Hololive: Reflection

Part Twenty-Six: Rule by Fear

Parting ways with groups one and three, Shin led his group of A-chan, Daidou, Ayame, Amelia, Gura, Toko, Polka, Aloe, Suzaku, Roberu, and YAGOO towards the middle hallway. Running down the large metal corridor, he smirked smugly as he barreled through any guards that he came across, simply stretching out his scythe to rip them apart. On the off chance that Shin didn't finish off an enemy, Ayame or Suzaku would draw their swords and drag them across the floor, slicing the leftovers. Before too long, the group came across a door that extended into a larger hallway with seven prison cells, three on the right and the left and one large one at the end, the large one containing a dark-haired girl with tentacles sprouting from her back bearing a pained expression. In the middle of this hallway, however, was a boy with a striking similarity to Nozomi. He grinned, gripping his ball-and-chain flail and glancing murderously at the group.

"Hello, all! Welcome to Nozomi's death game!" the boy smiled, "It's good to have you all here!"

"Ngh, is that you, Shin?" the girl weakly asked, sadly smiling, "It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm glad to see you safe..."

"It's always good to see you, Ina-chan, although maybe not in situations like this, " Shin smiled before turning to the boy and smirking intimidatingly, putting his thumb against his neck, "Hey bastard, you'll let the priestess go if you know what's good for ya."

"My, how eager! I should introduce myself, if you're gonna be so enthusiastic," the armored boy grinned, "I am Nozomi, codename 006, and you will be my contestants!"

"I'd like to have a say on whether or not we participate in this 'death game' you mentioned," YAGOO said, holding up his tome.

"Ooh, Tomes of Sacrifice? What an interesting crowd we have here!" 006 laughed, "But I'm afraid you have no choice."

"Oh really? How's that?" Gura questioned, spinning her trident.

"Because this will happen," 006 smiled and clapped his hands. Suddenly, the group found themselves in pairs and summoned within the prison cells that the group saw within the hallway, with Shin being with Toko, Amelia being with Daidou, Ayame being with Aloe, A-chan being with YAGOO, Suzaku being with Roberu, and Polka being with Gura.

"Teleportation magic, eh?" Shin looked around and took note of his environment, "Some fancy tricks you got there. You don't look like the mana-using type."

"Oh, I'm usually not, but seeing you all like this is worth the trouble," 004 explained, swinging around his flail tauntingly, "Now, let me explain the rules of our game."

"What are these rules?" Roberu asked, dusting off his fisticuffs, "Whatever they are, I know I'll win!"

"Don't encourage him, Roberu..." Suzaku facepalmed.

"Oh, I'm so glad you want to play!" 006's smile widened, "In order to win, you must kill the reflection of me. When you do this, you collect three keys. For one, you have a key that will allow you to escape your cell. For two, you have a key that will unlock either the door out of this place or the giant lock on Ina'nis' cell. And for three, you have a key that will unlock one of the many shackles on Ina'nis, whether it be on the left wrist, on the right wrist, on the left ankle, on the right ankle, on the neck, or on the waist.

"Please do keep in mind, however, that I will be in the cell Ina'nis is in, attempting to draw out Cthulhu," 004 explained, his wide smile continuing to find ways to grow, "So, in a sense, you have a time limit. A time limit for the time you are able to save Ina'nis. You could always, however, leave the game once you defeat my reflection, but judging by your words I doubt that's what you want to do."

"You're surprisingly sharp," A-chan took note, raising her glasses, "You're right. We never leave behind one of our own."

"What a curious ideology," 006 pondered before returning to his smile again, "Are we clear on the rules?"