Kaguya-sama Wants My Surrender!

This clown ghost has quite a few good things on him—and Amamiya even managed to extort a few more. 

Amamiya put away his spoils with satisfaction and waved goodbye. 

The group left the zoo. 

The night deepened. 

"Shall we head back to the restaurant first?" Chika suggested. "There might still be some lone players around." 

Umi nodded in agreement. "Chika-chan's right." 

Amamiya agreed as well. "Let's go back to the restaurant." 

The group made their way through the town and returned to the restaurant. Amamiya and Sajuna resumed their tasks—they were committed to finishing what they'd started. The other players waited nearby in the park. 

Unfortunately, no other wandering players showed up before the restaurant closed for the night. 

"Goodbye, Manager," Amamiya said, bidding farewell to the store manager. He picked up leftover scraps from the dark cuisine experiments and walked out of the restaurant with Sajuna. 

They headed to the park. 

"Master Amamiya!" 

"Amamiya-kun!" 

"Amamiya, are you done with your part-time job?" 

As Amamiya approached, the players gathered one by one. 

"I'm back," Amamiya said, handing a dark dish to Chika. "Let's head back to school." 

Chika eagerly accepted the dish, clutching it in her arms, and walked ahead briskly. "Hurry, hurry! Hanako-chan must be getting impatient." 

"By the way..." The pink haired girl stuck out the tip of her pink tongue, licking her lips lightly. Her expression was filled with anticipation. "Can we have another bite of the dark cuisine?" 

The mysterious dishes from the dream cycle at the hotel had left a deep impression on Chika. 

Delicious. 

So delicious! 

Still absolutely delicious! 

In ancient times, some people were willing to risk their lives for the taste of puffer fish. Chika had already tried puffer fish—it was indeed delightful, but it paled in comparison to the dark cuisine. 

As a self-proclaimed gourmet, Chika yearned for another bite. 

As they walked, Amamiya remarked, "To be honest, it's not entirely impossible." 

"Really? Can we eat more?" Umi's eyes lit up, and she raised her hand eagerly. "Amamiya-kun, I want another bite too!" 

Kaguya remained quiet but glanced over with a hint of expectation on her refined face. As the daughter of a wealthy family, she had access to professional chefs at home—but even they couldn't create dishes that glowed. 

"Is it really that good?" Hayasaka adjusted her glasses and asked curiously. 

"It's more than good; it's miraculous!" Umi exclaimed, resting a hand on her waist and holding up a finger. "How can I describe it... The moment I took a bite, my mind went blank, and I couldn't stop until it was all gone." 

"Amamiya-kun, hurry up and tell us!" Chika urged impatiently. "Didn't you say we could try it again?" 

"It's true that you can eat it," Amamiya replied, "but it's risky. Let me give you an example. At the turn of spring and summer, after the rainy season, mushrooms start growing all over the forests. While a few are safe to eat, most are highly dangerous." 

He paused for emphasis. "Dark cuisine is like those mushrooms—it looks tempting and dazzling, but the consequences are unpredictable. While you might not pass out, you could experience random side effects, like giggling uncontrollably, talking to thin air, or rolling on the ground." 

"Forget it—I won't eat it." Umi quickly shook her head, her voice tinged with regret. "It sounds way too risky." 

In contrast, Chika looked thoughtful rather than deterred. 

"If that's all..." 

Wait, what do you mean, 'if that's all'? That's already bad enough! 

The pink haired girl stood firm. "When I first tried puffer fish with my parents, my dad told me that, in ancient times, eating puffer fish was incredibly dangerous and could even be fatal. Yet, there were still countless warriors who risked their lives for its taste." 

She clenched her fists with determination, like a soldier taking an oath. "It's decided—I'll eat it! There's no reward without risk. If I can't take even a small chance, how can I ever reach the pinnacle of culinary delight?" 

"To be a warrior for three seconds or a coward who regrets it for a lifetime—I'll choose the former!" 

You refuse to back down, even with such risks? You really are a certified foodie! 

"Wow, Chika-chan is amazing!" Umi said, her eyes wide with amazement. 

Kaguya's pink lips twitched slightly as she said helplessly, "…That's just like her." 

Back in junior high school, during the autumn semester after summer vacation, Chika once mentioned that she found many insects quite tasty. She even wrote an insect-eating guide... 

That's right. Despite Chika's delicate pink hair, soft skin, and innocent appearance as a harmless, beautiful girl, she's actually an ecological menace who can eat bugs with a smile. 

"I remember now." Amamiya glanced at Chika and said, "Ordinary people might experience some… aftereffects from eating dark cuisine." 

"What kind of aftereffects?" Chika asked, looking up at him fearlessly. "Just tell me! I'm not afraid!" 

"Are you sure you said that?" 

"Explain!" 

Amamiya lowered his voice and said in a meaningful tone: 

"According to statistics, a small number of people who consume random mushrooms suffer from… incontinence." 

"Incontinence?!" 

The pink haired girl's face flushed bright red in an instant. 

"Ugh—!" 

While everyone else managed to keep their composure, Komi, who had been eavesdropping nearby, was caught completely off guard. She suffered a severe mental blow, with metaphorical steam pouring from her head. 

Amamiya glanced at her. 

You're way too thin-skinned. 

Take a lesson from Kaguya. Not only did she remain unflustered, but she didn't even blink at the mention of "incontinence." Truly, she lives up to her title as the former "Ice Princess Kaguya-sama." 

Amamiya turned back to Chika and asked, "So, do you still want to eat it?" 

"Of course not!" 

The pink haired girl yelled in embarrassment, her voice shrill. 

For a girl, suffering from incontinence would be worse than dying on the spot! 

Amamiya smirked. "Who was it that just said they'd be a 'three-second warrior'?" 

Chika puffed up her cheeks indignantly. "…You're bullying me!" 

The group continued chatting as they walked, and before they knew it, the school loomed ahead. 

The journey passed safely without incident. With over 20 players traveling together, they had become the largest and most intimidating gang of misfits in the ghost town. 

When they passed the alley where they'd encountered the slit-mouthed lady the previous night, she caught sight of their large group. Without saying a word, she tightly wrapped her coat around herself and quickly slipped away through the opposite end of the alley. 

A moment later, the group entered the school and made their way to the classroom building. 

"Hanako-chan, we're back!" 

Chika walked to the restroom door and called out cheerfully. 

The passerby players who had never seen Hanako before glanced over nervously and curiously. Soon, they saw a small elementary school girl silently emerge from the darkness. 

Her pale skin, dark eyes, bobbed hairstyle reminiscent of Chibi Maruko, and sharp, shark-like teeth gave her an eerie, ghostly presence. 

"What are you still doing here?" 

Hanako's tone was impatient. 

"Of course, I'm keeping my promise!" Chika said with a proud smile, holding up the cooking box in her hand and winking confidently. "I told Hanako-chan I'll bring food, so I'm here to follow through." 

At the sight of the dark cuisine, the wraith loli's eyes lit up with excitement. 

"Humph!" 

The wraith loli crossed her arms in front of her chest, turning her head away defiantly. "Don't think I don't know—you only want me to help. You even threatened me with my mom yesterday…" 

"Hanako-chan, open your mouth." 

Ignoring her complaints, Chika picked up a piece of dark cuisine with chopsticks and offered it to her. 

"Ah…" 

Having been fed repeatedly the night before, the wraith loli had developed an instinctive reaction. Without thinking, she opened her mouth and accepted the food. 

As she swallowed the dark cuisine, her expression softened, and her eyes curved with satisfaction. 

Seeing this, the passerby players, who had been tense and nervous just moments ago, immediately relaxed. 

"So, she's a tsundere loli? That's a bit much." 

"I don't know why, but I'm not afraid anymore." 

"Compared to those things at the amusement park, Hanako is kind of… cute." 

"…" 

After feeding her the "carrot," the next step was naturally to "grind the mill." 

"Komi-san." 

Amamiya turned his gaze to the girl with long black hair. 

When her name was called, Komi's hair trembled slightly. Her pretty face flushed bright red as she lowered her head to stare at her toes, then silently turned and walked toward the classroom. 

A few minutes later, the copy-paste was complete. 

The companion-play service officially commenced. 

There wasn't much need to explain what happened next. Kaguya managed the transactions, while Amamiya took care of the actual service. 

In simple terms, Kaguya collected the money, and Amamiya did the work. 

When the first passerby player received the ghost story videotape, the rest finally relaxed. 

Before anyone realized it, the night had deepened. 

As the last passerby player cleared the level and left, Amamiya stopped by the restroom to greet the Loli there, then exited the alternate dimension. 

"Amamiya-kun, you've worked hard," Chika said, walking over to hand him a drink. "Here, have some water." 

Kaguya, standing nearby, paused for a moment, silently tightening her grip on the drink bottle in her hand. 

(Hanako's still waiting for you to feed her, but here you are, fawning over him with water? How is this any different from a pet pandering to its owner?) 

(This is exactly why she's the cancer of the earth!) 

"It's all done now. You can take a break," Umi said, stepping forward with a playful smile. Cupping her hands around her mouth, she added, "There are too many people here now, but once we leave the dungeon, I'll give you a proper massage." 

(And you, Umi. He tied you up so many times in the hotel before. Why do you keep throwing yourself at him?!) 

Crack, crack. 

The drink bottle in Kaguya's hand made ominous creaking sounds as her frustration mounted. 

Hayasaka adjusted her glasses, sighing quietly. 

(All you can do is crush the drink bottle? Looks like I'll have to handle this myself.) 

With everyone getting their videotape, the players dispersed. Since the group was so large, they decided to clear out a classroom next door. 

Amamiya paid no attention to these trivial matters and went to the restroom to wash his hands. 

"Amamiya~ You're too much, too much~" 

A resentful voice suddenly echoed behind him. 

Amamiya turned on the faucet and replied without looking back, "Sister Shimizu, could you not appear out of nowhere to scare people?" 

"If I don't show up, everyone will forget about me!" A ghostly figure of Shimizu materialized, her eyes full of grievance. "Amamiya, I want to eat too. You can't just give food to Hanako and ignore me." 

As a guardian spirit and non-human entity, Shimizu could theoretically consume dark cuisine without issue. 

"Here." 

Amamiya, ever prepared, pulled out another portion of the ominous dish and handed it to her. 

Shimizu, who could communicate directly into Amamiya's mind, had stayed hidden during the day for safety reasons. However, her obsession with dark cuisine had been made abundantly clear. 

"I've been feeling so neglected lately, I can't even lift my chopsticks anymore," Shimizu said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Leaning forward slightly, she added with a sly smile, "Amamiya, feed me." 

(If Kaguya saw you now, she'd probably die of embarrassment.) 

Amamiya sighed, picked up a piece of food, and offered it to her. 

Shimizu bit into it softly. Her eyes widened immediately, sparkling with delight. 

"Mmm~" 

The sensual sound echoed through the restroom, sending shivers down Amamiya's spine. 

At that moment, a girl with long black hair happened to pass by the restroom door. Hearing the strange noises, she peeked in out of curiosity. 

When she saw the scene inside, her eyes widened in shock. 

"!!!" 

"Don't panic," Amamiya said, holding up the plate of food. "We're just eating dark cuisine. Want to try some?" 

The girl shook her head furiously, her hands clutching her skirt as if her life depended on it. 

'No way! I don't want to be incontinent!'