Kaguya-sama Wants My Surrender!

"Of course, this is a very dangerous task. If your friend happens to be a particularly popular 'toy,' rescuing her will come at a steep cost. Even for me, it's quite the headache. But considering how pleasant our last transaction was…" 

The clown turned his gaze to Amamiya, his grin widening into something far more sinister. 

"All I need from you is a kidney, and I guarantee I'll bring your companion back. How about it? Isn't that a fair deal?" 

"Hold on a second." 

Umi couldn't help but interject, her expression a mix of frustration and disbelief. "Why are you so obsessed with kidneys?" 

Of everyone present, only Kaguya seemed unaware of the physiological significance, but the others understood all too well. For boys, kidneys are vital. To put it simply, while one might not use them often, losing one would still be unthinkable. 

"I'm just very curious about the taste of grilled kidneys," the clown said nonchalantly, spreading his hands wide. "So naturally, I'd like to try roasting one. Is that so unreasonable?" 

Taking out your own kidney to grill might not be unreasonable, but demanding someone else's is absolutely outrageous! 

Amamiya raised an eyebrow and said coldly, 

"You're looking at the wrong guy for this deal." 

He then shifted gears. 

"You mentioned there are seven or eight employees in the staff dormitory?" 

"That's right," the clown confirmed with a nod. "It's a private area, not covered by the amusement park's protective rules. If a few guests were to sneak in, there's a high chance they wouldn't make it out alive." 

Amamiya pressed on. 

"What about infiltrating quietly?" 

The clown shook his head, his self-assured smile unfaltering. 

"With all due respect, your scent is far too noticeable. The chances of being discovered during a stealth attempt are exceedingly high. So, I suggest you make a decision quickly." 

Amamiya let out a long sigh and shook his head. 

"It seems you have no idea what true stealth looks like." 

"Huh?" 

The clown tilted his head, clearly puzzled. 

"Exactly," Umi chimed in, crossing her arms with a confident smile lighting up her face. "True stealth isn't as complicated as you think." 

Amamiya turned to Chika and said simply, "Chika, signal the others." 

"Roger that." 

Chika raised her hand in a salute, her expression resolute. 

Before the team had split up, they had agreed on a way to communicate in emergencies—namely, through the use of fireworks obtained during an earlier trade. 

The firework was lit, sending a streak of flame skyward. Moments later, it exploded into a brilliant burst of light, painting the hazy, foggy sky in vibrant colors. 

Everyone instinctively looked up. 

For a brief moment, the small, perpetually gloomy town seemed to glow with an unusual radiance. 

The clown, visibly confused, asked, "Human, what are you doing?" 

Chika tilted her chin upward and replied smugly, "What else? I'm calling for backup." 

"What… does that mean?" 

"You'll find out soon enough," she said with a sly grin. 

"…" 

A few moments later, reinforcements arrived. 

"Amamiya-kun~" 

Leading the charge was none other than Miss Tanaka, the bubbly and enthusiastic woman waving excitedly. 

"We're here!" 

"Did you find the player yet?" 

"Wait… why is there a clown here?" 

"Isn't that Buggy the Clown?" 

"By the way, if the Splitting Fruit awakened, what kind of powers would it have?" 

"…" 

There's strength in numbers. 

With the first team joining in, the group now boasted more than ten players. 

In contrast, the clown, now standing alone, seemed far less intimidating. The tables had turned, and it wasn't long before the players began casually mocking him. 

After a while, the second team of players arrived to join the group. 

Not long after, the third team emerged from the darkness. 

The entire team had now gathered, and the number of players exceeded twenty. 

"Why are there so many guests?" 

The clown's eyes widened in disbelief. 

Since it had gained consciousness, it had never seen so many people in the amusement park at once. 

"This is the clown we just met..." 

Amamiya introduced the clown's peculiar story, described the situation of the trapped players, and finally concluded, "Everyone, follow me to sneak in." 

The players, aside from a few who didn't immediately grasp the situation, burst into laughter. 

"Let's go." 

Amamiya strode confidently toward the dormitory door, pushed it open with a loud bang, and led the group inside. 

The clown stood frozen in shock. 

You made such a loud entrance, and you're calling this a sneak-in? 

"Everyone, stay together," Amamiya instructed. 

"Keep an eye on your front, back, left, and right. Don't let anyone ambush you." 

"…" 

The other players followed closely behind. 

Because of the commotion, it wasn't long before a strange-looking penguin emerged, stumbling out of the shadows. 

This was no ordinary penguin. It stood about half as tall as a person, with one glowing red eye, a tattered body, and a long, sharp beak that gave it an eerie, malevolent presence. 

However, seeing the large group storming in, the penguin monster hesitated for a moment, opening its beak wide as if to speak. 

"That's it!" 

The passerby girl, Kobayashi, exclaimed with wide eyes, "That's one of the creatures that chased me earlier!" 

Amamiya turned to the penguin and, with a serious expression, said: 

"Mr. Penguin, your crimes have been exposed." 

"Huh?" 

"You've been reported for illegal kidnapping, human trafficking, assault, and sexual harassment," Amamiya continued, holding up a piece of notebook paper. "This is an official investigation order. Please come with us to the station to assist with our inquiries." 

"…" 

The penguin froze for two seconds before its expression twisted into something ferocious. Beneath its tattered wings, bone claws and other sharp structures began to emerge. 

"Humans… so many fresh humans!" it growled. 

But before it could act, Chika stepped forward confidently and pointed at it. 

"Don, you're not getting away this time!" 

"Don is here!" the penguin blurted out, almost instinctively. 

Amamiya placed a firm hand on its shoulder. 

"Mr. Don, you are under arrest." 

"…" 

The sheer absurdity of the crackdown left the penguin speechless, and it surrendered without further resistance. 

Seeing this, the passerby players let out sighs of relief, their tension melting away. Their confidence began to rise. 

On the way here, many of them had obtained temporary skills from Amamiya, but they had yet to put them into practice. Watching the effectiveness of this ridiculous yet strangely powerful strategy in real-time left them reassured. 

"Picking on girls, huh?" 

"Your Judgment Day has arrived!" 

"Clear out all the villains—leave no one behind!" 

"HAI!"

The staff dormitory was laid out like a typical dormitory, with a central corridor and rooms on either side. 

Aside from the penguin, the other monsters seemed unaware of what was happening and didn't immediately rush out to investigate. 

Knock knock knock. 

Umi approached one of the doors and rapped on it. In a cheerful voice, she announced, "Your delivery has arrived!" 

A dog-headed monster opened the door, sniffing the air. 

"The smell of humans…" 

Before it could finish, two players who had been lying in wait stepped forward and unleashed a coordinated skill combo. 

"Don, you're under arrest!" 

"…" 

The anti-gang operation moved swiftly. 

Room by room, the group worked systematically, capturing and subduing the monsters. Before long, all the involved employees were arrested and brought to justice. A kidnapped player was even found and rescued from one of the rooms. 

The captured amusement park employees were lined up against a wall in the corner, their heads drooping in defeat. 

The clown stood off to the side, staring at the scene with a dazed expression. 

Why? 

Why did it turn out like this? 

Aren't we supposed to be the ones telling ghost stories here?! 

"Mr. Clown," Amamiya said, spreading his hands theatrically. "See? As long as we eliminate all the witnesses, it counts as a perfect stealth operation."