Global Sign-in: 10x Multiplier with the Strongest System!-Chapter 50: Hidden Story
Pierre couldn’t believe his eyes, and his lips trembled, as though he was about to burst into tears.
He imagined how many times he would’ve pushed through at the final stage, but never won at all. And if he ever began to search for the hidden stage, he would’ve swept and combed through every single thing from level one to ten, and still not found it.
Years could have passed, and he would still be stuck at level ten.
He smiled beautifully and said to the sky full of gratitude, "Thank you, Grandmaster!"
Roy grinned widely.
"Told you it’d be worth it. Now get on with this shit, let’s earn some rewards!"
Pierre acknowledged the message, and the ritual continued. The candles flickered, the scent of flowers and perfumes remained, but nothing else happened.
The rest of the club members didn’t feel a chill like Pierre did.
The glasses-wearing devil opened her eyes, as did the rest of the group, and Ayame broke off to turn on the lights.
A few seconds passed in awkward silence when Reina pushed up her glasses.
"Did anyone experience anything?"
[A: Remain silent.]
[B: No.]
[C: Yes. I think I felt something.]
’I don’t think I should make the main story interfere with this one right off the bat,’ Pierre thought and chose Option A.
Ayame and Choji shook their heads too, but Reina just smiled and asked in her usual creepy and meek tone, "Pierre-kun, what about you?"
[A: I didn’t feel anything.]
[B: I think I felt something strange.]
[C: Maybe we did it wrong?]
Pierre chose Option A.
Reina’s gaze seemed to linger on him, but she turned her gaze to the rest of the group and concluded that their attempt was a failure.
Ideas were brought up on how they should proceed; for example, finding more pinpointers for the red-gloved ghost or so. Oddly enough, though, Reina dismissed them all and said the investigation had ended, and the meeting as well.
The group of four walked together to the gate, with Pierre walking beside Reina, of course.
"Pierre-kun, are you sure you didn’t see, feel, or hear anything?" Reina suddenly asked him in a hushed tone.
The dialogue options appeared before him again, and he said, "Unfortunately, no. Is something wrong?"
"No. Nothing."
[-10 Affection.]
’What the? She knows I’m lying to her!’ Pierre screamed in thought.
He walked with Reina instead of going to investigate more about the weeping ghost, to make sure she didn’t lose affection for him, but she did, regardless.
He clicked his tongue when everything went dark. This was like a minor loading screen that meant he was asleep, but something odd happened this time.
He heard weeping!
The next morning, Pierre arose from his bed.
[You didn’t have a proper rest.]
[+20 Fatigue.]
"Tsk. Checks out," he voiced. After all, he was being haunted by the weeping ghost.
He got up from his bed and walked over to the wardrobe.
Opening the wardrobe without much thought, his eyes skimmed over the inner mirror, when he jumped in fright, cursed, and turned around.
But there was nothing behind him.
Roy just stood where he was, his mouth wide open, because although Pierre couldn’t see whatever he saw anymore in the mirror, Roy still could.
In fact, he saw the weeping ghost standing right there, hanging over Pierre. It was a tall creature, with long, dirty red gloves and a red gown, with straw-like black hair covering her entire face and cascading down her shoulders. The ghost’s skin was greyish blue, with black veins strewn across the visible skin.
Roy was standing at the edge of the room when he muttered with terror all over his face, "So I can see everything in his world, even a damn ghost."
He mustered up some courage and walked near it and tried to touch it, but as usual, his hand simply passed through.
"Heh. I am the ghost of ghosts."
Pierre scanned his room, a calmer expression now on his tired face. This was all far too scary, but he told himself it was for the greater good.
"And plus, the simulation isn’t real," he smiled lightly and opened his wardrobe again.
"OH FUCK!" Pierre screamed and turned again when he saw the ghost closer to him than before in the split second it was visible in the mirror.
"Give me my space, goddammit!"
With the rosary still on his neck, he opened the wardrobe and got dressed. The clothing style options only appeared at the start of a level.
Roy was curious about this ghost and watched Pierre walk to school. Of course, it followed closely behind him.
"The objectives are: Take her out on a date, make her fall in love with me, find out her final wish, and set her free," Pierre muttered. "How on earth do I take a ghost out on a date?"
Pierre contemplated his next course of action and formed a rudimentary plan. So far, the only other ’HARD’ story he had encountered was that of level 10; he already knew what that meant.
Roy switched the time dilation back.
[Day 17: On your way to school, you notice a shadow following you. You attempt to talk to it, but receive no response. During class, your classmates see something off about you and keep their distance.
Hanabira Reina worries about you because you look tired, but you tell her not to worry. You ask her how one could talk to a ghost, and Reina gives you the answer. She asks you about your experience during the ritual, and you lie, claiming that nothing happened.]
[-10 Affection.]
[...After school, you go to the Occult Club room and perform the ritual again. However, no matter the questions you ask, the ring on the yes-or-no cardboard stays in place.
Then, you sneak into the girls’ locker room and inspect the abandoned locker and place a colourful stone you collected, a flower, and a pair of scissors inside.]
[Day 18: You wake up tired. At school, Hanabira Reina asks you why you look so distraught, and you tell her it’s nothing and that you have just been having trouble sleeping. At recess, you treat her to her favourite snack.]
[+20 Fatigue, -1♡ +5 Affection.]
[...After school, you sneak back into the girls’ locker room and find that the flower has disappeared from the abandoned locker. You return to the clubroom and attempt to communicate with the ghost again, but there is still no response.]
[+10 Affection.]
[Day 19: You arrive at school, and Hanabira Reina mentions that she wants to show you something after school. Despite being a bit skeptical, you look forward to it.
After school, Reina takes you to the clubroom and suddenly places a paper talisman on your forehead and recites a chant...]
A panel appeared before Pierre.
> The target has been vanquished. <
[Hidden Story #1 — Failed.]
"FUCK!!!"
Pierre and Roy screamed in unison.
