naturally understood Neon's feelings for him.
Tsumuri, on the other side, kept her head down like a timid bride. She couldn't help but sigh at how much of a womanizer Raven was—eating from his bowl while looking at the pot.
"I... I certainly do! This Miss will personally supervise Tsumuri to make sure she doesn't do anything strange!" Neon puffed out her chest and stood with her hands on her hips. Her beautiful eyes were fixed intently on Tsumuri, unleashing all her hostility onto the Game Navigator.
As for Raven? She wouldn't complain about him.
"I wouldn't do anything strange," Tsumuri quickly retorted, grumbling inwardly. It's Raven who keeps trying to do strange things.
"Ahem, alright, stop arguing," Raven said, trying to diffuse the tension between the two women. "It's getting late now, so let's get some rest."
He promptly lay down in the middle, his intention clear: he wanted both of them to sleep on either side of him.
"Sigh." Tsumuri shook her head helplessly and quietly lay down on one side. She couldn't help but wonder when this kind of life would end. Fortunately, Raven hadn't tried to take things further these past few days, only taking small liberties. She could tolerate it for now.
After Raven and Tsumuri settled down, it was Neon's turn, and she was incredibly nervous. Though she had imagined this moment countless times, now that it was actually happening, her heart was pounding.
"Don't be nervous..." She encouraged herself, then finally gathered her courage and took the plunge.
She lay down on Raven's other side, curling up like a small kitten. She didn't dare move freely, not because she didn't want intimate contact with Raven, but because she feared she would get too excited and be unable to sleep all night.
After the light was extinguished, not long after, Raven's hand suddenly settled on her body. This instantly made Neon tense up.
"Could it be..." Her face flushed. She thought he was about to make a move.
"Is it starting...?"
"I'm so shy..."
But then, the slow, steady sound of sleeping breaths reached her ears. This poured cold water on the overthinking Neon.
The next morning, all three of them had slept quite well. Tsumuri woke up early and went straight into work mode, heading to the Game Lobby to wait for the contestants. Raven and Neon slept in a little longer.
When Neon was about to wake up, she vaguely realized she was hugging a very large body pillow. When she fully woke up, she was shocked. The body pillow was a person!
Wait a minute... it seemed to be Raven-san!
She looked down at the figure she was using as a body pillow and quickly realized she wasn't at home; she was with Raven.
"I'll sleep a little longer, then." With that thought, Neon happily closed her eyes again.
A while later.
"Time to get up, little sleepy cat." Raven was ready to rise but found his body locked in a soft embrace. He had no choice but to remind her.
"Just a little longer..." Neon knew Tsumuri was absent and wanted to monopolize Raven a little more.
The next second, she felt a slap on her behind.
"You...! Why did you hit me so hard!" Neon sprang up like a startled cat, rubbing the area that had been struck while complaining. It seemed he had genuinely hit her hard.
"My bad, I didn't hold back the force for a moment." Raven offered a sincere apology, then added, "Shall I massage it for you?"
Upon hearing this, Neon was suddenly shy and unsure how to answer. However, she quickly turned around, presenting the area that had been struck to Raven.
The sight was certainly appealing to Raven. He immediately reached out with his "wolf claws."
"A little higher..."
"No, a little more to the left."
"Rub slowly~"
....
Shortly after receiving the summon order, Raven and Neon appeared together in the Game Lobby. The entire roster was now present.
Tsumuri announced the start of the next game.
Suddenly, a massive hole opened up beneath their feet. They fell from the sky, landing inside an enormous mansion. This was the location for the latest game.
Because the method of transport was overly jarring, everyone landed scattered and bruised on the floor.
"Ouch!"
"My old back!" The elderly gentleman struggled to get up, looking as if the game had ended for him before it even began.
"Where are we...?" Once everyone recovered, they looked around.
"This seems to be a dimensional space created by the Jyamato," Tsumuri clarified.
"Hey, hey, hey, Raven-san, look over there!" Neon suddenly noticed several figures in the distance. The two figures in the lead were Keiwa Sakurai and his sister, Sara Sakurai.
"It's Sara-nee and Keiwa!" Neon exclaimed.
"Raven-san!" Sara spotted Raven from afar. Her worried expression instantly brightened, as if she had found a savior.
Raven looked over and saw that every person in their group had a vine tied around their neck. It seemed they had been taken hostage for this round of the game. He was surprised to see Sara tied up as well.
"What in the world is going on?" Keiwa looked completely bewildered. He and his sister had simply boarded a bus. Not long after the bus started moving, the ground suddenly collapsed, and they woke up in this strange place.
"Quick! Help us take off these collars!" a chubby civilian shouted at the contestants.
Tsumuri began to explain: "These are ordinary citizens who were kidnapped by the Jyamato."
"Now, the second round, the Labyrinth Escape Game, officially begins!"
"First, the citizens will form a team with the Rider next to them!"
"Team up?" Upon hearing this, everyone immediately began pairing off.
Soon, the teams were finalized.