Volume 4
Chapter 5: Hell Has Descended
I should have gone to sleep.
Looking back, that's the first thing that comes to mind.
It was almost one in the morning, and me, Daiko, and Shuto were still awake in our dorm room.
A bunch of snack wrappers were scattered across the floor. Our game had been running for hours.
"Guys," I said, holding my controller, "what do you think this special exam is gonna be like?"
Daiko shoved food into his mouth.
"Eh," he said through a mouthful of chips. "It's probably nothing."
Shuto frowned.
"Are you guys sure we shouldn't have gone to bed early?"
Nobody answered him.
A few minutes later, we finally put the controllers down.
Daiko and I rolled out our sleeping bags while Shuto climbed onto his bed.
I closed my eyes.
Then all hell broke loose.
BEEP!
BEEP!
BEEP!
I nearly jumped out of my skin.
The alarms were deafening.
Red emergency lights flooded the room.
"What the hell is happening!?" I shouted.
Daiko was already on his feet.
Shuto almost fell off the bed.
We rushed outside.
The hallways were packed.
Hundreds of students were pouring out of their rooms.
Some looked terrified.
Others looked half asleep.
Teachers, security guards, and staff members were directing people everywhere.
Then someone grabbed a microphone.
"All ranked students report to your classrooms immediately."
I looked at Daiko.
Daiko looked at me.
Then he checked the time.
"It literally just turned one in the morning."
"There has to be some kind of mistake," I said.
A security guard immediately pointed at us.
"You three. Move."
"But sir," Shuto protested, "we're still in our pajamas—"
"I don't have time for excuses."
His tone left no room for argument.
"Go. Now."
So we did.
The walk to our classroom felt surreal.
The entire campus felt wrong.
Silent.
Tense.
Like something terrible was about to happen.
When we entered Class 1-C, everyone was already there.
Haruto immediately turned toward us.
"Where the hell were you guys?"
Daiko scratched the back of his head.
"Funny story. We were gaming until one."
Ayame slapped a hand against her forehead.
"That's what you three get for being reckless."
Then she pointed at Shuto.
"And why did you listen to them? You're supposed to be smarter than that."
Shuto sighed.
I couldn't even defend myself.
The atmosphere was too heavy.
Nobody was joking anymore.
Then Mr. Unagi raised his hand.
The room immediately fell silent.
"Enough."
His voice echoed through the classroom.
"Some of you are in your pajamas."
He glanced around.
"Some of you look absolutely terrible."
A few students looked offended.
Mr. Unagi ignored them.
"Purge Control: The Expulsion Exams have officially begun."
The room erupted.
"What!?"
"Now!?"
"At one in the morning!?"
I raised my hand.
"But Mr. Unagi, why didn't you tell us this was happening?"
He looked at me like I was stupid.
"Why do you think I told you idiots to go to sleep at six?"
Nobody had an answer.
He shook his head.
"You ignored the warning. That's your fault, not mine."
Then he smiled.
And somehow that smile made everything worse.
"Tell me."
He folded his arms.
"What makes a good leader?"
Nobody answered.
Finally Ayame spoke.
"I don't know."
Mr. Unagi's smile widened.
"A good leader knows when sacrifices are necessary."
Something about those words made my stomach twist.
Then he walked out.
The second he stepped into the hallway—
SLAM!
A giant metal door dropped over the entrance.
Students screamed.
CLANG!
Metal shutters slammed over the windows.
The classroom became a cage.
Panic exploded.
People rushed the door.
Some students began pounding on it.
"LET US OUT!"
"OPEN THE DOOR!"
One girl was already crying.
Another student was desperately pulling on the handle.
Nothing worked.
I slowly turned around.
Most people were panicking.
But not everyone.
Kei was sitting calmly with a cup of coffee.
Actually drinking coffee.
Like this was just another normal day.
Haruto was sitting on top of a desk with his arms crossed.
Thinking.
Neither of them looked scared.
I walked over.
"Well?" I asked.
"What do we do?"
Kei didn't even look up.
"Don't expect me to do anything."
Then the projector turned on.
Everyone froze.
Words appeared across the screen.
GAME 1: THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB
Silence filled the room.
The rules appeared.
As the explanation continued, the atmosphere became heavier and heavier.
One student.
One expulsion.
Or five random students would be expelled instead.
And we'd lose class points.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved.
The room felt colder.
Then suddenly—
RING.
The wired phone on the wall rang.
Every single person jumped.
For a moment nobody moved.
Then I slowly walked toward it.
The entire class followed.
My hands were shaking.
I picked up the receiver.
"Hello?"
A voice answered immediately.
"Bring Kei to the phone."
The voice was calm.
Cold.
I frowned.
"Who is this?"
"Shinko Sukamo."
The name sent a ripple through the classroom.
"Now hand the phone to Kei."
I slowly turned around.
Everyone was staring at Kei.
Even he seemed mildly surprised.
"It's for you," I said.
Kei stood up.
He took the phone.
The room became silent.
Nobody could hear what Shinko was saying.
Only Kei could.
The conversation lasted less than a minute.
Then Kei replied.
"I see."
Click.
The call ended.
Kei slowly lowered the receiver.
Then he turned toward the class.
His expression didn't change.
Not even slightly.
And then he said something that made my blood run cold.
"We need to expel Hiro immediately."
For a second, I thought I misheard him.
The classroom spun.
Everyone turned toward me.
Every face.
Every pair of eyes.
I couldn't breathe.
"W-What...?"
My voice barely came out.
I looked at Kei.
Then at everyone else.
Nobody knew what to say.
Nobody knew what to do.
And for the first time since this nightmare began—
I realized I might not make it out.
Why is this happening...?