Crunch (1)

Suddenly, I realized I was in a bathroom. …Huh?

"Where the hell is this? It doesn't look like the office bathroom."

I was sitting on the toilet. Either the bathroom lights were busted, or there was no power at all—just pitch darkness pressing down on me.

What the actual fuck.

I tried to retrace my steps, but… nothing came to mind. Absolutely zilch.

"Umm…?"

I seriously couldn't remember a damn thing. My memories were all fuzzy, like a fog had rolled in…. I had no clue how I'd even gotten here.

What did I do yesterday…? What was the last thing I ate…? Everything was just a vague blur.

"Did I get blackout drunk or something…? Nah, that doesn't sound right…. I don't even like drinking…."

If I had money to blow on booze, I'd be dumping it into cute girl gacha games instead.

That thought made me realize just how seriously fucked this situation was.

"……."

I cracked open the stall door. I took a step, but the lights still wouldn't turn on. Not a motion sensor anyway. Looking up at the ceiling, I saw a half-busted bulb. The mirror was cracked, tiles shattered. The hallway beyond looked just as shitty—peeling paint on the walls. It felt like I'd wandered into some abandoned building.

'Never seen this place before.'

I'd explored plenty of maps in this monster game, but this was new.

"N-No way…. Did I get caught in some anomaly…?"

No, right…? It couldn't be……?

I tried to deny the reality staring me in the face, but no matter how I spun it, either an anomaly had snagged me, or I'd been kidnapped. Nothing else fit.

Which meant… my memory loss was probably the anomaly's doing too…?

"C-Calm down, think step by step…. One thing at a time…."

I took a deep breath. First off, was this really an anomaly? It sure seemed like the heart of one, but I couldn't jump to conclusions. Maybe I hadn't been dragged in—maybe I'd walked into it on purpose.

I was the boss of a fixer agency, after all. Could be I'd taken a job and dived in voluntarily. But the me from before coming here… would I have known I'd lose my memories? If I did, did I brace myself for it and come anyway?

No idea. But I sure as hell wouldn't have come alone.

"Ari…? Lisa…?"

I called their names softly.

…….

No response.

…Huh?

"Wait, hold up…. This wasn't part of the plan…. Ari? Lisa?"

I called again, but still nothing. Panicking, I pulled up the codex. Thank god it opened.

I let out a sigh of relief. Thought the Cute Girl Mod was totally borked….

For good measure, I held out my hand. A ping-pong ball of light materialized in my palm. Bond effect working fine.

Codex works. Bond effects activate. But no sign of Ari or Lisa. And I can't summon them.

…Probably can't call Taemi either in this state.

Ugh….

"What kind of anomaly blocks me from summoning Ari and Lisa…."

Did pre-anomaly me predict this…? …No clue. Can't remember.

Haa…. This felt hopeless. No memories, no idea what anomaly, can't get help from Ari or Lisa….

But I couldn't just sit here waiting for rescue.

…Gotta handle this solo somehow.

I started walking.

"Ugh…."

Stepped out into the hallway. No signs of life yet. Looked like an abandoned building, as I'd guessed. Windows shattered, glass crunching underfoot, rebar poking through the ceiling now and then. Damp, musty smell.

I shone the ping-pong light ahead, proceeding cautiously.

There are probably monsters here too.

This was a jump-scare heavy monster game, after all….

'Goal for now: escape this place.'

No clue what anomaly or monsters I'd face. Better gather intel first, like in the Abandoned Lab.

As I moved through the ruins,

"Eek…."

A thick steel door. Huge red letters scrawled in what looked like blood.

…Couldn't make out the words clearly. Blood writing…?

I nearly screamed but clamped my mouth shut.

Good job, Mayuri. Not only are you cute, you can even stifle your screams.

Wanted to pat myself on the back, but no time.

Crack!

Crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch!

Nonstop sounds from beyond the door. Like something breaking.

Something was definitely back there.

"Ugh…."

Felt like I shouldn't check, but I needed info. I approached.

The door was ajar, just a sliver.

…Could peek through.

Which made it scream trap, but I leaned in anyway.

Crunch crunch

And then—I saw the monster chewing a human head.

"……."

Guess when you're truly shocked, no scream comes out.

A monster. Big monkey thing. Split, peeling face skin. Unsettling valley-girl uncanny. Covered in fur, eyes half-popped. Mouth torn wide. Blood smeared around it, huge beast ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠claws gripping a person, ripping and eating.

…New monster.

It crunched the skull, then suddenly looked my way. Eye contact.

The monkey grinned.

Like it was saying, Saw me, huh?

…Forced encounter.

"Hiiik…!"

I bolted, spinning around.

Screeech. Door opening behind me.

Thud, thud, thud!

Huge footsteps.

…Chasing me.

'Can't outrun it like this!'

Forgotten things flooded back. Cute Girl Mod was my best weapon ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠against monsters. It'd given me edges so far, but day one in this world? Short legs. Shit stamina….

'No escaping….'

Only option: take it down.

I looked up ahead. Emergency exit. Left side, door open. Instead of running down stairs, I plastered myself against the wall.

Thud!

Monster burst in. I swung my hand blade.

Slash. Hand blade connected—monster's upper body sheared clean off.

Smooth cut. Blood sprayed a beat late.

Closest target: me. Took it full to the face.

"Aaaah…!"

Eyes stung, but I forced them open. Closing them would be suicide.

I backed away, eyes wide. …Lucky break. No follow-up.

Legless lower half flopped down. Upper half tumbled down stairs to the landing.

Snap! Crack! Crunch!

Something broke. Peeking down: monkey monster, neck snapped.

"…D-Dead, right?"

No movement. But that grinning corpse stared right at me.

…Creepy as hell.

I hurried back to the hall, found another staircase, descended to the first floor.

"E-Escape… I-I'm alive…! Hiiik?!"

Blood writing welcomed me. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Ignored it, dashed out the exit.

Disinfectant stung my nose.

Groggy…. Headache from shitty sleep clawed at my skull.

I lifted my head from my folded arms.

"…Passed out face-down, huh."

Why that position? Then I saw her: Ryu Harin, sleeping soundly.

"…Huh?"

Ryu Harin? Why was she here?

Looking around, I realized this wasn't home. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Hospital room. Private one.

Blinking, Lisa approached.

"Awake, Mayuri? …How was the dream?"

She asked, worried.

Then it hit me.

…Right. It was a dream.

I sighed softly, glancing at still-sleeping Ryu Harin.

Ryu Harin. On day four now, still hasn't woken up.