===Zakū Raisunei===
High School Student
Specialty: ♢

I stared at the college campus through binoculars—Miyamoto University. Soft light fell through the windows. Here are the facts: The environment drastically contrasted that of the Beach's. The Beach is loud, vibrant, and energetic. This was quiet, subtle, and elusive. They must have many members. They must not accept everyone who finds them.

Countless cars were outside in the parking lot, each functional. I leaned in a bit closer, focusing on some faint silhouettes through the window. I attempted to keep Kazetani in view, but he walked into the building, out of my sight, and since then, I've surveyed the entirety of the exterior, trying to note anything of worth.

Through the windows, I could make out Nobira talking to another woman. She flipped through a magazine, enjoying a cup of coffee, while he laughed heartily at something she said. A young teen approached him, and Nobira bent down, nodding to him, before giving him a piece of candy from his pockets.

"Spying on us?" A voice said behind me.

I whipped my head around; Kazetani stood, a slight grin on his face. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. For once, I was at a loss for words.

Kazetani Tomoyuki - #1
Actuary
Specialty: ♢

He raised his eyebrows. "No snarky retort?"

I remained silent, my face hot, getting up and facing him. At last, I spoke. "I was scouting this area. How did you know?"

"You aren't the only scout; we have them as well. You seem to have some interest in my group; we call ourselves Maindo. Why don't you follow me, and I'll take you inside?"

"To be frank, I still don't fully trust you yet." I said, maintaining my eye contact.

He shrugged. "If you were so concerned for your well being, why would you sneak to our headquarters? Clearly, you have some interest."

"Not in joining of course, I don't want to be tethered by a loyalty to a faction. I just need to know and be aware of current affairs."

"Fair. So—will you be joining me in this showcase or not?"

I cast a final look at the campus, and nodded. "Okay. Lead the way."

He smiled. "Great." He walked down from the hill I had been perching, crossing the street and entering through the gates of the school.

"The wristbands." I said. "The numbers. I assume it's some sort of hierarchy?"

"Yes."

"So, you're the leader. And people jump up in positions from making card contributions, I assume?"

"Precisely." He said, opening the front doors. I stepped inside, blinking out the soft yellow lighting. A handful of people congregated around the lobby, soft chatter filling the air. Tableware clinked, as people sat around cushioned seats, using ceramic cups and plates.

"It's so... Sophisticated." I muttered, taking a seat on a green sofa. Kazetani pulled up a blue cushioned stool beside me. "Especially compared to The Beach, and especially in this post-apocalyptic hellscape."

"Maintaining a lifestyle that is as similar to our past lives as possible is good for up keeping our well-being." Kazetani replied.

Nobira and the woman walked to our couch, each of them taking a seat. She had long hair which had been dyed black and white.

Nobira Shimei - #2
Active Soldier
Specialty: ♤

"Hello Shirai." Kazetani nodded towards the woman. "Nobira, anything of note?"

Shirai Ui - #4
Therapist
Specialty: ♡

He shook his head. "We have no new cards tonight, unfortunately. To make matters worse, Hiroshi has not returned."

Kazetani's eyes narrowed as he rubbed his face with his hand, shifting his glasses upwards. "That's... Concerning. However, some games have been known to take upwards of three hours, or even indefinitely. Let's try to have some hope for the time being."

Nobira nodded, though his expression remained grim. "So," he faced me, "I see you've managed to locate us."

"It wasn't hard." I said.

"Want to join us?" Shirai asked, stirring her coffee. "You've passed the first test, which is finding our existence."

I shook my head. "Just listening in on the conditions of this place. It's valuable to keep this sort of information logged mentally."

"Well, there is something, actually," Kazetani said, "that'll interest you. It's not us wanting you to join us, but rather, us wanting you to help us."

"Why do you want my help?"

"For you to understand, we need to go to the very back." He said. "So, you're aware of the New Beach Order's origin story, correct?"

"Well, yeah. If you know the Beach you know its origins most likely. Erina stumbled across the old, burnt ruins of a hotel, where a group of players known as the Beach resided, before vanishing, likely in a game. Inspired, she sought to recreate it."

"Ah." Kazetani said. "That's true, but it's just her account of the story. There's something she's not telling us."

I raised my eyebrow. "And how do you know?"

"Because I went back to the burnt ruins." He said. "And, buried under the rubble, in a cabinet, I found this."

He took out a folded piece of paper, tossing it onto the table between us. I eyed it, moving it towards me and pushing it open with the tips of my fingernails.

"We have our sources, and I will tell them all." I read aloud. "I know the truth, and I will bring solace. Collecting every card will bring one person home, starting with one, and going down the hierarchy. Our utopia will be called the Beach—and one day, every single person at the Beach will be able to leave." I finished, my jaw opening. "Oh my god... This changes a lot of things."

"And it means Erina is lying." Kazetani said. "Which we can use to our advantage. "If we find some way to expose Erina and take the power vacuum at the New Beach..."

"Then the cards will be yours." I finished, nodding. "Smart. But can you trust what that sheet of paper says?"

"It's a primary source, so I'm willing to trust it."

"Oh." I said, making sense of everything. "So that's why you people use the number system. Since you're number one, you'll be the first to leave. And since you're number two," I pointed at Nobira, "you'll be next. Just like how they did it in the original Beach."

He nodded, and Kazetani continued speaking. "I've been planning this for a long time, already. A considerable population of the Beach are people originally from Maindo, who have been sent there under the pretense of being players simply looking to join. From what we've gathered, Erina has a habit of journaling important information all into her little blue notebook.

"For a long time now, our idea has been to have someone sneak into the hotel and flip through the notebook, looking for any mention of her lie, then photograph it. If I have Maindo come out of hiding and make a formal alliance with Erina, build the trust of the general populace of the Beach, then pretend to discover the information and expose her, we can then fill the power vacuum following her removal, and gain access to the cards.

"And that is why we need you. You see, there is a vent near the roof which, according to our sources, leads into Erina's room. However, it is tiny, and none of us have been able to fit through. We have a few members who are definitely on the younger side, case in point Hanna, though they lack the height to make the treacherous climb upwards. We almost had a bad accident with one of the teens... Anyways, I'm getting off topic. You're of a good height, and you're, to put it simply, on the thin side. You might be the most worthy candidate."

"So then what's in it for me?" I asked.

"State your offer." He replied.

My response was instantaneous. "Once we have the cards, you give me one of every card that has at least one duplicate. I think those are pretty fair terms."

That gave Kazetani pause. He looked over at Nobira, then at Shirai.

"That's quite a bold negotiation." Shirai said, not to anyone in particular.

"Indeed it is." Kazetani added, narrowing his eyes. "How about this: any card with three or more duplicates, you'll receive a copy of. Nobira? Shirai?"

Nobira tore open a chocolate bar, taking a bite. "I think we should ask Ashikaga for her input as well."

"I know she'd be on board." Shirai said. "And every card with three or more duplicates... That leaves a lot for everyone else. A lot of cards will probably have numerous duplicates, especially if we continue reaping from the corpses we find in games."

"Then yes, I'm on board." Nobira said.

"So Zakū, is it a deal?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but caught my tongue. 'Down the line, you can always double cross him, and find some way to take the cards anyway.'

Extending my hand, I smiled, as Kazetani returned the gesture. "It's a deal." I said

"Excellent." He grinned.

"But," I interrupted, "there are still many things about this plan that's yet to be sorted out. How are we going to distract Erina for long enough to get into her penthouse, find the book, and flip through it? How exactly will we secure the power vacuum at the Beach?"

"We have all night." Kazetani said. "Let's discuss these matters right now and finalize it. Nobira, call Ashikaga, Senri, and Haga down here; I want the Maindo leaders and the other two down in my office so we can strategize, as well as a written transcript from Haga so we can share this with the rest of the group and with those currently at the Beach."

Nobira nodded, pulling out his walkie-talkie from his belt. "Ashikaga, this is Nobira. Kazetani is requesting us at his office to discuss the card operation. Have Hideo tag in for nightwatch." He paused, listening in on her end, his face giving way to confusion. "What? At this hour?"

"What is it?" Shirai asked, getting off the couch.

"She said someone's looking to enter." Nobira replied.

"What?" Kazetani blurted. "Is it Hiroshi?"

"No, some girl. Do I give her the green light?"

"Hmm. Sure."

Nobira gave Ashikaga the clear in the walkie-talkie, before putting it down. A few moments later, they walked through the front door. One was a young woman—likely still college-aged. She had long, light brown hair, a short figure, and held a handheld gaming device in one hand, with a pair of binoculars in the other.

Ashikaga Kayami - #3
Ōendan Member
Specialty: ♧

The other girl, however, was different from anyone in the entire building. Her clothing was smooth. Her hair was still straight. Her face was soft and clean. It was clear as day: that girl had just arrived today. But if Maindo was supposedly so well-hidden that most people didn't even know it existed, how did she find it on her first day?

It appeared that everyone else had the same question.

. . .

The New Beach Order, the next day

===Rafferty Bucke===
Forensic Scientist (On Probation)
Specialty: ♡

"So, your test game is today." Judumai said, walking alongside me to the edge of the hotel grounds.

Judumai Waka - Maintenance Council
Pianist

"Y-Yeah, I'm looking forward to it."

"Forward? What aspects of these games are to look forward to?"

I shrugged. "Most of th-them aren't that hard to me, and plus, beating one just means I d-don't have to beat another one f-for a few days."

Judumai chuckled, clearly unconvinced. "Well, when you look at it that way, I kind of understand your logic." Someone called out to him; he shifted his attention to the noise, which was a shirtless man waving to him, holding a bag of trash. "Oh shoot," Judumai said, "Now that I've been put into the Management Council, I have to start helping around with cleaning and laundering. See you, and good luck!" He scrambled away.

I waved him off, then waved again in greeting, meeting with Gabura and Charī by the parking lot, the former of which was tying off crates of weapons into the back of the pickup truck.

Gabura Sachi - Security Council ♛
Athlete
Specialty: ♤

Charī Kasutoro - Resources Council
High School Student
Specialty: ♧

"Another game!" Charī yelled, bouncing up and down. "I can't wait to see what this has in store! Maybe it can give me some inspiration for the next floors in The Ascension to Hell!"

"The Ascension to Hell?" A voice rang.

Tori Jakurin - Resources Council
College Student
Specialty: ♧

"That's what you're calling your little nerdy project now?" They asked, flipping through a manga.

"Oh please. Don't act like you didn't read all my manuscripts in one night and get back to me the very next day about all your ideas and suggestions."

Tori laughed. "Just kidding, little dude. I like that name–Ascension to Hell." They said, putting an ominous emphasis on the name. "It's oxymoronic, which gives it that perfect flare of mystery and intrigue."

"Yeah, I just need to find someone who can draw it when my full manuscript is complete."

"Benkei is a pretty good artist, actually. Maybe I can get him to help."

"Hey!" Gabura called. "Enough small talk. Let's get going, we still need to drop off these weapons and make the trade offer before we get to the venue."

I smiled. "Let's g-go then."

"Hold on!" Someone said, walking up to us. It was Chihaya, and Natsuki followed behind him.

Chihaya Korinsu - Management Council
Freelance DJ
Specialty: ♢

Natsuki Hiroko - Maintenance Council ♛
Volleyball Captain
Specialty: ♧

"Hey, Natsuki!" Gabura yelled, a smile spreading across her face. "You're walking fine now!"

"Yeah, Sasori said it was pretty much healed, and recommended I start walking to get it back into use. It's not a hundred percent the way it was, but I think I should be fine, unless tonight's game is a Ten of Spades or something." She chuckled.

"So," Chihaya said, his hand in a cast, "you'll trade those firearms and knives for the food at the hospital, which is their base, then head to a nearby game venue. Keep the food in the secret compartment below the seat, so no one is tempted to steal them while the game is in session, got it?"

We nodded. Chihaya opened his mouth again, but paused. In near-comical unison, we flashed our heads to where he had his eyes glued, only to discover it was none other than Erina walking beside the pool, talking to Ryota, while in nothing but a swimsuit.

"Um..." He shook his head. "I just wanted to tell you guys to be careful."

Charī laughed. "You really thought you were being slick with that?"

"What? No!" He defended. "It's not like we like each other, it's just..."

"Unrequited love." Tori finished, without a second of hesitation nor a glance upwards from her manga.

Our group erupted into laughter, as Chihaya withdrew, his face stark. "Actually, forget about my words of affirmation or luck."

Gabura wiped away a tear, as she opened the car door, turning up the air conditioner and plopping into the seat. "You know? Even though this is a hellhole, I'm glad we can still laugh like this."

"Well, when just living life is at such high stakes, the strongest of bonds are bound to form." Charī said.

I agreed. "Yeah. V-Very wise coming from someone l-like you, Charī."

Natsuki snorted. "He probably just got that quote from Erina."

"Nuh uh! I'm very much capable of intelligent thought!"

We laughed again, as the car turned a bend. The drive continued into dusk, as the sun set into the depths of the horizon, bringing the light down with it. At last, we arrived at the hospital. A man stepped out, waving us down.

Araya Tsuramatsu
Vigilante
Specialty: ♤

"I see you have the weapons!" He said. "Come, I'll have my men bring it in." He repeated his message into a walkie-talkie, and soon a group of three men came out. Me and Gabura offloaded to crates, handling one to each of them.

"Oh man." He said. "You guys are so generous. When I said I wanted a sizable number of firearms, knives, and some other tools, I didn't expect this much. Not complaining, of course."

"Anytime." Gabura said, dusting off her hands. "So how about the food?"

"We have it inside. Follow me." Araya pushed the door open and walked into the hospital lobby, the three men still following us, making a few turns before arriving at a door at the side of a hallway. He opened it with a key, the inside leading to a massive network of shelves, each stocked with food."

"Oh my god." Natsuki muttered. "So much. Where'd you guys find it?"

"It was all stored in the hospital pantries." He replied, taking a can and reading its contents.

Gabura took notice of the crates by the door, nodding over for us to take them. There were eight in total. Natsuki crouched down, reading the labels. "Wow, tuna, corn, mushrooms... it's been so long since I've had anything canned that wasn't soup."

"I'm sure Niko will be over the moon at the new dinner options we'll have." Gabura added, taking two of the crates. "This is a very fair trade, in my opinion. I look forward to working with you guys again, perhaps. How many people are in your group?"

"Twenty one." He replied instantly. "Two more just joined this afternoon."

"Not bad." She said, impressed. "And you're the leader?"

"Yeah, me and Aoyama."

"Well, tell her I said thanks too, on behalf of the entire Beach."

"Will do." He got his men to pick up the remaining crates; only Gabura could lift two, and the three of us that remained could only each lift one.

"Th-Thank you very much, Araya." I said, as we neared the exit.

"Oh, yeah, yeah, anytime." He said, as Natsuki pushed the door.

But it didn't open.

"Try pulling on it." Charī said. Natsuki set down her crate, pulling the handle, but it didn't budge.

"No, I d-distinctly recall Araya pushing it open." I said.

"No worries, I have this master keycard that should unlock it." Araya stammered. "That's weird, it's probably just an electrical malfunction." He held the card against the scanner, but it produced no results. Natsuki even tried the door again.

Nothing.

"Uh oh." Charī said. "You guys don't think..."

"No." Araya shook his head. "Impossible."

"It is game time, though..." Gabura trailed.

"But surely a-a game w-with this many people is impossible?" I questioned. "I've never played in any game with more than fourteen!"

The intercom sounded, promoting our worst nightmare to come to fruition. Natsuki gulped, as heads turned, panic spreading, looking at the speakers mounted to the wall.

"Thank you, patients, for staying with us at the Kenkō Hills Hospital. We would like to reward our loyal customers with a game like no other."

"Game?" Someone panicked.

"And like no other..." Gabura said. "What does that mean?"

Every TV that was in the lobby changed to display a single playing card, as a wave of terror swept over the entire building. Even for me, my heart sank a little.

"Difficulty: Ten of Hearts."

Words: 3108
===
QotD: Crazy cliffhanger, I know. But rest assured, the wait won't be long. If everything goes to plan, there will be another Wednesday release! Anyways, here's my question to you all.