I sat down, but Aoi Fushimiya, my so-called older brother, kept staring daggers at me. His presence alone was suffocating, and the weight of his gaze made my skin crawl. Haruto, sitting next to me, glanced between us, clearly noticing the tension. Kaito, on the other hand, was impatient.
"Let's get this game started already," he grumbled, arms crossed.
Aoi finally stood up and began handing out VR headsets. "The roles you receive are completely randomized," he stated, his tone emotionless. "This test will not affect your class points. There are no losses here—only evaluation. We're observing how you handle certain... opportunities."
His eyes landed on me when he said that last part. It was obvious. This wasn't just about the test. This was about *me.*
Ignoring him, I put on the headset. The world around me faded, replaced by the simulation—a dimly lit, upscale apartment complex at night. The game interface displayed my role: *Assassin.* A red glow surrounded two other names: Kaito and Mei. They were infiltrators, like me.
Immediately, I began analyzing. Haruto's name wasn't highlighted. That meant he was a Loyalist, and knowing him, he was going to be a problem. I scanned the rest of the room. There were twelve players. If I broke it down:
- Four were survivors.
- Three were infiltrators (including me).
- That left five with special roles—Detective, Medic, Psychic, Spy, and an unknown factor.
The biggest threat? The Spy. If we weren't careful, they could track our private messages and figure us out fast. Aoi's voice echoed through the game world.
"Remember," he said, "you can send private messages to anyone. However, the Spy will see who messaged whom, though they won't see the content. Also, your facial expressions will reflect in the game, so control yourselves."
I glanced at Mei. She was trembling. The fear was written all over her face. If she kept this up, we were screwed before the game even started. I shot her a look. *Stop shaking. Now.*
She inhaled sharply and steadied herself.
The discussions began immediately. Players were asking around, gathering information. Haruto wasted no time approaching me.
"What's your role?" he asked, his voice unreadable.
I didn't hesitate. "Survivor."
Haruto narrowed his eyes. "There are twelve players, eight special roles, and only four Survivors." His gaze swept the room. "And I've already counted four other people claiming to be Survivors. That makes five. Someone's lying."
I kept my expression neutral. "Then what about you? If you're not a Survivor, you must have a special role, right?"
His posture stiffened slightly. *Got you.*
I leaned in just enough so that only he could hear. "If you're really on the good side, you have a powerful role, don't you?"
Haruto scowled. "Very well, Kei. But I'm watching you."
That was an understatement. He was *already* on to me, and it was only the first round. Haruto was going to be the hardest obstacle to deal with.
Then, a voice cut through the tension.
"Alright, let's get to it," a boy announced confidently. He stepped forward. "I'm Kenji, Class 1-A, student government."
My eyes sharpened. *Student government.*
Kenji turned his gaze to me and smirked. "Let's see who's who." He scanned the room, then pointed directly at me. "Hey, you. What's your role?"
A calculated move. He didn't pick me at random. He was making sure *I* wasn't a threat.
I locked eyes with him, neither of us backing down. A silent war had already begun.
"I told you," I said calmly. "I'm a Survivor."
Kenji tilted his head slightly, as if considering my words. "That so?" He looked around. "That's strange. Because if I count, there are already four other Survivors."
Some murmurs rippled through the group. I didn't flinch.
"Then one of them is lying," I replied smoothly. "And it isn't me."
Kenji's smirk didn't fade, but his eyes flickered with something—interest? Amusement? Suspicion?
Kaito, meanwhile, was keeping quiet. He was smart. Mei had stopped trembling, but I could tell she was still nervous. If either of them slipped up, it was over for us. I had to control the flow of this game, or we'd be exposed too soon.
"Alright," Kenji said finally. "Let's move forward. We should start discussing who the Infiltrators might be."
Just then, Aoi's voice echoed again. "Night Phase begins now. Loyalists, close your eyes. Infiltrators, make your move."
The game had officially begun.
I glanced at Kaito and Mei.
*Time to take control of this battlefield.*