Enchanted University of Magemenos

Chapter 56:The gray area

He smirks. "Exactly. That's what they want you to think. But if you look closely, there's no actual rule that says 'elimination' is the penalty. They rely on fear, on our assumptions, to keep us in line. But there's a way to exploit that fear."

Jake continues, his voice barely above a murmur, "When I was 'eliminated' in the second round, I didn't leave the game area. I hid. The game has rules for players who are caught and eliminated, but no rules about what happens to those who aren't caught at all. So, I just... stayed hidden. The monitors assumed I was gone, but technically, I never left."

He looks around, as if expecting to be overheard. "The loophole is the in-between space, the gray area. As long as you're not seen, you're still in play. And if you're in play, you can still change the outcome."

I feel a chill run down my spine as I realize what he's saying. "So, you're saying... there might be a way to manipulate this game, to twist it to our advantage?"

Jake nods. "Exactly. But it's risky. We'd have to be smart, stay hidden, and find more gaps in the rules to exploit. Are you in?"

The words freeze on my tongue as the ground beneath us trembles, a deafening boom shattering the air. In an instant, Jake is flung backward as if struck by an invisible force, and then—nothing but the gruesome sight of his lifeless body sprawled on the ground, blood pooling around him.

For a moment, my mind goes blank. I can't breathe. I can't move. The metallic tang of blood fills the air, and my vision blurs. Jake's eyes stare blankly at the sky, his lips still twisted into the hint of a smirk, as if mocking the universe for this sudden, cruel end.

The shock grips my chest like a vise. One second he was there, whispering secrets that felt like a lifeline, and the next, he's just... gone. The noise still rings in my ears, but I can't tell if it's real or just the echo of my own terror. My heart thuds so hard I swear it might burst out of my chest.

I force myself to look away, to move, to breathe. My hands are trembling. I feel the urge to scream, but I swallow it down, knowing I can't afford to draw attention. Not now. Not here.

"Jake..." I whisper, my voice barely audible, almost afraid that speaking his name out loud might summon whatever just took him.

The game is rigged. It has to be. Or maybe it's something else, something far more sinister than any of us could have guessed. I glance around, searching for any sign of what caused the explosion, but there's nothing—just the oppressive silence that follows, thick and suffocating.

And then it hits me—his last words. The loophole is the in-between space... as long as you're not seen, you're still in play. He knew something. Maybe he was on to something dangerous, something the game couldn't afford for us to know.

I feel the weight of that last thought sink in. Jake's lifeless body is a harsh reminder of the truth I've been avoiding: this game doesn't care about loopholes or clever tricks. It's built to crush anyone who tries to outsmart it.

No amount of cunning or bending the rules can save me. The game is rigged in ways that go beyond my understanding, and if Jake's fate means anything, it's that there's no way to cheat it. No shortcuts to victory. If you try to exploit the gaps, it will find you—and it will take you down.

The reality settles in like ice in my veins. I can't rely on clever strategies or finding ways around the rules. The game is playing us all, and the only way to survive is to face it head-on, with no illusions.

I swallow hard, trying to steady my racing heart. Jake's death wasn't just a warning—it was a message. There's only one way out of this game: play by its rules, face whatever comes, and hope I'm strong enough to make it to the end.

I glance down at Jake one last time, whispering a silent promise to myself: I won't end up like him. I'll play the game, and I'll play it straight. No more shortcuts, no more loopholes.

Time drags on, and I find myself wandering in circles, aimlessly moving from one spot to another. Each step feels heavier than the last, my thoughts spinning in endless loops. I'm lost—not just in this game, but in my own mind. What am I supposed to be doing? What's the point of all this running, all this hiding?