Strange Game - Anime Mashup

After saying goodbye to Hoshino Ai, Lin Ye returned to the tram station and took a train to Akihabara.

He had already sent a message to his teacher, informing them that he would return to Chiba in the afternoon and arrive at school around three o'clock.

Akihabara was a place he had always dreamed of visiting in his previous life, but his busy work schedule had never allowed it.

Now, in this life, since he was already in Tokyo and couldn't meet Mai, he decided to explore Akihabara instead.

Half an hour later, Lin Ye exited the station.

Standing under the sign for Akihabara Station, Lin Ye looked up at the green lettering and pulled out his phone to snap a picture.

"This is Akihabara!" he thought excitedly. "Where's the street with all the maids?"

Unsure where to go, Lin Ye decided to follow the flow of the crowd and wander aimlessly.

Before long, he came across a scene he had only seen in anime or at conventions in his previous life: young girls in maid uniforms standing on both sides of the street.

Most wore classic black-and-white maid outfits, while others donned red-and-white or pink-and-white variations. Each looked vibrant and full of life, their cheerful smiles brightening the street.

"Big brother, big brother, come to our maid café!"

A maid standing nearby waved at Lin Ye with a radiant smile.

Lin Ye smiled back politely but declined.

After wandering for over half an hour, he finally chose a maid café and stepped inside.

For lunch, he ordered omurice.

Like scenes straight out of anime, the maids served his meal with cute gestures and phrases, sprinkling "magic" onto the food to make it more delicious.

'So cute, so cute...' Lin Ye couldn't help but think.

"Master, please enjoy your meal. I hope you have a wonderful lunch," one of the maids said with a sweet smile.

As he ate, Lin Ye suddenly remembered an anime—Akiba Maid Wars.

"I don't think this was it," he chuckled to himself. "That show had guns and bombs, after all."

Satisfied, Lin Ye felt he had fulfilled a small wish from his previous life.

After a heartfelt goodbye from the maids, Lin Ye paid his bill and left the café. He headed back to Akihabara Station, ready to take the train to Chiba.

At the station entrance, however, he noticed a crowd gathering.

Curious, Lin Ye walked closer and saw a beautiful girl in an elaborate black Lolita dress standing at the center of attention. She posed confidently, her radiant smile captivating the photographers surrounding her.

"She's stunning!" Lin Ye thought, admiring her charm.

"She nailed it—this is exactly how I imagined Kuroe Shizuku would look," one of the onlookers said.

"Marine's cosplay is incredible. My friend is going to be so jealous he didn't come with me today!"

Hearing this, Lin Ye felt a flicker of recognition. He tried to piece together where he'd heard the name before.

The cosplayer approached a photographer, checking the photos they had taken.

"What do you think?" she asked.

"They're great," the photographer replied.

At this distance, Lin Ye could see strands of golden hair peeking out from beneath her wig.

"Kitagawa Marin," Lin Ye murmured instinctively.

The girl froze briefly, her gaze scanning the crowd until it settled on Lin Ye.

She didn't seem to recognize him, though.

"Is she a classmate I didn't know well at school?" Lin Ye wondered.

Marin's expression turned cautious. She clearly wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

Realizing she'd been recognized, Marin ended the photoshoot early, grumbling to herself.

"Taking a day off to shoot in Akihabara, only to bump into someone from school..."

Before leaving, she studied Lin Ye's face, committing it to memory. Though she didn't approach him, she felt relieved that he hadn't tried to strike up a conversation.

Lin Ye watched her for a moment, then nodded politely as Marin glanced at him one last time. Satisfied, he turned and walked away.

It was time to go at Chiba.

At Tokyo Station, Lin Ye transferred to the train bound for Chiba.

Setting an alarm on his phone to avoid missing his stop, he leaned back and closed his eyes.

However, after more than half an hour, the train came to a halt and didn't resume moving.

"What's going on?" Lin Ye wondered, looking around.

Moments later, an announcement came over the speakers:

"Due to a fire at Chiba Station, train services are temporarily suspended while the Chiba Fire Department conducts rescue operations."

Lin Ye sighed, realizing the delay would be lengthy.

Like the other passengers, he passed the time on his phone. Some played games or listened to music, while others muttered complaints about the delay.

Two hours later, the announcement finally came:

"The issue has been resolved. Train services will now resume."

As the train picked up speed, Lin Ye checked the time.

"I was supposed to arrive before three, but now it'll be a stretch to make it before five," he thought. Thankfully, he had already informed his teacher about the situation.

When he arrived at Chiba Station, a faint smell of smoke lingered in the air.

"It doesn't seem too serious," he noted as he stepped off the train and joined the crowd exiting the station.

His next destination were Sobu High School.

About twenty minutes later, Lin Ye finally arrived.

The words "Sobu High School" came into view.

As the sun set, students began leaving in groups of two or three. High school girls in black pleated skirts walked by, exuding youthful energy. The gentle breeze carried cherry blossom petals through the air.

It was April, the season of blooming cherry blossoms.

Lin Ye, dressed in casual clothes, stood out awkwardly in this setting.

Instead of entering, he chose to wait outside, having sent a message just a minute ago.

The teacher would arrive soon.

"Should I visit the Ministry of Service later?" Lin Ye mused before dismissing the idea.

"No need to rush. Let's just see how things go."

The click of hurried footsteps broke his train of thought.

Lin Ye turned to see a female teacher approaching, her chestnut shoulder-length hair swaying as she ran. She wore a black uniform, her pretty face framed by bright, pure eyes that held a gentle expression.

"This isn't Hiratsuka Shizuka," Lin Ye noted. "She doesn't have that iconic white coat—and she'd never look this soft-spoken."

"I'm sorry, Lin Ye…" the teacher said, panting lightly from her rush.

"It's fine, teacher. There's no need to hurry. You could have just walked over," Lin Ye replied, trying to reassure her.

"That wouldn't be right. I can't keep you waiting."

After catching her breath, she smiled softly and introduced herself.

"I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Tachibana Hina. I'm a new teacher here at Sobu High School, teaching English. However, you're not in one of my classes."

"Then, why did you…?" Lin Ye gestured between them, puzzled.

"Since I'm the one who contacted you, it's only natural that I take responsibility," she explained. "Hiratsuka-senpai is busy right now, so it fell to me. What's the matter—don't you want my help?"

"On the contrary, I'm grateful for your help, Teacher Tachibana," Lin Ye said sincerely.

Still, something clicked in Lin Ye's mind: Tachibana Hina… isn't she the heroine from 'Domestic Girlfriend'? The memory made him chuckle internally.

"The heroines seems to be gathering here."

Before Lin Ye could get lost in his thoughts, Hina's expression turned serious.

"Lin Ye, I'll ask you one last time—are you sure you've lost your memory?"

"Yes," he affirmed.

"Alright then. I'll show you around the school and help you get familiar with things. I've asked about you—you're relatively quiet in class and don't have any particularly close friends. So, just take your time adjusting. Also, you should find time to visit the hospital. Don't worry about the cost. If needed, I can cover it."

Lin Ye felt a warmth in his chest. She's a great teacher—willing to help even with medical expenses.

"Thank you, Teacher Tachibana."

With that, she led the way, Lin Ye following half a step behind.

"This is the teaching building."

"That's the club activities building."

"There's the playground."

She gave a brief tour before taking him to the office, where she handed him a stack of documents containing basic information about his classmates.

"It would be good if you could memorize all the names and faces. If not, just try to familiarize yourself with them," she advised.

"Understood," Lin Ye replied.

He flipped through the pages quickly until his hand paused over one. His eyes landed on a one-inch photo.

Hina noticed his reaction and smiled knowingly.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?"

"Yes."

"Oh? You admitted it right away! I thought you'd deny it out of embarrassment!"

Lin Ye simply nodded. "She really is."

The girl in the photo, Yukinoshita Yukino, had a cool, elegant beauty that reminded him of snow. Even from the picture, her aura as an aloof, graceful lady was palpable.

"Just so you know," Hina added, "Yukinoshita-san has a rather cold personality."

Though unspoken, Lin Ye understood her implication.

"In high school, you should focus on academics and aim for a good university," she said firmly.

"Teacher, I take it you didn't date in high school?" Lin Ye quipped.

Hina was momentarily stunned. Her reaction was all the confirmation Lin Ye needed.

So the timeline here has deviated, just like with Hoshino Ai, Lin Ye thought.

"Don't change the subject," Hina said, recovering her composure. "Yukinoshita is the top student in her grade. If you want any chance with her, you'd better excel in your studies. Boys your age liking girls is normal, but academics should always come first. Do you understand?"

"I do. I'll study hard and make progress every day."

Satisfied, she said, "Good. Now let's finish this, and I'll take you to your residence."

Before heading there, Hina treated Lin Ye to eel rice. The meal was delicious, with cleanly prepared eel.

When they arrived at Lin Ye's apartment, he used the key he carried to unlock the door.

The apartment was tidy and organized.

"Surprisingly neat," Hina remarked as she looked around.

After a brief inspection, she prepared to leave. "Alright, I'll be going now. Be ready for school tomorrow morning."

"I will, Teacher."

As she walked out, Lin Ye offered, "Let me walk you to the tram stop."

"Sure," she agreed.

The night had fallen, blanketing the streets in darkness. Streetlights cast a warm glow, occasionally flickering and adding an eerie atmosphere to the otherwise quiet night.

At the corner, Hina stopped. "You can head back now. The tram stop is just ahead."

Lin Ye nodded, watching her retreating figure before turning to leave.

Just then, a familiar mechanical sound echoed in his ears:

[Ding!]

[A strange possessed monster has been detected nearby]

[Conditions to trigger a task have been met]

[Task Name: Fire in the Dark Night.]

[Task Type: Real-World Regular Mission.]

[Mission Objective: Eliminate the strange possessed monster.]

[Do you accept? If no response is given within five seconds, the task will be automatically declined.]

Lin Ye's eyes widened.

A game mission in reality? So strange games extends here too.

Without hesitation, Lin Ye accepted the mission.

Just as he did, a woman's scream pierced the night.