Alice in Borderland: The Cycle Continues

19) Seven of Clubs [4] ✮

===Chihaya Korinsu===

"So..." Erina whispered, the sound faint against the growing background roar of the fire. "One of us has to die."

I shook my head. "But this isn't Hearts or Diamonds! Surely, there must be some way out of this, something none of us are seeing?"

Niko sighed. "Sometimes you just draw short on luck in this place. Not all games are built the same way; sometimes, there might simply be a game that lies outside the bounds of what players have defined to be the standards."

"Let's just break this down." Tori said. "So each mission, we must do the opposite of."

We nodded. "So to do the opposite of 'get a Game Clear' would be to die." She continued. "So then what are the ways to die in this game?"

Erina shrugged. "Any method. Crushed, burned, gunned down..."

I perked up. "Or leaving the venue?"

Natsuki frowned. "How is that different from dying in any other way?"

I paused, stammering, but eventually trailed off. "I'm not sure, just thought I was into something for a second."

Tori took out the knife she had from earlier. "We still have this."

Erina flinched, and Tori let out an exasperated sigh. "What? You said it yourself—the fact that I've only been here for two days shines blatantly through. I don't yet have the resolve to harm anyone, though I reckon if someone were to sacrifice themselves for the greater good, they'd rather take a clean cut than burn an agonizing death."

Erina breathed a sigh of relief. "Sorry for doubting you for a moment. So now the question is if there's a way for one to achieve a Game Over without dying."

"Failing a mission?" Niko suggested.

"There's two issues with that." Tori said. "First off, it isn't technically a Game Over. Me and Natsuki both failed a mission but were able to escape with our lives. Second, even if failing a mission did guarantee to kill you, we're all out of missions. They've all been completed."

"Not this one." Natsuki said.

That gave Tori pause. "So then, to pass this mission, we'd have to not clear the game. But then to clear the game, we have to fail the mission... This is like one big paradox."

Natsuki groaned and rubbed her eyes. "This is giving me a headache. It's a wonder I've been able to survive so long in this place."

"Um... Guys..." Niko said, turning upwards. I followed his gaze to meet the vents along the walls, which had started billowing smoke.

"We have to hurry." Erina said, getting up from her chair and pacing around.

I gasped. "Wait! Another way to achieve a Game Over is to not escape by the time limit!"

Tori tilted her head. "Wouldn't that just kill us all? We only need one person to die, or risk dying."

Erina slowed down in her pacing, as if processing the conjecture, then continued again at her regular speed. "I think that's a bit too risky. Let's leave that as a last resort."

I wiped my forehead with the rim of my shirt, looking out the window. My eyes traveled along the walls, and set itself upon the king statue. "You guys think the king statue has anything to do with this?"

"Doubt it." Erina said. "The rules didn't mention anything about it, and trying to tie any exploit into it would be too far-fetched."

"But then again," Natsuki began, "why is it here if it has no purpose?"