I, a Reincarnation Stream Player

"Responsibility, my ass. I nearly died getting through the last instance, and I did it so I could enjoy myself. What other people do with their lives has nothing to do with me." The Band Guy rubbed his red hair, slung his sword over his shoulder, and climbed back onto the table. He stomped his boot on its surface and raised his voice:

"Everyone, listen up. If you want protection, the offer still stands: women can pay with their bodies, and men can pay after we get back to reality. Don't get your hopes up. This game is more dangerous than you can imagine. If you die here, you won't survive in the real world either!"

He was crude, confident, and realistic.

Yuki hadn't said a word from beginning to end. He'd roughly guessed that he'd wasted too much time killing the Newbie Guide and had entered with only seconds to spare, so he'd probably missed the veterans' information-sharing session. But that wouldn't stump him.

First, there were two veterans, and they didn't know each other.

Second, without teammates to protect them, the two veterans clearly controlled the conversation.

Third, all the players present came from the same world. Otherwise, no one would have suggested paying after they returned to reality.

Fourth, the real world and the instances ran in sync. That was only natural.

Yuki quickly deduced four pieces of information, then felt someone lightly tap his shoulder.

"Don't be scared. He only looks fierce. He won't actually do anything to you." Li Dan, who looked like an overworked office worker, smiled at him. He seemed quite mild-mannered and was the sort of person who easily won others' favor.

That kind of smile was common among insurance salesmen, and Yuki's wooden expression really did make him look as if he'd been frightened stiff.

"D-did he just try to kill me?"

"Relax. Killing a teammate in an instance can have unpredictable consequences. Most people wouldn't do that."

So it was possible if there was a good enough reason?

"Phew. That's a relief." Yuki's expression relaxed. He nodded as if he hadn't caught the implication. "Thanks for helping me just now. What should I call you?"

"Li Dan. Just call me Brother Li." He held out his hand, and Yuki instinctively shook it. Then his eyebrows lifted slightly.

It was subtle, but just as they let go, Li Dan's hand lingered against his palm, as if he were reluctant to part. It gave Yuki the impression that he might be gay.

"Come over and join the others. The mission's about to start."

Li Dan didn't explain himself. He left those words behind and walked away, like a broad-minded older brother. He was certainly more reliable than the Band Guy making a fuss on the table.

Most people were either still in a daze or clinging to a last bit of hope. In any case, no one responded to Thomas's offer. He stood off to the side, visibly annoyed, while the crowd gathered around the round table from all over the hall. In the dim light of the crystal chandelier, they gradually came into view before Yuki.

'They're all young. That makes sense. If the Newbie Guide was the same for everyone, the old, weak, sick, and disabled would've been scared to death by that Head-Blossoming Monster. They never would've made it here.'

'Their intelligence should all be above average, too. If there were any idiots, they'd probably be wandering outside right now.'

Yuki gave an almost imperceptible nod. Just as he'd guessed, the newbie guidance was a process of elimination. At least there wouldn't be some ridiculous scene where someone thought they were dreaming, only to be thrown out as a warning to the rest.

That would waste time and serve no purpose. At the very least, it saved the veterans the trouble of explaining things.

His gaze swept over the crowd and paused briefly on Mai Sakurajima before moving to the girl on her left. His pupils contracted slightly.

"Someone you know?" Li Dan asked casually from beside him.

"No. I just thought that JK was pretty."

Li Dan followed his gaze and turned his head. Across the round table stood a blonde girl with her hair tied in a single ponytail. She wore light makeup and pretty nail polish, along with a high school uniform. Her figure and looks were both top-notch.

She looked like a gal. Why hadn't a woman like her asked Thomas for protection earlier?

Li Dan didn't dwell on it. He said earnestly, "Don't get distracted in an instance, and don't do anything stupid like playing the hero to save a beauty. This game is more dangerous than you can imagine. I'm not even confident I'll survive. If you want to flirt, wait until we get out. Players can share information with each other."

"Thanks for the warning, Brother Li. You're right. Staying alive is more important."

"Don't be so reserved. At least in this instance, we're all brothers." Li Dan adjusted his glasses and stepped onto the round table, unaware that the boy behind him had a thoughtful look in his eyes.

'He seems to be paying a lot of attention to me. Did he notice even that tiny expression?'

Yuki had gleaned a little more information. He ignored Li Dan, who had climbed onto the table to rally everyone, and turned his head back—only to meet his gaze.

Unlike Mai Sakurajima, the blonde JK smiled and waved at him, looking as if she didn't understand the cruel reality of the situation.

'So it really is Hayasaka Ai. But if it's her, there's nothing strange about her getting through the Newbie Guide.'

He'd already seen Bunny Girl Senpai. Meeting another familiar face didn't prove anything. Or rather, this all-purpose maid had never been ordinary. She hid her emotions well. If I didn't know who she was, I'd really think she was a simple-minded gal.

Wait. I know who they are and what they're like.

Yuki suddenly seized on an idea. After discovering that friendly fire was enabled in the game, he'd already realized there was a hidden danger.

General Principle Three: Players are more frightening than instance monsters.

Never mind the Band Guy. Even Li Dan, who acted like a caring older brother, couldn't be trusted. Who knew when he might Backstab someone? In the end, they were strangers, and there wasn't enough time to build trust.

But Mai Sakurajima and Hayasaka Ai were new players, and Yuki had never changed the course of the world over the years. That meant their life paths and personalities were exactly as he remembered them.

I don't know what they're capable of yet, but I do know their backgrounds.

Yuki unconsciously grinned. If Li Dan on the table knew, he'd be furious. He'd gone to all that trouble emphasizing that they had to stand together, while one of the new players below had already marked most of them as potential enemies.

"This game is a little like a horror or thriller movie. Logic and common sense don't apply, and the smallest mistake can get you killed. Everyone, stay on your guard."

Li Dan spoke earnestly and repeatedly emphasized how terrifying the game was. But when he finished, there was little response. Most people just stared at him blankly.

"Waste of breath. If you ask me, they won't understand how serious this is until a couple of people die." The Band Guy snorted disdainfully. He stood up and glanced at several attractive newcomers and the fat man decked out in luxury goods. "I'm not a bleeding heart like him. Do what you want with my offer."

Li Dan opened his mouth, as if to scold him, but before he could speak, a crisp tick rang out. The clock on the wall struck twelve.

Dong, dong, dong.

A deep, ancient, and lingering chime rang out. Nervous, frightened, and bewildered gazes all turned toward it, making the cold, silent hall seem eerily sinister.

Yuki felt his heart race. He opened his mouth but couldn't make a sound. A strange murmur had filled his mind.

[Game Start]

[Standard Mission: Bloodthirsty Red Moon. Survive until the third day.]

[Hint 1: This place is under attack by bloodthirsty Living Corpses. They will devour your flesh and blood.]

[2: Except for the Ancient Castle, you may not stay in any location for more than two hours.]

[3: Time will keep passing, just like your lives and hopes.]

[4: At regular intervals, the Red Moon will send gifts.]

[5: Everyone has the right to bathe in the moonlight.]

[6: Please, do not go alone.]

There was more information than before, and the strange voice made everyone clench their fists. Their heads throbbed as if knives had been shoved into their brains. Yuki reached out to grip the back of a chair, his trembling eyes fixed straight ahead.

Across the round table was a floor-to-ceiling window. Thick, blood-red light poured through it, making the crystal chandelier look dull and dim.

Beyond the window, the Red Moon hung high in the sky.

Chapter 6: The Game Officially Begins

The game had officially begun.

When the scarlet moonlight appeared along with the whispers, everyone froze for a moment, their minds flooded with information. But soon, led by the two veterans, they all rushed to the floor-to-ceiling window.

"What the hell are those things?"

"What do you think? That weird voice just said they're Living Corpses."

"Then we should be fine, right...?"

"How would I know?"

The crowd pressed together, voices clamoring. After the Newbie Guide, no fool could still think this was a dream. But when they realized that the horror-movie-like scene was only the beginning, not everyone could accept it.

The game had only just officially begun? The monster earlier had nearly scared us to death.

Mai Sakurajima licked her dry lips. Through the window, she could see a vast Ancient Castle. Below them lay a garden filled with flowers of every color, and beyond it stood a towering city wall.

Beneath the wall, hazy figures wandered aimlessly, like schools of fish in a scarlet sea. But after seeing the Head-Blossoming Monster, she knew they weren't human at all. They were the "Living Corpses" mentioned by that strange voice.

They will devour your flesh and blood.

The words circled through her mind like a curse, making her unconsciously clench her fists. As she stood there in confusion, a woman's voice suddenly sounded beside her ear.

"Miss Mai, do you think we're filming on a set somewhere?"

Amid the heavy breathing, a voice suddenly rang out. Mai Sakurajima whipped around and saw the blonde girl standing behind her, blinking her blue eyes innocently.

"You know me?"

"You're a famous star. Lots of people in Japan know you, right?"

She wasn't wrong. Mai Sakurajima had debuted as an idol at the age of six, and the fact that they were around the same age and from the same place made her breathe a little easier. The anxiety she'd felt since entering the game eased.

"Of course we're not filming. Though I wish this were some kind of prank show, and a host would suddenly pop out through a hidden door somewhere." Mai Sakurajima's lips curled up, though her smile was a little bitter. "Aren't you scared? It all feels like a nightmare."

"I'm scared, but there's no point being scared. We have to find a way to get back, right?" The blonde girl shrugged and lowered her voice, pretending to be at ease. "There's no way we can figure this out on our own. Like Brother Li said, we have to stick together. Staying alive matters more than anything else~~"

The logic was simple and blunt, but very realistic. Their last bit of hope was gone. If it hadn't been so dark outside earlier, quite a few people would've tried jumping out the window.

But now, who would dare test themselves against those wandering Living Corpses?

Mai Sakurajima turned to look at Li Dan. He was clapping vigorously, getting the disoriented newcomers to introduce themselves one by one, seemingly to distract them.

"Yeah, Brother Li is much more reliable than that redhead. He's a veteran, after all, and he was especially friendly to the newcomers from the start."

"The redhead?"

"Thomas. In stories like this, characters like him are the most likely to die."

"Haha, Miss Mai, you're funnier than I expected. You're not quite like the entertainers I imagined."

"You have to get into the right frame of mind before facing a challenge. Just like you—you're nothing like the Shuchiin students I imagined, either." Mai Sakurajima examined the other girl's open collar, then held out her hand. "Just call me Mai. You can add 'classmate' if you like."

"My name's Hayasaka. Nice to meet you~ Mai-chan~" The blonde girl took her hand and shook it enthusiastically, though her blue eyes remained calm.

As expected of an entertainer who'd seen the world. She was mature beyond her years and calm, too. She should prove useful.

She let go and discreetly turned her head to look at the black-haired boy not far away, standing on tiptoe as he gazed out the window.

And that boy, too. He was strange.

Yuki didn't know that a certain maid was secretly watching him. He'd noticed something odd from the first time they'd met, and he'd also seen that the boy wasn't interested in the newcomers' introductions.

He stood at the very back, listening to the introductions while his mind raced, going over each word of the six hints he'd just received again and again.

[Living Corpses], [three days], [Ancient Castle], [alone].

No points, no rewards, no punishments, no staged objectives...

This Reincarnation Game really didn't play fair.

Yuki frowned unconsciously. He hadn't done many exercises like this, and it was obviously different from the usual Limitless-style games.

The clues had to be found in the hints. As for the difficulty, it was unknown. It depended on how the players chose to solve it.

This was a major challenge.

He drew a light breath. Based on the questions he'd worked through over the years, he'd have a high chance of surviving if he were dropped into an instance like Resident Evil. But his odds in this game were much lower.

Just as Li Dan had said, logic and common sense didn't apply?

Yuki could think about two things at once. Even as he pondered, he listened to the team introductions from beginning to end.

He'd set the two veterans aside for now. Hayasaka Ai had indeed used "Hayasaka" as an alias, while Mai Sakurajima had only given her first name, "Mai." The players came from all over the world and didn't recognize the idol, who had put her career on hold for several years.

'Looks like they've also figured out that players might meet in the real world, so they're keeping their identities hidden. Their nerves are definitely stronger than those of ordinary people.'

Yuki praised their composure in his mind. He wasn't interested in remembering the other players' names, but he took note of their professions.

Apart from those four and himself, there were four other new players in the instance. The slightly plump man made no effort to hide his wealth and could be called Rich Brother. A young woman dressed like an office worker was a financial analyst. Another woman with a dangerous hairstyle who was quietly coughing was a housewife.

Those three had already joined the Band Guy, clearly accepting his protection offer. He had both hands on the office worker's voluptuous buttocks, groping her. Yuki had to admit the man was impressive for still feeling desire at a time like this.

Besides those two women and one man, there was a clean-cut college student who looked lost, and a fairly muscular Black man who was wary of everyone.

'Rich Brother, the office worker, the housewife, the White College Student, the Black Brother, Mai Sakurajima, Hayasaka Ai, and me—that makes eight new players. Li Dan and Thomas are the two veterans. That's a high ratio of new players.'

Yuki ran through the list in his mind and finally looked up, because everyone's attention had shifted to him.

"Hey, it's your turn. You're so vacant—are you stupid?" Thomas cursed at him viciously. The others also looked displeased.

The black-haired boy, with his messy clothes stained with quite a lot of blood, was too wooden. He'd arrived last, had the least presence, and often spaced out like someone with autism.

"Sorry, sorry. I still haven't come to my senses." Yuki smiled harmlessly and cleared his throat. "I'm Yuki, eighteen years old, and a college student. Uh, is there something wrong?"

After he introduced himself, everyone continued staring at him. The fat Rich Brother said impatiently, "That's it? What are your specialties?"

"Uh, I'm a medical student. I know some first aid."