Chapter 50

I moved the blanket that fully covered me.

After taking a deep sleep, the sun had already started to set.

"Uh? Ruin, are you up?"

"Did anything happen?"

Seta sat next to me and spoke while chewing on the smoked pork jerky that he lightly sliced and cooked himself.

"Nah. It's too quiet. Looks like everyone's just waiting for someone else. You want some?"

"..."

This guy.

Seems he can cook anything.

I took one piece of jerky and asked him,

"What about Irene?"

"Over there. She's been like that for a while."

Irene was outside looking at something.

I stood from my seat and walked over to her.

"What are you doing?"

"Ah, you're awake."

Irene was looking towards the western side of the island.

Towards the tightening boundary wall.

"There's less time between each instance that the boundary becomes smaller. If my calculations are correct, this place would also be outside the boundary by tonight. We should move in the next hour."

"I see."

This was quite the safe and comfortable base.

However, we had to go out into the dangerous outside again.

The boundary that looked quite far when we left the western area had come pretty close while I wasn't looking.

Seeing that the far left and right ends that we couldn't see had started to curve in slightly, the range of movement we could make had really started to restrict.

I opened up the map and held it up.

"Then there's also only two lodgings that are safe tonight. The Central Village and 'A Base'."

"Yes."

"If we say that Dylan and Sherki are hiding in the Central Village, it might be a good idea to take it over."

"However, we can't ignore the possibility that Doom could ambush us in the chaos."

"Yes. If it's like that, we have no choice but to wait for these guys to come out or for a fight to occur. But it's dangerous for us because of the boundary."

"Is there a better way?"

"..."

As Irene and I were contemplating our future plans, Seta walked up to us.

"What? You're having a strategy meeting without me?"

"Seta, any good ideas?"

Seta replied frankly, the tone questioning if there was even a need to think.

"Just charge them."

Recklessly charging in.

At Seta's simpleminded and idiotic suggestion, Irene condemned him sternly.

"No. There are ten people left. There's no point in drawing attention in this situation. We need to be more cautious."

"Well, that's true. But…"

Then, a light bulb went off in my head.

Charge them?

"Wait. This might be a decent idea."

"What?"

This could be a decent method.

Depending on who we charged first, the outcome might be different.

"There are less than ten people left. From now on, increasing by just 1 rank will net you a lot of points. Just as Irene said, everyone will be acting with caution. On top of that, since we attracted our opponents on purpose using a commotion this morning, there's a high chance that most won't act on any sound we make. We can tell by how quiet everyone has been. Everyone's waiting."

"So?"

"So, if it's like this, we just need to attack the side that will respond to the commotion."

The side that would respond to the commotion.

Doom Prime.

Leaving Doom to the end when he had only fought using ambushes and guerilla tactics this entire event was too dangerous.

However, if we were to attack Doom first?

"If it's Doom Prime, since he's confident in his skills, he'll appear when we make a commotion. However, Dylan, Sherki, and the other 3 survivors? Would they really try to attack us? In this situation where surviving for 1 more position is quite favourable?"

They wouldn't appear.

Dylan Marken had lost his reliable 15-person group.

And the 3 survivor alliance was currently the weakest group.

For them, it was more favourable to just sit and watch the others fight, eliminating each other.

Having calculated all this, Irene nodded in agreement at the possibility.

"Yes. There is a high chance they won't appear. However, where would we find Doom?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"It's probably 'A Base'. It's safe from the boundary and it's also close enough to the Central Village to be used for scouting. So, Doom would probably be there."

"And if he isn't?"

"..."

Hm. I hadn't thought that far yet.

I shrugged my shoulders again.

"We'll think about that when it happens."

* * *

The three of us quickly packed our bags and started to move.

It wasn't that difficult to approach the A Base.

This was because we could basically guess where the rest of the contestants were hiding.

Moving through the shortest route, we could settle down near A Base before the day came to a close.

From here on out,

"Can you wait here for a second? I need to go somewhere."

I would move alone.

Suddenly, Irene grabbed my wrist.

"Are you going alone? What are you thinking of doing?"

"I'll go only to see who's the one at the base."

"What? How are you going to confirm who's in the base…?"

"Have you forgotten? That I'm a really suspicious person?"

"..."

As I smiled for her, Irene clenched her eyes shut like she was done with me.

"The more I know you, the more I don't know you."

"Huhu. Of course. I'm like an onion."

"Are you going to keep brushing it off like this?"

"Probably. Then, I'll be going."

I stood up and moved towards the A Base.

And then, for the first time in a while, I called my only 'partner'.

"Straang."

"What?"

"Show me the minimap."

Right.

The ability of the Player that could show everything in a 500m proximity.

Minimap.

I couldn't figure out who was in the base just using this.

But I could figure out how many were in there.

"Sure."

If there were 3, it was the other survivors.

If there were 2, it was Dylan and Sherki.

If there was only 1, there was a good chance that it would be Doom Prime.

And then, as the minimap flashed and opened in front of my eyes, it showed me the answer.

"...there's only 1."

The dot indicated on the minimap was alone.

Meaning, it was Doom Prime.

I didn't hesitate as I rushed towards the A Base.

I entered the range of Doom's magic, but I didn't concern myself about it.

Rather, it was me who opened their mouth first.

"Hey! Doom! Come out now!"

As I shouted, a small sound was heard from inside the base.

Shhhhrrr—

It was the sharp sound of a blade being drawn.

Thud!

The moment I grabbed the door handle…

Shoot!

A sharp blade pierced through the wooden door,

"...Are you pulling out your blade as a greeting?"

And I, simultaneously,

Boom!

Blew up the base's entrance.

If I was greeted dangerously, I should respond in kind.

Shhhht!

Doom Prime was standing in the exploded entrance after having retrieved his Sword of Brilliance.

He was glaring at me.

"We're not close enough to share a familiar greeting. How did you know I was here?"

"It was predictable."

"No. You weren't predicting, but were 'certain' I was here."

"Why are you talking so much? Have a good night's sleep? Follow me."

"..."

As I gestured with my hands, Doom stayed silent for a second before moving with me.

The place I led Doom.

It was…

"...Doom Prime?"

The location my team was in.

At the unannounced entrance of Doom Prime, Seta's eyes went wide as he shouted,

"R-Ruin! Did you get captured by Doom?!"

"What are you talking about captured...? I brought him here."

"B-brought him here? Why? You should've sneak attacked him!"

"We weren't originally going to sneak attack him anyways."

My eyes landed on Irene.

She nodded her head, conviction in her eyes.

I told Doom this.

"I'm not your opponent. Irene is."

"..."

Having heard this, Doom said to Irene, not having expected this,

"Irene Prius. I don't think you're strong enough to face me."

"Yes. That may be the case."

"If you are eliminated now, the Fire King will be disappointed in you. You would rather survive a bit longer to increase your—"

"My goal for this competition isn't that."

"..."

"Defeating you. That's my goal."

Irene Prius' target.

Rather than winning the competition, this was her homework that she needed to desperately complete.

She readied herself, looking more determined than ever before.

"So be it."

And Doom Prime held onto his sword's hilt.

In an instant, he unsheathed his sword and charged directly at Irene.

* * *

There were many choices in the world.

Depending on these choices, a myriad things could change.

The weak could become winners.

And the strong could fall into depths which they never imagined possible.

We were the same.

In this survival event happening before us, there were many choices we had to make.

We could pride ourselves in saying we chose the right ones.

But… was this the right choice too?

"Are you continuing?"

"...Of course. Hoo... I haven't been eliminated yet."

"..."

In the time where the 3 of us could have overpowered Doom Prime, Irene had made a choice.

And I respected that choice.

However, regretfully,

"If you want to be eliminated so much… I'll eliminate you myself."

"..."

There was a definite gap between Irene Prius' and Doom Prime's skills.

And Doom had widened that gap even further by using his artifact.

Facing a magic swordsman who could wield a sword.

They would have been as baffling of an opponent as a magician who used their fists.

Irene fought desperately, but the battle was already finished.

Irene had lost.

Doom had won.

I wasn't saying that Irene Prius made the wrong choice.

It was just regretful.

I also needed to make a choice here.

At least, while I still had the opportunity to choose.

"I'll praise your bravery. Facing me when you already know the outcome."

"..."

"This is the end."

Do I sit and watch Irene be eliminated?

Or do I step in right now, even if I would be resented later on?

"R-Ruin! What do we do?"

Seta asked in a panicked tone, and I just shook my head.

"This… This is Irene's fight."

"Ah..."

"However, I have the responsibility as the team's 'leader' to protect my team members."

"...Eh?"

"That's why this is my fight too. Don't you agree?"

"Y-yea. That's right! It's your fight too!"

"..."

This was nonsensical logic.

While respecting Irene's choice, I tried to justify myself in disapproving of the loss, saying I was a leader and talking about teammates and whatever.

But what use was all that after she was eliminated?

"So right now, I'm thinking of interfering with that fight. What do you think?"

"Y-yea! You're the leader, so just focus on saving your teammate! We promised to fight to our fullest when it was just us three left in the end!"

"Alright. So Seta, you can't jump in. Because this is my responsibility as the leader. This is my duty, and my choice."

"Ok."

To protect myself a little, I roped Seta into this.

And Seta accepted my decision.

Irene wouldn't accept it, but…

2 vs 1

We still got majority approval, right?

I shouted at Doom, who was readying himself to end Irene,

"Hey! Doom Prime!"

"..."

"Come here. Fight me."

Irene looked at me, perplexed.

I could just barely hold myself back and looked away from her.

If you got eliminated, none of that mattered.

——