Can we reconcile?

"Let's put that aside for now. The most important thing right now is to understand our surroundings and find a way to contact Bai Yuze so he knows we're still alive."

Yukino stood up to observe the area. The room was somewhat dim, but it didn't hinder her vision. The room was similar to the one upstairs, but the environment was damp, moss grew on the walls, and there was a faint scent of mold and decay in the air.

"It looks like we might have accidentally stumbled into the basement Bai Yuze mentioned. But why didn't he come here?"

Yukino pondered, and at that moment, Tuanzi muttered softly.

"Could it be... never mind."

"Hm? Is there something you want to say, Yuigahama-san? Feel free to speak your mind; it's just you and me here."

"Forget it, Yukino, you just make the decision."

Tuanzi waved her hands in refusal, but Yukino put on a serious expression.

"How much longer do you intend to keep up this act, Yuigahama-san?"

"Ah...? What are you talking about, Yukino? And your expression is so strange..."

Tuanzi looked around guiltily, hoping to find something to change the subject.

"Still pretending? You're clearly so smart, Yuigahama-san, so why play the fool?"

If someone inexplicably behaves in a way that leaves others speechless, they might truly be a fool, but someone who acts abnormally in specific situations is definitely not a fool.

"I... I don't know what you're talking about..."

"Are you willing to become a laughingstock just to cater to others?"

"I... I'm afraid of making mistakes..."

Yukino walked up to Tuanzi and stared intently at her. At the first sign of eye contact, Tuanzi instinctively turned her head away.

But Yukino reached out and forced Tuanzi to look at her.

"I need you, Yuigahama-san."

Yukino's calm words sent a massive wave through Tuanzi's heart. This was the first time someone had chosen her so firmly.

"I... am I really okay?"

"If it were anyone else, I wouldn't be sure, but if it's you, I'm willing to believe. After all, we only have each other now."

"Only... each other..."

Tuanzi... no, Yuigahama Yui kept repeating these words. At this moment, the silly Tuanzi facade had faded, and about to take the stage was the confident Master Yuigahama Yui!

"Yuigahama-san, you care a lot about Bai Yuze, don't you? If you don't catch up to him properly, he'll be snatched away by someone else sooner or later."

Seeing that Yuigahama Yui was just one step away from a breakthrough, Yukino dropped another bombshell.

"Snatched... snatched away!"

In Yuigahama Yui's mind, an image appeared of Bai Yuze walking toward the gates of happiness with another woman, while she could only hide in a dark corner, peeking at a sliver of light.

"Absolutely not!" Yuigahama Yui looked resistant. "Yukino! We have to get out of here quickly. Bai Yuze needs our help; we can't just pray for others to come and save us."

Now taking the stage was Yuigahama Yui with all her performance stats overclocked!

"Ah... okay..."

Yukino hadn't expected such a huge reaction from Yuigahama Yui just from a casual remark.

"Then let's start with how we ended up here."

"Right, I remember counting the steps in my head, and then I saw a giant tentacle attacking me, and I instinctively backed away... wait!"

Yuigahama Yui hurriedly rummaged through her pockets, and a moment later, she pulled out a slip of paper.

"What is this?"

"This is the note Bai Yuze showed us. He said he memorized it all. I remember there was a hint that looked like a poem on it. Look, it's this part."

"'Do not swallow a lifetime of sweetness in one gulp'—does that mean the monster likes to eat candy?"

"Exactly, but the word 'lifetime' is quite heavy. I suspect this poem is describing that candy-loving monster. It might have experienced something painful, so the sweetness of candy is a 'lifetime of sweetness' to it."

"Hmm, that makes sense."

Yukino was very glad she had helped Yuigahama Yui regain her confidence, and Yuigahama Yui's brilliant performance did not disappoint her expectations.

"Look at these two lines: 'Seeking light in the darkness is a fool's errand' and 'Darkness has its own survival, light has its own future.' We are currently in the 'darkness,' so the most important thing for us now is to find a way to 'survive' in this darkness."

"Yes, and it seems we might be able to send some messages to Bai Yuze."

"Oh? Does Yukino have any new insights?"

"Well, since the hint tells us that seeking light in the darkness is a fool's errand, it means we can't find our way out by 'groping in the dark'."

"Hmm... oh! I see! You mean we should treat the idea of 'finding a way out' as a pursuit, right?"

"Exactly. That's also what the poem implies by saying 'one must always have something to pursue in life.' Once you have a pursuit, you have a clear goal."

Yukino smiled faintly, and Yuigahama Yui added, full of energy.

"Then let's give it a try right now!"

On the other side, Bai Yuze sat on the stairs, carefully recalling the rules and the conflict surrounding the disappearance of the two girls.

"Could it be that one of them counted the steps?"

Suddenly! He thought of the suffix hint attached to that rule.

(One step more is heaven, one step less is the void)

"So that's it. No wonder they disappeared so suddenly."

Under normal circumstances, not everyone has the habit of counting steps while climbing stairs, but there is always someone who does.

The reason the rule warned against counting steps was intended to prevent people from taking a step backward while climbing.

After all, who would inexplicably step backward while climbing stairs? Bai Yuze vaguely remembered that at the moment before the two girls vanished, he had heard Yuigahama Yui cry out in alarm.

Bai Yuze guessed that the rule had caused Yuigahama Yui to hallucinate, making her believe something was attacking her, forcing her to take a step back and fall into the "void."

"Then, if I repeat that, would I also be able to enter this so-called 'void'?"

Bai Yuze stood up and immediately began his experiment, but no matter how hard he tried, he did not feel even a hint of weightlessness.

"Is the void full?"

Bai Yuze sighed helplessly and continued upward to search for Yamauchi Haruki.

Before long, he found Yamauchi Haruki curled up on the second-floor landing, covering his eyes.

"Heh, you ran quite fast. I remember telling you that you'd only survive if you were obedient, right?"

Facing Bai Yuze's intimidation, Yamauchi Haruki showed no reaction, remaining curled up with his eyes covered.

Bai Yuze stared at Yamauchi Haruki for a moment, then chuckled.

"So that's how it is. This actually makes things easier for me. Since you're fine, come back with me."

With that, Bai Yuze turned to leave. The moment he turned his back, Yamauchi Haruki, who had been curled on the ground, moved.

He bared his fangs and lunged to bite Bai Yuze, but just as he was about to succeed—

Bai Yuze spun around, and with a swift strike of his blade, he severed Yamauchi Haruki's head.

"Heh, I didn't expect that before I could deal with you, you'd already been dealt with by a supernatural entity. If I recall correctly, those two eyeballs seem to belong to Yuan Xing, don't they?"

Bai Yuze hadn't expected Yuan Xing's vitality to be so tenacious; even with only two eyeballs left, he could still survive and possess Yamauchi Haruki.

Bai Yuze used his blade to pry the two eyeballs out. As they rolled onto the ground, he prepared to swing his blade down to crush them.

Yuan Xing's pleading voice drifted over.

"Hiss. Can we reach a settlement?"

"Oh? At a time like this? You must be joking."

Bai Yuze let out a soft laugh, and with a swift strike, he completely destroyed Yuan Xing's final means of resurrection.