The second round continues
The players returned to their seats with hesitant steps. Their breaths trembled, and sweat trickled down their faces, but their eyes met... fear confronting an even greater fear. No one could tell whether the person sitting next to them was a human or an executioner waiting for the right moment to eliminate them.
The timer sounded again: 30 seconds...
Girl Number (3)'s hand trembled as she placed her palm on her exhausted head. She didn't want to look at anyone, but Player Number (1)'s scream shattered her nerves:
"Come on! Only five seconds left! Say something!"
She quickly looked at Player Number (4); in front of him was the initial letter N and the final letter O. She smiled despite the tension, a nervous smile that carried within it fear and determination. She said in a trembling but clear voice:
__"I see... your name is Naoto!"
✓✓✓✓
The lights on Player Number (4's wristband flashed like red embers. His body trembled as he screamed, "Damn it... I'm dead!"
A second passed before his final scream echoed in the ears of those present. His body trembled violently, then froze as blood gushed from his wrist and mouth. The smell of iron filled the room.
Everyone trembled; some covered their ears to escape the screams, others bit their lips to stifle their terrifying trembling. But the game didn't wait for them.
When it was Player (7's) turn, his entire body was trembling. His eyes were fixed on Player (8's) card. The letters in front of him: M at the beginning and E at the end. Time was melting before him, seconds melting like knives. At the last moment, he shouted,
___"Your name is... Masato!"
××××
A sharp buzzer sounded.[ -3 points.]
Player (7) froze, his eyes fixed on his wristband, which now showed only 4 points.
He banged his head with his hands, shouting, "Impossible! Impossible!"
But Player (8) seemed calm, as if he were playing a different game. Suddenly, he said in a low voice,
__ "Your name is... Kaoru."
××××
Another mistake. [ -3 points. ]
Player 1's voice rose in his direction:
"What the hell are you doing?! You're losing on purpose!"
Player 8 smiled, the smile of someone who knows better than he's saying:
"I know Girl 3's name... What if we make a deal? Either I help you... or you lose three points for nothing."
But Player 1 shook his head, remaining confident:
"I don't need your help. I'll do it myself."
He tried to guess the name, but failed again.[ -3 points.]
Number 8 laughed sarcastically:
"I told you..."
At the same time, Girl 3 advanced with eerie calm, as if she'd forgotten that death lurks behind every mistake. She looked at her opponent, Number 5, and then said the correct name without hesitation. A moment later, the bracelet exploded. Number 5's body slammed against the table, his eyes wide with shock, blood gushing from his neck.
Silence fell over the room, but Number 1 was the most stunned. He exclaimed, looking at her:
"How... How could you do this so fast?!"
The girl smiled, the smile of someone who knew a hidden secret:
"I used to work in the registration department. I dealt with thousands of names every day. Your eyes give you away... But I read them quickly. I even... I know the name of player Number 8."
Silence fell. All eyes turned to Number 8. For a moment, his composure faltered, and a faint hint of surprise appeared on his face.
The girl said:
"If he was like us... he would have died from the start. But he's different. He's completely different from us, and I know his name, but I just need to remove you to take care of him."
Death continued to claim the players, and another round was repeated. Number 8 still had only one point left. Number 1, in turn, was nervous and close to losing all his points. We turned to Number 8 and said, "I accept your offer. Tell me her name."
The girl said, "That's not possible. This is considered cheating." Number 8 replied that there was nothing preventing that. "But first, tell me which side of the lower dimension you live in."
Number 1 raced with the counter to the south.
Number 8 said,
__"Okay, her name is Kyomi."
✓✓✓✓
The girl screamed as Number 1 said her name before the counter ran out. At one point, as she was about to die, she tried to reveal Number 8's name, but she couldn't. The bracelet did.
While attention was focused on her, Player 6 tried to concentrate. Time was running out, but at the last moment, he shouted,
__"Your name is... Hiroshi!"
✓✓✓✓
Player 7's wristband exploded; he screamed in pain, then collapsed like another corpse on the table. Only four remained.
Player (8)'s turn returned, and he looked at Player (1). He said calmly, as if throwing a stone into a still pond:
"Your name is... Tairo."
✓✓✓✓
The name was correct.
Player (1)'s body trembled as he tried to escape toward the door. But the bracelet wouldn't spare him; he screamed before falling dead.
Now, only the number (6) and the number (8) remained. Both carried one point. Any mistake meant death.
Number (6) trembled, his forehead drenched with sweat. In front of him were the letters (M) and (E). He tried to think, but his mind was empty. Time was up. Zero.
He showed his bracelet: [0 points.]
He looked at his opponent in despair, then whispered:
"What is your name?"
Number (8) smiled calmly, his eyes shining with a mysterious color:
"My name is... Mouse."
✓✓✓✓&
Number (6) laughed a hysterical, desperate laugh:
"You are... one of them, but why mouse and not rat."
The mouse said calmly, as if to confirm:
"Yes... I am one of them but different."
The bracelet exploded on Number (6's) body. Blood flooded the floor once more.
Then, for the first time since the game began, the metal door slowly opened, its creaking echoing as if it were opening a new hell.
Yuta ×Or ✓Mouse stood, his face calm and his smile cold.
And he walked on.