[Note: This chapter is from Hayato's POV don't mistake him as Itsuki]
Eyes opened.
"Where am I?"
"Am I being kidnapped?"
Last time I was with Itsuki. He is not here.
The door opens.
An armed man.
"Hey kid, come out. Don't ask any questions or you will get killed."
I stood up from the bed and went with the guard.
He didn't say a single word.
But then he pushed me into a crowded room.
All the students are whispering among themselves.
I checked my wristband; there wasn't any signal.
But after a few minutes, a hologram was shown on the wall.
"Congratulations, students, you have survived the rainforest this far. But all the students who are here will play a game."
"A game?"
"What kind of game are we going to play?"
"The game is Russian roulette."
"But there is no rule. The students will select the number of bullets, and they will play by making their own rules."
"And being shot in this game means instant death."
"What?"
"What if we refuse to play this game?" a student shouted.
"It's simple: the one who refuses to play will die."
"Die?"
The students became horrified again. Some girls started crying.
But no one had the power to do anything.
"So, to survive, I need to win."
I didn't see Itsuki anywhere, so maybe he is playing the same game in a different room or something like that.
"So, now we are going to start the game," the hologram spoke.
Then, one by one, the guards began to bring tables.
They placed the table and the revolver.
I walked toward one of the tables.
There was a chair.
I sat on it. The game will start once another student sits in the other chair.
I waited for a bit.
But then a student came and sat in his chair.
"Then let's start the game," he said in a cold voice.
"Okay."
"Let me decide the rules, and you should decide the bullet count," he said.
"I agree with your proposal. Then what are your rules?" I said.
"This game will follow the normal rules of the game."
"You will need to take the revolver and shoot yourself or the other. But the twist will be: if you shoot the other and the bullet turns out to be blank, you will die. So, shooting yourself is the best choice."
"The game won't end until one of us is dead."
"Then, those are my rules. Now you can choose the bullet count."
I took the revolver and counted.
"There are six slots, so why don't we put only one real bullet? That will make it interesting."
"Do you have any objection?"
"No," he said.
"Then let me put the bullet."
After putting the bullet, I gave the revolver to the guard.
The guard is acting like our dealer for this game.
"So, who is going first?" he said.
"Would you mind if I go first?" I said.
"No, I don't mind."
I took the revolver and held it to my forehead.
I pressed the trigger.
And...
Nothing happened; the bullet was blank.
Then I gave the revolver to him.
"Now it's your chance, shoot yourself or me."
He took the revolver and smiled coldly.
Then he held it to his forehead.
And pulled the trigger. Nothing happened.
"Now it's your turn."
I took the revolver and looked at it closely.
Then I held it again to my forehead with fear.
"Oi, oi, aren't you going to shoot? Do it fast."
But then I pointed the revolver at him.
"Eh? Are you sure about that? If I didn't die, you would die instead."
But I pulled the trigger.
....
Boom.
It was the real bullet.
He is now covered in blood.
"How? How do you know?"
"Well. Sorry, but a magician never reveals his trick."
"I hope you will live a happy life as a ghost."
Then the guard told me.
"You survived. You can do anything in this room now. But please don't disturb anyone who is playing the game."
I walked to where the students who won were standing.
A student asked me.
"Hey, mind if I ask you a question? How did you know that it was the real bullet?"
"Oh, when putting the bullet, I scratched the chamber with my nails. So I knew if it was the bullet or not."
"Doesn't that count as cheating?" he said.
I smirked.
"Nah. Because the guy who made the rules didn't tell me anything about whether cheating is allowed or not. So I just used a loophole in his rule."
You are really a mastermind you know.