[URGENT DISCLAIMER:THIS CHAPTER IS EXTREMELY & HEAVILY R18. WHICH MEANS IT IS NOT FOR CHILDREN. SO DON'T READ IF YOU AREN'T PREPARED FOR THIS. I HAVE WARNED YOU BEFORE AT FIRST: THIS IS THE LAST TIME.]
The atmosphere, initially light-hearted and full of jest, shifted drastically in an instant as that figure stepped onto the stage.
The room's ambiance turned ominous. Flashing lights swept across the stage, accompanied by thunderous booms that shattered the silence. Everything that had transpired before felt like an old dream—a stark contrast to the madness that had just begun.
The man donned a shiny suit reminiscent of FullMetal, but his face was painted like a clown. Upon closer inspection, he resembled the Joker from a Western film that went viral during my childhood. I almost felt nostalgic, if only—
"Okay, that's enough of the cheap imitation clown."
PIP. PIP.
BOOM! SPLASH~! WHOOSH!
And suddenly... the world turned upside down.
Blood sprayed in all directions. Torn flesh flew through the air, staining the atmosphere and screen with uncontrollable crimson. Screams erupted. The participants—some froze, others shrieked until they almost fainted.
That man... was shot, then blown-up.
Without warning. Without a hint.
But what's more horrifying—the footage was replayed.
Yes. Rewind in a slow-motion.
Everything slowed down and repeated.
Like watching your average highlight reels on social media.
Except, this time it's of a massacre in a hellish circus. Every flying body part, every droplet of blood arching through the air... displayed with brutal precision.
I couldn't help but wonder—isn't this too real?
Our souls, bodies, existence... confined within this physical vessel. Without it, humans aren't human. They're monsters. I don't even know what I'm thinking anymore. I've digressed too far. I need to focus. Focus on... the clues of death.
Amidst the chaos and blood-curdling screams, my eyes caught something.
A name tag. Captured in a flash of the replayed footage. One word.
[ARCHAZER]
I froze.
My hands trembled. My mouth agape. My eyes widened.
Impossible.
That… was the main sponsor of this game.
They actually murdered their sponsor. In front of everyone. As if this was all a staged play—as if they wanted us to see it. To make us remember it.
Is this part of the plan? A shock therapy for the participants?
I stared at the big floating screen again, trying to suppress the nausea creeping up my throat while discovering any possible subtle clues.
And there—on that stage—Akuma stood calmly, holding a detonator. Strangely, she didn't press the button. She just stood... still. A living mannequin.
So did FullMetal beside her, frozen, expressionless.
"Oops~ the meat's all over the place! Aw, so sorry, this was intended! Teehee~!"
No one responded to Akuma's flirtatious chatter.
Instead, the screams intensified.
Roars. Cries.
The so-called mentally strong gamers... now squeaked like chicks lost from their mother.
"Silence! Stop screaming! It's me who's talking here, you know?!"
And as if bewitched, the entire room fell silent. Some still sobbed. But none of us could scream. As if our vocal cords were forcibly ripped from our throats.
"If any of you dare scream again..."
"Don't expect to live."
"...or perhaps," she continued, stomping on the rotten flesh on the floor,
"Do you want to end up like this short guy below? Hehehe~"
[SUCH A SHAME HE ACTED OUT… IF ONLY HE HAD OBEYED, IT MIGHT NOT HAVE ENDED THIS WAY.]
[SO EMBARRASSING.]
"Yes, darling~ you're indeed the fairest man in the world~ Mmmmuach!" Akuma caressed FullMetal's cheek and kissed him in front of us all, without a hint of remorse.
"And you all heard it, right? From my beloved curator."
"Those who defy the rules... will face consequences. Understood?"
We all nodded. In unison.
Fearful. Choked.
My body trembled, throat dry, tongue tied.
"Good~!"
"By the way... I have a special quiz for you all!"
"Whoever can answer—will receive a special prize from us before the first round begins~!"
"What's the prize?" asked a brave woman, raising her hand.
"Oh? You're curious~? You're wondering, aren't you~?"
My heart pounded.
That catchphrase… I knew it. Flashbacks flooded my mind.
Me. Slaughtered. Ten times. By that person.
"Okay, so here's the deal, my dear ITIsekaiIsTrash… the prize is..."
"A SECRET~!"
ITIsekaiIsTrash froze, confused in awkwardness. "What do you mean?"
"What do I mean? Oh dear, you're such a clueless idiot~"
Akuma's gaze turned sharp, piercing the questioner.
"If it's a secret, then it's a secret, darling~! Why should I explain it in detail?"
"But what I can tell you... it's the most special prize~ and not everyone can have it~!"
I'm intrigued. A special prize? If I could use it to get out of here...
"You're curious, aren't you? Really curious, right? Or just a little curious? Hehehehe~"
Akuma teased with her eerie flirtatious tone.
"OKAY. WITHOUT FURTHER ADO. HERE'S... THE QUIZ!"
...
"HEY! WHERE'S THE DRUM ROLL, DAMMIT?! YOU DAWG MOTHERFUCKERS!!!"
Her flirtatious tone turned wild. The typical barbaric tone of a toxic gamer exploded without filter.
Finally, the sound of a drum roll was heard, and she danced like a theater opening—with a brutal style. Her feet stomped hard on the floor, mimicking the theme music of Western films. But amidst this tragedy... everything felt sadistic. No one laughed.
Except...
Velvet.
My eyes glanced sideways.
She... laughed? No... Chuckled?
No. Not even a sane laugh.
That laugh... it was empty, and so were her pair of eyes.
Chaotic. Full of pain. Her expression was like a corpse enjoying hell.
I shuddered. If she's already that broken, I've got no clue if it were for others.
"Okaaaay~ So the quiz question is…"
"Who was the first to kill the special guest earlier?"
"Hehehehehe~! Oh, wait a minute... seems like I forgot something."
She said, stopping her characteristic giggle.
"Oh yes, I almost forgot. There's one more question!"
"Then... who was the special guest that was killed earlier?