Fantasy Realm [One Piece] [Harry Potter] [Naruto] - [Progression] [LitRPG]

Chapter 118: Chaotic x Conclusion - A Nightmare Unfolds... Blood and Ice

Alex notices the remaining eight candidates discussing something quietly. Wasting no time, he casts his votes: for candidate No. 2 to be eliminated and for himself, No. 7, to become the leader. If possible, I don't want Emma eliminated and allowed to leave this world. I need her gone... permanently! Voting for a random examinee makes more sense, he thinks.

From time to time, Alex peers into the main room through the open door and narrow tunnel. The group is still huddled together, talking in low voices. Feeling isolated, Alex loudly complains, "How about you include me, your master, in your talk? This lying bitch will lead you all to your deaths, I can promise you that! If you talk with me, we might actually resolve this peacefully. I even found a way for more than one person to pass this exam! In fact, I can 100% assure you that more than one can pass. If everyone votes for the new leader to be eliminated as well, then no one will actually be eliminated, and everyone can move on! But this witch? She knew that and used it to strengthen her position, playing dictator. She wants to get rid of you first and only let her closest team members move on with her!"

Alex's lies are as blatant as ever. He knows full well that even if people aside from the leader receive zero votes, it would count as a tie, and someone would be randomly eliminated regardless.

"WHAT??" someone shouts, finally snapping.

"Is that true???" another asks.

These people aren't too bright... I guess there are hunters who only rely on physical ability, Alex thinks with a smug grin. His nonsense is finally starting to show results.

"YES, IT IS!" Alex shouts with mock sincerity. "Do you really think the examiners would eliminate 90% of us in this fourth exam? There's bound to be one or two exams left. It makes no sense to eliminate 90% of us now. Think about it! This exam is about seeing if we can put aside our differences, but this witch immediately turned it into a game of revenge, acting out her secret fantasies! You will all lose if you trust her. She's a snake..."

Alex glances at his left hand, still conjuring Mustrano's Malice Mauler lvl 3, and adds mentally, ...No offense, Mustrano.

"None taken, hee hee. I like how thissss exxxaaam issss going... kill them all...!" Mustrano's sinister whisper fills Alex's mind, clearly thrilled with the chaos unfolding.

"He's right!" one of the examinees declares. A few of them, apparently believing Alex, turn away from Emma's group. Three candidates break away and huddle in a different corner, clearly puzzled and uncertain.

Alex continues his performance, trying to "reason" with the remaining candidates. If you can even call my crazy lies reasoning, he thinks. I guess desperate situations make even reasonable people believe pure nonsense. The rules are clear—there's no secret, no "smart" solution to this. This is a cruel, hard task where 90% of us are destined to fail. The only real secret is that force can be used inside the voting room, flipping this whole thing from a social challenge into brute survival. No wonder the walls are reinforced. Heh.

"OKAY. I TRUST YOU. LET ME INSIDE THE VOTING ROOM!" someone suddenly screams.

Alex looks up to see it's one of Emma's group members—not one of the three who had already distanced themselves.

"Okay, no problem! Hands up while you enter," Alex says, smiling.

As soon as the man steps inside, Alex immediately plunges his claw into the man's throat, nearly beheading him. The man's head dangles grotesquely from his body before he collapses to the floor.

You have dealt 60 x 3 = 180 damage to Examinee No. 710.
You have killed Examinee No. 710.

"Too bad. He had a hidden weapon and was trying to kill me. I see that woman is still using her tricks, sacrificing her pawns to take me out instead of doing it herself," Alex says, his tone cold and mocking. He's clearly intent on ending this exam here and now.