Chapter 2: Kaguya-san, Can You Be a Little More Promising?

Amamiya stared in surprise at the words floating above the giant snake's head.

'Was this a game hint?'

As he focused, more words began to appear:

[Name: Greedy Snake] 

[Level: LV2] 

[Status: Happy, Evolving] 

[Note: A snake that doesn't aim to break the dimensional wall isn't a good snake.]

"...So it really is a snake!" Amamiya thought aloud, his confusion and earlier doubts starting to clear up. 

No wonder this creature's tail was as thick as its body, completely ignoring the principles of biological evolution—it wasn't a real, living creature!

"Amamiya-san, what did you just say?" a cold, emotionless voice reached his ears. It was Kaguya Shinomiya.

"I said it's a Greedy Snake," Amamiya replied, turning towards the stoic girl beside him. "Can't you see the words above its head?"

"Hmm?" Kaguya frowned as she stared at the snake slithering across the room. "No... are you so terrified that you're spouting nonsense?"

But Amamiya knew he wasn't hallucinating. He could clearly see the words, not only above the snake, but also floating above Kaguya's head:

'So scary, so scary, so scary (>_<)' < p>

'I hate snakes the most. It's so big it could swallow us whole!' 

[Status: Trembling]

Amamiya sighed internally. She's totally lying.

He had been silently admiring her calm, thinking she was unshaken even in this strange and dangerous situation. Turns out, it was just an act—she was terrified!

Another line of text appeared in his view: 

[Note: This player's morale is low. Her courage, speed, and reaction times are reduced. To improve her morale, offer support or motivational words.]

[Suggestion: "...Shinomiya-san, can you be a little more promising?"]

Suppressing the urge to comment, Amamiya instead explained, "This snake isn't a real creature, it's from a video game. Look closely—its body moves in a straight line. No snake moves like that; real ones always twist and curve."

Kaguya's eyes narrowed as she analyzed the creature. "That's true. Snakes usually move in an S-shape due to the structure of their bodies... This doesn't follow any biological norms."

After a pause, she asked, "What exactly is 'Greedy Snake'?"

"You've never played it?" Amamiya asked, genuinely surprised.

"No," she replied flatly.

Amamiya stared at her, stunned. Has she been living under a rock?

Noticing his incredulous expression, Kaguya's voice turned cold. "Games are just a means for ordinary people to waste their time and energy. In the Shinomiya family, there's no need for such trivialities."

"Games are considered the ninth art! You shouldn't belittle them just because you've never played them. Apologize to gamers around the world!" Amamiya couldn't resist throwing in a sarcastic remark. "Anyway, 'Greedy Snake' is a simple electronic game from the last century. You control a snake that constantly eats food, and as it eats, it grows longer."

Amamiya's tone grew serious as he added, "If we don't act, this greedy snake will keep growing until it fills the entire room by the time 30 minutes are up."

Kaguya gazed at the snake silently, her face betraying no emotion. "...Do you have a plan?"

Amamiya nodded. "In the game, if the snake's head touches its own body, it will eat itself, and the game ends."

"So we need to make the snake's head collide with its body?"

"Exactly," Amamiya confirmed. "That's the only way to pass the game."

As they spoke, the Greedy Snake began moving toward them, growing noticeably larger. Its speed had also increased, making it harder to dodge.

"Run!" Amamiya shouted. "To the corner, over there!"

The two dashed toward an empty section of the room, away from the glowing orbs that seemed to act as the snake's "food." The Greedy Snake pursued them relentlessly, now much faster than before.

In her haste, Kaguya, wearing a pair of soft slippers, lost her balance. She tripped, nearly falling to the ground, while the enormous snake loomed closer, its towering body casting a shadow over her.

Her face paled with fear. Even the "Ice Princess" couldn't remain calm in such a moment.

Without thinking, Amamiya pushed her aside and leapt away himself. The Greedy Snake slithered between them, its target momentarily unclear. The nearby orbs were all gone, leaving the snake to choose between them.

Suddenly, Amamiya realized something: the snake had curled into a semicircle.

"Grab the leash!" Amamiya tossed the leash he still held toward Kaguya. "When I give the signal, pull me over."

Kaguya bit her lip, nodding as she clutched the leash tightly.

They waited in tense silence. The snake's enormous body coiled back toward Amamiya, its head closing in on him.

"Now! Pull me!" Amamiya yelled.

There was a tug on the leash, but it wasn't enough. 

Amamiya quickly shouted, "Shinomiya-san, can you be a little more promising? Didn't you eat?!"

"…!"

The strength on the leash suddenly increased, pulling Amamiya across the snake's body just as it lunged toward him.

"Thank you," Amamiya exhaled in relief as he scrambled to his feet. The motivational technique had worked, and Kaguya had responded immediately.

A loud 'bang' echoed as the snake collided with its own body, and its entire form turned to stone.

[Game Completed]

A cold, mechanical voice echoed in their minds.

Amamiya blinked, and suddenly, the strange room was gone. He was back on the street outside his house. His Akita dog was sitting obediently in front of him, wagging its tail.

"...Did I just return?" Amamiya murmured, rubbing his temples. Was it reality, or was it all a dream?

Just then, a message flashed in his vision:

[Reward: The Truth of the World] 

[You've earned 10 game coins.] 

[Game Store now open.]

"A store, huh?" Amamiya was intrigued, ready to explore, when his dog's bark pulled him back to the present.

"Woof, woof!"

The Akita barked toward a tired office worker passing by. Amamiya glanced at the man, ready to dismiss the moment—until he noticed something eerie.

A dark, twisting fog was wrapped around the office worker's body.