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

Chapter 55: The Prelude Beneath the Rain Begins to Play

Confessing to Shijo Maki and causing her to run away was just a small mishap before everything truly began.

The light outside the window dimmed, brightened, fell into darkness, and brightened once more.

The second day passed quickly, as though time itself was accelerating, and before long, it arrived.

"Well, is everyone ready? This time, when we go out, we either leave this apartment alive or die along the way. There's no other option."

Takahashi Takakai stood in the living room of 206, looking at Kaguya and Maki, along with Sun Dajun, Green, Maeda Miwa, who all seemed tense, and Mameir, who looked as excited as a grade-schooler heading on a field trip. Waving his hand, he spoke seriously.

"Let's go. Now isn't the time for hesitation."

Kaguya coldly responded, taking the lead and moving forward.

"...Alright."

Shijo Maki responded softly, not daring to look back at Takakai. She lowered her head and followed Kaguya, beginning to move.

"Do we really have to follow them..."

Green trembled slightly. Initially, he thought this time would be like before, where staying back at the rear was enough. But Takakai's single statement—"Everyone must go"—had decided that all the survivors on the second floor had to act together.

"The main reason is that we really can't stay on the second floor anymore..."

Sun Dajun somewhat understood the decision. He looked down at the now damp floor, unable to hide the unease on his face.

The state of the apartment was worsening.

Ever since the doll, which carried a fragment of the core anomaly of the horror story, was taken from Room 304, the condition of the entire apartment had steadily deteriorated.

The once-safe walls on the second floor began to sprout moss, water dripped from the ceilings, and the floors started forming dirty puddles, as though the building was rewinding to a moment in its past—returning to the apartment's worst state.

Staying on the second floor was no longer an option.

In no time, Shirakawa Apartment's second floor would become an entirely dangerous zone of unknown severity. Therefore, this operation couldn't leave logistics personnel behind as before. Everyone had to ascend to the third floor. Only upon reaching it could they secure a safe spot for those unable to continue exploring.

Stepping out the door and into the stairwell, the air was immediately filled with an unbearable stench.

Most people there didn't know what the smell was, only that it was deeply unpleasant. But Green frowned deeply because he knew full well it was the stench of rotting corpses.

Moreover, it was unmistakably the smell of human remains.

Takakai also knew where the smell originated.

On this floor, the stench wasn't strong enough to induce nausea.

But as they filed up the stairs, entered the third floor, and approached the distorted, bizarre area, the foul smell immediately became more prominent.

"Why does it smell so bad? Ugh, it's horrible..."

Shijo Maki couldn't endure it anymore, feeling as though she might vomit on the spot.

"Don't throw up. Don't make too much noise. Stay quiet."

Kaguya, leading the group, also frowned deeply but quickly turned back and reminded Sun Dajun and the others in a low voice.

Sun Dajun, who had been on the verge of gagging, tried his best to hold back after hearing this. Green and Maeda Miwa, meanwhile, maintained composed expressions—but for different reasons. Green reluctantly managed to adapt to the smell, while Maeda, having inhaled strong stimulants before, had a damaged sense of smell and couldn't detect the odor at all.

"Oh, man, this place is really messed up."

The black guy, Mameir, initially brimming with enthusiasm, swallowed hard when he finally set foot on the third floor. Facing the surreal scene before him, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of fear.

The third floor was no longer the same.

Takahashi Takakai scanned the area, observing the damp surroundings and recognizing how much this place had changed.

All the walls were in a near-collapsed state, soaked through like the roof of a poorly waterproofed building battered by heavy rain. Large patches of paint peeled away, exposing the damp bricks beneath.

Water covered the floor, spreading chaotically in every direction.

The "children" had vanished.

The sound of footsteps was gone as well.

The third floor of Shirakawa Apartment had shifted from a state of "normalcy" to complete abnormality. All the experience Takakai and the others had accumulated while exploring this floor was now utterly useless, unable to address the current situation.

Still, at least for now, they hadn't encountered anything that could threaten their lives.

"Maki-san, try using the key first."

Takakai quickly located a nearby door leaning against a distorted wall and spoke to Shijo Maki.

"Understood."

Although Takakai's earlier actions had caused her heart to race, Shijo Maki knew how to prioritize when it came to critical moments. She quickly set aside her personal feelings, stepped up to the door, and pulled out the red key.

The blood key, obtained from Old Guo, a seasoned player, was an Obsession believed to unlock any door. It could lead to where the user intended or, alternatively, lure something dangerous toward them.

It was a double-edged sword, so as Maki used it, Takakai and Kaguya stayed on high alert, vigilantly watching for anything that might be drawn to them.

Click.

The key turned smoothly in the lock, and the door opened shortly after.

Behind the door was a small, damp living room, with water dripping constantly. The windows were sealed shut, and the kitchen door was tightly closed. The door Shijo Maki had just opened served as the entrance to this living room.

"No issues. Everyone, come inside."

Takakai entered first, scanning the area. After confirming nothing was amiss, he gestured for the others to follow. Shijo Maki was the last to enter, carefully closing the door, removing the key, and locking it.

When Maki reopened the door, the distorted area outside was still visible but clearly different from the section they had just left.

"For now, nothing seems to have been lured here. It's probably safe."

After observing the area outside for a moment, Shijo Maki turned and reported to the others.

"Good. Let's get started. Those staying behind should remain here and don't forget the agreed-upon signal. Maki-san, Shinomiya-san, let's go."

Takakai nodded slightly and began stepping out the door.

Using the blood key to unlock a door that led to a "safe area near Room 309," Takakai left Sun Dajun, Green, Mameir, and Maeda Miwa—those whose skills were unsuited for exploration—in this safe zone as the reserve group. Meanwhile, Takakai, Shinomiya Kaguya, and Shijo Maki took on the task of exploring and locating Room 309, the room hidden within this endless distorted space.

At least for now, the plan had yet to encounter any significant problems.

If there was any issue, it was Mameir's apparent desire to join the exploration. However, at such a critical life-or-death juncture, so close to the endgame, Takakai couldn't place his trust in someone they hadn't interacted with much. Thus, he insisted Mameir stay behind.

After closing the door, Takakai turned around, gazing at the distorted, labyrinth-like walls and the fragmented, indistinguishable pieces of furniture scattered around.

So far, nothing unusual had appeared—no attacks, no strange phenomena.

This place was simply engulfed in silence.

The entire third floor had descended into a deathly quiet. That was all.

What exactly was the cause of this change?

"It's pouring so hard. Who would stay in this leaky place? Let's go, spend some time at grandma's house to avoid the rain."

"Speaking of which, what's going on with Room 304? It stinks—did the toilet break?"

"What does that have to do with us? Don't bother with them; they're not worth our concern!"

As these thoughts crossed his mind, Takakai seemed to hear faint mutterings, accompanied by the sound of footsteps fading into the distance.

Perhaps the third floor, being the top floor, had suffered from severe leaks during heavy rain, prompting many residents to temporarily move out?

As Takakai slowly walked forward, he began hearing more sounds as he ventured deeper into the distorted space: scolding voices from inside homes, the ceaseless dripping of water from the ceiling, soaking everything.

Everyone was in hiding.

Each person was lurking.

"They" wouldn't reveal themselves easily or move in the rain unless...

While walking alongside him, Kaguya approached a relatively dry area, oddly untouched by the dripping water.

The moment she was about to step onto the dry patch, Takakai quickly reached out, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Kaguya stopped abruptly. Her shoe, just brushing the edge of the dry area, suddenly cracked into small fractures.

"Stay away from any dry spots without water. The 'things' on the third floor haven't disappeared—they're hiding. They're avoiding the water, so any dry area might be concealing them."

As he pulled Kaguya back, Takakai carefully explained. His eyes remained fixed on the dry patch, filled with concern.

He couldn't discern anything strange about the area.

If not for the heavy curse weighing on him—occasionally allowing him to glimpse illusions of the past and devise ways to respond—he wouldn't have been able to stop Kaguya in time.

"So, does that mean the new rule of the third floor is that only areas with water are safe?"

Maki frowned as she looked at Kaguya's cracked shoes and whispered.

"Not exactly."

Takakai shook his head, his gaze shifting forward with a helpless expression.

"Huh?"

Before Maki could press further, Takakai pulled her behind a cracked wall. Kaguya, reacting instantly, crouched beside them.

Splash... splash...

The sound of footsteps sloshing through water echoed, passing by the spot where the three had just been standing.

A faint, fragile voice—like that of a woman—broke the silence:

"Did a rat get into the house again?"