There's No Such Thing as Werewolves - Let's Play Raging Loop

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BGM: Yomi

About the Game

Raging Loop is a visual novel developed by Kemco and released for iOS and Android in 2015 under the name Rei-Jin-G-Lu-P (no, really) in Japan. After enjoying much success on those platforms, it got ports for PS4, the Switch and PC, as well as an English localisation in 2019.

It’s a horror/mystery that could be grossly described as a cross between Higurashi, Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward and the party game Werewolf. What does that mean? Stick around and find out.

What I can tell you now is that this is definitely my favorite VN of the last few years, and I very much wish it was better known over here in the West so I could find more people to discuss it with. This LP is my attempt to rectify that, just a tiny bit.

About the LP Format

This is going to be a standard screenshot LP, aided by music links. Regular text is in-game narration, quotes next to portraits are dialogue, asterisks signify sound effects and italics are my own comments.

The biggest casualty of this format is the voice acting, which does a lot to bring the characters to life. In this VN, every single line of dialogue (!) is voice acted. As a compromise, I will occasionally link to short voice clips, to give you a general impression of how each character is supposed to sound or bring across some of the emotional intent that can’t be discerned by reading the dialogue alone. So, whenever you see a line of dialogue with a link, click it and you’ll get to hear the VA!

Sometimes, we’ll come across choices in the narrative that I’ll let the thread vote on. However, keep in mind that the VN is much more linear than it may initially appear and that a lot of these choices lead straight to bad ends.

I intend to show off all the content in the game by the end of the LP, including all endings, Revelation Mode content and Extra Stories. If you played this game before and notice me miss something, please point it out, so I can go back and show it off.

About the Purpose of This Thread

The main reason I am embarking on this journey is to provide you all with a fun synchronized reading experience of this VN. The point is for you to discuss and speculate about the events of the story, one update at a time.

Therefore, there are a couple of simple rules I want to lay down:

* No spoilers. Ever. Not in the open, not in tags and not in cloy hints like “oh, I can’t wait till you get to this upcoming part :allears:”. I am begging you. Please.

* If you read this VN before, or know story details through some other means, don’t participate in speculation or directly comment on other’s speculation. I want people to feel comfortable bouncing ideas around without having to double guess which parts of what post are driven by future knowledge.

* Therefore, if you read this VN before/reading through it now, please state as much in your first post in this thread. Just so we know who’s on the same page here.

That’s all. Good luck to you all in solving the many mysteries of Yasumizu.


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Update 0: Raging Loop is a Visual Novel

BGM: Tranquility

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Image “I bid you welcome to the world of this visual novel, Raging Loop.”

ImageI am… Nobody special, honestly. Simply consider me part of the interface. You may refer to me as Rikako.

Image “You are most likely playing this game for the first time, and I am here to explain a few things about it.”

Image “This work is quite strange, you see. It’s recommended that the uninitiated take the time to read everything here.”

ImageThose uploading their gameplay should at least read the 4. Videos and Sharing section.”

I am definitely doing that (sort of) so I’ll be sure to do so.

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Image “Now, where should I begin?”

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Let’s start from the top.

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Image “Much like with regular novels, the story is told through text, and the enjoyment comes from reading it.”

Image “If you are familiar with the party games ‘Werewolf’ and ‘Mafia’, this visual novel bears a close resemblance to those, but keep in mind it is just that: a resemblance.”

ImageSincerest apologies to those who were hoping to play an eternal game of Werewolf with twenty super AI Rikakos. I weep and bleed for you, truly. How sad.

Image “Of course, this is not merely a novel. As you carry on, you will sometimes come upon choices which affect the story. It’s quite amazing.”

Image “The characters have lively visual depictions, as well as voices, making it easy to immerse yourself in this world.”

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Image “This story is obscenely lengthy, as well, so please take care not to be drawn in so thoroughly that you begin losing sleep.”

She isn’t lying. Steam shows that my playtime for this VN is over 39 hours. I don’t want to think about what this means for the length of this LP given a ‘once or twice a week’ update schedule. We’re in for quite the long ride here, folks.

Image “Also, you may be aware of this already, but Raging Loop is based entirely around fabricated murders and horrific scenarios. It’s tailor-made for all you fans of suspense, thrillers, horror, and mystery.”

Image “Of course, this is a work of fiction, so it has nothing to do with real people, groups and incidents. It also includes fictional details about academic matters, such as history, religion, mythology, science, and medicine. Relying upon it during exams would get you zero points. How sad.”

Image “Lastly, we do not endorse replicating the crimes and cruelty depicted in this work.”

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I too absolve myself of all responsibility for the inevitable remote village serial-murder crimes inspired by this LP.

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There’s no real need to go through the special and standard functions sections here, since I am going to explain the relevant parts as they come up during the game. For now, if you’re familiar with other ‘branching flowchart’ VNs like Virtue’s Last Reward, you know what’s going on with the mechanics here. If not, you’ll simply have to wait a bit.

Now, about that Videos/Sharing section…

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Image “Because of this, it would be very troubling if someone uploaded everything to the internet. I’d be sad…Very sad…”

Very troubling indeed.

Image “Then again, we do understand those who want to enjoy the work with many other people.”

Image “Because of this, we have set a guideline for how far we would like you to upload. This range covers the whole first main route and a little extra.”

Image “Specifically, you can only upload until the choice at ‘4. Infiltration: Q. Entering the Village.’ That’s a lot, just so you know. I’m sure you’ll have enough content for your uploads!”

Image “I actually think it’s a bit too much. Uploaders who read everything aloud might get a sore throat. Please don’t overdo yourselves, all right?”

She then goes on to explain about a reminder function that would stop us at the right place.

However, despite Rikako’s kind and considerate attitude here, I shall make a bold declaration - I fully intend to ignore this limit. I realize that this is where the LP gets a bit morally fraught. However, I have several convincing reasons why this wouldn’t really steal most of the value you might get from the full product:

- This is a screenshot LP, not video. As a function of that, it does not offer anywhere near the full experience the game has to offer, especially when it comes to voice acting and retaining the atmosphere.
- The upload schedule is at most 2-3 times a week. Obviously, this is not ideal for retaining the pace of the narrative, which is the unavoidable curse of all story-game LP threads.
- There is a long-established precedent in the LP subforum of long-form screenshot LPs of VNs and adventure games, such as professorprof’s unforgettable Umineko LP or Tiggum’s ongoing LP of Unavowed. I have never gotten the impression that these kinds of LPs reduced game sales. If anything, the opposite is the case.

Most importantly, I intend for this to be an entirely different experience than just reading through the VN normally. I hope that the mystery-oriented nature of the narrative, combined with the relaxed update schedule, will turn this thread into a fertile environment for speculation and book club style discussion. Basically, it’s like we’re reading through it together.

Stopping under a third of the way through would be really unfortunate. Nevertheless, if enough people think I should respect the game’s wishes, we’ll stop at the predetermined limit. But for now, I am proceeding under the assumption this LP will cover the entire game.

Now, let us proceed.


Image“Pheew...That sure took a while. Thank you kindly for reading this far.”

Image “Anyway, let’s begin the story.”

Image “Beyond the pockets of mist and hazes of blood, at the end of the ever-repeating despair and grief…”

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Update 1: Welp, I’m Lost.

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I closed in on the side of the road and killed the engine.
It was steeper than I’d thought. My bike was on the verge of giving out, so I pushed down and deployed the kickstand.

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Maybe taking a ride down an unknown road with no satnav on me wasn’t such a good idea…
I’d just followed the roads, so I’d figured I wouldn’t get lost, but now I was in some deep shit…
No. Cool it. This isn’t a big deal.
I sighed, took note of the fact that I’d gotten lost in my pocket journal, and then pulled out a map.

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We’ve arrived at our first choice and also at our first lock. The big red question mark indicates that we can’t pick this choice yet, because we don’t have the appropriate key. To be precise, we need key number 4.

Keys are pieces of information that we acquire while reading the story. At some point in the future, we’ll stumble upon some relevant info that would allow us to go back and choose the other option here. How does that make sense in narrative, you ask? Well, it’ll all be made clear in time…

Anyway, our only option for now is to pick ‘...Forget it.’.


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After all…

...I’d gone on this trip to forget.

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ImageEnough of that. I gotta focus on what’s happening right now!

ImageLife is simple, just like this road. It’s dark and there aren’t any guides, but that means all you gotta think about is whether you go forward or back!

Going back wasn’t an option in this case, so I’d just move forward.
Still, I wanted to know where I was, at least, so I looked down at my map.

...It was all Greek to me.

Last time I’d seen a sign, it was still light out, meaning that I’d gotten lost after the sun had set.
Sure, it was my own fault for just guessing which intersections I’d been passing through, and that it’d taken me two hours to conclude I was lost.

Crazy to think that just two hours of aimless driving got me almost completely surrounded by mountains. They extended as far as the eye could see. If you flipped this scenery upside-down and shook it, it’s unlikely even a shred of civilization would tumble out.
Besides the asphalt below, my sweet ride, and the lamppost above - the first one in a while, mind you - there was nothing manmade here.

The pocket map I had wasn’t detailed enough for me to figure out where I was.

*Motorcycle engine revs up*

I’d go as far as I could. Worse comes to worst, I could just camp at the side of the road.

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Basically, camping wasn’t an option. This mountain had no “side” to camp on. A dump truck I’d passed barely even fit on it.

I’d also had my first close encounters with wild forest animals. I’d already seen two boars and three deer in those two hours alone.
One of the deer had run parallel to my bike while intently staring at me, and I had no idea what to think of that.
I’d felt like it could smell my fear and did it to just make it worse. How dare the thing do that to a human? We’re the kings of this planet, damn it. I’d have to remember to eat some venison once I came back to civilization.

Anyway, camping out here was a bad idea. I’d end up as either roadkill or animal food.
And yet, I didn’t back out. Why? Because I’m a pretty warped sort of guy, and I won’t pretend otherwise. That was actually the reason why my once comfortable relationship had gone awry, and why I’d gone on this stupid trip.

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It wasn’t like I’d find a place to stay if I went back.
I was actually starting to think that this experience might make a good conversation piece sometime down the road.

It was really getting late at this point. Where would these roads take me, anyway?
It’d probably be disappointing. Soon enough, the road became flat - I was out of the mountain pass.

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Was “street lights” the right expression for lights in a forest? I’d have to look that up.

As the road grew less rugged, I realized just how exhausted I was. All this bike handling left my hands really sore, too. I really had to rest.

Suddenly, I saw something unexpected.

Powerful, colorful artificial lights.

...A convenience store?

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It was next to an intersection between the road I was on and another, even thinner road that could probably support only a single car. The sea of tree ended, giving room for the majestic child of our consumerist society.

...Yeah, that was an exaggeration. Apparently, even a damn store was a big enough deal for someone who’d just stepped out of the wild.

It was called “Fresh Marke”. I’d seen several of them a few times during the day. It was probably a local franchise. The building didn’t look all that old. At least, the parking lot looked a lot smoother compared to the roads.

This was a pretty weird place to build something like that, though…
Was I close to a settlement? Or did they actually make a profit off of lost travelers?
...I’d just ask that or something. A local shopkeeper was bound to know what was around these parts, not to mention I was thirsty.

*Store chime*

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It looked like a normal convenience store. There were goods on the shelves, a counter on the left, and -

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The worker at the counter was so mean-looking it was scary. She was so imposing I wouldn’t have doubted if someone told me she was in charge of some ladies army corps.

ImageAy…

Was that supposed to be a greeting? It was so damn cold it actually gave me chills.
Was this store shadier than it appeared? Was I about to be stupidly overcharged? Was this how this place made a profit? By taking advantage of lost people and basically beating them out of their money?

ImageTch…

Shit, that was scary. Clearly, the Wonderland had only just begun. Woohoo! I sure was excited for the beating. I grew more nervous and less enthusiastic by the second.

I braced myself, but she just looked down at a magazine in her hands.

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BGM: After Dinner

Slightly disappointed, I walked around the store.
It was about what you’d expect. There was a small shelf with energy drinks, followed by some stationeries, travel goods, sanitary stuff, etcetera…
There were sweets that came with toys, a shelf of cup ramen and dried food, a fridge, a freezer...it all looked normal.
It was late, so the daily dish and packed lunch section was completely empty.
The only special thing about this place was the section full of unpacked vegetables you’d expect to see at a greengrocer’s.

Maybe all rural convenience stores were like this…?
I was slightly surprised by that, but there weren’t any local fine foods or anything, so all in all, it was an unremarkable store...If you ignored the clerk, anyway.

I took a drink and brought it to the register.

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Yep! She really was the highlight of this place! What kind of clerk smokes while dealing with a customer?!

ImageYou’re actually buying...?

Yes, I was actually buying. She was the clerk, and I’d be her god, the customer.

Image “126 yen.”

She didn’t even scan it! This exchange was at the mercy of the clerk! God is dead!

Maybe I had to get mad at her?

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Image “Huhh?”

Image “I’m kinda lost right now.”

I quickly turned meek.

Image “Where can I find the nearest town?”

Image “There.”

Image “Umm, don’t you have a map or something?”

Image “We don’t.”

Hahahah. Man, this woman…

Image “I’m not sure I believe that. Convenience stores often get asked for directions. You must have a map handy.”

Image “That a rule? Well, we don’t have one. Go back wherever you came from.”

Image “I’ve been lost for a few hours now. I don’t think I can keep it up for much longer.”

Image “Sleep on the floor or something.”

She had to be joking.

Image “I appreciate the sentiment, but I’d rather be on my way. Are you sure you can’t help?”

Image “Ugh, all right, all right...just wait.”

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She came back in no time.

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So she did have a map. Of course she did.
Even more ill-tempered than usual, the clerk started giving an explanation.

Image “This here’s this store...Go to the north of the crossroads.”

Image “Mhm…”

Image “You’ll find an overpass soon enough. Cross it. When you come to a fork next to a giant boulder, turn right and head straight.”

Image “Huh? On this road?”

Image “What of it?”

Image “There’s nothing there.”

Image “There’s a settlement. It’s just not on the map.”

Image “Mhm...Do you know any other places?”

Image “There’s Fujiyoshi, but it’s two hours through a mountain pass. This one’s about thirty minutes away.”

Fujiyoshi seemed to be a village. It didn’t look too far away, but the road leading to it was a huge, branching mess. It was clearly just a paved mountain pass. I’d had enough of those for one day. I’d probably just get lost again.

Image “I’ll go to that one, then. Thank you.”

Image “Money.”

Image “Excuse me?”

Image “You didn’t pay for the tea.”

Image “Here’s 500 yen.”

Image “Hmph. (Ding. Rustle. Jingle.)”

Image “Why did you put the change in the collection box without asking me?”

Image “Having too many coins is a pain, ain’t it?”

That was a hell of a line.

I casually thanked her, grabbed the plastic bottle of tea (she didn’t give me a bag, by the way), and left the store.

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The clerk put me in a bad mood, though, so I didn’t enjoy the sight. I threw the bottle into a nearby trashcan and aggressively drove away.

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Update 2: I Like It When Girls Are Friendly With Me

Background Sound: Motorcycle Engine

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The byway she’d told me about was really narrow. I probably wouldn’t have noticed it were it not for the tall boulder, standing there like a roadside shrine to some traveler deity. Turning carefully, I got on the road.

A minute later, I found myself in an even worse wilderness than before. A veil of dead leaves covered the ground, tall grass sided the path, and the sky above was blocked by overgrown shrubs, making it feel like I was passing a wooden tunnel.

The road itself was a huge red flag. It was a wonder why I didn’t just turn around. The exchange from before might’ve pissed me off more than I thought.

*Everything goes silent*

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I really didn’t expect the road to just...end.

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The view ahead suddenly turned strangely dark, and a split-second later, the bike tipped forward.

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Background Sound: Tension Beats

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My bike tilted downwards, and its suspension was put to the greatest test yet as we basically tumbled down to the bottom.

The headlights suddenly shone on some dirt and grass. I knew then that I’d be flung out of my seat.

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Stifling a scream, I tried to work some steering and brake magic to slow down without collapsing.

But that was too big a task for a simple road bike.

At the bottom of the cliff, it jumped higher than ever before. The suspension couldn’t handle the impact, and I was launched into the air.

*Everything goes silent*

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*Bike crash sound*

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An accident where I was flung out like that was a first for me. The launch was really something, too. I did a 360 in the air and fell on my back. My breathing stopped for a moment, and the pain was so bad I thought all my bones shattered. My face and limbs seemed pretty fine, at least. Though, I wasn’t sure if that counted as a silver lining.

There was grass under my hands. I felt it even through the gloves. That and the smell of green made it pretty clear what I landed on.

I pushed down, and my hand sunk. This grass growth was pretty hefty - it was probably the reason why I came out relatively okay.

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My bike, however, wasn’t nearly as lucky.

Image “Ohh boy…”

It was lying on its side a short distance ahead. The engine was still on. The back wheel kept on turning, making an unpleasant fricative noise.

Yep...It was busted. I walked up, killed the engine and took the key. With the headlights off, I was surrounded by absolute darkness, so I just stood and waited until my eyes adjusted.

Image “...”

I still couldn’t see very clearly, but it looked like this actually wasn’t a cliff. I was still on a road - it just wasn’t paved beyond this point. Obviously, a road bike stood no chance against an unpaved road.

That woman actually tried to kill me.

Zigzagging through the trees, I followed the narrow footpath deeper into the forest. I’d tried getting my bike up and running again, but instantly gave up. It was partially stuck in mud, so there was the risk of it slipping and getting me into another accident.

Maybe I had to turn around?

The moment I considered that, I thought I saw a faint light ahead. If that woman wasn’t lying, this road led to a settlement. Was I close?

I reached into my jacket’s pocket, took out my phone and opened it up. As you’d expect, I was out of range. I ran the light app and shone a light to see better. Though weak, it was better than nothing. At the very least, it helped me watch where I was going.

Background Sound: Water Stream

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But sure enough, I could see a light beyond the shrubs. It was weaker than expected. A flashlight, perhaps? I could hear water, too. I might’ve been near a river.

ImageHellooo!

I raised my voice.

Image “Hellooo! Anyone theeere?”

Still declaring my presence, I walked forward.

It was late at night. Were I to bump into someone here, the scare would probably take away a few years of our lives. That was why I figured it was best for us both to let the other know we were here before that happened.

However, there was no response. Could they not hear me over the rapids?

Image “Helloooo.”

I shone my light ahead and realized I’d made it to an opening.

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I could see slightly more than I had while surrounded by trees. Straining my eyes, I saw a rocky river beach and the shallows.

The light I’d seen was on the other side. From what I could tell, it was either a lantern or a flashlight, and it was close to the ground. I didn’t see any people, though. No one responded to my shouting, either.

I wasn’t excited about it, but I decided to step into the water.

The cold water quickly soaked my shoes and socks. I could’ve taken them off, but I’d figured that crossing a river barefoot at midnight was a bad idea.

But man, it was cold. I put my phone into my jacker. I needed both my hands free in case I fell. Not stopping or backing down, I walked toward the light.

It suddenly became deeper. The water reached my knees now. That was too close for comfort. Feeling the bottom with my toes and balancing myself, I somehow avoided losing my footing. The flow was fiercer than I’d expected. If I slipped and fell, I’d probably be washed away.

It suddenly hit me I was doing something really weird, but it was too late to back down.

Putting my hands on the boulders and carefully checking what I was stepping on, I gradually made it to the other side. Then, with an unpleasant, wet sound in my every step, I walked up to the light.

*Everything goes silent*

I could already see it clearly.

BGM: Beyond the Taboo Mist

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There wasn’t much space here. It was a narrow riverbank with a cliff right beside it. As you’d expect, I didn’t see or sense anyone nearby.

What the hell?

Though old, the flashlight was working fine. The strength of the light told me the battery was pretty full. That meant that someone was actually using this tonight - or, rather, until just a few moments ago. That was the most logical conclusion. It obviously wasn’t left here yesterday afternoon or evening.

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Did something bad happen? Did the flashlight’s owner step into the stream and get swept away? That was the most likely, and worst, possible scenario.

However, the flashlight was left there practically buried in the pebbles. It didn’t seem like someone placed it here to light things up. It was the dead of night. There was no way you wouldn’t notice dropping your flashlight when it was so dark.

Right...The fact that a light source was left in a place like this was strange by itself. With that considered, what was going on here? What if…

What if someone heard my stupid shouting and decided to lure me in with a light so they could ambush me? Where would they attack from? Above?

*Everything goes silent*

ImageHello?

I heard a voice the moment I looked up.

The rock was actually made up of several boulders. There was a face peeking from behind one of them.

ImageHello?

ImageWow! A person! You surprised me!

That was my line.

Image “Sorry, could you pick that up for me?”

Background Sound: Water Stream

The voice was feminine.

I finally realized what was going on.

Image “So you dropped this?”

I picked up the flashlight and pointed it at the source of the voice.

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High pitched voice. Slender hands shielding the light.

Sure enough, it was a young woman.

Image “It’s so bright!”

Image “Oh...sorry. This is me, by the way.”

Image “That’s creepy. Don’t shine it up from below like that.”

Image “I’m actually a bit lost.”

Image “I think ‘a bit’ is something of an understatement, then.”

Yeah, thought as much.

Image “Is this a settlement?”

Image “That’s a difficult question.”

Image “Can you help me out, at least?”

Image “Help?”

Image “I just need a place to hide from the rain and wild animals. That’s all.”

Image “Hmm…”

Standing on a boulder, the young woman made a pensive face.

Image “Wanna come to my place?”

And that was the conclusion she’d arrived at. Her face told me she was a hundred percent serious.

Place…”My place.” By that, she surely meant a house - a settlement.

Image “Can I? I know I asked for help and all that, but I’m actually desperate enough to not hold myself back.”

Image “Huh? As a man?”

ImageYes. I mean no - as a living being. I spent the last few hours aimlessly driving around only to fall off my bike. I’m dead tired and at my wit’s end here.

ImageOh dear…Then what kind of living being would I be if I just abandoned you?

And so, I was saved. Oh, the beauty of living beings looking out for each other.

Image “Anyway...your hand, please.”

Image “Hm?”

Image “You can’t climb up on your own, yeah?”

True...Honestly, I didn’t even realize I’d have to. Meeting another person filled me with relief, which was followed by a sudden wave of fatigue. It wasn’t creepling, though.

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Her slender fingers were stronger than expected.

*Everything goes silent*

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I asked if she was related to the Shinsengumi guy, but she said that her family just adopted the name at some point in the Meiji period. She was a 21-year-old who went to a college far away from here. This was her hometown, and she was spending her post-exams vacation here.

We chatted about stuff like that once she’d led me out of the rocky ravine. There was actually a proper path, so the rock climbing was pretty pointless, but I was too focused on my footing to comment.

She told me about herself as soon as we reached solid ground.

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ImageUmm, I’m Haruaki Fusaishi, a graduate student in a Tokyo college.

Image “Ah, so you’re a bit older.”

Image “I’m 24, so three years. I’d say we’re in the same age range.”

Image “Yeah, so don’t you dare be formal with me.”

Image “All right, then you can be casual with me too.”

Image “Can I really?”

Image “I like it when girls are friendly with me.”

Image “Ahahah. Well, I know what you mean. I don’t like stiff socializing either. Sure, I’ll treat you like a friend.”

Image “Wouldn’t have it any other way. That aside, are we there yet?”

Image “Hmm. not quite. We’re like five minutes away. Hang in there, chief.”

What a lively girl. You could tell she was used to people.

Image “Also, watch your step and focus on just the light.”

Image “Any reason?”

Image “There are loads of pebbles here. It’s dangerous.”

The moment she said that, I stumbled on a rock too big to be called a “pebble”.

Image “And it’s pretty dark tonight.”

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Nodding in agreement, I focused on following the light in her hand.

Background Sound: Rain

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And so, I did just that.

Given this was a mountain settlement, I’d expected some old wooden house, but she actually lived in an apartment block. It was too dark to get a good look at it. All I could see were the cheap-looking walls, like you’d expect from some old boarding house for students.

Also, she lived on the second floor - in room 202.

I’d heard some raindrops as we were climbing the rusty stairs, but now it was really pouring. Between that, the darkness, and the large tree right next to the building, it was nearly impossible to see what was going on outside. I felt like I was all alone in a world of nothing but the walls, the door, and the fluorescent lamp above my head.

It made me feel somewhat helpless.

I distracted myself from that by imagining her changing.

Eventually, the door opened up.

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All smiles, she showed herself, now wearing sports clothes. This was kinda exciting.

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Image “Yep.”

Image “But get a load of what’s in the fridge.”

Image “Magnificent.”

Image “Let’s drink!”

Image “Hell yeah!”

BGM: After Dinner

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It was just a small room with a low table in the middle, a fridge near the door, and a large duffel bag deeper in. There were two old-looking bookshelves, too, but they were completely empty.

I wasn’t bothered one bit, though. Any girl’s room was a Wonderland to me.

Image “Anyway, you went through some big trouble so I’ll drink to you!”

Image “And I’ll drink to you for helping me out! You’re a real saint!”

We opened up our cans, knocked them together, and downed them.

Hey, it was actually good! The pleasant bitterness and the refreshing carbonation made for a good combo.

Image “PFHAH! So good! I live for this!”

Image “Come on, you’re too young to say that.”

ImageYeah, you’re right! I’m not despairing for my future or love life yet!

Image “You hear that? That’s the sound of job hunting. It’s a-comin’ here fast.”

Image “Nooo! Don’t say that! You’ll ruin my beer!”

She laughed and took a huge sip. It was pretty clear she could hold her drink.

That aside, something really bothered me…

Image “This might be a bit late for this, but...can I ask you something?”

Image “Go ahead.”

Her cheeks were already red. Maybe she didn’t handle her liquor as well as I thought.
She had a well-featured face, and I didn’t think it was wrong to consider her beautiful. Sure, her clothes weren’t the least bit sexy, but I could tell she had some makeup on.

Image “To you, I’m just some stranger who says he’s lost, right?”

Image “Yyyep.”

Image “And you yourself are a young woman who invited that stranger into an enclosed space and started getting drunk.”

Image “Ohh...”

Image “Don’t you think this is dangerous?”

Image “Hmm...”

She kept gulping the drink even as she formulated a response. The very fact that I could just watch her do that made this a pretty risky situation, and yet…

Image “I wouldn’t say so.”

Image “But…”

Image “Time for a Chiemi Serizawa quiz!”

Image “Yaaaay!”

Image “Here’s the question! My virginity is threatened, yet I don’t feel like I’m in danger. Why?”

What a fun girl. This only made me like her more, increasing the danger even further.

Image “Am I allowed to ask questions?”

Image

Image “Can I just assume that it’s not because I look like a good guy?”

Image “Well, I don’t think you look like a bad guy, but no, I doubt you’re good either. You look experienced with women, for one.”

That unintentional compliment showed that she actually did see me as a potential danger.

Image “There are two types of answers to this. Either you expect nothing bad to happen, but wouldn’t be bothered if it did, or you actually want something to happen.”

Image “Hmm?”

Image “I can think of several situations for the former. For example, you’re actually on the edge and don’t care about what happens.”

Image “Or maybe you’re just confident you can defend yourself. Maybe you know martial arts and can easily kick my ass.”

Image “Whoa, so logical. Lemme guess, you’re a scientist.”

Image “Umm, well, I guess you could say that. Now, for the latter...If you intend for something to happen, then…”

Image “I’m a thirsty perv or something?”

Wow. Talk about not mincing words.

Image “Ahahahahah! I blame the booze. So, what else is there?”

Indeed, what other reason could a woman have to bring a stranger to her home? It would surely be something non-standard, like…

Image “You wanna use me somehow.”

Image “For example, setting me up as an alibi. I could be useful to you by attesting that you were here.”

Image “Whoa! That’s so shrewd.”

Image “Or maybe you’re a serial killer who brought me here just to get me drunk and kill me.”

ImageWhoa! So I’m some evil mountain witch now! Sounds great! I’ll kill you real good! Splosh splosh!

What kind of sound effect was that?

Image “By the way, you forgot another case.”

Image “I did?”

Image “Yep. I could be just a really good person who simply wants to help you.”

Image “...”

Was it time for me to be ashamed of my filthy mind?

Image “But wait, is that really important enough to risk being assaulted?”

Image

Image “I-I’m just talking in general! You know, the cliche scenario.”

She stopped talking and turned red. It was so cute I thought she was actually doing it on purpose. Man, was she drunk. And we were just on our second cans.

ImageHmm, then how ‘bout this? If I don’t let you stay here, something even worse would happen and I’d feel real bad.

Image “Hm? Care to elaborate?”

Image “There’s some scary wild animals around here. You might’ve gotten torn up and eaten.”

Image “That’d have left a bad taste in my mouth, so I figured I’d just let you stay instead.”

Image “I see. So you’re balancing risk and goodwill. Didn’t expect that.”

Image “Really now? You got any idea how much of a bad guy you seem now?”

Image “Huh? I do?”

Image “I mean, you assumed I was a thirsty perv, a serial killer, or needed an alibi before considering I was just a nice person.”

Image “You’re the one who brought up the perv thing.”

Image “Details, details...So, what’s the right answer?

*Everything goes silent*

Image “Huh? We’re not just messing around?”

ImageGet it right and I’m giving you a nice present. Get it wrong and you’re dead. Splosh splosh.

Seriously?

Image

We’ve finally come across a choice with more than one unlocked option. Of course, this one also has a locked option, which needs key number 20 to open, but we’re free to choose from among the rest.

By ‘we’, I mean ‘you’. This is where thread participation comes in. I want you to pick one of the available options and provide a reason for why you’re picking it, even if it’s just one line or a joke. Basically, I want to use this choice to kickstart speculation about the story and characters we’ve seen so far. Of course, you are more than encouraged to bounce ideas off of each other.

Also, feel free to discuss aspects of the game unrelated to the choice at hand - it’s merely a single possible discussion prompt, nothing more.

User avatar
Update 3: Crap. I Had No Allies Here.

Image

Since we have a tie between the alibi and good person options, I am somewhat arbitrarily going to pick the former, because it was the first of the two to reach majority.

BGM: Safety Zone

Image

I knew it!

ImageSeriously, what did you think I was doing there so late? Weren’t you suspicious?

Image “Good point…”

Image “Assuming I was up to something really bad, your testimony would help hide it. How convenient.”

Image “Whoa.”

Image “Or maybe this settlement you stumbled into is actually the haunt of a murderous psycho! Happens all the time in B-grade horror flicks!”

Image “And by saying you’d kill me if I got the answer wrong, you just spoiled the whole plot! It was you all along!”

Image “Oh nooo, I’m such an airhead! How embarrassing! Now I gotta kill you to make sure no one finds out!”

Image “Winners get death, too?!”

Image “Huh? Want me as a prize instead?”

Image “Nope!”

Image “Oh nooo!”

Anyway, this girl was actually pretty sharp. She really had a way with words, and knew how to capitalize on it. It almost felt like she was implying that I couldn’t let my guard down just ‘cause I was a guy. I admitted she was pretty damn attractive, but…

...I felt like I’d have more fun just talking about lewd stuff than acting on it.

*Everything goes silent*

Image

Image



The last thing I...

The last thing I remembered was our little “When was the last time you pissed yourself while sleeping?” talk. I had to tell her about the time I got so drunk I wet my pants in the middle of the boarding house. She’d laughed so hard she started frothing at the mouth and passed out.

I woke up with a splitting headache.

Background Sound: Chirping Birds

Image

Morning already?

Light poured in through the frosted window. I pulled out my phone and checked the time. Seven in the morning. I’d gone to sleep somewhere between two and three, which probably wasn’t quite enough sleep.

At least I didn’t wake up to some horror movie scene. The building wasn’t in ruins and the girl wasn’t actually a skeleton. Though, in a way, this might’ve been worse.

Image

She was spread out on the floor on the other side of the mini table. Her breathing was mixed with some weird gurgling sounds.

I hesitantly looked at her.

*Everything goes silent*
Image

What was I supposed to do here? As a guest, I couldn’t really be too harsh on her.

ImageChiemi-chaaaaan…

Image “Phew…”

She wasn’t waking up. Well, I’d just do what little I could.

Image

I’d used tons of toilet paper to clean up her mess and flush it down the toilet. It left a stain on the floor, but it was dirty to begin with, so whatever. I’d even wet a towel and cleaned her face. Even then, she showed no signs of waking up.

Image “Chiemi-chan.”

ImageNh...Morning...?

The first hint of consciousness so far today.

Image “I’ll be leaving for a bit.”

Without waiting for a response, I walked to the entrance. She’d have to take a shower and change and all that, so I’d kill time outside.

I stepped into my still-damp shoes with my bare feet (my socks were in the washing machine with the towel she gave me to wipe my legs) and reached for the doorknob.

Background Sound: Chirping Birds

Image

The raindrops gathered on the leaves of the tree next to the building flew right into my face, making me grimace. The rain from last night was already over. The sky was pretty clear, but despite that, I noticed the visibility of my surroundings was poor.

The building was surrounded by leaves. The old structure was basically buried in a forest of trees about as tall as itself. There were branches poking into the exposed hallway. It almost felt like they’d reach out and grab me if I wasn’t careful.

Suddenly, something entered my vision.

*Everything goes silent*

Image

Something that shouldn’t have been there. The leaves I moved revealed a woman clad in curious clothing.

Image

Did our eyes meet?

Background Sound: Chirping Birds

Image

Image

Was that an illusion? If not...then what? What kind of place was this?

It could’ve been a real hicksville, a marginal village, a bunch of actual ruins, or an illegal settlement. I had some theories, but I set them aside for now. It seemed like a place worth exploring, regardless.

Image

A short distance away from the building, I turned around and sure enough, it was pretty much covered in trees.

I went to the place where I saw the woman. There were footprints in the grass here. Maybe I’d find her if I followed them?

Image

It was unused, but it looked like someone was trying to do something with it. Was it supposed to be a construction site? Even if it was, it was clearly abandoned. There were large rocks and lots of sediment near a prefab. From what I could tell, there had been a giant landslide, which forced them to stop construction. The fact that plant growth was still minimal meant that it’d happened fairly recently.

The footprints seemed to be going down the hill next to the site. Following them, I finally saw something that could be called “civilization”. There was a set of paddy fields with houses nearby. So this actually was a settlement. What a relief.

I decided to keep following the footprints and approach the settlement.

Image

It was lined with weeds and bushes reaching up to my waist. It was home to caterpillars and grasshoppers, among other things.

Spiders were no exception. There was no shortage of insects there, so it was a good place for a net. I wasn’t particularly scared of spiders, but I didn’t like them, either. At least they were just harmless orb-weavers.

Regardless, I avoided these bushes, just in case, and followed the path like the good city boy I was. There was a large boulder, surrounded by grass. It was strangely tall, making it look like it was put there by people. On its dewy surface, there was a gray tree frog, ready to go after the many insects scattered about.

Image

The field’s location made it safe to assume it belonged to the inhabitants. If there were inhabitants, anyway. I couldn’t see anyone. And just like always, there was grass everywhere.

There was another boulder standing next to the house. This one was obviously placed there by human hand. What was the point? Was it a monument or something?

The footprints continued into the field.

Image

If you ignored the standing boulders in the area, the place looked like a normal farming village.



I was both relieved and worried at the same time. From what I saw, there weren’t any other buildings besides the ones in this settlement. Everything beyond was just mountains, meaning that this place was completely isolated.

And I was a complete outsider. There was no way things would go well if I ran into a random local.

I belatedly crouched to hide myself a bit. It was probably best for me to go back. Chiemi might’ve been looking for me.

*Everything goes silent*

Image

BGM: Prayer to Shin’nai (Broadcast)

I heard a sound. I looked for its source and found a speaker on a wooden utility pole in the middle of a small plaza.

A morning broadcast? I’d never heard this tune before. It was cheerful at first, but had some parts that seemed really dark. I found it unsettling.

Perplexed, I stopped walking, and what happened next made me hide myself.

Image

But…

...they weren’t normal.

*Sting*

Image

What was that on her face?

Image

Oddly enough, there were boulders even there.

Image

Then, all was silence. It actually looked like she was revering it. To me, it looked like she was praying to it.

*Everything goes silent*

Image

I’d wandered into a settlement with a...unique culture, to put it lightly. Forget causing trouble - an outsider like me could get killed here. I just turned around and ran for it.

Background Sound: Tension Beats

Image

...past the house...

...through the construction site…

...until I arrived back at the apartment building.

Chiemi looked like a relatively reasonable person. Maybe she could tell me what was up?

It just hit me that the way she described this place was somewhat weird. She basically said it wasn’t normal.

Image

ImageWhoa! So I’m some evil mountain witch now! Sounds great! I’ll kill you real good! Splosh splosh!

Image

What if she was actually the bait they used to lure outsiders here?



Background Sound: Chirping Birds

Image

Chiemi still hadn’t come out of her room. She didn’t respond even when I knocked or called out to her. I didn’t have to worry about this...right?

That just made my inexplicable unease grow worse. What if this was a trap? Was I in a dangerous situation? I had to talk to her. If she was a normal person, anyway…



...Maybe my best option was to run away right now? I wouldn’t know where to run. I couldn’t remember the path we’d taken here...Though I was pretty sure we’d gone uphill, so maybe I had to go down…? If I avoided the settlement and went back to the mountain stream, I could escape by following the wild roads. That was my best option, even with the difficulties considered.

Thankfully, I’d taken my bag with me. I took out a 5,000 yen note and put it in Chiemi’s newspaper box. It was payment for last night’s beer.

The moment I turned around to take my leave…

*Everything goes silent*

*Door creak*

...the door to the room next to the staircase opened slightly with a creak.

*Sting*

I saw an eye glaring at me through the gap.

ImageGAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

Image “AAAAAAHHHHHHH!”

Her high-pitched scream pierced my eardrums. I screamed too, scared shitless, and ran for it.

Suddenly, I stepped onto the wet hallway floor at a bad angle.

I fell.

Image

ImageHaru-chan! What’s wrong?

ImageWhoa! Who’s this old guy?!

ImageAh...Who are you?! And are you all right…?

The reasonable-sounding voice prompted me to shake off the pain and raise my head.

Background Sound: Chirping Birds

Image

Image “Are you all right?”

He repeated the question.
Image “Y-Yeah. I was just startled.”

Image “You friends with Chie-nee?”

Chie-nee?

Image “Ohh, you mean Chiemi-chan.”

Image “Are you a friend of hers from college? She didn’t tell us anyone was visiting.”

Image “Oh, I just got into some trouble and she helped me out...There’s nothing shady about me...Though I know that’s hard to believe.”

Image “It really is, old man…”

Image “Umm...Man, how do I handle this…? Anyway, my name’s Haruaki Fusaishi.”

ImageI’m Yasunaga Oribe. This is Chikamochi Kamoshida.

ImageJust ‘Mocchi’ is fine.

Good to know. If I called him that maybe he’d stop calling me “old man”. I was only 24.

Image

ImageW-We don’t know him..!

Apparently, this “Haru-chan” was the person who’d looked at me through the gap in the door and screamed.

Image “He seems safe. Come out.”

Image “...”

A moment later, she slammed the door shut, and after a few more moments of hesitation, opened it again.

Image

Whoa…

She looked like a student too, except her fashion sense was exceptionally...flashy.

Image “Who are you?”

Image “Umm, name’s Haruaki Fusaishi...I crashed my motorbike nearby, and Chiemi Serizawa-san helped me out.”

ImageWait...are you saying you spent the night in her room…?

Image “Uh...Yeah, I d-”

*Shriek*

Image

ImageSo that’s why it was so noisy! Wh-What were you thinking?! You’re not supposed to enter an unmarried girl’s room! I-It’s indecent!

Image “Yeah, I was hesitant too, but Chiemi-chan was kind enough to let me in.”

Image “Why’re you acting like you’ve known her your whole life?! W-Wait, she’s not getting out...Don’t tell me you…”

Image “There’s a 5,000 yen note in the door.”

Image(Ear-shattering scream)

Image “D-Don’t tell me you…”

Image “No no no! She just gave me lots of booze! I’m paying back for that!”

Image “Chie-nee’s body is worth way more than that!”

Image “How dissolute.”

The hell were these kids saying?!

Image

Image “You drank with a girl you just met? And she’s not coming out…”

Crap. I had no allies here.

Image

And so the subject of the conversation joined in!

ImageOh, Chiemi-chan! Can you tell them what happened last night?



Something was off about her aura. What happened to the lively girl she’d been yesterday?

Image “...”

Image

Image “Man, this is embarrassing.”

Image “Whoa!”

Image “Wait, hold on! Stop!”

Image “I can’t be a bride anymore…”

Image(Ear-shattering scream)

Man, what a mess. Though Chiemi’s face was all pale, she was actually grinning. She obviously had a bad hangover, but that didn’t stop her from messing around.

Image

How we met in the middle of the night.
How she let me stay out of goodwill.
How we drank ourselves silly and how nothing happened between us.

Image

Image “Hey, I don’t mind it…”

Image

Image “Absurd…”

Image “Anyway, sorry...I was so tired yesterday that I couldn’t refuse her kindness.”

Image “Well, this is Chie-nee we’re talking about. She does whatever she wants.”

Image “He’s got good reasons for being here, too, so...maybe the elders will understand?”

Image “Where did you find him, anyway?”

Image “Umm...Well…”

Image “Next to the river further down.”

Image

Image “That’s...a bit…”

Image “A big deal!”

Image “Two people over just two days…”

Image “Did I say something bad?”

Image “*sigh*...It was gonna get out sooner or later. We made quite a scene, so I wouldn’t be surprised if everyone in Yasumizu already knows.”

Image

Image “Don’t touch me! You’re filthy!”

I wasn’t trying to touch her and I wasn’t filthy! Sure, I hadn’t had a bath in over a day, but still!

Image

Image “Tae-baa’s gonna go EEEEEE!”

Well, that sure sounded bad.

Image

Image “It’s a bit complicated. For now, just keep in mind that this is the countryside. Things are different here than in the city.”

This guy here was Oribe-kun. Ignore Chiemi, and he was the easiest person to talk to.

Image

Image “Just leave it to me, all right? And it’s time for students to eat, isn’t it?

Image “Huhh? But I wanna see where this mess goes!”

Image “No you don’t! Just go already. We’ll catch up.”

Image “Well, I guess it’s best to go separately. There’s probably gonna be some disagreements.”

Image “Yeah, I knew you’d understand, Yasu-kun. Take care of them for me, all right?”

Image “S-Sure.”

Image “Stop treating me like a child!”

Image “Yeah! I swear I’ll poop on you!”

Image “Let’s just get going, you two.”

Image

Anyway…

Image “So they live in this building too?”

Image “Yep. It’s a student dorm, you know?”

A student dorm…? In this hicksville?

Still, my senses had betrayed me - there actually were other people here.

Image “By the way, you didn’t run into anyone else and get in trouble, right?”

Image “Uh, yeah...I was careful on that front.”

Image “Good. Let’s get ready to go to the dining hall.”

Image “Oh, for breakfast?”

Image “Nope. Eat your breakfast now. We’ll go to the dining hall to introduce you.”

Image “Huh? To who?”

Image “To whoever has a problem with an outsider coming from Saranaga.”

Oh, so like that “Tae-baa” person, huh?

Image “I’m in your hands, then…”

Image “It’s fine. If you’re that grateful, keep what happened this morning a secret…”

Image “Sure thing. What’s ‘Saranaga’, anyway? That river?”

Image “Yep. The river’s called ‘Saranaga Rapids’, but the area around it is called ‘Saranaga’. The place has some cultural significance.”

Image “It does?”

Image “Yep. They say it’s a corrupt place, where the dead return from the other side.”

Ohh...So that’s why they’d reacted like that.

Image “Any other rules or customs I should be aware of?”

Image “Oh, there’s lots! So just leave everything to me, all right?”

Gladly. On all fronts.

Image “If I may ask...am I in danger?”

Image “Nope! But you should try to escape before something unpleasant happens to you.”

Image “And you’re gonna lay the groundwork for that, huh?”

Image “Yep yep!”

The settlement I’d strayed to was a weird place, but at least the guide was reliable.

And she wanted me to leave ASAP, huh?

Image “...?”

That was depressing...

Image

The girl herself was too hungover to eat anything. I did take the opportunity to pay her back for last night’s drinks in person, though.

Then, we made our way to the dining hall.

User avatar
I have critiques about Raging Loop but generally I enjoyed the hell out of it so I hope people post their wild speculation like crazy for my amusement.

User avatar
That's all of the old updates from SA. For now, images are hosted on imgur. The dialogue text next to portraits is a bit weird, but according to Rea, our gracious host, this should be fixed by tomorrow when the site rsyncs. If there are any other issues I didn't notice in the move, please do bring them to my attention.

I plan to post the next update some time tomorrow. In the meantime, you are heavily encouraged to discuss and speculate about the updates thus far. As mentioned previously, providing a synchronized reading experience where everyone can discuss the VN together at the same pace is the main purpose behind the LP. So I very much hope this new refuge has enough people interested in doing that...

User avatar
Between the time this update originally went up and when we moved here, I bought and beat the game, so I guess I won't be doing any speculation. I am interested to see what other people think about the game and the developing story though!

User avatar
We're still in the early "slow building of tension" stuff. We don't know what exactly will happen yet.

User avatar
Note that Raging Loop is currently ~20 USD or equivalent in the Steam Summer Sale. Based on the LP so far, I felt like that was enough of a discount to go ahead and snag it. (Especially since until just now I couldn't be sure there'd be a home for the LP to continue.)

User avatar
Update 4: Yer in Yasumizu. It Ain’t a Good Place.

Background Sound: Chirping Birds

Image

Image “Hmm, they’re like charms, I guess? They’ve been here forever.”

Image “I’ve never seen anything like them anywhere else.”

Image “Oh yeah, I guess they’re kinda unique to this area.”

She led me along a narrower path than I’d followed earlier. It didn’t seem like any cars used this one. It was very...farm-y, I guess?

This area was also littered with those boulders. Some were cracked, broken, or half-buried in the fields. They were clearly religious symbols, but it didn’t look like they were that important these days. Or were they? Now that I knew I was safe, I once again became curious about this place.

Image “Oh. There’s a person.”

He was working on the field.

Image “That’s Takumi-niichan. Morniiing!”

Chiemi waved her hand. The man responded, but then froze mid-wave.

ImageLet’s go.

Image “Are you sure we should? The guy looked pretty surprised to see me.”

Image “Don’t worry. He’ll be at the dining hall soon. We’ll explain things then.”

Well, if she said so…

As an outsider, I had no choice but to rely on her.

Image

I didn’t notice it back then, but it was actually kinda weird. Basically, it felt desolate. The wooden bungalows, in particular, were more or less overgrown, buried in tall grass and other greenery.

However, two of the buildings stood out.

Image

It wasn’t that big, but it looked grand and well-maintained.

Image

It looked a bit dirty, but I could tell there were people inside. From what I could tell, it was the most lively place in this poor excuse for a community.

Suddenly, the three students walked out, chatting about something.

Image

Image “Morning again! Aren’t you late?”

Image “We took forever because Mocchi doesn’t stop saying nonsense.”

Image “Yes. I am evil! Give me miso soup!”

Image “Oh, you’ll make it if you hurry. Behave in class, you guys.”

Half-dashing, the three ran up the path we came from.

Image “They’re all in high school, huh?”

Image “Yep. There’s a branch school aaall the way up the mountain. I was going there myself three years ago.

Image “Sounds like a hassle.”

Image “It’s not all bad. At least we get to live in that dorm.”

Chiemi was entirely straight-faced. There wasn’t even a hint of a smile.

Image “All right, let’s get psyched!”

ImageYeaahh…

Image “I’m not convinced!”

We laughed a little and passed the curtain.

*Everything goes silent*

Image

The inside was as aged as the outside, but it looked well-maintained.

ImageIs he a visitor, Chiemi?

The hostess-looking lady asked. Though somewhat aged and fatigued, she was definitely beautiful.

There were two others beside her.

Image

Image

Though they were just sitting there, there was a menacing aura about them.

Image “I’ll introduce him. This is Haruaki Fusaishi. I found him at Saranaga last night and took him into my care.”

BGM: Encroaching Supernatural

Image

The lady gasped, while the two elders rose to their feet with alarm. The tension that was already there the moment I walked in reached its peak.

Image “Umm, I know you’re concerned, but this is just a coincidence.”

ImageUnlike that little girl, he knows exactly where he came from. He went on an old path with his bike and crashed. It’s actually really sad.

Image “That’s why I think we should help him leave!”

Image “What do you think?”

After saying all that, Chiemi fell silent. The ball was in their court now.

Image “...”

Image “...”

Image “Now that is troubling…”

The lady voiced a harmless opinion, careful not to upset the old people. It was pretty clear who was in charge. They were “elders” in more ways than one.

ImageChii-chan, why did you even go to Saranaga at night?

ImageI had a hunch, I guess. You know what happened...I couldn’t fall asleep.

ImageThen he’s gotta be a yomibito!

ImageShut it, Tae-baa.

From the conversation, it was pretty clear that something had happened before I arrived here. It was probably similar to what happened with me. She’d mentioned some “little girl”. Perhaps there was a child who’d wandered in here like I did?

According to Chiemi, the Saranaga Rapids were a place of significance around here...It was a place from which dead people came to life or whatever. Oh, so this tae must’ve been the “EEEEEE” lady tha boy’d mentioned, and the “yomibito” must’ve been a term for the dead who came from there.

Apparently, the primary goal here was convincing these elders to approve helping me.

Image “Where’re ya from?”

The old man’s voice put my derailed mind back on track.

Image “Uh, I’m from Tokyo.”

Image “How old’re ya?”

Image “Twenty four.”

Image “Older’n Chii, eh?”

He chuckled. I immediately realized he was taking a jab at me for hiding behind a younger girl.

*Everything goes silent*

Image

ImageI seem to be a total outsider here, so I didn’t want to speak out of turn.

Image “That’s why I asked her to talk on my behalf...but I think I should say something, at least.”

Image “I won’t trouble you any longer than I have to, so I would be grateful if you pardoned my brief stay.”

Image “And please don’t blame her for helping me.”

ImageHey! Haruaki-san!

Image “I think she went against this village’s customs by helping me out. The students also seemed surprised.”

Image “My…”

Image “I’m an adult. I’m willing to take responsibility for any trouble I caused, as best I can.”

ImageSo...please put up with me…

I bowed my head.

Image

Image “Don’t know about that. Lookit his hair. All colored brown.”

Shit. I forgot I didn’t look very presentable to more traditionalist people.

ImageOutsiders’re all like that. Just help ‘im get outta ‘ere, I says.

Image “Do what ya want.”

I...I guess I got their half-hearted approval?

ImageHaruaki...Haru, eh? Like my granddaughter. What a mess.

Image “Oh, so that means you’re…”

ImageYep, he’s Haru-chan’s grandpa, Kanzo Makishima.

Image “A pleasure!”

I didn’t know what else to say. Haru-chan and I weren’t on the best of terms so far.

Anyway, it seemed like we were past the difficult part.

Image “Drove into Saranaga, eh?”

Image “No, actually. I asked for directions at a convenience store, went down a side road, and ended up losing control on an unpaved section.”

Image “And then ya wen’in Saranaga. Why didn’ya turn around?”

He wasn’t impressed by my choice of actions. It just hit me that I had no idea how much time passed between the crash and my meeting with Chiemi.

Image “Takumi’n I’ll go see it.”

Image “Takumi’s workin’ in the field!”

Image “It’s ta get ‘im ta leave. Let the boy ‘elp.”

Image “You never change, Kan-chan.”

BGM: Safety Zone

Image

We’re joined by a new inhabitant.

ImageChiemi, who’s that guy?

ImageOh, Takumi-niichan…

Oh, so he was the one we saw on the field. Wow, he sure looked big from up close. All that field work was good for his muscles, clearly. And from what I could tell, he was in his thirties.

As Chiemi introduced me and told him of my situation, I found out his name - Takumi Muro.

Image “Man, that must’ve been hard. So, old man Kanzo…”

Image “We’ll pick it up.”

Image “Thought so. Tae-baacahn, wait a bit while I help the guy. I already spread the stuff on the fields, so I’ll mow the grass at noon.”

Image “What a good boy…”

Image “Hahahah. It ain’t a big deal. I’ll be so quick you’ll think nothing happened.”

Image “Good ta ‘ear.”

Nothing, eh?

Image

Image “Huh? Me? What is it?”

Image “Yer in Yasumizu. It ain’t a good place.”

…? It was the place that wasn’t good? Not my presence here?

Image “We don’t like outsiders ‘ere, and outsiders should let sleeping dogs lie.”

Image “So you should ‘urry an’ leave.”

Image “That’s the plan…”

Image

Image “Yep! Thanks, Takumi-niichan!”

I was beginning to understand how things worked here.
Although Kanzo Makishima’s voice was the most powerful here, it was also important to get Tae-san’s approval. Kanzo-san was probably in charge of tackling the settlement’s practical problems, while Tae-san provided spiritual and moral direction. And when it was time to be civilized, Takumi-san came and convinced Tae-san, acting as an intermediary. It looked like Takumi-san himself understood such subtleties, and Chiemi seemed to rely on this side of him.

Image “Here you go.”

The lady brought some tea to the old folk. Perfect timing.

Image

So that was her name.

Image “Sure. I’ll make a lot. It’ll be a reward for waking up early and working hard.”

Image “Hey, I’m doing it for Yasumizu, baa-chan, and you. It’s nothing, really.”

Image “Oh my. Eheheh.”

These two sure seemed to get along. They looked about the same age, too.

Image “Would you like something to eat, too?”

Image “Uh, no, thank you. I already ate.”

Image “Then here’s some tea. I can also get you a light snack, if you’d like. What would you say to some onigiri?”

Image “Ohh, that would be…”

Image “Sorry, can we borrow the phone? We need it quick.”

Oh?

Image “Sure, but why not have some tea first?”

*Everything goes silent*

ImageThanks, but it’s urgent. Let’s go, Haruaki-san.

Image “...? Sure.”

It didn’t seem like I could say no.

User avatar
Well, that's an ominous note to end on. We should avoid drinking the tea, then?

Also this definitely feels like a town that if push comes to shove wouldn't WANT to kill the outsider, but if the choice is between them and a local, wouldn't really hesitate.

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Sounds like the villagers think he's a ghost/undead creature. And hey, they might be right! This is a horror game and it was a pretty bad bike crash.

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The intro really reminded me of Siren, especially with "yomibito". Wasn't that was the zombie guys were called in that game?

Also Tae getting mad about the main character's brown hair while standing next to someone with seaweed green hair. :v

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Update 5: Alrighty Then… Stuuupid, You’re Stuuupid!

Image

At the end of the creaky hallway, there was a black rotary phone - a rarity in this day and age.

Image

Seriously…?

Image “Oh, and not a single mobile service provider works in this area.”

Image “Really…? Wait, who do you want me to call, anyway?”

Image “Road service, insurance, stuff like that. And family, if you have to.”

Oh, that made sense...Hell, I should’ve been the one to say that.

Image “Like I said, it’d be best if you left as soon as possible, so you should use everything you have.”

Image “Because outsiders aren’t welcome here?”

ImageYep.

Image “And I shouldn’t pry any further, huh?”

Image “Umm...Haruaki-san. I see you catch on quickly. That’s good.”

Image “But you also seem really curious.”

Image “It shows, huh?”

Image “Of course it does. Honestly, though, you should avoid sticking your nose into things.”

Image “Because we’ll part ways soon, anyway.”

Image “Exactly.”

Image “That’s kinda sad.”

Image “Oh? You want my contact info?”

Image “If you’re willing to give.”

Image “Yaay! That makes you guy number fifty three on the list!”

Image “Damn, if that ain’t a letdown.”

We still went on to exchange our info. I could only hope that being “number fifty three” wasn’t as big a problem as it sounded.

Image “Anyway, I’d still like to know the reason why me being here is such a big deal.”

Image “I don’t recommend it…”

Image “But whyyy…?”

ImageBecause it’d make me upset.

Image “You don’t like it here?”

Image “Yeah. I actually hate it.”

Image “You seem to get along with the people, though.”

Image “That’s just how it looks. I was a huge problem child, so I feel kinda awkward around the older folk here.”

Image “And there’s tons of things you can’t see right away. Oh, but I can’t say I actually hate the people…”

With that, I decided to stop prying about this place any further. I’d back away before she came to hate me.

Image

Image “Ooh, gutsy. Go ahead.”

Image “Do you like that Takumi Muro guy?”

ImageWhat? Me? Like him?

Image “Yeah.”

ImageAhahahah! No way! Takumi-niichan’s cool and all, but he’s too rugged and over a decade older than me. He’s out of my strike zone.

Image “And he’s always only had eyes for Kaori-san.”

Image “It sure felt like it… They married or something?”

Image “Nope. Kaori-san’s a widow.”

Well, that seemed complicated.

Image

Why had she dragged me away from the tea? It seemed so awkward, too. Assuming she hadn’t been jealous of Kaori-san and simply didn’t want her to charm me… It would mean that she just hadn’t wanted me to drink the tea. Why?

Also, why’d she feed me cup ramen if I could’ve just gotten food at the dining hall?

Looking too deep into things was part of my nature… Though, things were never as bad as I assumed.

Image

Apparently, this village was hundreds of kilometers away from the nearest service station, meaning I was ineligible for the normal service and had to pay extra. And the extra was no small amount, too. It actually went over 100,000 yen. Also, I could’ve avoided this if I’d taken a more expensive plan. This was all my fault for not taking the bike salesman’s advice. Shit.

I said I would consider it, and hung up. Then, I went back to the dining hall.

Image

The customers had changed completely. Tae-san, Kanzo-san and Takumi-san were gone now. They were replaced by a caricature of a juvenile delinquent.

BGM: Safety Zone

Image

He shouted at me. He seemed like he was trying too hard.

He then slammed his bowl and chopsticks on the table and stood up to intimidate me.

Image “Umm...I’m Haruaki Fusaishi.”

ImageThe hell? You wanna go?

ImageGoodness! Yoshitsugu! You don’t talk like that to someone you just met!

ImageShut up, hag! Chie-nee, the hell’s this asshole?

ImageHaruaki-san, a traveler who crashed his bike.

Boy, was that introduction half-assed.

Image

Image “Huh? Yasunga-kun? The guy you introduced me to this morning?”

Image “Yep. They may not look it at first, but they’re alike, don’t you think?”

The Oribes… what an unpredictable family.

Image “Stop talking ‘bout bro, you ugly bitch!”

Image

And from what I’d seen, that confidence was well justified.

ImageTch...fuck off back to the city, you idiot! Stupid dumbass!

ImageOh no! Haruaki-san! I don’t think I can argue with that!

ImageWhat? You were an idiot? Alrighty then… Stuuupid, you’re stuuupid!

ImageOh, how mean…

ImageJoin me, Yoshitsugu-kun! Stuuupid, stuuupid!

ImageHuh… What the hell?! Don’t talk shit ‘bout Chie-nee!

You’re… pretty conflicted, aren’t you?

Image “Sorry, Chiemi-chan. I was just playing.”

Image “Wow, one nice reversal after another. It takes quite a man to surprise me.”

Image “I just don’t wanna lose to you, that’s all.”

Image “You datin’ or something?”

Boy, did I wish.

Image

Image “Shut up. I ain’t going.”

Mumbling something, the kid walked out of the dining hall, leaving his half-full bowl behind.

Image

Image “He’s a really good boy deep down, though…”

Yeah, I could actually see that. Somewhat.

Image “By the way, where are Makishima-san and Muro-san?”

Image “They went to pick up your bike.”

Image “Oh no. I gotta hurry after them.”

Image “Hey, they know where it is. They’ll be fine, don’t you think?”

Image “Well, you just have to set it on neutral and push… but I’m not sure they’ll know how to do it. And I, of all people, should help. They might go about it the wrong way.”

Image “If that’s all, then you shouldn’t bother.”

*Everything goes silent*

Image “Why?”

Image “Because you’re an outsider. I wouldn’t suggest spending too much time alone with them.”

Image “They didn’t seem that bad to me.”

Image “That’s because they’re adults. Don’t assume everyone here is as welcoming as me. I’m an exception.”

Image “You might get along fine, but you might also set them off. This place is already far from normal. Don’t risk making it worse.”

Image “She’s right, I say. They insisted you leave it to them, so that’s what you should do.”

Image “You think so, too?”

Image “Yes. The men here are pretty serious about Yasumizu having its own way of doing things.”

I could somewhat understand that. A visitor should behave like one. Doing anything more would be uncalled for. It was an old-fashioned way of thinking, but this was an old-fashioned kind of place, for sure.

Image “Where do we wait, then?”

Image “At my place.”

Expected as much, but it still made me curious. Normally, you’d expect we’d sit around and drink some tea right here, so why didn’t we?

Image

First, I found out that the people here in Yasumizu were a bit on edge right now. The reason for that was the fact that, excluding me, they had three whole outsiders here.

I’d assumed this myself from what I knew so far, but apparently, yesterday morning, a little girl was found straying around the Saranaga Rapids. They couldn’t even find out her name, let alone who her parents were, so they didn’t know how to handle her. For now, one of the inhabitants was looking after her.

Like I’d been told, the more superstitious inhabitants (Tae-san, mostly) saw her as a bad omen. I suggested leaving her to the police, but Chiemi didn’t seem to think it was a good idea. It barely made sense to me, but if I were to believe her, things around here were such that not even the cops could do anything.

BGM: Safety Zone

Image

Unlike the little girl and I, they’d come here via the “normal route” - through Kamifujiyoshi - and therefore weren’t considered a “bad omen” or whatever. Still, even normal outsiders put the people here on edge.

Through this talk, I also got some details about the area itself.

Image

It’d also been on the map I’d been shown at the store. Fujiyoshi was split into two areas: Yasumizu and Kamifujiyoshi. They were separated by a mountain. Going to Kamifujiyoshi took about an hour by foot, or twenty minutes by car on the winding, but paved, road.

Side note: The school the students went to was in Kamifujiyoshi.

These two settlements had ties so strong they shared customs and culture. Chiemi said the local seasonal events were quite unconventional. I asked her to elaborate, but all she would say was that Yasumizu had “special meaning to Fujiyoshi. She was making me more suspicious than I wanted to be.

Image

Well, at least I found she didn’t have a boyfriend right now (very intriguing).

It was nearly noon when Takumi-san came back, ending my waiting game.

Yeah, our protagonist is probably dead.

Very little horror so far, in this horror VN!

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Site Admin
See, you say that, but already, we've got a very insular village, a cup of tea that we got dragged away from very hurriedly, people who very much hold to the belief in yombito and other spirits... We've got quite a bit of setup.

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Update 6: A Traditional Yasumizu Welcome? You Know, Throw Him Off the Cliff

Image

Side note: The door was fully open the entire time we waited. It was probably Chiemi’s way of saying that nothing bad was happening here.

Image

BGM: After Dinner

Image “Ain’t as ‘eavy as the boar I caught last ‘ear.”

I really didn’t expect them to just...carry it here. Like, sure, there were two of them, but just how much mass did you have to have to haul a 200 kg piece of metal so easily?

The unpaved road and the river made my sweet ride really damn muddy.

Image “How did you bring it up the cliff?”

Image“There’s a pulley. We bring stuff up from the bottom every now and then.”

ImageTakumi.

Image “Oh yeah, now’s not the time for that. Hey, you think this thing’s all right? It looks pretty damn wet.”

Image “I’m not sure...I’ll check.”

Image “I’ll leave the rest to you, then. Old man, this took longer than I thought it would. It fine if I do the sharpening tomorrow?”

ImageMh.

I saw them off with a loud “thank you!”.

Now then…

Image

Image “I’ll see what I can do by myself first.”

Image

I wanted to start by washing it, but that old lady (Tae Yamawaki was her full name) got really mad at me. She didn’t want any Saranaga mud on the ground here because it was “corrupt” or something. But this plaza was the only place with easy access to a water supply tap, so I did my best and convinced her to let me wash it as close to the edge as possible. Once it was clean, I could start checking what was wrong with it.

It actually looked pretty good. Bent in places, sure, but the wash got rid of the bad sounds the wheels made. The only problem was that both tires were flat.

...And it was a pretty big one.

Image

Image “No…”

Image “Aren’t you supposed to whenever you go on a bike trip?”

Image “I just thought I could call road service and they’d do all the work…”

Image “So unprepared…”

Image “I have no excuse. Honestly, I was having a moment when I went out. Didn’t think things through.”

Image “Oh, can I ask what happened?”

Image “My girlfriend left me.”

Image “That seems like a lie.”

It wasn’t.

Image “In any case...Hmm...Somewhere to get tools to fix a flat tire...”

Image “There might be some in the Nosato mansion.”

Image “Nosato mansion?”

Image “Yep. It’s the biggest place in Yasumizu. If you can’t find something there, you won’t find it anywhere else in the village.”

Image “I see. Then let’s give it a shot.”

Image “Hmm...I don’t really recommend meeting the guy, but I can’t think of any other ideas.”

Image “Someone important again?”

Image “Yep. And he’s kinda messed up, to boot.”

*Everything goes silent*

Image

From what I could tell, it was located at the highest point in the settlement. And, like Chiemi said, it was definitely a hell of a building. It had an elegant Western design, which would probably look even better if the place were better maintained. The yard was overgrown, and the building itself was pretty much buried in ivy and small trees.

If someone told me it was cursed, I’d instantly believe them. Did people actually live here?

Image “I wonder if the intercom works…”

She pressed a button next to the aged iron gate. Yasumizu was a quiet place, so I could easily hear the bell ring inside.



Image “Should we try again?”

Image “Let’s not. We’ll piss him off.”

Image “Moody guy, huh?”

Image “‘Moody?’ Yeah, that’s pretty accurate.”

I wasn’t sure what she meant, but I opted to just wait rather than ask more questions. Soon enough, the person in question walked out of the mansion.

BGM: Safety Zone

Image

He wasn’t young, but he didn’t look middle-aged, either. He certainly looked high-strung, that much was sure.

ImageHello, Nosato-san! It’s Serizawa!

ImageI know you, Chiemi Serizawa. I’m asking the young man with you.

ImageHaruaki-san, this is Kiyonosuke Nosato-san. Kiyonosuke-san, this is Haruaki Fusaishi. He got into an accident.

That introduction was the briefest yet.

Image “Huh? What?”

I explained the situation again (he furrowed his brow when I mentioned the Saranaga), in addition to the reason we were here.

Image “So...I need repair tools so I can get out of here as soon as possible…”

Image “Are the tires tubeless?”

Huh…?

ImageI have patches, but I think fixing tubeless tires would be a bit too much for an amateur. Though, there’s no problem if you aren’t.

Image “Oh, but if the tube burst, you have no choice but to change it. I don’t have any spares here, obviously. And I wouldn’t give them if I did.”

Image “Umm, sorry, but I’m not too knowledgeable about that.”

Image “What a waste of time. I recommend spending however many thousands you need to have repairmen come and pick you up.”

Gh...I had no retort to that.

Image “Oh, but Nosato-san, I don’t think we can have any more outsiders come here right now.”

Image “Huh? Haven’t you been to a proper city? Don’t tell me you still believe that nonsense.”

Image “Hmm...I’d be fine with it, but I doubt the elders would be...We’ve had too many visitors these past few days.”

ImageI don’t care what you Yasumizu peasants think! What do you expect me to do, anyway? Fix the tires myself and get oil all over me?

Image “Oh, I’d never suggest that. I just think that a Fujiyoshi village head should help a troubled visitor.”

Image “Hmph. How about, instead of relying on me only when it’s convenient, you just give him a traditional Yasumizu welcome? You know, throw him off the cliff.”

Whoa, what the hell?

ImageCome ooon, you can’t say thaaat…

Chiemi’s tone was slightly off. I could feel a bit of irritation behind her words.

Image “I know it might be a bother, but can you at least lend me the tools?”

ImageWhat?

Image “I’ll just borrow them. You won’t hear or see me work. I can even pay.”

Image “Well, I don’t mind that much, but I’ll want compensation for anything you break. Student or not, I’ll have you act proper.”

Then he pointed me to the garage and walked back to the mansion.

Image

Image “Wow, that’s so lame…”

Image “What, you think every biker can fix a bike by just bashing it with a wrench or something?”

Image “I dunno, but aren’t there a lotta girls who’re into guys good with cars and stuff?”

Image “Oh, so you’re into Nosato-shi?”

Image “Nope. He’s just acting like he’s smart. He’s probably never repaired a thing in his life. The guy’s not nearly as experienced as he’d have you think.”

Image “Huh? Then why does he have bike repair stuff?”

Image “The Nosato mansion is basically the Yasumizu branch of the Nosato family. Their main mansion is in Kamifujiyoshi. Whatever they don’t need there, they send over here.”

Image “I heard Kiyonosuke-san was given a car five or six years ago, but he couldn’t drive it at all, so it’s been gathering dust ever since.”

Damn, that was the countryside for you. Couldn’t hide your shame if your life depended on it.

Anyway, I now knew that the man was the condescending, pretentious type. He still helped me out, though, and it was true I didn’t know much about bike repairs, so I couldn’t really get mad.

Image “Anyway, let’s just take everything that looks like it could be useful.”

Image “Like bandits, huh? I’m in!”


A bit of a shorter update, this one is. For those counting down the days until things start kicking off, don't worry - the next update is going to be the last of the setup/character introduction sequence. You don't have that long left to wait. In the meantime, you can talk about what you think is going to happen or anything you might have noticed.

User avatar
I feel like we're getting a glimpse of some of the underlying nonsense behind those bad memories he went on a bike trip to forget. In that he bought this bike without learning jack shit about it and then rode off into the middle of nowhere with no plan or supplies.

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A common thread in mythology is places (the underworld, Faerie, etc) where if you eat or drink what locals give you, you're bound to that place and unable to leave. I wouldn't be at all surprised if that's happening here and that's why Chiemi doesn't want Haruaki to drink the tea and had him eat before he went into town. Which doesn't necessarily mean Kaori is doing it deliberately, especially since nobody else much seems to want Haruaki to stay. But it might be worth keeping an eye on her nonetheless.

Other ominous elements: the weird stones set around the village; the mysterious woman who Haruaki glimpsed briefly on his first venture into town; the bell and veiled woman (Tae? Seems like, but no way to be sure yet) that he ran from.

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Update 7: The Wolf Is Coming!

Background Sound: Chirping Birds

Image

Image “I’d feel down without anyone to talk to. Just keep chatting with me. It helps.”

The instructions that came with the repair kit told me that my bike’s tires were a rather difficult type to repair. Apparently, I had to remove the tires, but where did I even start with that?

Well, as long as I didn’t break it, nothing I did could be worse than having to call road service down here, so I just tried taking it apart. But as I removed whatever nuts I could, I made the situation even worse than it was.

Yeah, this really wasn’t a job for an amateur…

Image

Image “Wow! Thank youuu!”

Image

ImageHey, the benefits of culture are great as long as they don’t break. (Munch, munch)

Image

Image “Hmm, that might be hard...Don’t worry, though. Worse comes to worst, I’ll do something. (Munch, munch)”

I really appreciated how she handled the visitors in my stead.

Image

Image “I know that scooter licenses are easy. I have one myself. (Munch, munch)”

Image “Mid-size bike licenses are pretty hard to get. You even need to take a course, just like with cars. You like bikes?’

Image “The hell?! What’s it matter to you?! How much was that, anyway?”

Image “800,000 yen. Brand new.”

ImageWhat the hell?! That’s way too high! You an idiot or what?! How’d you get that much?!

Image “Umm, part-time jobs and all that.”

Image “And you got it into an accident...poor Haruaki-san…(Munch, munch)”

Image “Chiemi-sensei, if I may ask, what happened to my share of the food?”

ImageAh! Oh no! I ate it all! Poor Haruaki-san!

I didn’t want sympathy from the one responsible.

As I told her off for not leaving me any food, I somehow removed the tires. I could only hope I’d be able to fix this up. I’d had this thing for less than a month, but the trouble it was putting me through made it feel somewhat dear to me. I wanted to fire it up again and make it go as fast as it could.

Background Sound: Car Engine

Suddenly, I heard an engine. It felt like it was mocking me.

Hold on. An engine? Here? I stopped working and turned around to see an unfamiliar van drive into the plaza. Barring the classic-looking piece of junk in Nosato’s garage, this was the first time I’d seen a car here. As far as I knew, no one living here actually owned a running car, so…

Image “These are the journalists I told you about.”

I knew it. Once the van stopped, a lady stepped out of it.

BGM: Safety Zone

Image

Oh. She’s pretty.

Image “Hellooo!”

ImageI’ll be bothering you again today...Hm? You’re a new face.

Image “Umm...Hello. My name’s Haruaki Bikecrash.”

Image “Don’t be so hard on yourself!”

Image “Uh…?”

Crap. That was no time for an inside joke. I quickly introduced myself properly.

Image “I crashed not too far away, so I’m stuck here for the time being.”

ImageI see. So you’re a student. Sorry about the trouble you’re going through...Oh, and this is me.

The woman gave me her business card. Hisako Mamiya...a freelance writer. Her pen name was...Kyuko Housei.

Image “Have you ever read Kyuko Housei’s articles?”

Image “Umm...sorry.”

Image “Figured...I’m not a big name yet. And the magazines I do get printed in are marketed for housewives and the elderly.”

Image “That’s some pretty intense competition. What do you write, anyway?”

Image “Food reviews. I specialize in unusual dishes.”

Image “Like...the foulest-smelling canned food in the world or something?”

Image “Yep. Well, your usual brand of weirdness doesn’t attract much attention these days, so I’m looking for minor culinary oddities local to Japan.”

Image “Anyway, if you know any weird dishes from your hometown, do tell me I’d travel the length of Japan to give it a try.”

Image “Umm, a student from the lab I frequented once made pork miso soup with a mushroom he found on campus. We had mass hallucinations and - “
Image “No ‘flashes of brilliance or ‘poisons’, please.”

As we chatted, I became curious…

“By the way, weren’t there two of you?”

Image “Yes. I’m here with a partner. He just needs some time to...oh, there he is.”

I looked at the van and…

...became completely awestruck. It felt like the van had shed its skin or something. That made no sense, but seriously...how did this fit in there?

Image

He was gargantuan. Takumi-san was something, but this man was on the level of a foreign heavyweight wrestler. Though, unlike Takumi-san, this man was primarily fat, rather than muscle.

As he walked out of the driver’s seat, the van shook wildly.

ImageYudai Hashimoto-san. A photographer. He’s way more famous than me.

Image “He works in all sorts of fields. I imagine you’ve seen some of his photos without even knowing it.”

Image “...”

I didn’t know much about photography, but I was definitely convinced. There was a certain kind of authority...or gravity...around him.

Image “...”

He wasn’t saying a word, and I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

Image “Nice to meet you. I’m Haruaki Fusaishi.”

Image “...”

Was he even alive?

ImageHello…

After a strange pause, he slowly bowed like the moving mountain he was, and greeted me with a voice like a titan. He seemed somewhat difficult to interact with.

Image

Image “Yes. Oribe-san said she’d let me try her prized shishinare.”

Image “I don’t know if an outsider can handle it.”

Image “Heheheh. I have my stomach medicine. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

And so, Mamiya-shi and Hashimoto-shi walked off to the dining hall. Who would’ve thought that such a beauty was a delicacy hunter. I had to admit, that gap was kind of charming.



As intrigued as I was, I couldn’t waste any more time. I had to fix my bike already.

*Everything goes silent*

Image

Image “...”

A lot of things have surprised me here in Yasumizu, but nothing as much as this.

Image “...Hello?”

Image “...”

No reaction. At first glance, he looked like a poor man too senile to think and perceive properly.

Image “You need something from me?”

I made sure to speak as clearly as possible. It didn’t look like he understood.

Image “...”

I figured it was best to just ignore him and resume the repairs, but…

ImageComing…

I looked at him again. He was still just standing there like his soul and brain had left his body. A vacant stare. Yellowed eyes. Half-open mouth covered in saliva…

ImageComing…

He spoke again.

Image “What’s coming?”

ImageThe w…

What? His voice was too hoarse to make out.

Image “Come again?”

I placed my hand against my ear.

Image

He finally understood what I wanted and prepared to whisper something. I brought my ear closer and…

ImageTHE WOLF IS COMING!

…!

The sudden shout caught me completely off guard and made me fall to the ground.

BGM: Safety Zone

Image

He clapped and opened his half-toothless mouth into a wide smile.

ImageThe wolf is coming! The wolf is coming!

He bent his body in a weird way, laughed like he was convulsing, turned around…

...and just left.

Image

Image “Haruaki-san! Oh. I’m too late.”

Chiemi had joined the journalists and only just came back.

Image “Late for what?”

Image “Gramps over there loves messing around with strangers like that.”

Image “Wait, that’s your grandpa?”

Image “No no no. I don’t even know his name. He’s been in Yasumizu forever, and he’s always like that.”

Image “It felt less like he was just messing around and more like he’s a bit...touched.”

Image “Yep. Everyone calls him ‘The Old Man Who Cried Wolf’.”

Named after “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”, I assume? Doesn’t work as well, though.

Image “Wolves, eh…?”

As far as I knew, there were no wild wolves in Japan. There used to be, but after the last sighting in either the Meiji or Showa era, they’ve been considered extinct here.

Modern Japan’s image of wolves came from western fairytales and the like. It wasn’t linked to anything in our culture or life. Even “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” was a western tale. Did his brand of insanity make him repeat the tale or something?

A bit weirded out by the circumstances, I went back to repairing my bike.

Image

Both tires were pierced by some really rusty nails. Fuck, this kind of stuff only happened at the worst of times.

Then I applied the patches and filled them with air using a manual pump. I wet the tubes. There were no bubbles, meaning no air was leaving them.

Things were looking good.

Background Sound: Chirping Birds

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After the high schoolers came back from school and passed by, no one else stopped to talk. Chiemi was looking a bit bored now.

Image “I think I got it.”

Image “Seriously? But it all seemed so hopeless.”

Image “Well, sorry. Though, I still need to rebuild this. That’s gonna be a lot of work.”

Image “And you’ll be able to leave then?”

Image “Yeah. Believe me, I know I shouldn’t stay here long. I can take a hint.”

Image “That’s great.”

She didn’t seem to care that much.

...Guess I had no chance with her, huh?

Image “You’ve been at this for hours. How’re you holding up? Need a break?”

Image “Well, I’d be better if a certain someone didn’t take away my lunch break.”

Image “Hey, I gave you some crackers, didn’t I?”

Like that was enough to sate a guy in his mid-20s.

Image “Still, I’m pretty fine. I’ll push forward a bit more. You can go, if you want. I’ve been introduced to just about everyone here.”

Image “There’s two people you haven’t met yet.”

Really? Well, there was no real need to, right?

Image “I’ll stay around a bit longer. I came back here ‘cause I was bored, and it’s not like I’m busy.”

Image “Couldn’t you play around with your fifty two guy-friends?”

Image “I take it back. I came back ‘cause I wanted to be bored. Living in the city is so annoying and tiring, especially with fifty two guys texting you all the time.”

Image “Oh.”

Image “Sorry. I lied about the fifty two guys…”

Image “Why?!”

Image “‘Cause I wanted to keep you in check, I guess?”

Why would she pull a tactic like that only to reveal her hand?

Image “Hey, did you really get dumped by your girlfriend?”

And now she asked me that...

Image “I did. Honest…”

Image “Hmm...I see.”

Well, after that relentless assault, it wouldn’t be fair unless I played my own card.

Image “Wanna come with?”

Image

Image “Yeah. There’s even an extra helmet. It’s not dry yet, though.”

Image “I’m obviously leaving soon, so unless you have something planned, you can join me.”

Image “We can even go on a bike tour. If we have enough time, I can take you anywhere.”

Flexible, open to fine-tuning, wild, and charming...This was a good date invitation, if I said so myself.

ImageThat sounds great. And I have no plans.

Oh?

Image “I’ll go get my stuff, then.”

Chiemi smiled and turned around to head to her place. She then looked back at me, and…

ImageYou should hurry back before I change my mind.

Image “Yeah, sure.”

Well, that made me motivated. This was one tiring trip, but at least I met someone good along the way. I’d just forget everything I didn’t want to remember while on the road with her. I could only hope that clever girl and I would eventually grow closer.

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Update 8: There’s No Such Thing as Werewolves

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Afternoon had passed and it was almost evening. At the rate I was going, I’d definitely be working while it was dark. Would that even be possible? It might be way past midnight by the time I was done. Chiemi might dump me for that. Man, life sure was hard.

The plaza I’d worked in was now totally empty. There was no one around me. All I could hear was the wind, the frogs, and the tools in my hands. It was desolate, to say the least.

I suddenly felt really weak. It made me keenly aware of being in a place I didn’t belong, and that I was preparing to escape. It was an oppressive atmosphere - like the bars of a cage were slowly swinging shut.

What’s this, Haruaki? Think you’re gonna get attacked or something? I tried to laugh it off, but it didn’t work. As I became more conscious of my surroundings, I began to hear things I hadn’t noticed before.

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Someone was singing. It was an inarticulate little girl’s voice.

I stopped my work. Before I knew it, I’d put my tools down and gone looking for the source. Was I that starved for human presence? Or did the malaise make me feel like I was in danger?

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Down the hill.

To where the song came from.

Passing the tall grass.

I arrived.

Background Sound: Mountain Winds

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Image...’s guardians are…

It was a strange sight. The field was covered in tall grass. There were countless rocks peeking out of it. Unlike the boulders all over Yasumizu, these were only up to my waist. They looked like…

Like gravestones.

ImageSix, the bad jar hums along within a ray of bricks.

The field extended into the dusky western sky before ending at a cliff. This was the lowest spot in Yasumizu - the border to Saranaga. There was a large pine right at the edge.

ImageEight, the donut baloney rice snows on the mountain.

The evening sun, the stones, and the pine’s shadow gave the field a strange aura.

A little girl was running through it. Her steps were awkward.

At this moment, this space was alien. I felt like I was looking at a Giorgio de Chirico painting. The place felt like it didn’t belong in this world.

Suddenly...

...I came to understand that this place was special. It was a sacred, mystical ground where no outsiders were welcome.

The girl fell.

Image “Are you okay?”

I → Run to with no hesitation → The little girl

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ImageBaa…

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Image

Image

Image’Prepare for the feast when the evening mists arrive.

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ImageRun.

Girl-->Hug-->Little girl
-->Warn-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->Me?

ImageYou probably won’t make it.

ImageBut...Run!

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-->Turn around

-->Run

-->Where?

BGM: Eroding Thoughts

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ImageWhere were you?

ImageSorry, I’ll finish the job now.

Image “It’s too late, you idiot! You won’t make it in time! You’ve gotta hide!”

I couldn’t understand what she was getting at.

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Image “But Haruaki-san’s…!”

ImageTch. Forget the outsider! Old man Kanzo and I’ll check the other places! Stop wasting time and go back to yours!

I couldn’t understand. What were these two doing? What scared them so much?

It didn’t take long for me to find out.

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It was so dense you could easily call it “mist”. It moved strangely, like a living creature, as it flowed into the plaza.

Image “Haruaki-san, over here!”

Chiemi pulled me by the hand.

ImageWhat’s going on…? Ugh, my head...Feels like it weighs a ton.

ImageDeal with it! You’ve gotta find a place you can lock the doors! You’ll die if you don’t!

Image “What do you mean? Tell me…”

Image “Please, don’t ask questions and just do as I say, just this once!”

Albeit hesitantly, I did as she said.

*Everything goes silent*

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...we made it to a simple outhouse.

Image “This should be fine…”

Image “Seriously, what’s going on? And sure, that was a hell of a mist, but this won’t protect me, right?”

Image “Listen, there’s no time to explain. So please, just do what I say and only that.”

Image “Get in there, lock yourself in, stay inside the whole night, and don’t make a sound!”

My mind was pretty clear by this point. So much so that I began to wonder why it was clouded until now. Because of that, I could easily understand exactly what Chiemi just said despite how weird it was.

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That second option requires us to have a total of four different keys: 3, 8, 19 and 20. So we’ll have to do as Chiemi says and hide in the outhouse.

BGM: Fractured Heart

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Image “Haruaki-san…”

Image “Just so you know, pulling that off is pretty hard. When I do, I’d like a good reward and an explanation.”

Image “Sure. I’ll tell you everything.”

ImageSo please...Survive the night.

The words, the teary smile...none of it looked fake.

Image “See ya, then. You gotta hurry, right?”

Image “Yep. Haruaki-san…”

Image “What?”

ImageI’ll tell you tomorrow.

Leaving me one hell of a homework assignment, Chiemi ran off.

The plaza was covered in the mist by now. I could see it rising to take over the fields, too. Anyway…

A promise was a promise.

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Ten minutes later, I began to wonder what I was doing. Was I really supposed to spend the night here?

This outhouse wasn’t like a prefab you’d find in construction sites. It was just a shack built by hand. It merely happened to have a toilet unit installed. It was Japanese-style, so I couldn’t even sit down. All I could do was stand.

Another problem - it was the type of toilet that periodically had to be pumped empty, so the smell was really bad. Sure, there was a cover on the toilet unit, but without any kind of air freshener anywhere, the smell of ammonia could only do so much.

The only good thing about being here was that, if I had to go to the toilet...well...mission complete. But what of it?

Again...Was I really supposed to spend the night here? The question quickly made me realize how stupid this was, and I began making assumptions to make this easier for myself.

Was I being pranked? Or was everyone here just crazy?

Hell, the mist had already filled the surroundings, and there was no way that this shabby outhouse protected me from it. The air here felt misty and damp. The temperature was low, so I could still bear it somewhat, but staying here all night would make me all wet.

Again, I wasn’t safe from the mist here. That considered, I’d probably be better off sleeping in the grass outside than staying here. The reasonable part of my mind urged me to stop playing along with these hicks. However...

Image “Get in there, lock yourself in, stay inside the whole night, and don’t make a sound!”

Image “Sure. I’ll tell you everything.”

ImageSo please...Survive the night.

My sense of duty made it hard for me to break the promise I’d made to her.

...Actually, that wasn’t quite true. I was more intrigued by the prospect of learning more about this place.

BGM: Search for Keys

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This was the Yasumizu settlement, a special part of Fujiyoshi. It was situated right next to the Saranaga Rapids.

The people living here were…

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Image

Image

Image

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Those were the eleven people I’d met, and Chiemi said I had two more left. That could only mean that the two I’d met by that pine were the ones.

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She was probably the one I’d seen in the morning. The fact I’d seen her twice made it likely that she was indeed real, but with how mysterious this place was, I couldn’t rule out the possibility that she was an illusion.

According to Chiemi, the little girl was being looked after by someone in the village, so I could only assume that the white-haired woman was the one. If I counted the little girl, it would mean Yasumizu had thirteen inhabitants.

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Add me to that, and you had a total of three outsiders, but I’d put that aside for now. Anyway, time for an assessment…

Yesterday morning, a little girl strayed into Saranaga. To make it worse, no one, not even herself, knew anything about her. She instantly got branded as an ill omen.

The next day, Chiemi, who was in Saranaga for some reason, found me there. They recognized me as a proper lost person, but since I came through Saranaga, I was also branded as an ill omen.

From what Kiyonosuke Nosato-shi said, it was safe to assume that it used to be customary to throw people like us into Saranaga.

And then there was the mist. The girl said something mysterious…”Prepare for the feast when the evening mists arrive.” I could only assume it was related to the same superstitions. After all - the mist came from Saranaga itself. It and the river seemed to be central to the local customs and ideas.

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Yomibito...as in...people from Yomi? The ancient Japanese land of the dead? Dead people came back through Saranaga...and they were corrupted…

Well, that gave room for some wild ideas…

Was there some sort of pathogen in Saranaga that rose up with the mists? Did it turn people into zombies? Was I about to be a part of a Japanese Resident Evil…? Wait, that was already Japanese.

What if you had a ten percent chance to be infected by the mists, but a hundred percent chance to be infected by another person? That’d explain why everyone had to isolate themselves like this. If I became a zombie, I probably wouldn’t have the mind to unlock the door…

So basically, by locking myself in here, I was quarantining myself. I hadn’t put all that much thought into that, but that seemed like a good story. Sure, stuff like the boulders and the wolves didn’t fit anywhere into my idea, but it was still interesting.

Then again, I knew this was hicksville and all, but would a superstition that science could explain so easily really survive the modern world? It seemed so weird…

Image “Get in there, lock yourself in, stay inside the whole night, and don’t make a sound!”

*Everything goes silent*

“Don’t make a sound?”





...To be frank. The reason why I spent so much time on these delusions was because I was scared of things I didn’t know or understand.

In the past, people used to attribute stuff like natural phenomena and diseases to gods, devils, yokai, and then do nothing but fear them. They were scared of these manifestations of monsters and whatnot, but on the other hand, it was better than not seeing or not knowing what they really were.

The fact that you could die to things you couldn’t see or understand made life really unreasonable and unfair. That was why it was very logical to give things names and mental images in order to recognize and memorize them. My fear of things I didn’t know was the same, except I wasn’t satisfied with just labels or hypotheses. I needed to reach the truth.

That aside...What I was feeling right now wasn’t a fear of the unknown. It was a realistic, practical fear of something that could endanger my life.

Image “Get in there, lock yourself in, stay inside the whole night, and don’t make a sound!”

That meant that, outside, lurked something dangerous that could hear sounds. Perhaps it was the so-called “dead” that rose up from the river. Or maybe, assuming I was right with my Saranaga Sickness theory, it was people who came out and beat the shit out of all the diseased who didn’t follow the rules.

“The wolf is coming.”

Maybe “the wolf” was the title given to the killer?

*Loud scream

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Without key 2 it looks like we must go out and take a look.

BGM: Pursuit Instincts

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That was some timing…

Right as I was about to form a new hypothesis…

...the proof connecting it all suddenly came to me...And it was right outside.

It had gotten really dark. There were no lights anywhere. The darkness was fear. Unperceived = unknown = dangerous = scary. Leaving this place was dangerous. Dangerous = scary = scary = scary = scary! Scary things were scary no matter how much logic you applied.

But I couldn’t discard my desire to get to know the fear and conquer it.

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Night wasn’t absolute darkness. No matter how dark or cloudy it was, the sky always gave some bit of light to us. However, I came to understand that it could be hard to see even if there was light. Everything I saw was covered by a dense mist. Combined with the pale moonlight, it made the area seem...milky. It made it hard to get around. Regardless…

...I couldn’t ignore the scream. There was something beyond this veil. I kept moving forward.

Unless my ears were deceiving me, the scream belonged to a woman, and had come from the right.

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Or, rather, I didn’t want to think that. The unknown was scary. Personally, I’d found that principle made my life really easy. I had more than enough fear from those which were directly threatening my life. I really didn’t want to have the fear of losing someone, as well.

Change your line of thought, Haruaki. Solving the mystery might save someone. Two birds with one stone. I began walking faster.

*Louder scream*

Another scream. It was close.

I realized I had to find a way to protect myself. I was unarmed, so I looked around for anything I could use as a weapon. I felt around to see if there were any branches or anything. Sadly, all I felt was grass.

I went deeper and searched the ground itself. Soon, I felt something hard. It was a rock. A moment of digging later, I took it in hand. It was a bit smaller than my hand. I almost teared up at how useless it seemed, but it was better than nothing.

I looked at the base of my feet and saw the grassy ground. I could easily move forward if I first checked the ground using my feet. And since I might’ve been close to the danger, I had to focus on what was ahead, too. I’d recognize the danger and, if possible, get rid of it.

I concentrated entirely on that and stepped forward.

*Everything goes silent*

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But I could hear other things.

*Other things*

A wet sound.

And the sound of something cracking.

It filled my mind with countless things I didn’t want to imagine. Even so, I kept walking forward.

Forward.

Until I saw it.

Background Sound: Tension Beats

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My hypotheses were nothing but delusions. The truth was truly something you had to see yourself. But…

But why…

Why was this so scary in spite of being true?

It wasn’t supposed to exist.

It couldn’t exist.

After all...

...it was a wolf with a humanoid body…

*Wolf howl*

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BGM: Unrelated Funeral Procession

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In a paddy field in Fujiyoshi, Yasumizu, third block…

...someone discovered a thoroughly mangled corpse.

The clothes nearby…

...led the discoverers to conclude that it was the traveler, Haruaki Fusaishi.

Image

ImageHe’s still moving.

Strangely enough, I could perceive this particular moment.

ImageA yomibito! Purge ‘im!

And so, I…

ImageGoodbye, Haruaki-san...

*Gunshot*

Image

ImageThe feast begins.

The last thing I heard…

ImageI’ll hang the wol-

...was that.

*Everything goes silent*

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User avatar
Awoooooo.

That being said, while there's probably supernatural affairs afoot, we can't be entirely sure how much of this is reliable after the clear mind weirdness in the mist before the wolf arrived.

User avatar
Jadecore wrote:
Wed Jul 01, 2020 3:57 am
Awoooooo.

That being said, while there's probably supernatural affairs afoot, we can't be entirely sure how much of this is reliable after the clear mind weirdness in the mist before the wolf arrived.
True. Something is "mangling" bodies, though, which isn't how you'd usually describe what humans do to each other.

User avatar
Hint Corner: Toilet Man’s End

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We’ve reached our first ending! Which means we get our first Hint Corner, as well. There’s one of these for every ending in the game. In most cases, they’re a means for the game to bludgeon us over the head with what we need to do to proceed, dispensing “advice” that should be fairly self-evident to anyone with even a passing familiarity with this type of VN.

However, they can be somewhat amusing at times and will occasionally toss us some additional story hints, so I intend to show them all off.

So, let’s pick ‘Yes’.


BGM: Safety Zone

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Image’Ey there. You’ve done it now, eh, chief?

ImageHmm? Me? Ah, don’t mind me. I’m just an insignificant interface character. You can call me Sheep.

Image “This is a space between dreams. That bastard Haruaki Fusaishi can’t see it, so feel free to kick back and relax. That said, you can’t stay too long. I’m busy, so let’s get down to business. As you’d expect of a hint corner, I’m here to give some helpful advice in your times of need.”

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Image “While I did say ‘you’ve done it now’ just before, you were actually fated to arrive here from the start. I mean, you only had one choice, right? There should’ve been one below it, but it had a lock mark next to it, and you couldn’t pick it.”

Image ”Oh, but just so you know, redoing Chiemi Serizawa’s idiotic quiz is pointless. None of those choices will change a thing.”

Image “I think it was explained to you back in the tutorial, but let’s review Raging Loop’s structure just in case.”

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Image “Why’s that? Because many choices are locked, and you’ll need Keys to unlock them.”

The sheep goes on to explain the way keys work. But we’ve already gone over that near the start of update 1 and it’s a very intuitive mechanic in the first place, so we’ll skip ahead a bit here.

Image “It seems Haruaki Fusaishi can retain his memories for the ‘next time’ even if he dies. This is a system to replicate that.”

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Image “There are many Keys lying within the story’s many Bad Endings. You can also obtain Keys from some surprising outcomes. Of course, it’s possible to get all the Keys and finish the game without seeing all the Bad Endings, but I’ll leave that up to your playing style.”

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Image “But that won’t be a problem for next time. Did you notice? You already obtained Key 2 by dying here. You can check it’s details from the Keys List in the menu, so you can check it out there.”

Let’s do that now:

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I’ll maintain a list of acquired keys at the bottom of the second post, so you can easily refresh your memories at any time.

Image “But basically, Haruaki Fusaishi now knows from experience he’ll die if he goes out at night. That’s what makes a new choice possible. You’ll find more Bad Endings that you’re forced to play through first in the future, so keep that in mind. Other times, you can keep going onwards for a long time without finding a Key.”

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Image “You can re-read everything from the start if you’d like, but you’re going to die dozens of times from now on, so it’d be a pain to re-read each time. So once you get a grip of the situation, use the Scenario Chart to jump ahead.”

The scenario chart is accessible from the little CHART button you can see in most screenshots. We can use it at any point to jump to any section of the story we’ve already read through, which is very convenient when hunting for different keys and outcomes.

Currently, our chart looks like this:


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The boxes here represent the chapters of the story, which are typically fairly large. As you can see, we’re currently in Chapter 2 - Dense Mist, so let’s open it up.

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Unfortunately, this is not the entire chart for Chapter 2. For whatever reason, there seems to be no way to zoom out and see the whole thing at once, so we must scroll up to see the rest.

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Very inconvenient. But, this won’t stop me from updating the second post with our current progress in the chart for each chapter, just so you have a frame of reference for any jumps we make as the plot progresses.

Image “Incidentally, this marks the end of ‘2. Dense Mist.’ The so-called prologue is over. If you pick the choice that was unlocked this time, the game’s first main route, ‘3. Yomi’ will begin. Good luck!”

Image “By the way...here’s a little tip.”

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Image “Gah! That took a while! And I’m busy!”

ImageWell, that’s enough for this time! Die another hearty death next time!

User avatar
Hint sheep is cool

User avatar
Loose Ends: It’s Like a Porn Manga! Congratulations!

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As the Sheep explained, we’ve basically finished ‘Dense Mist’, the prologue of the VN, or at least the branches that we could access with no keys. So, before going back to the outhouse and picking the option that leads us into the next chapter, I’d like to show off the last bit of content we can currently access in this one.

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I am of course referring to what lies behind the other options we could pick for Chiemi’s quiz. The Sheep told us that this choice doesn’t really matter, and that’s right in that these other options don’t open up new branches (except the one which needs to be unlocked by key 20), but there’s still some unique dialogue here.

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So, let’s start from the top with ’You’re desperate’ and go down from there.

BGM: Safety Zone

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This line and the music are the same for each of the options.

Hmm...

ImageWell, I won’t tell you the details, but yeah, I have my issues. Not having a good time recently, that’s for sure.

Image “All girls your age have stuff going on. I don’t mind hearing you out.”

Image “Wow, so understanding. Forget all the talk about risk - you’re gonna sweep me off my feet and take me home by solving all my problems with words!”

Image “Why would I have to take you home? I’m already at your place.”

Image “Well, guess what, though my situation is dire, I’m actually not gonna say anything! You’ve fallen for my trap!”

Image “What a weird trap…! I wasn’t gonna force you to talk if you didn’t want to.”

Image “Don’t worry, you’ll find out when we’re a little closer, if you know what I mean. It’ll be harder for you to get away then.”

Image “Then I guess I won’t touch you!”

Image “Oh nooo!”

Anyway, this girl was actually pretty sharp. She really had a way with words, and knew how to capitalize on it. It almost felt like she was implying that I couldn’t let my guard down just ‘cause I was a guy. I admitted she was pretty damn attractive, but…

...I felt like I’d have more fun just talking about lewd stuff than acting on it.

And so ends the day, just like the path we picked before. There are no further changes from here on, and in fact the closing narration above is also identical.

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So, let’s see what happens when we pick 'You’re a thirsty perv'.

BGM: Safety Zone

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Woohoo!

ImageIt’s like a porn manga! Congratulations! Now bring it on!

Image “Hold up. I know how this story goes. People who get lost and stumble upon something good never end up well.”

ImageAh. That’s true. You could be getting tricked by a fox, I might be a ghost out to curse you to death, or you’re about to catch some bad disease.

Image “Exactly!”

ImageDundundundun! Dundundundun! Dundundundun-dundun! Now come! Let’s open this path and see where it goes!

Image “Nope!”

Image “Oh nooo!”

From this point, the same narration as before takes place and the route converges into the common path.

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The last option we have available is ’You’d feel guilty if you let me die’.

BGM: Safety Zone

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Oh, cool.

Image “Well, I wasn’t joking when I said this area’s dangerous. There’s deer, boars, wild dogs and bears.”

Image “I actually saw deer and boars myself, but...bears?”

Image “Yep. Moon bears, though. They aren’t big, but they do attack. It’s pretty dangerous out there.”

Image “That’s just wild…”

Image “But there’s something even worse.”

Image “Hm? What? Worse than bears?”

ImageSnakes. Monkeys. Crows. Spiders.

Huh? Were they venomous or something…? I really doubted that. Those really didn’t seem worse than bears…

ImageAlso, wolves.

Image “There aren’t any wolves in Japan.”

Image “Yeah there are. You’re in the sticks, you know?”

She smiled and drank out of the third can.

Image “Speaking of wolves...whatever the reason, you ended up coming into a pretty girl’s home. Won’t you become a wolf yourself?”

Image “Hmm...nope!”

Image “What a gentleman! Have another one!”

I wasn’t too sure, but I felt like she’d dodged the subject. Perhaps I wasn’t being cautious enough. But then again, I’d been wandering aimlessly for a long time by now. I had enough recklessness in me to enjoy a drink with a cute, if shady, girl.

We don’t get the common narration here, and instead the day just ends. However everything after that is still the same.

With this, we’ve seen all of the content accessible without having any key in chapter 2, as well as in the entire VN. Next time, we shall return to the outhouse and actually carry out our promise to Chiemi.

User avatar
Update 9: Congrats On Surviving, Toilet Man!

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As promised, here we are back at the outhouse, after Haruaki heard a loud scream.

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The game is kind enough to mark the option that leads to a Bad End with a red skull once we’ve gone through it once. Now, we just need to use key 2 and pick the unlocked ’Keep still’ option.

BGM: Encroaching Supernatural

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It sounded like someone’s life was in danger. It meant something dangerous was nearby.

Wait. I couldn’t be rash. The world didn’t have many things that logic couldn’t explain. Like the existence of murderers. But...

...until I saw the source of the scream myself, it was nothing but a source of fear.

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It was my promise to Chiemi.

But that scream just now was very real. It wasn’t normal. I had to assume the situation was dangerous, and maybe I could help if I went out. But…

...that meant endangering myself. I was no saint, and I had no plans to rectify that. If there was something that could get me to walk out, it would be curiosity. My curiosity had won over many dangers thus far. But right now, it was weaker than my fear and risk of death.

Why? Because…

...I already knew.

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It wasn’t a premonition, a dream, or anything else that vague. My brain recognized it as something I’d experienced.

But how? After all, I was still alive, and the time from those memories had yet to come. Was I a precog or something? By god, I swore I’d never experienced anything like this before coming here. And why did the memory come back to me at this particular moment? Regardless…

...that overwhelming fear…

...and the pain and death that followed…

...were exactly what waited for me if I opened the door. I couldn’t feel more certain of that.

The thoughts rendered me unable to move. Immobile. I stood still, completely certain that I’d lost my chance to leave. I wasn’t childish enough to sneer at selfish decisions, but this still didn’t feel good. Not to mention I was upset at myself for not being able to act like me and just run out simple because I was curious. I didn’t even feel saved. Until that moment…

*Door rattles*

*Everything goes silent*

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This place had a handle on the outside, and someone was pulling on it hard! There was a lock, sure, but there was only so much it could take before it broke!

I prepared to pull on it from the inside, but…

Image “Get in there, lock yourself in, stay inside the whole night, and don’t make a sound!”

Background Sound: Tension Beats

...what would happen if I did? Whatever was outside would instantly know I was here. Even if I protected the door, the thing had lots of other ways of hurting me.

But what if it didn’t know about me and was just weirded out by this randomly locked toilet? What if I didn’t show a hint of fear to what it was doing? Would it just leave?

I chose to wait and see.

Once again, someone pulled the door, shaking the structure as a whole. I gulped down and focused on the lock. If it broke, it’d be over for me.

Over. As in, I’d be dead. That was what that memory told me. I was powerless back then and even more so now.

Assuming I tried to fight back...what would work? I’d heard that teeth were the hardest part of the human body, so maybe I could bite? Yeah. I’d tear whatever it was apart with my teeth. I’d bite it to death.

I gathered my wits and killing intent. Grinding my teeth…

...I glared at the door.

*Everything goes silent*

Image

The sounds suddenly stopped.

For all I knew, it might’ve been a ploy to make me drop my guard. I’d slowly count to 500. If nothing happened in that time, I’d assume it went away.







There were no screams or attacks after that. But the silence around me improved my perception, and I heard strange noises every now and then. Breathing. Growling. Claws on the ground. Basically - I felt a beastly presence.

Image

Image

Was it what the mists brought here from Saranaga? “The wolf is coming.” Did they all know about this?

Shit. I couldn’t learn anything in a place like this. And not knowing things scared me.

Trusting my prescience or deja vu or whatever it was, I chose to just stay quiet and wait. I’d find out everything tomorrow. I just had to make it through the night and then talk to Chiemi.

And if it was something I couldn’t solve, I’d just run away. Thankfully, my bike repairs were going well, but I’d be leaving even if it didn’t work. I’d walk to Kamifujiyoshi if I had to. Unlike Yasumizu, they might’ve had reliable means of transport.

For now, I just had to stay awake and make it through the night.

Image

BGM: Tragic Morning

Image

It always made me feel like shit - like I’d just done something harmful, both for my body and as a human being in general. I found it natural to spend the night asleep and welcome the morning well-rested and with a smile. I’d never expected to feel so much gratitude for the morning light leaking through the door of an outhouse.

It felt like the beasts had been out and about the whole night. Naturally, the high humidity had made my clothes all wet and sticky. It was unpleasant, but even trying to move them and make it more comfortable for myself felt like a matter of life and death. Maybe it was a good thing I couldn’t relax, but hell, it was exhausting in more ways than one.

When I heard Chiemi shout “Haruaki-san!” in the distance, I was so overcome with relief I almost fell to my knees. If this turned out to be a trick and I opened the door to see some wolf with a chewed collar in its mouth lunging for my throat, I’d just give up and let it have me at this point.

With that in mind, I opened the door. I expected to see the same picturesque village I’d seen yesterday, so what I actually saw shocked me pretty hard.

Image

I couldn’t see shit. It was like the entire area was consumed by it. Did someone line every inch of this place with dry ice or something?

ImageHaruaki-saaan!

I could hear Chiemi, but not see her.

ImageChiemi-chan! I’m right here!

ImageHaruaki-san?! What a relie - AAHH!

I heard a wet sound and finally saw a silhouette within the mist.

Image “Are you okay?!”

Image “I’m stuck in the fieeeld…”

Image

Image “I see. Well, good luck.”

Image “Hey! Help me out!”

Image “Oh, you can’t do it yourself. Take my hand, then...and out you go!”

Image “Ah! Wah!”

I tugged her hand and braced my legs. That was enough to help her, but she lost her balance and...

Image “Whoa! Safe!”

Image “Headlock! This is a wrestling move! You’re actually pulling it off!”

Despite how close we were now, this wasn’t the least bit romantic.

Image “Anyway, I’m glad you’re okay.”

Image

Image

Image “Yeah, I guess I am.”

I had no idea what that was about, so I didn’t see any reason to mention it.

Image “I did feel like there was some beast outside.”

Image “...”

Chiemi’s expression immediately darkened. She clearly knew what I was referring to.

ImageI have lots of questions, but right now, I’m more interested in the scream I heard than anything else.

Image “That was…”

Image “Huh? You know what I mean?”

Image “...”

She fell silent, clearly uncomfortable. It was pretty ominous.

Image “This way...No point delaying the inevitable.”

Chiemi gave me her hand. I took it, but I didn’t feel the least bit excited about this.

Image

Image

ImageCongrats on surviving, toilet-man!

Image “Thanks, warm futon-man. You’re okay, too, hu - wait, where’s Haru-chan?”

D-Did she…?

ImageOh, she’s fine. She suffered quite a shock, so she’s taking a while to get dressed.

Image “I see...So the rest of you have already gotten a move on.”

Image “How did you handle being in there, anyway? Were you asleep?”

Image “As if I could. I had no idea when I could get out, so I just waited until I heard Chiemi-chan’s voice.”

Image “Huh? You were awake?”

Yasunaga-kun made it sound like that was weird.

Image “You try sleeping in there, guy. You can’t even sit, much less lie down.”

ImageNo...that’s not what I...I see…

I really hate it when people just trail off like that. It makes me way too curious.

Image “Why are you here, anyway?”

Image “Waiting for Haru-chan and keeping a lookout.”

A lookout?

Image “We’re not letting anyone near the scene until the situation is clear.”

Scene?

So, someone actually…

Image “Wanna see? It’s a good way to test your stomach.”

Image “Mocchi, don’t mess around like that.”

Image “Yeah, I do…”

*Everything goes silent*

The invisible and unknown were way scarier than anything else. Not to mention I could already smell something foul. I lightly moved them aside, and walked up to the so-called “scene”.

BGM: Creeping Despair

Image

It was in such a horrible state it was hard to recognize as human. I imagined this was what you would’ve gotten if you overturned a butcher’s cart. That was how thoroughly the victim was disassembled. Also, the butcher would’ve had to deal in entrails...Enough of that comparison.

Straining my eyes to look through the thick mist, I could actually make out some human parts within the vast sea of blood - or mountain of death. Hands, torn clothing, hair…

...and a shoulder bag.

*Everything goes silent*

How professional. She kept hold of her interviewing tools even while running for her life. Didn’t do her odds of survival any favors, though.

*Sting*

Image

Image

Did it come to me once it was done murdering her?

BGM: Creeping Despair

Image

Image “Are you alright? Feel nauseous or anything?”

Chiemi was standing a short distance away, looking at nothing in particular.

Image “I got nothing to puke, and, well, I’m used to this.”

Image “Is that what you were studying in college?”

Image “Umm...Well, I guess you can say that…”

Image “Huh? Seriously? So can you do autopsies and stuff?”

Image “When asked if they study medicine, ‘I guess you can say that’ is what students from similar departments say to make themselves look good...But I did see a few pathology analyses.”

Image

Then, grimacing at the harrowing reek of blood, innards, and especially digested food, I brought my face closer. Perhaps I could learn something from this?



I could, even if it wasn’t much.

This corpse wasn’t split into pieces. The limbs were still connected, but they were folded in an unnatural way, and looked really flattened. They were either crushed or bent with no regard to bones or muscle position. Then, her whole body had been torn apart. The innards were particularly damaged. The words “wolfed down” felt like the best way to put it.

BGM: Encroaching Supernatural

Image

I found it hard to describe. This wasn’t my job, so there wasn’t much I could tell about it without touching it.

Image “This is way beyond anything I’ve ever seen before. I can barely tell what happened here.”

I had an urge to add that this seemed inhuman. But I kept myself from saying that.

Image “Anyway, we should call the police. Leave it to the pros.”

Image

Image “...”

I said something any good citizen would, but for some reason, they didn’t seem to agree.

ImageHaruaki-san...The police won’t come.

Image “Why wouldn’t they? I mean, someone died.”

ImageThey won’t.



Image “Then let’s evacuate.”

Image “That’s not happening, either.”

Image “Why? We have my bike and their van…”

Image

Image “We’ll wait for Haru-chan.”

Image “Yeah, you do that. Let’s go, Haruaki-san.”

ImageCan I get an explanation?!

ImageSorry, but I’m not in the mood for explanations! Figure it out for yourself!

It was the first time Chiemi had acted so harsh with me.

I was pretty irritated myself, but it must’ve been worse for them - they actually had info on what was happening here.

Image “Sorry, that was insensitive of me.”

Chiemi said nothing more and just silently walked off. I followed after her.

BGM: Tragic Morning

Image

The bike and the van were both completely destroyed. The latter was in a particularly bad state - the front window was broken, all four tires were flat, etcetera…

My bike was on its side, its front fork was broken...well, it was basically scrap metal now. Fuck. There was a rock right next to it. Guess we had our weapon.

Image

There were more remains inside the van. It looked like an enormous mountain of flesh and bone.

*Sting*

Image

Image

Chiemi slowly nodded. I now knew we’d lost not only two lives, but any means of transportation, as well.

Image “Look there.”

She pointed at a wooden electrical pole. The line was dangling, torn apart with no hope of repair.

Image “The other power lines are fine, but the dining hall’s was destroyed along with the telephone line. We can’t contact the outside.”



I took out my own phone. It worked, but the battery was almost dead, and like before, it was out of range. The situation had become even harsher than before.

*Everything goes silent*

Image “Look here, too.”

Chiemi walked a few steps away. I followed after. There was a large boulder. It was tall enough to reach an average roof, and there were drawings on it.

Image

What did it represent? At first, it looked like an incoherent mess of lines. However, I soon realized there was a pattern. It felt like the calling card of some street gang. From what I could tell, the basis was a warped diamond shape with a spiral inside. There were two of them. They seemed to be drawn in blood, but that wasn’t nearly as disturbing as the bizarre shape.

ImageTwo wolves have snuck into the village.

ImageWe have to fight.

Chiemi made a quiet declaration.

BGM: Tragic Morning

Image

I could understand that much. But it didn’t make sense to me. This wasn’t some isolated island. There was the cliff, sure, but you could still go down to Saranga or go to Kamifujiyoshi. I’d ask about that the next time I had the chance.

Image “Sorry.”

Image “Hm?”

Image “Sorry I got mad. It must be hard for you, too.”

Image “Don’t worry about that. I’m just an outsider.”

Image “Don’t say that…”

Image “Hm? Oh, poor choice of words on my part. I mean, I’m an outsider who doesn’t know the rules, so I’ll just silently watch for the time being.”

Image “I’m tired, but I’m less shaken by this than most people, so I figured it’s best for me to stay cool.”

Image “I imagine even the elders here are more bothered by this.”

Image “...”

Image “Haruaki-san, are you really just some university graduate?”

Image “Umm...What else could I be?”

Image “I don’t know, you seem way too calm about this. Like you’re used to situations like this.”

Hm…

Image “My nerves are pretty messed up, I guess.”

User avatar
It's pretty fun to spend all that time getting into not knowing the basics of the bike and spending most of a day repairing it, only to have it savaged to bits by a wolf in the night.

User avatar
Update 10: We Now Gather Upon the Platter Named ‘Yasumizu’

BGM: Encroaching Supernatural

Image

Image

Image “He survived…”

Image “Good morning. Though, I guess it’s not very good, considering what’s going on.”

Image

Image “Oh, it’s okay.”

Image

The younger Oribe boy menaced me.

Image “No I didn’t...Why would you think that?”

Image “Shut it! Where the hell do you get off, struttin’ in like that?!”

Image

Image “The hell?! You’re the one who said this bastard’s shady!”

Man, I hadn’t expected to be treated this badly.

Image “I’m saying this ain’t a matter for a brat like you. And you’re bothering Kaori-san. Right?”

Image “Um, Takumi-san, please calm down, let’s keep it peaceful…”

Image “It’s fine. We’ll talk it out…”

Image

Image “Stop, Tae-baa. That’s a bad omen. Where’s the key to the meetin’ hall?”

Image “I gave it to Uematsu-sama two, maybe three days ago. Said she’d fix the podium…”

Image “Well, missy?”

Image

That was the woman. So she wasn’t just an illusion. Uematsu-sama was her name, huh?

Image “...”

I thought our eyes met for a second, but she’d just walked by me.

Image

Image “Meiko-chan, wait here for a moment.”

That girl was here, too…

Image

Deeper in, there was Kiyonosuke Nosato-shi, clearly irritated by something.

Image

And not too far away, there was The Old Man Who Cried Wolf...Just like yesterday, it was hard to tell what he was looking at, let alone thinking.

They were the only ones sitting, by the way. The others were all just idly standing around.

Image

Image “Come in, Haru-chan.”

ImageU-Ugh...O-Okay…

The three students were here. With them, the settlement’s entire population had gathered.

As for the outsiders...the journalists were dead, while I and the mysterious girl had survived. I didn’t know the circumstances, but they probably had their reasons to be suspicious of me.

Suddenly, Chiemi did something unexpected.

Image “Rikako-san, can you wait a moment?”

Image

She stopped the girl who was about to go out to get some key (each villager seemed to call her differently, so I didn’t know what to call her myself).

Image “This is Haruaki Fusaishi-san. He crashed his bike and I met him at Saranaga.”

Image “Oh, hello…”

An introduction? Now? Why?

ImageThis is Rikako Uematsu-san. ‘Uematsu’ is made of the kanji for ‘spin’ and ‘end’. Pretty rare, right? Well, she’s the current head of the Uematsu household, one of the chief families from Kamifujiyoshi.

ImageI’m...Rikako...Uematsu...Pleased to make your acquaintance.

Oh. So she was like a local celebrity, huh? Like Kiyonosuke’shi’s Nosato family?

Image

ImageBaa…

Image “Hello there. Nice to meet you.”

The girl they called “Meiko” trembled a bit and…

Image

Image “Whoa…”

...sprinted through the crowd to hide behind Rikako Uematsu.

Image “So, whaddya wanna say, Chiemi?”

*Everything goes silent*

Image

I felt a wave of perplexion go through the room.

BGM: Creeping Despair

Image

Image “The feast is there to help us decide if he’s shady or not, right?”

Their expressions were stern and their words harsh.

Image “No. I’m saying he doesn’t have the right to participate in the feast.”

Image “The hell you talking ‘bout?! He’s the shadiest of us all!”

Image “Yoshi-kun, did you prepare for the feast?”

Image “Huhh? Y-Yeah I did.”

Image “Who didn’t?”



How was I supposed to react? No one else was raising their hands, but I had no idea what they were talking about.

Image “Me, probably. I don’t even know what that entails.”

Image “The other two who didn’t prepare for the feast were taken by the corruption. However, Haruaki-san wasn’t. I think the Ookami-sama ignored him.”

Ookami-sama? As in “Wolf-sama”? Why the reverence? And what was she even talking about?

Image “He’s from Saranaga, sure, but he clearly just passed by. In fact, I think he’d get in the way of the feast.”

Image “No, for all we know, forcing him into the feast would just make the Ookami-sama mad.”

Image

Image “Did you really survive without preparation?”

Image “What was I supposed to do?”

Image “Purify, shelter, dream…”

Image “Basically, cleanse your body, lock up in a single building all by yourself and wait for dawn while asleep.”

Image “I didn’t, then. I was in the outhouse by myself, but that’s it. I didn’t bathe and spent the night awake.”

The place got all noisy. They probably didn’t expect that answer.

Image “I don’t know...This never happen’d before.”

Tae-san sounded genuinely puzzled.

Image

Image “...”

I had no idea what kind of dynamics were at work here, but Chiemi asked for Rikako Uematsu’s opinion.

ImageI consent to the idea.

ImageIf our Great Lord Shin’nai chose to spare him...he must be exempt from the rules of the mountain.

Her words created even more commotion.

Image “So there.”

Image “Chiemi, you know what you’re doing, right? If we remove him…”

Image “Yeah. We won’t have to waste our hanging for the day.”

Image “Old man, whaddya think?”

Image

It was roundabout, but in the end, once again, the one to make the final call was Kanzo Makishima-shi.

ImageHe won’t be in the feast.

Image “Old man…”

Image “But…”

Glaring directly at me, the old man walked directly through the gathering and approached. Seeing him from up close, I realized just how big and burly he was. It was pretty typical of someone living in a place like this, but it felt out of place on someone his age. His expression displayed both an inner strength to match his physique and a profound rage.

Image “If the laws o’ the mountain don’t work on ya, it’ll be our rules ya follow. If ya don’t...”

ImageI’ll shoot ya dead.

He spoke slowly, yet decisively. Man, this was uncomfortable.

Image “Hold on! If he can be excluded, I would like the same to happen to Rikako-san and I!We’re from Kamifujiyoshi! We have no reason to play along with Saranaga’s business!”

Image “Nosato-sama...that won’t do...If yer ‘ere on the day of the feast, it doesn’t matter if yer Nosato, Uematsu, Miguruma, or Higuchi.”

Image “Uncle, that’d mean Yassun and I could leave too.”

Image “You were both disinherited! That’s different! Why must people that are still part of the four families take part in this idiocy?!”

Image “Listen here, Kiyo…”

Image “Don’t call me that, Muro! Let’s go, Rikako-san, we have no reason to play with these peasants.”

Image “No, Nosato-sama...Those in Fujiyoshi have a duty to remain present.”

ImageAll remains in the hands of Shin’nai-sama… and we now gather upon the platter named ‘Yasumizu’.

Image “B-But…”

Image

Kiyonosuke-shi eventually fell silent, and Rikako left (to get the key, probably).

She returned in no time, and everyone began leaving.

Image “You’re not coming with us.”

Image “All right...where to, then?”

Image “Takumi? Is the cage open?”

Image “Uh...Well, yeah...All right, i’ll take him.”

*Everything goes silent*

Image

Everyone went to some hall near the village plaza, while Takumi led me elsewhere. We made our way through the tall grass between the buildings.

Image

It even had a roof and would’ve passed for a hut with a bit of work.

Image “This is where we keep the live game we capture. Sorry, but you’ll have to wait here.”

Image “I can’t say no, can I?”

Image “Don’t take it the wrong way, okay? You’ll be out once we’re done with the feast. It won’t take long.”

Image “And I can’t get any details. Huh?”

Image “Yeah...I do feel bad about this, but you should be thankful you don’t need to take part in the feast.”

How was I supposed to feel that way if I didn’t even know what the feast was? I’d have asked, but he looked pretty irritated (probably ‘cause he wanted to get it over with), so i kept my mouth shut.

The floor of the cage was mostly gravel, with spaces of wheat and other things littered about. There was a vague, but very clear scent of beasts.

Image “Can I lie down here? I figure I should sleep whenever I can.”

Image “Man, you’re brash.”

Image “No, just a coward...I don’t wanna die, is all.”

Image

Image



After Takumi-san locked me in and left, I laid down and closed my eyes.

Image

I should’ve taken the time to think about what the villagers had said, about my strange memories, and about how I could get the hell outta here. That was what I wanted to do, but I knew that I’d just be swept away by an unproductive spiral of regret if I went down that rabbit hole.

Had I alway been this admirable of a person? Another thing…

For some reason, I felt like I’d spend the entirety of this time just watching the battle. So I decided that I’d focus on resting, in preparation for what was to come.

User avatar
Update 11: Let’s Begin the Feast of the Yomi-Purge

BGM: Feast Strategies

Image

Image “...let’s begin the Feast of the Yomi-Purge.”

Image “Uematsu-sama, if you may…”

Image “This is sacred sake presented to us by Shin’nai-sama. Please drink it...starting from the youngest.”

Image “Sake…”

Image “You just put your mouth to it.”

Image “No drinking for you, kids.”

Image “Not like it’d kill me…”

Image “Stop it, Yoshitsugu...You say something, too, Yasunaga.”

Image “Yoshitsugu, this is just for tradition’s sake.”

ImageTch. Shut it. I know how it is, aniki…

Image “I don’t wanna drink this…”

Image “Haru-chan, just kiss it. There, done. And I’m done, too.”

Image “Same here...Chie-nee.”

Image “All right, adult time. Here I go.”

Image “This is enough for me…”

Image “It’s better than I expected. Muro.”

Image “We’re drinking sake during the day...this feast is something. Here, old man.”

Image “Mhm...Don’t spill it, Tae-baa.”

Image “I’ll have it...Can you hold it, mister?”

Image “S-Sake, sake...uh, cough, cough…”

Image “That’s done. Tae-baa, explain.”

Image

Image “There were two symbols of the Yomotsu Ookami. That means that two wolves have risen.”

Image “That’s why we must do as Shin’nai-sama says and throw feasts so we can find and hang them using the powers of the guardians some of us were given.”

Image “If we don’t, we will be taken by the corruption. That means dying a horrible death…”

Image “To avoid the corruption, we must have feasts to slay the wolves. That is our role as inhabitants of Yasumizu.”

Image “Onee-chan, what does ‘slay’ mean?”

ImageIt means ‘kill’.

Image “Scary..”

Image “It’s fine. I’ll protect you.”

Image “Sorry for the interruption...Yamawaki-san.”

Image “It’s okay. Children always do that. She’s not the only one among us who could be a wolf…”

Image “Good grief, what nonsense.”

Image “If that’s what you think, then just fuck off and let the corruption have ya!”

Image “Yoshitsugu!”

Image “Oribe-san, I’m concerned about your son’s upbringing.”

Image“I’m like this ‘cause I wanna be! Don’t drag the hag into this!”

Image “Shut up, Yoshitsugu. I’ll punch you.”

Image “Huh?! Takumi-nii?! The hell’re ya acting tough for?!”

Image “If I say I’ll punch ya, I will. You too, Kiyo. Just shut up and listen.”

Image “Hmph, you don’t have the guts.”

Image “Hear that?”

Image

Image “I’ve been hearing about this ever since I was young, but it never made sense to me.”

Image “We’ve been here for as long as we can remember. With the exception of Meiko, we all know each other.”

Image “They’ve been replaced by wolves? Like hell. They’re the same as always.”

Image “Takumi, yer bein’ naive.”

Image “What? You’re saying there’s someone shady among us?”

Image “Everyone’s shady.”

Image “Oji-chan…”

Image “You be careful, too, Haru.”

Image “Even beasts can trick people. And people trick better than any beast.”

Image “There are things here acting like they’re one of us…”

Image “Why are you so confident?”

Image “There’s truth in what the ancestors said…”

Image “Well, if you say so…”

Image “That’s just what Yasumizu’s numbskulls say, isn’t it?”

Image “Chikamochi.”

Image “Again?! You irreverent little…!”

Image “Mocchi, stop that...I’m sorry. So, what do we do now?”

Image “What do you mean? We talk and decide, right?”

Image “Will that be enough…? I mean, we’re deciding who to kill here, aren’t we?”

Image “Everyone will say what they think, then we’ll narrow down to the most reasonable opinion.”

Image “Chie-nee, what do you think?”

Image “I think it’s a mess. We already have people who think no one’s shady and those who think everyone is.”

Image “Yammering on and on about something that can’t be reasonably decided is a waste of time. Besides, in the end, this is just going to be decided by whoever’s most influential.”

Image “What’re ya gettin’ at?”

Image “Don’t worry too much, Chiemi. Most of us here are Yasumizu brothers and sisters. It’ll work out in the end.”

Image “I appreciate that you’re being so considerate, but…We’re talking about killing someone here.”

Image “...”

Image “Plus, it gets worse. If you don’t want to pick someone close to you, you’ll choose someone else. Someone you don’t like, or a stranger.”

Image “Personally, I think you shouldn’t let that kind of thing affect your decision. It’d be a grave mistake.”

Image “Hey, I’m trying to say that killing and all that shit is insane and we should stop it!”

Image “That won’t do, Takumi.”

Image “Baa-chan’s saying the same thing. That’s why we gotta talk it out, you know?”

Image “I know, I know what you’re trying to say, but…”

Image

ImageHaru-chan’s speaking!

Image “Um, what’s the likelihood of the guy Chie-nee brought being the one who killed the journalists?”

Image “See? What did I just say?”

ImageI don’t think he did. It’s just my gut, though. What about you guys?

Image “Takumi-nii, you said he’s shady.”

Image “Yeah, I did. But like Chiemi said, we shouldn’t make decisions based on that. Also, the guy’s weird, but I don’t he’d do something like that.”

Image “I’m with you on that. This is our problem, so we should solve it by ourselves.”

Image “Hmph, isn’t that basically choosing someone based on who you like?”

Image “So how do you think we should choose, Kiyonosuke-san?”

Image

Image “‘Hail democracy’ and all that? That’s not very like you.”

Image “I’m merely saying that there’s no better way to get the common opinion of this many people.”

Image “Also, talking it out and the decision then is basically taking the conclusion most people agree with, no? That’s the same as majority rule.”

Image “Otherwise, like you mentioned, everything would be decided by whoever had the most influence.”

ImageWho would that be here in Yasumizu? Kanzo Makishima-san? Yamawaki-san? And who would be killed? Me, of course - the non-local.

Image “Isn’t that foolish, considering the people deciding might themselves be wolves?”

Image “Nosato-san…”

Image “Just so you are aware, I have no intention of dying. At the very least, I want a method where I have a say in what happens.”

Image “...”

Image “I’m against that! Majority rule? Yeah, you’ll get a conclusion, but there’s no guarantee it’ll be right! I still think talking it out and deciding then is the best.”

Image “Speaking of which, what would we even talk about?”

Image

Image “Yes...The snake, the monkeys, the crow, and the spider will lend us their aid.”

Image “Do you know the details?”

Image “The snake…”

Image “Ah! Old fart?! You know about it?”

ImageThe snake...can ask the mountain who’s a wolf.

Image “There are two monkeys...they both know who the other monkey is.”

Image “The crow can ask the mountain if the hanged one was a wolf…”

Image “The spider can ask the mountain to protect someone from the wolves, but only for one night.”

Image “That’s what I’d been told, too.”

Image “The wolf has come…”

Image “I wasn’t aware you knew this. I thought you were just senile, but it looks like you’re pious, too.”

Image “Anyway...that means some of us here should have those powers.”

Image “What do you mean? Wait, do god and the guardians even exist? Isn’t it just some serial killer using old folktales as a cover?”

Image “Haru-chan. God really does exist.”

Image “You just believe he does!”

Image “No. All of us must’ve seen Shin’nai-sama at least once in our lives.”

Image “But...that’s…”

Image “Calm down, Haru-chan. Are you all right?”

Image “Yeah...Sorry.”

Image “Whether it’s true or not, we should start by putting together what we know. It’s too early to decide anything.”

Image

Image “Can’t you young’uns remember the old tales better…?”

Image “The snake sees. The monkeys hold hands. The crow tastes. The spider protects.”

Image “The snake can discover the wolves among the people. It’s also the guardian beast of the Miguruma family.”

Image “The monkeys know for certain that the other monkeys aren’t wolves. It’s the guardian beast of the Higuchi family.”

Image “...”

Image “The crow can tell if the one who died was a wolf or not. It’s my family’s - Nosato’s - guardian beast.”

Image “That’s pretty sad.”

Image “Silence...And the spider can keep the wolves from entering someone’s home. It’s the Uematsu’s guardian.”

Image “Indeed. Each family’s crests represent their guardians, too.”

Image “But how do those chosen by these guardians use their powers?”

Image “The snake writes the name of one still-living person on something and puts it under their pillow before bed. The next morning, Shin’nai-sama tells them whether it’s a human or a wolf.”

Image “There are two monkeys, and Shin’nai-sama tells them who the other monkey is the moment they’re granted protection.”

Image “The crow is told whether the person who was hanged the day before is a human or not.”

Image “The spider writes the name of one still-living person and places it on their pillow. That person will be protected from the wolves, but only for one night.”

Image

Image “If we get all the wolves, we win. If the wolves get everyone else, we lose.”

Image “Do you understand now?”

Image “Yes, but…”

Image “Where did you even learn this?”

Image “I heard about it from my obaa-chan.”

Image “W-Wait, that means that those who have village head family blood have their guardians, right?”

Image “I’m not so sure about that. I mean, we don’t have anyone with Miguruma blood, disowned or not.”

Image “I heard that...the guardians are very fickle...about who they lend their aid to.”

Image “Then who are they?”

Image “If they reveal it, they might make themselves targets for the wolves.”

Image “We won’t get anything done if we can’t talk about it, though.”

Image “You think so? What if - “

*Everything goes silent*

Image

ImageListen up! My guardian’s the snake!

*Sting*

Image “Huh?!”

Image “What?!”

BGM: Feast Strategies

Image “Takumi-nii, is that true? How do you even know that…”

Image “I forgot to explain that. The guardians come when we’re dreamin’ and leave a mark for their chosen ones.”

Image “Yeah. I had a mark on me. I don’t remember the dream, though.”

Image “The snake sees...Does that mean Takumi-niichan already knows who are the wolves here?”

Image “No. As I said, he has to write it up and he can only choose one person per night.”

Image “Huh? So we won’t know anything until tomorrow morning?”

Image “Yes.”

Image “Can I ask something, Muro?”

Image “What is it?”

Image “Why did you reveal such important information for no reason?”

Image “What do you mean, why? We have no other information to go on.”

Image

Image “So...revealing it like you did puts you in grave danger…”

Image “Hah, I ain’t scared at all.”

Image “How can you say that? Did you see what those monsters did to those people?”

Image “Oh, so you believe in monsters?”

Image “It was a figure of speech. Anyway, this turn of events has cost us a valuable weapon.”

ImageDon’t just decide that! You don’t know shit!

Image “Yes, I do! Listen to me, everyone. Anything you say here is free information for the wolves.”

Image “We should talk things out without overplaying our hands, yeah?”

Image “That’s true. And it gave me an idea.”

Image “I’m the one speaking now!”

Image “Quiet, fool. Yasu, speak.”

Image “Huh…?!”

Image “To make the best use of Takumi-nii’s reveal, the spider should protect him.”

Image “The spider among us, without revealing his or her identity, should uh...write his name down, I suppose...and protect him. That would keep him safe...What do you think?”

Image “Sounds good to me.”

Image “Yasu...Old man…”

Image “You’ll be safe today. Ask the snake to tell ya ‘bout someone.”

Image “Whatever he finds out will definitely be correct, right?”

Image “Right.”

Image “Takumi-niichan, can you promise you won’t lie no matter who you investigate and what result you get?”

Image “Of course I - “

Image “Of course I won’t.”

Image “Isn’t that good enough for today? I don’t think we can hang anyone without any kind of proof.”

Image “You sure that’s okay?”

Image “Why wouldn’t it be?”

Image “Just sitting around and waiting doesn’t suit me, okay?”

Image “I know that...Oh, by the way, I think Takumi-nii should tell us who he’ll investigate.”

Image “Why?”

Image “So if you investigate someone and don’t like the result, you can’t lie that you actually investigated someone else.”

Image “What the...I wouldn’t lie.”

Image “Hmph. That’s reasonable. I’d say it’s necessary for Muro, considering how sympathetic he is to Yasumizu’s inhabitants.”

Image “He’s not that special in that regard. Everyone wants to protect their own. But the situation doesn’t allow that.”

Image “There’s another positive to that. We can all discuss and decide who we should investigate first. Right?”

Image “True...I’d like to talk about that, too. Who do you think I should go for, Yasunaga?”

Image “I’m not too sure, but I think we should start with the one who’s most likel to be unjustly chosen to be hanged…”

Image “That would be me. Honestly, I feel as though I can’t even speak if I’m not confirmed to be human.”

ImageYou’re speaking quite a lot, if you ask me…

Image

Image “...”

Image “...”

Image “Fine by me. Then we’re not hangin’ anyone today.”

Image “Is that really fine?”

Image “Yeah. It’s gonna be fine. That’s it for today!”

User avatar
Update 12: See? You’re Weirded Out

Image

Image “He’s actually sleeping...Was, anyways.”

Image “We’re done for today...Sorry for the wait.”

ImageGood to hear...Ugh, ow.

Unfortunately, waking up proved that this whole mess wasn’t just a nightmare.

Image “So, is the ‘feast’ some sort of ritual? The kind you do to ward off evil or whatever?”

Image “No. It’s more of a gathering.”

Image “I see. So you try to find the culprit.”

Image “Haruaki-san, you don’t beat around the bush, do you?”

Image “Yeah. I realized I’m a real victim here, so I need information. It’s a tall order to stay alive without any.”

Image “*sigh*Takumi-niichan, can I tell him about this?”

Image “Yeah. Better you than me. I gotta go clean up and stuff.”

Takumi-san walked away.

Image “Clean up...the bodies, I assume?”

Image “Yeah. Tae-baachan probably won’t let us off until we’ve sent the yomibito to Saranaga.”

You’re supposed to preserve the scene of a crime, right? This is doing the exact opposite. Then again, it didn’t seem like anyone expected the cops to show up in the first place.

Image “Here’s my first question, then…”

Image “Let’s take this somewhere more private.”

BGM: Tragic Morning

Image

Chiemi took me to the place where I’d met Rikako Uematsu and Meiko. It was a grass field with stones littered all over. It bordered Saranaga.

Image “You could say that this is the heart of our religion, the Graveyard of the Hanging Pine.”

Image “Now that’s a hell of a name.”

The place was filled with dense mist, but it was probably thinner than that in the rest of the settlement. The sunlight seemed brighter here. I could even see a bit farther. The “Hanging Pine” had to be the old-looking tree at the edge.

Image “Is this really a graveyard?”

Image “Yes. I don’t know about the ones in the actual settlement, but these stones here are all graves.”

Image “Remember how you tripped on one of ‘em? Pretty bad move, huh? Better apologize.”

ImageHuh?! Seriously?! You should’ve told me sooner! Yasumizu’s ancestors, I’m so sorry!

Image “Ahahah. Sorry. I thought that’d scare you.”

Image “I know you didn’t really have a choice, but I brought you to a half-ruined village with monsters in it.”



Image

I asked, ignoring what I’d seen for myself.

Image “Yeah. I do.”

Chiemi’s voice resounded through the impossibly thick, cloudy air.

Image “I didn’t think you were the type.”

Image “And you’re the type who’s weirded out by that.”

Image “Umm...I wouldn’t go that far.”

Image “Bullshit. I can see it all over your face.”

Was it that obvious? It wasn’t like I found it disgusting or anything, I just didn’t think I could get along with people who believed stuff like that despite a lack of actual proof. That was probably how it was.

Image “Can I have a reason?”

Image “What? I don’t have one.”

Image “Not sure I believe that.”

Image “Well, if I do…”

*Everything goes silent*

Image

Image

ImageSee? You’re weirded out.

Image “Tell me more.”

Image “Wow, not bailing out after all. For now, let’s just focus on the immediate issue.”

She was hiding something. It was either that hard to explain or a lot more important than she was acting.

Image “About this ‘feast’ thing, huh? All right then.”

ImageChiemi’s Explanation!

Image “Yaay! I’ve been waiting for this.”

A graveyard probably wasn’t the place to joke around like this, but at least you could see past your nose, and it didn’t seem like we had to worry about anyone eavesdropping.

BGM: Encroaching Supernatural

Image

First, Fujiyoshi Village had a unique legend. There might’ve been similar ones somewhere outside, but I’d just treat it as Fujiyoshi-exclusive for the time being.

The people here worshiped a god called “Great Lord Shin’nai”, “The Avatar of Shin’nai”, or just “Shin’nai-san”. Also, the mountain this village was on was called “Mount Shin’nai”, meaning this religion deified a mountain.

Image

However, just like nature could be really harsh, he had a scary side, too, and if you didn’t follow his “laws of the mountain”, he’d curse you without mercy. The Ookami-sama was the ultimate form of his cruelty. Though the Ookami-sama watched over the hunt, the Ookami-sama also oppressed, tortured, and punished humans.

The other guardians, though, were largely benevolent ones.

The snake predicted the weather and harvest yields, bolstering the humans’ prosperity.

The monkeys defied the wolves, secretly teaching the people of fire, along with other important bits of knowledge.

The crow pecked at and ate up the flesh of the yomibitio - the enemies of Shin’nai-san.

The spider warded off the yomibito and ensured that the humans slept and dreamt soundly.

The “yomibito” did, indeed, mean “people from Yomi” - as in, the land of the dead - but apparently, it wasn’t very clear what they actually were. But just as I’d suspected before, it was thought they had something to do with the corruption and death. The most likely idea was that they were the dead that had returned to bring harm to the people still alive.

At the start of the legend, Shin’nai-san, the animals and humans were facing the yomibito. Apparently, that was still how it was in Kamifujiyoshi - the leading part of Fujiyoshi. It was the basis of the teachings of Great Lord Shin’nai’s religion. Thanks to that, the five beasts - including the Ookami-sama - and Shin’nai-san were still worshiped there.

In Yasumizu, however, things were a bit different.

Image

With the destruction of their cruel rule, the human village experienced great growth. That had been when the four head families - who were said to have the blood of the four guardians in their veins - were formed. The snake was Miguruma, the monkeys were Higuchi, the crow was Nosato, and the spider was Uematsu.

However, it didn’t end there. The Ookami-sama joined the yomibito side and became a sinister creature that wanted to bring harm to humans. The Saranaga Rapids were yomibito territory, and the Ookami-sama appeared from there whenever the evening mists came. The Ookami-sama would then kill an inhabitant, take on their form, and act like them. But at night, they would show their true self and brutalize the real inhabitants.

That was why the people of Yasumizu, who lived next to the Saranaga Rapids, had to stop them. For that, Great Lord Shin’nai created an event called the “Feast of the Yomi-Purge”. Despite the name, it was no banquet, but a ritual to kill the wolf.

Image

You had to basically kill your own people - something that was taboo for ages...But it was permitted here in order to rid the group of the wolf. Some humans were also given the powers of the guardians - snake, monkeys, crow, and spider. It was like a banquet of betrayal. They all drank some sake and chose someone to kill.

Image

Image “I see…”

It was a lot to unpack, but I got the gist of it. Basically, the humans betrayed the Ookami-sama - one of their guardian divinities - and were still paying the price. But…

There were some points I didn’t really get.

Image “I won’t tell this to anyone else but you, but I’m pretty sure I saw the Ookami-sama.”

ImageNo way...Where?

Image “Umm, I just took a peek through a space in the outhouse door, so I didn’t get a good look.”

I couldn’t tell her that I’d had a realistic dream where I was killed.

Image “It had a human body and the head of a wolf...I think.”

Image “No way…”

Image “Uhh, can I take that as ‘he seriously saw it?’”

Image

Hmm…

Image “Before I saw it, though, I heard a woman’s scream, so I figured that thing killed Mamiya-san. Was that the ‘brutalization’ you told me about? I mean, if it ‘killed and replaced’ here, you wouldn’t have her body, right?”

Image “Sorry, I forgot to tell you something. Shin’nai-san is very strict with his laws, and gives various punishments to those who break them.”

Image “You mentioned something like that.”

Image “Umm, basically…”

Image “They broke the rule of preparing for the feast by bathing, locking up in a room all by yourself, and sleeping. That’s why it’s believed they died to the corruption.”

I couldn’t see how you could get such mutilated corpses from something called the “corruption”, but there was something more important.

ImageBasically, you didn’t tell me about the laws and turned me into toilet-man so I could die, huh?

ImageNo no no no!

Image “Listen, I honestly thought there was no way an outside could survive. But I wanted to at least find a way that gave you a shot at making it through the night…’cause I didn’t want to let you die...”

Image “And look at that, I actually survived.”

Image “Yeah...Sorry, but I really didn’t expect this.”

Image “Shame I didn’t get splosh sploshed, huh?”

Image “Don’t be like that. I’m actually really glad you didn’t die.”

I wasn’t sure how to feel about this, but hey, at least she tried, right?

Image “Hmm...So that scream really was Mamiya-san’s, huh? Or was it someone who got brutalized?”

Image “No...I’m not really sure.”

Image

Image “Well, it’s possible. But I know full well I’m no wolf, and that’s what I’m gonna say.”

Image “Just like everyone else, huh?”

Image “Fair point…”

Now this was a predicament.

Image “Question one.”

Image “Ask away.”

Image “Are those marks the only proof that there are two wolves?”

I recalled the strange symbols on the large rock - the two warped diamonds with spirals inside.

Image “Yeah, that mark represents the Ookami-sama returning from Yomi, so since there are two marks, it stands to reason there are two wolves.”

Image “So it’s speculation.”

Image “Not much reason to question it, though...We have these annual mountain festivals, and there’s always a guardian costume parade. The number of wolves in the parade is announced in a similar way.”

Hm?

Image “So it’s normal for there to be multiple wolves, huh?”

Image “Yeah. In Shin’nai-sama’s shrine, for example, you have three wolf statues. For the festival, the Miguruma divine the number of wolves or something, and then record that number overnight.”

Image “By leaving those marks on the stones, huh?”

Image “No. Kamifujiyoshi doesn’t have okiba - those stones, I mean - so they apparently draw them on the shrine grounds.”

Image “‘Apparently’?”

Image “The people of Yasumizu are taught to wait for the guardians in Yasumizu, so I never saw the marks myself.”

Image “Hmm...So one of those marks in Kamifujiyoshi means one wolf in the parade?”

Image “Not exactly. The wolf’s sign in Kamifujiyoshi isn’t as warped, for one. The mark with the spiral is only a sign of the wolves that came back from Yomi. It’s a Yasumizu thing, so they don’t have it there.”

Image “I see. But still, the number of wolves and marks match up.”

Image “Yep. A three-wolf festival is considered good luck there.”

Chiemi herself didn’t look the least bit happy to talk about it. Anyway, all I had to take from this was that there were at most three wolves.

Image

Image

I wasn’t too well-versed in myths and folklore, but I certainly hadn’t heard of any Japanese myth about werewolves or wolf-men. I did hear of jinmenken and of possession by fox spirits, but werewolves did seem like a very...European thing.

On the other hand, the fact there were three of them seemed pretty standard. I guessed it had something to do with presentation. Trinities and all that. Though, the idea of three werewolves did seem a bit...excessive in terms of content.

Anyway, I now had a better grasp of the situation. That made it easier to understand what was going on here.

Image

Image “There are two monkeys, but only one of the rest.”

Image “I see...So there are five guardians and two wolves, and the rest are humans.”

Image “It’s pretty bad that there’s two wolves.”

Image “‘Cause that makes them strong?”

Image “That’s one reason, but you can only kill one per day, right? If there’s multiple, getting them all will take more time.”

Image “Oh yeah...I just realized, the crow would be kind of pointless if there was only one wolf.”

Image “Why?”

Image “The crow’s ability lets them tell whether the corpse is a wolf or human, right? That means that a wolf doesn’t transform back into a wolf even when it dies. The corpse stays human. That makes the crow’s power useful. You wouldn’t be able to tell if a wolf was dead otherwise.”

Image “Yeah, that’s true. But what does that have to do with the number of wolves?”

Image “Imagine if there was only one wolf. They killed him. What happens next?”

Image “U-Umm...I got nothin’.

Image “Exactly that, ‘nothing’. Or, rather, the wolves won’t kill any more people. Game Over. Humans win.”

Image “Oh...I see. So if there was only one wolf, you could tell it was dead because the killing would stop...And the crow would be pointless.”

Image “Exactly.”

Image “Wow, you’re sharp.”

Image “Well, it’s not like this information is very useful.”

Image

Image “What else could I be?”

Image “A detective?’

Image “I like that. I’m a famous detective who came to solve a difficult case in the countryside. Seishi Yokomizo’s world.”

Image “And you normally investigate affairs and debts.”

Image “Wow, that got real quick...Anyway, I got more questions.”

Image “How many people can the wolves kill per day? It’d suck if everyone got killed overnight.”

Image “That won’t happen. Remember the snake? They need to ask the mountain who’s what.”

Image “True. And the spider would be pretty useless if they just protected one human while everyone else including them died. This is also why I wondered if Mamiya-san and Hashimoto-san got ‘brutalized’.”

Image “Killing even two peoplel would make it pretty bad. But if it was just one per day, or…”

Image “Well, that raises another question. Why do these supernatural monsters even need to follow rules like that?”

Image “Is that weird?”

Image “Of course it is. Imagine if there were three. One corpse would barely serve as a snack.”

Image “Uhh...I don’t think they’re attacking people because they’re hungry.”

Image “Oh, so they’re just out for revenge?”

Image “Not really sure, but it doesn’t seem like they’re doing this because they want to. I feel they have their own laws they have to obey.”

That was what bothered me so much. The Feast of the Yomi-Purge had rules, and breaking them would mean being taken by the “corruption” - some sort of supernatural punishment from Shin’nai-san. If this was really just divine retribution, surely he would want the yomibition done away with immediately.

However, instead, the humans retained the aid of their guardians, and only one kill was permitted each day. Even the wolves couldn’t break that rule. Were the laws of the mountain equally binding to both man and wolf? In Christian theology, buth human and Satan were God’s creations, equal before him and all acting based on his master plan. Was the god of the mountain similarly inclined?

A legend of slain wolves and their revenge...Was it really that simple? Or was there something else going on?

Image

Image “True…”

Image “But...is someone really gonna die again tonight?”

Image “We already got two casualties. And for all we know, those the wolves replaced might be dead, too…”

Image “Hold on. They’re cleaning up the bodies, right? We gotta check them properly. To see if there aren’t more than two bodies or anything.”

Image “Kanzo-jiichan checked it first thing in the morning. There were only two people’s worth of bone and guts.”

Image “Huh? Really? Does he have experience doing this kind of thing?”

Image “He’s a hunter, so he’s used to butchering animals.”

Well, that made sense.

Image “That reminds me. This is probably the most important thing. Why aren’t you trying to run away and call the police?”

*Everything goes silent*

Image

Image “I want a straight answer to this. I honestly can’t think of a better move in this situation.”

I was aware the people here were superstitious, but those superstitions are getting people killed. So why was not a single person objecting?

BGM: Creeping Despair

Image “We can’t escape this place.”

Image “Can I ask why?”

Image “It’s complicated, but we all know it’s true. There is no way to escape this place. The mist is completely impassable. I’m not going to waste time on something I know can’t be done.”

Image “Have you seen it yourself or are you just trusting what someone else said?”

Image “Sorry, I can’t really explain how, but I just know.”

Image “Once the feast begins, no one can leave Yasumizu.”

...

So it wasn’t logic, but blind conviction. Or perhaps she’d subconsciously gained that knowledge through some experience.

Image

Image

Yeah, as if.

Image “So you have no proof, but still believe you can’t escape.”

Image “Yep. Everyone else would probably say the same.”

Image “What are the odds that your blind faith is in something that’s total bullshit?”

Image “Well, higher than zero…”

Image “What if I said that I, as someone overlooked by the god of the mountain, would try to leave anyway?”

Image “I’d do everything I could to stop you. Even if the others allow it, it’s because they don’t care if you die.”

That was pretty scary.

Image “So you’re worried about me?”

Image “More than anyone else here!”

Image “Thanks. I can just feel the love.”

*Everything goes silent*

ImageLove?!

She was going all red on me now. This seems to be taking it pretty far for an act.

BGM: Safety Zone

Image “Uhh, no. I just have a conscience.”

Image “The others here don’t, then?”

Image “Well, you should know that they’re way colder to outsiders than they appear. I’m kind of an outsider myself, so I can relate to your situation.”

Image “You’d go on a road trip with someone just based on that?”

Image

Image “Huh? You only agreed ‘cause you felt sorry for me? Don’t think you can get out of your promise that easily.”

Image “W-Wow, how do I respond to that? Oh, but wait, your bike’s broken.”

Image “Id it’s for a date, I’ll take out a loan on a new one.”

Image “A-A date? I-I guess it is! But wait, you’ll take out a loan while you’re still in school?!”

Image “Besides, don’t promises like that usually end up with someone dying? Let’s worry about that after we survive!”

Shit. First she was all over me, and now she was playing hard to get. In normal circumstances, that could be kind of fun, but right now she was the only one I could rely on. The emotional support would’ve been nice.

Image “Back to the whole police thing...Really, you can’t escape much from them here.”

Image “Because it’s supernatural?”

Image “Well, that’s one reason, but we also have just one officer in Kamifujiyoshi. And Kamifujiyoshi wants nothing to do with what happens here in Yasumizu.”



*Everything goes silent*

Image “You know, I’ve been thinking…”

Image “Spot on.”

I hadn’t even said anything yet.

Image

She really did guess what I was gonna say. Ostracism. In ancient times, villages often punished criminals and the like by ostracizing them. They were ignored and excluded from all social welfare aid. Basically, people were excluded from the larger group and treated coldly. It was one step away from banishment.

It wasn’t just emotional torment, either. Back in those days, not getting the help of other people was a matter of life and death, making this quite a harsh punishment.

Image “Did you all do something?”

Image “Most of us did nothing. The Makishima, Yamawaki, and Muro families have been here for generations.”

Image “Can you keep a secret?”

Image “Sure.”

Image “Kaori Oribe-san was originally an outsider who married into the Higuchi family, but her husband messed up somewhere down the line and died. I heard she was forced to move here with Yasu-kun, who was still very little.”

Image “...”

Well, that wasn’t a pleasant story. I had heard ostracism still survived even in this day and age. Some rural groups would brazenly cut off your gas or water supplies if you didn’t fit in. Then again, neighbors in cities had their own communication problems. Basically, humans really hadn’t changed much over the years.

Still, ostracism because of family troubles? In this day and age? It seemed so weird, ugly, and behind the times.

Image “Then there’s Mocchi. He was the Nosato family’s heir apparent. Guy’s an actual blue blood.”

Image “Huh? Really?”

Image “Yeah. He and Kiyonosuke-san are uncle and nephew.”

They were nothing alike.

Image “Mocchi’s a bit weird, though, so he was put up for adoption and sent to Yasumizu.”

Oh yeah, Kiyonosuke-shi had said something like that. Sheesh, what century did they think it was?

Image “What about you?”

Image “Hahah, I did an oopsie.”

Image “Did you use to be a bit wild?”

Image “Hm. Uhh, you don’t like that?”

Image “Nope, I’m actually into that.”

Image “Wow, you really go all-in, don’t you?”

With her pulling hit-and-runs, I really had no choice.

Image

I couldn’t expect any outside help. And everyone here believed they couldn’t escape this place due to supernatural reasons.

Image

Another choice. As before, you may pick whichever option you like, as long as you justify it in some way, however serious or not it may be. The total will include both votes from SA and LPBeach, should there be any.

User avatar
Let's leave. I'm sure it's a bad ending but I feel like someone in that situation would at least try to.

User avatar
clearcardinal wrote:
Thu Jul 09, 2020 5:13 am
Let's leave. I'm sure it's a bad ending but I feel like someone in that situation would at least try to.
This. It won't end well, but with all the looping, might as well try.

User avatar
Update 13: You Could Easily Walk Around It, Holy Shit

Image

An overwhelming majority of you want to try to leave, even knowing it would likely end poorly.

Image

Being left out of the feast hardly guaranteed my safety. I couldn’t expect anyone to lead me out, but dropping dead in the middle of nowhere seemed better than getting eaten alive here.

After making my decision, I wrapped up my conversation with Chiemi, and we returned to her room.

BGM: Safety Zone

Image

I didn’t want to go any deeper into this than I already was, so I didn’t ask.

During lunch, Chiemi went to the bathroom. That was my chance. I took out a notepad, quickly wrote “sorry, I’m leaving” on it, took my stuff, and left the room.

Image

Image

The road was unpaved and sided by two giant boulders reminiscent of a torii without a top. I could see why everyone was afraid to go beyond this point. The humid mountain forest looked both gloomy and scary. But walking further seemed far less risky than staying in this settlement.

I walked ahead.

Image

The road was ruined. A car would’ve been useless here. So this was why Mamiya-san and Hashimoto-san couldn’t leave yesterday and had to spend the night in the van.

However, I wasn’t exactly heavy, so getting past this was easy. I had no idea why obstacles like this were enough to hold back video game characters. You could easily walk around it, holy shit. Though, they could have it worse. There was that one game where there was both an obstacle and an impassible, cliff-like mist.

Image

Most of the ground here was covered in dead leaves, ferns, and moss, making it really slippery. I supported myself by holding on to nearby saplings, but I ended up breaking a few branches. This mountain seemed completely untouched. Fujiyoshi’s people clearly didn’t do any forestry.



*Everything goes silent*

Image

Climbing up was impossible.

Image

But…

Image

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Logic told me that I’d be closer to Kamifujiyoshi the higher I got.

Seriously, what was up with this mist? I couldn’t see anything ahead of or behind me. I felt like I was swimming through rice water. Or perhaps milk jelly...It seemed like it was heavier than air and too dense to breathe in. I felt like it would congeal around me the moment I stopped moving…

What was I thinking? This was reality, and this was just a mist…

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And kept walking…

I had to constantly remind myself that this was just a mist and this was nothing but reality.

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Not really much in the way of useful information or any keys in this ending. Hint Corner will go up in a couple hours. Next update after that will see us back in Yasumizu, armed with the knowledge that escape may not be as simple as it may appear at first glance. Until then, I suggest discussing the possible implications of this ending, as well as the conversation with Chiemi, which contains many relevant bits of info that you’ve avoided discussing while distracted by the choice...

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Hint Corner: Mysterious Death in the Forest

BGM: Safety Zone

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ImageLet’s get the hint out of the way and move right on to the next one.

Image “Bad Ending/04: ‘Mysterious Death in the Forest’. Just like the ‘rules’ say, it seems you can’t flee Yasumizu. I don’t know why that is, but you probably wouldn’t have believed it for yourself unless you tried it once, would you?”

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Image “If you wanna go forward, just go back to ‘3. Yomi: Q. Leave Yasumizu?’ and pick the other choice.”

ImageWell, that’s enough for this time! Die another hearty death next time!

This one is a lot shorter than I remembered.

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Update 14: Cake, Funky, Blow and Rider?

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Here we are, back after our hasty escape attempt ended up being thwarted by the mist of Yasumizu in a very mysterious manner.

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The red skull is here to once again remind us of our failure. There’s nothing left but to pick the other option - Stay.

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This is the same opening line as last time.

Obviously, escape was the ideal choice, but at this point I didn’t see anyone guiding me out. All I had to look forward to was either dropping dead somewhere in the mountains or becoming a snack in this village.

The first seemed way more attractive, but unfortunately, I’d gotten attached to the people here. Abandoning them would, at least, make it hard for me to sleep at night. That’s why running away wasn’t an option for me.

BGM: Safety Zone

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Image “You noticed?”

Image “Yeah. And I figured I should clear up anything shady before it comes back to bite me. It’s scary.”

Image “Ahahah. You got me. But really, this is just some insurance. A little medicine for the mind.”

Image “Oh? Tell me more.”

Image “You know how it can be, right? You eat something from a strange place, and next thing you know, you’re turned into a pig and can’t run away.”

Image “What? Is this hell or something?”

I’d seen that anime on DVD, by the way. Which way to the bathhouse?

Image “I can’t say it isn’t.”

It seemed like some serious overthinking to me, if not just serious superstition.

Image “How long will this last?”

Image “I brought a ton of food from the outside, so you should be fine for a while.”

I did appreciate it, but I had mixed feelings on living like it was the apocalypse over a local superstition.

*Everything goes silent*

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I actually skipped two meals, so I was still hungry, but I was used to skipping meals to cut costs, so that wasn’t a problem.

I wanted to relax and think things over, but Chiemi was curious about the others, and I ended up tagging along. It was probably because I wasn’t in a position to be by myself.

BGM: Safety Zone

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Image “Nope. We’re just here to kill time. Can we sit?”

Image “Of course. I’ll bring you some tea.”

Image “Can I have just some warm water instead?”

Image “Oh? But tea is good for you.”

Image “Umm...I’m the type who can’t sleep if I drink tea.”

Image “Oh...I see. Warm water it is, then.”

Image (I’d have liked it if you refused that, too.)

Image (But you use water from here whenever you make cup ramen, right?)

Image (Ah!)

Image (You didn’t realize that?!)

Image (Maybe it’s safe when you boil it?)

Could hell’s water really be purified by boiling?

Image “Here you go...I must say, you’re quite unfortunate. Your bike was broken, and now you’re...you know…”

Image “Oh, it’s nothing compared to everyone else here...If I may ask, does this kind of thing happen often? Is it annual or something?”

I asked something important like it was no big deal.

Image “No, it certainly isn’t that common. Personally, this is my first feast. I did hear that people died when the mists appeared before, but that was before most of us were here.”

As in, they hadn’t been ostracized back then? I could ask that, but I probably couldn’t dig too deep.

Image “So this is a first for many people here, right?”

Image “Yes, I think so…”

Image “I see...If that’s the case, knowledge of the rules seems strangely well-kept.”

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Image “Old tales and songs are always passed down and survive for a long time.”

Image “Songs?”

*Everything goes silent*

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Whoa! The mysterious Meiko-chan popped out of nowhere.

ImageI learned the song…

Image “Oh my, you did? Could you sing it for us?”

ImageShin’nai-san’s guardians are…

ImageOne, cake, two, funky, three, blow, four, rider.

Cake, funky, blow and rider? Uh, so...was it about a guy who had a funky birthday party with cake and...ended the night on a happy note?

The melody seemed familiar, though.

Image “Ahahah. I guess it was too difficult for her.”

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Her guardian came soon after.

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Kaori Oribe-san humbled herself.

Image “Oh, no...I’m the one who should apologize...I let Meiko wander off here.”

Image “No need for that...It’s a difficult time for us all. You are free to come here and relax whenever you like.”

Image “Very well.”

*Everything goes silent*

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And a loud one.

The woman just collapsed.

Image “Ahh! A-Are you okay?!”

Image “Oh dear...are you hurt?”

Apparently, she wasn’t trying some unique form of relaxation - she just tripped on the rail for the door.

BGM: After Dinner

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She put her hands on her throbbed nose and became teary-eyed. The lady’s mysterious vibe crumbled in an instant.

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ImageUmm...please don’t look at me like that.

Image “Ah, I’m sorry...Now that I think about it, this is the first time we’ve talked.”

Image “You might be right. Umm...My apologies.”

Image “Huh? For what?”

Image “I got you involved in this.”

*Everything goes silent*

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BGM: After Dinner

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Image “I saw the evening mists come...but I hoped you could escape.”

Image “Ohh, so that’s how it was. A part of me thought you foretold the future or something.”

*Everything goes silent*

ImageUematsu isn’t the lookout family.

Now that sounded significant.

Image “What does that mean?”

Image “Um...this isn’t something we can share with outsiders.”

Crap. Chiemi’s lack of reserve made me forget my boundaries here.

Image “I, uh...I’m sorry. You’re wearing some strange clothes, so I thought you were a Shinto priestess or something.”

ImageOh...I’m not that important.

BGM: After Dinner

Image “Haruaki-san, don’t bother Rikako-san too much.”

Image “Oh, I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry, Rikako-san.”

ImageHoaah...Y-You just called me...by my first name.

Image “Uhh...S-Sorry…”

Chiemi called her that way, so I thought it was okay. Man, this was confusing.

Image “I-I’m not that bothered.”

Image “Oh, sorry about that. Hahahah.”

Image “Huh. You two are getting along.”

Image “...”

I’d have appreciated it if she didn’t put me in a weird situation.

*Everything goes silent*

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Image “I’ll stay a bit longer…”

Image “I see. Come back before evening.”

And so, she left.

BGM: Safety Zone

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Image “She is.”

Image “She’s cute, right?”

Image “Is she?”

Image “Which one is it?”

Image “That’s my question.”

Image “*sigh* Natural beauties sure have it good. They look young no matter how old they get.”

Well, that was some bait.

Image “I’ll bite. How old is she?”

Image “I don’t know. I’m pretty sure she’s younger that thirty, but she’s definitely older than me.”

Image “That’s older than expected.”

Image “I know, right? She’s so little. And did you see that baby face?”

Image “By the way, is she - “

*Everything goes silent*

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We were now joined by the students.

Image “Mom, can we come in now?”

Image “Oh. Yasunaga, Haru-chan...welcome.”

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Image “Yep. I’m ‘You’, at your service.”

*Boom*

Image “Are you messing with me?”

I was, actually.

Image “What is it, Haru-ch...Makishiman-san.”

Image “You almost called me ‘Haru-chan’, didn’t you?! We’ve only just met! You don’t do that! It’s unreasonable!”

Image “C-Calm down. Hysteric heroines aren’t popular.”

Image “You’re still messing around…! I came here to say something to you!”

Her behavior was pretty unreasonable too, to be honest, but instead of pointing it out, I just corrected my posture and waited to hear what she had to say.

Image “You’re getting too close to Chie-nee! She’s pretty busy, so you should leave her alone and do your own thing!”

BGM: Safety Zone



Image “You were busy?”

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Image “Even if she has some free time, she’s a lady, so you need to be considerate and keep your distance. It’s the mature thing to do!”

Image “Well, that’s true.”

Image “If you agree, then just go away somewhere! This is why adults are so unfair, filthy and annoying!”

Image “Yes, I am a filthy old man.”

Image “Khh!”

Image

Image “What is it?”

Image “We’ll be going to sleep early for a while, so maybe we should have packed lunches.”

Image “Oh, that’s true...I should hurry and start making the rice…”

*Everything goes silent*

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ImageVoom-Voom...Huh? Me?

I was busy deflecting Haru-chan’s attack with my stupidity barrier, so being dragged into the conversation surprised me a bit. He gave me a rather dirty, rusty, cheap-looking, cylindrical key. It wasn’t even attached to a keychain.

Image “It’s the key to the dorm. Takumi-nii said he got it from Tae-baa.”

Image “Huh? Why did he do that?”

Image “He said he felt pretty bad making you sleep outside last night.”

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Image “What a sincere and considerate person…”

Image “He really is. People like him make living in a place like this far easier.”

Image “Mom, you really…”

Image “Oh, the rice!”

With an awkward smile on her face, Kaori-san went back to the kitchen.

BGM: After Dinner

Image “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

Image “Umm...Don’t worry, I’m just a clueless outsider.”

I made a blatant lie. Everyone could tell that Kaori-san and Takumi-san would make a nice couple.

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Image “Hey! He’s bothering you, too, isn’t he?!”

Image “Not really.”

Image” Uh...A-Anyway! If you don’t have anything to do with the feast, then just get out!”

Image “Stop it already!”

Image “Why…?”

Image “Fusaishi-san is a victim. Don’t be so heartless.”

Image “What the hell?! You’re such a dummy!”

Image “Ugh, this is such a mess!”

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They had to stop fighting about me! We had an innocent little girl here!

Also, Chiemi’s info was confirmed to be true. Trying to escape seemed dangerous, and recommending it was heartless. Basically, getting out of here was difficult.

That made me all the more grateful for the room. I’d been so busy trying to understand what was going on in this place that I didn’t even consider how to deal with myself. I’d have to thank Takumi-san.

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Image “Play what?”

Image “Prayer to Shin’nai.”

Image “Now? Seriously?”

Image “I want to show Meiko-chan how it’s supposed to be done.”

Image “Baa…?”

Image “That’s fine. But wow, you really care about stuff like this, huh?”

Image “Eheheh. Yeah, kinda.”

Something was about to begin. No longer the center of attention, I began drinking the hot water Kaori-san placed before me.

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Image “Yasunaga-kun, what’s this mean?”

Image “Ohh...That’s one of the Kamifujiyoshi head family crests. She should just throw it away.”

His harsh tone made it pretty likely that it was the crest of the Higuchi family - the ones who banished them here.

Haru-chan moved a chair and sat down in front of Chiemi.

*Everything goes silent*

Image “Can I play the man’s role?”

Image “Sure.”

ImageLet’s go. One, two…

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ImageShin’nai-san’s guardians are…

ImageOne, snake, two, monkey, three, crow, four, spider.

They started playing an action rhyme, much like “Ring Around the Rosie” or “London Bridge is Falling Down”. Fully in sync, they clapped, slapped their knees, clapped again, joined hands, etcetera...all according to the rhythm. And there was no mistaking it - this was actually the song I’d heard yesterday morning.

ImageFive, prepare for the feast when the evening mists arrive.

ImageSix, the badger runs along late with nare as a fix.

They were doing it pretty quickly, so I couldn’t see everything, but it was definitely complex. They even raised fingers and made fist bumps. Also, I was pretty sure I’d heard that part somewhere.

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Oh…

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ImageSeven, the corrupt yomibito rise to oppose the mountain.

Suddenly, the song changed in tone. The movements switched up, too. Haru-chan hid her face, while Chiemi stood up a bit and grabbed her by the shoulders.

ImageEight, death of the damned yomibito is the mandate.

Similar line, but the roles switched.

ImageNine, one soul per day now to bind.

ImageTen, the mists rise away again.

They returned to the same tone and movements as before, but then, at a slightly awkward point, the song suddenly ended. Then, they quickly stood up and…

BGM: After Dinner

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Image “It’s been so long since I did this that I kinda panicked…”

Apparently, they were done.

Image “See that, Meiko-chan? This is how it’s done.”

Image “Woow! You were so fast I couldn’t see it all.”

Image “All right, Haru-chan. Teach it to Meiko-chan.”

Image “What?! Me?!”

Image “Teach me!”

Image “Uh...W-Well, all right.”

*Everything goes silent*

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Chiemi’s tone was serious.

Image “What is it?”

Yasunaga-kun instantly understood that it was important, but he seemed to be mindful of me.

Image “If it’s about the feast, I shouldn’t be here, right?”

Image “Sorry…”

Chiemi gave me a meaningful look as I left. She’d probably tell me something the next time we met.

Image “I’m heading out, then.”

Image “Very well, you take care now.”

Kaori-san stuck her head out and said goodbye to me as I left the dining hall.

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Site Admin
Hrm, well... That's certainly not foreboding at all. And everyone except Kaori-san seems somewhat suspicious right now... Or at least hiding something.

"Wait, Meiko's suspicious?"

I've seen enough horror to not discount the small child. :P

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Update 15: You Will Die Too, Surely. Welcome to Fujiyoshi, You Poor Man

BGM: Search for Keys

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However, Chiemi was really the only one I could directly get info from. I couldn’t account for any biases she might’ve had. The other inhabitants, albeit to varying degrees, didn’t trust me. I could probably have decent talks with Yasunaga-kun, but his situation seemed to be similar to Chiemi’s. I’d have liked to get info from the elders.

Maybe my best option was to somehow join the feast myself? From what Chiemi had told me, the feast was a really vile and dangerous tradition. And that didn’t change even when you considered the tales that there had already been lynchings because of this.

Normally, something so brutal would’ve changed and become some harmless festival by now. How did such a tradition survive in the modern day, despite murder and lynchings being completely illegal? Was this place simply beyond the reach of the law or something?

Or…

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How stupid. Then again, I couldn’t really write it off. My stance on gods and monsters was basically that, as long as they could be seen, I was willing to accept their existence.

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New technologies and methods could easily reveal things that were previously undetectable. This has happened many times throughout human history. The idea that there were strange animals, ghosts, or aliens that were simply beyond our current ability to perceive was entirely plausible.

However, there were disappointing realities, too. For example, the original story about something mysterious could’ve easily been a lie, trick, misunderstanding, or misinformation. Generally speaking, the mysteries of the world all turned out to be one of those. Science disproved things far more often than it confirmed them, which was pretty damn boring.

Surely even Houdini, famous for exposing mediums and other frauds, wanted to believe in psychic phenomena. He’d searched the world in the hopes of meeting a real medium, but each he found proved to be fake in the end.

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Though, my life was in danger, so I couldn’t really waste time trying to speculate what that thing was. Back to the matter at hand…

For now, the most important thing was understanding and surviving the feast. To pull that off, I needed more info. I still hadn’t heard how today’s talk had ended.

Based on the mood of the place, no one seemed to have died, at least…

*Everything goes silent*

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Shocked, I turned around.

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It was a girl I’d never seen before.

ImageThey died. Yes they did. They all died.

Image “You will die, too, surely. Welcome to Fujiyoshi, you poor man.”

The girl turned and ran, her skirt swaying behind her.

BGM: Safety Zone

Image

Image “Whoa! How did you know, poop-man?!”

Image “Who’re you calling ‘poop-man’? And, well, your clothes surprised me, sure, but you should work on your acting skills.”

Image “Hey, this ain’t a costume or anything.”

Image “Huh? You’re saying you wear that normally?”

Image “Yep. I’m super poor, so the school uniform was the only thing I could wear, but Tae-baa never stopped complaining about that. That’s why I borrowed Haru-chan’s old clothes. They’re cute, aren’t they?”

Image “Well, they are, but...you are a guy, right?”

If I didn’t already know, I’d have assumed he was a girl.

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I didn’t want to see it at all.

Image “Are you uncomfortable with your gender or something?”

Image “What? No. I’m a guy.”

Image “Then why…?”

Image “There’s no reason. This is just the way I am.”

Image “The way you are…?”

Image

Image “But I also can’t just do whatever I please, so I ended up being a bit weird.”

Image “So this is simply your nature?”

Image “Yeah. Speaking of nature, if it wasn’t cold, I wouldn’t mind going around the village naked.”

So basically, this was a guy with a unique sense of...well, everything. Unless he found something that really clicked, he’d have a hard time living anywhere. Even in the city.

Image “You have my sympathies.”

Image “Hey, Yasumizu’s actually pretty easy to live in. You should move here, poop-man.”

Image “What does that have to do with anything?”

Image “Living in the city is hard, ain’t it?”

Image “Nope. It’s way more convenient than here.”

Image “Really? I thought you escaped ‘cause something bad happened.”

Image “Well, I can’t deny that.”

Image “You’re a weirdo, too, right?”

Image “Umm...That one I can deny.”

Image “Wait, really? I thought we were birds of a feather.”

Image “Right, old man?”

Image

Whoa! There was a weird old guy in the bushes!

Image

Image “Aeh...eheheheh.”

Image “I know, right? That’s what poop-man is!”

ImagePoop...man…

ImagePlease don’t spread that name. I don’t give a damn if you use Fusaishi or Haruaki, just stop calling me that.

Image “Hassan?”

Image “Hhaaah-san.”

Did I look like a Middle Easterner? I was mildly bothered by the accentuation, too, but he was probably avoiding using nicknames that were similar to Haru-chan’s name…

Image “Well, whatever. That works.”

Image “Poop-man became Hassan!”

I was never poop-man to begin with.

Image “You’re close to the old man?”

Image “We’re fellow crazies!”


ImageEhehehehehehheeheehee.

Well, the old man seemed to be enjoying it.

Image “Join us, Hassan. When the mists clear, we can go steal chickens from Kamifujiyoshi.”

Image “Why would I do something like that? What are you, kappas?”

Hell, why did he like me that much? Well, that might’ve been a good thing. He seemed to be a bit more unique than the other two students.

Image

Image “Hmm? Well, Haru-chan was angry, so I felt it wasn’t gonna be fun with her.”

Image “Why was she angry?”

Image “Hmm…”

Image “Haru-chan likes Yassun.”

Oh?

Image “So she doesn’t like that Yassun seems happy about Chie-nee coming back.”

Image “I see...So why was she mad at me?”

Image “Haru-chan actually wants Yassun and Chie-nee to get together.”

Well, I sure didn’t expect to hear something like that.

Image “So she’s helping the target of her unrequited love get his sweetheart?”

Image “Yep yep. That’s why you barging in and getting along with Chie-nee messed things up for her.”

So basically, I accidentally entered a love triangle.

Image “Does Chiemi-chan know any of this?”

Image “Pretty sure she does. But she doesn’t do anything about it. He has a snowball’s chance in hell.”

Man, this kid was harsh.

Image “So yeah! Good on ya, Hassan! Chie-nee is yours!”

Image “Is she, now?”

Image “And wait, are you okay with this?”

Image “Why are you asking?”

Image “Well, I haven’t been here for long, but from what I’ve seen, you’re wild with most people, but kinda gallant around Haru-chan.”

Image “Hmm…”

Image “Ahh…”

Image “Well, you’re probably right. She’s a childhood friend and a bit of an airhead, so I do worry about her. That’s all.


Image “That’s unexpected. You seemed like the type to mess with such people.”

Image “I’d mess around with you to the very end.”

Image “I owe a lot to Yassun, and Haru-chan is...an unfortunate girl.”



Image

Image “Ah! I already said too much! Hassan! What kind of magic did you use on me?”

He was the one who’d gone blabbing on his own.

Image “By the way, you said that someone died. Did they? Well, I know the journalists did.”

Image “Yasumizu’s people are still alive, but they’re all as good as dead.”

Image “Hmm? Why do you think that?”

Image “Who knows? I’m not good at reasons. But, well…when Takumi-nii said he was the snake, I had a bad feeling come over me.”

Image “Ohh, it felt like I could hear the wolves laughing.”



*Everything goes silent*

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Image “I could hear the wolves laughing.”

Image “Before that.”

Image “Hmm...When Takumi-nii said he was the snake?”

Image “Takumi-san is the snake?”

Image “That’s what he said.”



Image

Image “Huhhh?”

ImageThe wolf is coming."

Image “You knew?”

Image “?”

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