The silence across the simulation field lasted only a few seconds before the air changed.
At first, it was subtle. The wind through the grass slowed, as though the world had taken a breath and forgotten to let it out. Several meters away, space began to warp. The air folded inward in ripples, pressing the grass flat beneath an invisible weight.
A column of pale light twisted up from the ground. It widened quickly, humming with a vibration they could feel through their shoes. A silhouette formed within the glowing helix.
Then the light burst apart.
A lady dropped from the center of the spiral and landed lightly in the grass, straightening as though she had simply stepped onto a stage instead of falling from the sky. She brushed invisible dust from her outfit and raised both arms with theatrical enthusiasm.
"Hellooo~ future brain-melters!" Her voice rang brightly across the field.
The lady looked nothing like the quiet technicians from earlier. Her blue hair was tied into two playful buns high on either side of her head, the rest spilling down her back in dark-streaked waves. Her outfit was cutesy and stylish rather than professional-sleek fabric with boots better suited for a runway than a research facility.
She grinned at the stunned group.
"I'm Tallia," she announced cheerfully. "Your guide to everything Chrysalis!"
"Did she just fall out of the sky?" Akhina blinked.
Eirene leaned toward Noah. "Have you seen this before, too?"
"Unfortunately," Noah replied calmly, "no."
Fuji tilted his head as he stared at Tallia. "I feel like we skipped several explanations."
"You're way too cheerful for someone running a murder game." Ace folded her arms.
Tallia gasped dramatically, placing a hand against her chest.
"Murder?" she repeated, then laughed. "What a scary word! I prefer competitive social exercise."
Silver glanced at the others and muttered quietly, "That somehow sounds worse."
As if responding to the moment, the air beside Tallia rippled again.
This time, the distortion formed quickly, folding inward until a circular opening appeared in midair. The portal shimmered like liquid glass, revealing flashes of bright sunlight and ocean water beyond it.
Tallia clapped once.
"Alright, everyone through! Your resort base is waiting."
The group stared at the portal.
Fuji leaned toward Ace. "This feels like the moment in a horror movie where the smart people leave."
"You're still here," Ace replied.
"Trust me, if I can log out, I would."
Lux stepped forward first. The portal rippled softly as she passed through, her figure dissolving into the light for only a moment before vanishing.
Akhina immediately stepped closer to the opening.
"Okay, now I want to see."
"You're acting like it's a theme park ride," Asher said.
One by one, they stepped through the portal. The transition lasted less than a second, yet for that brief instant, the world twisted into fragments of light and motion before snapping abruptly back into place.
The cool glow of the simulation field vanished, replaced by warm sunlight spilling across their faces. Salt drifted through the breeze, carrying the unmistakable scent of the ocean, and somewhere nearby, the steady rhythm of waves rolled gently against the shore.
When their vision cleared, they stood on a smooth stone pathway beneath a bright coastal sky.
In front of them, the resort rose from the shoreline in glass and white stone, its terraces stacked above the sea. Transparent railings lined each level, and massive windows reflected the sky so cleanly that parts of the building seemed to vanish into the horizon. Below, an infinity pool spilled toward the ocean, its edge almost indistinguishable from the water beyond.
"Oh..." Fuji slowly turned in a full circle.
Tallia beamed proudly.
"Welcome to the Chrysalis Resort Hub!"
"NAH!" He pointed at the building. "THIS IS WHERE WE'RE STAYING?!"
Eirene slowly turned in place, her eyes traveling up the glass terraces and the wide balconies overlooking the ocean.
"No way, this is insane," she said, laughing softly under her breath. "Are we sure this is part of the tournament and not someone's private island?"
Silver tilted her head as she studied the building more carefully, following the clean lines of the architecture and the reflection of the sky across the glass façade.
"Either way," Silver said thoughtfully, "whoever designed this place had really good taste."
Akhina had already wandered a few steps down the stone pathway, staring toward the beach beyond the building. The grin spreading across her face was impossible to miss.
"Yo, there's sand!" she said, pointing excitedly. "Like actual beach sand!"
Asher glanced toward the shoreline where waves rolled quietly against the coast.
"Congratulations," he replied calmly. "You've discovered the ocean."
Vanitas examined the towering structure as if she were trying to estimate its price tag.
"This place probably costs more than all three of our schools combined," she muttered.
Fuji nodded thoughtfully beside her. "Yeah, but imagine the Wi-Fi."
Tallia laughed brightly, clearly enjoying the reactions as she stepped ahead of them toward the entrance.
"Oh, you'll get used to it," she said cheerfully. "After all, you'll be spending plenty of time here."
Tallia suddenly spun around, her arms sweeping dramatically behind the group.
"Oh! And before anyone asks—behind you?"
Everyone turned.
Stretching along the shoreline were rows of elegant wooden huts built on raised platforms just above the sand. Their roofs were pale and curved, the structures evenly spaced along the coast as waves rolled gently beneath them.
"Your cabins! Comfy, cozy, very seaside-core." Tallia beamed.
Akhina blinked, then leaned forward like she might start sprinting down the beach.
"Wait, those are ours?"
Fuji leaned sideways to peek past the others, squinting down the shoreline. The huts sat neatly above the sand, waves rolling lazily behind them.
"Okay, I'm not saying I forgive the kidnapping," he said, nodding slowly, "but so far, everything looks kinda awesome."
Silver studied the line of cabins more carefully, her gaze drifting from one to the next.
"Huh. Separate cabins."
Eirene tilted her head, eyeing the ocean and the huts together before letting out a quiet laugh.
"So what you're telling me is that we got abducted to a luxury beach," she said, spreading her arms toward the beach. "What's next? A volleyball tournament?"
Kusako lingered a few steps behind the others, her attention drifting toward the row of huts along the shoreline. The sea breeze tugged gently at her hair as she watched the waves roll beneath the wooden platforms. Her fingers fidgeted quietly with the hem of her sleeve.
"They're pretty," she said softly, almost to herself.
Lux lingered nearby, her gaze drifting from the huts to the enormous glass structure ahead, while Shun studied the coastline in both directions.
"Interesting layout," he muttered.
Lux looked at him. "What's interesting about beach houses?"
"Nothing." Shun shrugged slightly. "Just looking."
Tallia watched the group for a moment, clearly amused by the reactions. Then she clapped once.
"So..." she said, rocking lightly on her heels as if she had been waiting for that exact reaction. "Are we done admiring the scenery?"
Akhina turned back toward her. "Maybe."
Fuji was still peering down the shoreline as though calculating how long it would take him to sneak away to the ocean later, while Eirene had tilted her head back to study the towering glass terraces above them.
Tallia grinned wider and spun around dramatically, pointing toward the towering glass building in front of them.
"Great, because the real fun stuff is inside!"
She spun on her heel and headed toward the building entrance, waving them along with an enthusiastic flourish.
"Come on! I'll show you around the Resort Hub!"
The glass doors slid open automatically as the group approached.
Inside, the space was even more extravagant than the outside. The ceiling soared high above them, framed by sleek metal beams and floating panels of soft light. Sunlight poured through massive glass walls facing the ocean, washing across polished marble floors that reflected the entire room like water.
Tallia spun once in the middle of the room. She spread her arms as if presenting the entire building.
"This is the central lodge where you'll be eating, relaxing, and generally existing when you're not running around the island."
Akhina walked straight toward the massive window that overlooked the shoreline.
"You mean there?" she asked, pointing toward the endless stretch of forest and cliffs visible in the distance.
Tallia nodded brightly. "Yep!"
Ace wasn't listening to the conversation at all. She had wandered closer to the windows, staring up at the towering glass walls and sweeping balconies above them.
"Oh my God," she breathed, half laughing under her breath. "Look at this place!"
Behind her, Noah had stopped near the entrance, his eyes moving slowly across the room before drifting back toward the ocean beyond the glass.
"I was under the impression that this was supposed to be a tournament," he said calmly. "Why a resort?"
Fuji leaned casually against the back of one of the lounge chairs nearby, glancing between Ace and the ocean view beyond the glass.
"I mean," he said, "if someone kidnapped me and brought me here, I'd beg them to never let me go."
Akhina snorted. "You're so despo, dude."
Eirene looked back toward the massive windows facing the sea, sunlight spilling across the polished floor.
"To be fair," she said thoughtfully, "if I had to compete in something stressful, I wouldn't mind this view."
Tallia tilted her head as though the question amused her.
"Well," she replied lightly, clasping her hands behind her back, "you can't have contestants collapsing from exhaustion before the tournament even begins."
Shun nodded slowly from across the room. "Fair point."
Tallia clapped her hands again, the sharp, cheerful sound snapping everyone's attention back to her.
"Alright, alright—eyes up here!" she announced with a bright grin. "We are not getting distracted by the ocean five minutes into the tour."
She pivoted lightly and began walking deeper into the lobby, practically bouncing with energy as she motioned for the group to follow. Sunlight spilled through the glass walls behind them, illuminating the sweeping staircase that curved upward through the center of the building.
"First things first!" Tallia continued, gesturing up the stairs. "The residential suites are upstairs. Everyone gets their own room, and yes—before anyone asks—every single one has an ocean view."
Vanitas stopped mid-step. "You're kidding me."
Tallia turned and pointed both thumbs proudly at herself.
"Do I look like someone who would give guests bad views?"
That answer alone seemed to satisfy her.
Tallia continued strolling across the lobby, sweeping one arm toward a wide open section of the building where several tables and lounge areas overlooked the sea.
"This side is the dining and lounge area," she explained. "You can eat, relax, and complain about your teammates here—basically, your everyday social chaos happens in this space."
She then pointed toward a hallway branching off toward the interior of the building.
"And that corridor leads to the training zones," she added with an excited little clap. "Strategy simulations, combat practice, physical conditioning—whatever you need to sharpen your skills before things get serious."
Akhina's grin spread immediately. "Now that sounds interesting."
Tallia beamed at the reaction and continued moving.
"And outside on the terrace," she said, pointing toward the glass doors that led toward the back of the resort, "you'll find the hot springs. Natural mineral pools, warm water, relaxing atmosphere-perfect for decompressing after a long day of... whatever it is you'll all be doing."
"Wait, you're telling me we get luxury spa treatment during a tournament?" Ace asked.
Tallia gave an exaggerated shrug. "Well, stress management is important."
She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice like she was about to share a secret.
"Oh, and the café here makes suspiciously good lemon tarts~"
That comment seemed to catch several people's attention at once.
Tallia straightened again, clearly pleased with herself, before coming to a stop near the center of the lobby.
"But before we start assigning rooms or letting you run wild around the resort," she said brightly, clasping her hands behind her back, "there's one tiny little thing you'll need first."
Tallia lifted one hand as if presenting something invisible.
For a moment, there was nothing. Then the air above her palm shimmered. Light bent around her fingers as pale blue energy gathered at the center, twisting into shape.
One by one, sleek metallic bands formed in the air.
Asher blinked. "Whoa."
They hovered briefly above Tallia's palm, their surfaces smooth and reflective, each watch pulsing faintly with soft blue light as if something inside them had just awakened.
"Your Chrysalis watches!" she announced cheerfully.
The devices lifted from her hand and drifted outward through the air, gliding toward each of the students as if guided by an invisible current.
Kusako froze when one floated toward her. Her fingers tightened instinctively against each other as the watch hovered in front of her wrist, the soft blue glow reflecting faintly in her eyes.
"...It's coming toward me," she murmured.
The band snapped gently into place around her wrist before she could move away, slightly startling her. Nearby, Vanitas tilted her head as her own watch locked into place with a soft click. She raised her wrist and examined the glowing display with a faint smile.
"Well," Vanitas said, "that's one way to distribute it."
Across the room, Fuji stared at his wrist. "Did that thing just fly onto me?!"
The moment the watches locked into place, the smooth black screens lit up simultaneously.
A soft pulse of blue light traveled across each display.
Kusako startled slightly when her watch vibrated against her wrist. She lifted her arm cautiously, studying the glowing screen as unfamiliar symbols flickered across it.
"Ah—" she flinched.
Eirene leaned over to look at hers. "Is this normal? Mine just turned on by itself."
"Good!" she chirped. "Looks like everyone's watches booted up. Now we can finally talk about the game."
Tallia struck a sparkling pose.
"These babies are everything. They'll show your roles, activate skills, store information, handle voting, link communications..." She grinned. "And look cute doing it~"
Most of the students were still cautiously examining their watches, turning their wrists under the sunlight pouring through the glass walls to see how the interface responded.
Fuji, however, had already started pressing buttons.
He tapped the surface of the display with open curiosity, tilting his wrist as the screen flickered to life beneath his fingers. A simple interface appeared almost immediately.
「Watch Display
Status: Unavailable
Role 1: Locked
Role 2: Locked
Skills: Locked
Team: Unknown
Stage: Inactive」
Fuji studied the list for a moment before leaning back slightly, clearly impressed with the technology.
"What is this?" he questioned. Then he glanced up toward Tallia. "Can it order snacks?"
"Why don't you try checking it out?" Tallia replied playfully.
That was apparently all the encouragement Fuji needed. He immediately began tapping the screen more aggressively, swiping through menus and pressing anything that looked remotely interactive while the rest of the group continued watching their own devices with far more caution.
While Fuji experimented enthusiastically in the background, Tallia stepped lightly into the center of the lobby, her eyes glittering with a mischievous kind of excitement.
"Let's shake the table a little," Tallia said brightly. "Each of you may have not one role, but two. Depends on the game mode."
She clasped her hands together.
"Think of it as double the personality crisis."
Ace groaned immediately, dropping her head back slightly in exaggerated exhaustion.
"Ugh. I barely survive being me."
Nearby, Eirene lifted a hand lazily in agreement.
"Same," she sighed. "I wake up tired just from existing."
Above them, several icons flickered suddenly into existence, hovering in midair like holograms projected by the system itself. A bleeding eye rotated slowly beside a jester's mask, while a dagger and a piece of armor shimmered nearby, each symbol glowing faintly against the bright lobby light.
Tallia gestured proudly toward them.
"There are over twenty-five possible roles in the system," she explained. "Each one is unique—no repeats. Some are weaker, some are stronger... but remember-"
She lifted a single finger.
"The stronger the role, the bigger the drawbacks."
Silver observed the floating symbols quietly for a moment before speaking, her tone as calm as ever.
"So, the developers were unhinged," she said. "I respect that."
A few steps away, Vanitas had leaned casually against one of the lobby columns, arms folded loosely as she watched the holographic icons spinning in the air. Her gaze shifted sideways toward Asher, who stood nearby, silently studying the resort with sharp, attentive eyes.
"What's your take, silence incarnate?" she asked with a faint smirk.
Asher didn't answer. Instead, Akhina nudged him from the other side with a grin.
"Hey, Ashy," she said brightly. "If we get cool weapons, I call dibs on the flamethrower."
His expression remained unreadable, though his eyes stayed alert as they moved across the room. Behind them, Shun watched the exchange quietly. His gaze lingered briefly on Asher before drifting away again, as though he had noticed something worth remembering but had decided not to comment on it.
Tallia drifted backward across the lounge as though she were leading a sightseeing tour rather than explaining the rules of a survival game. The sunlight pouring through the resort's glass walls caught the edges of the holographic icons hovering above them, making the symbols glow faintly in the bright air.
"Now," she said with cheerful excitement, clapping her hands once, "let's get to the spicy part."
Her eyes sparkled as she raised a finger.
"You'll either be a precious little survivor..."
She paused just long enough for the words to settle before tilting her head with playful delight.
"...or one of our deliciously awful hunters. Yay, carnage!"
The grin that followed made it impossible to tell whether she was joking.
A brief ripple of uneasy silence passed through the room as everyone glanced down at their watches again.
Noah didn't react outwardly, but his gaze lingered on the glowing interface hovering above them. The diagram was already shifting, rearranging itself into a clearer structure as if the system were responding to Tallia's explanation. He studied it quietly, eyes moving between the blue silhouettes and the darker figures on the opposite side of the projection.
Then, the air above the lounge floor shimmered again. A glowing interface unfolded in midair like a holographic diagram, dividing itself neatly into two opposing halves.
On the left side, several blue silhouettes appeared, standing close together as if uncertain what to do.
On the right, darker red figures emerged from shadow, their shapes sharper and more confident.
Tallia gestured proudly toward the projection.
"Hunters," she explained, pointing to the red side, "know exactly who their teammates are. You work together, coordinate your moves, and eliminate half the Survivors."
Her hand drifted toward the other side.
"Survivors, meanwhile, begin completely in the dark. You don't know who the Hunters are."
Akhina watched the holographic projection for a moment before a short laugh escaped her. The whole setup looked almost absurd when laid out like that-teams, elimination rules, dramatic icons floating in the air like some twisted game show briefing.
"So basically we guess, fight, and try to look good doing it," she said.
Nearby, Vanitas had settled casually against one of the marble columns, arms loosely folded as she followed the slow rotation of the holographic figures. The faint blue light from the interface reflected in her eyes as a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.
"You had me at fight."
Tallia leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice as though she were about to reveal a secret.
"But Survivors aren't completely helpless," she said brightly. "You'll receive special tasks throughout the game—personal ones."
Then, with theatrical flair, she slid a finger across her throat.
"And if you fail them..."
She made a quiet slish sound.
"...the system notices."
Kusako didn't react aloud. She simply lowered her gaze to the glowing watch wrapped around her wrist, the faint blue light reflecting across her fingers as they curled slightly against the fabric of her sleeves.
Silver caught the movement immediately. Her eyes flicked briefly toward Kusako before she returned her attention to the floating display above the room.
"So Survivors get chores," Akhina said casually, "and Hunters get knives."
Across the lounge, Eirene had sprawled upside down across one of the chairs, her hair hanging loosely toward the floor as she stared at the glowing interface overhead.
"Tale as old as capitalism," she muttered.
Above them, the holographic display shifted again. The interface widened, rearranging itself into a structured cycle that hovered over the center of the room like a floating rulebook.
「1. Daytime: Discussion - Combat
2. Nighttime: Rest (Survivors)/Combat-Rest (Hunters)
3. Daytime pt. 1: Result from the Past Day
4. Daytime pt. 2: Discussion
5. Daytime pt. 3: Voting
6. Daytime pt. 4: Judgement
7. Repeat」
Tallia stepped beneath the projection with open arms, beaming as if she had just unveiled a theme-park attraction.
"Fun, right?" she said brightly. "Like mafia—but digital, lethal..."
Her grin widened.
"...and with spa access!"
As the holographic diagram slowly dissolved into the air, Lux's attention drifted back to the watch resting against her wrist. She brushed her fingers lightly along the edge of the device, tracing the smooth metal as the system's explanation replayed quietly in the back of her mind.
Two roles. The phrase had been delivered so casually, as if it were nothing more than an extra feature in a game menu, but the more she thought about it, the heavier it felt.
Two identities to carry. Two sides of the same match. Two possible ways the game could twist against you if you made the wrong move.
The idea lingered longer than she liked, settling somewhere deep in her thoughts where it refused to be dismissed quite so easily.
Across the room, Tallia brought her hands together in a bright clap, the sharp sound cutting through the lingering quiet just as the last fragments of the holographic display dissolved into the air. The floating diagrams faded one by one until nothing remained but the soft lighting of the lounge.
"Well then!" she said cheerfully, rocking back onto her heels as if the entire explanation she had just delivered were nothing more than a light introduction to a holiday activity. "That's the basics."
She swept her arms outward toward the open space of the lounge around them, presenting it with the enthusiasm of a host unveiling a resort brochure.
"For now, you're free to explore the Simulation Hub. Walk around, test the facilities, get familiar with the island layout—whatever helps you settle in."
Her smile brightened, eyes sparkling with the same restless excitement she had shown since appearing.
"You've got a little time before things really start moving."
With that, the briefing ended as casually as it had begun.
Within the hour, the tension that had hung in the air earlier had already begun to dissolve. The resort lounge, which had initially felt like the staging ground for something dangerous, now looked more like a group of students killing time in an overly luxurious common room.
Eirene had claimed one of the massive lounge chairs near the center of the room and was currently hanging upside-down over the edge of it, her hair dangling freely while she lazily tossed grapes into the air.
"Just an hour in," she declared between bites, "and I've already reached my final form."
She caught another grape neatly in her mouth.
"Snack goblin."
Noah, seated nearby with one arm resting along the back of the couch, watched the performance with a faint smirk.
"So you admit you're a goblin," he said. "Ugly and short."
Eirene's head tilted sideways toward him, still upside-down.
"This goblin can hurt you between your legs," she threatened. "Wanna test it?"
Noah chuckled under his breath. "Feisty goblin."
The coffee bar station sat tucked along one side of the lounge, its minimalist counter glowing softly with embedded light panels. Rows of polished machines and glass containers lined the surface like a display in some futuristic café.
Vanitas stood in front of the espresso machine, tapping the illuminated buttons with increasing irritation.
"Why is the decaf button bigger than the real coffee one?" she complained, jabbing the panel again. "What kind of dystopia is this?"
Beside her, Lux rested lightly against the counter, watching the interface without the same urgency. A quiet smile touched her lips.
"It might be a public safety feature," she said calmly. "Too much caffeine and people start making terrible decisions."
Vanitas froze for a moment, clearly not expecting someone to answer. She turned her head slightly and noticed Lux for the first time.
"Oh." A small, awkward pause followed as she straightened up from the machine. "Uh... didn't see you there."
Lux gave a small nod.
"My name is Lux," she added after a moment.
Vanitas blinked once, then lifted the coffee cup the machine had finally finished brewing as if remembering basic social etiquette.
"I am Vanitas," she said, nodding back.
For a second, they stood there quietly, the machine humming between them while the coffee finished brewing. The pause wasn't uncomfortable exactly—just the uncertain space of two people who had technically been in the same building for an hour but had never actually spoken.
Vanitas grabbed the finished cup and stepped away from the counter.
"Do you want to sit with me?" she asked, gesturing toward one of the small tables nearby. "Before I start interrogating the rest of the appliances."
Lux let out a soft laugh and followed her.
They settled at a corner table where the noise of the lounge softened into a distant murmur. Lux wrapped her hands around a warm teacup while Vanitas leaned back slightly, studying the dark coffee swirling inside hers.
Lux watched the steam rise slowly from her cup, the thin ribbon of warmth twisting lazily through the air before disappearing beneath the lounge lights. After a moment, she spoke, almost as if the thought had formed while she was watching it.
"I like tea," she said quietly. "It forces you to slow down a little."
Vanitas leaned back in her chair, raising an eyebrow as she studied Lux over the rim of her coffee cup. There was a hint of amusement in her expression, though it softened the sharpness of her usual sarcasm.
"That sounds suspiciously disciplined," she replied, taking a sip of the coffee before settling the cup back down on the table. "Personally, I just go for whatever keeps me awake."
Lux tilted her head slightly, considering that answer with a faint smile. Her gaze drifted briefly to the dark coffee in Vanitas's hand before returning to her own cup.
"Maybe I'm training patience," she said thoughtfully, the words carrying a quiet sort of humor.
Vanitas glanced down at her drink, then back at Lux, the corner of her mouth lifting in quiet understanding.
"Then I guess I'm training endurance."
The comment lingered between them for a second before Vanitas let out a soft laugh and lifted the cup in a small, almost theatrical toast.
"I guess we both have different survival strategies," she said lightly.
Down the hallway, the calm atmosphere of the lounge gave way to something far more chaotic.
Akhina had already grabbed Asher by the wrist and was marching forward with absolute determination, weaving through the corridor as though she had just discovered the most important mission of the entire day.
The conclusion required absolutely no deliberation. The moment the idea appeared in her head, Akhina grabbed Asher by the wrist and made a beeline down the hallway like a woman launching a military operation.
"You," she declared confidently, pointing at him with her free hand as she continued marching forward, "me, kitchen raid. Now."
Asher stumbled half a step before regaining his balance, looking like someone who had just realized the next fifteen minutes of his life were about to become significantly more exhausting than he had hoped. His shoulders sagged as he allowed himself to be pulled along, his expression carrying the unmistakable air of someone who very much did not want to participate in this plan.
"Aki..." he muttered under his breath, the complaint already sounding tired before it even finished leaving his mouth, "I really don't feel like doing this right now."
She didn't slow down. Instead, she glanced back at him suspiciously, as though trying to determine whether he was genuinely resisting or simply being dramatic.
"But don't you want snacks?" She paused. "Blink twice if you do."
For a moment, Asher simply stared at her.
The look on his face suggested he was carefully evaluating two very conflicting realities: the fact that he absolutely did not want to be dragged into whatever chaos Akhina was about to unleash in the kitchen... and the equally undeniable fact that snacks did, in fact, sound extremely appealing.
He sighed.
Not a small sigh either-the kind of long, defeated exhale that belonged to someone who had already accepted that his better judgment was about to lose this argument. Then he blinked twice.
Akhina immediately threw her hands into the air in triumph.
"I knew it!" she said proudly, spinning forward again and resuming her determined march down the hallway. "Now let's go!"
Asher followed behind her with the expression of a man who had completely surrendered to fate.
Beyond the glass walls of the resort, a narrow garden walkway curved along the side of the building, weaving through carefully arranged greenery that softened the sharp lines of the modern architecture. Stone tiles formed a quiet path beneath the trees, and the distant sound of the ocean carried faintly through the evening air, blending with the soft rustle of leaves overhead.
Kusako had wandered there alone.
Her school uniform stood out slightly against the calm greenery. She walked slowly along the stone path, her gaze lowered as though studying each tile beneath her steps. Every so often, her fingers moved restlessly against one another, twisting together and then separating again, a small nervous habit she didn't seem aware of.
She wasn't exactly trying to get anywhere. The garden simply felt quieter than the lounge, and for the moment, that quiet felt easier to breathe in.
Several steps behind her, Silver followed at a measured pace.
She hadn't announced herself, nor had she tried to catch up. Instead, she kept just enough distance that Kusako wouldn't feel cornered, her hands resting loosely in the pockets of her jacket while her attention remained fixed on the girl walking ahead of her.
After watching her for a while, Silver finally spoke.
"You're not lost."
Her voice was calm and low, carrying easily through the quiet space without breaking it.
Kusako slowed, the movement subtle but noticeable. She glanced back over her shoulder, her eyes guarded as they briefly met Silver's before drifting away again.
Silver had stopped walking entirely now, giving her space. The expression on her face was steady and patient, as though she were simply stating a fact rather than trying to start a conversation.
"I'm not going anywhere," she added after a moment, her tone just as gentle as before.
Kusako didn't answer. Her fingers paused their restless movement as she looked ahead at the path again, the silence stretching for a few seconds between them.
Then she resumed walking.
Only this time her pace had slowed slightly, not enough to be obvious, but enough that the distance between them no longer felt quite so deliberate.
Silver noticed immediately. She didn't say anything else, nor did she close the gap too quickly. Instead, she began walking again at the same quiet pace, letting the space between them shrink naturally as they followed the winding garden path together beneath the trees.
The ocean breeze drifted through the leaves above them, carrying the faint scent of saltwater, and for a brief moment, the island felt almost peaceful.
Back inside the resort, the game room lounge had developed a far more chaotic atmosphere than the peaceful garden outside. The room itself looked like a cross between a high-end recreational studio and an experimental training area, filled with sleek equipment that gleamed under soft overhead lighting. One corner had been cleared for exercise and stretching, though the results currently unfolding there suggested the space might have been better left unused.
Fuji stood near the center of the room, attempting what could generously be described as a yoga stretch. One leg was raised awkwardly behind him while his arms tried-unsuccessfully-to maintain balance, his entire posture wobbling with the strained determination of someone who had absolutely no idea how the pose was supposed to work.
His face tightened with concentration as he tried to hold the position.
"How do people make this look so easy?" he groaned as he struggled to keep from tipping sideways.
A few steps away, Shun leaned casually against the wall with his arms crossed, watching the spectacle unfold with the kind of quiet detachment usually reserved for mildly interesting scientific experiments. His expression barely shifted as Fuji nearly lost his balance for the third time.
"Probably not by nearly pulling a muscle," Shun replied dryly
Fuji wobbled again, his raised leg dropping slightly before he forced it back into place with a strained exhale.
Across the room, Ace had claimed one of the lounge chairs and stretched across it comfortably, one arm draped along the side while her other hand scrolled lazily through her phone. She didn't even bother looking up as the near-disaster unfolded in Fuji's direction.
"Relax, Fuji," she said casually, flicking her thumb across the screen. "Flexibility isn't a requirement... yet."
The reassurance did absolutely nothing to improve his situation.
Fuji finally gave up with a dramatic groan, lowering his leg and shaking out his arms as though they had personally betrayed him.
"Thanks a lot, guys," he said under his breath while rubbing his shoulder, clearly regretting every life decision that had led him to attempt yoga in the first place. "That's very comforting."
Shun pushed himself off the wall, glancing briefly at Fuji's stiff posture before looking away again, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly in what might have been the faintest hint of amusement.
Ace, still focused on her phone, simply added without looking up,
"On the bright side, if the game involves stretching, you're already dead."
"WOW, THANK YOU!" Fuji threw both arms into the air with exaggerated gratitude. "You're sooooo supportive!"
Ace scrolled calmly through her phone. "I charge extra for emotional support."
Fuji was still rubbing his shoulder and talking about the dangers of yoga when a sound suddenly cut through the room. It wasn't loud, but it carried clearly across the resort.
A soft chime echoed through the speakers embedded somewhere in the ceiling, followed by the unmistakable voice of Tallia.
"Attention, everyone. Please return to the main lounge promptly."
Ace slowly lowered her phone and looked up for the first time since Fuji had nearly torn a ligament attempting his stretch. Her expression shifted from lazy amusement to mild curiosity.
"Well," she said, sliding the phone into her pocket as she leaned forward in the chair, "that doesn't sound ominous at all."
Fuji let out a long groan while rotating his shoulder with visible regret.
"If this is about the yoga incident," he muttered, "I'd like to clarify that the floor attacked me first."
Shun sharpened his posture slightly and glanced toward the doorway leading back to the lounge.
"Right," he replied. "The floor attacked you."
"Honestly," she added lazily, "I'm on the floor's side."
"That's exactly the kind of victim-blaming mentality I expected," he said with exaggerated seriousness. "The floor knew what it was doing."
The three of them began heading toward the hall together, their footsteps echoing softly across the polished floor. Around them, students filtered back into the room from different corners of the resort, some walking quickly after hearing the announcement, others arriving more slowly with the lingering confusion of people who had expected their break to last a little longer. The lounge that had once felt like a luxury common area now held a strange, quiet tension as everyone gathered again beneath the soft lights and towering glass walls.
Tallia stood near the center of the room, her usual confidence replaced by a strangely awkward stillness. She cleared her throat, offering the group a slightly sheepish smile.
"Uh... so," she began, shifting her weight from one foot to the other as though buying herself a second to think. "You were actually supposed to get a full day to relax here. You know-explore the resort, bond with each other, soak up the sun, maybe discover those suspiciously good lemon tarts I mentioned earlier."
A few of the students exchanged confused glances. Akhina, who had just returned from her attempted kitchen raid, looked personally betrayed by the suggestion that the lemon tarts had been part of a cancelled schedule.
Tallia scratched lightly at the back of her neck, her smile growing a little tighter as she glanced up toward the ceiling interface.
"But the system just flagged green," she continued carefully. "Which means—"
She never finished the sentence.
A sharp distortion flickered across the sky above the resort, like a hologram briefly losing its signal. The glowing interface that had hovered overhead earlier stuttered violently, its pale blue light breaking apart into jagged fragments before snapping back into focus.
The students instinctively looked up. For a brief moment, the entire sky seemed to ripple with digital interference.
"Preparations complete. The tutorial stage begins soon."
Several students froze where they stood, their expressions shifting from confusion to something far less comfortable. Conversations died mid-sentence. Even the ocean outside seemed suddenly quieter, the distant waves fading beneath the weight of the mechanical voice still echoing in the air.
Ace was the first to break the silence.
"Okay," she said slowly, pointing at the glowing interface. "Did that thing just say tutorial?"
Vanitas glanced up as well, tilting her head as she watched the display reorganize itself overhead.
"It did."
"Hey, if this is a tutorial stage," Eirene said, folding her arms loosely, "does that mean we get practice lives?"
Fuji immediately perked up at that.
"See, now that's the kind of optimism I like," he said. "We should keep this tanned Barbie around."
Eirene lifted an eyebrow at him.
"Tanned Barbie?" she repeated. "Please, I am better than that plastic girl. At least upgrade me to a limited edition."
Silver, who had remained standing near the window, finally tore her attention away from the ocean and glanced back toward the hovering interface. Her gaze moved calmly across the text as if she were quietly memorizing it.
"Tutorial usually means the system expects mistakes," she said thoughtfully.
Nearby, Kusako instinctively looked down at the Chrysalis Watch around her wrist, the faint glow of its interface reflecting across the polished floor beneath her feet.
The room still hadn't recovered from the announcement when Tallia finally spoke again.
She laughed. It was a small sound, thin enough that it didn't quite hide the nervousness beneath it.
"...Well," she said, forcing her usual bright tone back into place, "guess you'll have to bond while bleeding."
The joke landed badly.
Tallia clapped her hands together quickly, as if trying to reset the atmosphere before the tension could fully settle.
"Anyway!" she continued, regaining some of her familiar enthusiasm. "Once everyone passes through the portal, the tournament will officially begin, and your roles will be assigned to your watches."
She gestured upward toward the flickering interface.
"The map you'll be entering is specially designed for this game, so make full use of the environment. Think of it as your playground..."
Her grin widened just slightly.
"... or your battlefield."
The portal began forming again behind her, the air folding into a swirling vortex of shifting light. Strands of pale energy twist slowly around one another like a spiraling ribbon. The grass beneath it bent outward from the pressure, and the soft hum that accompanied the portal returned, vibrating faintly through the ground beneath their feet.
Around the room, students exchanged uncertain glances as the swirling light reflected across the marble tiles and glass walls of the resort. What had been a relaxed lounge only minutes earlier now felt strangely small beneath the growing presence of the portal.
Tallia floated a step to the side, clearing the entrance with a cheerful little spin as if presenting the doorway to a grand performance.
"Well," she said brightly, clasping her hands behind her back, "there it is."
The portal continued to hum.
"I still don't fully get what's happening, but whatever," Akhina admitted with a crooked grin, "let's roll!"
"Ayy, finaaally!" Vanitas stretched her arms above her head, grinning at the swirling portal.
Not far away, Kusako stood near the edge of the lounge, fingers lifting briefly to tuck a strand of dark hair behind her ear. Her posture remained small and quiet compared to the others, but her gaze stayed fixed on the portal with surprising steadiness. Whatever worry flickered behind her eyes was held tightly in place, contained beneath that quiet composure.
Silver noticed the motion immediately. She shifted her weight slightly and gave Kusako a small nod.
Across the room, Shun studied the vortex carefully.
His gaze traced the way the spiral of light folded inward, analyzing the rhythm of its pulse and the way the portal's edge distorted the surrounding space. For a moment, his eyes drifted toward the others gathering near the entrance, silently noting who stepped forward first and who hesitated.
Nearby, Noah had already turned his attention back to the portal as well. His expression remained composed, but his eyes flicked briefly to the glowing watches around several wrists, then back to the vortex itself, quietly piecing together how the system intended to move them into the next stage.
Tallia, meanwhile, hovered near the edge of the portal like a game show host beside a spinning prize wheel.
"Good luck~!" she called cheerfully, waving both hands with exaggerated enthusiasm.
The watches on each student's wrist began to glow faintly in response.
Soft light pulsed across their displays, syncing with the rhythm of the portal as the interface awakened. The glow spread across the room in small flashes of blue, each watch responding as if recognizing the doorway before them.
For a moment, no one moved.
Then the first student stepped forward and disappeared into the swirling surface.
The portal rippled as the others followed, each vanishing in a twist of light until the lounge stood empty.
The vortex flickered once before collapsing inward, the spiraling light shrinking into a single pulse before vanishing entirely.
Across the empty lounge, a final line flickered across the system interface.
「Tutorial initiated. Begin the hunt.」