Their steps echoed down the hallway as they closed the distance to the cafeteria door.
Akira glanced at Airi.
Her movements were stiff, her posture rigid—but she said nothing.
This was only their second dungeon together.
He trusted her to regain her composure.
They stopped in front of the black fog.
Then—
They stepped through.
The familiar sensation returned.
All feeling vanished. Sight disappeared.
And that voice—
Screaming.
Akira's brows furrowed.
Did he… know that voice?
Why did it sound like someone he knew? A student, back—
His eyes widened.
Before he could finish the thought, the world snapped back into place.
He stood in a bustling cafeteria.
The noise hit him immediately.
Too loud.
For a brief moment, it felt like he was back in school—
somewhere safe.
Somewhere he could rest.
He shook his head.
This dungeon's passive ability to harmonise the player with its setting was annoying.
He and Airi soon found an empty table. After inspecting it for any abnormalities, both sat down.
Two bowls appeared in front of them.
Akira felt no surprise at this. He wasn't overly surprised with this development.
A cafeteria needed to serve food. That much was obvious.
He took his bowl and frowned.
This food looked very familiar…
Is this the vegetable set—
Akira stopped his thoughts before they killed them both.
One careless mistake could get them killed.
He took a bite, his thoughts wandering to when to test some of the rules.
"Akira-kun…"
A small voice entered his ears.
Akira looked at Airi.
Her head was bowed.
"…I'm sorry… for what happened after the test."
She took a bite of the food.
Akira nodded.
"Don't be sorry. Just don't repeat the same mistake."
He paused.
"Remember what I told you before?"
Airi looked at him, a small smile appearing on her face.
"Crying is good… provided it's at the right place and time."
Akira nodded.
"This is the second dungeon we've been in. So it's no surprise you're still adapting."
His voice was calm. His expression almost flat.
"The fact that you, a girl who had severe social anxiety, survived this far, shows that you have potential…"
A small pause.
"So I'm not throwing you away for a mistake that had no visible impact on me."
Sakura looked at him.
She was once a naive girl…
That changed two weeks ago.
She knew—technically, what he said wasn't wrong.
She picked at her food, a smile blooming on her face despite their grim situation.
But how could she not see that this was just an excuse to help ease her guilt?
She took a bite of the cold food.
A sharp glint flashed in her eyes.
Yotsuya Akira—
she would definitely remember his kindness…
Even if she had to put herself at risk.
Her life was only here because of him, after all.
Across the cafeteria sat three disheveled figures—one boy and two girls.
They too were players, having recently finished the dungeon's first trial.
Yet compared to Akira and Airi, who managed to calm down after finishing their trial—
"The hell do you mean I got to go first?!" the boy snapped, his voice filled with fear and anger.
"You think I'm going to risk my life just so you two can check if those two are 'players'? Like hell I will!"
His voice rose further.
"You'd have a better chance getting me to sleep with a pig!"
"Calm down, Ike-san!" a pleasant female voice rang out, urgent and hurried.
"I only said this should be done by one person and excluded Karuizawa-san since she's unresponsive! I didn't say you'd go!"
Ichinose said quickly.
"You expect me to believe that nonsense?!" Ike snapped back.
His thoughts were clearly spiraling.
"For all I know, you two will just leave me to die with these… these things!"
He shouted, uncaring of the fear slowly surfacing on Ichinose's face—or the gazes now focused on them.
"We're going to die…"
Karuizawa's voice, quiet and lifeless, rang out.
Ike fell silent.
Ichinose froze.
Yes—all this commotion, all this arguing—
was because of that single fact.
They were going to die.
No.
Ichinose stood up suddenly, catching both Ike and Karuizawa off guard.
"What are you doing, Ichinose?"
Ike asked, confused.
Karuizawa didn't even look at her.
"…What's the point?" she muttered weakly.
Ichinose didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she looked forward.
Toward the direction they had been focused on from the beginning.
The two people sitting calmly.
As if this place wasn't filled with creatures hiding under the guise of humans
When they had first entered, she had noticed them.
Their actions.
Their composure.
Players.
And from their composure. Experts too!
They had to be. Otherwise, why weren't they panicking like them?
"If we stay like this… we'll fall apart before anything even happens."
Ichinose said quietly.
Ike frowned.
"…So what are you saying?"
Ichinose turned slightly.
Her usual gentleness still there—
but now, there was firmness beneath it.
"We confirm something first."
A small pause.
"Come with me."
Ike hesitated.
"…Are you serious?"
Ichinose met his eyes.
"Do you have a better option?"
Silence.
Ike clicked his tongue.
"…Tch. Fine."
Karuizawa didn't move.
Ichinose walked over to her.
Then gently—
took her wrist.
"Just come."
Karuizawa didn't resist.
Step by step—the three of them walked across the cafeteria.
The closer they got—the clearer it became.
That calm expression. Those golden pupils. Those dark circles. That sleepy presence.
Ichinose's steps slowed.
Her eyes widened slightly.
…No way.
"Yotsuya-kun?!"
Akira raised his head slightly, expression one of suprise. He looked towards the voice, incredulity in his eyes
" ... it's actually you, class leader"
..tch and it looks like you're truly unlucky " he said with a bit of sympathy
Ichinose froze—
Ike and Karuizawa did too. They didn't know how to process this.
Kei looked at ichinose and Akira with slight disbelief " Class leader? You're telling me this guy is in Clas—"
Something entered her mouth. Kei's eyes widened as she looked at Akira with confusion and anger
Ichinose frowned at Akira's actions about to reprimand him when suddenly
" Please leave" The voice quiet and unassuming rang throughout the group
Akira continued eating. Unbothered by their stunned expressions. "You people bring more problems then benefits."
He pointed at Kei with a flat expression. "You already almost got us killed with your words. Don't forget where this is, this is Start Anew Academy"
Kei, who had been angry and confused suddenly froze. A line flashed in her mind
[Remember who you are! You are a student of Start Anew Academy!]
She swallowed the food in her mouth and looked hesitantly at Akira
".....hint 3....Did I almost break it just now?"
Akira simply looked at her not saying a word.
Ichinose's words died in her throat. Her mouth going dry
Akira looked up from his dish and looked at the three in front of him. His expression unchanged
"Leave"
The words, unfiltered, echoed across the table
Ichinose, her smile barely held together, almost burst into tears right then and there
"No way, why should we leave!" Ike kanji, shouted in dismay, completely disregarding his earlier words which contradicted these ones
Kei karuizawa looked at them in suprise.
Though she already lost any hope if surviving this place, seeing Akira and Airi had given her hope.
She didn't expect him to tell them to get lost.
She turned her eyes to ichinose, " Ichinose, didn't you say he was in your class? What's with this attitude?"
Kei clearly remembered. The students of class— ichinose's class were all goodie too shoes.
She looked at Akira's face—
Yeah no this guy is anything but good
"Did I stutter?" Akira said playing with his spoon, he turned to ichinose's group
"Less than 3 minutes and you already almost got us killed"
He smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes
"Sorry but I don't like walking with hazards around me" He said lightly, sarcasm
"Akira-kun, karuizawa-san didn't mean what she did. Can you ju—"
"That makes it even worse"
Another voice cut off ichinose, who was attempting to salvage the situation
Everyone's attention was now on the other pink haired girl, she sat with her shoulders slightly hunched over but her eyes were sharp
"Intentional means that it can be controlled, but unintentionally means that she can kill us without even realising it"
Her voice didn't raise and her posture looked like she was barely holding herself from falling
"Why are you saying this! Aren't we classmates!? Shouldn't we try to work this out together"
Ichinose finally couldn't hold it in
She had managed to mediate tensions between Ike and Kei since they arrived!
She had calmed them both when Ryuen was eaten by that black fog!
She had been the one to lead them out of that nightmare trial!
She couldn't even process this and yet the only familiar person she knew didn't even want to help her!
"What you're doing is not only stupid but selfish! What you should be doing is—"
Her voice cut off
She was suddenly aware of just how many eyes were on them
10?
30?
100?
Maybe even a 1000. All staring right at them
Akira looked at the 'students' and sighed
"Class leader, you're really causing me trouble"
He tensed, his expression tight as he looked at the gazes directed their way.
His thoughts raced before he closed his eyes
"....Sit...."
The rest of the people on the table were snapped out of their thoughts and looked at him
Akira, his left hand hidden under the table looked coldly at the 3 standing in front of him
" You don't want to leave.....so sit....the ....fuck.....down."
His voice cut through like a blade
Ichinose shivered as she stared into those familiar golden pupils
Mako-chan? So you like this type huh?
End of chapter 4