With all five questions answered, the card in Valerius's hand dissolved into particles.
[Mission Complete. Reward Obtained: Lasso]
[Lasso: Once thrown, it is guaranteed to snare one player, preventing them from moving.]
"Oh?"
"Now that's a pretty nice item."
A rope about five meters long appeared in his hand, ending in a perfectly formed loop.
Valerius casually swung it around a few times.
It felt surprisingly natural in his hands.
"The cowboy rides away~~ strong and proud~~!"
Having just acquired such a useful item, Valerius was in an excellent mood.
With this thing, even if a player stayed several meters away…
He could still rope them in.
[Bronya: …What exactly is he singing?]
She covered her face.
She understood he was happy about the reward…
But what kind of song was that?
[Barbara: Oh? Mr. Valerius actually has a really nice singing voice.]
[Robin: You can tell Mr. Valerius has excellent pitch.]
[Serval: Like a galloping horse racing with the wind~~~]
[Cocolia: Across endless grasslands where your spirit freely roams~~~]
[Faruzan: Your heart is as vast as the earth itself~~~!]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: …I somehow feel personally attacked. Thank you very much.]
She was speechless.
Where are you people learning these songs?
Why does every lyric somehow end up targeting me?
One moment it was "as vast as the earth."
The next it'd probably be "tearing through my shoulders."
[Herta: Pfft—! Where are you all learning these songs?]
[Cocolia: The internet café. They were in those square-dancing videos.]
[Qingque: Looks like all of you have very colorful retirement lives.]
[Yukong: I've already bought a speaker. Everyone gather at the square tonight at eight.]
[Feixiao: Sister Yukong, don't scare me like that.]
[Koleda: We've got cement here. Free of charge.]
[Grace: They're not dancing Dance Dance Revolution…]
"Pfft!"
Inside the arena, Valerius naturally had no idea that a single line of singing had started yet another trend.
Just then…
A faint giggle reached his ears.
"There."
No need to think.
Someone hiding nearby had laughed.
He had originally intended to search every locker one by one.
Now…
He had a target.
Without hesitation, he grabbed the nearest locker and yanked the door open.
"Hm?"
Inside was a hidden space large enough to conceal a person.
But…
It was completely empty.
"That's strange."
"I'm certain I heard someone laugh."
Valerius frowned.
He had definitely heard movement.
Yet…
There was nowhere obvious for someone to escape.
He looked around.
Nothing.
"…Did I hear wrong?"
Shaking his head, he turned around and left the changing room.
[Jean: That was close. She was almost discovered.]
[Rosaria: Honestly… why did she have to laugh?]
[Albedo: Lisa's finished.]
[Barbara: Didn't she get away? As long as she relocates now, she'll be fine!]
[Kaeya: You think Valerius's that stupid? He's definitely waiting outside the door.]
[Diluc: Lisa's already lost.]
Sure enough…
After leaving the changing room…
Valerius immediately sprinted outside.
He crouched beneath the window…
Lasso already in hand.
"That was close…"
Watching Valerius leave, Lisa finally let out a long breath.
His sudden burst of singing had completely caught her off guard.
Good thing she had the Invisibility Cloak.
Otherwise…
She would've been eliminated instantly.
"Hiding in a dead-end isn't going to work."
After what had just happened, Lisa concluded that cornering herself inside a small room was a terrible idea.
If Valerius trapped her inside…
There'd be nowhere to run.
She needed somewhere with more open space.
Thinking that through…
She stepped out from her hiding place and reached for the door.
"…Wait."
Her hand suddenly froze.
Valerius is far too cunning.
There's no way he simply gave up after failing to find me.
"He's waiting outside."
In that instant…
Lisa understood everything.
He had pretended to leave.
In reality…
He was waiting outside for her to walk into his trap.
"Hmph."
"You can keep waiting."
Certain she'd seen through his plan, Lisa smiled slyly.
She quietly backed away…
Then pulled open the curtain covering the window.
If he's guarding the door…
I'll just climb out the window.
[Jean: It's over…]
[Barbara: Lisa! What are you doing? Valerius's outside!]
[Ruan Mei: She's been completely outplayed.]
[Kaeya: Looking forward to seeing Lisa climb out and land face-to-face with Valerius.]
[Rosaria: Valerius really is evil.]
The window slid open with only the faintest sound.
But outside…
Valerius heard every bit of it.
"So…"
"Which one is it?"
Still crouching beneath the window…
He tightened his grip on the lasso.
The moment someone appeared…
He'd tie them up.
Carefully…
Lisa finished opening the window.
She glanced once more toward the door.
"Keep waiting."
Planting both hands on the windowsill…
She pushed herself upward and flipped outside.
"Ow!"
"Ah!"
The instant she landed…
She ended up sitting directly on someone's back.
Losing her balance…
She collapsed forward…
Completely sprawled across them.
[Bronya: ...]
[Shenhe: ...]
Watching the livestream…
Shenhe pouted.
What nonsense is this?
You just climbed straight onto Valerius's back?
Even I haven't done that yet.
[Sampo: Hahahaha! Amazing! Straight to the final step!]
[Qingque: Forget hiding from Valerius. I'll just ride him instead.]
[Fu Xuan: Heh… She certainly skipped quite a few steps.]
Valerius himself was stunned.
A sweet fragrance suddenly filled the air.
Something soft landed heavily on his back.
Then…
The back of his head pressed into something even softer.
He quickly turned around…
Meeting Lisa's equally stunned expression.
"…Could you get off?"
"You're heavy."
"…What did you just say?"
Lisa was already mortified enough.
She was lying across Valerius's back…
Her chest pressed firmly against the back of his head.
Then…
He had the nerve to call her heavy?
"You'd better explain yourself."
"Exactly what part of me is heavy?"
Completely forgetting any concern about appearances…
She grabbed Valerius by the neck and started shaking him violently.
"H-Hey…"
"Stop…"
"I can't keep my balance…"
At the moment…
Both of them only had ordinary human physiques.
Valerius had already been crouching.
With Lisa shaking him like that…
He immediately lost his balance and pitched forward.
"Perfect!"
Lisa's eyes lit up.
She instantly snatched the rope lying on the ground and began tying Valerius up.
Her reaction was lightning fast.
Earlier…
Their bodies had already made full contact.
Yet no elimination notification had appeared.
That could only mean one thing.
Valerius had to physically catch them with his hands.
Just now…
Every part of their bodies had touched…
Except his hands.
So Lisa concluded…
Only direct contact with his hands counted as a capture.
Which meant…
As long as she restrained him…
She'd be completely safe.
"…Have you no shame at all?"
Valerius felt utterly helpless.
First she'd jumped onto him.
Now she was trying to tie him up.
"Hehe."
"This time…"
"You won't eliminate anyone."
Lisa's face was full of excitement.
Since Valerius's physical abilities had been reduced to match theirs…
As long as she kept him restrained here…
He wouldn't be able to catch anyone.
This victory…
was practically guaranteed.
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