Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

Chapter 1405: Chapter 1404: Maybe This Will Come in Handy?

What’s more exhilarating than being invincible with locked health, revealing the entire map, and one-shotting the boss?

That would be having an NPC clear the level for you!

Especially in this puzzle-solving adventure survival game, once you have the help of an NPC, who needs a strategy guide?

Currently, Fang Zheng’s side has only Saiin-ji Sekai, Gui Kotonoha, and his sister Sora left to be found. While over at Shishido Yui’s side, there’s Morishige Sakutaro and siblings Satoshi Mochida and Yuka Mochida. Under the introduction of a ghost girl named Kannoyuki, Fang Zheng finally understood the ”map structure” of the entire instance.

Although named multiple spaces, there are, in fact, only ”four” Tenjin Elementary Schools here, corresponding to the initial child kidnapping case involving Kannoyuki and others. Kannoyuki, Tsujitokiko, and Yoshizawa Ryo each ”oversee” one of them, while at the center of this space lies the last survivor—Shizaki Sachiko.

However, from Kannoyuki, Fang Zheng and the others also learned the truth of the matter, which greatly shocked them. Because the real perpetrator of the whole murder case was not the principal’s son Yoshio Yanagikura, who was initially suspected in the news report and arrested for kidnapping but eventually committed suicide, but Shizaki Sachiko, who was rescued as a victim!

Moreover, according to Kannoyuki, Shizaki Sachiko was not the ”last victim,” but the ”initial victim,” because once the three of them were killed and became Grudge Spirits, Tenjin Elementary already existed in this space!

At that time, there was only ”one” Tenjin Elementary. It wasn’t until Kannoyuki, Tsujitokiko, and Yoshizawa Ryo were killed, their souls imprisoned and transformed into Grudge Spirits, that the other ”three” Tenjin Elementary Schools appeared, creating a quadruple-looped enclosed space.

The group is now located at one of the loops, the Tenjin Elementary School overseen by Kannoyuki. According to Kannoyuki, there are three people in the Tenjin Elementary School of Tsujitokiko, and the last two, one is in Yoshizawa Ryo’s Tenjin Elementary, and the other in the core of the space—which is Shizaki Sachiko’s Tenjin Elementary.

Concerning Shizaki Sachiko, Kannoyuki knows little, given that the three of them were killed by Shizaki Sachiko personally. On a technicality, Yoshizawa Ryo was the ”luckiest,” preserving his whole body aside from having his tongue cut out. Kannoyuki and Tsujitokiko weren’t so fortunate; Kannoyuki was blinded in her left eye, and Tsujitokiko suffered more—having half her head sliced off alive—which is why, among the four Grudge Spirits, Tsujitokiko is the most introverted, rarely interacting with anyone other than Kannoyuki.

The level of danger within the four enclosed spaces varies.

The Tenjin Elementary overseen by Yoshizawa Ryo is the least dangerous; generally, as long as you don’t meet his gaze, you won’t be attacked.

Kannoyuki’s space is next in danger, primarily because Kannoyuki randomly attacks any victim entering her space.

Tsujitokiko ranks third in terms of danger, primarily due to individuals staying in Tsujitokiko’s space tend to go mad, leading to self-harm or attacking companions.

However, if Fang Zheng wants to persuade the others, he must find the destroyed or missing parts of their bodies and return them, much like what happened with Kannoyuki.

That said, with Kannoyuki present now, there’s no need for everyone to run around aimlessly like headless chickens; they just need to follow Kannoyuki to search—previously, they were Grudge Spirits, akin to mindless murderers without self-control, but now that Kannoyuki has been purified by Fang Zheng, she has regained consciousness. Fang Zheng can simply follow with auto-pickup, and they can hang out while waiting.

Now he only hopes the others can hold on until he finds them before anyone dies.

Just at this moment, Gui Kotonoha and Sekai also brought Yuka from the annex to the main building.

”Hmm... so this is the main building of Tenjin Elementary, looking eerily creepy...”

Looking at the dilapidated hallway ahead, Sekai couldn’t help but shrink her body. Previously, she, Gui Kotonoha, and Yuka had searched the annex thoroughly but hadn’t found any trace of Satoshi Mochida; reluctantly, the three followed Yuka’s suggestion to return to the main building to see if Satoshi Mochida had come back here.

Incidentally, during their search for Satoshi Mochida in the annex, they went up to the second floor, only to be surprised that the bespectacled boy and the bloody girl’s corpse, which Gui Kotonoha had knocked unconscious, had disappeared without a trace, which gave them the creeps. After all, that boy with glasses looked completely abnormal, and if he wanted to cause trouble for them again, it would be terrifying.

Therefore, the three decisively left the annex and returned to the main building.

However... the main building was equally deserted.

”Uh... brother...”

After several futile attempts, Yuka’s eyes had reddened a bit, and seeing this, Sekai also grew anxious.

”Don’t cry, don’t cry, Yuka, we will definitely find your brother... okay? He certainly won’t be harmed.”

”I, I’m worried about my brother... his classmate... so scary...”

At this moment, Yuka was increasingly anxious. By herself, she was fine; the two sisters beside her, though newly acquainted, were kind to her. However, the bespectacled person gave Yuka a bad vibe, and he was her brother’s classmate. Although she seemed like a child, Yuka was a middle schooler and naturally capable of independent thought and judgment.

She now worries her brother encountered his abnormal classmate and got killed... if that’s the case...

These thoughts made Yuka even more anxious.

”Come on, Satoshi Mochida! Where on earth did you go, making your sister so anxious...”

Witnessing this, Sekai couldn’t help but complain.

”Previously, you clearly said you’d wait for us at the entrance, and then suddenly... huh?”

Stopping mid-sentence, Sekai paused, then turned her ear.

”Did you... hear something?”

Upon Sekai’s inquiry, Gui Kotonoha and Yuka froze, quickly listening closely.

”It came from over here, sounds like a TV!”

Sekai’s sharp ears quickly pinpointed the source, swiftly leading the two to the corridor’s end of the duty room. Ahead was a tightly locked scarlet door; through its cracks, they could hear the noise of the TV inside.

In a haunted place like this, is someone really watching TV?

Thinking of this, Sekai’s mind wandered to the Midnight Bell of Doom she watched at Fang Family’s home, shivering suddenly. She glanced at Gui Kotonoha, who coincidentally glanced back, the two exchanged a look, then lowered their heads.

Nothing needed to be said.

”Knock knock knock.”

Hesitating for a moment, Sekai decided to knock on the door; given how long they’ve been here, this was the only place they hadn’t searched through, and since there’s a sound from the TV, perhaps there’s someone inside?

Even if no one is here, and something like Sadako showed up...... so what?

Anyway, aren’t they already trapped here?

”Excuse me, is anyone there?”

”.........”

There was no response from the duty room, only the TV continued to screech softly.

”Saiin-ji, leave it to me.”

This time, Gui Kotonoha made her decision. She stepped back two steps, and reached out her hand to grip the knife handle once more. Seeing this, Sekai also pulled Yuka back.

The flash of a blade, and the door lock clicked open.

”I never expected this, I should have learned kendo earlier...”

Looking at the door lock cut open by Gui Kotonoha in one strike, Sekai felt at a loss as to what to say. However, she just sighed, then led Yuka inside.

Compared to the dilapidated corridor and classrooms outside, the duty room was surprisingly normal. On the tatami, an old-fashioned TV was placed there, emitting static. Bits and pieces of clutter were scattered around, looking almost no different from an ordinary room. There was no one outside, and the kitchen and bathroom inside were desolate as well.

”Let’s take a break.”

After walking back and forth like this, Sekai was tired, and couldn’t help but suggest. Gui Kotonoha and Yuka nodded in agreement.

After all, compared to the outside environment, this place was clean enough for them to handle.

”Phew......”

Sitting on the tatami, everyone was tired and thirsty. Word Leaf and Sekai were alright since they had watched a movie after being well fed. But poor Yuka had been swept in while delivering an umbrella to her brother, she hadn’t even had dinner, and had been stumbling around the school for hours, exhausted, sleepy, and hungry......

Especially after taking care of her personal hygiene just now, the emptiness in her stomach was even more unbearable.

”Let me see if there’s anything to eat.”

Even though she held little hope, Sekai stood up and walked to the kitchen, opened the small fridge inside to take a look, and as expected, didn’t find anything edible.

”Hmm?”

However, just as Sekai closed the fridge and stood up, her gaze unintentionally swept over the kitchen counter at a kitchen knife placed there.

It was an ordinary kitchen knife, a simple triangular shape. It sat there, looking as if it hadn’t been used in a long time. But for some reason, the moment Sekai saw it, she felt glued to the spot. She just stared at that kitchen knife, as if it were a finely crafted piece of art.

”Squelch!!”

Blood splattered.

Sekai raised the kitchen knife high, then stabbed down forcefully. The sharp blade easily tore through the skin, entered the body along the bone gaps. She could even feel the blade’s ruthless path within, one slash after another.

Warm blood stained her hands, but Sekai seemed unable to stop. She stared at the corpse beneath her, raised the kitchen knife again, and forcefully brought it down once more.

”Squelch!!”

Her chest was sliced open, murky blood flowed out, and Sekai reached into the wound, feeling the warm, wriggling viscera inside......

The sensation of seemingly controlling life itself utterly fascinated her......

All of you, belong to me now.

Haruno, now, you will never leave me again.

Sekai skillfully picked up the knife, began cutting through muscle, separating bone. The thought of soon becoming one with her beloved before her sent thrills through every part of Sekai’s being.

I won’t let anyone else have you; the meat can be braised, the bones can be boiled for soup, even the viscera can be eaten grilled. It’s only this way...... that you will forever belong to me, no one will know...... you and I will merge into one, never to separate...

”Saiin-ji?”

”—————!!”

Gui Kotonoha’s voice suddenly rang out, startling Sekai. She instinctively came to her senses, turned around. Gui Kotonoha was sitting on the tatami outside, looking at her in confusion.

”What’s wrong?”

”Ah, nothing nothing... I was just spacing out.”

Sekai smiled, waving her hand. It was then she realized her right hand, at some point, had gripped the kitchen knife.

”.........”

Looking at the knife in her hand, Sekai remained silent for a moment, then on an impulse, she put the knife away.

Perhaps...... it will come in handy?