This Japanese Monogatari Isn't Lame
Chapter 366 - 259. Dream (4000 words)

Had Shen Gu Mirai not heard Nakano Youko mention Akisai Ikki, she might have continued using a placeholder like "Student A" to describe it.

Undoubtedly, this was a very strange occurrence.

The incident involving Akisai Ikki had, at the time, been a serious case of accidental death, and it wasn’t just the students at Ochasaki Middle School who knew about it—even students from surrounding schools were aware.

After all, the news from that time should still be available online.

"But I’ve forgotten it," Shen Gu Mirai muttered to herself.

What on earth had happened?

A few people exchanged some information about what happened after the Four Corners Spirit Calling Game, but they didn’t gain any new insights.

"Ah... is there really no way?" Nakano Youko hung her head and let out a sigh of helplessness, "We should have done nothing after playing the game, right? Could it be that the incidents with Sato and Mr. Akisai were truly just accidents?"

Her words fell into the air, but there was no response from Beichuan Si or Shen Gu Mirai.

Unable to help herself, Nakano Youko mustered her spirit again and looked towards Beichuan Si and Shen Gu Mirai, "Hey, Shen Gu and Beichuan—"

Her words were stuck in her throat, unspoken.

The space before her was empty.

Nothing at all.

What was going on?!

Nakano Youko stood up from the sofa, her face turning pale as she looked around.

"Where is everyone?!"

This was not right, not right at all!

This was the time when the department store was most crowded, and even if Beichuan Si and Shen Gu Mirai had left without her knowing, the entire family restaurant shouldn’t be completely deserted!

An uneasy atmosphere permeated the air.

Cold and fear crept silently up Nakano Youko’s spine.

What exactly was going on?

Nakano Youko’s face was ghostly pale as she scanned the area, her legs growing weak as she tried to leave this place.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Several doors of the family restaurant shut forcefully, as if invisible hands had slammed them ferociously!

"What is going on, what’s happening? Is this some kind of prank reality show?! Hey!" Nakano Youko rushed to the doors, desperately pounding on the glass.

Bang bang bang! Bang bang bang! Bang bang bang!

Tears and snot mixed in with her growing panic as she kept knocking, hitting, even taking a bench to smash against the glass doors.

But her actions were completely futile.

All around was deathly quiet, as if the whole world had forgotten this place.

Nakano Youko cried and shouted.

But her struggle was entirely in vain.

First the doors, then the lights.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The bright incandescent lights started to go out one by one, from afar to nearby, leaving her area plunged into darkness.

However, the most frightening thing for Nakano Youko was that once the lights went out, the area was swallowed up by total darkness and she could no longer see what was in there.

Nakano Youko struggled to her feet, feeling incredibly heavy.

Darkness spread.

Before she realized it, even the outside of the family restaurant in the department store had been completely devoured by darkness.

Nakano Youko’s face was tinged with blue, her body curled up, her eyes fixed on the darkness.

She could feel that there was something there... something watching her.

She grew heavier and heavier... and it seemed like her body temperature was also dropping.

The darkness, moving at the same pace as the extinguishing lights, came closer and closer, creeping towards her slowly... as if it were maggots nibbling at her flesh.

Clang!

The last bank of incandescent lights went out.

Above Nakano Youko’s head, only the last little light remained.

Around her was darkness that could not be seen or touched.

She bit her teeth together, her legs trembling as if she were having a seizure.

Jing...

A silencing stillness beyond expectation...

In this place, no sounds from the outside world could be heard, and endless pain and unease spread...

So heavy... growing heavier...

Nakano Youko felt as if a huge mountain was pressing down on her back.

Pat.

Heavy footsteps started behind her.

Immediately, Nakano Youko spun her head around to look.

But as she turned, the deathly footsteps reappeared behind her.

Her face filled with panic, she turned again.

Emptiness.

She couldn’t see anything in the darkness, nor did she know where it would come from.

Pat, pat pat pat, pat pat pat pat!!!!

The footsteps became frantic and heavy!

This time, they didn’t come from behind, but from in front of Nakano Youko!

Nakano Youko’s scalp tingled as her eyes widened!

Bang!!!!

The hurried footsteps stopped.

Right in front of her!

Nakano Youko stumbled backward in terror.

Pat.

Something rested on her shoulder.

Nakano Youko couldn’t help but lower her head.

There was a vague figure.

A pitch-black shadow swayed under the light.

And Nakano Youko’s eyes widened.

There was something behind her!

Her own shadow couldn’t be so bloated, nor could it stretch so long!

Chills ran down her spine!

She looked back instinctively.

It was a woman.

A woman nearly three meters tall, with pallid greenish skin, the Faceless Woman.

At that moment, she was pressing her slender, pale, and long hands on Nakano Youko’s shoulders.

Firmly pressing down on her shoulders...

Struggling to muster a smile, Nakano Youko managed a faint grin.