❛ 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 𝐎𝐑 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 ❜ ━━━ (𝗰.𝘀𝗵𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗼)

begin stage two

It was the next day and all of you reassembled at Shibuya Crossing. Kuina sat on the floor as she looked around the empty Tokyo hopelessly. On the biggest display screen were the words, "NEXT STAGE START."

"None of the games have started," Arisu commented with a confused look.

"Maybe we still have some time," Usagi suggested.

"Or they forgot to push the big red start button," Chishiya rebutted.

Arisu and Usagi looked at him with a look while Kuina said, "They didn't even tell us about the rules for this one."

You sighed and looked around as well before something caught your attention. Rather, it was the sound of multiple engines nearing where you were.

"Do you guys hear that?" You asked everyone while looking at the direction from where the sound seemed to be coming from.

Seconds after, multiple cars appeared as they drove up to your group and surrounded you. Kuina looked at you, "They're alive. Beach people."

The remaining survivors of the Beach exited their vehicles and approached you. Arisu walked up next to you as he took charge of the conversation.

"What's this?" One of the survivors asked.

"What are you doing here?" Arisu asked them.

"We saw the blimps show up," He answered.

"There are rumours that the next stage is starting," A woman said.

"Right," Arisu said as he looked back at the man. "Here's the thing-"

BANG!

A horrified gasp left your lips as the man in front of you crumbled onto the ground lifeless. It had all happened so quickly. One moment, the lady from before was standing in front of you. In the next, the woman was shot down.

A few more shots fired and another man was killed. Your eyes widened in horror as you recognised the sound, "It's a rifle!"

"What's happening?" Arisu asked in horror.

"Get moving!" Chishiya told him.

"Run to the cars!" A survivor shouted.

Chishiya calmly walked backwards as he looked at the direction from where the shot came from, "That thing's an anti-tank rifle."

He looked at the car next to him and noticed how a guy was obliterated along with the car with just three shots. He gave a look and said, "So, I'd forget about hiding behind a car."

"Chishiya!" You yelled as you grabbed his arm, pulling him with you. "Stop walking and start running!"

"Where's it coming from?!" Usagi shouted before the two guys in front of her got shot as well, scaring her.

"Run! Run!" Arisu hollered as he ran and hid behind the wall of an infrastructure. Usagi quickly followed, followed by Kuina, then you and Chishiya.

"Does this mean that the game's started?" Kuina asked.

"I don't know," Chishiya replied as he squatted along behind you.

"Did they give us any rules?" Kuina questioned.

"Without rules, this is just a massacre!" Arisu pointed out. A few more shots rang in the air as all of you stopped your movements to plan the next course of action.

"That rifle can kill from a kilometre away," You said your observation.

However, the sound of the rifle now changed into a higher-pitched and faster-paced rifle. Kuina groaned as she commented, "Damn it, I recognise that sound."