Checkmate

"Queen of Spades is the challenge..." As they climbed the weary building, seemingly having to ascend all the way to the top.

"Couldn't they have designed this game on the ground?" Akane complained as she helped Jacob climb.

"You should feel proud, of course, for being able to assist me in your condition," Jacob said, trying not to offend Akane.

"Less talking, more climbing." Aguni quickened his pace while holding a shotgun in his hands.

"It should be you helping him. Do you have no consideration, old man?" Akane grumbled as they followed Aguni.

Upon arriving, there were at least forty people, including Shuntaro Chishiya, Kurabe, Usagi, and the others who were in their original group.

"Jacob..." Usagi's eyes widened in surprise upon seeing Jacob in this final game zone.

"Usagi, I knew you'd be alive." Jacob smiled a bit, seeing that she was in good condition. He knew this beforehand, as she was likely one of the most important people in this story.

Since Jacob knew little about the history of this world, he knew very little about the important characters who would shape the main events of this world as they were meant to be without his existence. This gave him the opportunity to move forward and entrust future games to people who should be capable enough to win.

"What are you doing here?" Usagi had seen Jacob's wounds, and once everyone knew the outcome of the battle against the King of Spades, they had gone on to play other games freely.

"Well, I thought you might try to avenge me in this spades challenge, so I came to see the outcome. Due to my injuries, I'll participate minimally in this challenge," Jacob said, looking at the others present in this trial.

"You shouldn't have entered. You'll be a burden to those who want to protect you," Shuntaro Chishiya said from the back.

"Hey, idiot." Akane looked at the man in the back and shot him a cold look.

"It's the final game; we'll win as long as we're together."

Just as everyone was about to discuss what would happen next, a massive screen lit up behind them, grabbing the attention of the remaining players.

"[Game Name: Checkmate!]"

"Checkmate?"

"[The Queen's team will play against you, the challenger team!]"

Following that, a woman's voice echoed through the speakers: "Welcome!"

"This is the arena of physical prowess and dynamism. I am the Queen of Spades." After saying that, the screen displayed the appearance of the queen, and she continued, "My team has ten members, including me."

"On the other hand, your team, the challengers, has 54 members."

Arisu, who was in the back, upon seeing the ten people with red collars, asked, "Are they players too?"

"They're enemies, that's what matters," Usagi said without holding back her words.

The queen continued explaining the game: "I will designate a member from each team as the King... The opposing team's king against me, the queen."

"As for the challenger team, who shall I choose?" The Queen of Spades pondered aloud as she approached the screen.

"I know, I choose that injured man," the queen said, pointing at Jacob, who was leaning on Usagi.

"Hahaha, that's a perfect choice." Jacob laughed, looking at all the worried faces around him.

"[Next, the rules will be announced!]"

As a strange melody played, a chessboard appeared, and a robotic voice announced the rules. "[The teams will take turns for a total of 16 rounds... In the Queen's team's turn, its members will chase those from the challenger team."

"When the button on their backs is pressed, the light will change from blue to red, the color of the Queen's team. That player can't move until the end of the turn. And from the next round, they will play for the Queen's team. However, the King cannot change teams."

"In the challenger team's turn, the roles are reversed. Each round will last five minutes. The teams will switch roles after each round. After 16 rounds, the winner will be the team with more members."

"What does that mean?" Someone asked this question, not fully understanding what they had just heard.

"In simple terms, this is like chess or shogi... If an opponent presses a button, they capture you. Then, like in shogi, you'll play for the opposing team in the next round."

"[Please put on your buttons!]"

On one side, there were back belts with blank buttons, enough for everyone, so after hearing the instructions, everyone fastened the buttons.

After everyone had put them on, the buttons lit up in blue.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

"[Round one: It's the Queen's team's turn.]"

"[The round will last: five minutes!]"

"[Let the game begin!]"

Tap-tap! Tap-tap!

Within a few seconds, rapid footsteps were heard from below where they were, indicating that the Queen's team players were moving swiftly in this area.

Panic spread among everyone, but Jacob's strong voice snapped them out of their fear of death.

"Alright, since this is the final game, the rules should be simple. I just want to know if you're willing to win this game and how far you're willing to go... We are one of the last groups ready to pass this test, so here's the plan." Jacob stepped away from Usagi's grasp.

To win this game, all they needed to do was outsmart the Queen herself at her own game—playing all the rounds until the final round, when the members of the Queen's team would allow themselves to be captured by the King's team, which was Jacob's team.

With these plans in place, they would tire out the Queen's team and the Queen herself, along with her team, would face challenges in the last round when Jacob's team started to move. If each round lasted five minutes and there were more than fifteen rounds, they needed to act under careful control.

"The strongest will stay here. Those who believe they don't have the capabilities, step down and run as fast as you can. Remember, it doesn't matter if you're captured or not... Pretending until the end is the opportunity we'll have to win. You know where I am, so wherever I am, the others will be."

As Jacob said this, he took the advanced medicine and ingested some more medication without caring about the consequences. Since this was the final game, they would ensure victory no matter the sacrifices they had to make.

"This is the last game to win, so move and let's defeat the Queen of Spades."

"Move!"

Everyone started running except for Kurabe, Usagi, Kuina, Akane, Aguni, and many others who were skilled fighters and moved at great speed. By doing this, Jacob divided his group into three crucial parts: the runners, the fighters, and the capturers.

By doing this, he was not only ensuring their final victory, as surrendering to his group in the last round meant they would survive without any problems, but also gaining the advantage of having the best physically capable players.

As the game stated, Jacob had executed a perfect checkmate.

With forty players against ten, the odds were already in their favor. If any of the players refused to be part of his group, he would break their leg and leave them on the Queen's team. As long as there were around 35 cooperating players, they could win, and those who didn't cooperate would face a tragic death.