After escaping the source of the thunderous footsteps, Kanade Natsukawa and Kaguya Shinomiya began searching every room they encountered.
Unfortunately, they found no sign of the "restless soul" mentioned by the elderly NPC. This only reinforced their belief that it wasn't some abstract clue but rather another student acting as an NPC.
Even with that understanding, they still hadn't uncovered anything that might lead them to complete the challenge. However, their efforts weren't entirely fruitless—they discovered several "special items" scattered throughout the rooms:
Bell of Suppression: When rung loudly in front of the "Butcher," it immobilizes him for 5 seconds. However, it loses its effect after one use.
(Hint: Shake the bell vigorously to ensure it's loud enough for the Butcher to hear! If the sound is too faint, he might not notice!)Invisibility Talisman: Sticking this on your forehead grants invisibility for 20 seconds. Once the time runs out, the effect dissipates.
(Hint: Avoid making loud noises while invisible, or you'll still draw the Butcher's attention!)Token of Affection: A keepsake from a young maiden's lover, carrying great sentimental value.
(Hint: Don't discard it thinking it's useless! This is the most important item—keep it in mind!)Taunting Doll: A doll with an extremely irritating appearance. Waving it in front of the "Butcher" will attract his attention. However, the wielder will be relentlessly pursued, and discarding the doll won't help.
(Hint: Use this item carefully if you don't want nightmares! It's best paired with another item for self-defense. Be brave, young adventurers!)
"..."
As someone with some experience in similar games, Kanade immediately grasped the situation.
Items, a chasing mechanic, and a touch of puzzle-solving—it all screamed survival horror RPG. This time, though, it was a live-action, first-person experience. His heart rate was sure to spike any moment now.
"I think I've figured out how we're supposed to clear this," Kanade murmured. Seeing Kaguya's curious expression, he began explaining.
"In scenarios like this, we call it a horror role-playing game. You don't need to overthink the details—just remember the core concept. We use these items to evade the boss's pursuit and find the means to survive, or in this case, clear the challenge."
"The 'Butcher' mentioned in the hint notes is probably the source of those heavy footsteps we heard earlier. Initially, I thought we just needed to avoid him and find the 'restless soul.' But after seeing these items, it's clear we'll have to confront him directly."
"Huh? Isn't it just about finding a staff member to stamp our card?" Kaguya asked, puzzled.
"It's not that simple," Kanade replied, shaking his head. "We've searched all the rooms on this floor and only found these items. That suggests our target is likely in one of the rooms on the first floor, which is undoubtedly guarded by the 'Butcher.'"
"Based on how these games usually work, the Butcher likely has a set patrol pattern. For example, when we go downstairs and he spots us, he'll chase us. But if we return to the second floor, he won't follow."
"We've been on this floor for almost five minutes and haven't seen or heard him once. That suggests he's restricted to the first floor. For more specifics… we'll need to go down and observe."
Kanade hesitated.
Heading downstairs meant Kaguya would have to accompany him, as they couldn't break the rule of holding hands. Though the house was shrouded in darkness, making it difficult for any cameras to track them clearly, it was likely still possible to tell if they separated.
"Of course, if you'd rather not, we can forfeit the challenge. We'd just miss out on the 'Courage Medal,' but we can still participate in other activities," Kanade suggested.
"Rather not? Why would I?" Kaguya asked, confused.
"Uh… I mean, going to… confront the Butcher. We haven't seen him yet, but I doubt he's something you can calmly ignore once you do," Kanade said, trying to put it delicately.
"..."
Kaguya felt underestimated.
"Don't worry, President. The Shinomiya family fears nothing—only others fear us. So proceed with your plan. I'll support you fully."
"..."
Fine. If you insist…
Kanade took Kaguya's hand and carefully led her downstairs. Peering over the railing, he observed the central corridor.
Just as he'd suspected, a massive figure stood at the far end, blocking the only path forward. The figure was over two meters tall, with a frame rivaling that of a heavyweight sumo wrestler. It remained stationary, completely obstructing the hallway.
Kanade refrained from using the flashlight to avoid alerting the figure. In the dim surroundings, he couldn't make out its features but could discern its silhouette. This actually reassured him—he was sure the figure's face was painted with a terrifyingly realistic design, and not seeing it spared them the added stress of that visual.
After confirming the figure's location and noting no other paths, Kanade withdrew and whispered to Kaguya.
"I'm certain now. The restless soul is either in one of the rooms behind the Butcher or possibly in one of the rooms we passed earlier."
"Either way, we can't avoid him. He won't just let us walk past. That's where the items come in," Kanade explained.
"For example, we can use the 'Invisibility Talisman' to check the rooms ahead. Then, we could use the 'Taunting Doll' to lure him away and the 'Bell of Suppression' to immobilize him for a short time. During that window, we can search the remaining rooms and give the 'Token of Affection' to the soul. That should complete the challenge."
"..."
Kaguya was a bit overwhelmed.
She couldn't fathom how Kanade had devised such a comprehensive plan so quickly. While she understood the items' functions, she had only thought of using them to escape in emergencies.
Still, she trusted Kanade completely. She was confident he'd guide them through this challenge perfectly.
With her agreement, Kanade decisively placed the Invisibility Talisman on his forehead and led Kaguya boldly into the Butcher's line of sight.
To ensure the talisman was visible, Kanade even shone his flashlight on his head to demonstrate its use.
The massive figure hesitated for a moment but then began walking toward them, heavy footsteps echoing through the hallway.
Kanade was stunned but quickly pieced together the problem—it was likely their movement or the flashlight that had triggered the Butcher's attention, as the hint notes had warned.
Ideally, the Butcher should have returned to his position after losing interest.
But instead of turning back, the figure's steps quickened. It seemed to be breaking into a run.
"What?" Kanade's eyes widened. Why isn't the NPC following the rules? Didn't the talisman make us invisible?
Just as he was about to break character and call out to clarify the game mechanics, Kaguya tugged at his sleeve.
"President, we should run before he catches us," she urged.
"…Fine," Kanade sighed, agreeing reluctantly. He resolved to find the old NPC woman later to get to the bottom of this.
He led Kaguya back upstairs at a brisk pace, the Butcher stopping his pursuit only once they reached the second floor. The figure then turned and slowly returned to its original position.
"As I thought, the Butcher's range is limited to the first floor," Kanade mused. I wasn't wrong about that, but what about the talisman?
Could it be that someone else had used it earlier, leading the Butcher to think it could only work once per game?
While Kanade pondered this, Kaguya suddenly spoke up.
"President, could it be… that the talisman only works for one person at a time?" she suggested.
Just a moment ago, Kaguya Shinomiya had clearly felt it.
The Butcher's gaze, which initially locked onto Kanade Natsukawa, had immediately shifted to her. Even its heavy steps had adjusted to her direction.
Though it seemed like they were both being pursued, Kaguya couldn't shake the feeling that she was the true target, and Kanade was simply standing nearby by coincidence.
"That can't be right. If that's how it works, then this item is completely useless. We're supposed to stay connected the whole time, aren't we?" Kanade said, puzzled.
"..."
Kaguya fell silent.
At this point, she had no choice but to reveal the truth. But what if Kanade misunderstood her? What if he thought she… she… really liked him or something?!
No, no, no! That would be too embarrassing!
She hesitated, unsure whether to speak up or not.
But before she could decide, someone else made the choice for her.
"What are you still doing here? Get out immediately! In three minutes, you'll be trapped here forever!"
The hunched old woman NPC appeared again, this time kindly offering a countdown reminder.
"..."
Kanade sighed in relief at the timely interruption. Without delay, he recounted the incident with the talisman and asked if it was because someone else had already used it.
The old woman didn't answer directly. Instead, she raised an eyebrow and gave Kaguya a peculiar, probing look, sending a wave of unease through her.
"Perhaps you're right," the NPC finally said. "But don't worry about that now. If the talisman doesn't work, use your remaining items to escape."
Without waiting for a response, the old woman hobbled away on her cane.
"..."
Kanade was speechless. What's with these students? They're all so unprofessional, even showing such attitude to the Student Council President! I'll have to investigate who's playing this role and remember their face!
For now, however, the priority was figuring out how to clear the challenge. The time limit made sense—it was just a game, after all, and they couldn't hold up the queue outside forever.
"In that case, we'll use the 'Taunting Doll' to lure the Butcher away, then freeze him with the 'Bell of Suppression.' That should give us enough time to check the rooms," Kanade proposed.
Kaguya didn't object, though her mind lingered on the NPC's unsettling gaze. The makeup and costume only added to her discomfort.
With the plan set, they didn't delay further. The two boldly reappeared before the Butcher and activated the Taunting Doll.
"Hey, big guy, come and get me!"
The doll's obnoxious voice taunted.
The Butcher roared in anger and charged at them. Even as they retreated up the stairs, it continued its relentless pursuit.
"It works!" Kanade and Kaguya exchanged relieved glances.
At least the other items weren't faulty. Without them, they'd be in serious trouble.
Keeping just out of the Butcher's reach, the pair led it down the hallway to a dead end.
Kanade watched the massive figure approach, calculating the safe distance.
Closer… closer… Now!
As the Butcher reached the final moment of proximity, Kanade pulled out the Bell of Suppression and shook it vigorously.
Sure enough, the Butcher froze in place.
"Keep your head down and don't look up," Kanade whispered before grabbing Kaguya's hand and running past the immobilized figure.
They had to make the most of the time. Otherwise, all their efforts would be wasted.
Kaguya obediently kept her head low, resisting the temptation to sneak a peek at the Butcher's face. She stayed focused, following Kanade's lead.
However, her compliance caused her to overlook the staircase ahead. Before she realized it, she was barreling toward the edge, ready to tumble.
"Watch out!"
Kanade reacted quickly, pulling her back and saving her from falling.
"Ah…" Kaguya winced, feeling a slight sting from the sudden movement, but she also found herself enveloped in a warm embrace.
!!!
He's hugging me! He's actually hugging me!!!
"Are you okay, Kaguya?" Kanade asked, his voice filled with concern.
He was entirely focused on her well-being, worried that the sudden pull might have hurt her.
"I'm fine, thank you, President…" Kaguya stammered, her face flushing.
The dim lighting thankfully hid her expression. Otherwise, she'd have died of embarrassment on the spot.
Relieved by her response, Kanade was about to exhale when the heavy footsteps resumed behind them.
The Butcher was on the move again.
The oppressive atmosphere returned in full force. Without hesitation, Kanade grabbed Kaguya's hand to run again. But as he moved, he heard her soft gasp.
"Ah…"
He stopped and turned to her, noting her attempt to mask her condition. But the slight tremble in her stance betrayed her.
"Did you sprain your ankle?"
"..."
Kaguya couldn't lie to him, so she nodded silently.
This wasn't good. Kanade realized they might not have enough time left. With the Butcher chasing them, escaping seemed nearly impossible.
If that was the case…
"It's okay, President. You should go on without me. It's just a little pain; I'll manage—ah!?"
Before she could finish, Kanade scooped her into his arms.
"Apologies. You can yell at me later, but we need to move now," Kanade said firmly, already running.
He didn't have time to worry about anything else. His mind was set—he would push through to clear this challenge.
Because this was his pride as a gamer.
Never give up until the final second!