บท 133: Chapter 133: Captain, the game is over
"Alright, I'll just take one item," Amamiya finally conceded, turning toward the treasure chest with a reluctant expression.
"I'll choose…"
Under the watchful gaze of Octopus Paul, Amamiya calmly inspected several items that could be taken out of the game, appearing to consider each one carefully. Then, with a decisive move, he reached out and picked up the pale heart that Hayasaka had found earlier.
"This one," Amamiya said, holding up the heart in his hand.
It was a sickly pale, bloodless heart, about the size of a fist, beating sluggishly. Its appearance was eerie and unsettling, radiating an aura of malevolence.
"Huh?" Umi blinked in surprise, momentarily confused, but refrained from questioning him further. While she didn't understand why Amamiya had chosen such a bizarre item, she instinctively trusted Amamiya's judgment in this situation.
Meanwhile, Hayasaka seemed to have a deeper understanding, her expression contemplative.
Could it be… the heart of Davy Jones?
——
[You've discovered Davy Jones true weakness.]
[You attempted to crush the heart but failed. After all, the heart is the strongest muscle in the human body.]
[Beware: As long as you hold the heart, Davy Jones will be able to sense its presence whenever he sees you.]
——
Octopus Paul's tentacles paused as he observed Amamiya. "Are you certain you want to choose that heart, human?"
Amamiya nodded firmly. "I'm sure."
"In that case, you are free to leave." Paul then pulled a stretchy pair of gym pants over his eyes and opened the door with his tentacles. He added as a parting warning, "The moment you leave this treasure room, it will know."
His peculiar logic was clear—if he couldn't see, no one could steal the treasure from under his nose.
Raising an eyebrow slightly in acknowledgment, Amamiya waved goodbye. "Farewell, Mr. Octopus."
Together, the group of four exited the room.
'Click.'
With a swipe of its tentacles, the treasure room's door slammed shut.
"Hah…" Umi exhaled a long breath of relief. "I felt like I was suffocating in there."
She turned to Amamiya, her large eyes brimming with curiosity. "Amamiya-kun, what are you planning to do with that heart?"
"Is it…" the petite Hayasaka venture a guess, her voice quiet, "the heart of the Ghost Captain?"
"Huh?"
"In the movies, the captain of the Flying Dutchman had his heart as his weakness," she whispered, her tone thoughtful.
"So that's it!" Umi said, striking a dramatic pose with her hand on her hip and her chin supported by her right hand.
Amamiya nodded, lifting the heart. "This is indeed the heart of the Ghost Captain, but it's shielded by dark magic. We can't destroy it with just our strength."
"Then what do we do?" Kitagawa asked.
Amamiya responded, "We put the Ghost Captain on trial, of course."
"Trial…?" Hayasaka's eyes suddenly widened, and a spark of realization flashed across her mind. "Anubis… scale… the ship's figurehead!"
"…"
A few moments later, the group reached the deck exit.
Amamiya peeked outside quietly. Standing there were the Ghost Captain and two other ghost players, all guarding the deck's exit. It was a simple yet highly effective tactic to block any escape.
"No way we can go up there."
"Nobody can step onto that deck unless they're invisible."
The three girls turned their gazes toward Amamiya expectantly.
Sighing once again, Amamiya muttered, "I miss Fujiwara-san."
If the pink-haired bubbly girl were here, there wouldn't be any need for this hesitation. She'd march straight up to the Ghost Captain, smack him across the face, and remind him how unforgiving the world can be.
"In that case… we'll have to rely on the same tactic again." Amamiya pinched the bridge of his nose, already formulating a plan. "Let's prepare."
Quietly, the three girls followed Amamiya as they made their way down the corridor. Soon, they arrived at a room that looked all too familiar.
"Eh?" Kitagawa Umi exclaimed in surprise. "Isn't this the room of that first female player we found?"
"It is," Amamiya confirmed as he pushed open the door and walked in. He then turned to Hayasaka and, without warning, said, "Take off your clothes."
Hayasaka stared at him speechlessly. "..."
Amamiya continued, "From this point on, our lives are in your hands."
Hayasaka was still speechless. "...?"
What does taking off clothes have to do with putting your lives in her hands? she wondered incredulously.
Amamiya then pulled out some paper and a pen. Items from the real world couldn't be stored in the in-game inventory, but objects obtained from blind boxes were fair game. Thankfully, there were plenty of useless things like paper and pens cluttering up the game backpack—random trash from blind boxes that, for once, would serve a purpose.
"Now, draw another heart," Amamiya instructed.
"…"
A short while later, they were ready.
Amamiya confidently picked up the pale heart and stepped out into the corridor.
Immediately, the ghost captain's eyes locked onto the heart in Amamiya's hand, his gaze narrowing.
"My heart!!"
He had actually managed to get his hands on it. The ghost captain had to admit, he had underestimated the human before him.
But now… there was no time for games.
In an instant, the ghost captain made up his mind: it was time to kill them all.
No more cat-and-mouse. No more games of hide-and-seek. He had to capture the remaining four humans—now!
Seeing the ghost captain charge after him, Amamiya turned and ran without a word.
"Hey, he's chasing me!" he shouted.
The sound of someone tumbling to the ground echoed through the corridor, mixed with a girl's cry of pain, as if someone had tripped and fallen.
When the ghost captain rounded the corner, he saw Amamiya bending over, lifting a girl dressed in black onto his back, and continuing to flee with two other girls.
"Foolish humans, carrying dead weight at a time like this," the captain sneered.
"One, two, three, four… all the mice are here."
A wicked grin spread across his face as he ordered two of his ghost crew to take a different route, preparing to cut off the group and corner them.
The game of hide-and-seek had officially turned into a chase.
Moments later, Amamiya and the three girls reached the lower deck of the ghost ship.
The ghost captain advanced, while the two ghost crew members flanked them from behind. With enemies in front and behind, there was no escape.
"Hah… hah… I can't run anymore…" Umi panted, leaning on her knees for support.
"Your stamina is terrible," Amamiya grumbled. "You should really start working out when we get back."
"What?" Umi puffed up her cheeks indignantly. "You've got more sweat on your forehead than I do."
"Yeah, but I'm carrying someone on my back," Amamiya countered, "so it's a bit different."
"…"
As the trio bickered, the ghost captain paused, a strange feeling creeping into his chest.
These humans… why weren't they terrified?
Something wasn't right.
A sense of foreboding washed over him, but he dismissed it and pressed forward.
Without wasting time on any more words, the ghost captain strode toward them. "Humans, the game is over."
Amamiya met his gaze with a calm nod. "You're right, Captain. The game is over."
With that, Amamiya gently lowered the girl from his back. As soon as he let go, she slumped against the wall, sliding down into a heap.
The ghost captain stopped in his tracks, staring at the girl in disbelief.
"That face…!"
Amamiya raised the cursed heart in his hand, his voice steady and final. "Captain, it's over."
With a swift motion, he crushed the cursed heart in his grip.
In the very next moment, a game prompt echoed in the ears of every surviving player:
[The Ghost Captain is dead.]
[Game Over.]
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