Be smarter

When they decided to go towards that strong source of light, Jacob and Usagi made it clear that it was good to only bring their essential belongings. Jacob chose to carry his two pistols with the magazines in their holsters, as well as a rifle he had obtained from the weapons store. Usagi, on the other hand, decided to bring a flashlight while carrying a shotgun in its case.

Upon Jacob's suggestion, Usagi also put on a hoodie sweater, and both quickly headed towards the source of light they had spotted from the top of the building.

"[Master, since your theory of nighttime activity is true, you must be careful of the surrounding buildings!]" warned Jacob's assistant.

It was evident that they couldn't trust anything in this place. That was precisely why Jacob decided to acquire weapons for their safety. If they were to head towards that source of light, it would indeed pose a great problem if someone else decided to jeopardize their safety.

This was a 4-star world, even more dangerous than The Hunger Games. If they were forced to play games of an unknown nature, the games in this world would likely be even worse than Saw. Believing that they would find all the answers simply by heading towards that light was wishful thinking. It was evident that even people who had been in this place for a week had not been able to find the reason for their presence here. When Jacob thought about all this, he imagined that they were now heading towards what he called a game.

The first thing to understand was that there would be experienced individuals, some having spent more days in this place than others. Once he reached this conclusion, Jacob knew that he had to be very cautious and observe everyone while gathering information.

Clearly, once they were in this place, if they were forced to play games of an unknown nature, the chances of moving forward from that point were minimal. The levels of the games were divided by cards, and there were different types of games.

Observing the people was also crucial in this process. Not only could they encounter experienced individuals, but it was also possible that an organizer was among the crowd, ensuring that everything went smoothly. Of course, these were just Jacob's thoughts. But as they drew closer to that place, Jacob could see brightly lit signs with more clarity.

Looking at the lighted arrows that showed them the way to the illuminated building and the details on the signs with moving letters calling them players, it meant that they would be compelled to participate in the games organized in this place.

But now, a series of intriguing questions arose in Jacob's mind. Would the games be played by players alone? If so, were the players friends or enemies? That was a special point, but even so, it was obvious that Jacob would strive to survive above all others. This time, there would be all kinds of people in that place, each more intelligent than the other.

If the games were created by humans, they would have errors, gaps, or enough data to be easily solved. Jacob would discover that these games were organized by someone and must have some logic, however minimal it may be. When Jacob thought about that, he looked at Usagi and began explaining the rules they should follow once they reached the building.

...

While Usagi walked alongside Jacob, the night had already arrived, and the path was completely dark. This prompted Usagi to turn on the flashlight in her hand to light the way and contemplate what she would face ahead.

If they were heading towards a game, there would be selfish and deceitful individuals among the crowd. Usagi believed it was better not to get too involved if the other party didn't cooperate. She could survive on her own, but seeing Jacob made her believe that they would easily get out of this situation unharmed. Just as Jacob had said, she saw illuminated signs with their names as players. This not only left her astonished but also increased her trust in Jacob's vision. Therefore, she would leave all the thinking to him, while she could contribute in other ways, such as physical agility.

Looking around, Usagi became increasingly vigilant. If people were looking at the light in the dark city, they should all be heading in the same direction. However, not everyone would be good-hearted. To determine this, she would rely on her own judgment.

Thinking about all this, just as Usagi was about to suggest creating a plan to work more cohesively, she heard Jacob speak and decided to remain silent for now.

"Usagi, there are three rules we must follow..."

"I'm listening!" Usagi responded while looking at Jacob, awaiting his suggestions.

"The first thing we need to do is review the rules. If this is a game, there must be restrictions and details about what we can and cannot do, or even if there is a name for the game. These could all be clues!"

Jacob pondered this. The rules and the location were the foundations of the game, and they could find advantages that would put them ahead of the other players. "Secondly, we need to inspect the surroundings."

Usagi nodded upon hearing Jacob mention this crucial aspect. She was no stranger to this type of activity. When she climbed mountains with her father, it was essential to inspect the surroundings. This not only ensured the climber's safety but also provided control over the environment and knowledge of the easiest climbing routes.

As she listened to Jacob's next words, she realized that it was not much different if the rules were left aside and the location removed from the equation.

"I'm certain we have time to inspect the surroundings. Looking at the environment where the games will take place will give us a clue on how to survive," Jacob said, looking at Usagi to ensure she understood.

Usagi nodded. Her face grew more serious as she grasped the disparity between what she had considered and what Jacob had taken into account long before reaching the main location of the light.

"But the most important thing to keep in mind is the people. We must observe the players."

When Jacob said this, Usagi immediately understood what he meant and replied, "Yes, we must not be casual, as the players could be either allies or enemies."

"Exactly!" Jacob nodded in response to Usagi's answer and added, "We must identify the strengths and weaknesses of each person, as if the game is a team effort, they might become a burden. Otherwise, if the games are not team-based, they will likely be our enemies."

Jacob didn't want to express himself with strong words that would make Usagi judge him differently than now. When considering more players, they could be both allies he could manipulate and enemies he should eliminate.

He had to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each player as it was crucial, such as strength, speed, cunning, cowardice, and naivety. First of all, he had to be cautious of manipulative people. Those with greater knowledge would not hesitate to manipulate others for their own benefit.

"Do you think they have been here longer?" Usagi looked at Jacob, waiting for his response. Unconsciously, she began to trust him to ask questions from which she was uncertain of obtaining the answers.

"Yes, there will definitely be both troublesome and intelligent individuals. The only ones we have to be careful of are them, for some reason I am not aware of, there is this great disadvantage."

Jacob didn't look at Usagi. He hated to admit it, but at this point, there was a clear disadvantage. It wasn't something he really cared about; to him, it was just a challenge, but he would have to exert more effort to quickly level himself with the others.

"Now that we're going blind, the important thing is to stick together and observe others. I can take care of myself, try to find more answers as you are much more observant than I had imagined," Usagi said honestly.

"Don't worry, leave the observation to me, and both of us will survive that game."

...

This place was better known as the Tokyo International Forum.

The Tokyo International Forum is a unique complex located on a site of 27,100 square meters, where dance, music, and theater performances take place, and conventions, trade fairs, business meetings, and receptions are held.

When Jacob looked at the illuminated surroundings, he soon realized that the playing field was extremely large, and there would possibly be people of all kinds in this place. He knew it was crucial to observe the location and find out what lay behind this game.

Most people, upon arriving at this place, would consider the past or the present, but Jacob was different and always considered the future that lay ahead in each of his actions.

What kind of game would it be if there was such a large playing field?

What would be its nature?

It should be noted that this forum is a privileged space for international events and cultural exchanges. Four subway lines circulate north and south of the site, and two of the city's busiest train stations are nearby.

'Cultural exchanges...' Jacob thought silently. If the history of this place is taken into account, or rather, the purpose for which this place is used, considering foreign cultures to create a game would definitely not be a disadvantage and could be an advantage for him.

Jacob knew a lot about this place. He understood that there was a perimeter wall made of granite enclosing a garden square that extends below four major performing arts spaces.

That terrain was soon analyzed and explicitly detailed in his mind. Then he thought about the rest. There were theater lobbies, and along the eastern edge of the site, the square visually extends into the Glass Hall, a large glass-covered space with an impressive 228-meter-long structure.

This place was enormous, and it immediately gave Jacob a terrible feeling. This game would definitely not be simple. Just as he was about to give some recommendations to Usagi, he heard a voice in the distance that immediately put him on alert.

"This is indeed a large playing field. I can't imagine the great massacre that will take place in a few moments..."

Being observant is a natural instinct, so Jacob and Usagi turned their gaze toward the direction where the voice came from. Seeing that man walking towards them, Jacob took a step forward and looked at him.

As Jacob openly walked towards him, he greeted the duo of strangers and said, "Sorry... I must have surprised you. My name is Ide Hiroshi. Are you a couple?"

Jacob's eyes observed this man named Ide Hiroshi. The first thing he noticed was his slow steps and mocking gaze. His fingernails were bitten, indicating a high level of uncontrollable anxiety.

"I'm Jacob Barber, you can call me Jacob..." Without showing the slightest hostility, he extended his hand and greeted Hiroshi. He immediately classified this person as a coward with high levels of anxiety.

"The girl next to me is Usagi. Is your visa about to expire?"

Ide Hiroshi's eyes widened slightly as he looked at the appearance of the duo in front of him. Their clothes were very new, and they seemed confused, so he immediately thought they were new players. He wanted to take advantage of their naivety, but it turned out to be the opposite. He even glanced at the backpack on the girl's back, where they possibly had weapons.

Having miserably failed, Ide Hiroshi nodded honestly and said, "Yes, I've been holding on for the past few days, but you know what happens when the visa reaches zero..."

"Yeah, my friend..." Jacob nodded in understanding.

Usagi, next to Jacob, was pleasantly surprised at how they obtained information without being considered weak. This left her with a favorable impression, and she immediately knew that this man had not approached them with good intentions.

Ide Hiroshi's appearance was a bit disheveled. He had short hair and wore a suit without a jacket. He was not much taller than 1.70 meters and had a very slender build.

Ide Hiroshi looked at Usagi, who observed him in silence, and then smiled. "Usagi, right? Nice to meet you. I couldn't meet other people in the past few days."

Usagi looked at Hiroshi's extended hand but didn't accept it. She simply nodded slightly before looking away. Seeing this, Hiroshi said with a bit of anxiety, "We have to enter the game. It shouldn't be long before it starts!"

"We'll follow you!"

When Hiroshi saw Jacob's friendly smile, he felt a chill run down his spine and quickly walked toward the entrance of the game area.