This is a story about a deranged world.
Hello. Hello. Hello.
Hello.
A wake-up call?
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...
It's all right. Come here.
I...
Are you hurt?
Why am I...
What is this place?
Does it matter?
Try to calm down.
Take deep breaths.
Can you do that?
Excuse me.
Hello.
My name is Yuki.
Nice to meet you.
Seems like I'm the last one.
I believe you are.
Were you waiting long?
Oh, not really.
About 20 minutes, I think.
I'm sorry.
I'm a deep sleeper, so I'm always late.
Always?
Yeah. This isn't my first time.
This is my 28th time.
I'm guessing this is your first.
My player name is Kinko.
This is my first time participating.
I'm here to repay a debt.
A debt?
My father's.
I'm Kokuto.
This is my second time.
That said, it's been two years, so I'm basically a newbie.
I'm here because... working like a normal person started to feel stupid.
Go ahead.
I'm Momono.
Why are you here?
I was tricked.
Why am I here?
Apparently she didn't choose to participate.
I want to go home.
It's all right.
I'm sure you'll be able to go home.
I'm Beniya.
I have some prior knowledge, but this is my first time participating.
My reason is basically the same as Kinko-san's.
I'm carrying a bit of debt.
Do you run some kind of business?
Something like that.
I need a bit of money.
So, um...
I'm Aoi.
What?
I'm Aoi.
This is my first time.
I'm here because... I, um, had no other choice.
As you just heard, Yuki-san is the most experienced one here.
I intend to rely on her.
For what?
We need someone to lead us, don't we?
She's a veteran who's played 28 times.
She's the perfect leader.
Right?
Huh? Oh... I suppose so.
As you may have heard already...
this is a game in which people can literally die.
Dangerous traps have been set all over this building.
Try not to move around by yourself.
It's an escape game, right?
I believe it's that type of game this time.
Our goal is to reach the exit while avoiding deadly traps.
Do we have to escape?
There doesn't seem to be a time limit, and we haven't been given supplies.
Unless we escape, we will receive no reward.
We won't be able to go home, either.
Um, what's the survival rate?
It varies, but I'd say around 70%.
So a player or two drops out?
That must be the average across all players.
I'm sure there will be more deaths with more new players.
I believe you're right, but...
But it's all right.
My play style is altruistic.
I'll do everything I can to ensure as many of us survive as possible.
Why would you do that?
What do you gain in exchange?
In the long run, it's the best way to survive.
If you're indebted to me, you might do something to benefit me in a future game.
A future game?
We don't know how many of us will have a future.
That's fine.
As long as it doesn't cost me anything, I'd rather help than abandon someone.
That said, you should still keep your guard up.
It's possible I'm secretly evil and only see the rest of you as meat shields.
You'll have to make that judgment for yourselves.
Should you be eating that?
What if it's poisoned?
Generally speaking, it's not.
Players get hungry,
and even these games draw a firm line when it comes to that sort of thing.
We should still keep our guard up.
That's true.
I could be hiding a method for identifying the safe treats.
This one's good, too.
Huh?
This is what you want, right?
Here.
Thank you.
Hey, wait. H-Haven't you had enough?
Really?
There's probably an audience watching and betting on which of us will survive.
After all, the prize money changes depending on the person.
What kind of person receives more?
Well, the cutest ones get the most.
Wh-Why are you looking at me?
It's a rough world we live in.
It's the same no matter where you go.
Yuki-san, where are you going?
To search.
Huh? By yourself?
Yeah. Once I've found the route to the exit, I'll show the rest of you the way there.
I'll go with you.
Won't you just hold her back?
Even if she finds the exit, there's no guarantee she'll come back for us.
Right?
She could be secretly evil.
You're right.
The ability to imagine negative possibilities
will greatly improve your chances of survival.
Pessimists tend to do better in here.
I'm coming, too.
I'll come.
Nothing.
We searched all the rooms we could enter.
Either we're overlooking something or we need to look harder.
Or perhaps we're not meant to look for a key.
I'm almost certain we need a key.
What?
You two.
We're a team.
I wish you wouldn't have secret conversations.
Oh, um...
Beniya-san?
I'm here.
Huh? How did you hear me?
Didn't I tell you to cover your ears?
Thank you.
Aren't you being too relaxed?
Want one?
I'm fine.
Sometimes having tea can help you realize you've overlooked a blind spot.
Blind spots...
Thanks for waiting.
There are rooms we haven't searched yet, like this one.
Oh, right.
Like under here.
Keys!
Talk about a blind spot.
We've been reaching for the keys this whole time.
Let's go.
Kokuto, traps are frequently set near important items, so—
Um, what should we do with her?
There's only one thing we can do. Leave her here.
I wouldn't recommend that.
Going forward, we may not even have the chance to pray.
"I prayed for Kokuto-san, but I didn't pray for so-and-so."
It breeds weakness in the heart.
That weakness could bare its fangs at us during a crucial moment.
Emotional scars are more serious than you think.
I don't mourn the dead right away.
I do it all at once after the game is over.
Would you still like to continue?
What is this?
Probably the climax of this game.
Um, the door won't open.
What?
Are we trapped in here?
Yuki-san!
There must be something we have to do in here first.
With those?
Perhaps we're meant to pull them all at once.
I'm sure something will happen if we do.
Maybe one isn't safe.
Who knows?
Perhaps it will trigger a sub-game,
or the floor will suddenly fall out from beneath us,
or those armbands will poison us unless we solve a puzzle.
Sounds rather elaborate.
We're not even certain if we're meant to wear the armbands.
Sometimes there's a second route.
One that will make us think, "If only we'd done this. We could've gotten out so easily."
Why?
Because it's more interesting that way for the viewers.
In any case, let's search.
Shall we hurry?
What?
There's no drain in this room.
One. Two. Three.
It's not working!
We must have to wear these after all.
Perhaps there's an alternate safe route,
but if we can't find it, we just have to do what we can.
Shall we?
Here we go.
One.
Two.
Three.
What? It won't come off.
What are these things?
Yuki-san!
We'll be trapped!
Yuki-san?
Should we put the levers back?
No. It'll tear our hands off.
What? But...
Then what are we supposed to do?
It's all right. Calm down.
The center of the room.
I'll hand you the keys from there.
That should unlock the shackles.
It'll stop the circular saws, too.
If we take turns, we can all survive.
Stop fighting over it!
We'll run out of time!
Beniya-san, did it open?
Return the keys. Quickly!
Beniya-san? What are you doing?
Can you hear me?
It's open. I'm handing it to you now.
She played favorites.
Did she play favorites?
The situation was pretty bad.
Time was lost fighting over the key.
There was nothing I could say anymore.
There was nothing she could say anymore.
It was no longer possible for everyone to survive.
Someone would die.
Kinko or Aoi.
Or perhaps both would die.
Watching it wouldn't improve the future,
but I still couldn't look away.
but she still couldn't look away.
It wasn't a commendable desire to witness their fates.
It wasn't a curiosity to behold the spectacle, either.
There was merely...
This flavor tastes good.
There was merely the simple inability to look away.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...
What is that?
Preservation treatment.
People are watching this, after all.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry...
This is what used to be Aoi-san's blood.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...
I-It's okay. It's okay...
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...
It's better not to say that.
It's okay to think it, but it's better not to say it out loud.
Saying it will make you weaker.
Looks like no guillotines will come flying out.
Kinko.
Come on. The rest of you, too.
Shall we ride two at a time?
It'll only work once.
What if we use the sauna?
We can dehydrate ourselves like boxers.
They do that over the course of a month.
This means someone has to stay behind, doesn't it?
There's a button where we get off, and...
Huh? Uh...
What?
No way. There's no way, right?
Are we supposed to use those on another—
No.
Maybe we're meant to leave someone behind
or use those weapons to solve the problem with violence.
But we don't have to leave one person behind.
We just have to leave one person's worth behind.
Huh?
Each of us will leave a little.
Each arm is about 5%. Each leg is 20%.
Yeah.
You're joking, right?
You want us to cut off our limbs?
I'll do the cutting.
It's okay.
I promise to remove every part with a single blow.
That's not the problem!
We have the preservation treatment.
They can be reattached.
Is there no way to do this peacefully?
Like an alternate route...
Of course we'll look for one, but...
I ask that you steel yourselves now.
I can't cut off my own limbs.
Would you rather escape by killing someone, then?
Kinko.
I'll stay behind.
You three, please go on ahead.
Can you hear me, Kinko?
I need you to open this door, Kinko.
Um...
What is it?
Oh, um...
Is there something you want to say?
Huh? Well, um...
If Kinko-san says she'll stay behind, maybe we could...
Right, Beniya-san?
Y-Yes.
We're not leaving Kinko behind.
Huh?
Momono-san, think about it.
If Kinko dies...
Kinko? Kinko!
Thanks. You're so nice, Misuzu.
When I grow up, I'm gonna be like you, Dad.
Wow, really? Thanks.
You're so nice, Misuzu.
When I grow up, I'm gonna be like you, Dad.
Wow, really? Thanks.
You're so nice, Misuzu.
When I grow up, I'm gonna be like you, Dad.
Wow, really? Thanks.
You're so nice, Misuzu.
When I grow up, I'm gonna be like you, Dad.
Wow, really? Thanks.
You're so nice, Misuzu.
When I grow up, I'm gonna be like you, Dad.
Wow, really?
Thanks.
What am I doing outside?
Why am I...
I thought if I died to save the rest of you...
Please just leave me.
We can't.
See how light you are, Kinko?
We'd still be considerably over the limit.
Huh?
Momono-san and Beniya-san are big, you know?
The three of us would still have to lose weight, so we need access to the sauna.
I...
I don't think you have to die.
Feeling guilty and responsible is enough.
Kinko.
Can you make it to the end?
Yes.
Well,
I do think you could be a bit more underhanded.
What do you want to do first if you make it home alive?
Doesn't the first person to answer that die next?
Not necessarily.
People who feel that life has meaning tend to survive.
As for me, well...
I feel like I should probably take out the trash soon.
Aren't you a bit too carefree?
No. Playing this game for a living makes you lose track of the day of the week.
Tomorrow's Friday, right?
I don't even know what day today is.
Right.
I'd like to have ramen.
What?
If I make it home alive, I'll eat until I'm sick.
I see.
Whew.
Are you all right?
Yeah. Just taking a break.
I'd like to go for ramen, too.
We should go together!
What's your favorite, Beniya-san?
Huh?
Uh, tonkotsu, maybe?
Me, too! What type do you prefer for your extra noodles?
What type? You mean the firmness of the noodles?
What are you going to do, Kinko?
If you make it home alive.
First I'll pay off my debt, and then...
I'd like to see my dad again, but after that...
After that...
I don't know yet.
Don't worry about it.
What happened to Aoi-san isn't your fault.
She was killed by the game.
You can hold your head high and return to your previous life.
Like I said before, you don't need to be so earnest.
Instead of doing things for others, do things for yourself.
Being a little sneaky will give you more depth as a person.
You think so?
Yeah, probably.
Then if I make it home alive, I'll try to do that.
W-We mustn't get the wrong idea, right?
They're just shaped like people.
That doesn't mean that they are.
There's a trick to getting through this, too, right?
Perhaps it's the number of obstacles.
The hexagonal room and that elevator. That's two.
We must've failed to overcome one obstacle.
We should turn back and—
That elevator only works once!
And this...
We don't have time to go back.
But...
Are we already done for?
Wait!
There must be something to this entrance, too.
Maybe we can use something to break through the door.
Yuki-san!
The door opened on its own.
Perhaps there was a difference in pressure, but a refreshing breeze blew in.
A refreshing blue sky and a garden rich with greenery showed themselves.
The game had been beaten.
Once the game was over, she was allowed to say it.
That was the rule.
Dropping her gaze, Yuki set her sights firmly on the silent Kinko.
Sorry.
She didn't make it in time for trash day.
Staff carried her to an ambulance, where she lost consciousness.
When she came to, she was in her room in her apartment.
There was a ritual she performed after finishing every game.
It was a prayer.
She was not religious, so she did it her own way.
Perhaps it wouldn't even be appropriate to call it praying.
She did not apologize to or mourn the girls who fell in the game.
She merely spent three minutes thinking about them.
She hadn't lied to them.
Yuki genuinely was trying to complete the game with as many survivors as possible.
She couldn't even pretend to claim her attempts were going well,
but she was genuinely trying.
She only killed Kinko because she had to.
It wasn't because she was frail and easy to kill.
She merely chose her because she was closest.
Rules give a person strength.
They even give someone the courage
to kill the very person they saved and encouraged.
Is it ridiculous for a person to pray for someone they killed?
At the very least, Yuki didn't see it as contradictory.
How many was that?
That was the 28th game.
I will beat 99 games.