"Welcome to the Points Game… our motto is simple: Everyone has a chance."
The voice emanated from hidden speakers,quiet at first, but it seeped into the players' chests like a cold dagger.
"My name is Haruto, but you may call me The Master."
Suddenly,the overhead lights flicked on, revealing a vast hall with grey metallic walls. In its center stood a long table surrounded by eight meticulously arranged seats. On the table, in front of each seat, lay a white paper with a number, alongside a black pen and a strangely designed metallic bracelet.
The Master smiled, as if he could see them despite his absence:
"The choice was yours.You chose to play individually, which means you will find only yourselves here. The rules are simple:
· Sit in your randomly assigned seats to discover your number.
· Place the bracelets on your wrists; they are an essential part of the game.
· In front of each of you, write only the first and last letter of your name.
· After that, in order, each player will attempt to guess the name of the person next to them.
The laws are strict:
· If someone successfully discovers the name of the next person, that person loses ten points.
· If they guess incorrectly, the guesser loses three points.
· Each person starts with ten points; protect them.
· You have thirty seconds to guess the name; otherwise, you will lose all your points.
A heavy silence prevailed for a few seconds, before one player's trembling voice cut through:
"And what if…we win?"
The Master let out a short, cold laugh:
"You will gain ten points."
Then another player interjected hesitantly:
"And if one of us loses?"
Here, the Master's voice softened before he said, with an unseen but heard smile:
"You will discover that for yourselves."
Some of them shuddered, yet they all sat in their seats. Each one looked at the others with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. They placed the bracelets around their wrists, and they lit up with fine red lines, like living veins feeding on their blood.
The game began.
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Round One
Player number (1) took a deep breath and looked at his neighbor, number (2). In front of him were the first letter "S" and the last letter "U". He began moving his lips rapidly, while the light counter in front of him started the countdown: 30 seconds… 29… 28…
He said with feigned confidence:
"Your name…Satoru!"
The bracelet on his wrist let out a sharp whistle, then its lights dimmed for a moment. On the screen suspended above the table appeared: -3 points.
Player one laughed,despite the slight pain that stung his wrist.
The attempt moved to Player number (2). He looked towards Player number (3), who had written in front of him: "K" and "I". Number (2) smiled a malicious smile and said:
"Your name…Koji!"
Another whistle. -3 points.
But number(2) didn't seem worried; instead, he let out a mocking laugh:
"Just eliminating a possibility…Next round, I'll eliminate you, believe me, I've figured out your name."
The round continued until it reached Player number (7), who faced a strange opponent, quiet, as if the game didn't concern him. In front of him were the letters: "M" and "E".
He said hesitantly:
"Is your name…Miyume?"
The same whistle. -3 points.
Confusion spread across his face.There weren't many names starting with M and ending with E, but he couldn't think of anything else.
When the turn came to Player number (8), he didn't look at the letters or his opponent's paper. He stared directly at Player number (1) and said with a cold smile:
"Your name is Rook."
A whistle. -3 points.
But number(8) didn't seem to care, merely offering a faint smile.
Round Two
The turn returned to Player number (1). He was nervous as he looked at his neighbor, time passing, and his loss meant he would have only four points left. But his eyes suddenly fell on Player number (8), who was moving his lips without sound.
Suddenly,as if inspired, he turned to the player beside him and said in a trembling voice:
"Your name…Shinobu. You're a girl, I don't know why I didn't notice that before."
A deadly silence.
Then the lights on the bracelet around Shinobu's wrist flickered violently,and on the screen appeared: 0 points.
But it didn't stop there. The red lights of the bracelet began to transform into a gleaming metal saw, cutting into the nerves and veins of her wrist. She screamed, a sound that tore through the chest, before blood gushed from her arteries. She began beating the table with her hands, blood splattering onto the faces of the other players. Moments later, she collapsed as a lifeless corpse, her eyes wide open in shock, the bracelet still flashing one last pulse.
Utter panic ensued. The players screamed, tried to get up, rushed towards the tightly sealed metal door. They pounded, yelled, pleaded for help… but there was no answer.
Then the Master's voice rose from the speakers:
"Return to your seats and continue the game."
They were on the verge of collapse, until the voice of Player number (8) rang out, sharp as a sword:
"Stop screaming!Haven't you understood yet? This was clear from the beginning. You chose this game for advancement… to escape your wretched reality. Now there is no going back. No home… no life… only hell. Our only path is to win. Either the points… or death."
Silence fell, the blood still flowing from Shinobu's body, pooling on the table like a red mirror. In the players' eyes, no one saw the others as merely human anymore… but as obstacles that must be removed.