Strange Game - Anime Mashup

Ever since being drawn into the weird game, Hoshino Ai's nerves had been on edge. Apart from Lin Ye, who gave her a rare sense of security, everything else seemed shrouded in danger.

This was a place where a single careless mistake could lead to encountering unspeakable horrors—or worse, losing her life.

Just moments ago, she and Lin Ye had wandered through the foggy streets without meeting another soul. Now, inside this strange love hotel, footsteps had echoed through the lobby almost immediately after they'd read the rules.

Something was definitely wrong.

With a swift motion, Hoshino Ai hid behind Lin Ye, clutching the corner of his shirt tightly with both hands. Her wide eyes, filled with fear, darted toward the door. Though terrified, she couldn't help but steal glances at what might come next.

Lin Ye felt similarly uneasy. His instincts screamed that the source of those footsteps was far from ordinary.

If anything, it was probably something weird.

Straightening his posture, Lin Ye prepared to activate his ability at a moment's notice.

Then, two figures appeared in the hotel lobby.

The first was a middle-aged man in a black suit, his slightly protruding belly and thinning hair giving him a greasy, unremarkable appearance.

Behind him was a young woman with black shoulder-length hair, dressed in a beige dress and a black hat. She looked to be in her early twenties, bearing a hint of youthful innocence from just having entered society.

The middle-aged man, upon seeing Lin Ye and Hoshino Ai, brightened and hurried over.

"Finally! Someone else is here. Do you know what's going on? Why is Tokyo covered in this fog? I wandered around aimlessly before I found this hotel."

"Stop," Lin Ye ordered, his voice firm.

The man paused, startled. "What's with your attitude, kid?"

Lin Ye's sharp gaze bore into him. Though he lacked combat training, his youth, height, and unyielding demeanor emanated an intimidating aura.

The middle-aged man faltered under the pressure, halting in his tracks.

The woman behind him glanced at Lin Ye, her expression momentarily intrigued.

"Hey, handsome guy," she said, her tone softening. "Do you know what's going on here?"

"Ding Dong..."

"Welcome."

The mechanical greeting echoed once more.

Two more figures—a boy and a girl—entered the lobby side by side.

"There really are people here! Thank God. I thought this hotel would be deserted and terrifying!"

The boy, clearly relieved, loosened his previously tense demeanor. The girl beside him seemed to relax slightly as well, though a trace of unease lingered in her expression.

The boy, about sixteen or seventeen, had dyed blond hair. He wore a black-and-gray short-sleeved shirt and beige sweatpants, giving off a casual and carefree vibe.

The girl, with chestnut twin ponytails, was dressed in a green off-shoulder top and brown shorts. Her cute and pure appearance contrasted with the flicker of anxiety in her bright eyes.

Their arrival drew everyone's attention.

"What's going on here?" the blond-haired boy began, his voice curious. But then he stopped abruptly, his expression shifting to one of shock.

"You… You're Hoshino Ai! Ai-chan!"

Hoshino Ai froze, wide-eyed.

Before she could respond, the boy ran toward her, his excitement evident. However, Lin Ye immediately stepped between them, blocking his path.

"Uh, sorry! I didn't mean to be rude. I was just so excited to see Ai-chan in person! I'm a huge fan. I even went to B Komachi's concert in Sakakino City!"

"Sakakino City…" Hoshino Ai murmured, recognition dawning.

"Yeah! Six months ago, Ai-chan. I went with my friend Ken. It was amazing! I never imagined I'd meet you here!"

Realizing his excitement, the boy quickly added, "Oh, right! I haven't introduced myself. I'm Taisuke Sawanaga, a student at Sakakino Academy. I'm a huge fan of B Komachi and Ai-chan!"

"Nice to meet you, Sawanaga-san," Hoshino Ai replied politely.

But she noticed Lin Ye's expression had darkened.

Does he not like me talking to other guys? Does he think this one is dangerous?

Her thoughts spiraled, but Lin Ye's mind was elsewhere.

Sakakino Academy... Taisuke Sawanaga…

He couldn't ignore the connection to School Days. The school and name matched too perfectly to be mere coincidence.

If this was truly that Sakakino Academy, then Kotonoha Katsura must exist, too.

"Who is she?" Lin Ye asked pointedly, glancing at the girl accompanying Sawanaga.

"Oh, this is my classmate, Hikari Kuroda. She's also from Sakakino Academy. We met at the mall earlier today, but on our way back, we got lost in the fog. Eventually, we stumbled upon this hotel," Sawanaga explained.

Lin Ye's suspicions solidified.

It wasn't just chance. These people were being drawn into the same game—people from different locations, converging in this place, surrounded by inexplicable fog.

"Which mall were you at?" Lin Ye pressed further.

Taisuke hesitated but answered, "The one three kilometers from Sakakino Academy."

That settled it.

This was Sakakino City.

He exchanged a glance with Hoshino Ai.

This was no ordinary coincidence. It was a carefully orchestrated entry into a "Strange game."

"Hey, what's going on here?" The middle-aged man's voice interrupted. His irritation at being ignored boiled over. "Why can't we leave? And why is there a hotel here?"

"Be quiet," Lin Ye said coldly.

"What did you say—"

Thud!

In an instant, Lin Ye moved. A sharp strike to the man's abdomen left him doubled over, gasping in pain.

"I'm not a fan of violence," Lin Ye said, his voice calm but commanding, "but sometimes it's the only way to make someone listen."

The room fell silent, everyone's focus on Lin Ye.

"I'll say this once," he continued. "We've all been chosen to participate in a 'strange game.'"

The middle-aged man's confusion deepened, while the young woman with shoulder-length hair turned pale, her expression growing darker by the second.

"No… That's impossible! This can't be happening!" she muttered.

The girl with twin ponytails, Hikari Kuroda, trembled visibly.

"Isn't this just an urban legend? It's not real… It's not supposed to be real!"

But as they stared at the eerily bright lobby, the truth became undeniable.

"What is this strange game?!"

Through a combination of Hoshino Ai's explanation and Hikari Kuroda's hesitant supplements, the group began to piece together the situation.

The middle-aged man's legs quivered.

Taisuke Sawanaga fared no better, pale and visibly shaken.

Lin Ye watched their reactions closely.

Were one of them hiding something? Could there be a monster entity among them?

Or were all four potential threats?