011 Hidden Rules of the Dungeon
No sooner had Yuuki Asuna finished speaking than a line of dark red text suddenly popped up on the phone screen.
"[Due to the death of the original player, within twenty-four hours, non-players can register as players by continuously tapping this app icon three times. Upon successful registration, they will acquire all items and equipment of the original player. Those who are already players can also use the same method to randomly draw one piece of equipment or an item owned by a deceased player.]"
The astonishing information revealed by this simple sentence made Yuuki Asuna frown slightly.
Besides being suddenly chosen like herself and Asagiri, could ordinary people gain the qualification to register as players through this method? Even if one didn't want others to become players, they could still draw equipment or items from the deceased player themselves?
This was not good news.
Although the clearance reward Yuuki Asuna herself received was nothing special, she had personally witnessed Utsunomiya Asagiri's power called Persona, which was completely unexplainable by science and beyond ordinary people's imagination.
It was conceivable that if people knew they could enter a dungeon through the eye icon app and complete it, potentially gaining supernatural powers, many would surely want to become players.
And the way to do that would be to kill already registered players and snatch their phones.
What would happen if a player's phone was lost, but they hadn't died yet?
Yuuki Asuna couldn't think of the answer to this question. She just watched Asagiri, who had tapped the eye icon three times in a row to draw the only clearance reward that originally belonged to Noguchi Wakawa, a bottle of medical disinfectant. Her expression was complex.
"So, you brought him through the dungeon just to get this information?"
"Yes, information is very important."
Watching the eye icon app on Noguchi Wakawa's phone gradually disappear after he drew his equipment, Asagiri immediately threw the phone aside, looked at Yuuki Asuna, and replied with a light chuckle.
"Now we know how to make others players and what benefits can be gained by killing another player."
"Most importantly, through Noguchi Wakawa's clearance evaluation, we can confirm that most ordinary players' novice dungeon clearance rewards will not grant any special powers, and even talents and professions cannot be unlocked. Assuming we two are the initial players and there are no old players, our combat power is absolutely overwhelming compared to ordinary players."
"Of course, we cannot rule out the possibility of people who were already very powerful, such as martial artists skilled in fighting techniques, Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department elites, special forces members, or gang members, becoming players."
Hearing Asagiri's words, Yuuki Asuna pursed her lips and asked a question she had wanted to ask for a long time.
"Why... why can you adapt so quickly... and facing this unknown situation, you don't seem scared at all..."
Utsunomiya Asagiri smiled, then gave an answer that Yuuki Asuna had not at all anticipated.
"Because I'm very timid."
"Huh? You? Timid?"
Yuuki Asuna frowned slightly, thinking this answer was too absurd. Did his actions, demeanor, and speech have anything to do with the word "timid"?
"Yes, I'm too timid."
Asagiri nodded and said with a smile.
"It is precisely because I am too timid that I don't want to see any player's power stronger than mine, and even less do I want to become a weakling to be slaughtered. Therefore, I will not hesitate, nor will I stand still."
Yuuki Asuna remained silent for a few seconds after hearing this, then sighed slightly, her expression complex.
"You truly are a rather unusual person. Oh, right, where did that pistol you had just now come from? And what did that action of shooting yourself in the temple mean?"
"You mean this?"
The black pistol reappeared in Asagiri's hand, and he handed it to Yuuki Asuna.
"This thing isn't actually a real firearm; it can't fire bullets. It's more like a special item condensed from my inner strength, used to summon my Persona. The action of pulling the trigger on myself symbolizes facing the fear of death directly."
Yuuki Asuna nodded, half-understanding, then frowned slightly.
"So, if this thing is snatched or lost, will you be unable to summon your Persona?"
"How is that possible?"
Asagiri shook his head, throwing the black pistol in his hand far away. The next second, the black pistol disappeared, and an identical firearm appeared in his hand.
"I already said, it's a product condensed from my inner strength; I can summon it at any time. As for it being snatched... come on, try touching it."
Seeing Asagiri's smiling expression, Yuuki Asuna felt that he seemed to be anticipating something, but after all, practice makes perfect. As a teammate who would conquer dungeons together in the future, it was very necessary to fully understand his abilities.
Thinking of this, she tentatively extended her fair and slender right hand, carefully placing her fingertips on the firearm in Asagiri's hand.
The moment she touched the gun body, Yuuki Asuna's pupils suddenly dilated, and her body couldn't help but tremble. With just a slight touch, she quickly withdrew her hand, her breathing becoming rapid as she gasped with lingering fear.
"This... what exactly is this...?"
In that instant, Yuuki Asuna felt an indescribable fear, as if the concept of "death" had suddenly taken on a concrete form and appeared before her.
Despair, fear, trembling.
"This is what it feels like to face death directly, understand?"
"Mmm... I understand..."
Yuuki Asuna gently stroked her chest, calming herself down slightly, and then noticed that Asagiri was staring at her with an interested expression.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Nothing, I just wanted to admire a beautiful girl pretending to be strong, with tears glistening in her eyes and her body trembling when facing intense fear."
"Who... whose eyes were sparkling with tears!"
Yuuki Asuna retorted, while fumbling a packet of tissues from her pocket, pulling one out to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes.
Just as she was about to say something, her phone suddenly chimed with a notification. She took it out and saw a line of text on the screen.
[The time limit for this instance has been reached. You will leave in ten seconds]
"Time's up."
Asagiri also saw the same message on his phone. He picked up the chainsaw and electric drill from the ground, discarding the books and magazines he had used for protection. Then, he looked up and smiled at Yuuki Asuna.
"Well, Asuna Yuuki, I'll see you at school."