Why is my Isekai in the Slice of Life anime was become a Horror Story?

Chapter 13: Delving into the Dark Corners of This Land

"We've entered the Stone Forest Path area, turning back to the entrance."

Shinomiya Kaguya communicated with the command center via her earpiece, reporting the information, and then began walking, leading the two team members forward.

The Stone Forest Path.

This is the name of the cave Kaguya is currently navigating.

The stone columns rising on both sides of the path, combined with the stalactites, made Kaguya somewhat understand why this place is called the "Stone Forest Path."

The benches, once a tourist spot, have mostly collapsed and deteriorated.

The lights that were once used here have all gone out, leaving the exploration team to rely on their own portable lighting equipment.

Faintly, Kaguya heard whispers.

The sound was coming from the stone wall beside them, but the distance was unclear, and it was impossible to make out the words.

However, the warning from the blessing was growing stronger, and it was certain that if they continued listening to these sounds, nothing good would come of it.

Kaguya didn't hesitate, ignoring the whispers and continuing to move cautiously through the darkness, stepping over the scattered clothing on the ground. Step by step, she moved closer to the location of the gate.

Swish, swish——

It seemed like the sound of flowing water suddenly echoed.

Kaguya froze for a moment, looked up towards the source of the sound of water flowing, but saw nothing.

Swish, swish——

Takakai had already stepped into the water, moving forward, about to cross the Stone Forest Path and reach the area called the "plain."

Just now, there had been a strange feeling, as if someone was staring at him.

Takakai turned his head slightly, but all he saw was a cave with dripping water, the surface of the water disturbed. There was nothing else.

At this moment, he didn't have time to focus on these strange feelings. He needed to use the time he still had under the guise of being a "rescue team member" to gather more information about this map and find the others.

"We're here, this is the 'plain.'"

Under the flickering lights, Wang Gui walked beside Takakai, and the two entered a massive cave, as large as a football field.

This is the largest area in Nutty Dutty Cave, filled with strange rock formations. If it weren't for the fact that the place was now filled with leaking water and the ground was covered in flowing water, Takakai thought he might have wanted to take some time to admire the beauty here.

But at this moment, just wandering through this area, surrounded by pale white figures in rescue uniforms or firefighter outfits, some dressed like tourists, and others seemingly explorers, made Takakai feel tense and on edge.

He sensed a strong malice in this place.

A malice that couldn't be pinpointed, as if separated by something, like a thick barrier, directing its aim at them.

"You said that getting people out of here would only create a new loop. Staying too long or rushing straight out will also trigger a new loop, right?" Takakai turned to the new player, Wang Gui, and asked.

"Yes... yes, do you have a way?" Wang Gui nodded vigorously, carefully asking Takakai.

"I'm not sure if there's a way, but I can only try," Takakai replied.

With that, Takakai started walking toward the entrance of the big slide.

His goal wasn't the big slide.

It was the watchtower at the entrance of the big slide, based on the information Wang Gui had provided along the way.

Swish, swish——

The powerful flow of water rushed down the slope inside the cave.

Takakai could see where the big slide was supposed to be blocked by a concrete wall, but now the wall had collapsed. The rainwater from the cave had gathered and overflowed through this opening, spreading deeper into the cave.

Faintly, it seemed that someone was reaching out from behind the gap in the big slide, waving towards him.

Takakai felt an invisible force, as if it was tempting him, urging him, making him move closer to that gap, pushing him to pass through the entrance of the big slide and go deeper into the cave.

However, this mental intrusion no longer had any effect on Takakai. He first signaled for the other three players to stand back, then quickly moved toward the watchtower. The watchtower that appeared in the cave now was completely intact, in stark contrast to the one Takakai and Chika had discovered earlier, which had been completely abandoned.

He reached out and grasped the door handle, gently turning it.

It wouldn't turn. It seemed the door was locked.

Takakai knocked hard on the door of the watchtower, then kicked it, but received no response.

Was there no one inside?

After a moment of hesitation, Takakai decided to draw his handgun and aim it directly at the lock.

Bang!

The loud gunshot echoed, and the watchtower door was forcefully kicked open by Takakai. He quickly stepped inside the watchtower.

.....

Chika looked up, turning around. She looked towards the security guard who had opened the door and entered.

Or perhaps it could be said, something dressed in a security guard uniform.

The girl did not scream.

She simply tightened her fingers, causing her palm to bleed from the nails digging in, without making a sound. She just stared at the thing entering.

It was indeed wearing a security guard uniform.

But its body... Chika found it hard to describe, like a person slowly being crushed, with all the body parts flattened. Fragments of broken bones and crushed flesh spilled out from the gaps in its clothes, from parts of its body that were pressed and crushed.

The only image that Chika could think of was people being turned into minced meat in gruesome horror films, or the squashed rats on the road after being run over by car tires.

This thing was now standing right in front of her.

Despite having transformed into such a horrific shape, it still moved like an ordinary human being.

[You... are... who?]

The girl heard a vague, incomprehensible voice emanating from the creature.

"I... I am..."

Although she tried her best to remain calm, Chika's voice trembled uncontrollably.

[Watchtower... cannot... enter...]

The creature's crushed body twisted and staggered toward her, its head, now nothing but a mashed lump, slowly approaching Chika.

The sense of imminent danger was drawing near.

Before today, the girl had never felt such intense fear.

Don't panic.

Don't lose control.

She had to respond, had to give an answer that adhered to the rules of this place.

[You... cannot... be here...]

The voice, still unclear, echoed as the creature's head nearly touched Fujiwara Chika's face.

"I am... security staff..."

Clenching her teeth, in this suffocating moment, the girl finally gave her answer. Each word she spoke trembled as if it might shatter.

The creature's movements stopped.

[Security... ?]

It seemed confused by Chika's words. Its twisted body stopped moving and froze in place.

"Yes, yes! I'm security, the new security here! I'm Fujiwara Chika, the new security staff for this area!"

Regaining a little confidence from her earlier response, the girl tightly gripped a chair, stepped back a few paces, and then loudly spoke to the creature.

[Security... shift... only one... no colleagues... why...]

The creature seemed even more confused now, its voice and actions resembling a lagging video, as if playing from an old graphics card.

"I'm the shift change! I, I'm here to replace you. You're off duty, your shift is over!"

Fujiwara Chika, in extreme tension, immediately responded loudly after the creature expressed doubt. Sweat poured from her forehead like rain.

[Shift change? Time... shift change...]

It seemed to fall into a confused state again, raising its head as if trying to look at the clock in the watchtower.

But Chika, already aware of its intent, immediately stood up and positioned herself in front of the clock, waving her hand to block its view—if the crushed being still had any concept of "sight."

"Shift change is shift change, I'm telling you it's time to go! Or do you want overtime?"

Chika deliberately used a harsh, threatening tone.

[Off duty... off duty...]

It seemed like it understood a little, or perhaps it was finally tricked by the girl. The strange creature nodded slightly. Then, the torn security uniform on its body was removed and discarded in the corner.

What remained under the uniform was nothing but a grotesque pile of flesh, crushed to an unimaginable degree.

And the thing now appeared as if it were truly just a regular security guard, leaving behind the uniform, setting the flashlight down, hanging the keys on the hook next to the door, and slowly turning to leave the watchtower, carefully closing the door behind it.

"Uwawa... I'm scared to death..."

Only after the sound of footsteps completely disappeared did Fujiwara Chika sigh with relief and slump down onto the floor.

She looked up and saw a map hanging on the wall, framed, with the words "Tourist Map of Nutty Dutty Cave" written on it.

She stood up and walked over to the desk, lowering her head to see a short rule sheet pressed under the glass of the desk.

[Rules for Security Staff at Big Slide:]

[Welcome to your position as a security guard at the Nutty Dutty Cave. These are the rules you must follow during your working hours. We hope that your experience here will be a unique memory and sincerely hope you will fulfill your duties well.]

1. Your job is to stay here for 12 hours, ensuring the safety of the barrier wall. The daytime shift is from 6 AM to 6 PM, and the night shift is from 6 PM to 6 AM. During your working hours, you are not allowed to leave your post or the "plain" area.

2. You must patrol every 30 minutes. The only area to patrol is the barrier wall of the big slide. Use your flashlight to illuminate the wall and check visually. Do not touch the barrier wall.

3. If you discover that the barrier wall is cracked or collapsed, do not handle it. Return to the watchtower and contact outside staff via the radio. If no response is received, leave the cave via the "Stone Forest Path" to notify other staff members outside. Under no circumstances should you go through the "Gentle Slope."

4. Your job is solitary; you have no colleagues. Therefore, unless it's time for a shift change, no one will come to relieve you or patrol with you. If someone appears while you are working and claims to be your colleague, ignore them. As long as you don't interact, they will leave after a while. If any dispute arises, the company takes no responsibility.

5. Ensure that the watchtower door is always locked. Whether you are patrolling or inside the tower, keep the door locked. Do not allow visitors to sneak in. Do not open the door to anyone knocking or attempting to enter the tower. Again, if a dispute arises, the company takes no responsibility. If any property of the watchtower is damaged, you must compensate double.

6. Your flashlight will be replaced and fully charged by the company every day, so you don't need to worry about running out of battery. If the flashlight flickers, the light dims, or it fails to illuminate, it means the flashlight is broken. You can stop patrolling, return to the watchtower for rest, and switch to another flashlight for the next patrol.

7. The power supply in the watchtower is very stable, and there will be no power outages. If the watchtower loses power, you must stop your security work, quickly leave the Red Nut Grey Cave via the "Rock Forest Path," and inform other staff members outside. Do not be curious about any sounds coming from the "Gentle Slope" during this time and absolutely do not approach or respond to that sound.

8. When you are inside the watchtower, ignore any calls for help from outside, especially those saying they need you to go behind the slide to assist. This is a prank by nearby residents.

9. Do not talk to anyone about what you see or experience during your security job. As a security guard, you have signed a strict confidentiality agreement. For the sake of the job, remain silent. If the tourist area sees a decrease in visitors due to rumors spread by you, the compensation you will owe will exceed your lifetime earnings.

[The above is the rule content for security staff. Please remember and strictly adhere to it. The company's security department will periodically check your work to ensure that you fulfill your responsibilities properly.]

Is this... some new, bizarre rule?

The girl in the security uniform furrowed her brows, carefully reading each word of the rules and committing them to memory. Afterward, she turned her head and looked up at the clock hanging on the wall, realizing it was now around 9:30.

It was unclear whether it was 9:30 AM or 9:30 PM, but in any case, at exactly 10 o'clock, she would have to leave the watchtower for an external patrol, right?

And these rules seemed to differ greatly from the ones for explorers before.

"Before the disaster and after the disaster, huh?"

Chika closed her eyes and muttered to herself, then lifted her head again, looking out the watchtower window at the deadly cave outside, where there wasn't a single soul.