Kuro and Hibiki arrived back to the library. Inside they were both greeted by Nora and Koutarou.

Koutarou: Thank Goodness you both are safe...

Koga: Likewise...

Kuro: Barely...

Nora: I see that encountering spirits from.the last two games haven't been pleasant. So we'll jump to the case. All other thoughts aside.

Shiomi then came right behind them as she got an good look at Kuro.

Kuro: You must be Shiomi.

Shiomi nodded before bowing a bit.

Shiomi: Nice to meet you two, Kuro-san. I heard so many things about you from Hibiki-kun.

Kuro: Oh. So I'm a celebrity then.

Koga: *Rolls his eyes* Don't push your luck. Anyway. What you guys wanted to tell us.

Shiomi: I may have cracked the code to the secret library.

Kuro's eyes went wide in shock. Only for short amount of time.

Kuro: Really?!

Shiomi nodded.

Nora: With Shiomi's help...Now we can be able to find key information about the Aishiteru Family. This school seems to horde of history of them.

Koutarou: But first...before we do that.
Kuro-kun...I need to tell you that Shouta-kun is here.

Kuro: ?!

Shouta is here?! But wasn't he supposed to be in the infirmary.

Koga: Wait what?!!

Both boys looked behind them to see Shouta in the infirmary bed, still knocked out from current events.

Koutarou: Uh...Your friend...Kiyoshi...I think was his name. Took him here. Somehow placed the infirmary bed inside the library...I don't know how he did that but I didn't bother to question as Shouta-kun's life was at risk.

Kuro:....Is he okay?

Koutarou: He's okay for now...just paralyzed from a spider bite and is passed out.

Kuro: Phew...(That's a relief...)

But wait...Where is Kiyoshi?

Kuro; Where did he go?

Koutarou: We don't know. He dropped Shouta here and told me to take care of him....then he left...telling me the infirmary was dangerous now...

Kuro: (So the spirits have broken into the infirmary...)

Koutarou: Anyway...were you able to get any ideas on how to get Mei back to her normal self?

Kuro: Well...I do got something to tell you guys myself....You see...Mei is...

Kuro had explained what he witnessed throughout the flashbacks of the death games and the blood on Mei's diary.

Kuro: And that's about it...

Koutarou: O_O

Koga/Shiomi:.....

Nora: Hmm...I see...So you say that Mei is in...the Realm of the Dead?

Kuro: She told me that where's Yokai is keeping her...But she couldn't see me but somehow she must've felt I was there. So she pleaded for me to help her...?

Nora: I see...the Realm of the Dead?

Koutarou: Wh-What kind of place is that?

Nora shuddered as she explained.

Nora: Oh...the worst kind of place anyone should go to...

The Realm of the Dead...

Another word for Hell, Hades, or Gehenna...

A place of shadowy existence where it's a Labyrinth where all dead go. Whether righteous or unrighteous, it's also called an "land of darkness" where unlucky go to once they died.  It is a temporary place (or state) that will give up its dead in final punishment and judgment.

Kuro: (Almost like...the Dark Void I've been seeing....)

Koutarou: Why does such a place exist?

Shiomi: The reason behind this world existing is unrevealed, but perhaps is forced upon them in order to keep them from learning the truth of their nature. Lastly, those who enter the Realm of the Dead through any means other than astral projection give up their life in forfeit and join the dead.

Kuro: So Yokai is keeping Mei there...

Koga:....For her to suffer obviously...

Nora: She must really hate her family then...

Kuro: But why...Why does she hate Mei's and Koutarou-Sensei's family...?

He looks up at the doctor who face was looking down at his shoes.

Koutarou:......I wish I knew...But I'm as clueless as you are, Mirai-kun.

Kuro:.....If there was anyway I could save Mei, I'll do it...even if has to be playing Yokai's games.

Nora: ....(But...You're just giving her what she wants....)

Koga: Alright then...What is it that you guys found in the secret library?

Shiomi pulls out a file.

Shiomi: This. It looks like your little Chibi have left something behind. Kuro-san...Do you remember the power you had used earlier on the diary?

Kuro raised an eyebrow.

Kuro: Yeah...What about it?

Shiomi: It showed you a vision of Mei-san...maybe you can use this power to help you along your quest.

Kuro: Do you know what it is?

Before Shiomi could answer that, Nora quickly responded.

Nora: Psychometry.

Kuro: Psychometry? (What the fuck is that?)

Nora: Psychometry is whereby a person receives visions upon physical contact, sometimes involuntarily. The most common form is when the person touches an object and receives information about things or people the object has associated with and/or the environment around the object. It can also manifest as touching a person and getting visions or knowledge of their history, memories, or character. It's a similar to known sister trope called Bloodmetry, which allows you to touch anything that has blood on it and see through the memory of others.

Kuro: Whoa....

Koga: That makes total sense. You were acting pretty strange everytime you looked at the spirit with those red eyes or touched their objects...

Kuro: Or when I touch the black cards...

Koutarou: Maybe you can use this power to an advantage to save Mei.

Kuro nodded as this new power they discovered had helped fuel his determination.

With this, he's closer and closer to finding out the truth behind Yokai-chan's games along with rescuing Mei.

Kuro: Yokai's games are centered around the Aishiteru Family for some reason. That's what I'm going to find out first. But if there's an opportunity to save Mei and the others. I'll take it.

Nora and Koutarou nodded as Shiomi spoken up.

Shiomi: So what is her next game?

Kuro: Aka Oni...I have no idea who her victim is this time...Konami had been killed from the last game...

Koutarou:.......

Shiomi: I see...But I have a feeling the next game won't take place in the school...

Kuro: What?

Koga: Really?

Shiomi: Yeah...Because we already visited the remainer of the school. The classrooms, basement, the library, the faculty room, the informary
....everywhere.

Kuro: But what about the shrine...

Nora: That's the bad news...turns out the shrine you always go to appease Mei....

"It's Gone..."

Kuro:.......

Yokai-chan did something didn't she...?

Kuro growled. One step ahead of the game. Smart Doll. That meant they need to look for the shrine once again.

Nora: So then the next destination to explore is...

Kuro: Outside.