Tokyo: The Player Behind the Scenes.

Chapter 113.111: Profitable

Snapped!
clap clap!

Tower apartment building, indoor badminton court.

Higashiyama Shinsuke was slightly distracted. When he came back to his senses, the ball that Chiba hit was already impossible to catch using normal methods.

He limited his strength and tried his best to catch it, using the power of an ordinary person, but he was still a little short.

"Hehe. 10 to 1."

Chiba's cheeks were slightly flushed from the strenuous exercise, beads of sweat rolled down her face, and a melting smile played on her lips.

She managed to pull one point back with difficulty.

Although the gap is still significant, she is still happy with the results achieved after such efforts.

"You'll be sore all over tomorrow if you keep doing this."

Seeing Chiba seemingly fighting with all her might for something, Shin Higashiyama kindly reminded her to tone it down.

She always does this, but she seems particularly serious today.

It's foreseeable that my muscles will be sore all over tomorrow.

Chiba nodded seriously: "It will probably hurt, but it will also be very happy."

Hearing such honest words, Shin Higashiyama could only shake his head and glance casually out the window, where their water bottles were placed on a bench.

"Have a drink of water first, then come on, future top-level badminton player, Queen Chiba."

Upon hearing this address, Chiba's eyes darted away slightly. He murmured an "Mmm," then picked up his racket and followed Higashiyama to the window.

Just then, a breeze blew in, and the two stood in front of the open window, drinking water and enjoying the cool breeze, looking quite content.

"The breeze is quite pleasant today," said Higashiyama Shin, squinting his eyes.

"."

"what happened?"

"The weather forecast didn't say it would rain today." Chiba looked into the distance, towards Chiyoda Ward, where there was a conspicuous patch of dark clouds.

Higashiyama Shin took a sip of water, tilting his head back: "Weather forecasts aren't always accurate."

“I understand, but those clouds are... strange.” Chiba stared curiously at the swirling dark clouds.

Just then, an exaggerated bolt of lightning tore open a gap in the clouds, striking the ground like a whip lashed out by God. It even briefly imprinted itself on that space and retina, and the entire city of Tokyo seemed to light up briefly with this flash of lightning.

Chiba's mouth opened slightly, then slowly closed: "The Emperor was struck by lightning?"

From their perspective, the lightning bolt did indeed look like it struck the Imperial Palace.

However, Chiba's thought process is somewhat different from that of ordinary people.

Higashiyama Shin stretched and hunched his neck to the left and right: "That is indeed good news."

Chiba put down his water glass and picked up his racket again.

"Alright, let's continue." Seeing this, Higashiyama Shin snapped his fingers.

Chiba, who had already turned around, did not notice that with the snap of his fingers, the dark clouds in the distance began to slowly dissipate.

"Okay, my mom is calling, I'll answer it."

"Ah."

Without even thinking, Higashiyama Shin knew what he was talking about.

“Yes, I understand that I play badminton with Higashiyama.” Chiba hung up the phone and looked at Higashiyama Shin. “There are rumors of a monster appearing in Hibiya. Many people have died on the subway. The subway in the three central wards of the city has been suspended today.”

"I see. Is your father alright?"

“His company is in Shinagawa. Sorry, let me ask first.”

"Um, I'm going to the restroom."

Higashiyama Shinjin entered the restroom, stepped into a stall, and opened his palm. A small, seemingly random pebble, carved with the words "Escape Cave Token," appeared in his hand. This was based on information he had gathered from both the game and reality.

The space where Zhu Hai was located was called the Escape Cave.

Unlike ordinary cave entrances, this cave was carved out of space.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the entrance to this space is completely sealed.

However, due to the passage of time and underground construction, the former practitioners obviously did not expect that something like a subway would appear in the future.

Therefore, leakage and fusion occurred in this space.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhu Hai absorbed the resentment of humans that seeped in from the cracks, gradually growing stronger and even able to pull people into the space.

However, this space is limited in itself, and as time goes by, the space will gradually become unstable and slowly be swallowed up by the main space.

Therefore, Zhu Hai devised a plan to use the accumulated resentment, along with the blood and flesh of thousands of people, as fuel to break through the limitations and return to the human world.

And it did.

He sensed all of this when he passed Hibiya Station while having dinner at Matsumoto-ro, which led to his guess. He then took some time to transform into black mist and test it, confirming his suspicions.

Therefore, he was able to use this token to bind Zhu Hai, who had broken through that space and escaped but had not yet gone far, in the name of the cave master.

Then, judging from Zhu Hai's reaction, the Crimson Demon-Slaying Sword was probably also the weapon of that cave master.

In reality, his image was merely fabricated. Zhu Hai's belief that he was a cave master was simply a product of his imagination based on his weapons and the fact that he was bound by space.

Similar to the game "Switch," the trophy rewards often include items related to the game.

But why is that space called the "escape cave"?
Is it really something they're running away from?

The cave master who escaped must be quite powerful, since even he needed to escape. It seems this world was quite fascinating in the past.

The difference between then and now, when it has completely withered away, is too great.

He originally intended to refrain from intervening if possible, but if the player could resolve the situation, he would strike them with lightning at the end to add to the excitement and avenge being swallowed alive in the game.

Only one player, Nobita, was willing to risk saving people, although he didn't actually manage to do any damage to Zhu Hai.

The current players are far too weak compared to Zhu Hai. Even if all three of them attacked together, they wouldn't be able to defeat that thing. He can only use the possessed paper doll as a safety net.

Otherwise, if this thing really hides, the army won't be able to deal with it. If it escapes far away, even the "Escape Cave Order" won't be able to restrain it. This thing of unknown origin might even grow to a threatening level, and it won't be able to control the player like it does.

Zhu Hai, you're too dangerous.

You're ugly as hell; even Thomas the Tank Engine is better looking than you. You absolutely can't be kept alive, so you might as well be dead.

Although Nobita did not contribute to eliminating the Akane, without him, none of the people on either train would have escaped.

He essentially saved hundreds of lives.

However, this also increases the risk of exposure, which Dongshan welcomes.

If a player could become an official, they could also plant an eye on him, allowing him to maintain a sense of security that everything is under control.

Although in his opinion, Nobita was not suitable to be the candidate.

Kosuke Iwasaki is actually the most suitable person because he is unlikely to be led by the authorities.

However, the possibility of Iwasaki joining the official team is very low, and Higashiyama doesn't really want to forcibly interfere with the players' development. After all, as players, it's essential to have unconventional thinking; at most, he can provide guidance in certain aspects.

He might pay more attention now that there are fewer players, but once there are more players and he doesn't have to worry about the speed of clearing the game, then there won't be a shortage of players.

As long as no one comes along who "makes the world suffer" or "has to carry a bag of rice up several flights of stairs," it's fine.

He doesn't consider himself that extreme.

Judging from Zhu Hai's situation, there are clearly monsters in this world, but they all seem to be trapped for various reasons, but they are also being freed from their predicament.

In this era of human lineage extinction, it seems that only the player and he are capable of confronting the mystical forces of humanity.

If he doesn't want to be bothered by these things too much, what methods can he use to guide players to feel that defeating these monsters is profitable?
Looking at the token in his hand, Higashiyama Shin slowly began to have some ideas.

(End of this chapter)