Crescendo: The Theater of Survival
After a few minutes, Noel and Marshal reached Building A, only to be met with a scene far beyond their darkest predictions. Among the other participants, a startling sight caught their attention, the unregistered, the individuals caught in this nightmarish scenario by sheer misfortune.
Identifying them was a non-issue; the grim evidence was plain to see. These individuals were marked by the macabre of a recent feast: mouths, hands, and clothes smeared with dried blood, alongside remnants of flesh soaked in a viscous mix of blood and saliva. It was a sight that suggested they had devolved into creatures of primal hunger. Yet, in a twist of fate, they now moved among the crowd, devoid of any aggression.
"What… What did I eat?" Some muttered, grappling with the realization of the unspeakable act that their body had committed. The shock and horror etched on their faces spoke volumes of the internal turmoil they were experiencing. It had to be a dream! This had to be a nightmare from which they would soon awaken, surrounded by their loved ones or, for the solitary souls, the familiar comfort of their own spaces! However, the cold truth would soon shatter any of their warm delusions.
"I'm not liking what I'm seeing." Noel said, his voice a mere whisper amidst the chaos, he took a step back as he witnessed someone laughing like a maniac, sweating yet he didn't shiver. He also noticed that the panels were off. "All of this, is the little spice the perpetrator added!"
"Lives aren't meant to be played with it." Marshal said as he walked separating himself from Noel. "Don't forget to survive, fashion disaster."
Noel couldn't help but scoff inwardly at the absurd nickname. With the introduction of the new rules, remaining unseen had become an impossible challenge, especially since their arrival at the building A had probably been noticed.
As time moved forward, the number three finally arrived. Less than forty registered and a few hundred unregistered remained. Some had blood stains on then, while some were unmarked and walked away in fear. Some displayed a fierce expression and shouted for their release, while others remained silent, gripped by fear and worry. And none were mentally stable.
The perpetrator suddenly talked.
'The game rules remain until the end, with the addition of new ones. As for the eaters? They are granted the grim consolation of witnessing others destined to survive… like the participants at the top. Aren't they happy? Or maybe they just want to kill themselves, maybe? They are free to do whatever they want!' This announcement visibly altered the demeanor of many unregistered individuals. Simultaneously, the display panels briefly illuminated, parading all the participants from the bottom, before fading into darkness once more after lingering a while on the top ten.
'For f*ck's sake!' What goes on in the mind of a person who has nothing to lose or win? A person already filled with madness? Noel was far from a psychologist, but he didn't want to know what would happen because it would greatly vary depending on the person. Not daring to look them in the eye, he quickly moved as far away from them as possible, then paused. 'Wait… there is a contradiction between what the voice just said and what it said before, confirming my earlier theory. All of this is just—'
As Noel contemplated the significance of this revelation, his train of thought was suddenly derailed.
"Listen everyone!" Someone said, it was the number three. He began in a solemn tone. "Whoever is behind this might… never mind." His declaration ended abruptly, leaving a hanging silence.
The crowd seemed indifferent, quickly moving past his interrupted proclamation.
'Let the game resume~' The voice was filled with joy, reminiscent of a little girl talking about a game of tag, which enraged everyone. To make matters worse, familiarity struck everyone, as the voice they heard was their own, increasing the sense of unease.
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Marshal
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'Let the game resume~' The voice was filled with joy, reminiscent of a little girl talking about a game of tag, which enraged everyone. To make matters worse, familiarity struck everyone, as the voice they heard was their own, increasing the sense of unease.
'I can't believe I'm considering following a simple civilian's crazy plan, it's bound to fail, but… it's far better than nothing. Too many factors are unknown for any other plan.' Marshal let out a sigh and made his way towards a corner near a store. 'As long as we keep the clock ticking everything is good.'
An eater, intent on killing, charged at Marshal with a hammer. Marshal, met his gaze.
"Pathetic." Despite the assailant's advantage in reach due to wielding a weapon, Marshal's superior speed and the attacker's need for a wide swing movement gave Marshal the upper hand. Swiftly, he gripped the man by the throat, his hold tightening as the assailant was raised off the ground, the hammer clattering to it.
The participant dangled, his legs waving as his face reddened. His thoughts grew hazy as his oxygen supply dwindling.
"Nothing personal, but when you want to kill, you should be ready to die in return." Marshal said.
CRACK!
A harrowing sound echoed through the immediate vicinity. Marshal's grip loosened, and the body was left to the ground's embrace.
…
This scene did not go unnoticed. Marshal's quick scan of the surrounding area revealed the onlookers maintaining a cautious distance. 'They aren't a menace but taking precaution to avoid too many ants coming for me isn't a bad idea.'
With a determined stride, Marshal headed towards a store, his mission clear. His reflexes came into play as he effortlessly deflected a two-liter bottle of ice-cold juice hurled in his direction. 'Had that come from behind, it might have caught me unaware.'
He fastened his pace.
'Really… All of this… just because I wanted to stretch my legs and buy milk.' He chuckled, but his eyes weren't laughing.
'I have to get this ready.' He entered the store, and even inside, it was impossible not to hear the chaos that was taking place, the screaming and violence that filled the entire building.
Marshal stopped in a section. 'Theses should do the trick… Oh, I forgot to take a cart.' He rushed towards the store exit but stopped at the sight of dozens of unregistered, looking at him.
"What do you want?" Marshal inquired, his tone unyielding as he continued forward, showing no indication of stopping. "You're in my way."
One of the unregistered began, "I want you to die—", his face contorted in horror, before vomiting a torrent of red. A crushed eyeball disturbingly rolled towards Marshal's foot. Had he not been accustomed to scenes of carnage; he might have recoiled in horror, yet that didn't mean he was far from being disturbed.
'…I could have been in the same position, if I hadn't registered by luck since a panel was nearby. …If I get my hands on the culprit!' Thoughts swirled wildly in his mind.
"Get lost!" Marshal bulldozed through the crowd, sending some straight to the ground due to his bulky frame.
Outcries filled the air.
"Why are you lucky?"
"Why is my death decided because I couldn't register at a damn panel? My entire life finished because of a F*CKING REGISTRATION PROCEDURE!"
They advanced, knives in hand, aiming for Marshal.
"I don't know, why ask me?" Marshal countered, swiftly shedding his vest to use it as an improvised shield for his hands. A rapid twirl disarmed the attackers within reach, their weapons clattering to the ground, none coming close to marking Marshal's skin. This unexpected disarming paused the attackers, yet their resolve remained unshaken.
"The only certainty is you are playing into the voice's hands, yet this time you can control yourself!" Marshal said, his voice echoing.
Marshal, braced for further confrontation, was met with unexpected silence and no reaction. The events of the day had deeply affected everyone's ability to think clearly. While his words were obviously far from sufficient to erase their trauma (if words could possibly resolve it), they served as a catalyst for the unregistereds to get their train of thought back on track.
"I was overjoyed with my promotion after all these years and wanted to revisit the place where I met my wife, to relive that moment… I had finally found a glimmer of hope after the darkness brought by A.I. job replacements and the tragic suicide of my beloved. Is this some cosmic joke aimed at me? Why is happiness so elusive?!" The man's voice broke as he succumbed to tears.
'…what is happiness? Forget it, no distractions.' Marshal distanced himself when he concluded that they won't try to kill him again.
'The game end!~' The voice suddenly announced.
'It shouldn't have lasted more than two minutes. In addition, I didn't disappear despite being last.' Marshal noted, it was strange, but Noel's input made him realize how the culprit might act.
'A new game will soon happen. Now everyone will participate. I realized that I was being unfair about the history of the registrations. It was too hard for some people. This time everyone can play. Let me explain the rules!'
Marshal couldn't help but sneer. 'If it wasn't already obvious… Noel was right, not that I didn't harbor similar suspicions.' He entered the store again. With a kick, he broke the chain of a cart.
'If I didn't listen to him, I would have killed… again.'
"MY ARM!" A scream pierced the air as someone grasped their unnaturally twisted arm in agony.
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Less than two minutes ago
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"Nothing personal, but when you want to kill you should be ready to die in return." He declared, his grip tight around his opponent's neck.
Strategically positioned in a corner, with the man he had subdued acting as a natural concealer, Marshal was effectively hidden from the eyes of others. This setup ensured that his subsequent actions remained unseen.
The two-meter man laughed softly as the eater's consciousness began to fade. Marshal skillfully maneuvered his other hand towards one of the man's raised arms, attempting to break his grip. Applying force with calculated precision, he tightened his hold with formidable strength while ensuring that the act remained hidden from any prying eyes.
CRACK!
A shattering sound echoed through the immediate vicinity. Marshal's grip loosened, and the unconscious body was left to the ground's embrace.
'Why did I bother? Well, the same result will be reached anyway, and this wasn't much to do.' Soon after, the following disturbance thwarted his plans to gain time.
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Present
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'The panels were off which helped me to fake his death. However, the reason why they were switched off in the first place is becoming increasingly obvious. How did Noel manage to figure out so much in little time? I mean, he was logical but… Nevermind.' Marshal filled his cart in record time, and soon after, he exited the store. 'I refuse to humor this game any longer, even if I have to die.'