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"I HATE TO BREAK THIS TO YOU NOW, BUT WE ONLY HAVE 30 MINUTES LEFT." USAGI SPOKE, THE THREE IN A HOTEL ROOM WITH ASAHI AND TATTA. Katsuo arrived breathless, gulping as Arisu's face fell. "The militants are killing anyone they see. They've set the hotel on fire from underneath." He informed, shutting the door. "Explain the rule to me." Arisu asked, the sound of gunshots becoming familiar from outside. "A witch killed Momoka. We have to burn the witch in the Fire of Judgement." Asahi spoke, Arisu looking to her as Katsuo sat down in one of the hotel room chairs. "This is seriously the worst rule ever." Arisu spoke, Katsuo shrugging. "Tell me about it." He let out, Tatta pacing the room. "But just like those taggers from the tag game, who were made to participate in the game with rules of their own. I'm sure it's the same this time." Arisu looked to Usagi, the girl nodding lightly. "The witch has to kill the girl to start the game and survive until the end of the time limit." He spoke, looking to Katsuo.
"What was the King of Hearts game you played?" Arisu asked, everyone silent as they looked to Katsuo. The man's eyes looked distant, his jaw tensing as he adjusted himself. "It was called 'Odd one out'." He started, Arisu looking to him. "It was much like this one. There was an odd one out that you had to identify before everyone died." Usagi looked to Arisu as Tatta tilted his head. "And you were the Odd one out?" He asked, Katsuo nodding lightly. "Games like these turn people into animals. I know because of my mother." He let out, Arisu looking to him confused. "She was in the game with me. Vowing to protect me no matter what." Katsuo informed further. "Then a man killed her in front of me. So I caved his skull in." Asahi's face fell at the confession, Usagi gulping. "The games make people into killers. That's what heart games do." Arisu's brows furrowed. "They play with people's feelings and hearts." Katsuo finished, watching Arisu nod. "So, the witch clears the game if everyone gets a game over or gets struck by lasers."
Katsuo hummed in agreement, Tatta huffing. "Just who could be the witch?" He let out, fed up by everything as Usagi stepped forward. "If I were the witch, I would join the others in the hunting since it'll be Game Over if I'm caught." She admitted, Katsuo holding his forehead as he looked to the floor. "So it could be someone from the militants?" Asahi asked, Katsuo swallowing with a nod. "It could be anyone. The people you expect the least or the people you expect the most." He spoke, Asahi glancing at the man. "If it's the militants, they would kill one another. That doesn't feel like the purpose of the game." Arisu spoke, Katsuo looking to him. "Purpose?" Usagi asked, Arisu nodding to Katsuo. "This is a Ten of Hearts. It's not just a physical game." He spoke, Katsuo humming. "It's a psychological game." He finished, watching Arisu nod. "You toy with people's feelings, betray, and kill each other. They're designed so that you can't win without feeling disgusted." Arisu admitted, Katsuo humming. "As if you haven't won at all." Arisu nodded lightly at the man, Tatta sighing.
"If the militants win this way, there won't be any conflict." Arisu let out, Tatta gulping. "Then what is it?" He asked, Arisu staring at the ground beneath him. "Something's weird. What could it be?" He asked himself, scratching his head as he huffed. "If I were the witch, how would I influence the game?" He asked no one in particular, Katsuo letting his own gaze fall down. He was the 'witch' once, what would he have done? Aguni stared into the fire, distant in his own eyes.
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THE MAN SQUINTED, STYLING THE HAT IN THE MIRROR. "It doesn't suit you." A voice spoke, Aguni turning to see Takeru Danma smiling as he brushed a hat far from the man. Trying to make the object look better atop his head, Aguni huffed. "Who would've thought that the best host in Kabukicho would end up being a hatter?" He asked sarcastically, Danma sighing. "I can't go against my father's dying wish." He shrugged, Aguni tilting his head at the hat. Did it honestly not suit him? "You're an SDF officer too, right?" The man looked to Danma, the man's back facing him. "I thought you could only belong to the yakuza." He spoke further, Aguni taking the hat off. "Speaking of the yakuza, Shogo was killed laying his hands on the government's money." The man informed, watching as Danma looked outside the doorway of his 'Hat-Danma' store. "You're the only friend I have left." Aguni felt a hand on his shoulder, watching Danma move past him. "Live long." He advised, Aguni reaching his head up. "You too." He scoffed with laughter, trying the hat back on.
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"NO. I SHOULDN'T BE THINKING LIKE THE WITCH." ARISU LET OUT, KATSUO LOOKING TO HIM. "I should be thinking like the game master!" He spoke further, Usagi crossing her arms. "Game master?" Katsuo asked, leaning back in his seat. "Don't you think this seems tailor-made for the players, for this place, and for this time?" He asked, everyone glancing to one another. "After Hatter was killed, Momoka was murdered. Someone who knows the ins and outs at the Beach made this game after calculating the timing." Arisu told Katsuo, Usagi glancing between the two. "They calculated the timing?" She inquired, Arisu looking through everyone. "Their deaths did not just occur at the same time by chance. The game master had likely been waiting for this moment." He announced, Tatta alarmed. "Seriously?" He spoke, Asahi glancing at the man. "Then who is the witch?" She asked, Usagi looking to her.
"Hatter's death was made known after Momoka died. Everyone who knew of Hatter's death were militants and executive members." Katsuo begun, everyone looking at him. "But the game master might've known about Hatter's death somehow." Arisu spoke, Katsuo nodding to him. "Which makes everyone suspects." He spoke, holding his face. "When I passed by the lobby on hour before the game started, Momoka's body wasn't there yet." Tatta spoke, looking to Asahi. "So someone moved her body during that time frame." She sat down herself, Arisu sighing. "There's no point in asking because the witch can lie. The question is... Why did the game start now?" He asked, Katsuo staring out the window as Arisu looked at him. "Why did they wait for Hatter's death before they started the game? It was to throw the Beach into a state of chaos." People watched him, Usagi stepping forward. "If that was the case, if I were the game master..." Arisu thought hard, Ann covering her mouth from the fumes. Stopping the kettle, Ann squinted at the fingerprints.
"Don't tell me..." She paled, relief flooding her. "I got it!" She ran out the room, knife in hand. She didn't get far as she was hit across the face with the butt of a gun, two militants looking at her. "If we stop here, then all we did would be pointless." One spoke, the two agreeing. "We can't stop now!" He continued, Chishiya watching Ann's unconscious form. "Time remaining, twenty minutes." The voice spoke, everyone watching Arisu stand up. Katsuo did the same, the look of realisation on Arisu's face prominent. "Arisu?" Usagi asked, everyone looking to the man hopefully. "I think I know...
