The loud noise seemed to have disturbed something; a faint, angry roar suddenly echoed from outside the house.
"Holy crap, run!"
Mono was startled. He quickly let go, jumped down, and scrambled up the ladder.
Obviously, the Hunter must have heard such a big commotion.
Although the Hunter hadn't broken into this room when he played the game, who knew if things would change in reality.
Six hadn't expected Mono to move so nimbly. By the time she let go and dropped back to the ground, Mono had already climbed to the second floor.
"Hey, hurry up! What are you dawdling for? Don't hold me back, okay?"
Mono's voice came from above.
The corners of Six's mouth twitched. She opened her mouth but then closed it again.
She really wanted to say that she didn't know who it was that had to use a chair just to jump a meter.
Six silently climbed up.
Mono pulled Six up to the second floor and quickly closed the hatch cover.
He had no intention of encountering the Hunter yet.
Without a weapon, even ten more Sixes probably wouldn't be a match for the Hunter.
Mono searched the second floor.
The atmosphere on the second floor was equally oppressive.
From the rafters, bundles resembling cocoons hung upside down.
Mono didn't even have to think to know what was inside.
Walking to the center of the second-floor room, Mono saw a key hanging from a hook in the middle of the rafters.
"This should be the key to that big door on the first floor."
Mono noted to himself that he had played this game before.
Familiar with the process, he called out to Six.
"Hey, why are you just standing there like an idiot? Hurry up and help me push this box!"
Six also noticed the hanging key.
She didn't refuse. She helped Mono push the box, cleared the obstacles, and found the crank handle that could turn the hook.
The crank handle was pulled from the hand of a corpse; Mono was almost crushed by the falling arm.
After successfully getting the crank handle, Mono threw it to Six.
"You're strong, you turn it. I'll climb up to get the key."
Only after turning the wheel would the bundles hanging low begin to rise.
As long as Mono jumped onto the bundle filled with mysterious chunks of meat before it rose too high, he could successfully reach the hook where the key hung.
Six stared at the crank handle placed in her hand, slightly stunned.
But she said nothing. She skillfully inserted the handle into the slot and began to turn it.
Mono wasn't slow either and quickly jumped onto the bundle.
Waves of stench wafted from the bundle. Even with a paper bag over his head, Mono couldn't block out the smell.
"I miscalculated. If I'd known, I would've let that girl get the key."
Mono gripped the bundle and felt something sticky.
This feeling was truly awful.
Soon, the bundle steadily reached its highest point, and Mono was now very close to the key.
Adjusting his angle, Mono looked down and spoke to Six.
"Watch out, I'm jumping!"
Six nodded.
Mono took a deep breath, exerted force with his legs, and leaped into the air.
He touched the key hanging in mid-air, but it spun around and flew out of his hand.
"Ahhh~"
Then, Mono's body fell straight down.
"Hey~" Mono shouted.
"I'm coming~" Six's voice came.
*Thud!* Mono landed on his butt on the wooden boards.
He turned his head toward Six, feeling like crying but having no tears.
He saw Six jump up, catch the key, and then slowly walk over.
"I got the key," she said calmly to Mono, holding it out.
Looking at the key dangling in front of him, Mono scrambled to his feet.
"You jerk! I told you to catch me! Were you trying to let me fall to my death?"
Confusion appeared in Six's eyes, then she said, "If you don't speak clearly, how am I supposed to know?"
"Hmph, I can't be bothered with you. Give me the key."
Mono snatched the key away and turned toward the stairs in a huff.
Six watched Mono as he rubbed his butt, the corners of her mouth curling up ever so slightly.
Mono didn't notice.
He walked over, lay down by the stairs to listen, and seeing no movement below, slowly climbed down.
The two of them climbed back down to the first floor.
He took the key from the second floor, inserted it into the keyhole, and the tightly shut door finally opened slowly.
Outside the door was a yard.
High fences on both sides of the yard blocked the way, and a crooked tool shed sat to one side.
The only place they could go was through a slightly ajar door to a room ahead.
Through the crack in the door, only endless darkness could be seen inside.
Mono recalled the plot and swallowed hard.
If he remembered correctly, this wooden house was the Hunter's workshop.
The Hunter usually liked to process the prey he caught in there.
Beside him, Six also seemed to sense something, and her expression grew solemn.
Mono took a deep breath.
"Let's go. We have to escape from this hellhole."
No matter what lay ahead, he couldn't turn back now.