Full Moon Night (3)

A long time ago, I came across a post on the community forums. It was a brag about clearing the first chapter of Act 1—the dormitory ghost incident—via the shortest route possible. To prove it, they'd even attached a video of clearing it in under 20 minutes, along with all sorts of diagrams and what looked like expert-level Excel charts.

I still remember one line from it vividly.

Back then, strategy guides were pretty scarce, so that brag post racked up tons of upvotes. It even got pinned as an announcement with a main banner on the community site.

And among the reactions to that post, there was one reply that got buried under a mountain of downvotes and eventually went blindfolded.

…Now it just feels like a black mark on my history, but that was my reply.

Of course, the reactions weren't great. I'd only claimed I could clear it in 10 minutes—no proof, since I never actually uploaded it. I planned to, but my power went out mid-upload thanks to a toad house crashing down or whatever. By the time electricity came back and I hunted down the post again, I'd already been blocked by the mods.

Just one of the countless unfair takedowns from my past life.

The first chapter of the original story, where Serin Anette shows up as the boss, isn't all that hard. If the entrance exam is a quick prologue episode, this chapter serves as a tutorial, teaching new players the unique mechanics of Grimoire Tales.

Players finally meet the main cast during the "Dormitory Ghost Incident," learn the full controls, and start building relationships with the protagonists. It's already easy, but multiple playthroughs make it a breeze. What normally takes a comfy 20-30 minutes including cutscenes gets optimized naturally from the second run onward.

In that sense, the devs did solid work. First playthrough, you're tailing the protagonists from behind. Second playthrough, you're naturally taking the lead and guiding them.

"…There are ghosts swarming the first floor too?"

"……."

Yeah, the real issue is—

The situation's changed. The build that nailed a 10-minute clear back then won't fly now.

In the original story, Lara Steelhiden senses the weird mana waves in the dorm, figures out what's going on late, and joins the protagonist crew. That's how it went in the game, anyway.

I'd felt it the first time I met Lara Steelhiden too—this world won't follow the original episodes beat for beat. The game, built on 0s and 1s, has become reality. And reality comes with variables.

Like the butterfly effect: tiny changes snowball into big events, or a simple whim derails the schedule. Even if I know the script, it's limited to what I saw on-screen—gameplay and official lore. Anything off-screen? No clue.

I can't know the fine details, like what the protagonist ate for breakfast, what time he woke up, or who he chatted with. …Not the right context, but sometimes reality outdoes fiction.

And right now's exactly that.

"Alright, let's see……."

Apparently, Shanellia Hall's first floor is crawling with ghosts too. I quietly prepped my Glock. Ejected the loaded mag, slotted in a fresh one.

Clack—

Originally, I'd loaded fire-attribute magic bullets to counter Serin Anette's ice affinity—pure matchup dominance. But spirits change the build entirely. Those prepped bullets? Useless against them.

Dozens of spirit types exist; you can't cover every matchup. It's impractical in reality, and with a gun as my main weapon, the cost-performance sucks. That's why guns get treated like variety-show gimmicks.

Unless you're honing it to the absolute extreme, firepower's weak, and ammo logistics are a nightmare.

In that light, Lara Steelhiden's the absolute worst matchup for me. The entrance exam worked because it was a surprise hit; it won't land twice. Even forcing close quarters with my dagger would just be suicide right now, with spirits rampaging outside.

Spirits draw endless mana from nature; my mana pool's finite. A war of attrition, and I'd end up battered and beaten.

But that's just for a sniper like me.

Swordsmen like Iri and Kyle? Different story. Serin Anette too.

So the one to send at the boss isn't me—it's Kyle Ivanstair.

By my Sense, the mana waves' source is the next dorm over: Titania Hall. I scanned the hallway with Watcher's Eye.

Faint mana afterimages trailed long like footprints. Probably leading to Lara Steelhiden, who's suddenly this chapter's boss.

Why she crossed paths with the banshee? No idea. Whatever weird causality led here, I can investigate once the chaos ends.

"Why are they attacking each other?"

"She's possessed right now—body's not her own anymore. See?"

Possessed cadets get that red glow in their eyes. Obvious even without Telescopic Vision.

"Yeah… something's off for sure…… Whoa?!"

Clang—!

An attack flying my way gets blocked by Iri's swing. She freezes for a split second, blades locked.

"Don't freak out."

"O-okay……."

The red-eyed, roaring cadet charges like a total maniac. Doesn't care about their own body, so they hurt themselves mid-attack. They'll thrash endlessly until disarmed and subdued.

Putting down a ghost-possessed person is simple: Hit 'em with enough physical force, and the ghost bails for a new host.

I reloaded the Glock. Clack-clack—no ejecting casings this time. Mana bullets, not magic ones. Pure condensed mana, low lethality—perfect for suppression.

First time actually using Magic Bullet Shooter, but non-lethal? No reason to hesitate.

I planted one in the guy's thigh.

Bang!

"Gahk!"

Loud report, but he just staggers back. Barely any stopping power—basically a shockwave. Which makes it ideal for non-lethal takedowns like this.

"Whoa?!"

Iri squeezes her eyes shut at the sudden gunshot, but blinks one open once she realizes it's not live ammo.

Target's still up, just wobbling. Before he recovers, I pump two more into his chest. Finish with a headshot aim, finger on the trigger.

Two to the body, one to the head. The "Mozambique Drill" back on Earth—now muscle memory from Esperand training.

Three shots was the limit; the cadet crumples.

"Subdued?"

"Nah."

I stopped Iri from advancing. Would be nice if that ended it, but no such luck. We'll be up all night.

First class tomorrow too—perfect timing. Kyle's gonna doze off and get chewed out.

Shiiiiek…….

Mist rises from the fallen cadet, coalescing into a translucent shape peeling off the body. The ghost reveals itself—a white-curtain-like specter floating midair.

Bodyless, it's just a minor poltergeist. Best it can do is chuck small objects. Arsen cadets? They shrug that off.

Freshly evicted ghost's next move? Obvious: Find a new host. Top picks—me and Iri, closest targets.

But this ghost picked the wrong marks.

"Grrraaah!"

"Hya!"

Iri charges and slashes—the ghost scatters briefly, then reforms.

Smoke that disperses on a good hit, but that's it. Endless attrition war.

"What do we do?"

"What else? Hold out till morning."

"Mooorning……?!"

Iri tilts her head like she heard something absurd—which she did. No good options against this ghost right now.

Ghosts are undead like zombies or skeletons. Innate element: Darkness. Hard counter: Light. Holy water or special holy rounds would work, but early Chapter 1? No dice.

Holy Church sets up at Arsen way later; "holy bullets" live up to the name—rare even on black markets.

Only the dorm supervisor—probably at the student union building—can exorcise these. In the original, that's a cutscene. In reality, the chapter ends when you subdue a banshee-possessed cadet.

So the key to Chapter 1: Find the boss pulling the strings—the banshee, now in Lara Steelhiden's body—as fast as possible.

That's why most community strats focused on optimized pathing for time attacks.

None used guns, though. Except me, deep in my concept-play hole.

Same time, Shanellia Hall 4th floor.

A group of cadets had holed up there, untouched by ghosts yet. Serin Anette brushed holy energy off the window and turned as a short-haired guy—Kai Alma—unloaded his pent-up gripes.

"What the hell's going on first day? Serin Anette, you know anything?"

"Still assessing."

"Tch, seriously……."

Serin Anette side-eyed the tongue-clicking Kai Alma, then looked up. Footsteps echoed from the stairs.

Cadets tensed at the thudding—

"All clear, Serin. No one's getting out now."

Thankfully, it was Kyle Ivanstair.

"No one getting out? What're you talking about?"

Answer came from an unexpected source: Kai Alma, flexing his battered leather knuckles, jerking his chin cockily. Serin Anette frowned.

Kyle stayed chill as ever.

"Haven't heard? Ghosts possess people downstairs. Subdue one, it jumps to another."

"So?"

"If a possessed one slips out, casualties skyrocket. So we sealed the dorm."

"Who said that?"

Kai Alma snorted in disbelief. As Kyle hesitated, Serin Anette stepped in.

"Sion Illeionhart—second place in the exam. You know him. You climbed to seventh yourself."

"…What?"

"You're not possessed and still here because of him."

Kai Alma's vein throbbed. True, though—no comeback. Wanted a rematch, but too many enemies now. Swing at Serin, and every cadet here glares him down.

"Do whatever. I don't care."

Kai Alma stormed off down the stairs. Watching him go, a girl with light brown hair—Yuuki Kazuha—mumbled,

"Um, so… other dorms probably the same?"

"Yeah, checked myself. Probably."

"Then what now? Stuck forever—"

"No way. Won't happen."

Kyle rolled up his sleeves, standing. He'd dashed the whole dorm per ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Serin Anette's word—knew the situation best.

"Anyway, can't just sit. Let's recap."

Serin Anette summed it up after a beat.

"Most downstairs cadets are possessed. Except the few locked in their rooms."

"Yeah, some doors were locked."

"Treat room-dwellers as out of play."

Kyle nodded; Serin Anette raised her spear, etching ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a simple map on the ice wall.

"Priority one: Find the dorm supervisor."

But the supervisor, normally on 1F, was MIA—weirdly absent right now.

"Supervisor's at the student union."

"How do you know?"

"Got called there. Warning."

Serin Anette had questions but held back.

"So we can't just wait blindly for rescue."

"Path to B Wing's closed for construction; only way out is punching through to 1F."

"That's fighting at least 50 cadets. Ghosts reform on slashes—long haul."

Serin Anette scanned the 4F group: Essili Silvergaden, Kyle Ivanstair, Yuuki Kazuha. Elin Beonard leaning on the wall—seven total.

Kai Alma had ditched for 2F. 7 vs. 50, with "subdue not kill"? Difficulty squared.

Then a question hit.

"Hold on."

"Yeah?"

"Where's Sion Illeionhart?"

He advised sealing the dorm with ice walls. Yet he's not here. More she thought, more suspicious.

"Sion's—"

Beep—!

"Ah, speak of the devil."

Kyle projected the watch screen into ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the air. Serin Anette froze. Other cadets furrowed brows at the odd sight.

It showed Sion Illeionhart atop the dorm roof.