Alliance
So, why have you gathered us all here?
We've really got a lot on our plates right now.
Can we just go?
Please, wait!
I brought you all here to ask for your help with a plan.
A plan?
Yes. If the eight of us work together, we can all share the prize,
and escape the Liar Game while we're at it!
No way!
How?!
I put my heart and soul into explaining things to them.
And in the end...
Wow!
I like this plan!
But we'd each only win a little over 40 million yen.
Forty million is more than enough!
Beats being 100 million in debt if we lose.
I'd count myself lucky just to break even!
Did you think all this up?
No, it was him. Akiyama-san.
Akiyama-san, you rock!
Wait, huh?
His nametag says something different...
Michiko Takada
He's participating on behalf of someone else.
A ringer, eh?
Still, can this really be so easy?
What if the tournament office cheats or something?
They won't cheat.
They have no reason to.
What do you mean?
These games are designed for them to make big money without the need to cheat.
In order to keep your full prize,
you have to proceed to the next round.
If you want to drop out,
you have to return half of your winnings.
There's a 50% house cut baked in.
I see...
But how can we be sure none of us will betray our alliance?
What do you mean?
This plan requires one winner to take the pot for the rest.
Isn't it possible the winner might leave without sharing their winnings?
Not a problem.
If you agree to participate in this plan,
we'll be hammering out an ironclad contract.
I'm in. It's best to keep it all business.
A contract would certainly establish trust.
And so, we wrote up a contract.
On this day, the 21st of June, 2026, I hereby swear to act as part of a team of eight in Minority Rule, the second round of the Liar Game, under the following conditions:
1. As part of the team, I will act as decided in advance by the team.
2. The winner of this second-round game, in order to drop out before the third, will pay half of the 2.1 billion prize money (1.05 billion yen) to the LGT Office.
3. Of the remaining 1.05 billion yen, the winner will pay the 100-million-yen debt of each of the seven prior losers, totaling 700 million yen.
4. The remaining 350 million yen will be split among the eight team members in equal amounts of 43.75 million yen.
Nao Kanzaki
Jun Hosoe
Reina Nishihara
Yuki Makihara
It obligated all of us to vote in the assigned manner,
and for the final winner to divide the prize as agreed in advance.
Anyone failing to follow the rules would be forced to pay full damages.
This will get us through, won't it?
But why did you choose the six of us?
In truth, there's someone dangerous we're calling "X" among the participants.
Someone dangerous? "X"?
The player named Michiko Takada
came here to return the 100 million she'd won in the first round.
But a certain young man pretended to be a Liar Game official
and stole her 100 million.
I see. So you chose five women and my decidedly not-young self.
And Akiyama-san is participating as Takada-san's proxy?
Does X have any distinguishing features? Is there a player you suspect?
We have no idea.
I find myself suspecting everyone...
Especially Number 15.
Number 15?! What a coincidence!
I also thought he was behaving strangely!
You did, Hitomi-san?
I mean, he acts like he doesn't have a care in the world!
If he's got a 100-million-yen check in his pocket, that would explain it.
I knew it! He's X!
Enough of the cloak-and-dagger drama.
As long as he's not on our team, our victory is guaranteed.
For now, at least.
This is such a huge relief, though.
We have a foolproof strategy, so we can just rest easy now, right?
We absolutely cannot rest easy!
Most of all, we have to watch out for X!
What if he catches wind of our plan and tries to sabotage us?
Then I guess we should make sure no one knows about our group.
That's right.
When the game starts tomorrow, let's refrain from any team huddles.
Instead, talk to the other players as much as possible.
Though I'm not sure how much anyone will want to talk.
We still have to try.
Number 15, in particular, needs to be watched like a hawk.
Let's make this plan a success!
Right?
Right!
We will now begin the first round of Minority Rule.
Our historic first questioner of the game will be...
Number 1, please come up to the stage.
B-Between baseball and soccer...
I think baseball is better.
What a wonderful topic!
"Between baseball and soccer, I think baseball is better."
If you agree baseball is better, vote "yes."
If you think soccer is better, vote "no."
Let the game begin!
The Minority Rule game was on.
We were forbidden from leaving the room while the game was in progress.
Smartphones and other devices were confiscated, as well.
Nao, I'm starting to get nervous.
What if X has a plan to outsmart us?
Oh, no!
If we see Number 15 win this first round and survive,
that's when we should really be afraid.
I started keeping my eye on Number 15 exclusively.
But he didn't do anything suspicious that I could see.
As we'd discussed, members of our group began interacting with other players.
But Akiyama-san stayed quiet and watched, as always.
At any rate, the venue was as peaceful as could be.
You would have hardly known we all had 100 million yen on the line.
Three minutes remain.
And when that announcement rang out, the voting began...
in a perfectly orderly fashion.
It is time.
That started the tally.
Our team had decided the day before
to divide along these lines.
And when I saw the result...
Ten votes for "yes." Twelve votes for "no."
Accordingly, the yeses win.
I won!
I must now ask those who voted "no" to leave at once.
"Yes" was the minority!
I'm still in the game!
Looks like we're gone now...
We're counting on you.
Nao.
Take a good look at the board.
Akiyama-san!
This is terrible! Number 15 survived!
I see.
But more importantly...
Something strange is going on here.
This whole setup...
Something's off.
Off?
You don't sense it?
No.
The game just now...
It was the barest minimum split, ten to twelve.
If the next round also splits into the minimum of four to six,
it'd suggest we're acting under the worst-case scenario.
The ten remaining players will proceed to the second round.
Our questioner will be...
What do we do? Change up the plan?
No, we'll proceed as we are.
Number 11, please come up to the stage.
Watch everyone even more closely.
Okay.
Please pose your topic.
Uh, well...
Between S and M, I'm definitely an S.
We have our topic.
Those who consider themselves an S, vote "yes."
Those who feel they are an M, vote "no."
Come on, let's split up.
Um, Akiyama-san...
What do "S" and "M" mean?
Huh?
W-Well...
I-It's like... playing offense or defense.
S stands for sword, and M stands for moat.
I see.
Where there had been 22 players, there were now ten.
Anyone acting suspiciously was bound to stand out.
The food here is really something.
I wonder how much it cost.
Have you noticed anything, Hitomi-san?
Akiyama-san said that this whole thing is... off.
Off?
You think he's up to something?
He didn't say it was because of Number 15,
but he made it sound like someone's plotting something.
What could it be?
All right. I'll use the next six hours to feel out the other players.
Don't take your eyes off Number 15. All right?
Right.
I kept a close eye on Number 15.
But I didn't see him do anything suspect.
Time passed, and that was all.
We only have an hour left.
We need to decide who's voting yes and no.
Which do you prefer, Hitomi-san?
Let's see. I'll go for yes.
I'm an S all the way!
What about you?
I'm fine either way.
Vote yes, then!
If I end up staying in, I'd love to have you with me.
We girls are in this together.
Well...
Or are you with Akiyama to the end?
You two together or something?
Oh, no, certainly not!
The truth was that I'd hoped to stay with Akiyama-san through it all.
But...
No, it's best if we split up this time.
You and I were the ones who proposed the alliance.
If we're always joined at the hip, people might get suspicious.
We need to prioritize team unity for now.
I've decided to split up with Akiyama-san this time.
Great, then it's just us girls!
But he says if we split up, we shouldn't have just women on one side.
If something happens, it would be better to have a male-female pair stick around.
So Akiyama-san thinks Matsubara-san and I should vote no,
and the two of you should vote yes.
I see.
We finished the second-round voting
and awaited the tally.
I will now announce the votes.
Number 12: "No."
Number 3: "Yes."
Number 1: "No."
If the next round also splits into the minimum of four to six,
it'd suggest we're acting under the worst-case scenario.
Don't tell me...
We have our result!
With a vote of four to six, the yeses are in the minority.
It's just as Akiyama-san predicted!
The majority "no" voters must now leave the venue.
Akiyama-san, Hitomi-san... Good luck!
What I spied then sent a chill up my spine.
Hey, X is still here, isn't he?
Yes.
That is all for today.
Tomorrow, we will begin at eight and resume with these four players.
Now, do enjoy your respite.
Nao Kanzaki
Hello?
Oh, it's you. Where are you?
At home. I just got in.
Did the tournament office hound you for money?
No. Not yet.
Anyway, I guess things turned out the way you feared they would, huh?
Yeah, X is definitely up to something.
I knew it...
Mind if I hang up now?
If I don't get to work, we'll lose in tomorrow's game for sure.
We'll lose?!
So goodnight.
What do I do? What do I do?!
I couldn't stop fretting.
So the next morning, I went to the building where the game was taking place.
What? You're here?
I was too nervous to stay home...
That's no reason to come all the way back to the venue.
But it's not just me.
I ran into that Number 1 fellow.
He seemed nervous, too...
Mr. Number 22.
The game will be starting soon.
Please come to the meeting room.
I'll call you back when it's over.
Go home at once.
Number 3, please come up to the stage.
Me?! Oh, goodness...
Let's see. What should I pick?
Oh, I know.
Out of the four of us, I'm the one who will win!
We have another wonderful topic.
"Out of the four of us, I'm the one who will win."
Those who think they will win, vote "yes."
Those who think they will lose, vote "no."
Let the game begin!
I'm so bored. There's nothing to do at this point.
But that means X can't do anything either, right?
What do you think you're doing?
This will make it harder to open, so my vote should be tallied last.
At least, that's the idea.
What does the order matter? It won't change the result.
True enough.
Why, if it isn't Nao-chan! What are you doing here?
Oh, the lawyer!
You lost yesterday, didn't you?
Shouldn't you be out there earning money to pay your debt?
I-I haven't lost yet!
We're going to win for sure!
"We're going to win for sure"?
Two of the remaining four are working with me.
We have a surefire strategy!
A surefire strategy, huh?
And yet you still came because you're worried, right?
The vote should be wrapping up soon.
Well? You wanna come watch?
What? Is that all right?
Sure. Come on in.
Thank you so much!
Time is up.
Akiyama-san!
Nao! What are you doing here?
What is the meaning of this?
Um, one of the officials said I could watch if I stay behind the ropes.
Yes, that is acceptable.
The voting has just concluded.
Now, let us tally the votes.
It'll be all right, won't it, Akiyama-san?
I've done everything I can, at least.
First, Number 11...
"No."
Next, Number 3...
"Yes."
Number 15...
This will decide it.
Our team has one vote each for yes and no.
If Number 15 votes yes, it'll be a two-to-two tie.
But if he votes no, we win!
Please, let it be no! Let it be no!
Number 15: "No."
We did it! We win!
Akiyama-san! We win, don't we?!
All thanks to your flawless plan! X didn't stand a chance!
Come on, would you chill out already?
Hitomi-san, we did it!
We won, didn't we?!
I'm so happy!
Hitomi-san?
Nao, you really are stupid.
"We" didn't win.
I won.
Huh? What are you talking about, Hitomi-san?
And for your information, my name isn't Hitomi.
My real name is Yuji Fukunaga.
Hitomi Miyahara is my roommate.
Ms. Hitomi Miyahara
Welcome to Round 2
I borrowed her invite to the Liar Game.
Yuji Fukunaga? But that sounds like a man's name...
That's right. The truth is...
I am a man!
Just someone you could call female-presenting.
You had no idea?
I don't know what you're...
And that's not all.
I'm actually X.
What?!
In other words, the "young man" who stole this from Michiko Takada...
was none other than me.
You really don't have a brain in your head!
You seriously let X onto your own team!
And in addition to being "X," I'm not Hitomi Miyahara, but Yuji Fukunaga.
Do you realize what that means?
I used "Hitomi Miyahara" on that contract.
But that isn't my real name.
Hitomi Miyahara
It's not the signature of the real Hitomi Miyahara, either.
In other words, you can't enforce that ridiculous contract on me!
That 2.1 billion is all mine!
And you absolute fools fell for my trap!
No... That can't be...
Next Time
Initiative