The game had reached its most brutal stage. The final round. ”Form a group of two.”

You shared a quick, meaningful glance with Keigo. No words were needed between the two of you; you’d survived this long together. But as the timer started, things quickly unraveled.

You dashed toward the nearest room, eyes flicking from door to door. The other players were scrambling, and every second was critical. Keigo was right behind you, but fate had other plans.

Kamihara, your old friend, was already inside. His eyes met yours, filled with urgency. "Get in, quickly!" he called.

But as you stepped in, you saw him-a stranger, cold and calculating. The room was too small for all of you. There was no time to talk.

Kamihara tried to reason with the stranger. "We don't have to fight," he said.

The air in the room grew thick with tension as the stranger took a step toward Kamihara. The seconds were slipping away. The pressure was too much. You lunged forward, faster than you thought possible, and grabbed the stranger by the neck.

Your grip tightened, pulling them back against the wall. They struggled, gasping for breath, but you didn’t relent. Their hands clawed at your arm, trying to free themselves, but it was too late. Your hold only tightened, as if your very survival depended on it. The cold reality of the situation hit. There was no room for hesitation. No mercy.

Kamihara stood frozen, eyes wide with shock, but there was nothing he could do. He couldn’t stop you. No one could.

You slowly released your hold, staring at the lifeless form in front of you. It felt like everything had gone still.

Kamihara slowly stepped back, his face unreadable. The door to the next round opened with a soft hiss.