I really just want to grind for entries related to crossover anime/manga.

"correct!"

"In Natsume Soseki's novel 'Kokoro,' what sea area did the author commit suicide in?"

"Kamakura Yuihama Coast!" Yu Minakawa.

"correct!"

The two seemed to have initiated some kind of efficient "parallel knowledge" mode.

Yuu Minakawa leans towards humanities, social sciences, and basic disciplines; Haruto Yamazaki excels in history, subcultures, and obscure knowledge, and is quick-witted and has a precise memory.

They hardly need to communicate verbally; one person has barely finished speaking before the other has already provided the answer, or if one hesitates for even a moment, the other immediately fills in.

The pace of the questions was breathtakingly fast, making the skip button almost useless.

The audience's emotions were completely ignited. From initial anticipation to surprise, and then to shock and fervor, applause, cheers, and exclamations rose in waves.

The live stream chat exploded with comments.

"My goodness! Yu-kun's knowledge is terrifying, he's amazing!"

"Yamazaki-kun is amazing, he even knows that?!"

"Their teamwork is incredible! Is it telepathy?"

"As expected, someone who can write such a delicate script as 'Love Letter' is truly learned!"

"This is a true all-around entertainer, I'll continue to support him!"

"The boys' team is so cool!"

Five minutes flew by in a flurry of questions.

When the timer beeped again to signal the end, the bright red number that appeared on the big screen plunged the entire theater into a brief silence, followed by a deafening roar that could have blown the roof off.

[Eighteen questions answered correctly]

"18 questions! My goodness! The boys' team answered 18 questions correctly!"

Shimada Shinsuke's voice cracked completely from extreme shock and excitement; he practically jumped up and shouted it out.

"An incredible miracle! These two boys have proven their abilities to everyone!"

The audience erupted in thunderous applause and screams, with almost all the fans jumping up from their seats, waving their light sticks and shouting the two names at the top of their lungs.

This transcends the outcome of a game; it's a dazzling display of talent and wisdom.

After the victory, Yamazaki Haruto roared with excitement and hugged his neck tightly. Genkawa Yu was also overwhelmed by the joy and sense of accomplishment and laughed heartily.

"With this result, the girls' team and the boys' team each won one game in the first two rounds, tying the overall score at one to one!"

After finally calming his excitement, Shimada Shinsuke announced loudly.

"This means that the final decision rests with the next round of the game, which is also the most crucial quality in the 'Land of the Dying': 'Trust'!"

The name of the third round of the game was displayed on the big screen, accompanied by a heavy and suspenseful sound effect – “Trust”.

"The final game, 'trust'!"

Shimada began to explain the rules in detail, his tone becoming serious.

The rules are as follows:

“We set up a simulated obstacle course on one side of the stage, which includes low walls made of foam padding that you have to cross, a warning line array with bells hanging from it that you have to duck or turn sideways to pass through, and each time you hit a bell, you lose ten seconds. There are also zigzag obstacles that you have to navigate around.”

"At the other end of the obstacle course, there is a display stand covered with several red cloths. Under each cloth are different items, including the latest smartphones, high-performance laptops, popular game consoles, high-end Bluetooth headsets, and so on, with varying values."

“Each team needs to send one person to wear a special goggles that completely block out the light to become the ‘executor’, while the other person acts as the ‘commander’, standing on a fixed command seat, where they can have a clear view of the entire venue and the distribution of items on the display stand.”

“The ‘commander’ can only guide the blindfolded ‘executor’ safely through all obstacles to the opposite display platform through verbal instructions, lift the designated red cloth, obtain the item, and then, under the same instructions, safely return to the starting point with the item.”

"The team that successfully brings back the item with the higher value within the 20-minute time limit wins. If the team fails to return within the time limit, the result will be invalid."

As soon as this rule, which emphasizes absolute trust and precise cooperation, was announced, a chorus of excited discussions arose from the audience.

This is not just a game, but also the ultimate test of unconditional trust and communication efficiency among teammates.

However, just as the host was about to ask the two teams how they would allocate roles, a clear male voice shouted from the audience.

"Let's regroup! I want to see the male and female leads together!"

This sound was like lighting a fuse, instantly igniting the pent-up emotions of the fans.

"Yes! Regroup!"

"The trust game, of course, depends on the trust between the male and female leads in the TV series!"

"Support the new combination!"

The fans' cheers surged like a tidal wave, quickly coalescing into a unified and undeniable roar.

The actors on stage all showed expressions of being caught off guard yet seemingly expecting it. In these fan-centric offline events, the audience's wishes often have a huge influence.

When Mai Sakurajima heard the shouts that were clearly directed at her and Yu Genkawa, her heart suddenly skipped a beat. Her gaze involuntarily turned to Yu Genkawa again, only to meet his gaze as he looked at her.

However, this time their gazes met only briefly before parting, and neither of them lingered on the other.

The host, Shinsuke Shimada, could not ignore the overwhelming cheers from the fans. He smiled and cast an inquiring glance toward the side curtain of the stage, toward the location of the event's general director.

After receiving an affirmative answer through the headset, Shimada picked up the microphone and said with a smile.

"Wow! I've heard everyone's wishes, and they're very strong. Okay, since the first two rounds ended in a tie, for this third round that will decide the final outcome, we'll take everyone's suggestion into account and regroup!"

A new voting interface quickly appeared on the big screen, with simple and clear options.

The final voting result was no surprise.

When the combination of "Yu Genkawa x Mai Sakurajima" appeared on the big screen with an overwhelming number of votes, the audience erupted in deafening cheers and applause, a mix of excitement and satisfaction.

"Alright! In the final round of the 'trust' game, Genkawa-kun and Sakurajima-san will be on one team, while Yamazaki-kun and Arima-san will be on the other." Shimada Shinsuke officially announced, finalizing the dramatic pairings.

With the groups confirmed, Genkawa Yu took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind, and strode towards the direction where Sakurajima Mai was.

As Mai Sakurajima watched him approach step by step, his familiar, tall figure stood out clearly under the stage lights. The surrounding noise seemed to fade away at that moment, leaving only his gradually approaching figure and her own somewhat disordered heartbeat.

The girl tried hard to maintain a calm facial expression, even managing a faint smile appropriate for the occasion, but her slightly trembling eyelashes and somewhat stiff posture betrayed the turmoil in her heart.

"Sakurajima-san".

Genkawa Yu stopped in front of her, his voice not loud, but exceptionally clear, carrying a reassuring warmth and a strange decisiveness.

"Let me be the 'executor' in this game."

He turned to the side and gestured to the thick black blindfold the staff member was holding, saying, "I'll put on the blindfold and follow your instructions."

This decision completely stunned Mai Sakurajima.

She had considered all the possibilities and even prepared herself to be blindfolded to avoid further contact.

However, Yu Genkawa took the initiative to entrust all his actions in the upcoming competition to her.

This sudden trust violently shattered the mental defenses she had painstakingly built up over the past few days.

"...good."

Mai Sakurajima heard her own voice sound a little tight, with a barely perceptible hoarseness.

She reached out and took the heavy eye mask.

Genkawa Yu obediently lowered his head slightly, and Sakurajima Mai had to stand on tiptoe, wrap her arms around his head, and carefully put the blindfold on him, making sure the edges fit snugly so that no light could penetrate.

During this unavoidable close contact, her fingertips clearly felt the warmth from the skin on the back of his neck, and the slightly itchy touch of his soft black hair gently scratching the back of her hand.

After being blindfolded, Genkawa Yu's vision was plunged into pure darkness.

When a person's vision is deprived, their other senses become exceptionally acute.

He could hear the suppressed whispers of the fans below the stage, feel the warmth of the stage lights, and clearly catch the slightly rapid breathing of Mai Sakurajima beside him.

On the other side, Haruka Yamazaki and Kana Arima quickly assigned roles, with Kana Arima in command and Haruka Yamazaki in command.

"Then, the 'trust' game that will determine the final outcome has a time limit of twenty minutes—now, let's begin!"

With Shimada Shinsuke's command, the final and most thrilling round of the competition officially began!

The obstacle course on the stage was clearly visible under the lights, and the bell array swayed gently in the wind, making a soft, crisp sound. On the other end of the stage, several mysterious red cloths awaited to be unveiled.

Although Arima Kana looks petite and nervous, her commands are surprisingly clear and precise once she gets into the zone.

"Yamazaki-san, take four steps straight ahead... Stop! There's a low wall to your left, lift your right foot and step over it! It's about knee-high! Yes! Very good!"

Although Yamazaki Haruto was blindfolded and his movements were not as agile as usual, he still managed to move forward steadily under Arima Kana's meticulous guidance.

Meanwhile, for Mai Sakurajima, the situation had been stagnant from the very beginning.

"Mr. Genkawa, go forward..." Her instructions were vague and lacked specific information.

Genkawa Yu tentatively took one step forward, then two steps, as instructed.

"Stop! There's something on the left." Her voice was hesitant and indecisive.

Genkawa Yu immediately stopped and listened intently, but without receiving more precise guidance, he could only remain frozen in place, not daring to move rashly.

"Sakurajima-san, please tell me the specific direction and distance."

"A little to the left, then forward..."

Mai Sakurajima's instructions came in fits and starts. Although her gaze was fixed on Yuu Genkawa and the obstacles, Yuu Genkawa's "greedy" declaration kept replaying in her mind.

Distracted, she couldn't help but pinch the back of her hand, trying to concentrate in this way.

As a result, Yuu Minakawa's pace became extremely slow and cautious. He had to stop frequently and rely on his senses and vague instructions to confirm his location in order to barely avoid obstacles.

Shimada Shinsuke couldn't help but speak up, reminding him, "Sakurajima-san, time is precious, we need more precise instructions!"

"Sakurajima-san!"

Genkawa Yu was forced to stop again. His voice came through the microphone, still calm, but beneath that calmness was an undeniable determination.

"I trust your judgment. Now, please lend me your eyes!"

These words struck Mai Sakurajima like a thunderbolt, instantly making her tremble.

The next moment, a strong sense of responsibility, professional ethics, and a surge of competitive spirit arose.

Yes, I'm working right now!

I can't keep letting my mind wander.