(Viewpoint: Kim Young)

  The ground is shaking.

  Not because of the explosions.

  It is impossible to organize because of fear.

  The walls are trembling.

  A former industrial gymnasium.

  The bleachers were torn down.

  The ceiling was cracked.

  The walls already breached by the previous rounds.

  The smell of dust and sweat clings to the throat.

  A mechanical voice still echoes through the cracked speakers.

  The rules are simple, they say.

  BUNCH OF SLUTS.

  A grenade.

  And these idiots keep running around in all directions

  [BALL THROWING]

  POF!

  She is propelled into the arena

  Do not touch the ground and especially

  Ten seconds before the… .

  BOOM!

  A uniform explodes into a thousand pieces.

  One hundred thousand coins if you touch it.

  Zero if you hesitate.

  And if you fail.

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  BOOM.

  [BALL THROWING]

  Another rendering in the scene

  The ball flies.

  Would like

  Would like

  TAK !

  land in the players,

  A-7,

  Go to

  Seo-Hwan

  Lance

  Clinging to Jun Seo

  Pass to Jae ming

  And arrives at Ji-Yunwoo

  Then

  clings to my back

  On my back.

  - Shit !

  chamber

  The red sphere is flashing.

  10.

  9.

  – REMOVE HER-RRRRR!

  Kang jumped without thinking.

  He tears the lump off his back like one would tear off a burning leech.

  – COVERED!

  He throws it. Without aiming.

  Just in the distance.

  The grenade is rolling.

  Silence.

  Then the world explodes.

  BOOM!

  The ground opens up over several meters.

  Part of the wall collapses.

  Dust. Screams.

  We were thrown against the pillars.

  I get up, unsteady. My ears are ringing.

  – You're sick!

  Ji-Yunwoo points.

  – What didn't you understand about "don't kill your allies"?

  Ji-Yunwoo shrugs. No remorse. No looking back. He's already running.

  "Forget it," Kang breathed, grabbing her.

  The next one is coming.

  Because yes.

  There's always another one.

  POF !

  [BALL THROWING]

  AL-05 advances in a circle, starting in the front line.

  Clean .

  Coordinated.

  Since it was added, it's been like a sore in the ass.

  A-09 on the left.

  B-02 on the cover.

  VI-03 backwards.

  They are not running.

  They are in control.

  A simple objective: eliminate the competition.

  I am being victimized in my own home.

  The ball flies away and

  TAK !

  He retrieves it again

  A-09 receive .

  The countdown begins.

  It pivots.

  This is the exchange within the circle

  And isolate their target

  BR-02 injured and no longer has the strength to flee.

  They place the sphere against his back.

  And they disperse. Without a word.

  He only kills my allies.

  I'm only losing money and this cube is useless.

  – IN PROFIT -BICHE

  BR-02 screams. Tries to rip the bomb off.

  I couldn't do anything.

  BOOM.

  One hundred thousand coins for them.

  Another loss in my calculations

  "Damn it," I muttered.

  I can't run anymore.

  He remained rooted to the spot, his head bowed.

  I get picked up

  On the other hand, Ji-Yunwoo leads his group differently.

  Jun Seo on the right.

  Jae is back.

  They target anything that moves.

  Ally.

  Enemy.

  Never mind.

  When your spring is full, they pick you.

  But Jae always gets the ball back once the coins are collected.

  Ji-Yunwoo retrieves the pomegranate and harvests another tree.

  One minute after being hit, you can be hit again only to retrieve your coins.

  – I'm being robbed

  He walks away

  More

  BOOM!

  He blew up a player

  I look away.

  – We're all going to end up being wiped out.

  – Get some training, it's up to us to get the ball back

  [BALL THROWING]

  Kang runs at full speed, followed by us in a lightning formation.

  He jumps

  "I'VE GOT IT!" Kang shouted.

  All the other players scatter and flee.

  Except

  AL-05 is charging straight towards us with its collective formation.

  "Pass me the ball," I ordered.

  A grenade is rolling towards me

  Quickly

  Again

  She is too far away

  I swing my foot forward and

  She barely manages to grab onto my thigh.

  I'm not panicking.

  If she had fallen, I would be in pieces

  I look around.

  Two AL-05 players converge towards Moi. Tight formation.

  I snatch the ball and run towards them.

  He accelerates

  I smile

  Throw the ball

  TAK!

  "OK," Kang said to the receptionist.

  Ji-Yunwoo understands. He whistles.

  – Regrouping!

  But the thread had already been woven

  Who's going to take it?

  They're not smiling anymore.

  The room is shaking.

  With the ball spinning around them and closing in

  First move, first kill, all at once

  The game has never needed heroes.

  "No hard feelings," I whispered.

  Smiling