You’re Telling Me This Is a Slice-of-Life?

So this is the supernatural? This is the Reincarnation Game?

Yuuki’s heart pounded wildly. Even though he had spent plenty of time in the dissection room and had forced himself to watch every horror and gore movie out there, seeing those gruesome scenes play out in reality still made his stomach churn.

For a moment, he could feel the game’s deep malice pressing down on him. He quickly pinched the soft flesh at his waist, using the sharp pain to snap his mind back to clarity.

[Judging from what she said earlier, she must be a player just like me. So if I had acted on my own just now, would I have ended up like that too?]

[What kind of twisted beginner tutorial is this? No wonder they gave us fifteen minutes instead of fifteen seconds—so this was the catch.]

This game was nothing like the usual ones he had seen before. Rather than a tutorial, it felt more like an early-stage elimination. Even with limited information, Yuuki had already drawn his first conclusion—

This game was brutal, and it had no intention of playing fair.

“What kind of hint? Oh, you mean telling me to open the door? No way I’m following some random instruction like that.” The girl had no idea the boy before her was deep in thought. She kept descending the stairs, her grotesquely split head enough to make any normal person piss themselves in fear.

Yuuki instinctively lifted a foot, but then he set it down again, remaining where he was. He had calmed down enough to notice something—her previously aggressive and manic tone was beginning to wane.

[Does self-perception determine friend or foe?]

That realization sent a strange chill down his spine. If he were an ordinary person, he would have either frozen in fear—which, judging by the fate of that “flower-head” girl, would’ve led to a terrible ending—

Or, he would’ve bolted. If he was fast enough and lucky enough, he might have escaped, even if it meant circling around to the glowing red area upstairs to pass the level.

Fifteen minutes—more than enough time to play hide-and-seek.

Or… he could just charge straight upstairs without saying a word. Was it possible that this game had multiple solutions?

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Am I that scary?” The girl continued descending the stairs, now only two or three meters away from Yuuki.

Yes, you’re terrifying. Any normal person would’ve wet themselves by now. Fortunately, I’m not one of them.

Yuuki answered in his mind, hesitating briefly before stepping forward instead. His eye twitched slightly as he forced himself to look at the shifting fragments of her “petals.”

It was grotesque, but if his guess was correct, she could be a valuable source of information.

With that in mind, he forced a gentlemanly smile and deliberately focused his gaze on her ample chest. The cleavage was deep, and there was even a small mole on top—perfect for maintaining eye contact.

“See those red lights? Maybe they’re coming from outside.”

“Red lights? What red lights?” The girl looked puzzled, all eight of her fragmented eyes shifting to glance upward, swaying back and forth like floating eyeballs.

She can’t see them?

Yuuki quickly noted this discovery and kept his gaze fixed on that deep cleavage, his expression unchanging. “Huh? Maybe I was mistaken. How about we head down instead?”

“Go down? There’s no path down there.”

Still can’t see it?

Yuuki’s expression shifted slightly as a thought took shape in his mind. Without hesitation, he turned back the way he came.

“Follow me.”

“Hey, wait up!” The girl quickly caught up to him, her voice sounding much steadier now, as if she had found something to rely on. “I’m Linda, from Mexico. What’s your name?”

“ Sorashima Yuuki.”

“A Japanese?”

“Something like that.”

“But Mexico and Japan are so far apart… don’t tell me this is some kind of international crime syndicate?” Linda tilted her grotesque head innocently, then mumbled, “Ugh, I don’t know what’s going on, but my head feels all foggy, like I’ve gotten dumber…”

Dumber? That’s an understatement. Your brain is literally wrapped inside those ‘petals’ like a damn flower bud.

Yuuki glanced at the bloodstained white mass inside her split head, suppressing his nausea. He grabbed her delicate wrist and reassured her, “I don’t know either, but don’t worry. I’ll get you out of here—just stay calm, no matter what.”

“Really?”

“You don’t have any other choice but to trust me right now.” Channeling his inner domineering CEO, Yuuki put on his most confident tone.

The ‘petals’ on her head twitched slightly, almost like a shy girl reacting to a compliment.

…Wait.

Why does this suddenly not seem as disgusting anymore? Damn it, I’m not getting corrupted into having a heavy taste, am I?

As they reached the entrance where Yuuki had started, he intentionally slowed his pace, watching the way Linda’s hips swayed as she walked ahead.

What would happen if she stepped through that doorway?

Driven by curiosity, he deliberately lightened his footsteps, but before he could observe further—

Thud!

“Ah, damn it!” Linda tumbled backward onto the ground, her head splitting apart in a flurry of writhing petals, exposing her pulsating brain.

At the same time, her previously calm tone instantly turned irritated and agitated again.

“Another one of these damn air walls! It’s like a nightmare—you can’t see anything, but it keeps shoving you back!”

She can’t see it, can’t enter it, and even takes damage when she collides with it.

Standing behind her, Yuuki watched closely. It was apparent—this doorway served as a sanctuary for new players in the game. He had been wondering how an ordinary person could possibly face off against a ‘flower-head’ monster like her.

So, there really were multiple ways to clear this game. But would it kill them to at least give some hints?

Yuuki was at a loss for words. It felt just like pioneering uncharted territory—every clue had to be uncovered on his own. However, he didn’t take the opportunity to slip through the doorway. Instead, he quietly organized the information he had gathered from his interaction with the girl.

First, she was an eliminated player who had turned into a ‘Beginner Guide.’ Her cognitive distortions caused extreme reactions, but when emotionally stable, she behaved just like a normal person.

Second, as a non-player, she couldn’t see the mission paths available to players, nor could she enter them—doing so caused her harm.

Third, the intended tutorial path was either hiding or sprinting straight to the upper level. But if he made use of the first two points…

A new plan formed in his mind. He walked over and helped Linda up, ignoring the twitching petals brushing against his face.

They were sharp—razor-sharp. There was no doubt they could slice through human flesh.

“Huh? You didn’t hit the air wall?” Linda looked confused, but her voice was noticeably calmer now.

“I did. In my homeland, we call it a ‘ghost wall.’ Seems like we’ve wandered into some serious shit.” Yuuki kept his tone mild and steered the conversation away. “But there’s always a way out. Worst case, we just take another path—it’s only a matter of time before we find the exit.”

Trapped in a bizarre place with no one else but Yuuki to rely on, Linda had no choice.

“…Alright, I’ll trust you for now.”

That “for now” was telling—it was a warning that her patience wasn’t infinite. If she lost faith, she might spiral into another frenzy.

Yuuki mentally logged another piece of information, then took a deep breath.

“Let’s go this way.”

As he led her down the corridor, he occasionally sped up to test her running speed, then slowed down again to observe her exposed brain.

Time ticked away, and he made several intriguing discoveries…

Her running speed was about the same as that of an average adult woman, showing no signs of superhuman physique. Her brain was crucial to her, yet she didn’t even notice as the cigarette pack he threw was shredded mid-air before it could reach her. All she felt was a slight itch on her scalp.

The thing that had sliced the cigarette pack apart was, in fact, part of her own skull.

With roughly two minutes left on the countdown, Yuuki finally stepped onto the wooden staircase, rounded the landing, and saw the source of the red light—it was coming from the left.

Twelve minutes spent gathering intel. It was about time to move forward. This thing was becoming increasingly erratic, harder and harder to pacify.

The girl behind him had been silent for a full minute and twenty seconds. Unable to find a way out, her anxiety was growing. Her head movements were becoming more erratic.

[I’m reaching my limit. And so is she.]

Yuuki climbed the final step and turned left. The corridor was identical to the one below—windowless and featureless. Except this time, at the far end stood a double wooden door, exactly like the one he’d opened before. The red light seeped through the cracks.

“That way. If we go through the door, we might be able to get out,” Yuuki said, raising a hand to point. He sensed the girl moving closer to him.

“What door? That hallway doesn’t have an end!”

So she really couldn’t see it.

That was reassuring. Yuuki began adjusting his plan—only to freeze up moments later.

A soft, wet sensation brushed against the nape of his neck.

Like a tongue, gently licking him.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to lick you. Huh? What’s wrong with my head?”

Out of the corner of his eye, Yuuki saw the girl trembling as she lifted a hand to touch her head. Her split-open cheeks twisted further in confusion.

Of course, she couldn’t feel her own face. But she kept trying, like she was desperately gathering spilled sand.

“My head… My head—no!!”

Her voice shifted from confusion to terror, then from terror to rage. The final, ear-piercing shriek sent a sharp pain through Yuuki’s eardrums.

Now!

He didn’t hesitate. There was no time for gentle explanations. In one swift motion, he spun around and pulled his left hand from his coat, gripping a gleaming scalpel.

Clang!

The blade slashed at the flower-like tendrils—only for a shower of sparks to erupt on impact. What had seemed like delicate stalks no thicker than fingers turned out to be as tough as reinforced bone.

A numbing shock spread up his wrist. Yuuki turned his head just in time to see Linda falling silent. Her grotesque “petals” unfurled completely—then came sweeping at him like a spinning saw blade.

Moving fast.

Instinct took over—Yuuki dropped into a crouch. A muffled scraping sound echoed through the corridor.

Thud. Thud.

Deep gouges tore through the walls, sending fine dust cascading to the floor.

Twenty meters to the door. Was this sudden rampage random, or intentional?

Yuuki forced himself to stay calm. Every preparation he’d made over the past ten years came into play. Hands and feet working in tandem, he launched himself backward.

Rip. Rip.

The carpet shredded under the slashing tendrils, leaving deep scars on the floor. He kept retreating, meters at a time, while the girl leaned forward—her splitting head thrashing like a mass of writhing tentacles, slicing through everything in reach.

Not particularly fast—but still dividing.

The “stems” had already spread across her chest. More petals kept sprouting. Yuuki scrambled to his feet and broke into a sprint, flinging the scalpel backward as he ran.

Clink.

The sound of the blade bouncing off her body reached his ears. The door ahead glowed red. His instincts screamed at him, forcing his body into action:

Run like hell. Get to the door. Hide.

The violent presence behind him grew stronger. He risked a glance over his shoulder—

A writhing mass of “vines” surged forward, flailing wildly like a tangled ball of yarn. Even if his legs carried him at top speed, there was no way he could stand against that kind of force.

Ten meters.

Five meters.

Three.

The creature was closing in. Seething with rage, it broke into a full sprint.

Yuuki lunged forward, seizing the golden doorknob with one hand. He straightened his body, pressing his entire back against the door.

Thud!

Razor-sharp tendrils slashed through his coat, leaving fresh gashes on his chest. The tangled mass slammed into the door—

And then, in the reflection of his wide, dilated pupils, the writhing petals disintegrated, scattering like a burst of confetti.

Not from impact.

From the rules themselves—punishing the unworthy.

Much harsher than what had happened ten minutes ago.

Hiss—

Accompanied by an agonizing, piercing scream, YouCheng suddenly lunged forward. It felt as though he had stepped into a thicket of thorns, but he ignored the stinging pain searing through his flesh. His gaze locked onto the milky-white “stamen” at the center of the scattered petals. Without hesitation, he drove the scalpel down with ruthless precision.

General Rule #2: High risk, high reward!