CHAPTER FIVE
episode two

Rika stared at the apartment complex before her, its height braced against the pitch-black sky. Her fingers drummed lightly against the leather strap of her bag as she adjusted it across her body so that she wouldn't have to keep hold of it. On either side of her, Karube and Arisu stood, their decision to leave the safety of the mall hanging in the air. They had left Shibuki behind to care for an injured Chota, their fates now tied to whatever kind of game laid ahead.

Rika had popped another painkiller before they set off, the dull ache in her calves replaced by a muted numbness. It was enough to keep her moving, which was truly all that mattered to her- because no way was she letting the boys go through this alone.

Without a word, Rika took the first step forward, her Vans smacking softly against the cracked concrete stairs. The boys followed closely, their footsteps echoing hers.

"Do you think there's a doctor?" Arisu whispered to Karube, voice barely audible over the sound of their shoes making contact with the stairs.

Karube shrugged, his gaze fixed on the lights ahead. "We'll see."

As they reached the entrance, Rika slowed her pace, her eyes sweeping over the group gathered inside. Eleven people. She counted them quickly, her stare flicking from one face to the next, noting details: body language, expressions, the faint tremble in hands.

Though she noted some of them seemed confident. Comfortable, even. She supposed they weren't new to this type of thing.

Rika said nothing, simply stepping forward into the space. In the center of the room stood a table with the same set up from the first game: plain, industrial, and cold, its surface scattered with an array of phones. A touch of grim satisfaction passed through her at the sight. She had guessed one thing right, at least.

As she moved closer, her shoulder brushed against a girl with short black hair. She stood next to a nervous looking boy in a baseball cap, the girl turning slightly at the touch. Rika didn't stop to acknowledge her, focus locked solely on the table. She reached out, grabbing a phone with steady hands. Pressing the power button, she watched as the familiar screen flickered to life.

"There are now eleven participants," the voice chimed.

Karube and Arisu followed her lead, each of them reaching past her to grab a phone. She glanced over her shoulder as the two boys powered their devices on, confirming that everything was going according to plan before turning back to the crowded room.

She continued to observe the others, mentally cataloging their appearances and actions. Some huddled together in whispered conversations, while others stood alone, their eyes darting between the walls and the people around them. An older man in camo pants and a black tank top caught Rika's attention first. He stood straight, his sharp eyes scanning the room like a soldier would.

A bracelet circled his wrist, the numbers on the surface standing out. Rika's gaze shifted to the younger man beside him-wearing the same bracelet but a different set of digits. In the back corner, two teenage girls huddled together, their phones raised close to their faces as they whispered.

Two men dressed in suits stood near the far wall. One looked clean and composed, as if he'd stepped out of a corporate office moments ago. The other, though wearing a similar suit, looked disheveled, clothes stained, tie loosened and sweat beading his brow. He'd been in this world longer.

There was an older woman a few feet away, clutching her phone so tightly her knuckles were white. Her darting eyes refused to meet anyone's, nervous energy practically radiating off her.

Then Rika's gaze landed on someone else-a man dressed in a pristine white hoodie, the hood pulled up to partially obscure his face. His silver hair peeked out, the color sticking out under the fluorescent lights. A flicker of realization passed through her stomach.

She recognized him.

The man she had bumped just two days ago, moments before everything in the world fell apart. When she met his eyes, she found them to already be on her. She held his stare for a moment. He didn't look away.

Her attention dropped briefly to the floor. Something was charging at his feet, the cord neatly plugged into a working outlet. Her eyes trailed upward again, noticing the bracelet just barely visible beneath the sleeve of his hoodie. The same kind as the other two.

When her gaze returned to his face, his sharp stare was still fixed on her in an unyielding manner. He was studying her, but her expression was set in stone, unreadable. Rika let the stare-down go, turning her back to him and rejoining her brother and Arisu just as their phones chimed.

"Registration complete. There are a total of fourteen participants. The game will now commence."

"Excuse me..." A nervous voice broke the tense silence, and Rika glanced to her side to see the boy with the baseball cap hesitantly stepping closer to their group. He reached out, lightly tapping Arisu's arm. "What is this? I just... I ended up here, I don't know what's going on." His wide eyes darted between the three of them, desperate for some sort of answer.

Rika couldn't help but be reminded of Chota.

Arisu opened his mouth to explain, "It's a game-"

"Stop it," Karube interrupted, gripping his friend's arm and pulling him back. Rika caught the low whisper of his next words. "Beginners will only get in our way. It doesn't feel great, but it might be a good idea to act like Shibuki."

Damn, now she had to say something.

With a sigh, she turned to the side and met the boy's terrified gaze. Her expression hardened, "Just play by the rules given to you," she explained flatly. "Don't break them and listen to what they say. Otherwise..."

She trailed off, lifting two fingers to her jaw and miming a gunshot. Her head jerked back sharply, her hair long hair swaying with the motion.

The boy's eyes went wide, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard. He nodded hesitantly, his voice a quiet whisper. "Thank you."

Rika nodded in return, dismissively turning back to Karube and Arisu.

Both were staring at her, their expressions as clear as day. Karube's frustration was written all over his face, his lips pressed into a tight line, while Arisu shared the same wide-eyed stare as the boy, brows raised in surprise at her grim demonstration.

Rika shrugged wordlessly, gripping the phone in her hand and glancing down at its screen as if nothing had happened. She'd done what needed to be done. It wasn't her job to sugarcoat reality for anyone.

"Difficulty: Five of Spades."

Rika glanced toward the girl she had bumped into earlier, now stretching like she was about to run a marathon. She bent low, popping her knees, while the younger guy with the bracelet smirked, nudging the muscular man beside him at the sound of the announcement.

Rika arched an eyebrow. "It's a physical game," she muttered to Karube and Arisu, her words sure as she gestured subtly toward the others.

Karube's eyes immediately dropped to her bandaged legs, concern wafting through his features. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, a man swooped in from seemingly nowhere, slinging an arm around Rika's shoulders.

"Correct!" the stranger exclaimed, smacking her arm with a grin that screamed used car salesman. Rika stiffened up like a clam, her expression morphing into one of pure disgust.

The man, dressed in a fedora and an outdated black suit, gave her an overly familiar squeeze. "Strength is everything here." he said, completely oblivious to the warning signs flashing in her narrowed eyes.

Karube took a step forward, jaw tightening, while Arisu just stared, wide-eyed and awkward, like he was watching a car crash in slow motion.

The man didn't notice-or didn't care. "I'm Nitobe," he said cheerfully, obliviously tightening his grip.

Rika's response was swift. She grabbed his wrist, twisting it hard enough to make him hiss in pain.

Nitobe yelped, pulling back and rubbing his arm with a wince. "Alright, nice grip. You work out, or is that just adrenaline?"

Rika wiped at her shoulder and shook her body as if she'd been contaminated. She didn't answer him, meeting his eyes with an unimpressed stare.

Nitobe chuckled, backing up a step. "Noted."

Karube moved closer to his sister, glaring daggers at Nitobe, while Arisu shuffled awkwardly to her other side, effectively boxing her in.

Now sandwiched between the two boys, Rika sighed. Honestly, she was starting to feel like a collectible card with all this attention. Even more so, she felt the stares of the group on them during this questionable interaction, eyes digging into the back of her head.

Arisu cleared his throat, trying to change the subject. "So, uh... each mark does have a different meaning, right?"

"Exactly!" Nitobe perked up, happy to have an audience again. "The suite on a card tells you the game's genre. Club is for team battles, Diamond is for battles of wits, and Heart..." He paused, shaking his head with exaggerated solemnity. "Heart is the most troublesome."

"Troublesome how?" Rika and Arisu asked in unison. They glanced at each other, and Arisu let out a soft, awkward chuckle while Rika gave an amused look.

"It's a game of betrayal," Nitobe said, grin widening again. "It's where you play with people's hearts. If you think you can trust someone, think again." He punctuated the last part with a shake of his head.

Arisu eyed him, shifting uncomfortably. "And the numbers?"

"The difficulty level." Nitobe said, "The higher the number, the harder the game."

Rika tilted her head, crossing her arms. "I thought the number determined the Visa days."

Nitobe gave a nonchalant shrug. "That too. Double meaning. Fun, right?"

Rika snorted, looking unimpressed. "Oh, yeah. Loads of fun."

Arisu nudged her lightly, his voice low. "You were right about the marks. And the Visas. Also the difficulty."

She managed a chuckle at his stacking words. "Of course I was." Before Nitobe could launch into another explanation, Rika leaned toward Arisu. "I think this guy just watched a lot of Survivor and decided he's Jeff Probst now."

Arisu let out a laugh, his eyes looking towards the man to see if he had picked up on the comment. Nitobe, thankfully, didn't hear-or pretended not to.

Karube muttered under his breath, "I already don't like him."

"Join the club," Rika quipped, turning her phone over in her hands as it buzzed with new information.

"Game: Tag."
"Rule: Run away from the tagger."

The words hung in the air like an approaching storm, and Rika could feel the weight of her bandages grow heavier at the thought. She lifted her head, only to find both Karube and Arisu already staring at her. She shrugged, waving off their concern with a forced nonchalance. "Good thing I took that pill, huh?" she said, trying for levity. Which was a lot for her.

Karube's expression didn't budge, his lips pressing into a thin line. She could practically hear him screaming "I told you so" in his head. Rika shifted at the sight, knowing full well he'd carry her if it came down to it. But she'd rather limp around on blisters than let his worry affect her own mind.

"Who's the tagger?" Arisu asked, masking his concern with curiosity as he leaned toward the siblings.

Karube glanced at him, looking just as clueless. "How should I know?"

Before they could speculate further, the phone chimed again.

"Clear condition: Discover the safe zone hidden in one of the building rooms within the time limit. You clear this game when this objective is fulfilled. Time limit: twenty minutes. After twenty minutes has passed, the time bomb hidden in the building will explode."

Rika let out a puff of air, letting her head fall back slightly. Today, she decided to settle on humor as a defense mechanism. "Great. Bombs. Why not throw in some tigers and lasers while they're at it?"

"You mean the lasers in the sky?" Arisu pointed out helpfully.

"Yeah, those," Rika said flatly, throwing him a side-eye.

Karube's gaze snapped to her, his brows furrowed. "This isn't funny, Rika."

"It wasn't a joke," she lied, tone deadpan and very believable. She turned her attention back to the phone, pretending not to notice the vein threatening to pop in her brother's forehead.

Her mind was already working, sifting through the rules. Twenty minutes. A building full of rooms. One safe zone. And a bomb ticking down the seconds.

The question that lingered, though, was the tagger.

"Alright," Rika said, squaring her shoulders and adjusting the strap of her bag. "We find the safe zone, dodge the tagger, and hope this building has decent air conditioning. Plus, there's a lot of us here. Shouldn't be too hard." Famous last words, she thought in the back of her mind.

The group that had crowded the entrance began to scatter, moving like ants in different directions. Rika, Karube, and Arisu broke off toward an untouched staircase to begin their search before the game started. As they ascended, Nitobe followed close behind, his fedora bobbing with each step.

Rika didn't acknowledge him, her focus on scaling the stairwell. Her hand glided along the metal railing, eyes scanning the walls for any signs or markers. She could hear her brother's quiet grumbling behind her, his patience already wearing thin.

"Stop following us," Karube finally spoke, turning to glare at Nitobe.

Nitobe chuckled, unfazed by the hostility. "I'm just trying to gauge you guys. Maybe you're suitable to be my allies."

"What a joke," Karube shot back, disdain clear in the air.

Rika kept her gaze forward, unimpressed by the man trailing after them as she turned into the fourth floor to start their search. Nitobe's overly friendly antics screamed of someone used to rejection.

Arisu, however, looked back, curiosity wavering in his eyes. "Are you a doctor?" he asked hopefully, the desperation in his voice barely masked. Truthfully, they were all desperate to find help for Chota- but Rika did not expect this man to have the answers.

"Nope," Nitobe replied with a casual shrug, shattering Arisu's faint glimmer of hope and confirming Rika's theory. "I'm a real estate agent," He continued, as if that was somehow helpful.

Close enough to a used cars salesman.

"How many games have you played?" Arisu pressed, still fishing for information.

Nitobe hummed, tapping his chin thoughtfully as he walked. "Let's see... maybe five?"

"And you've always won?"

"Probably wouldn't be talking if he hadn't," Rika interjected, twisting door handles as they passed each apartment. Each one was locked, her frustration mounting with every failed attempt.

Their phones dinged simultaneously, the shrill tone echoing in the stairwell.

"The game will now begin. The time limit is twenty minutes. The tagger is on the move."

Suddenly, celebratory music blared from speakers around the complex, cheerful and out of place, like the start of a carnival or a horse race.

Rika frowned, the cheery tune grating against her nerves. She moved toward the barrier that overlooked the complex, peering down at the other players below. She spotted people darting through the lower floors, some hesitating at doors while others sprinted for the stairs.

But what really caught her attention was the figure on the top floor.

The stranger in the white jacket. He stood casually, leaning against the balcony like he had all the time in the world. His silver hair peeked through under the dim lights, and he made no effort to search for the safe room. Instead, he observed the chaos below, like a king surveying his kingdom. She half expected him to be the tagger.

Rika pointed up at him, not caring if he noticed her gesture. "He's got the right idea," she muttered. "Letting everyone else do the work for him."

Karube, Arisu, and Nitobe stepped closer to see where she was pointing.

To her surprise, the man noticed her. He lifted a hand in an almost lazy wave, his expression unreadable from this distance.

Karube scoffed. "What an ass."

Rika smiled faintly. "At least he's honest about it."

The brief moment fell to a hush by a distant sound. The quiet hum of the building's elevator ascending whirring through the complex. The celebratory music cut off, replaced by a heavy silence broken only by the scuffling footsteps of other players exploring the floors.

Then, it came: a different sound.

Deliberate. Calculated.

The heavy thud of boots echoed throughout the building, reverberating through the stairwell. Each step felt slower than the last, almost mockingly so. That was the tagger. Rika had no doubt about it.

Arisu tucked his phone into his pocket, attempting to ignore the footsteps above them. "Let's just search for an unlocked door," he suggested as he skipped ahead to resume what Rika had started, twisting handles only to find them locked.

By the fifth door, Karube's patience was wearing thin. His jaw clenched as he yanked on another knob in vain. "We won't make it if we keep wasting time like this," he snapped, speeding up his pace. He rushed from door to door, tugging handles with increasingly aggressive force, as though he might rip one clean off.

"Maybe we should split up?" Rika suggested, keeping pace with her brother. Arisu jogged alongside her, while Nitobe brought up the rear, ever the unwelcome fourth wheel.

"Is that really the smartest idea?" Karube huffed, stopping abruptly to jab a finger toward her bandaged legs.

"Three minutes have passed," their phones chimed.

"If anything happens to my legs, I'm not going to feel it until tomorrow," Rika retorted sharply, brushing past him. She marched ahead, leaving no room for argument.

She continued testing door handles, reaching the last set until she came face-to-face with a stairwell leading up. Sliding her phone into the side pocket of her bag, she adjusted the strap around her neck with a sigh.

Suddenly, something happened.

A rapid burst of popping noises from above. Rika froze, her foot hovering over the first step. Karube and Arisu flinched behind her, the sound twisting their faces with dread.

"What was that?" Arisu asked, peeking cautiously around the corner.

"Sounds like fireworks," Rika muttered, though her grip on the wall betrayed her uncertainty. "Fireworks or..." She let the second possibility linger in the back of her throat, unwilling to say it aloud.

With careful and quiet steps, Rika began ascending, her hand moving along the concrete wall for support. Karube and Arisu followed close behind, Nitobe lagging just enough to make her wonder if he'd bolt at the first sign of trouble.

As she reached the bend in the stairs, a bloodied body suddenly tumbled down, thudding against the steps before coming to a jarring stop at her feet.

Rika flinched, bumping back into Karube's chest.

"He's dead..." Arisu whispered, his voice breathless as his wide eyes stared at the lifeless form.

Karube moved to take the lead, inching past his sister to peer around the corner. Arisu leaned over his shoulder, his curiosity battling his better judgment.

The heavy, deliberate thud of boots came next. The tagger was getting closer, their every step agonizingly slow.

The gunfire erupted suddenly, sharp cracks that echoed through the stairwell. Bullets ricocheted off the walls, sending shards of concrete flying. Karube and Arisu ducked instinctively, fear flashing in their eyes.

"Run!" Karube yelled, shoving Arisu out of the line of fire and angling him toward the stairs they had just descended.

Rika turned on her heel, colliding harshly with Nitobe, who cursed as he stumbled. She didn't bother to apologize. Her instincts screamed louder than any words. Without thinking, she leapt down the stairs, her Vans harshly slamming against the concrete. Her momentum nearly sent her sprawling, but she managed to regain her balance just in time.

Behind her, she heard the frantic scuffle of feet-Karube, Arisu, and Nitobe copying her move to keep up.

The heavy boots were still behind them, accompanied by the occasional burst of gunfire. Rika's heart thumped in her chest, pulse drowning out every other sound. She let the boys pass her as she positioned herself alongside Nitobe, whipping her head back to check for the taggers approach.

They rushed down the hallway, nearing the set of stairs that offered two directions. Karube was the first to take off, followed by Arisu, their hurried footsteps reverberating off the walls. But as Rika moved to follow, a spray of bullets erupted from the hallway behind them. The wall next to the stairs exploded in a shower of concrete fragments, forcing her to stagger back.

Instinctively, Rika raised her arms to shield her face just as she caught sight of the tagger-his gun gripped tight in his hand, the gleaming barrel pointed down the hall. His face was obscured by a horse mask, its eyes staring into nothing as the tagger reloaded.

As Nitobe sprinted past her, racing toward the safety of the stairs, Rika saw her chance and seized it. Instead of following, she fixed her gaze on the tagger, chest rapidly rising and falling with each breath.

Karube was one hundred percent going to kill her for this. Well, if the tagger didn't do it first.

"Come on," she taunted, her voice sharp as she clutched the railing. She pulled herself up the stairs, ignoring the call of her name from below, the panic in her brother's voice lost to her own ridiculous plan.

Her shoes smacked against the stairs loudly, bandaged calves beginning to faintly ache with each step as she forced herself upward. She reached for the strap of her bag, flinging it open, her fingers fumbling as she retrieved the pepper spray, thumb sliding the safety pin off as she ascended to the sixth floor.

The hallway was bright and quiet except for the loud thumping of her heart. Rika rounded the corner, eyes darting as she scanned the floor for cover. She spotted several alcoves lined against the walls, wasting no time to slip into one, pressing herself into the shadowed space, her back against the cool concrete. She clamped her mouth shut, forcing herself to be as quiet.

The building was silent for a moment, the only sounds being the heavy footsteps of the tagger echoing through the halls. They grew louder with each passing second.

Rika held her breath, fingers tightening around the pepper spray. It was a stupid plan, she knew that. But if she succeeded, the tagger would at least be out of commission for a few minutes. She hoped. Enough time to escape, enough time to figure shit out.

Slowly, her eyes opened. And there it was-the edge of the horse mask, inching right around the corner. Her arm shot out, the pepper spray aimed right at the eyeholes of the mask. She pressed the nozzle down, releasing a torrent of spray directly into the eyeholes.

The scream that followed was guttural, raw, a mix of pain and frustration. The tagger staggered backward, his grip on the submachine gun faltering as it clattered to the floor, his knees going with it. Rika's heart raced as she kicked out with her foot, slamming her heel into the side of his head to knock him the rest of the way down. The man crumpled to the floor, his body thrashing in pain as he struggled to rise.

Her own face burned from the close proximity of the spray. It was all hazy and adrenaline fueled actions after that. In a blur of motion, she grabbed the fallen gun and hurled it over the balcony, sending it flying out of the arena. She regretted that as soon as she did it, she should've just taken it- but unfortunately she had no time to smack herself for the mistake.

She wasted no time. With her heart still pounding harshly, Rika turned and sprinted up the stairs, the sound of her footsteps mixing with the faint groans of the tagger as he recovered. She stuffed the pepper spray back into her bag, rubbing at her eyes with her hand, desperate to rid herself of the stinging sensation.

Her vision was blurry, but she couldn't find it within herself to care. She turned onto the seventh floor, footfall softening as she approached the end of the hall. She glanced left, where a set of stairs continued down, and then right-a dead end, lined with apartment doors. Except someone was standing there, leaning against the balcony.

That fucking white jacket.

He stood there with an amused grin, watching Rika as she blinked her blurry eyes and turned the corner towards him, but not too close. She crouched low, pressing herself against the cold concrete railing that overlooked the parking lot and complex. She pulled the bottom hem of her shirt to her face, desperate to rub away the sting from her eyes.

After a moment, Rika forced herself to her feet, gripping the half wall for balance. Carefully, she peered over the balcony with reddened, watery eyes. Her heart skipped a beat when she spotted the tagger almost immediately. Just a floor below. He was staggering, movements sluggish as he angrily retrieved a pistol from the depths of his thick, weathered jacket. His mask tilted slightly, stubbornly hauling himself upright.

She had to give it to him, he had endurance. Or maybe just a strong will to win.

"Fucking piece of shit," Rika muttered under her breath, sliding back down the wall to hide from view. She reached into her bag, pulling out her phone to check the remaining time on the game clock. She wordlessly tucked the phone back into her pocket, feeling the tick of every second that passed.

The feeling of being watched prickled at her nerves. She glanced to her right and found herself locking eyes with the stranger. He was still there, leaning casually against the concrete wall as though this was a game he wasn't even worried about.

"What?" she snapped, her voice a harsh whisper as she rubbed at her burning eyes with her forearm.

He raised his hands in surrender, "You are the one that bumped into me," he reminded.

Rika scowled, mumbling his words back at him under her breath in a mocking tone. Of course, he remembered that. "Is that really what you're thinking about right now?" she shot back, irritation clear as she moved to peer cautiously over the wall again.

Jesus, she was starting to sound like her brother.

From her vantage point, she spotted the tagger as he stepped down into the third floor. Her chest tightened when she saw him raise the pistol and fire wildly, his shitty aim spraying bullets down the hallway. A few of them hit Nitobe, who had been sprinting for cover. His body crumpled to the ground, motionless.

Rika's breath caught in her throat. She straightened, scanning the lower floors frantically, her eyes darting back and forth for any sign of Karube and Arisu. Relief flooded through her when she saw no sign of them or their lifeless bodies. But the sight of the tagger stalking the floors below sent an uneasy feeling down her spine. He was relentless. Desperate, almost.

"I'm thinking of how to win," The voice broke through her thoughts as he finally replied. He leaned casually over the concrete wall, the chaos below a distant spectacle. "You interrupted that."

Rika turned her attention back to him, her brows furrowing. "Wow," she deadpanned, sarcasm dripping from the sound. She made her way over to him cautiously, still glancing over her shoulder to keep an eye out for movement below. "I humbly beg for your forgiveness, you complete and total stranger."

He tilted his head slightly, humming in contemplation before giving his answer. "I'll think about it."

Rika resisted the urge to roll her eyes, stopping a few feet away to lean over the balcony again. She scanned the floors below for any sign of the others but saw nothing. The tagger had disappeared.

"Are you looking for someone?" The stranger drew her attention again. "Or rather, two someones?"

She turned to meet his gaze, "You ask too many questions," she said flatly.

His head tilted, "That was the only question I asked."

"I know," Rika retorted, "it's still one too many. And technically, you asked two."

A grin curled around his lip as if he found their exchange endlessly entertaining. "Fair enough," he replied, nodding slightly.

Rika exhaled through her nose, her irritation only slightly tempered by the faint relief that he'd dropped the topic-for now. Her gaze flicked to the boy in white, her mind weighing her options. He might've been annoying, but he didn't seem to be an immediate threat. Maybe he was useful-or maybe he was just waiting for the right moment to screw her over.

Before Rika could mull over her next move, a familiar voice pierced through the air, echoing in the building.

"Everyone! The tagger is currently at the second level of the central area! The tagger has bad vision because of his mask! Let's inform each other of his location and search for the safe zone together!"

Rika's head snapped in the direction of the voice. She recognized it immediately- Arisu.

The stranger beside her leaned against the railing, shrugging his shoulders. "It's a good idea, but no one will respond," he said, voice so calm it was like they were discussing the weather. She couldn't even tell if he was talking to her or himself.

"Aren't you just a pocket full of sunshine." Rika quipped, sarcasm thick around her words.

His eyes met hers with a faint glint of amusement as he gave a small nod, "That's me."

Before she could retort, another voice called out, this time unfamiliar.

"The tagger is moving from the fourth level of the central area! Anybody nearby, run!"

Rika raised an eyebrow at the stranger.

"I will admit it. I was wrong," he said, leaning forward on his arms to peer over the balcony.

Rika laughed dryly, mimicking his stance. "I have a feeling that's rare for you."

"It is," he replied as they both turned their attention back to the chaos below.

Together-much to her annoyance-they watched as the athletic girl Rika had noticed earlier made an escape. She leaped from the edge of a railing, grabbing onto a metal pipe and with a practiced motion, the girl hoisted herself up to a higher level as the tagger rushed down the hallway she was just in.

The tagger's gun fired loudly, bullets ripping through the air and cutting down an older woman who hadn't managed to flee in time.

"Oh, wow," Rika muttered, raising her eyebrows in surprise.

"She's pretty good," the stranger commented, strands of silver hair peeked from under his hood, shifting slightly as a breeze swept through the open space.

"Eight minutes until the game ends. There are currently eight survivors,"

Rika's attention shifted as she spotted the boy she had warned earlier approach a door on the third floor. His hand brushed the knob tentatively, but before he could open it, a thunderous burst of gunfire erupted. The boy stumbled to his knees, scrambling for cover behind a barrier.

Rika's eyes narrowed. Something didn't add up. The tagger wasn't on the same floor. She scanned the area quickly, spotting the horse-masked figure one level above. He was leaning over the balcony, firing down at the boy below with precise intent.

That was... unusual. Rika frowned, her mind racing. The tagger hadn't even bothered to shoot at the climbing girl, despite her being within reach. Why go out of his way now to attack someone who wasn't even moving toward him?

And then it hit her, like a jolt of electricity.

The door.

That door was the safe zone.

Her heart pounded in her chest as the realization sank in. She turned to the stranger next to her, catching the faintest flicker of satisfaction in his eyes. He knew it too.

Rika sighed, her shoulders sinking in reluctance. "You're probably going to the same place as me and if you kill me, I will kick your ass," she warned.

The stranger tilted his head, slipping his hood back slightly to reveal his sharp, cat-like eyes. He checked the timer on his phone, the faint glow illuminating his features before raising his gaze to meet hers.

"I have a feeling you mean that," he said, the corners of his mouth quirking into a faint grin. He gestured toward the hallway. "Shall we begin?"

Rika didn't bother responding. Instead, she turned sharply on her heel, Vans scuffing against the floor as she made her way toward the staircase. His footsteps trailed after her, steady and quiet as the two of them descended toward the correct floor.

She didn't trust him, not for a second. But for now, they had a common goal. And if she had to work with him to survive, she would. They'll get to the safezone, do whatever needs to be done- then she'll find her brother and Arisu before getting the hell out of here.

As they descended the stairs, Rika suddenly remembered the knife her brother had given her. She slowed her pace, prompting the stranger behind her to halt as well. His presence hung over her like a shadow as she opened her bag and dug through its contents.

"What now?" he whispered, voice low and quiet.

Rika ignored him for a moment, her fingers brushing against the cold metal. She pulled the knife out and, with a sharp motion, drew the blade. The metal gleamed faintly under the lighting, and she adjusted her grip on the handle until it felt right.

"Just how many weapons do you have hidden in there?" the man asked, leaning slightly over her shoulder.

Rika shrugged, sliding the bag shut with one hand while holding the knife steady in the other. "Enough," she replied.

The stranger hummed in response, gaze lingering on her for a moment longer before following her down the stairs.

The faint echoes of distant gunfire and fighting grew louder as they descended, and Rika's mind churned with possibilities. When they turned into the third floor, her eyes locked on the blue door riddled with bullet holes in the middle of the hall.

Her pace quickened instinctively, her grip tightening on the knife. Relief flickered in her chest when she spotted someone turning the corner ahead-Arisu. He moved at a frantic pace, his wide-eyed gaze snapping toward her the moment he noticed their figures.

Rika's heart twisted at the sight of him alone. Karube wasn't by his side. The sharp chord of worry that struck her chest left her stomach in knots.

"Rika!" Arisu called out in a whisper, sprinting toward her. She barely had time to retract the blade of her knife before he reached her, his arms flinging around her.

To her utter shock, Arisu wrapped her in an unexpected hug. The force of it made her stumble back a step, her arms hanging stiffly at her sides as she processed the sudden embrace.

"Where did you go?" he questioned, his voice barely above a whisper as he clung to her.

Rika stood frozen for a moment before awkwardly raising her hands to place them on his back. "Uh..." she started, her tone unsure. "I caused a distraction. Went for a jog. You know me." She forced a weak chuckle, glancing over her shoulder at the stranger who stood a few feet away.

The man wasn't just watching; he was analyzing, his gaze dissecting the scene like a puzzle to be solved.

After what felt like an eternity, Arisu finally let go, stepping back slightly and resting his hands on her shoulders. "I- We were worried," he admitted, his voice soft as he corrected himself.

Rika furrowed her brow. "I?" she questioned, tilting her head slightly.

Arisu's lips pressed into a thin line, and he quickly looked away. "I mean, yeah- I was worried," he confirmed, turning back after a beat to meet her eyes.

Rika decided to let it slide, stepping to the side as her gaze shifted down the hallway. "And Karube? Where's he?" she asked, masking the worry that doused her.

"He's doing the same thing you did," Arisu explained.

Rika sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Great. So we're all just out here making questionable decisions," she muttered under her breath.

Then she remembered the silent spectator behind her. She clasped her hands together, the closed knife pressed between her palms, turning to face him. "Oh, right. This is..." She paused, realizing she didn't know his name. "This is a guy. I don't know his name."

She gestured toward the stranger, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "He watched me fight for my life with a can of pepper spray. Super cool guy."

The stranger smirked faintly, meeting Arisu's gaze.

Arisu nodded politely, his gaze flickering between Rika and the man who finally spoke. "So," he started, sharp eyes shifting toward the door beside them. "You realized it too?"

"Yeah," Arisu confirmed, "The safe zone is in this apartment." He gestured toward the door beside them.

Stepping forward, he reached for the handle, his hand curling around it. For a moment, he hesitated, his fingers tightening.

Stranger-which Rika decided was the only name he was going to get for now-watched Arisu with an unreadable expression. His gaze didn't falter, hands tucked casually into his pockets. "Well? Aren't you going to open it?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

Arisu remained still, his brow furrowed in thought. "Why did the tagger chase us here? They could've just waited by this door. It doesn't make sense."

Stranger shrugged as if the answer didn't concern him. "Seems like there's something else we don't know," he replied, pulling his phone out. He turned the screen toward them, showing the timer ticking down-barely three minutes left. "However, if you don't open it soon..."

With a reluctant sigh, Arisu tugged at the handle. The door opened easily, no lock or resistance stopping them.

The creak of the hinges was enough to put Rika on edge. She immediately drew the blade of her knife, angling herself behind Arisu as he cautiously stepped through the threshold. Her grip tightened on the handle, the steel reflecting the dim light spilling from the hallway.

Stranger grabbed the edge of the door, pulling it open wider. Rika followed Arisu in, constantly adjusting the hold on her knife, their mysterious new 'ally' right on her trail. Well, he was better option than Nitobe.

The apartment was small, its space cramped with barely any light. Shadows clung to every corner. Rika blinked rapidly, her eyes still burning faintly from the pepper spray, trying to adjust to the darkness.

She sneezed suddenly, the sound high-pitched and almost childlike.

Arisu turned to her at the sound, just as the shadows in the room shifted. His eyes grew wide in the dark, a metallic glint catching his eye, the barrel of a gun was raised, aimed directly at Rika's head.

In a flash, she felt herself being shoved to the carpeted floor. Shots rang out, deafening in the enclosed space. Bullets sprayed across the walls, punching holes in the peeling wallpaper as Arisu dove for cover.

Rika barely had time to process what was happening before Stranger sprang into action. With an unnerving calm, he lunged toward the second tagger who had been hiding in the shadows. In one fluid motion, he retrieved a homemade stun gun-something Rika remembered seeing him charge earlier. He pressed it against the tagger's side and hit the button.

The tagger's body seized up instantly, crumpling to the ground in a lifeless heap.

Rika scrambled backward, her calves burning with every movement. The pain flared hot and raw, the bandages doing little to dull the sensation. So much for the painkillers, she thought bitterly.

Reaching for her knife, which had slipped from her grasp, she gripped it even tighter than before. Arisu rushed over to the pair as she stood to her feet, his expression filled with shock.

"It never hurts to be prepa-" Stranger started, but his sentence was abruptly cut off.

The gun still clutched in the tagger's hand was suddenly raised, the barrel aimed wildly.

"Get down!" Rika barely had time to yell as another volley of bullets ripped through the air.

All three of them dived in different directions. Rika found herself pressed against the base of a counter, her heart hammering as she tried to steady her breathing.

Two doors slammed shut in quick succession, the sound echoing ominously in the silence that followed. The room went pitch black, the light from the hall now gone, sounds broken only by the faint creak of the floorboards as the tagger moved. Not everyone had managed to escape.

Rika pressed her back against the counter, arms wrapped tightly around her head as she placed a hand over her mouth to muffle her breathing. Her mind raced, adrenaline spiking as she realized the tagger hadn't noticed her yet.

She could hear them moving toward one of the doors, rattling the handle. Locked.

Seconds later, Arisu's voice rang out, muffled but loud enough to reach her. "The safe zone is in Apartment 406! It's impossible to clear the game alone! We need two people to do this!"

Rika groaned internally. Of course it was a team effort.

The tagger shifted focus, firing shots toward the room Arisu had retreated into. The sound of bullets slamming into the door was deafening, panic clawing at Rika's chest.

Her fingers tightened around the handle of her knife, her pulse pounding in her ears. She adjusted her grip once more, her other hand lowering from her mouth. Her breathing was steady now, her eyes darting to the faint outline of the tagger standing just a few feet away.

Her heart raced. Move now, or Arisu's dead.

So she did.

She shot up from behind the counter, her movements fueled by raw adrenaline. Using the surface for momentum, she launched herself forward, her legs colliding with the tagger's back. The impact sent both of them stumbling, but she clung to them like a lifeline.

"Fuck you!" she screamed, her voice cracking as she raised her arm high. The knife in her hand glinted in the shadows before she drove it down with every ounce of strength she had. The blade sank deep into flesh, the resistance jarring.

The tagger let out a strangled cry, thrashing beneath her as they tried to shake her off. Rika gritted her teeth, her arms tightening around their shoulders as she twisted the blade, driving it deeper.

Rika's breaths came in harsh gasps, her heartbeat pounding so loudly in her ears that it drowned out everything else. Her body was shaking from the rush of adrenaline, the tagger shifting beneath her, their shoulder still impaled by the knife she had driven in, but, like her, they weren't going down without a fight.

A sharp crack of gunfire jolted her senses, and she instinctively ducked her head forward. The bullets missed her by inches, whizzing past her ear and embedding into the wall. The tagger, taking advantage of her lowered position, reached up with their free hand and grabbed a fistful of her hair.

With brutal force, they yanked her closer, pulling her off balance. Rika cried out as she was slammed into the wall, the tagger smacking her skull against the hard surface. Stars burst in her vision as the tagger repeated the motion, slamming her head against the wall again in a desperate attempt to dislodge her.

The impact rattled her brain, pain radiating from the back of her head and down her spine. Her grip on the knife faltered, but she didn't let go, bracing herself against the wall. Summoning every ounce of strength she had, she ripped the blade free from their shoulder and drove it back in-this time angling it lower, aiming for the soft flesh beneath their collarbone.

Blood sprayed from the wound, warm and sticky as it splattered across her face. The tagger screamed in pain, their movements becoming more erratic.

In one violent motion, they flung themselves forward, using their momentum to hurl Rika off their back.
She hit the floor hard, her body skidding across the rough carpet before slamming into the bullet-riddled door where Arisu was trapped. The wind was knocked out of her, and her knife slipped from her grasp, its blood-coated blade landing with a metallic clatter nearby.

Before she could catch her breath, she spotted the faint glint in the shadows as the tagger raised their gun.

Rika's instincts kicked in, and she rolled to the side just as bullets tore through the space she had occupied seconds before. She disappeared into the shadows of the room, pressing herself against the floor and clutching her ribs, which ached from the impact. Her knife laid inches away from her, her trembling hand reaching out to grab it.

Her hair clung to the sides of her face, skin sticky with blood and sweat, but she didn't stop moving. She pushed herself to her feet, biting back a groan as her calves screamed in protest. The tagger was already turning toward her, their gun hanging low but ready.

Rika lunged forward, closing the distance between them in two quick strides. She tackled the tagger, throwing her weight into them and sending both of them crashing into a nearby table. The force of the impact nearly knocking the gun loose from their grip, but they recovered quickly, grabbing the weapon and slamming the butt of it into her spine.

A strangled cry escaped her lips, pain exploding down her back, but she didn't let up. She tightened her grip on the knife and drove it into their side, twisting the blade cruelly. Warm liquid coated her fingers, making it harder to hold on, but she didn't stop.

The tagger retaliated, swinging the gun upward and slamming it into her ribs. The sharp pain made her gasp, but her knife struck again, finding a new spot just beneath their ribs. Blood gushed from the wound, soaking through their jacket.

"One minute remaining,"

Finally, the gun connected with the side of her head, and Rika fell back, her vision swimming. The knife slipped from her grasp, left buried in their side, and she struggled to stay on her feet.

The tagger, now visibly enraged, rushed forward, grabbing her by the shoulders and shoving her into the door behind her. The already damaged wood splintered under the force, and both of them tumbled through it, landing in a heap on the floor of the next room.

Rika found herself on her back, staring up at the harsh fluorescent lights that illuminated the room.

Her head throbbed, blood dripping into her eyes and blurring her vision. Before she could react, the tagger straddled her, their weight pinning her to the ground.
They raised the gun high, the butt of it angled to slam down onto her face.

Rika's hands scrambled blindly, her fingers brushing against the handle of her knife still lodged in their side. She gripped it tightly, yanking it free just as the gun came hurtling down.

Before the weapon could connect, a sudden force knocked the tagger off her. Rika blinked in confusion, her vision swimming as she saw Arisu tackle the tagger to the ground.

"Rika!" Arisu yelled, his voice strained as he wrestled for control of the gun. "We need to- the buttons!"

The two struggled, rolling across the floor as bullets sprayed wildly around the room. Rika groaned, forcing herself to turn onto her side. Blood from her head wound dripped onto the checkered tile, staining the white and black floors beneath her.

Her knife clattered against the surface as she tried to focus, her eyes locking onto the tagger's arm, which was still gripping the gun, aiming the barrel right at Arisu's jaw.

"Ten seconds remaining."

Summoning every ounce of willpower she had left, Rika staggered to her feet and lunged forward with a scream. She grabbed the tagger's arm, driving the knife deep into their forearm. They echoed her scream, theirs laced with pain as their grip on the gun faltered.

The weapon went off, the bullets whizzing past Rika's face, but she didn't flinch. She twisted the knife, blood spurting from the wound, the tagger's arm finally going limp.

A sudden voice broke through the chaos. "You called?"
Rika barely registered the figure swinging into the room through the opened window.

"Hey!" Stranger's voice rang out from the door.

"Five."

Before the tagger could recover, the newcomer caught the stun gun that was thrown to her, slamming it into their chest. The tagger's body seized up, their scream cutting off abruptly as they collapsed.

"Four."

Rika fell on top of them, her breath ragged as pain tore through her. She rolled off the tagger's body, her knife slipping from her grasp.

"Three."

"The buttons!" Arisu yelled, scrambling to his feet.

"Two."

Rika watched through blurry eyes as the newcomer and Arisu each rushed to the red buttons on opposite walls. They slammed their palms against the buttons just as the countdown hit one.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and the automated voice announced, "Congratulations. You have cleared the game."

Rika let her head fall back against the cold tile, her bloodstained hands trembling as she exhaled shakily. "Barely," she muttered under her breath.

"Rika," Arisu's voice cut through the haze in her mind, lined with urgency and panted breaths. The sound of his footsteps echoed off the blood-slicked tile as he rushed to her side. She barely registered his words at first, too focused on the pounding in her head and the sticky warmth of blood dripping down her neck.

"This is your blood!" he yelled, the volume making her wince. His voice was too loud, too sharp, piercing through the ringing in her ears like a knife.

"Sorry," he said quickly, his tone softening. Kneeling beside her, he reached out with trembling hands, gently gripping her forearms to pull her into a sitting position.

The sudden movement sent a jolt of pain through her body, and she let out a groan. Her head throbbed violently, the edges of her vision threatening to darken as Arisu's concerned face came into focus. She blinked slowly, her breaths shallow and uneven.

She spotted the climber standing behind them, her eyes widening at the sight of Rika.

Arisu's hands moved to her face, cupping her cheeks as his thumbs brushed against the blood smeared across her skin, inspecting the wound above her right brow. "Rika, try to stay awake. You're hurt- badly." His words came in a rushed stream, panic driven.

She didn't respond, her gaze sliding past him toward the body of the tagger. She heard the sound of labored breathing and realized it wasn't hers.

Arisu's hands faltered as his wide eyes flicked behind her. "They're alive," he muttered.

The tagger sat up abruptly, their body jerking as if the life had been shocked back into them. Their hands clawed at their mask, yanking it off in a single motion to reveal the bloodied face of a woman. Her chest heaved as she gasped for air, her eyes darting around the room in wild desperation.

Arisu moved closer to Rika, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and tugging her back. She winced at the contact, her body too battered and bruised to protest.

The tagger's eyes locked onto them for a fleeting moment before dropping to the collar strapped tightly around her neck. Her trembling fingers reached up to claw at the device, her nails scraping against the cold metal as it began to emit a rapid, high-pitched beeping.

"No..." she choked out, her voice barely audible over the sound of the timer speeding up. Tears streamed down her bloodstained cheeks as she struggled frantically, her movements becoming more erratic with each passing second.

Rika couldn't move. She couldn't speak. She could only watch as the woman's panic turned to despair. The beeping grew faster, each sound stabbing into her chest like a needle.

And then it stopped.

The collar detonated with a sickening explosion, a deafening boom that sent a spray of crimson across the walls. Blood and bone splattered like a macabre painting, the red bright against the white tile.

Rika didn't flinch. She didn't even blink.

Arisu's arm around her tightened slightly, his breathing uneven. "She... she was a player?" he whispered, voice trembling. His wide eyes were fixed on the spot where the woman's head had been, now nothing more than a gruesome mess.

Rika's gaze lingered on the blood splatter, her mind replaying the scene over and over in vivid detail. The woman's screams, the sound of the explosion, the feeling of warm blood hitting her face-it all felt like it had happened in slow motion. Was it even real?

"She was forced into it," Rika forced out, her voice hollow. "Just like the rest of us."

From across the room, Stranger leaned against the doorframe, his expression calm. His eyes briefly met Rika's before sliding to the remains of the tagger. If he felt anything, he didn't show it. His face was a mask set in stone, unreadable and cold. Just like her own.

They had cleared the game. This one, at least. That's what mattered. That's what she told herself.

But deep down, she felt the gnawing weight of guilt settling in her chest.

If this was survival, why did it feel so much like losing?

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