The Master sat high in the stands, dressed in his shiny black suit and tall hat, which added an unnatural majesty and dignity to his harsh features. He appeared thin and tall like a nail, every part of him sharp, as if built for observation from above, even as he leaned on his cane as if age had weighed down his steps. Yet, his body wasn't as frail as one might expect, but rather taut and solid, like a tree trunk that had withstood winds for decades.
These elders, bored with ordinary life, found entertainment in these deadly games, much like a child finds pleasure in tearing the wing off a butterfly. For them, the blood spilling on the arena floor was mere decoration adding excitement to their day, which was the very reason these games existed: a gloomy whim transformed into a reality that devours the lives of the young.
The Master moved his chair slowly, changing his viewing angle to enjoy the spectacle more, while behind him stood Hiroto, straight as a sword, hands behind his back. His eyes never left Mouse, who was gradually transforming into that face no one wanted to see: a real monster. He was once "Yuta the Angel," who avoided killing at all costs, but now, for the sake of survival, he was being pushed to become something else, something utterly merciless.
Mouse's gaze rose towards Hiroto. His face showed neither anger nor confusion, only a heavy silence dripping with questions. In response, Hiroto offered a small smile, like someone saying, "Finally, you're starting to understand."
Down below, the chaos had reached its peak.
A rival player grabbed Mouse and slammed him down into the middle of the balls.Now Mouse was the one receiving the blows. His body was pummeled from every direction, blood covered his face, but he didn't flinch, didn't fight back. He was laughing, a strange laugh amidst the bleeding, as if mocking the pain itself or as if he had simply lost his mind.
On the other side, Yuko was fighting Miu atop the poles. Their legs clashed forcefully, their hands gripping the slippery metal, every movement threatening to send one of them plummeting to her death. Miu smiled, saying:
–"What's your name, girl? I'm Miu."
But Yuko didn't answer.All her focus was on climbing, on surviving, on the mission.
Down below, Ryuji was dragging a player by his feet while taking punches to his own face, but he refused to let go, determined to drag him to the end.
Meanwhile,the blind old man Hiroshi was swinging his cane with lightness and speed against his opponent, who laughed contemptuously, saying:
–"You're blind, old man. How did you even get this far in the first place?"
Hiroshi replied in a steady tone:
–"We all have our weaknesses. But unlike you, I show mine because I'm not afraid of anything."
Then he struck him with a treacherous blow that pierced through the opponent's mouth and out the back,causing his body to collapse motionless. Blood covered the old man's face, but he remained standing tall.
In another corner, Miko was, as usual, playing with her opponents' minds before their bodies. She slipped around one, deftly pulled down his trousers, and when he bent over to retrieve them, she surprised him with a powerful knee to the face, knocking him out cold, all while wearing an annoying smile.
Katsuro, with his iron fists, was fighting three opponents at once, while the twins circled their enemies like hyenas trying to help Katsuro, enjoying the chase more than the kill itself. The sounds of their screams and laughter made the fight seem like a devilish game rather than a matter of life and death.
But above, the most crucial scene was unfolding.
Yuko suddenly lost her balance,slipped, and hit her head on a metal pole, seeing the world spin before her. She grabbed a pole at the last moment, her face covered in sweat and blood, her eyes nearly fading. Miu didn't miss the opportunity, crawling towards her, trying to knock her off.
Ryuji screamed from below, his voice cutting through the chaos:
–"Yuko!! Wake up!!"
That scream was the spark that reignited her consciousness.A new expression appeared on her face—no shame, no fear, as if she had become the opposite of her former self. She climbed with astonishing speed, reaching the top, raised the ball, and prepared to push it into the hole.
But Miu grabbed her arm, stopping her. The fight between them atop the poles was fierce, but here at the top, at the finish line, it was even more brutal—a single mistake meant the death of your entire team. It was so savage that everyone below stopped fighting, raising their heads to look up. Even the dead, who had breathed their last, their faces remained turned upwards towards this decisive struggle.
And suddenly, Miu fell, clutching the ball as she went. Her body hit the poles on the way down, a short scream followed by a thunderous impact, then silence, and she landed among the balls, her body completely limp, her fist still tightly clenched around the ball.
Down below, chaos erupted anew. The players fought like beasts over the ball, every hand reaching to snatch it, every body wanting to stay alive. Katsuro managed to grab it and raised his hand high, but he didn't last long. His opponents tried to wrest it from his grip, while his teammates fought to protect him.
And suddenly, amidst the blood, sweat, and ragged breaths, Mouse rose.
As if emerging from a grave.His body swayed, but his eyes were blazing. He advanced over the corpses and players, climbing onto their shoulders one after another until he reached Katsuro. He tore the ball from his hand with force and jumped high.
Everyone thought he would throw it to Yuko, waiting above, but...
Mouse raised the ball over his head,and instead of passing it, he threw it directly into the hole.
The ball cut through the air and disappeared into the hole, shrouded in darkness, followed by a collective scream from all the opposing players. It was a sudden, unexpected decision that overturned all the balances in a single moment.
The Master above raised an eyebrow with a cold smile, while Hiroto slowly turned his head, smiling, as Mouse looked at him with a cold gaze, as if he had expected this all along.