Right after announcing the game's name, the darkness turned into black particles and drifted away, revealing an extremely long standard table.
Before he could adjust, Kai was forced to sit down around the table by some mysterious force.
Well, this is interesting, he thought while looking around.
There were fifty-one others seated with him. Kai spotted Ryker about twenty seats away. What stood out, however, was not the number of players—but what they were.
They were not human. Not a single one. Some had scales for skin, horns growing out of their heads, while others looked far more intimidating, with four or even eight arms.
The creatures looked around the table just like Kai, observing everyone.
Woah! No humans in sight! Ryker's voice suddenly echoed in his head.
Do these people actually look like this, or was there a way to customize our bodies? Ryker wondered, a large grin in his face.
Why don't you ask one of them? Kai suggested.
Good idea! "H—"
"H—!"
I can't speak! Ryker yelled.
Seems to be the game's doing. Let's just wait and see what happens, Kai reassured him. Sure enough, their screens lit up.
Soon, a card appeared on everyone's forehead.
Kai looked up at his own.
I got a Three of Clubs, he announced.
Seven of Clubs. Hey, don't these creatures bother you? Ryker replied.
Not at all. What about you?
Nope.
Good. This will be easier then. Kai said, his expression sharp.
"Hello everyone."
The first to speak was a feminine-looking man with blue skin and fins along his arms like a fish. His voice was soothing, and his eyes carried immense charisma and courage.
"I am Amore. I hope we can have a lovely game together," he said with a warm smile.
"Lovely game? You mean a game where we cut out each other's hearts?" Another man sneered. He was one of the four-armed creatures Kai had noticed earlier—red-skinned and bald, with four small eyes.
"Everyone here knows a Hearts game is the most vicious. No one can be trusted," another voice added. This time it came from a female figure formed from a bundle of roots. Branches extended from her body, and at the center sat a plant-like woman naked.
"Well… except for the newbies," she continued, glancing at the players already drawn in by Amore.
"Nonsense. If we work together, we can overcome this obstacle," Amore replied, shaking his head gently, his smile unchanged.
He turned to the newcomers. "Let's work together."
Like a noble prince, he immediately charmed them.
The veterans, however, merely snorted.
"So we done…? Alright, nice! I've got a few questions!" An obnoxious voice cut through the tension.
Every creature turn their heads to look at the boy who sat down with a wild look in his eyes.
Ryker seeing so much attention on him gulped but didn't back down.
"Hm? A newbie able to fight against a Handler?" the tree-like woman wondered aloud.
Handler? Kai immediately noted the term.
"What creature is he?"
"I've never seen light-skinned beings like this before…"
"He looks weak."
"I say he's kinda hot."
"If you pay attention, there are actually two of them."
"Seems like a new species got added to the games."
"Poor them."
Around twenty players voiced their thoughts—some amused, some indifferent, some curious. The remaining thirty stayed silent, simply observing or trying to avoid other's attention.
Kai quickly picked up on that and realized the contrast between these two groups of players.
One is experienced while the other is inexperienced. It seems like the game matches beginners with experts. He concluded.
Isn't that unfair? Ryker protested. That just makes it easier for us to get manipulated!
Let's just play along for now, Kai replied calmly.
At that moment, Amore spoke again. "What questions do you have? I will gladly answer them."
Ryker blinked at him—then ignored him completely, turning to the others instead.
Amore noticed but didn't find fault. He simply kept smiling.
"Haha! I like this newbie. Alright, I'll answer your questions." The four-armed man laughed, crossing his arms.
Ask him— Kai was about to list some questions but Ryker opposed.
Chill little bro. Did you forget who your big bro is? Me! Ryker, now watch me handle this. He assured with confidence.
Kai hesitated but didn't continue.
"First question… how did you customize your body to look like that?" Ryker asked with curious eyes.
"What?" The four-armed man raised a eyebrow.
You idiot… Kai facepalmed.
At the same time, the screen flashed again and the dim light that was above them vanished.
Kai was once again greeted with darkness.
I can't see anything. He squinted his eyes, but couldn't make out anything—not even a silhouette beyond his own hands. Even the glow from his screen barely reached beyond two feet.
Me neither… but I hear footsteps, Ryker said.
Someone's approaching.
What? Killer's Table… could it be—!
Shuff—shuff.
A chair scraped across the floor.
"I can move?" a player said, surprised.
Then came a scream.
"Wait—no! Don't kill me!"
Another scream followed, filled with terror.
Seconds later, the lights returned.
The first thing every player was greeted with was the two players whose dead body lay on the ground.
Their eyes were still open wide as if they found what happened to them hard to believe and blood flooded the ground around the table.
"As expected of a Hearts game," a slime-like creature with multiple eyes chuckled.
"So we can conclude there are at least two killers."
"Why target newbies?"
"They must hate them."
"Poor newbies…"
"Hey, kid."
The four-armed man addressed Ryker before speaking again.
"You seem to think this game is a joke, so I'll answer the questions you should be asking." He declared then turn to face Kai who was busy looking at the dead bodies.
"Welcome to The Pack Games kid. Where dying here means death in the real world."
"I don't know how you got here, but let me explain the gist of this game."
"You see, this is a Hearts game and the difficulty depends on the number on the suit."
"Unlike the other suits, Hearts games don't explain the rules, you just have to figure it out on your own." He said, leaned back slightly.
"But one thing is certain… you can't trust anyone."
"You got that, kid?" He finished, turning back to face Ryker.
"Y-Yeah…" Ryker nodded quickly.
He was looking at you, Ryker said.
I know, Kai replied calmly.
Do you think he knows about our telepathy?
Unlikely. He probably just thinks we know each other.
From the looks of it we might just be the only two humans that ever came here. Ryker grimace at the thought of being the only humans here.
Don't you also find it strange though. Why is the universal language the same for every species? He asked, finding it weird that everyone seem to understand each other.
Why don't you ask the four-arms? He seems to like you.
Nope. He's scary.
Big bro afraid of a four armed species?
Nope! Your big bro here isn't afraid of anything!
Right…
Enough messing around. Did you figure out anything?
Did you figure anything out?
Just the same as everyone else. It's too early to speculate.
However, it seems like the killer have to choose who he wants to kill and during that time the chosen can move around freely.
That's relieving. Now I hope they choose me so I can beat the living shit out of them.
And what if its one of those four arms, eight arms creature? Their muscles look so refined I bet they can lift up a military tank easily.
You're exaggerating. Besides, I have Martial Dominator, there's nobody here who can beat me.
You haven't even tested it yet.
Have a little faith in your big bro.
If you say so. Kai dropped it there.
Just so you know those dead bodies were stabbed to death. One of them got stabbed in the abdomen by something smaller than a regular knife as for the other, he was cut in the middle of his throat.
"I say we address the elephant in the room." A few seconds passed before someone raised their voice.
A lizard man continued. "We already figured out how this game works. There's two killers and three phases. The discussion phase which we use to try and figure out who the killers is. Then there's the voting phase. We use it to vote the killer." He explained as he point his finger at Amore.
"I don't know what happens to players who gets voted but why don't we test it before the third phase where the lights go out arrives."
"I vote King of Hearts, let's get this man whore out." He declared.
The nineteen other veteran's showed approval and voted Amore.
Should we vote? Ryker had no clue whether to follow and vote as well.
No, somethings not right about this fish. Kai replied, suspicion in his tone.
"Can I ask why you vote me?" The fish looking species, Amore asked with his still gentle smile.
"You're from the Hearts Faction. That's all there is to know." The lizard man answered.
"Interesting, does the rest of you also agree with him?" Amore asked the other veterans.
"I don't really care about which faction your from."
"You just look like easy bait."
"I mean, your a Two of Hearts aren't you? It's best we get you out before you start manipulating everyone." The plant-like woman chuckled.
"I don't like your attitude." The four-arms man who addressed Ryker snorted.
All the other veterans voiced their own reasoning.
Amore nodded at the veterans reasons as he look at the lizard man, "To think you'd turn this game into a faction battle. Very well, I vote Seven of Hearts."
Just as he voted, the remaining twenty-eight newbies also voted Seven of Hearts.
"Impossible!" The lizard man roared. "You man whore actually became a Celebrity! Very well, In the name of law I order yo—!"
"Too late Clubs fool." Amore chuckled and then the lights flickered off.
The lights came back on and what Kai saw shocked him.
Throughout his seventeen years of life this is the first time he ever felt so shocked.
The naked plant lady, the red four-arms man, the lizard man. They were all killed.
This... Kai and Ryker muttered at the same time, a crazy look appearing in their eyes.
This is what you call entertainment!