Seat Number Zero

Part 31

"Thank you all for gathering here today."

Yumi looked up at the large monitor broadcast. "Well there's a face I haven't seen in a while, but you're not the person I want to punch right now. Lucky you."

"I congratulate all of you for being selected to participate in BLUE," Anne said. "We are the WGO who manages this competition."

Yumi rolled her eyes resting her chin, leaning dangerously over the railed fence.

"However as you all are no doubt aware, we will be running it differently this year. Our leader will personally explain its structure. They are the chief executive that oversees all of WGO's bookmen. The one that wished for a competition between light and dark. I present to you the Bookmaster."

"A fine evening." The person behind the screen spoke, their voice distorted by a voice changer. "I am the Bookmaster."

Yumi can't help squinting at the projection suspiciously. "What's the point of introducing a blank screen? May as well have someone else explain it for you."

"This castle is made up of three gates that separate the final room in which I reside and Heaven's Keep. The final victor of this year's BLUE will be decided inside Heaven's Keep." The Bookmaster explains. "To make it to the final battle you all must clear the cooking trials that await you in front of each gate."

Yumi glanced down at the gate she just had a free pass on. "Third Gate." She murmurs. "It'll be a while before it's my turn to play."

"Struggle! Overcome! And Claim Victory!" The Bookmaster declares and in the distance roars of cheers can be heard.

"Yeah, I'm just gonna take a nap," Yumi spoke stifled by a yawn.

************

Competitors from the red and blue corners, please enter the arena. In the red corner, we have the Bunnyhair, the capricious madwomen, wielder of the sadistic dish.

"Shall we play a game." the one in a rabbit animatronic costume laughs maniacally. "The light chefs here are no fun." She gently caressed her mini guillotine, the very same one she used in all her previous matches.

"And in the blue corner, we have the infamous Zero, a mysterious figure who made quite the stir in recent years."

"Hm... It probably won't be much fun playing with me." Zero responds tilting their head.

Up in the audience...

"Quite the crowd," Soma notes.

Behind them stood people with suits and masks discussing the match.

"I'm betting three hundred for the rabbit."

"Then I'm guessing you haven't heard the rumors." Laughed another. "My money is on blue."

"It seems this Zero fellow is a crowd favorite among the underground leaders." Megumi whimpers.

Soma shuffled through the mass of people for a better view of the arena. His attention turns towards the blue side to see a figure wearing a simple black hood that covers their brown hair and a white theater mask that covers most of their face over a black chef's uniform. "He looks familiar, where have I seen him before?" Soma frowns at the person.

"An overwhelming victory for Zero!" The crowd roared with cheers.

"How was the game?" Zero asked the rabbit lying unconscious on the floor. "Was it fun?" She laughed maniacally, leaving the arena with a guillotine in her hands as the spoils.

*********

"Yumi Yukihira, of Totsuki. One of the best in her generation." A voice called out to her. Zero flinched as she slowly turned around to face the person who had correctly identified her true identity.