It was five o'clock, and the sun was sinking lower. After changing my strategy, I made a new decision. I searched for Haru using the map app on my phone—his icon was nearby. I went to him.
He had set up camp alone and was sitting. When he saw me, he smiled and waved. I stood in front of him.
"Hey, senpai."
"I can't call this a coincidence. You checked the app, I assume."
"Did something happen?" He glanced at the spear.
"Is your team offer still open? I've changed my mind."
His eyes lit up with excitement. "Really? Why?"
"Teaming up makes more sense now."
"Alright. But I have one condition. One copy of the map."
"You're setting conditions now? Well, I did turn you down before."
I pulled a map from my bag and handed it over. He rolled it up, placed it in his bag, and thanked me.
"We're a team now, senpai."
"You could say that. I'll come find you later. For now, I want to stay mobile."
"Let me come too."
"No need. I'll find you."
He let out a small sigh. "Fine, senpai. Safe travels."
We were near the shore. I checked my position on the map. I decided to spend the day roaming and gathering information about the groups. The island wasn't uninhabited—there were roads. Sticking to the roads was safer against mine traps.
Kiriyama, at the upper corner of the island, checked his phone. Ten thousand game coins if he killed Rei. A savage grin spread across his face. He gathered his group and told them about the operation.
The same message had been sent to the twins, to Akari, to Haru. Everyone checked their phones. A notification arrived on mine as well.
A message saying someone had placed a bet on this game and that I should say goodbye to my closest friend if I lost. It also said they would make the game harder for me.
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Itsuki. He was furious because I hadn't satisfied him. By "friend," he meant Lie. My face grew calm, then hardened. I was more determined than ever to win this game.
Is the part about making the game harder a bluff? If he really did something, telling me about it would be irrational. But if he's sending this message, it means he's angry—acting on emotion. If he's acting on emotion, he can be manipulated.
"Five players eliminated. Eighty remaining. New rule: boundaries have been set on the island. Anyone remaining behind the boundary in thirty minutes will be eliminated."
They're shrinking the area. That makes sense.
I spent the next few hours studying the groups. The espionage skills from my military training were paying off. I noted down the groups. Kiriyama's group was ruled with harsh authority. Akari's group was respect-based and healthy. There was another group led by an arrogant blonde woman. The twins had formed their own group, but it was small.
If Akari wasn't bluffing about what she said, an attack might be coming.
Robotic voice: "Every six hours, a section of the island will become a red zone. Anyone standing inside for five minutes will be eliminated. A red zone designator can be purchased from the shop for four hundred coins. Only one available. Stock refreshes every six hours."
I opened the shop and bought it instantly.
It's mine. This rule is dangerous. No sleeping.
The area I was in turned red. It always found me anyway. I ran. I ran into Haru.
"Haru, was that you?"
"Hey, senpai. Running from the red zone?"
"Yeah."
"I tried to buy the red zone item too, but someone got it before me."
"I couldn't get it either. What were you doing?"
"Just wandering around."
Robotic voice: "Terrain has been randomized." The ground rose in places, forming small hills. The area now looked more rugged.
"What the hell?"
"It's like we're in a virtual game, senpai."
"Seriously."
Extra rule from the three-rule condition: "Puzzle rooms have been added. Solving one grants a one-time protection. If someone presses the button of a protected player, the one who pressed it is eliminated instead."
"The game's gone completely insane, senpai."
"Let's check out the puzzle rooms."
We found one—it was small and cramped, like a phone booth. A group of three appeared in front of us, approaching aggressively. I showed the spear, and they changed course.
"It's working."
We entered the room. A monitor on the wall displayed an extremely complex math problem.
"I'm no good at math. You?"
"I can handle it."
Haru studied the screen for a few minutes and gave the correct answer. "Protection acquired."
The room vanished.
"Technology is way too advanced."
"The area has been shrunk once more."
"I'm going to go solo for a bit, senpai."
"Fine."
Haru walked away. It was the first time he'd wanted to be alone. Was he planning something?
New rule: you can pay fifty game coins to see someone's location for ten minutes.
Is this Itsuki's doing? He's giving them opportunities to attack me.
It was already deep into the evening. The second day had been intense. The game continued.