A Guide to Raising Snake Spirits - Chapter 24

The moment he spotted the Ghost player, Mizuki希 (Mizuki Nozomi) grabbed Shiraishi晴 (Shiraishi Sei). “Run! Let’s kite him.”

In this game, major movements like rolling and jumping consumed the stamina bar, while running kept it steady and walking allowed it to recover. Since the characters’ strength and agility stats were relatively balanced, the equipment card Shiraishi had drawn at the start was finally going to pay off.

After only two steps, the Guide fell half a pace behind the Sentinel. Mizuki patted Shiraishi’s shoulder and said, “Carry me and run!”

Shiraishi wasn’t entirely familiar with the game’s mechanics yet, but he obeyed the Guide’s command without question. He hooked an arm around Mizuki’s waist, gave a sharp tug, and hoisted him onto his shoulder.

With this, their movement speed increased significantly.

From his vantage point on Shiraishi’s shoulder, Mizuki directed him, “Head toward those stalls. There are plenty of obstacles there, it’ll be easier to break line of sight.”

The developers of Ghost Hunter had likely anticipated chase sequences, as they had placed a rather nonsensical cluster of empty carts and stalls right in the middle of the amusement park path.

The Sentinel moved like a silent knight, faithfully carrying out the Guide’s orders. Even the stall “staff” members they passed ignored the chase entirely.

Because Mizuki had been scooped up facing backward, he had a perfect view of the Ghost player. Though the bobbing motion was a bit nauseating, he was thankful that terminal gaming didn’t simulate physical pain or the sensation of being poked by a shoulder bone. If he had been using a fixed-immersion pod, he probably would have been bruised and ready to vomit by now.

The Ghost player’s man-sized scythe was visually striking. Every time it swung near them, Mizuki felt as if he could almost feel the phantom wind from the blade brushing against his face.

Mizuki watched the Ghost’s movements for a moment in his bouncing field of vision, then leaned in and whispered a quick instruction into Shiraishi’s ear. “Got it?”

“Yeah,” Shiraishi grunted.

His eyes were locked forward. With one arm securing the Guide and the other braced against a cart, he vaulted over the obstacles in one fluid motion. However, that sharp maneuver caused his stamina bar to take a noticeable hit.

They circled back to kite the Ghost again. Just as they managed to gain some distance, the Ghost player suddenly triggered a high-speed dash, closing the gap in an instant. The long scythe trailed behind, ready to deliver a killing blow.

“Now!” Mizuki shouted.

Shiraishi, who had been sprinting in a straight line, suddenly cut a sharp S-curve around the blind spot of a stall. The sheer inertia made Mizuki feel like his head was about to be flung off, but the blade that should have hit them merely grazed the ends of Mizuki’s long hair, slamming instead into an empty cart.

The scythe attack triggered a mandatory system cooldown animation. The dark, hooded figure stood frozen for a moment, slowly dragging the blade out of the wreckage. The oversized hood masked the player’s face, casting a deep shadow over their features.

Mizuki had figured out that the Ghost player’s skill was likely a dash-type. Thanks to the heads-up and the Sentinel’s reliable execution, they had managed a narrow escape.

“How’s your stamina?” Mizuki asked, checking their status. “If we keep this pace, we should lose him soon.”

“Halfway,” Shiraishi replied.

“That should be enough.”

They looped around the terrain twice more. Seeing the distance between them growing, the scythe-wielding Ghost grew desperate and pulled a black card from a pouch under their cloak.

Mizuki’s pupils contracted. But just as the Ghost player took another step, their body suddenly locked up. They couldn’t move an inch, and the black card failed to activate.

Mizuki strained to turn his head and caught the fading glimmers of light disappearing from Shiraishi’s hand.

He realized then that Shiraishi had calculated their path while they were being chased. He had started setting a trap thirty star-seconds in advance, perfectly timing the delay to snare the Ghost player.

Realizing this, Mizuki reached back and gave Shiraishi a big thumbs-up.

There was no mental link in the game to feel the Sentinel’s emotions, but Mizuki guessed he was feeling pretty good about himself.

Taking advantage of the sixty star-seconds the Ghost player was rooted for, the two quickly fled the scene. Once they were far enough away, Mizuki signaled Shiraishi to put him down, and they found a secluded corner to recover their stamina.

“No sign of the Hunter yet. A Hunter could keep a Ghost in check,” Mizuki said, reviewing their situation. “One Civilian is dead, so that leaves two Civilians, one Hunter, and two Ghosts.”

“I think we should head to the Underground Ghost City next,” Mizuki continued. “One of the remaining escape cards is likely there. The devs wouldn’t build such a massive set piece just for show, it would be a waste of GPU power otherwise.”

These types of instances usually followed a predictable backstory. Civilians being hunted rarely had the mental bandwidth to solve overly complex puzzles.

“Hey!” a hooded figure suddenly waved at them. “You guys are Civilians, right?”

“Yeah,” Mizuki replied. “We’re both Civilians.”

The person awkwardly pulled back their hood with a sheepish grin. “I’m the Hunter… This map is huge, I’ve been lost for like twenty minutes.”

That was impressive in its own way. Getting lost in a game with a mini-map was a rare talent, though Mizuki couldn’t tell if the guy was being genuine or playing a part.

Mizuki rested a hand on Shiraishi’s shoulder and asked the player, “Newcomer?”

The Hunter had that classic look of earnest confusion common to rookies. He scratched his head and said, “My girlfriend dragged me into this. I was trying to find her, but you two are the only other players I’ve run into since I started.”

“What should we call you?” Mizuki asked.

“Uh, my IGN is ‘Daily Match-3.’ Please, brothers, lead the way. I don’t want to keep walking in circles.”

Mizuki laughed. “Sure, Daily. You can call me Jinjin.”

His own nickname was “Gotta Kill ‘Em All Today.” Calling himself “All” sounded weird, and “Kill” felt like it needed another word after it, so he settled on the first character of the phrase.

Shiraishi gave a brief introduction. “Bluestone.”

Following the map, Mizuki led the group to the center of the park, where the entrance to the Underground Ghost City was marked.

Despite the name, the structures above ground were also massive and grand. They seemed to mimic ancient architecture, featuring red bricks, green tiles, and intricate bracket systems rising three or four stories high. Even in its current dilapidated state, one could imagine its former glory.

The three stepped through the main entrance into a vast, empty hall. A thick layer of dust blanketed the floor. The pillars supporting the roof were so thick a man could barely wrap his arms around them, their red paint peeling off in large patches, turning a dull, muddy brown.

In the center of the hall, a high platform made of brick and stone held a luxurious metal chair, wide enough to seat three people.

Inside, a janitor in blue overalls was sweeping the floor. His broom was nearly bald, with only a few bristles left on a bare stick. He gripped one end while the other swung uselessly back and forth in the air. Despite the odd task, the NPC looked surprisingly normal.

“Are all the NPCs in this game like this?” Daily Match-3 asked. He looked around and shivered, hugging his shoulders. “Creepy background, creepy buildings, and creepy NPCs.”

Mizuki raised an eyebrow. “You haven’t seen an NPC since you started?”

“I have, but I didn’t dare talk to them. I just walked around them,” Daily said, clearly prioritizing survival as a newbie. “The game description made them sound terrifying, like they’d go into a berserk chase mode or something.”

“Well, now you can see how to talk to them,” Mizuki said. He stepped forward and addressed the NPC. “Hello, is this attraction open?”

“It is,” the janitor replied, bowing politely with his hands clasped. “Do you wish to enter the Underground Ghost City?”

“Yes. Are there any requirements?”

“My master has a riddle for you to solve. If you answer correctly, you shall be invited inside with the utmost respect.” The janitor stayed perfectly in character, speaking with a level of refinement that far surpassed the Mimi Coaster staff.

He smiled and said, “The riddle is—”

“Why shouldn’t you wear underwear during the New Year?”

Mizuki: “?” The Hunter: “?” Shiraishi: “?”

“Wait,” the Hunter blurted out. “The vibe of this riddle is all wrong. Shouldn’t it be something like ‘what has keys but no locks’?”

Mizuki sighed. “You get used to it.”

Daily Match-3 scratched his head for a while. “Jinjin, Bluestone, do you have any clues?”

After the previous nonsensical pun riddle, Shiraishi was starting to get the hang of this. He thought about it for a second. “No underwear for the New Year… it must be for good luck in the coming year.”

“So that next year won’t be so ‘hard’ (bitter),” Mizuki finished, catching the pun.

The Hunter stumbled at the sheer coldness of the wordplay.

“You are indeed wise guests,” the janitor nodded with a smile. “Please, follow me.”

The group followed the NPC up the platform to the chair. The janitor, who looked like he barely had any meat on his bones, leaned his shoulder against the back of the chair and gave a mighty shove. The heavy metal seat, which looked like it weighed hundreds of pounds, slid away to reveal a dark opening.

“The way down is here,” the janitor said, stepping aside. “My master dislikes loud noises, so please keep your voices down once you descend.”

Daily Match-3 looked at the narrow stone steps and his legs started shaking. “We’re really going down there?”

“It’s just a game, it’s fine,” Mizuki reassured him. “Unless you’d rather stay up here and have a one-on-one chat with the NPC?”

Daily took a peek at the supernaturally strong janitor. “…I’ll stick with you guys.”

The descent wasn’t as bad as expected. The game provided dim candlelight, so it wasn’t pitch black. The stairs were wide enough for two people, but the ceiling was low. While Mizuki and the Hunter were fine, the tall Shiraishi had to keep his head down, looking quite uncomfortable.

They followed the long, narrow staircase down for about three or four stories until they reached a small doorway. Emerging from it, the space suddenly opened up. Below ground, they had built a massive landscape featuring pavilions, towers, trees, and rockeries, all forming a giant maze.

“The NPC didn’t give a specific quest, so it’s likely free exploration. If we hit a fork in the road, should we split up?” Mizuki asked, looking at Daily and Shiraishi.

“Works for me,” Shiraishi said.

Seeing the other player agree so quickly, Daily Match-3 gritted his teeth and nodded. “…Fine. How do we regroup?”

“If you find an escape task and can solve it, do it. If not, come back here. If we don’t find any clues, we’ll head back too.”

Mizuki pointed to a spot in the upper left of his vision. It looked empty to an observer, but the other players knew that was where the system’s quest log was located.

“If a task is cleared, the numbers there will update. Once it’s full, we meet back here. The Ghosts will definitely camp the exit once all the cards are found, so the Hunter’s role is crucial.” Mizuki said the last part with a very serious look at Daily Match-3.

Daily pulled out a white card. “Actually, I have a white card. It’s an item, a one-time use flare gun. It reveals your position to all other players.”

“That’s actually great,” Mizuki said, feeling a bit more confident in the rookie. “If you find a puzzle you can’t solve, use the card, and Bluestone and I will come to you.”

Daily nodded nervously, patting his chest as if to guarantee he wouldn’t mess up.

Just before they split, he asked hesitantly, “Um, I also wanted to ask… where would my girlfriend be? Is there a chance I’ll run into her?”

“What’s her name?” Mizuki asked.

“It’s ‘No Sleep Tonight’.”

Mizuki gave him a look of pity. “One Civilian is dead, and it wasn’t that name… which means she has to be a Ghost.”

Daily Match-3: “…”

Once they had settled their plan, they ventured into the Underground Ghost City.

At the first fork, the Hunter went his own way, while Mizuki and Shiraishi took the other path.

Daily Match-3’s heart was pounding. He was actually terrified of ghosts and had only joined the game to look brave in front of his girlfriend. Now that he was away from his teammates, the only sounds were his own footsteps and the occasional programmed ghostly wail in the background music. His skin crawled.

He kept walking, teeth clenched, already regretting not clinging to the experts. He tried to hypnotize himself. “It’s nothing, it’s nothing, there’s nothing there.”

He turned a corner into a dead end. Daily felt a surge of relief—now he could just run back and rejoin the others.

In his joy, he completely missed the sudden sound of dripping water behind him.

His grin was only halfway formed when he turned around and realized he wouldn’t be smiling again.

A figure stood blocking the path he had just come from. Long, soaking wet hair draped over its face, and water was still streaming down, forming a small puddle at its feet.

An uncontrollable scream tore from his throat, his baritone voice hitting an operatic high C.

“AAAAAHHHHH—!”

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