Why is my journey to the world of anime a strange tale of rules?

"So, is that the end of the preliminary preparations?"

Kaguya, sitting next to Takahashi, asked in a low voice.

"You could say that for now, but let's not rush things. Rushing won't solve anything."

Gao Hai calmly answered Kaguya, then picked up his phone, turned on the screen, and looked at the four game tips about Hayate Elementary School that he had copied down in his notes.

Interlude 3-08: Reflection Time and Relaxation Time Before Taking Action

After packing all three items obtained from the transaction and leaving the transaction location, prepare supplies such as emergency food, flashlight, and purified water. Then, wait for the right time to enter the instance.

Xiong Mi suggested entering the instance around dusk. She didn't ask Gao Hai how he entered, nor did she explain why dusk was the preferred time. But since she suggested it, Gao Hai followed her advice. After all, Xiong Mi had taken a big risk by giving him this information; if she said something wrong, he might also be drawn into the instance.

Kaguya was somewhat anxious about this. She really wanted to enter the instance immediately, but given Xiongmi's advice, she knew she had to proceed cautiously and not act recklessly. Therefore, after obtaining the item from Gao Hai, she simply tried to calm herself down, arranged a meeting time with Gao Hai, and then returned home.

From beginning to end, neither of them informed anyone else about entering Hayate Elementary School to save Hayasaka Ai, not even Maki, Chika, or Yotsuya Miko. Only Takami and Kaguya were involved in this matter.

The reasons for this were twofold. First, based on Gao Hai's understanding, the Zaoli Elementary School instance wasn't the kind where sheer numbers could solve the problem. On the contrary, due to some hidden characteristics he hadn't yet personally experienced, the more participants there were, the more likely things were to go wrong; it was an instance that required a streamlined team. Second, in the Red Moon level instance, the help that Zhenfei and Qianhua could provide was still quite limited. Rather than taking several girls who hadn't experienced the power of Red Moon level instances into dangerous territory, it was better to bring only one.

Well, in fact, he didn't really want to bring Kaguya along, but he was a little hesitant about a lone wolf operation. Moreover, given Kaguya's personality, she definitely wouldn't accept being excluded. Therefore, to avoid the girl courting disaster, it was better to keep her by his side.

It's strange, but saying it like that makes Kaguya sound like a husky that might disappear at any moment...

Gao Hai silently complained to himself as he started walking towards the city's swimming pool. At the same time, he picked up his phone and opened his previous contacts again.

He had already added Goto Ichiri as a friend and chatted with her by phone and text message. To be honest, Takahashi was somewhat shocked that Kita Ikuyo had taken the initiative to call him. After all, in the original work, this girl was so socially awkward that it was almost extreme, and it was extremely difficult for someone like her to take the initiative to contact anyone. But when the call connected and he heard the girl stammering and struggling to organize her thoughts before finally saying the name "Kita Ikuyo," Takahashi knew what was going on.

Although the encounter with Kita Ikuyo, who was possessed by a strange entity, occurred during the third playthrough, which no longer exists, Takami did mention this red-haired girl when explaining the situation to Kumami during the fourth playthrough.

It seems that although Xiongmi did not expose Gao Hai's matter everywhere, she still explained the relevant matters to Goto Ichiri because it involved Kita Ikuyo, which is why the girl mustered up the courage to contact her.

But... could this really not be some kind of secret arrangement by the mastermind?

After learning from Goto Ichiri that she actually had a way to return to Yoruyama Middle School at any time, Takami couldn't help but have this thought in his mind.

That so-called KP who reached out and grabbed his neck from the hallucination, from a scene from decades ago. Could it be that the KP who was unhappy with his disruptive behavior and claimed he would give him tickets to all areas of "School Ghost Stories" was the reason he obtained the method to enter the Yoruyama Middle School area from Goto Ichiri?

Gao Hai didn't let these thoughts bother him too much.

Ultimately, no matter how dangerous the situation, you have to go and experience it for yourself to know what it's really like.

Even so, this can be considered as opening up another side story.

If this were an RPG game, there would be two lines of text hanging in the upper left or right corner of his field of vision right now. One line, enlarged and bold, would be the ongoing "[Kaguya Shinomiya and Ai Hayasaka's Hayate Elementary School Side Quest]", and the other line, slightly smaller and not yet selected, would be the "[Ichiri Goto and Ikuyo Kita's Yoruyama Middle School Side Quest]". However, the latter might be considered a main quest? After all, according to what he and Ichiri Goto discussed, Ms. Pochi preferred to use dungeon tickets to invite multiple Red Moon-level players to try and enter Yoruyama Middle School for a raid, rather than trying to sneak in before the dungeon opened.

All sorts of chaotic thoughts were swirling in Gao Hai's mind.

And in front of him, the entrance to the swimming pool was already close at hand.

Of course, there were also the two lovely girls waiting in front of the swimming pool, and their brown-purple eyes and blue eyes that had already looked over.

"There are still about 20 minutes until the agreed time, is it really necessary to arrive so early?"

Looking at Maki and Chika, who were dressed casually, Gao Hai smiled and spoke.

"I just arrived. I didn't have anything to do after class, so I came early."

Zhenfei turned her head slightly and answered in a somewhat evasive tone.

"Hehe, arriving early before the agreed time is one of the characteristics of girls, Ah Hai should learn to get used to it."

With a grin, Chika shook her head, put her hands behind her back, and bent slightly over as she spoke.

That's right, Gao Hai is on a date right now, dating two of his girlfriends at the same time, and they're even going to a swimming pool. It's the kind of date where they're all wearing swimsuits and getting close to each other.

If it were his previous life as a single man, Gao Hai felt he would have harshly criticized this behavior, but now that he was truly enjoying it, all he could say was that it was awesome, and this was exactly the feeling he wanted!

"I have a feeling that Haijun is thinking about something strange again."

Zhenfei only glanced at the subtle changes in Gao Hai's expression and knew that he was imagining something again.

"Ahem, alright, alright, let's go inside first."

With that, Gao Hai walked into the swimming pool first, followed by the two girls.

The three of them went not to a public swimming pool, but to a private pool built by the swimming center specifically for the wealthy and powerful. The facilities there were far superior to those of public pools, and there was absolutely no need to worry about water quality.

Gao Hai changed into his swimming trunks and quickly went to the pool area, jumping in without even testing the water temperature. Maki and Chika emerged from the changing room a little later. Maki wore a very ordinary one-piece swimsuit, while Chika opted for a rather daring choice: a three-piece swimsuit made of what appeared to be very thin fabric. It must be said that the difference in their figures was quite obvious, especially evident from the frustrated expression on Maki's face.

"Hehe, Ah Hai, how is it? I changed into this on purpose."

Amidst the splashing water, Chika, who had jumped directly to Gao Hai's side, asked with a grin.

"Whoa! Stop jumping around in the water! It's splashing all over your face!"

As Maki swam up to Takami, she hesitated, not yet having decided what to say, when she was splashed all over by Chika's water and couldn't help but complain softly.

The warm water made a constant splashing sound as the hands and feet moved.

Completely relaxed and temporarily putting aside his upcoming busy schedule, Gao Hai enjoyed a leisurely afternoon of swimming, adjusting his mindset to its best state. It wasn't until late, as dusk began to fall, that the three of them left the swimming pool.

"It's a pity that Kaguya still doesn't want to go out today."

After having a very enjoyable time, Fujiwara Chika finally spoke with a slight regret.

"It's alright, I've already asked her about it. The problem isn't too big, it should be resolved in three or four days at most. Of course, the matter itself is quite private, which is why she doesn't want to tell anyone else."

Gao Hai knew he couldn't just let things slide without saying a word, since both Maki and Chika could see Kaguya's unusual behavior lately, so he still offered a brief explanation.

"Are you sure everything's okay? Kaguya-san is really acting strangely this time..."

Qianhua reached out and tapped her head, her voice carrying a hint of helplessness.

"Is there any danger?"

Zhenfei, noticing the deliberate ambiguity in Gao Hai's words, frowned slightly and stared at Gao Hai earnestly, asking him a question.

"...Well, it's impossible to say there's absolutely no danger, but I can guarantee that the final outcome will be wonderful."

Faced with the question from this girl who genuinely cared about him, Gao Hai had no choice but to give a serious answer.

"Don't push yourself too hard. After all, your great-aunt is a stubborn idiot. If anything goes wrong, Fujiwara and I can still help out. Don't bear it all by yourself."

Seeing Gao Hai's expression, Zhenfei really wanted to ask him directly what was going on. However, she could also see that Gao Hai was determined to solve this problem alone, so she simply said this in the end.

"Yes, I will. I promise. Don't worry, I won't force myself."

Gao Hai nodded gently to Zhenfei, making a promise to her. Zhenfei, having received the answer she wanted, smiled and said nothing more.

"I have this feeling that Akai and Kaguya are having some kind of secret, well, if Akai has already made up his mind, then there's nothing I can say. Anyway, see you tomorrow, Akai~"

In fact, Chika had also noticed the problem, so she deliberately left the opportunity to ask questions to Maki. After Takahashi and Maki finished speaking, she sighed and then said goodbye to Takahashi and left.

It was already evening. After saying goodbye to the two girls, Gao Hai didn't hesitate any longer. He took a deep breath and slowly adjusted his state as he headed towards the Shinomiya residence. Halfway there, he sent a message to Kaguya to let her know that he would be there soon.

The streets at dusk were filled with far more pedestrians than expected.

Whether it was an event being held nearby or something else, Gao Hai was weaving through the crowd, occasionally bumping into someone's shoulder, which slowed him down.

Where did all these people come from? And none of them seem to be paying attention to where they're going. Am I about to bump into someone?

puff-

Gao Hai had just formed this thought when a person walking past him bumped into him with a dull thud. Gao Hai himself didn't move during the collision, but the other person was almost knocked to the ground, swaying for a while before regaining their balance. However, the other person ignored Gao Hai, muttering something as they continued walking, their eyes completely focused on their phone.

In the dim light, Gao Hai could hear the man saying something like, "A new betting game is about to begin, but it's really embarrassing for the referee to be on the field. If we lose, we might as well just commit suicide." He sounded like someone who was addicted to some kind of game.

Gao Hai took two more steps and turned back, but he couldn't find the person from before.

I had a feeling that the person from earlier was a bit strange. Am I just overthinking it?

His phone rang with a notification; Kaguya had already replied, indicating that she was ready.

After a brief hesitation, Gao Hai put aside his doubts and continued to move forward.

Interlude 3-09: Thunderstorm and Unusual Situation Before the Operation Begins

Splash—splash—

The weather these past few days seems even more abnormal than expected. It was sunny in the afternoon, but as Gao Hai was walking around in the evening, the weather started to turn bad again. After he quickly found a taxi and got in, it started pouring rain within half a minute.

"The weather these past few days has been really unusual."

The taxi driver was a bespectacled man who seemed quite ordinary, but Gao Hai couldn't help but think he looked like one of the Ramen Kings from the Kaguya-sama manga. At that moment, the man adjusted his glasses and casually remarked to Gao Hai while driving.

"One thing to say, one thing to say, indeed."

Because he was about to enter the instance again, Gao Hai wasn't really in the mood for conversation, so his answers were rather perfunctory.

The driver could clearly tell that Gao Hai didn't want to talk, so he fell silent and quietly focused on driving.

Boom——

A pale flash streaked across the sky, followed by a deep, resonant rumble of thunder.

Holding an umbrella, Shijo Maki walked out from one side of the street and looked in the direction where the taxi had disappeared.

"Is Haijun really going to his aunt's house?"

The girl frowned. Although Gao Hai hadn't revealed any information and seemed to be behaving normally while playing in the pool, Maki still vaguely sensed something was amiss. Therefore, after leaving, she took a longer route and came back to find Gao Hai.

The problem is quite simple: during the afternoon's outing, Gao Hai didn't touch Zhen Fei's body much. Gao Hai usually enjoys these kinds of small interactions between lovers, but this afternoon he surprisingly showed a bit of gentlemanly behavior. From this detail, Zhen Fei could tell that Gao Hai's mood was probably not good; he was likely adjusting himself throughout the afternoon, preparing for something to come.

So, what kind of thing would make Gao Hai so serious about adjusting himself, to the point that even Se Se didn't care much?

After some thought, Maki concluded that there were only two possibilities: either a powerful enemy lurking in the shadows was forcing Gao Hai to take things seriously, or he was forced to go to an extremely dangerous instance to investigate and explore, so he had to prepare in advance.

Considering Aunt Kaguya's recent unusual behavior, the disappearance of the maid who was always by her side, and Takayuki's actions of concealing the situation under the pretext that "Kaguya doesn't want to reveal the details," coupled with his lack of unusual behavior during his interactions with her and Fujiwara, Maki believes the investigation should focus on the sidelines. After all, if it's a hidden enemy, given Takayuki's behavior, it's unlikely he'd remain silent.

A dungeon? But there are still many days until the monthly dungeon opens, when all players can participate. Does this mean that, like before when Kai-kun was influenced by Yotsuya Miko and dragged into the Fujika Middle School area dungeon, something similar is happening this time? Or is Kai-kun planning to enter the dungeon on his own initiative?!

He barely made it back and only had about a day to rest, so why is he pushing himself so hard? Isn't he taking care of himself? Or is the situation really so urgent that only his personal intervention can salvage the situation?

Regardless, Princess Zhenfei knew that she had to take action.

For the young girl now, Gao Hai's significance in her heart is irreplaceable. Therefore, if Gao Hai really intends to do something dangerous behind everyone's back, she must find a way to persuade him. If there is indeed a compelling reason for him to go, she will do her best to help him and ensure that the matter proceeds more smoothly. Just like in the Fujika Middle School instance, she and Chika Kaguya contacted Ogawa Itsuki as quickly as possible, and then found Goto Ichiri for assistance. Ultimately, their combined efforts successfully paved the way for Gao Hai to conquer the instance.

Without further hesitation, Princess Zhenfei took a step forward.

Then, she noticed Fujiwara Chika, who was also holding an umbrella, standing in the alley to the side.

"Little Zhenfei? Hmph, as expected, Little Zhenfei also noticed the problem. Ah Hai was indeed quite the gentleman today."

The girl with long pink hair blinked and revealed a mischievous smile.