Descendants of Death

2. Fresh Air Still Exist

After that instruction, the announcement never replied back. It's like the real-time just started ticking. Everyone went into an uproar because of the fear of death that they'll fall down.

I'm scared. My hands are shaking after the announcement has been made. I can't stop my knees from trembling because of the installed fear made by the administrators. But the man with the short dark brown hair approached me out of concern.

"Hey, it's alright. We are all in the same boat here. There's no one who'll gonna die, I promise."

"I... I don't want to die..." my tears burst down from the fear that I've been feeling. That same boat he said, is that what's common about us?

He then taps my back to stop me from crying. "Hey, hey, it's alright to be emotional at this point. There's nothing to be feared of. But for now, it's alright if you want to release what you're feeling."

"Why is a crybaby in here?" Hirari asked with a smug as she noticed me crying loud. I immediately stopped crying after that. "We don't need a mourner like you to be a burden to us. We are already carrying a huge problem on our sleeves, and this is the first thing you'll do? Cry?"

"Wait, Hirari, please be calm. It might hurt her more if you say another word about her," the man who comforted me said withdrawn eyebrows.

"And who are you?"

"Yukawa Hanamano, president of class 3-E and the public speaking club."

"Oh, is that the club for swindlers? Or are you luring us to your trap because of your 'communication skills?"

"No, it's not that! Can we just please calm down? We are all in a pinch here. How about a ten-minute break, then we'll have our introductions?"

"Hmm... The time is still lacking. It will take an hour for me to filter the fresh air in this room," Hirari said as he leave us with a click on her tongue. "I'll be watching you two."

In that ten-minute break, Yukawa prepared a chair for him and me so that we could talk things out.

"Are you fine now?"

"It still hurts... In my heart..."

"Here," he said while giving me out a handkerchief, but I already got mine so...

"I got mine already... I'm sorry. I just put it out just now."

"No worries, you'll still wipe your tears anyways. By the way, I know this is not the time for this but can I ask you for your name?"

"Saori... Saori Kitagaya."

"Hmm... Doesn't ring a bell. Which class are you from?"

"I'm from class 2-B. I'm not much for anyone to know. I'm just a simple student," I replied after wiping my eyes completely out of tears.

"You seem okay now. Is it safe to assume that you're fine now?"

I nod.

"Then, it might be personal to ask, but do you know what happened just before you came here, yesterday particularly?"

"I... I'm not sure. I'm on my way home and planning on buying medicine for my grandma, but..."

"You passed out?"

"I think I was drugged, but I don't know when. I always drink on the water tumbler I always bring."

"That's awful."

"How's yours, senpai?"

"Me? Well, if anyone would have seen it, it will be clearly kidnapping."

"That... that's more awful than I have... Those people are criminals. They should be punished!"

"They would have been, but no one saw. Or if anybody saw, would they care? Society will try to do its best to ignore those who don't belong. And since this laboratory is well-built, I'm sure that the company who made this is a big shot."

"Then what would happen to us?"

"Worst case scenario."

"That's..."

"But I won't allow that to happen. I have a plan."

"Oh, is that so, nerd? Then why won't you tell us your plan already?" Hirari surprised us without even revealing her presence beside me. Both of us ended up shaking our chairs by flinching.

"OH! Woah! It must be too nice having conversations, is it?" Yukawa laughed in response to Hirari.

"I suddenly started smelling fresh air here. If your plan is senseless, you'll filter the air around me for one hour."

"What's that? Are you gonna smell my armpits for an hour? I believe that's where my most natural air comes out."

"You're really an annoying fellow, you know. Do you see my eyebrow winking at you?" Hirari followed up with an irritated tone while continuously winking one side of her eyebrow with a clenched jaw.

"Okay, I'll discuss the plan. Can we go to introductions first?"

Ten minutes have passed and Yukawa arranges the stage in preparation for the introductions. Like a typical orientation, everyone goes forward, telling each other their personal information and an important story that they have experienced.

Everyone seems already finished and I doubt some stories are false. They made sure this game is hard by creating such obvious fake stories.

"I'm Manabu Sakatomu, from 2-D. I'm bad at academics, and I always score low on my exams. Also, my notebook is always blank that is why my teachers always scold me about it," he said as he scratches his head.

"Now, everyone has introduced themselves," Yukawa announced as he swapped places with Manabu, "if we're still remembering why we are meeting right now, I'll tell you the reason. Some bastard with big ears overheard my conversations, but I will not say who it..."

"Hey, that's too blunt! Take it back!" Hirari complained.

"Oh, there she is. Look who's talking. Moreover, in order for this plan to work, we need everyone's cooperation. Is that okay?"

It's okay as per the majority because everyone nodded, but I bet they're not listening.

"Who cares about killing? Why not just leave everyone untouched? Right? The announcer said that there is no consequences when the hunter didn't have to kill someone, right? Then I won't have to suspect anyone. RIGHT!?"

"Now, you said it. You might be right," Hirari said.

"Then..."

"But, what if, there are other ways to tell the rules instead of just talking to the big mic?"

"What do you mean?"

"She's right, Yukawa," a man named Kino followed up, "what if there are other ways, like the paper given to us?"

"Hmm... You might be right. We don't all have an idea of what a hunter's paper would look like," Yukawa answered. "How did you know that? Are you the hunter?"

"Why would I!? I'm just saying that your reasoning has flaws. In fact, the announcement itself has flaws."

"I see. For it is like a puzzle that we need to solve in order to avoid casualties in the game. But what is a game if it has no clarification of the rules?"

"Then it means that we all die here."

"That's straight to the point," Yukawa pinches his forehead out of disappointment. "Anyways, we need to scan everything on here first. We might find something valuable before we go to the other room."

"Wait, how about the plan," Hirari asked but Yukawa gives him a thumbs down.

"Lick my armpit for one hour later," he replied with a smirk and tongue out.

As told, we scanned the whole room for additional materials, each with assigned places. While I'm assigned to the cabinet where the flasks and chemical equipment are, I've seen nothing important to the group. Rather, there is a thing in there only I would notice.

Why are there castor beans, whole and powdered, exist in this cabinet? No matter how you look at it, this is no chemical.