Kaguya-sama Wants My Surrender!

The four teams quickly chose their respective areas to explore and split up. Naturally, Amamiya is grouped with the girls, with the addition of Kobayashi. They chose to investigate what was considered the most dangerous area: 

The Haunted House. 

"It feels kind of weird to be playing a haunted house game inside a horror-themed game," Umi muttered, unable to hide her unease. 

"Agreed." Chika nodded. "It's like a strange sense of déjà vu." 

"I just remembered something," Amamiya said, intertwining his fingers in thought. "During Golden Week, when we all went to the amusement park together, someone got lost inside the haunted house and almost started crying." 

Hearing this, Kaguya's cheeks puffed up slightly in embarrassment. She turned around and glared at him. 

If the mirror in that haunted house hadn't randomly moved, I wouldn't have been scared! 

But still… 

The soda was delicious. 

Kaguya pursed her lips at the memory of sipping bubble soda under the warm hues of the sunset. Once this dungeon was cleared, she resolved to drink it again. 

---

In contrast, the passerby girl, Kobayashi, was grappling with mixed emotions. 

On one hand, she was deeply worried about her missing friend, but on the other, guilt gnawed at her for having fled. And amidst all that, she was overwhelmed by a surreal sense of disbelief. 

While she was struggling to survive the level, others had turned the dungeon into an ad-filled playground for companion services and cooperative leveling. The disparity was staggering. 

Even now, witnessing it firsthand, it was hard to accept. 

---

"We've arrived at the haunted house," Sajuna said softly, breaking the silence. 

When they shone their flashlight ahead, they saw a peculiar building emerge from the darkness. Its entrance was shaped like the gaping mouth of Shuten-doji, vividly rendered and perfectly capturing the haunted house's eerie vibe. 

"Welcome, welcome! A warm welcome indeed~" 

A sharp, mocking laugh pierced the night. 

Everyone froze momentarily, instantly alert. 

Amamiya narrowed his eyes and directed the flashlight toward the sound. A figure slowly came into view: a clown. 

It was short in stature, with a bulbous red nose, a pointed hat, and red paint smeared across its mouth. Dressed in gaudy, festive attire, it carried a bunch of colorful balloons. Equal parts absurd and terrifying, it looked like a circus performer gone rogue. 

"Does this clown look… familiar?" Amamiya mused, tilting his head. 

Chika frowned. "Now that you mention it, I think I've seen it before, too." 

Umi chimed in, "Wait, isn't this clown from somewhere?" 

It was Sajuna who cracked the mystery. "It looks a lot like Buggy the Clown." 

"That's it! Buggy the Clown!" Umi's eyes lit up as he clapped his hands. "Especially that bright red nose—it's so recognizable!" 

"Now that I think about it," Amamiya said thoughtfully, "after Kaido was defeated, the new Four Emperors were revealed: Luffy, Shanks, Blackbeard, and, of course, Buggy-sama. It just goes to show—the funniest characters in manga are always the strongest." 

Kobayashi, the passerby girl, stared blankly: "…" 

There's a monster clown standing right in front of us, and you're talking about manga? 

As they chatted, the clown shuffled closer, still clutching the balloons. 

"Good evening, esteemed guests," it said with a wide grin. Then its expression shifted to one of exaggerated sadness. "These balloons aren't selling well. Would you be so kind as to help this poor clown?" 

"You want us to buy balloons?" Amamiya asked, intrigued. "Alright, but only if you show us a trick first. Break yourself into pieces. We're all very curious to see that." 

The clown blinked, momentarily stunned: "???" 

There's something seriously wrong with you people. 

"Ah, please don't joke around like that," the clown said, forcing a pitiful expression. It turned to Sajuna, eyes gleaming. "Please, little girl, buy a balloon from this poor clown." 

Sajuna bristled immediately. "I'm a high school student!" 

Being a bit short didn't make him a child, after all. This was crossing the line. 

"That's uncalled for." Amamiya patted Sajuna's head lightly. "Clearly, Sajuna is an adult. How could you mistake her for a child?" 

Pop! 

Sajuna slapped Amamiya's hand away, fuming. 

'We'll settle this later!'

---

"Mr. Clown, have you seen anyone like us pass through here?" Chika asked, steering the conversation back on track. 

"Oh, absolutely." The clown grinned, showing a row of unnerving teeth. "There's nothing in this amusement park I don't know." 

"Have you really seen Ryoko?" Kobayashi asked urgently, stepping forward. 

"Of course." The clown nodded. "You mean the blonde girl from earlier this evening, right? Tall, a little fierce-looking?" 

"Yes, that's her!" Kobayashi exclaimed, her voice rising in excitement. 

Umi asked urgently, "Where is that girl?" 

"If you want to know, please buy a balloon first," the clown said, his smile growing wider and more sinister. "As long as you buy a balloon, I'll tell you where she is." 

"Balloons?" 

Kobayashi looked warily at the balloons in the clown's hand. It was clear that buying one could lead to something terrible. 

But if I don't buy it… what will happen to Ryoko? 

"Please make your decision quickly, dear guests," the clown urged, his tone turning more menacing. "Your friend is in quite a precarious situation." 

Kobayashi bit her lower lip, hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath and whispered: 

"I'll take a balloon." 

"Please pay up," the clown said, extending his hand with a sly grin. "One balloon costs 10,000 yen. Thank you for your patronage." 

"Ten thousand yen?!" 

Kobayashi's eyes widened in shock. 

She had already noticed that the world inside this instance used its own form of currency, learned when Chika had given her bread and water purchased from a convenience store along the way. But 10,000 yen? That price was outrageous. Was the balloon made of gold? 

"Is there a complaint hotline for this amusement park?" Amamiya muttered sarcastically. "I'd like to report Mr. Clown for price gouging." 

"Please, my dear guest, don't get so worked up," the clown replied with a cheerful but unnerving tone. "These are no ordinary balloons. Once you buy one, you'll understand their special qualities." 

He then added with a sly grin, "Of course, if you don't have enough money, I can offer a fair exchange service." 

He turned his gaze toward Kaguya. "For example, this lovely guest has such beautiful eyes. You could trade one of them for a balloon." 

Trade an eye for a balloon? Kobayashi's heart raced in panic. The thought alone was enough to unsettle anyone. 

Losing an eye wouldn't kill a person, but how could anyone calmly part with an eye for some bizarre balloon of dubious purpose? 

Kaguya, however, remained composed. She turned her head slightly, her expression calm as she glanced at Amamiya. 

"Is this balloon real?" 

Amamiya stepped forward, his face expressionless. 

"We guarantee all our products are genuine," the clown replied, his eyes gleaming as he studied Amamiya. "You, for instance, have very healthy kidneys. One kidney could get you two balloons." 

"Sorry, my kidneys are still very much in use," Amamiya said, shutting his eyes briefly as he slid his hands into his pockets. 

Then, with a calm and unwavering tone, he added: 

"Now, let me show you what it means to be rich and powerful."