[Card Draw Round]
[You drew the: Poker-Face Hero — Kakashi]
[You used the ultimate ninjutsu: Thousand Years of Death]
[The opponent has been defeated]
Facts proved that neither human nor ghost was immune to the Thousand Years of Death.
The vengeful spirit ambushed by Amamiya Natsuki convulsed violently, then crackled as a burst of black lightning engulfed its body. With a final flicker, it disintegrated into ash and scattered on the wind.
"Thank you, Amamiya-san."
Fujiwara Chika let out a breath of relief, her voice full of gratitude. Her body was frozen in place, but she could still speak.
Natsuki said nothing—he only nodded lightly and kept his eyes fixed on the tumbler.
A few moments later, the tumbler slowly rotated again, the eerie lullaby of the underworld resuming as if nothing had happened.
The game continued.
Natsuki turned to look at the calm-faced Shinomiya Kaguya beside him. Despite her composed exterior, the words floating above her head constantly changed: so scary, so scary, so scary...
He leaned in slightly and lowered his voice:
"Shinomiya-san. Hold on a second."
"Mm?"
She turned her head toward him, her expression placid, not even a flutter of her lashes. Anyone else would praise her as "Ice Princess Kaguya" without hesitation. Unfortunately for her, Amamiya Natsuki could see through that frozen façade with a single glance.
He didn't waste time.
He stepped beside her, leaned close to her pale and flawless cheek, and whispered, "I have something to tell you."
Kaguya instinctively flinched, but paused at his words. She suppressed her reflex to dodge, standing tall.
"If I stop moving, you stop too. Don't get greedy. Don't act on impulse." He glanced past her and added in a lower voice, "Let Fujiwara-san know too."
After all, they were classmates. He couldn't just watch them get eliminated. If he could help—even a little—he would.
Warm breath brushed her ear. Kaguya had never been this close to a boy before. Her first reaction was to recoil, but years of strict etiquette training held her back. Her face remained still, her tone cold as ever:
"I understand."
Natsuki nodded, pulled away, and took a quick glance at the words floating above her head again.
They had changed.
Too close, too close, too close…
So much for the Ice Princess... Her face may be calm, but her thoughts are loud.
The game continued.
Everything had been progressing smoothly—until halfway through, when Amamiya Natsuki noticed he was being targeted again.
A vengeful female spirit was now stalking him.
She wore a blood-soaked sailor uniform, the crimson stains long dried and dark. Her waist-length hair hung like a curtain of dead grass—dry, brittle, and lifeless.
Natsuki's heart tightened.
He immediately looked to Fujiwara Chika and began a countdown:
"Three... two... one..."
"Hiya!"
With a sudden motion, Fujiwara Chika dropped to one knee behind the ghost girl, mimicking Natsuki's earlier pose exactly.
"You should follow the rules in games. Bullying people is wrong."
Her expression was unusually stern as she formed a hand seal.
Shu-faced Hero — Jiraiya, summoned.
"So... I'm really sorry!"
The ghost exploded into ashes.
"..."
Natsuki looked at her, impressed.
"Not bad. Well done."
He'd honestly thought Fujiwara Chika wouldn't have the guts—but she was surprisingly sharp and decisive when it counted.
"Thanks for the compliment!" Chika beamed. "Now we're even! I can use Thousand Years of Death too. I used to do it with Kaguya all the time—"
Natsuki blinked.
You've done that with her?!
Who's the top and who's the bottom?!
"I didn't!"
Kaguya's face flushed faintly as she bit her lower lip.
"Amamiya-san, please don't get the wrong idea."
Fujiwara Chika cheerfully explained, "We read Naruto together! That's how we learned about it. It was such a funny scene, but Kaguya didn't laugh at all... Huh? Kaguya, what's wrong?"
Her tone shifted suddenly.
Natsuki turned toward Kaguya.
The ice sculpture girl's lips parted slightly, her face pale and a little dazed.
"A-choo—"
She frowned. "My nose is… itchy."
Oh no.
A sneeze involved dozens of muscle groups. Even a tiny involuntary movement could result in elimination.
"Amamiya-san!" Chika looked at him urgently.
Natsuki frowned and started to count. "Three..."
"I've got it!" Chika let out a little cry of inspiration.
Before anyone could stop her, she lunged forward and hugged Shinomiya Kaguya from behind. Then, the two girls ducked behind Amamiya Natsuki in perfect sync.
"Kaguya-brand... Sandwich Cookies!"