Why is my Isekai in the Slice of Life anime was become a Horror Story?

Interlude 1-17: Another Senpai Girl Aoyama Nanami and the Investment from the Market

If their manage to get three admission tickets to the same Dusk dungeon, ensuring that the second mission of all three players can be carried out as a group and completed in the same location, this is one of the strategic goals Takakai's team had set from the start.

However, although such a goal existed, putting it into practice was certainly extremely difficult. After all, Dusk tickets were highly sought after; many veteran players needed them. As for three admission tickets to the same dungeon, this held even more special meaning for veteran players.

Therefore, at this moment, when three admission tickets to the same dungeon appeared, honestly speaking, Takakai's first reaction was to wonder if he was being scammed.

"The meeting place chosen by the other party is a small shop in a crowded district, with the message sent around 7 a.m. Judging by their attitude, it seems that because you guys 'clean up' the [Female Mask Gang], the seller has gained trust in us and decided to 'invest' in us."

Over the phone, Shinomiya Kaguya's cold voice rang out, tinged with a faint trace of weariness. Although she hadn't participated in last night's conflict herself, it was evident that she hadn't slept after receiving the news.

At that time, it was close to midnight, and under strict curfew conditions, Shinomiya Kaguya couldn't leave the mansion. She decided to wake up her close maid, instructing her to take the blood puppet hidden in a box and head out to assist Shijo Maki. In the end, before the reinforcements arrived, Shijo Maki had already dealt with the two intruding players on her own, so the blood puppet was returned and personally delivered to Takakai by the maid.

Speaking of this, the resentful expression of that petite blonde maid at the time was truly unforgettable. After all, she had no idea what was happening, was forced into a midnight delivery mission by her mistress, and then bizarrely ordered to change her delivery target midway.

"This time, I'll come along as well. If it's a crowded area, the Shinomiya family won't be able to impose too many restrictions on me."

As Takakai recalled these little fragments, Shinomiya Kaguya's voice continued over the phone.

"Is that so? Actually, you don't need to be bound by the Shinomiya family anymore, do you? Curfews, restrictions—just hearing about them is nauseating. With your current abilities, can those people really control you?"

While tidying up the bed, Takakai spoke, his tone a bit curious.

"... It's not time yet. There are still some unclear matters, but when the time comes for action, I certainly won't hesitate."

The girl's voice paused briefly on the other end of the line before replying in a calm tone.

"Alright, I was just saying. Every family has its struggles; these matters are ultimately up to you. I'm an outsider and have no reason to offer opinions."

Even though they were merely on a call, Takakai shrugged as though they were speaking face-to-face.

"Any thoughts? If you really have opinions, I can hear them, Taka-kun."

Unexpectedly, this sparked Kaguya's interest. Initially, she seemed ready to end the topic but instead continued.

"Oh, you really want to hear them? My opinions are just the vulgar kind that lowly people have."

This caught Takakai a bit off guard.

"Of course I want to hear them. Everyone's perspectives are different; for all I know, my thinking might be limited."

Was she serious?

Takakai couldn't help but pause and seriously reflect for a moment.

"Alright, let me think. From the tone of your voice when talking about your family, it seems your relationship with them isn't great. If that's the case, why not go ahead and 'clean up' the management teams of the companies under your siblings' control? First, give a warning about who will be dealt with, and then take action. Repeat that a few times, and they'll understand not to mess with you."

Initially, Takakai had considered suggesting Kaguya directly eliminate her foolish older brother, Shinomiya Oko, as he was her greatest enemy. However, two issues held him back. First, in this world, Takakai and Kaguya hadn't known each other for long, and revealing information only a manga reader would know would be difficult to justify. Second, it was uncertain whether Kaguya was currently capable of taking action against her blood relatives. Thus, he took a step back, suggesting she target the core of their interests instead.

"... That's a very straightforward and brutal approach, but what if they retaliate by targeting the people close to me?"

Kaguya fell silent for a moment before raising this question.

"Are they more vulnerable than you, or are you more vulnerable than them? Compile a list of their subordinates and close associates, send it to them, and let them know that if they dare to make a move, you'll break all limits and destroy everything. These people will naturally understand what decision to make. Honestly, ever since we became players, we've been reckless individuals. The order of civilized society doesn't fully apply to us anymore. Betting lives and playing death games are what we excel at. I don't think the people controlling you have the guts to fight to the bitter end over this."

With that, Takakai left his bedroom, washed his face quickly, and wandered around the house to kill time. He then dressed neatly, stepped out to buy some bread from a nearby shop for a quick breakfast, and headed to the designated meeting location.

Shinomiya Kaguya said nothing further and hurriedly ended the conversation. Whether she would take the path Takakai suggested, he couldn't predict. After all, Kaguya's current development trajectory was clearly entirely different from the original storyline.

.....

The morning sun remained as radiant as ever.

Office workers and students, unaware that two life-and-death duels had taken place in the city the night before, continued their daily routines.

Takakai arrived at a small shop that looked like a tea house, divided into several private rooms inside.

"Yes, I'm the guest who booked the room [Flying Dragon in the Sky]."

After informing the staff, he was led to the reserved room.

Takakai opened the door and stepped in. At this moment, Kaguya and Maki were already seated on one side of a large table. On the opposite corner sat Gotoh Hitori, who looked extremely nervous—or rather, she was indeed very nervous. Additionally, there was a girl with glasses, long brown hair, and golden eyes seated in her place. When she saw Takakai enter, she smiled politely.

"Hello, you must be Takahashi Takakai, right? I'm Aoyama Nanami, the player organizing this transaction. Gotoh-san is my friend, and I hope we can work well together."

After speaking, the young girl, who appeared to be under 20 years old, stood up and gave a slight bow to Takakai.

"Um, hello, Aoyama-san."

Takakai greeted her earnestly while his mind raced to recall any relevant information about this character.

Aoyama Nanami, 158 cm tall, was from Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo. She was a strong, independent girl working hard to pursue her dream of becoming a seiyuu. Compared to the eccentric heroines of other 2D works, she leaned more towards being "realistic." Down-to-earth, humble, considerate, and meticulous in everything, she was the kind of person who seemed perfectly suited to be a capable wife—a truly reliable partner.

Wait, speaking of this, wasn't the room Bocchi had led him and Shijo Maki to last time marked by a sign with an orange cat? Could that have been a reference to Torajirou, Aoyama Nanami's favorite character?

Tch, he hadn't considered this connection at the time. Probably because the anime adaptation of this work aired 12 years ago, and minor details like this were difficult to remember unless you were a hardcore fan. It was already impressive that he managed to recall relevant character settings after recognizing her.

That being said, looking at her strong and confident demeanor, could she have been the one who guided Gotoh Hitori through the dungeon? In the original work, she cared for Mashiro, who had no common sense, and now she was helping Bocchi, who suffered from severe social anxiety. What kind of "motherly figure" was she, really?

"Hey, why are you staring at her like that?"

Shijo Maki seemed displeased and lightly kicked Takakai under the table. To avoid getting dust on his pants, she deliberately used the top of her foot.

"Ahem, it's nothing," Takakai coughed awkwardly, regaining his composure. "Anyway, we're here to trade for the admission tickets, right? But honestly, I can't help but wonder—why would three Dusk-tier tickets for the same dungeon, something so critical, end up being handed over to new players like us?"

Takakai's expression turned serious as he directed his question to Aoyama Nanami.

"That's something you'd need to ask Ogawa-san about. After all, he's the one who made the decision. I'm just here to organize this transaction and serve as a witness," Aoyama Nanami replied with a polite smile. She glanced towards the door before anyone else in the room noticed.

"It seems he's just arrived. We can probably start the transaction now."

As soon as she finished, the sound of footsteps approached, followed by the slow creak of the door opening. A figure stepped into the room.

It was an old man, bald, hunched over like a skeleton, and leaning on a cane.

When Takakai locked eyes with the elderly figure, the man let out a raspy chuckle, revealing a small black insect scurrying between his teeth before disappearing into his mouth.

What the f*ck is this? Zouken Matou?!

"Although I don't know what you're thinking, let me clarify upfront: my name is Ogawa Itsuki, and I am 28 years old. Due to my use of a parasitic Obsession, I'm forced to maintain this bizarre elderly appearance. Please don't mistake me for a villain just because of my looks," the 'old man' said, shaking his head as though this misunderstanding had happened countless times before.

Before Takakai could even process his inner criticism, the old man addressed him directly.

"Ogawa-san, why did you seek us out? Why sell these admission tickets to us? You must know that as newcomers, we don't have high-value Obsessions. I'd like to know your reasoning for this decision," Kaguya asked bluntly, disregarding his strange appearance.

"Why wouldn't I? Simply acquiring the Obsessions from the [Female Mask Gang] is enough compensation. Especially the [Substitute Flesh and Blood]; you already have one, don't you? And the fact that you obtained the [Faceless Head] from 'Old Guo'—I can't even imagine how you managed that during the Shirakawa Apartment quest.

Breaking through a dungeon so difficult it might be fixed as a Dark Night-level instance, receiving a blessing inside, and eliminating six veteran players, including the infamous Old Guo—achievements like these are enough to catch the attention of both me and the Market.

Your potential is genuinely terrifying. At the very least, I want to ensure we remain friends rather than enemies," Ogawa Itsuki explained slowly, pulling out a chair and seating himself.

Was he monitoring the battle from yesterday? Or did he have some method to observe it remotely?

If he knew Maki had used the [Faceless Head] during the fight, then he must have seen everything. Ogawa Itsuki's connection to the Market implied that the organization had adopted a "wait and see" approach—letting the sides fight it out and intervening only after confirming the winner to extend an invitation.

This choice was understandable, but to be honest, it still left a sour taste.

"So this is an investment, huh? Which dungeon's admission tickets are you planning to hand over to us?" Takakai asked, his voice calm as he met Ogawa's gaze.

"America. Nutty Putty Cave. A Dusk-tier dungeon with low difficulty that hasn't been fixed yet. And I just happen to have three tickets."

Ogawa let out a hoarse laugh as he raised his hand. Three crumpled tickets instantly appeared in his palm.