Asuna let out a long sigh and rubbed her forehead, looking utterly defeated.
"You're way too confident. I don't even know where to start complaining."
After that, Asagiri and Asuna shared the reward information they had received after clearing the Dungeon.
"Red Epic quality!?"
The mont Kotoko heard the rarity of the Hourglass of Reversal, and what it could do, her composure cracked. Her eyes widened, and even her voice rose without permission.
"Rewinding ti by one minute, it activates automatically if the holder dies, and you keep your mories through the rewind? That's…"
"That's enough," Asagiri said smoothly, waving a hand as if brushing away smoke. "You don't need to repeat the sa shock lines Asuna already used."
"…Fair." Kotoko nodded, recovering quickly. She took a small sip of black tea, then set the cup down.
The playful smile vanished from her face. In its place ca a calm seriousness.
"Now that we've cleared this Dungeon, if we want to enter another one… counting the seven day cooldown plus the three day early registration window, the earliest we can go is ten days from now."
Kotoko's gaze shifted between them.
"Do you have any thoughts on our next steps?"
"Our next steps…"
Both Asuna and Kotoko looked at him at the sa ti, clearly waiting for their Leader to speak.
Asagiri put on a thoughtful expression, as if weighing the fate of the world.
Then he said, "Exercise regularly, watch your diet, and get enough sleep."
Asuna stared at him.
"…Is that a public service announcent for children? That's it? Nothing else?"
"What else do you want?" Asagiri spread his hands, completely at ease. "Sure, we can use our powers in reality. You can activate exclusive sword skills. Your talent can even boost your speed by killing enemies."
His tone stayed casual, but his eyes were sharp.
"The problem is, who exactly are we supposed to fight? Other Players? Or are we all going to cosplay as righteous Kan Riders and start beating up 'evil' on the street? That's not realistic."
"…Not necessarily."
Kotoko's eyes lit up as if a switch had flipped. She raised one slender finger, and a bright smile returned to her cute face.
"Actually, many of the requests that yokai pass to involve force. Things like cleansing cursed objects from certain places, or eliminating a terrifying Banshee that refuses communication."
She leaned forward slightly, like she was presenting a brilliant bargain.
"If you're willing to help handle those requests, you can get real combat practice in the real world. You'll beco familiar with your power, grow through actual fighting, and most importantly…"
Kotoko smiled sweetly.
"…you'll earn my gratitude."
"The last part is irrelevant," Asuna said imdiately, annoyance slipping out before she could stop it.
Then she paused, thinking.
"But… helping you deal with strange incidents is actually a good idea. We need to get used to our skills outside of Dungeons too. I don't want to beco the kind of Player who's strong on paper but useless in an actual fight."
Asuna turned toward him, about to call him by habit.
"Utsunomiya do…"
She stopped.
Kotoko's earlier "Asagiri" echoed in her head. Heat rose in her cheeks, and a stubborn glint flashed in her eyes. She forced her tone to stay calm.
"Asagiri, it's your call. I'll follow your decision."
Asagiri chuckled. "You'll follow my decision? Then can you wear a bunny girl outfit for to see?"
Asuna's face turned red instantly, half furious, half mortified.
"You… Stop saying nonsense! We're talking about serious matters!"
"I am talking about serious matters."
The frivolous smile vanished from Asagiri's face as if soone had shut it off. His expression turned sharp, steady, and unexpectedly sincere.
He t Asuna's eyes directly.
"Even my judgnt isn't always right. If you keep agreeing with , if you keep following my thought process, then our team will eventually fall into a trap. One day, that mistake will cost us."
His voice stayed calm, but the weight behind it was real.
"So I want you, as my teammate, to think independently and give the answer you truly believe is right."
Asuna went still.
Only now did she realize it clearly.
Ever since she beca a Player, ever since she t Asagiri in that hospital room, she had been relying on him.
No, more than that.
She had been leaning on him too much.
Asagiri had noticed long ago.
Asuna had strengths. She could stay calm under pressure, think logically even in danger, and execute decisions with frightening efficiency once she committed. But she also had a weakness she could no longer ignore.
She wasn't used to thinking for herself.
Or rather, she had never been allowed to.
As a girl raised in an elite household, her life had been arranged step by step. School. Transfers. Living alone in Tokyo. Even the path that brought her to Shuchiin had been decided by soone else. She had followed it because that was what she had always done.
"In that case…"
Asuna pressed her lips together, hesitating only for a mont.
"My suggestion is this. If we can make sure our identities as Players aren't exposed, then I vote yes."
"Good." Asagiri nodded, satisfied, as if approving an exam answer. "I agree too."
He said it lightly, but his next words carried an edge.
"There are only a little over twenty days left until the ga difficulty increases."
"Huh?" Asuna blinked. "Difficulty increases? What do you an?"
Kotoko's brows rose as well, curiosity sharpening her gaze.
Asagiri's tone stayed even. "Isn't it obvious?"
He leaned back slightly, speaking like it was simple arithtic.
"This ga increases in difficulty every month because every Player must clear a Dungeon within thirty days. aning even if soone tries to hide and never queues up, once the deadline hits, they're forced in."
He tapped his finger lightly, once, against the sofa arm.
"They either die, or they clear it."
Asuna's expression tightened.
"So every month, the number of Players drops, the average strength goes up, and the Dungeons get harder."
"…That…"
Asuna's brows furrowed, unease settling into her chest.
"What's the end goal of this ga? Clearing it? Or… does it only end when all Players are dead?"
"It's unlikely it's that kind of malicious ga." Asagiri shook his head, a faint smile returning.
"If the purpose was just to watch Players suffer and die, then it wouldn't include Dungeons like the Hotel, where the clear condition is basically survival with a generous margin."
His gaze sharpened, thoughtful.
"Rather than pure cruelty… this feels more like the ga is using dangerous Dungeons to force Players to grow. ntally, and in power."
He paused, letting the uncertainty hang.
"As for why… we don't have enough information yet."
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