"By the way, as a counter move, we could throw five votes at one of them. If they really distributed one vote each, we could win on all three floors. But we can't be completely sure whether they each cast one vote or not. If they cast six votes, the tactic falls through. But if we somehow become certain that they each cast one vote, let's use this."
"Okay, Rei."
"At the same time, even if they each cast one vote, the risk on the third floor might still continue. I didn't tell our people the one-vote idea because we can't be completely sure. We need to avoid taking risks and not use our prediction right. If we throw five votes at one of them without taking risks, one of us could be eliminated with six votes. And if six votes were cast, the probability of that person being me is quite high. If we somehow become completely sure of what they did, the advantage shifts to us."
"Understood, we need to figure out what they did somehow, but it seems like we can't do anything for now. Let's keep searching for buttons."
We continued searching for buttons for about thirty minutes. This time we had found the buttons faster than usual, maybe we were getting used to searching for buttons. When I pressed the last button, the system's voice was heard. We were suddenly teleported to the second floor again. We no longer showed any reaction and were focusing on the game.
"A floor-specific rule has been determined for the second floor!"
"You will momentarily enter a new voting process. Meaning it will be a voting unrelated to your previous votes. The person who receives the most votes will be granted one-time immunity. The player who obtains immunity can use it on themselves during the real voting. If they use it on themselves, the votes cannot affect them for one time. However, they can also use the immunity right on someone other than themselves during the voting. If they use it on someone else, they cannot use it on themselves. At the same time, if the person they used it on does not become the person with the most votes, they themselves will be eliminated!"
When everyone heard the rule, they quickly opened their phones. Some seemed to have felt a hope to protect themselves. As for me, I didn't like this rule, it felt like someone was trying to make me lose. I started thinking to myself as I opened my phone.
Fuck, they're all scared. We can never vote for a single person. Even if we did, this Hina is definitely not on our side. The votes will be distributed as seven to five no matter what. It seems impossible for anyone from our side to win the voting.
The voting was quickly initiated. Everyone was deciding who to vote for on their phones. The voting ended in a short time. When the voting ended, the system's voice was heard and announced that the voting had ended. They weren't even saying who won the voting.
They're not telling us either. I see.
My face started to take on its expressionless form again, I was focusing. I was aware that Hina wouldn't join us, so instead of trying to form a team, I ran to search for buttons again quickly. I was no longer holding back my physical abilities, I started searching around rapidly. The others, seeing my fast state, also split up and set out to search for buttons. The others, when they saw our efforts, were feeling superior.
Ayame entered the room I had entered. I was examining the surroundings, she came next to me and started searching for buttons with me. Meanwhile, she tried to talk to me.
"Rei, we're in a slightly disadvantaged position, aren't we?"
"Yes, we don't know who has the immunity, but at least it can't be among us or Hina. Because the rule was initiated instantly, in such a short time they couldn't have agreed to vote for Hina as a deal to fully include her. But still, it can be said that they are seven people. Itsuki will want to pull her to their side. On top of that, this girl is causing us a lot of trouble. We probably won't be able to sleep today, they'll find the buttons while we're sleeping on the third floor, then try to leave us teamless while we're asleep."
"You're right, to survive, we need to end the voting on the first or second floor."
Itsuki's Side
"We're in an advantageous position, but let's not get comfortable. When the hours get close, pretend like you're trying to get to the third floor. Meaning pretend like you're searching for buttons but don't actually press the buttons. This way we'll be sending false information. They'll misunderstand what we're doing, we'll act as if we're trying to move to the third floor but can't manage to do it."
"Okay."
Rei's Side
"I found one."
"Good, let's continue. By the way, who do you think has the immunity?"
"If their team gets along well, they might have given it to the person who makes the plans. But forming that level of a loyal team in such a short time isn't easy even if it serves their own interests, because everyone wants to gain an advantage. When we think like this, if I consider that the plans are made by Itsuki, it won't go to Zei, he looks angry. It could go to that bald guy. I don't think it will go to the women next to the old man, if they did that, they'd only be doing it to hide information, but I don't think it would be worth it. So the old man, Itsuki, and the bald man are my main suspects."
"I see, I suspect Itsuki. Let's keep searching for buttons, we don't have much time left."
"You're right, let's continue."
We continued searching for buttons with the others for another twenty minutes. When there was little time left, we found the buttons' locations again. Meanwhile, the others were eating. After we found the buttons, the system's voice was heard, we were suddenly teleported to the third floor again. Itsuki spoke mockingly.
"Tsk, I was eating, you know."
The others seemed disturbed by Itsuki's relaxed attitude, they looked stressed. Hina was standing near the others in an indifferent manner. I could see some of us staring at her. Ignoring what was happening with Ayame, we were waiting for the new rule to come. When the system's voice was heard, everyone turned their faces toward the sound.
"A new floor-specific rule has been added to the third floor!"
"While on the third floor, if the voting ends and the person with the most votes has a vote count of ten or more, that person is not eliminated!"
When I heard the rule, I started thinking.
Clearly, the system really desires to continue the game if the voting ends in a tie.
It occurred to me that I could check the floor-specific rules on my phone. To check, I took my phone out of my pocket and checked the special floor rules section, I wanted to read the third floor's rules again. After reading the rules, I closed my phone and put it in my pocket.
Third Floor Rules
"On the third floor, you can make predictions about people you think have used their prediction right. If your prediction turns out to be correct, your right continues and the person who used their prediction right during the voting is eliminated. You can only predict one person at a time. If your prediction turns out to be wrong, you lose your prediction right within the voting and the third floor's special prediction right for one time. It will be announced when you predict incorrectly."
"If the voting ends on the third floor, the voting result is processed with the third floor's rules. If someone receives ten or more votes in a voting that ends on the third floor, they are not eliminated even if they would be in a position to be eliminated."
After making sure I understood the rules, I told Ayame about my plan at an appropriate time and told her to gather the others. The five of us met in a room. I didn't know where Hina was. Everyone was looking at me in the room, waiting for me to speak.
"We can create false information in the same way. I have some suspicions."
"How will we create it?"
"Very simple. The five of us here need to vote for each other in a way that we each vote for a different person. I'll vote for Ayame, Ayame will vote for John, John will vote for one of the twins, one of the twins will vote for their own twin, and the remaining person will vote for me. This way, five people will have cast votes in a way that everyone votes for a single different person."
"I see, then eleven votes will show up on the board, they'll get stressed. But it's not worth it, we can't take back our votes, we'll be eliminated!"
"We can actually take them back."
"What?"
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
"On the first floor, first the twins will form a two-person team. When I checked the team status on the phone, two-person teams aren't defined as never being a team, they're just counted as an invalid team. Meaning it's expected for the sufficient number to be filled, if it's not filled, we naturally get eliminated. We're going to use this gap. After the twins form a two-person team, first, you will send me a team invite and I'll come to your team. This way, since I cast a vote for one of you, when I'm on the same team, my vote will be reset because we can't vote for people on the same team. Meanwhile, John and Ayame will form an insufficient team, or you might not even have to be on a team to do a team swap, it could be either possibility. Then I'll do a team swap with Ayame, this way, since she's on the same team as you, her vote will have been reset. Then Ayame will send a team swap to John. Following that, to reset the twins' votes, you'll do a team swap with the two of us, then do a team swap with John in order. Since we're on the same team, our votes will be reset. We can adjust this cycle until everyone's votes come back. We don't have to do it only this way. For example, the twins could just vote for John, and the three of us could cast our three votes for one of you two. Then, to reset my three votes, we join the twins' invalid two-person team through swaps in order and reset our votes. Then, to reset the twins' votes, while John is on the team, they do a team swap with me or with both Ayame and me, this way, since they're on the same team as John, their votes are also reset. We don't all have to vote for each other one by one, there are multiple possibilities like this. We can try possibilities until we're sure everyone's votes are reset. What I just mentioned is one of the possibilities that can work."
"HOLY SHIT! HOW DID YOU THINK OF SOMETHING THIS COMPLEX, REI?"
"Understanding the logic of team swaps is enough."
"Ah, but what if Hina realizes the votes went to my sibling after seeing the board and casts a vote for her? She'll be directly eliminated!"
"We'll do this process immediately, she can't figure out what I just said in a short time. Even if she does, she has a one in five chance for the person we voted for. At the same time, as I said, this is just one of the possibilities, we can continue the cycle in various ways until everyone's votes are reset, it won't be a problem."
"Okay, I understand. So are we doing it now?"
"Yes, let's do it now, come on."
"Alright."
The three of us voted for one of the twins, and the twins voted for John. We had cast our five votes. Then I stated that we needed to find the buttons to implement our tactic. This time, since everyone was individual, we moved more slowly and found the buttons within fifty minutes. When we found the buttons, we returned to the first floor. The truth question came to our phones, and after answering the question, the number appeared on the screen. Before this, I had told everyone not to reveal our aim. Everyone was expecting the number six, but the number shown on the board was eleven instead of six.
I was just looking at the board with an emotionless expression. The seven people who were currently our opponents, when they saw the number, hesitated and started looking at us, as if they were surprised. Itsuki was staring intently at me. Following that, the old man called out to all of us.
"Have you got a death wish, what are you doing, you idiots?"
Before this, to prevent Hina from thinking and making a move, I had arranged which button everyone would press on their phones after the voting. After the votes were announced, first the twins would immediately form an insufficient team and send the invite to me. While my phone was open, I would instantly accept the invite and since I was on the same team as the person I voted for, my vote would be reset, a three-person team would be formed immediately. Since I was on a three-person team with the person I voted for, my vote would be reset instantly. This way, there would be ten votes left instead of eleven, but the board wouldn't update this again. This way, Hina, seeing the number eleven, wouldn't be able to instantly vote for one of us randomly and end the voting. If the voting had ended, in the scenario where everyone had one vote, due to the other six votes, all of us except Hina would have had two votes. Because of Hina's vote, the person she randomly voted for among us would have been eliminated with three votes, I would have prevented this. At the same time, in the other possibility, when she voted again, this time one of the twins who had three votes would have been eliminated either with three votes or with Hina's fourth vote, I would have prevented this too. Before this, to prevent the twins from betraying us, I had further convinced them by mentioning that if Hina voted, their sibling could be eliminated.
Right after the old man's reaction, we started the step I had arranged with the twins. The twins formed an insufficient two-person team and immediately sent me an invite. I instantly accepted the invite and before Hina could even react to the situation, since I was on the same three-person team as the person I voted for, I reset my vote. In front of everyone's eyes, the two of us were quickly fiddling with our phones, the others were watching us. The vote count had actually dropped to ten now. Nothing had been said about the truth question updating the vote count after the number was shown on the board, so the vote count on the board continued to remain as eleven. Now, Hina couldn't think of the two possibilities we had blocked and end the voting by using her own voting right on someone random before we did this. Because even though the number eleven was showing, actually ten people had voted, when Hina voted, it would be eleven, meaning not everyone would have voted because my vote would still be standing again.
There was no longer any risk, so I walked towards one of the rooms in the corridor and entered the room. To continue our tactic, the others came behind me. I had specified and planned everything beforehand. Now it was time to reset all of our votes. The others were watching us as they entered the room behind us.
The others were trying to figure out the situation, thinking silently, trying to understand what this meant. Hina, in the same way, for the first time with a serious facial expression, was thinking to herself, trying to understand the situation.
What are they trying to do? Why did they vote? If the others cast six votes, one of them will be eliminated along with my vote. So did they figure out that the others sent one vote under us? But then I could cast the last vote for the person I want and eliminate them with two votes. They can't throw five people's votes at a single person, they can't take this risk. So either they voted one each among themselves to scare us, or they voted for the others one each in some way. They can't give two or three each, they can't be sure the six votes are one each, they shouldn't take this risk. I don't know how many votes they cast either, but if they cast six votes, one of them will be eliminated with my vote. If they cast one, two, or three votes each, then they didn't cast them for me. If I use my vote, the voting will end no matter what and one of them will be eliminated. I'll cast my vote for Rei, they were definitely targeting him, the others must have cast theirs for him too.
But they were fiddling with their phones right in front of our eyes. It must be a bluff, they must be acting like they have a plan because they're desperate. I'll cast my vote for Rei and eliminate him, that's how it should be. One of them has to be eliminated no matter what.
I used my vote on Rei. I thought the voting would end and Rei would probably be eliminated, I was feeling comfortable and safe. But after I cast my vote, I hadn't heard the system's voice, I suddenly got stressed.
What's happening? Why didn't the game end? Wasn't it a bluff? But even if it's not a bluff, what can they do? The board showed eleven, how can the voting not end? What's going on? What are they doing in that room? My voting right went to waste, I'll need to do a team swap from Itsuki's side right away. What is going on?
Rei's Side
When we entered the room, we moved to the final step of the tactic I had planned. Since the number of votes used was actually ten instead of eleven, it didn't matter whether Itsuki's side cast votes one by one or six people voted for a single person. Because the number of votes used was now actually the number ten, the voting couldn't end. With Hina's vote, it could at most return to the number eleven again, the voting couldn't end.
If the voting couldn't end, then who they voted for no longer mattered. We started the tactic in the room. We were on a three-person team with the twins, my vote had been reset. It was time to reset Ayame's vote. John and Ayame formed an invalid team. I sent a team swap invite to Ayame, Ayame immediately accepted the invite. Ayame had moved to the team I was on, this way she was on the same team as the person she voted for. She, like me, had voted for one of the twins as planned beforehand, and since she was on the same team as the person she voted for, her vote was reset. It was time to reset John's vote. John and I formed an invalid two-person team, we were doing the team formation through invites on the phone. After the invalid team was formed, Ayame sent a team swap invite to John in the same way. John accepted the invite, and since he too had voted for one of the twins, when he was on the same team as them, his vote was reset. It was time to reset the twins' votes. I formed an invalid team with Ayame and sent a team invite to John, after John accepted the team invite, we had formed a three-person team. In this situation, maybe if I hadn't met Ayame, I could have betrayed the twins, but I had decided not to do this, after all, they had trusted me. After forming the three-person team, the twins formed an invalid two-person team again themselves, then sent a team swap invite to Ayame and me. We accepted the invite. The twins and John had now formed a three-person team, the twins had voted for John, and since they were on the same team, their votes were also reset. Now everyone's votes had been restored.
"We did it, Rei! We did it, it really happened!"
"Yes."
"You're a genius!"
"We'll celebrate later, come on, we need to find the buttons now, we have little time left."
"Alright!"
Even though they were a team, they started searching for buttons with us. After my move, the twins seemed to trust me, as if they had forgotten the game would end when three people remained. I had planned everything. Ayame seemed to be acting closer to me after what I did. Together, we were searching for buttons in the room again.
"It doesn't matter whether Itsuki casts six votes or one vote for everyone or uses the voting in other ways, right?"
"Yes, because they can no longer end the voting, so it doesn't matter. At the same time, the first aim of the tactic was to make them believe we had voted. If they can't figure it out, they'll think we voted, but after a while they'll understand and do the same thing on themselves and reset their six votes too. The important part here was my other target, Hina. If Hina fell into my trap, it means she voted. When the voting doesn't end after she votes, she'll get stressed and will head to Itsuki's side to do a team swap. If Itsuki understands the situation here, she'll realize that Hina is now in a weak position and dependent on them. In this situation, I set this trap for Itsuki's side to either put Hina in a difficult position while she's weak or try to eliminate her. If Hina fell into the trap and wants to do a team swap from Itsuki, we'll see whether Itsuki's side will try to take advantage of Hina's difficult situation and eliminate her. Hina will even be afraid to ask to reset her voting right because she'll be aware that they could take advantage of her. We'll see what happens."
"I see. So your move was also a trap to put Hina in a difficult position and turn Hina into a dinner plate for Itsuki's side. If Hina voted, it means she fell into this trap. I understand, it looks like you've thought everything through and calculated everything. I'm sorry, I can't help you much, but I will. It looks like you're doing everything for now."
"It's fine, you'll help later. Let's set out to search for buttons now, and let's keep an eye on Hina at the same time. Maybe we can figure out whether she used her voting right or not. If she fell into the trap, we'll see how she gets out of this mess. If she didn't, the others will try to figure out what happened and be stressed for a while. It's hard to figure out the trap in a short time, so it can be said that Hina falling into the trap is probable."
"You're right, I hope it works. Come on, let's search for buttons then."
"Alright."