Chapter 148

"Slippery as he may be, I don't mind helping him out a little after I return. With both sides at war, there will be plenty of opportunities to fish in troubled waters." Yuki had already made his plans. His specialty is killing, and simple, direct random dungeons are perfect for him.

"Okay, I'll go with you." Hayasaka Ai nodded without hesitation.

"Don't rush, you're still not out of danger. I told you that once you're out of surveillance, you won't need to expend too much effort." Yuki didn't agree; he was always cautious. "By the way, how's the young lady at home?"

"That's exactly what I was going to tell you." Hayasaka Ai took a sip of coffee, seemingly considering her words, before finally saying, "Kaguya- san is definitely a player. I checked the mansion records when I came back this time; she disappeared for two days under the pretext of attending cram school, and she also didn't join the student council as promised."

"You mentioned this last time, and then, didn't you say you wanted to have a proper talk?" Yuki suddenly remembered the last time he returned, wondering why there was still no result.

"I can't talk to her about this. Miss has hated betrayal since she was a child, and this flaw will definitely be amplified after she becomes a player. If she knows that I am also a player, she will definitely overthink things."

"Are you worried that she won't trust you and will instead distance herself from you?"

"It's not that bad. Anyway, her personality is quite complicated, and sometimes I can't even explain it to her." Hayasaka squeezed her thighs together slightly, feeling a bit speechless, a bit ashamed, and there were other things she couldn't tell this idiot.

Kaguya Shinomiya is, of course, complicated. One moment she's an ice sculpture, the next she's a silly goose. Even someone as professional as you would be so embarrassed that you'd break down.

Yuki started imagining the girl in his mind, but as he thought about it, he realized something was wrong.

Disappeared for two days? That seems a bit of a coincidence.

When did she get back?

"This morning, but I checked the tutoring center's records, she should have been back yesterday, deliberately misleading others." Hayasaka glanced at Yuki and whispered, "She's very smart and cautious."

Yesterday?

The girl, pretending to be an ice sculpture, with her bow and arrow, refused to reveal her face; oh, and it was quite flat...

Yuki wasn't stupid; he wasn't incapable of guessing while in the dungeon, but rather too lazy to do so.

A random player you're temporarily teaming up with isn't worth expending any effort on, just like a veteran soldier wouldn't want to ask a new recruit's name.

The probability is probably around 30%. If it's true, that would be quite interesting.

Yuki stroked his chin, his mindset quite calm. So what if Moon Bow really was Kaguya Shinomiya?

He didn't cross any lines in the instance, nor did he devour Kaguya Shinomiya, so he didn't cause any conflict with Hayasaka Ai.

"Where is she?" Yuki barely finished speaking when he saw the wary look in her eyes and couldn't help but chuckle, "It's not what you think. Do you take me for a pervert who's in heat all year round?"

"You're not exactly a pervert, but you're a pig-headed boy, and I absolutely forbid you from laying a hand on Miss." Hayasaka Ai was tense, her expression uncompromising.

"Fine, fine, I'm an idiot." Yuki, licked his lips, and said, "It's possible that I've already met that Kaguya-sama in the dungeon. I need to confirm that now."

Is it really such a coincidence?

Hayasaka Ai looked suspicious, and thinking about the return time, she became even more suspicious for a moment, but she also became somewhat interested.

She knew Yuki's temperament well. This man didn't judge people by their appearance; he only looked at their worth. Even in Bloodthirsty Red Moon, he treated her and Mai Sakurajima the same way.

My only worry is that Kaguya might be persecuted or develop feelings of fear.

"She should be nearby. The young lady's tracking skills have improved, but they're still clumsy."

"You've revealed that you're a player?"

"It only reveals a tiny bit of suspicion, but Miss will definitely investigate." Hayasaka Ai elegantly picked up her water glass, like a little devil. "I bet she's squatting in some corner right now, overthinking things."

Yuki looked at her and noticed her sadistic side was burning. He casually asked, "Did you make any contingency plans?"

"Yes, after discovering that she might be a player, I took advantage of the upcoming summer vacation to submit a plan to suspend my studies abroad under the guise of a young lady. I can leave at any time, and the Forest Sea Labyrinth was also just an excuse for preliminary preparations."

Planning ahead in advance truly demonstrates professionalism.

Upon discovering the problem, she immediately thought of Kaijun. Kaguya Shinomiya Hayasaka truly lucky to have Hayasaka; where else can you find such a reliable maid?

Yuki was amazed, but upon closer reflection, he realized the plan was missing a crucial component:

Kaguya Shinomiya has to trust her. If she doesn't, someone has to knock her unconscious and take her away when something goes wrong, and that person absolutely cannot be Hayasaka.

"Wait, you weren't planning to dump the problem on me all along, were you?"

Unashamed at being exposed, Hayasaka Ai put down her cup, leaned forward, and brought her mouth close to Yuki's ear:

"Mai Sakurajima- senpai's hands feel amazing, right? Should I get a little revenge?"

Hayasaka is a player, so she must be a player.

In a narrow alley, Kaguya Shinomiya paced back and forth, as if countless voices were arguing in her head.

She sensed something was wrong before the second instance even started, but didn't have time to verify it. This time, however, she was much more cautious.

First, she monitored the cram school and, as expected, discovered that Hayasaka Ai had gone there to verify her whereabouts.

Secondly, Hayasaka Ai often stayed in her room, and it was unclear who she was talking to or what she was discussing. When asked indirectly, she would deflect the questions by claiming it was personal privacy.

Finally, the maid went out this morning and easily shook off her, her tracking skills having been tested in real combat.

Each of these points, taken individually, might be explained by a maid's duties or a personal romance, but when taken together, they reek of conspiracy.

"I specifically practiced tracking in Yadu Town. No matter how skilled Hayasaka is, an ordinary person wouldn't be able to detect her."

Kaguya glanced at her bodysuit and the helmet hanging on the motorcycle next to her. This was her most prized disguise, designed to create a sense of contrast.

With her high mobility, no one could possibly associate a rich young lady with a sassy girl.

Now that we've confirmed she's a player, the key is to figure out what to do.

Kaguya forced herself to calm down, but couldn't think of any solution.

Having been in the Reincarnation Game for less than two weeks, I've only just emerged from the initial confusion. I roughly understand the game's rules and realize that playing against other players is far more dangerous than in the dungeon, and even more so in real life.

'And the person I trust and am closest to is a player? She's still contacting other players? And secretly verifying my identity?'

She could accept that it was just a player, but the involvement of a third party made her feel a shameful betrayal, and countless images flashed through her mind.

There was Hayasaka Ai standing in front of her bed holding a murder weapon, and there was also a maid leading a group of players to her door, pointing a finger:

She is a young lady from the Shinomiya Clan, and she is very wealthy.

That's not the worst part. If Hayasaka has connections with the Shinomiya Clan, that would be truly terrible.

Kaguya has discovered that her father's illness is being interfered with by Transcendental Grade forces, and has deduced that a powerful force has emerged within the Shinomiya Group. As an ordinary person, she can be ignored, but it's a different story for a player.

The life-or-death struggle in the game will extend into reality; you either obey orders or die.

"Is it a case of subordinates rebelling against superiors? Or is it related to Yellow Light? I have a very bad feeling about this guy lately."

"Is Hayasaka a spy he planted? I knew it when she came back last time, she was hesitant and seemed to have something to say."

"But betrayal is absolutely unacceptable."

Kaguya stopped abruptly, her eyes losing their sparkle, and she radiated an icy aura that kept people at a distance, deterring several people who wanted to approach her.

The girl, frozen in ice, began to consider the worst-case scenario, but just then, a somewhat familiar voice barged in.

"Hey, Moon Bow."

"Who?" Kaguya answered instinctively, but her head had only turned halfway when she froze, like a real ice sculpture, as if even her blood had stopped flowing.

I... I actually answered?

This was an unacceptable mistake, but in the midst of his contemplation, someone suddenly called out his code name, their mouth moving faster than their head.

The words had already been spoken and could not be taken back. She slowly raised her head and saw red eyes similar to her own. She blinked, momentarily stunned.

Wait, it's him?

Chapter Seven: Don't Persecute My Master! (5K)

Li Dan.

The player who left the deepest impression on me was undeniably professional, and his strength was worlds apart from mine. Thanks to him, I also received a very high mission rating.

However, the two did not have much personal interaction, and Kaguya was not used to the other party's assertive attitude, even if a strong person should have such an attitude.

After being brutally beaten by the Reincarnation Game, Kaguya's mentality has improved a lot. Her knowledge, status, and wealth are nothing in the game, but there are still some things in her heart that she can't let go of. Just like how her rationality tells her that she should distance herself from Hayasaka Ai, who has become a player, but she just can't accept it no matter what.

So when she saw Yuki, she was at a loss. Even with the wig, she wasn't confident she could fool this detail-oriented player. The helmet was right there, but putting it on now felt like burying her head in the sand.

It really is you, Kaguya Shinomiya.

The girl was wearing a wig and sunglasses, but her face was finally visible, and her subconscious reaction earlier confirmed her identity.

Yuki's mindset was completely different, a mixture of composure and joy, like reading a captivating novel and discovering a familiar character upon turning back the page.

There's no need to be happy, because he didn't give her any special treatment throughout the entire instance. He simply made the best use of her. Kaguya Shinomiya should be grateful to the Reincarnation Game for giving her the identity of an 'Undercover'.

There's no need to worry. Yuki doesn't believe he's crossed any lines; you can't even see his face. He's not that desperate.

Therefore, he remained calm. If anyone was panicking, it was Kaguya. He only needed to enjoy the young lady's helplessness.

Seeing her quickly take half a step back, Yuki stood still and said with a hint of sarcasm, "Are you sure this beat-up motorcycle is faster than me?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Kaguya froze. She had seen how fast this man was; a mere few meters was enough to kill her ten times over.

What can we do? We can't escape, and we can't fight back. We're completely outmatched.

Kaguya felt her heart rate jump to 160, but she remained indifferent and took out a small pistol from her pocket.

"There's a huge population here, so there must be a lot of players. They'll come as soon as I fire."

She had prepared in advance and had more than a dozen ways to deal with it.

Kaguya exudes negative energy, as if recognizing her identity would be Muzan Kibutsuji to the player, making it seem like they'd have to play Kaguya.

Yuki understood her perfectly; he had been just as cautious during his own two previous returnes, imagining the worst possible outcome for his kind.

He stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "I bet you don't dare to shoot, or rather, you can't shoot."

Kaguya just couldn't pull it down. She knew how terrifying this monster was; she had witnessed the powerful Giant Wolf Priest being killed and then expressionlessly slaughtering hundreds of fanatics.

No matter how unwilling she was, she had to admit that she was genuinely a little afraid of this monster.

'He doesn't respond to threats; he's certain I'll die if he shoots, which means he's convinced I won't dare.'

Kaguya disliked this feeling of waiting to die, her lifeless eyes gleaming. "What value do I have that you need to come all this way to find me?"

"When did I say I came here specifically to see you? Can't we just bump into each other while taking a walk?"

"Please don't insult our intelligence. To be honest, I do have some resources, but I definitely can't give you what you want, and it would only cause trouble."

The girl offered her honest advice, Yuki immediately understood where this negative energy came from:

She takes the name 'Shinomiya' too seriously, as if finding her means players have gained a ticket to compete for the Shijo Conglomerate.

Your ability to make connections is truly remarkable; I suppose this is a kind of acknowledgment of my abilities.

Yuki shook his head, preparing to continue applying pressure, when the maid's voice came through the earpiece.

"Ahem, that's enough. If Master embarrasses himself like this, I'll feel ashamed too." Hayasaka Ai, who was listening, covered her face, making the sound of a kettle boiling.

"Hey, you're the one who dumped the problem on me."

"The point is to gain the lady's trust, not to satisfy your perverse tastes. I'll reward you if you do well, okay?"

That's more like it.

Yuki had been waiting for those words. Looking at the almost desperate girl in the distance, his cold expression relaxed slightly, which only made Kaguya Shinomiya more nervous.

She is inherently suspicious, Yuki's seemingly benevolent expression only makes her more dangerous.

Damn, this woman is such a hassle.

Yuki adjusted his micro-expressions once more, his tone slightly more relaxed. "I have no interest in intrigue or power struggles, nor do I want to get involved in the conflicts between conglomerates."

"Then why did you come to see me?" Kaguya was full of questions, thinking to herself that this person was really crazy, why did his attitude keep changing?

Yuki raised her hand, signaling her not to rush, and continued, "You've heard of 'Day,' haven't you?"

"Hmm, the organization those two players belong to, the Phantom Thief told you about it." Kaguya was still a little confused. What did the events in this dungeon have to do with her? Could it be that the people from that organization wanted revenge, and this man was here to protect her?

How could that be? He doesn't even have basic gentlemanly manners, let alone chivalry.

"Zhou Ye my enemy. This is a cross-corporation player organization that recruits a group of skilled individuals with generous real-world resources. Hmm, judging from your expression, I understand now; the Shinomiya Clan is part of this organization."

Before Yuki could finish speaking, he saw Kaguya's red eyes narrow slightly. She knew that there were players in the Shijo Conglomerate, but she didn't expect them to be playing this big.

"Having only been in the game for half a month, and with most of my energy still spent strategizing against Hayasaka Ai, it's normal to lack information. But it's precisely because you're facing off against Daylight's people and are completely unaware of it that I dare to help you."

With the final test complete, Yuki could finally relax. Seeing Kaguya's still doubtful expression, he didn't bother with further words.

"You can verify it. Shinomiya Oko should be in Tokyo. Just go and ask him."