Evil Avalon

Chapter 144 Escape Game

(TL:By Rafael,valhallatls.blogspot.com)

With a radiant smile like blooming flowers, Mikami engages in cheerful conversation. On the other hand, Sanada, though he responds to those who speak to him, is fundamentally taciturn, while Kuki, the host, sits silently drinking his liquor with his legs rudely crossed. As for Rokurogi, his sharp eyes faintly exude a murderous intent. What an uncomfortable space this is.

The four people sitting at this table are in relationships where they monitor each other, looking for any chance to outmaneuver and eliminate one another. There’s no way such individuals could engage in the kind of cheerful chatter that suits a party, even when gathered at the same table.

Amidst the heavy atmosphere, Kano, who had been interested in Sanada for some time, fidgets uneasily, while Chi-chan, wearing a white fox mask, stares intently at Kuki. Could it be that both of them have a preference for mature, charming men?

In any case, this table is the epicenter of potential information leaks, making it extremely dangerous. If there's no further business, it would be best to leave quickly. As I was considering notifying Kirara-chan with a quick “something’s come up,” Sanada’s wrist device began to blink faintly.

As everyone narrowed their eyes and focused their attention, Sanada held the device to his ear, maintaining his soft smile and nodding slightly a few times before ending the call in about ten seconds.

“Excuse me… I need to step out for a bit. Sorry, ladies, for not being able to talk much.”

After delivering a flamboyant wink to Kano and Chi-chan, Sanada flipped his blue robe dramatically and departed. Not to the restroom—if he received a call, he was likely going to meet with an agent of the Holy Empire waiting somewhere. In that case, the “Samurai” information leak event will take place here today, just as in the game.

Even so, I have no intention of informing Kirara-chan or Mikami about this. The information leak event is predetermined. If it doesn’t occur, the future will become unpredictable, which would only inconvenience me.

“Ah, Sanada-san left… I wanted to chat with him more!”

Seeing Kano puff her cheeks in disappointment so carelessly makes me want to chop her on the back of the head. But without my knowledge of the game, I, too, might have seen Sanada as a good-natured and personable young man. However, it’s almost certain that he’s betraying Colors. I haven’t told Kano or my mother anything about this incident, so I hope they won’t be too shocked.

Sanada, with a light step, entered the door marked for authorized personnel and disappeared from sight. At the same time, I noticed several staff members moving in the distance. Mikami must have signaled them in some way. As a key suspect among the Colors executives, there’s no way Mikami would relax his surveillance.

Then, Rokurogi addressed another Colors executive.

“…Kuki. I’ve heard you and Sanada don’t get along. Why did he accept your invitation?”

“Who knows? I don’t know why he came… But I’m more surprised that you showed up. You’re busy every day with guilds and clans. Were you that interested in the ‘big news’?”

Kuki, a staunch realist, and Sanada, who pursues ideals, have clashed countless times over Colors’ operational policies, leading to a hostile relationship. Yet Rokurogi, suspicious of why Sanada attended a party hosted by Kuki, receives a surprising reply—Kuki himself is astonished that Rokurogi is here.

(The ultimate weapon of the Adventurers’ Guild showing up—yeah, anyone would be shocked.)

The Adventurers’ Guild does not merely manage dungeons and adventurers; it also intervenes and mediates disputes between raid clans. This necessitates the kind of military power capable of fending off high-level adventurers. The pinnacle of that power is a woman named Shigure Rokurogi.

Despite her typically hectic schedule managing her clan, "The Ten Rakshasas," and fulfilling Guild duties, Kuki couldn’t help but wonder how she managed to find the time to attend this clan party.

Judging by Kuki’s demeanor, it might be inferred that he isn’t involved in the information leak. However, given his sharp intellect and expertise in deception, it’s easy to mistake his attitude as a bluff.

Now that Sanada has made his move, time is running short. It would be best to act quickly.

“(Kano, it’s about time we left.)”

“(Huh? But I wanted to look around a little more—wait, what!?)”

Suddenly struck by a strange sensation, I look around with Kano to figure out what just happened.

At first glance, nothing seems to have changed. However, the murmurs of the surrounding crowd sound sharper, my vision has become more acute, and my skin tingles with an electric sensation. My senses have heightened.

Chi-chan also seems to have noticed the change. She huddles close to her brother to figure out what’s going on, while Mikami and Kuki scan the area with their eyes. It’s the same sensation as entering a dungeon. In other words, this place is now filled with magic.

Most likely, the Holy Empire has activated a magic field artifact. While international law strictly regulates the creation of magic fields in public areas, they’ve brazenly deployed one in plain view. It’s enough to make you want to lecture them on the concepts of restraint and consideration.

Some guests have risen to their feet in alarm, while others hastily strengthen their security. Magic field activation typically signals impending combat, so their caution is understandable. Adding to the tension, a screen switches on at an inconvenient moment, further inflating the already tense atmosphere.

With a sense of dread, I glance at the screen, expecting some kind of criminal declaration. Instead, a young Western man wearing a tuxedo and bow tie appears. Smiling amiably, he waves lightly and begins speaking in a lively tone.

“Good day, ladies and gentlemen! It’s time to play a game! Please pay attention—here are the rules!”

The man in the tuxedo twists his upper body dramatically to point at the board behind him, which displays the game rules.

Initially, I assumed the “show” scheduled after the meal would be some kind of performance, but apparently, it’s a “game.” What’s more, the meal was supposed to last another 30 minutes. Why was this event moved up so suddenly?

Regardless, given that this area has become a magic field, it’s clear there isn’t much time left before the "Samurai" information leak incident occurs. According to the Dungeon Explorer (DunEx) scenario, no combat should break out, but leaving promptly would still be wise to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Despite my concerns, the man in the tuxedo continues his explanation unabated.

“Now then, everyone, you will participate in an ‘escape game.’ Key areas will have ‘demons,’ so you’ll need to outwit or defeat them to progress.”

Objective: Escape from the building.

Elevators: Not available for use.

Obstacles: “Demons” are placed at key locations, and players must either defeat or evade them to proceed.

From the rules, it seems to be an event where the guests actively participate. The goal is to escape from the building, but since the elevator is off-limits, we’ll have to descend via the stairs.

The problem is that this building has 53 floors. Even if we descend the stairs, the sheer number of floors presents a daunting challenge. Furthermore, with “demons” stationed along the way, it’s unlikely we can simply descend in a straight line. We’ll probably have to climb up and down. The staircases don’t provide much visibility, either, making this game anything but enjoyable. What even are these “demons”?

Since the magic field is active, I can make use of my physical enhancements, which helps somewhat. However, for those without level-boosted capabilities, this will be a grueling ordeal. A glance at the surrounding guests confirms my suspicions—most are visibly displeased.

“I have no intention of participating in such nonsense. What’s the meaning of this, Kinrankai?”

“With this dress, I can’t possibly go down the stairs…”

“I was looking forward to the show, only for it to turn into an escape game? How disappointing.”

Amidst the uproar of complaints such as, "What's going on, Kinkuran-kai?" and "This dress isn't made for stairs!", one thing became clear—this was not a plan orchestrated by Kinkuran-kai. After all, even their host, Kuki, was angrily yelling into a phone, his face twisted in frustration. This suggested that the Holy Empire had acted independently.

The man on the screen, who seemed to be watching the room’s reactions, deepened his smile at the predictable outcry, nodding exaggeratedly several times. Then, pointing theatrically at his wristwatch, he dropped a bombshell.

"—Just so you know, this building will completely vanish without a trace in one hour, precisely at 8:00 PM. Best of luck to you all… heh heh heh..."

As the man ended his statement with a grandiose bow and the screen cut off abruptly, the entire room erupted in angry shouts. I wanted answers, too. What could the Holy Empire possibly gain from pulling a stunt like this?

When the man said "vanish without a trace," was that meant to be taken literally? In the game version of the Kinkuran-kai clan party, not a single life was lost, and the building certainly hadn’t disappeared. Everything had wrapped up without incident, with the "Samurai" intelligence leak only becoming known after the event had concluded. It seemed unlikely this level of drama had secretly occurred even in the game.

"Explain, Kuki. What was that broadcast all about?"
"Damn it! I can’t reach Kirigaya at all… Hey! You lot!"

Kuki, visibly rattled, barked out orders to his nearby Kinkuran-kai members, commanding them to assess the situation and locate Kirigaya. Meanwhile, Mikami had his hand to his right ear, likely trying to communicate with the Kunoichi Red agents he had stationed in the room. It seemed that he, too, was attempting to gather intelligence, though I suspected any results would disappoint.

Indeed, Mikami's cheerful demeanor from earlier vanished, replaced by the impassive, mask-like expression he wore as he took in the circumstances.

"It seems there's a communication jamming. We can't connect with our staff or to anyone outside the building."

The communication issue wasn't limited to the agents tailing Sanada (Kunoichi Red); it extended to all external contact.

Unlike the world I originally came from, this world’s communication systems don't rely on radio waves but instead use faint magic pulses emitted by a small mana stone embedded in wrist devices. For such a system to be jammed, a magical technique of some kind must be at play. A magic item—or perhaps a large-scale magic circle—seemed likely, but with so little information available, I couldn’t be sure.

"Not only can we not call for help, but we now have a one-hour time limit. I suggest we move quickly. Kuki-sama, do you have any idea who might be responsible?"

The man on the screen might not have been telling the truth, but if the building really were to vanish, the scale of destruction would be catastrophic. Mikami was right—if we were to act, we needed to act soon. When pressed about the identity of their adversary, Kuki exhaled heavily, clearly reluctant but seemingly resigned to share his suspicions.

"Yeah… It’s probably the Holy Empire. Kirigaya introduced me to them. Their organizational scale and influence over adventurers worldwide were more than adequate. I didn’t trust them from the start, but… well, I guess I got double-crossed."

Kuki explained that to profit from the massive earnings of the teleportation devices, it was necessary to work with a large-scale global organization. However, such organizations were few, and extortionate demands were to be expected. While gathering intel to select a partner, Kirigaya had reportedly come forward with favorable terms.

At the table, speculation began that "Kirigaya might be the mastermind, with the Holy Empire pulling the strings in the background." However, based on my knowledge as a player, I suspected otherwise. The Holy Empire likely had a direct connection to Sanada, while Kirigaya was merely acting on borrowed advice. Still, there was no way for me to point this out without it appearing unnatural, so I stayed silent.

"We’ll deal with that brat Kirigaya later. For now, any ideas about this building’s ‘disappearance’? Is it explosives, magic? How’s the security?"
"There are dozens of young members stationed on the floors above and below this one, but… as you can see, no one can reach them."

Kuki gestured to his wrist device, indicating the total communication blackout. This separation was proving to be a significant obstacle.

As the moments ticked by, more members of the Kinkuran-kai and staff began gathering around Kuki and Mikami, whispering reports into their ears. Meanwhile, Rokurogi persistently asked, "Any developments?" and "What’s the current situation?"—only to be met with repeated confirmations that, due to the communication jamming, they remained in the dark.

And then, amidst the chaos, Kuki gave a curt nod and excused himself abruptly.

"Well then… Excuse me."

Kuki furrowed his brow deeply as he stood, issuing instructions to the Kinrankai members to continue gathering information and guiding the guests to safety. At the same time, he raised his voice, preparing them for possible combat with the Holy Empire. The venue was in chaos. While it was unlikely he could completely restore order, his abilities as a clan leader were something to be counted on.

(Alright… I should get moving… What a pain.)

What exactly was the Holy Empire aiming for? Were they really planning to destroy this entire building? Rather than leaving this investigation to Kinrankai, it seemed more logical for me, someone with game knowledge and the ability to anticipate their moves, to take action myself.

In truth, Kano and I could escape on our own if we wanted to, but letting Kirara or the Mamiya siblings get caught up in this and possibly die could have unpredictable consequences for the game’s story—and honestly, it would weigh too heavily on my conscience. The worst-case scenario must be avoided at all costs.

Still, it’s hard to believe an event this chaotic could have occurred in the game without me noticing.

In the game, I already knew that information about Samurai would leak, and I could even imagine the method.

The sequence was as follows: magical power secretly harvested from the guests at this event would activate a magic circle, temporarily disabling the "contract magic" carved into Sanada, allowing the information to be extracted.

The clan party would then end without anyone realizing the information had been stolen, only for the repercussions to unfold days later. That was the extent of what happened in the game’s storyline—or so I thought.

But now, here we are, dragged into this escape game scenario that’s throwing everyone into confusion. If something like this had happened in Dungeon X, it surely would have been reported as a major incident. This entire situation might already be diverging significantly from the game’s storyline.

If possible, I’d like to figure out why—but my top priority is identifying the nature of the "something" that threatens to obliterate this skyscraper. What could it be?

If they genuinely intend to destroy the building, it would require either an extremely high-level magic or a massive magic circle. The former is likely beyond the capabilities of even a Cardinal, which leaves the latter as the most probable option. While the possibility of bombs cannot be entirely ruled out, it seems unlikely. The Holy Empire, which preaches adventurer supremacy, would hardly rely on modern weaponry, so this theory can likely be dismissed.

That leaves us to figure out where a massive magic circle might be.

Such a structure would need a space as large as this event hall. The only other area of comparable size is the ground-floor entrance hall. However, I passed through there earlier and saw no sign of such a circle—nor would anyone else have missed something so obvious.

So, does that mean we can eliminate the possibility of a giant magic circle? Not necessarily. There’s still one other location where it could be drawn: the rooftop. By sealing off the stairway, it would be possible to restrict access, draw the circle without being seen, and activate it easily. If there’s a magic circle, that’s the most likely spot.

Time to move, then.

(Kano, don’t stray from Kusunoki-senpai’s side. If the worst happens, pour all your magic into the escape item I gave you. Got it?)
(You mean this flat stone, right? But what about you, onii?)
(I’ll scout ahead. There’s probably a magic circle somewhere. I’ll join you as soon as I’m done.)
(Okay, I understand.)

Kano nodded firmly, making a small fist for encouragement. I was relieved she didn’t insist on following me. With Rokurogi and Mikami nearby, she should be relatively safe. Still, I made sure to remind her once more to use the escape item if things got dangerous.

Before leaving, I also spoke briefly to Kirara, who was our designated chaperone.

(Kusunoki-senpai, can I leave Kano in your care for a bit? I need to step away.)
(Are you planning to move on your own?)
(…Bathroom break.)

Though I tried to brush it off casually, Kirara narrowed her eyes, clearly suspicious of my true intentions. But there wasn’t time to worry about that.

The building’s layout data had been shared earlier, so navigating with my wrist terminal should prevent me from getting lost. My first move would be to check the "Authorized Personnel Only" door Sanada had gone through earlier. It should lead to a staircase accessing the rooftop.

When I opened the door, stepping out of the noisy hall, I found myself enveloped in silence. From this point forward, I had to be prepared for the possibility of encountering agents from the Holy Empire.

(Magic Sense.)

I placed my hand on the floor and activated Magic Sense, a detection skill I’d acquired for evasion but never expected to use for infiltration. With this, I could sense magical power clearly within a radius of several dozen meters.

That’s how I sensed it—the presence of someone directly behind me.

(Let’s get going, shall we? Remind me, what was your name?)

I turned to see a man standing tall, looking down at me. He wore a black fox mask and traditional hakama attire.

TL Note- I have two exams of three hours tomorrow, wish me luck.....

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