Chapter 30

"That's fine."

Kazuma Hatake, who wrote the SOS distress signal in blood, bought a healing bread from the [Shopping Mall] with gold coins and came back to talk to Megumi Fushiguro while eating it.

"The white background with red lettering should be clear enough that the helicopter won't miss it as long as it flies over here."

As for dying from excessive blood loss? No way, he's a player. This kind of bleeding is nothing to him; the actual damage he suffered wasn't high, and his stamina didn't even drop below half.

Although the description of [Crimson Blood Manipulation] states that one can manipulate one's own blood in battle, he can only use the skills unlocked by [Crimson Blood Manipulation], and cannot actually manipulate his own blood at will.

So it's simpler to just cut a wound and let him bleed, since he won't feel any pain.

However, Fushiguro Megumi and Hatake Kazuma had completely different ideas.

"you………"

He stared dumbfounded at Kamo-sensei, who had repeatedly surprised him, his expression frozen in disbelief.

Just now, while eating the food the monkey brought him, Fushiguro Megumi confidently declared that he would no longer be shocked by anything else—in the blink of an eye, Hagoromo Kazuma delivered an even more shocking blow!

How could someone so recklessly write on the ground with blood? Doesn't he fear death?

"Um, your wound, bandage it..."

He heard his voice stammer and couldn't understand how it was being squeezed out of his throat.

"Hmm? It's okay, I'll just eat a few pieces of bread."

As a result, he heard the other party reply in a rather indifferent tone, as if the wound was not a big deal at all.

Fushiguro Megumi inwardly gasped: "…………"

...Huh? Is this a problem that can be solved by eating a few pieces of bread?

He felt like his brain was about to stop working.

Facing the Kamo family head who so casually committed a crazy act, and this young man who remained unshaken in the face of any adversity and always maintained a calm and composed demeanor, Fushiguro Megumi suddenly had a thought.

He will definitely succeed in ending up with Gojo Satoru.

They are truly the same kind of people.

The temperature was very low at night, so Fushiguro Megumi summoned [Jade Dog]. The two dogs, one white and one black, surrounded them and squeezed together in the cave that Hagoromo Kazuma had carved out with [Black Flash]. They lit a campfire, and their bodies became very warm.

As the two quietly leaped around the firelight, casting long shadows on the rock wall, Fushiguro Megumi suddenly spoke.

“I’m so grateful you saved me today,” he said. “Otherwise, Tsumiki…”

He didn't finish his sentence, but Kazuma Hatake immediately recalled the scene he had seen at his house—a coffee table with a floral tablecloth, blank photo frames, and a New Year's Day spent alone with his mission.

Perhaps this Tsumiki is the key.

But Kazuma Hatake remembered that Fushiguro Megumi had refused to tell him this before, and he didn't know why she was willing to reveal some clues to him now.

...Could it be that the previous "treat" that cost a whopping 100 gold coins really did increase personal charm?

Well, since Fushiguro Megumi himself is willing to bring up this topic, he can take the opportunity to ask a few more questions and try to unlock a hidden request.

"It was Wu who told me to take good care of you, that's why I did all this. If you want to thank me, tell Wu again when we get back."

Kazuma Hatori shook his head, emphasized this to Megumi Fushiguro before continuing to ask.

"Is Tsumiki your family? What happened to her?"

Fushiguro nodded, staring at the campfire in front of him in silence for a moment, "...She is my stepsister." — He finally spoke.

"But shortly after I entered the third year of junior high school, she was afflicted by an unknown curse and has not woken up since. I don't know when the curse will kill her."

"I decided to embark on the path of a sorcerer in order to save her and find a way to break the curse."

Kazuma Hatori basically learned about curses from Megumi Fushiguro, and he knew nothing about curses that could cause someone to fall into a deep sleep.

"Isn't it because of the cursed spirit?"

“Perhaps it is, perhaps it isn’t,” Fuhei Hui said in a low voice. “Low-level curse spirits can’t do this, but high-level curse spirits who can use curses at the Quasi-Level 1 or above may not be able to.”

"There are also curse masters, cursed tools, and cursed objects... Although I asked Dr. Glass to help me look into it, she said she had never seen this phenomenon before and was powerless to do anything about it."

[Currently triggered hidden commission:]

Megumi Fushiguro's worries: Megumi's sister has fallen into a coma of unknown cause. Perhaps you can help her find the truth?

Reward: Gain the skill .

Such a great reward? Having just been given a lecture on the importance of this skill, Kazuma Hato's eyes lit up, and he accepted the hidden request without hesitation.

“I’ll help you,” Kazuma Hato said. “Don’t worry, there will definitely be clues.”

There's no task that players can't solve!

Fushiguro Megumi paused slightly as she added the dead branches before replying.

"good."

…………

The next day, the sky was clear and cloudless, with a gentle breeze and sunlight that made the snow shine.

The clear weather also allowed the sound of the propellers spinning to reach them clearly overhead, growing louder as they approached.

The search and rescue team members who disembarked from the helicopter all looked solemn, as if facing a formidable enemy.

They received the distress call at midnight last night and rushed up the mountain overnight, but Mount Asahidake is too big, and it was too difficult to find the two people in the vast snow forest in the dark environment as soon as possible.

Fortunately, as the sun rose, the helicopter search team immediately discovered the SOS signal – even more shockingly, it was written in blood!

The fact that such a large amount of blood was used to draw a distress signal on the snow indicates that the lives of those in distress must be in grave danger!

The anxious rescue team immediately launched a search in the surrounding area, but only found a young man who had brought a boy to enjoy the snow but had gotten lost. He seemed to be in pretty good condition.

No matter how hard they searched, they could not find the victim who had "lost too much blood".

"You mean you came to enjoy the snow but got lost and fell off a cliff, found a natural cave, slept there for one night, and then met us the next day?"

The police officer who came to take their record was incredulous and repeated what Kazuma Hatake had said again.

"There was no SOS distress signal made with blood, and no third person in distress was seen nearby?"

Kazuma Hagoromo remained remarkably calm: "That's right."

He's spouted nonsense with a straight face more than once or twice, without even blinking.

As for the deep, long wound he inflicted by the knife, it healed automatically after he replenished his stamina.

Megumi Fushiguro was extremely shocked at the time, wondering if he had unintentionally activated a reversal technique, but Kazuma Hatori didn't care at all.

This is just a minor passive skill that players have in any game—full health equals no damage, which is perfectly reasonable.

"...I really find it hard to imagine your story, Mr. Kamo."

The officer straightened the papers in front of them and then spoke earnestly.

"Please try to recall carefully if there are any signs of other victims nearby. This blood is clearly fresh."

Although he had suspected that the two people in front of him were responsible, they had no wounds on their bodies, so how could they write blood words on the snow?

—In fact, this is also why Kazuma Hatori cannot tell the truth.

He had no wounds left on his body. If you said that the SOS symbol was written with his own blood, who would believe you?

Besides, what good would it do him to desperately prove that he wrote the SOS himself?

“Perhaps it’s the one who died in the Asahidake Mountain incident in the last century…” Kazuma Hatori, who was about to come up with a new reason, got stuck.

“Mr. Morita,” Fushiguro Megumi added.

"Mr. Morita's spirit did not dissipate. This time, he saved us, freed us from our obsessions, and allowed us to attain complete enlightenment."

Kazuma Hatake readily accepted this statement—although the truth was that the supernatural rumors had given birth to a cursed spirit, which was then sent away overnight by Megumi Fushiguro.

Police officer: "………………" Who would believe this if it were written in the statement?

"Alright, since you don't know the situation, then you should get some rest first."

He could only put away his pen and paper, nod his thanks, and say, "We will go back to the bottom of the cliff to try a more thorough search and rescue operation, hoping to find some clues."

"And what about us?" Fushiguro asked.

"You can leave once the doctor comes and confirms that there are no problems with your health."

The officer added, "You really should thank Mr. Saito. Normally, it takes 48 hours for a missing person case to be filed, but he repeatedly asked us to respond as soon as possible, saying that you didn't call as agreed, so you must have encountered a very, very dangerous accident."

Seeing that the two of them were unharmed actually relieved him.

"Yes, we will." Kazuma Hatake nodded earnestly. "Thank you too."

After the police officer left, he turned to ask Fushiguro Megumi.

"Have you managed to contact that [window]?"

“No.” Megumi Fushiguro shook her head solemnly, holding her phone. “It’s not just [the window]; the assistant supervisor who was supposed to be with us has also not been heard from yet.”

“It was indeed a deliberate conspiracy,” Kazuma Hatori said. “It was probably from the General Manager’s office.”

Fushiguro Megumi paused, "So sure?"

“They’ve always opposed me. Regardless of whether they actually did it this time, let’s assume it was them.”

Kazuma Hagoromo said calmly, "Killing a few will get us the answers."

Just like in Werewolf, do we need concrete evidence that the other player is a werewolf before we vote? Don't we all suspect a few people at the beginning and then decide what to do if we vote wrong?

The same principle applies to these old male NPCs.

Fushiguro Megumi didn't know how to respond to Kamo-sensei, who was occasionally exceptionally ruthless, and hesitated for a long time before finally speaking.

“…Oh, I see.”

As expected of a man who can pursue... pursue Gojo-sensei.

After the doctor examined their physical condition and was amazed by their unusually healthy state, Kazuma Hatake left the police station with Megumi Fushiguro.

Walking down the street, Fushiguro Megumi tried calling Asahidake Mountain several times, but received no response except for the pre-set voicemail.

"They should have all been silenced; you can't contact them."

Kazuma Hatori put away his phone and shook his head slightly.

"Instead of wasting time on this, you should take care of something else first."

"What is it?" Fushiguro Megumi replied seriously, "Could it be that you've remembered some clue..."

"[Sakurada]'s Karin Candy".

Kazuma Hatake frowned and spoke to him in a tone of extreme disappointment.

“How could you forget Satoru’s instructions? I’ve already checked. [Sakurada] is actually a ranch with a shop attached. We’re going there now to buy Satoru some Hanarin candy.”

Fushiguro Megumi: "...Okay."

...He should have realized it sooner.