Starting With The Sefirah Castle In The Anime World

A half-hour break.

Ren went to soak in the hot springs to relax his body and mind, washing away the exhaustion and dust from earlier.

The girls also headed to the hot springs. It was clear they needed to mentally prepare themselves to hear the story about the back mountain.

After both sides were ready, they gathered in the living room again.

"Alright, let's go over the situation at the back mountain in detail."

As he spoke, Ren handed his phone to Hayasaka.

Hayasaka swiftly retrieved a projector, connected it to the phone, and began projecting the images onto the screen that had been set up in the main hall.

The projection appeared on the screen.

The image was taken from a high vantage point, capturing the drug lab that the special forces had raided.

The facility was quite large, just from a rough estimate, it spanned several thousand square meters.

Its exterior looked simple and unremarkable.

The walls were made of white plastic with an iron sheet roof on top.

However, considering that it was a drug production and research site, the simplicity made sense. It was clearly a temporary setup designed to be quickly dismantled and relocated if discovered. There was no need to invest in a more sophisticated structure.

Soon, the footage showed fully armed elite troops surrounding and storming the base.

The footage was exceptionally clear.

Even the moments when the drug dealers were shot were captured in sharp detail.

The grim reality of a drug raid played out in front of them.

"…"

The room fell silent as everyone watching felt the weight of life slipping away before their eyes.

People who had been moving just moments ago lost all signs of life after being struck by a few bullets.

It all happened so suddenly.

It all happened so naturally.

They knew drug dealers didn't deserve sympathy.

But knowing that didn't mean they were ready to watch a life vanish right in front of them.

This was something they had to face sooner or later.

Because the world they were about to step into was far more dangerous and unforgiving than the ordinary one.

The loss of life was something they needed to accept.

Ren didn't interrupt them. He didn't tell them to stay indifferent or to harden their hearts.

There were some things people needed to process on their own.

Since they had chosen to watch, they needed to find the resolve within themselves.

The footage continued as the special forces cleared the base, methodically eliminating the remaining drug dealers.

The screen froze there.

"This was just the beginning," Ren said.

"The Metropolitan Police Department's raiding team is highly competent. They showed no hesitation when dealing with the drug dealers."

"My guess is that someone senior in the department gave them specific instructions beforehand."

"Otherwise, they would've likely left one or two survivors to interrogate."

"But from how they operated, it was clear that eliminating these drug dealers was their primary objective."

He explained this while gesturing toward the frozen image on the screen.

The video resumed, shifting to the interior of the laboratory.

The lab was lined with thick plastic sheeting, most likely to contain chemical odors and minimize the risk of accidents during production.

Everything was designed with efficiency in mind.

But now, the laboratory was littered with corpses.

Unlike the earlier long-distance shots, these scenes were much closer and more vivid.

The grotesque clarity turned the girls' faces pale.

"All of these drug dealers were addicts themselves," Ren said, his tone steady.

"They got into the trade for money… and to feed their own addictions."

"So, none of them were innocent. They chose this path knowing exactly what it meant."

"In pursuit of wealth and indulgence, they were willing to do anything, no matter how cruel or inhumane."

"Hayasaka, pause it here."

"Understood." Hayasaka stopped the video.

Ren exhaled and turned toward the group.

"What you're about to see next is the darkest, most depraved side of the ordinary world."

"Are you sure you want to continue?"

This was Ren's final warning.

Kaguya's expression was grim.

She had never witnessed such a scene in person before.

As a sheltered young lady who grew up in a privileged environment, she had always been kept away from such brutal realities.

But now, it was happening right in front of her eyes and even more horrifying scenes were yet to come.

Still, she gritted her teeth and stood firm.

"Amamiya, this is our collective decision."

"Maybe the scenes that follow will push us beyond our limits, but this is something we have to face."

"Since stepping into the mysterious world, we've gained more knowledge about reality... and sooner or later, we'll encounter situations like this again."

"That's why, no matter what, we have to accept these truths we've never faced before."

Ren recognized Kaguya's resolve.

Her rationality had guided her to this decision. She understood that this was a necessary experience, and she was prepared to endure it.

But what about the others?

His gaze shifted to Sonoko and Ran.

When Sonoko noticed Ren looking at her, her face turned pale, but she straightened her back and met his gaze.

"Ren-kun, I'm the same."

"I made this decision myself, and I have to accept the consequences."

Ran, who was usually the most timid when it came to these things, hugged her arms tightly.

"I feel the same way as Sonoko."

"There'll be more situations like this in the future. If we can't accept it now, it'll only become more dangerous later."

"So... I won't be left behind."

Ren gave a slight nod, acknowledging their determination.

Finally, his gaze landed on the youngest of the group—Nagi.

"You don't need to—"

"You don't have to say it," Nagi interrupted, raising a hand to stop him.

Her face was pale. The sight of so many real, lifeless bodies had shaken her. This wasn't a horror movie with fake props, everything she saw was real.

"My mom chose this path."

"Maybe she was lucky... but I know I don't have that same luck."

"If I can't even endure this, I'll never be able to move forward."

Everyone had made up their minds.

The atmosphere was heavy with determination.

And then—

"Ughhh... Amamiya, I'm scared!"

The tension shattered in an instant.

Fujiwara's fearful voice broke the silence.

The others turned toward her, their expressions blank as they processed the sudden shift in mood.

Ignoring the collective stares of death, Fujiwara scrambled to sit beside Ren.

"So... please let me hold onto you!" she pleaded.

"I'm scared I won't be able to handle it otherwise!"

"…"

You know you can't handle it, yet you're still insisting on watching?

Ren sighed.

"If you're that scared, you don't have to watch."

"No way!" Chika immediately refused.

She tried to stretch her neck and act brave, but her body trembled so much that it was impossible to take her seriously.

"Kaguya's watching it, so I can't back down!" she declared.

"If I give up now, how can I call myself Kaguya's best friend?"

Hearing that, Kaguya was momentarily touched.

But when she saw Fujiwara clinging to Ren's arm like a frightened child, her entire body practically glued to his side that fleeting warmth disappeared without a trace.

Annoyance surged through her chest for reasons she couldn't quite explain.

***

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