One week later...

===Benkei Furetcha===
Waiter // Food Council
Specialty: ♤

My stomach rumbled, and my heart pounded; tonight, I would have to play again. Ryota had asked me kindly if I wanted to play, and had been understanding if I still didn't want to, but I was sick of sitting around while everyone else did stuff: winning a new card, completing a difficult game, or securing food.

After the Ten of Hearts, Erina had some of the scouts return for the remaining food, since Araya's group had been disbanded. Niko had a field day with the surplus of food, and for once, none of the days had a repeating meal. Though, the mushroom casserole he had made wasn't agreeing with the sea of nausea in my abdomen.

"A-Are you okay?"

Rafferty Bucke - Security Council
Forensic Scientist (On Probation)
Specialty: ♡

"Yeah, I'm fine." I said, clutching the side of my stomach, which had begun cramping. "Just a bit queasy. How does it feel to be part of the Security Council now?"

He shrugged, a gun in his hands. "To be honest, it doesn't feel like anything. Th-They said usually they don't let p-people join Security immediately since it also makes them an executive, but they made an e-exception of me because of what I did in the T-Ten of Hearts. Clearly, Erina thinks I'm p-pretty special."

I chuckled, getting up. "So, Ryota said I was with your group. Who else is coming with us?"

"Wh-What?"

"Who else is coming with us?" I repeated, my voice louder.

"O-Oh, Aulia. Sorry, my hearing hasn't been the same since the Ten of Hearts."

"It's okay. But isn't Aulia the new girl from the Ten of Hearts? I thought her arm was shot."

"It's been a w-week, so her arm is at the very least functional. Sasori said it healed fast since it didn't hit any b-bone, and she's itching to have her trial game."

I nodded, following Rafferty as he led the way, past Charī who was explaining the fourteenth floor of The Ascension to Hell to Tori and Chihaya, who drummed on his cast with his free hand.

Charī Kasutoro - Resources Council
High School Student
Specialty: ♧

"So this floor's game is what I call the Chicken Coaster."

"So, it's like a game of chicken?" Chihaya asked.

Chihaya Korinsu - Management Council
Freelance DJ
Specialty: ♢

"Kind of. So, you see, Hyobe and the six other players on the floor at the time–"

"Wait, I thought it was seven other people." Tori interrupted.

Tori Jakurin - Resources Council

Charī paused, counting on his fingers. "Oh! Yes, I forgot Mizuki. Anyways, they all get into a separate cart, and each of the carts are barreling towards each other in intervals. After six intervals, the carts will all crash and they'll all die. However, if during any interval, someone pulls the lever, the game will end, but the person that pulls the lever will lose three thousand jigos."

"What are jigos?" He asked.

"Currency in the tower. It allows you to buy tools and skip floors, but you also have to pay a rent of gehennas each day. If you can't pay up, you'll be demoted one floor, and if you go into debt for too long, you'll be killed."

Chihaya nodded. "That's a very... Clever game. So you're choosing between death or a perilous situation."

"But this is where the game gets interesting." Charī said. "If multiple people pull away in a single interval, the round will end, but everyone who pulled away will die. But if everyone pulls away, then a payment of jigos will be split between everyone remaining, but if one person remains, they get an automatic pass to the next floor and a payment of four thousand jigos. And they don't just go onto the circuit once, they have to repeat it a total of three times."

Chihaya shook his head. "Oh, now that's evil."

"Ch-Charī, how do w-we know you're not one of the gamemakers here? That sounds so w-well designed!" Rafferty chuckled.

"What can I say? Designing death games is my forte. Oh and Benkei, how are the character designs coming along?"

"I'll finish Hyobe's tonight. I think you'll like it!"

"Hey, evacuation was called three minutes ago, and the cars are about to leave!" Erina's voice snapped as she walked into our gathering.

Erina Mebara - Management Council ♛
Model • Game Show Hostess
Specialty: ♡

"Oh, um, sorry boss." Chihaya said. "Okay guys, I got distracted. Let's leave." He got up, sifting through a handful of car keys that he pulled from his pocket, before throwing one of them to Rafferty. "This one's for the blue car."

"Th-Thanks."

"Hey!" Aulia said, walking up to us. "I'm with you guys right?"

Aulia Choi
Restaurateur
Specialty: ♧

Rafferty nodded.

"Cool. Hi, I'm Aulia." She said, turning towards me. "I don't think we've formally met before."

I extended my arm, and we shook hands as I smiled. "Nice to meet you. I'm Benkei." She was short, and had shoulder-length hair which was dyed a snowy white. "Huh. Your name. You're not from here, are you?"

She shook her head. "I'm half–dad was Japanese, mom was Thai, and they were both good cooks. I lived in Thailand but went to Japan each summer to visit family. After I graduated, I moved back here to start a restaurant."

"Restaurant? You know, Niko's also a really good chef, and he's mentioned that he was trying to get a chef position in a good restaurant in the old world. I think you two would get along."

"Oh, him? Yeah! We've talked a bit; he's able to make surprisingly good cup ramen with the resources here!"

Ryota approached us, carrying a clipboard, with a pencil tucked in his ear behind his glasses. "You three head to Edogawa ward. Oh, and Rafferty, try to look after these two, alright?" As the two began a brief conversation, Tori walked up to me.

Ryota Heiji - Management Council
Financial Analyst
Specialty: ♢

"Hey, I know you're worried. But you'll do fine." They said, giving my shoulder a good-natured thwack.

"Thanks." I chuckled, scratching my neck.

"Really. I mean, if you were able to clear that Nine of Spades, anything else should be fine. Just–try to loosen up, okay?"

I nodded, as Tori walked away; they weren't playing in a game today. Rafferty wrapped up his talk, leading us to the car. He unlocked the door, getting behind the wheel.

"Are you sure you're able to drive?" I asked.

Rafferty nodded. "My head is o-okay for the most part, I just h-have some recurring dizziness or n-nausea."

Aulia poked her ear. "I still hear a faint ringing sometimes in my ears. I wonder if it's permanent."

Rafferty sighed as he pulled the gear stick, exiting the Beach alongside the other cars. "I k-know, it's the same for me. In m-movies, people are always shooting w-without much struggle, but I n-never knew just how s-severe firing w-without ear protection w-was."

As the car ride continued, buildings began lighting up in the distance.

"What was the name of your restaurant?" I asked.

"The Golden Bowl. It's a ramen place near 296 Minamishirado Street."

"Oh! I was a waiter at the steakhouse down the road. Have you heard of it? The Naruse Steakhouse and Grill?"

"Oh, I think I went there once with my colleagues!"

"Same here." Rafferty said, making a sharp turn. "That place is w-way once of my budget, but my department w-was invited by my boss. It was some of the best food I've ever had."

"Hah!" I laughed, leaning back. "Free steak dinner per shift! Man, that was the stuff of luxury, looking back. Can't be thinking about food though, that's just going to make me crave it some more."

Aulia chuckled while Rafferty pulled into the Edogawa war and slowed the car, as a construction site in the distance lit up.

"Do you guys want to pick that game?" Aulia asked.

"I don't know..." I muttered. Large networks of scaffolding loomed over the surrounding buildings, and piles of wooden and metal beams laid on the dirt ground. "What if we have to climb up that scaffolding or something?"

"R-Registration for games w-will close soon." Rafferty said. "W-We need to pick. You guys k-know me, I'm fine with anything."

"I'm fine with it too." Aulia said. They both turned towards me.

I met both their eyes. "Um, I suppose it's fine, then." I mumbled.

Rafferty drove up to the site, pulling the car over. At the gate, there was a sign limiting the number of entrants.

Maximum of five player supported

In the venue, there were two figures; one was a middle-aged man with short, graying hair, a bandaged leg, and an arm with an ugly burn scar. However, the other was a teenage boy in a familiar red and white hoodie.

"Zakū?" Rafferty asked, smiling.

He turned toward us. "Oh, hey Rafferty. Hi Benkei."

Zakū Raisunei
High School Student
Specialty: ♢

"You guys know each other?" Aulia asked.

"Yeah, we've p-played in the same game a few t-times." Rafferty said.

"Word has it that you've cleared the Ten of Hearts?" He asked.

Rafferty laughed. "W-Wasn't easy, but yes. It w-was a bloodbath."

He drew in a sharp breath. "Yikes. Guess I'm glad you made it."

Aulia observed the older man. "You... don't seem to be in the best condition to play."

"If I don't play tonight... The lasers... My Visa will run out."

"Oh... W-We'll try to help you w-win if it's a Clubs or Spades game, w-which seems likely."

He laughed. "It's not everyday you meet people who are this kind in the Borderlands. Anyways, we should probably go in. We have exactly five people."

"Aulia, are you sure your arm is okay?" I asked.

She brought the wound to her eyes. "It still stings... But the wound has clotted already. I can climb if necessary. And plus, I'm already inside this venue, so..."

In the midst of the construction site was a rickety tower, and an elevator lift at its side. It was composed of two halves: The tower itself was composed of large wooden scaffolding blocks and it supported a long, sturdier room, made of white concrete. We entered the elevator; the doors slid close with a ding, and it carried us up to the top of the tower.

I was the first to get off; inside was a room split into two parts–a hallway and a sunken platform, which was on top of the wooden tower. On the platform was a table, on it another long, thick tower, which was all draped in a black tarp. Turning around, the other end of the hallway had a counter with five buttons on it, labeled one to five. Windows gave view to the construction grounds below.

"What could be under this tarp?" Aulia asked, tracing her fingers on it, but not removing it.

"Something tall..." I said. "Like a tower of some sort."

"The tarp may now be removed." The announcer said.

Aulia looked back to us, then to the tarp. "Well, here goes nothing!" She grabbed the side of the tarp, and pulled it away. It fell with a loud crinkle, landing in a black pile next to her. She kicked it aside, examining the tower. Each row had three alternating wooden blocks laying in a different direction, and there was a timer on the side facing us. On each side of the table was the same writing:

ジェンガ - 2♧

"J... Jenga? What is that?" The old man asked, turning to Rafferty.

I groaned. "A popular party game in the west. I SUCK at it!"

"It's a competitive game." Zakū explained. "The person who knocks the tower down loses. So then why is it Clubs?"

"Here are the rules." The announcer interrupted. "Players will take turns pulling out a Jenga brick. After they have pulled the brick out, they may keep the brick. Players may not take the brick of the top-most layer of brick. The wooden tower that the Jenga table lies on top of will replicate the condition of the tower on the table. When the tower is knocked over by a player, they will fall through the platform, and receive a Game Over, and everyone else will receive a Game Clear. The game must end after five rounds, or cycles, or else it's a Game Over for everyone. Finally, the first brick you touch must be the one that you pull, and no other person may step on the platform when it isn't their turn."

"What?" Aulia asked. "So it's just like you guys said; one person will die! How is this Clubs?"

"You k-know, Clubs are t-teamwork, but also a combination of the o-other suits." Rafferty theorized. "So p-perhaps this game leans more on the b-balance aspect than the teamwork aspect."

"But still, all Clubs games have teamwork as a basis!" I argued. "So how does this game make sense?"

Zakū shrugged. "Maybe the game is just implying that four people have to work together to get one person eliminated."

"What?" I trilled. 'Are you suggesting we start betraying each other?"

"Chill out man, I never said that. What I'm saying is there's probably a reason this is Clubs and not Hearts or Spades. The gamemakers always rate games appropriately, so we probably just have to look for an explanation as to why this is rated the way it is."

"So, who goes first?" Aulia asked.

"Players, please decide a turn order." The speakers announced, answering her question. "Each of you must press one of the numbered buttons with the position you wish to be in."

"Hmm," Zakū murmured, rubbing his chin, "I'll go first. There's something I'd like to test."

"I'll g-go second, th-then."

"I'll go third." Aulia said, raising her hand.

"Uh... I'll go fourth!" I shouted. "I'll go fourth, and you can go last, is that okay with you?" I asked the man.

"I'm fine with that." He said.

With that, we lined up against the buttons, each pressing our respective numbers.

"Turn order decided; you have three minutes each turn. The game is now beginning. Round one: Player One's turn."

Zakū stepped onto the platform, dropping to the wooden floor with a thud. The timer started, ticking down from the allotted three minutes. After circling the tower once, he selected one of the middle pieces, sliding it out. There was no resistance, and after a second, it was removed.

"This game seems... Awfully easy." The man said.

Then, a booming thud exploded, shaking the entire room. We gasped, as dust from the ceiling crumbled into the air. The tower wobbled, and Zakū gasped, running to the edge of the platform, grabbing onto the ledge of the upper hallway, but the tower–and, after another second, the room–stabilized. Taking a deep breath, I walked to the window overlooking the ground below. A giant wooden block of scaffolding had been pushed out, and now laid on the ground.

"So, the game said that the real tower replicates the condition of the Jenga tower." Zakū said, as I walked back to observe him. "So what if I put this brick back into place?"

With that, he slid the brick back into the slot he had pulled it from. I went back to the window to see if anything had changed, but the block of scaffolding was still laid on the floor, and the hole in the tower remained, just barely in view.

I shook my head. "Nope, it didn't work–there's still a hole in the tower and the brick is still out."

He shrugged, getting off the platform. "It was worth a shot. I'm not picking up the brick again, though. I don't know what rules surround that, like if it'll still be considered my own turn."

"Turn order decided; you have three minutes each turn. The game is now beginning. Round one: Player Two's turn."

"So it's d-doesnt change turns until the p-previous person official gets o-off the platform..." He noted, as he approached the tower.

"One of us will be dead by the end of this game..." Aulia mumbled. "I hate games that are like this."

"So, the person th-that knocks the tower down d-dies, but everyone e-else lives, correct?" He asked.

"Yeah." Aulia answered.

Rafferty smiled, as his fingers landed on the bottom middle brick.

"Raff?" I asked. "Don't start getting any funny ideas now..."

He laughed, as he pulled the brick out. "Don't w-worry about it. Anyways, I decided to pull one of the b-bottom ones out, that w-way we don't have t-to deal with such a loud thud. And a-also..." He slid the brick back into place. "This way, the t-tower remains stable for longer, and the chances of someone knocking it over are reduced on th-their turn."

"Wait a second, I have an idea." Aulia said. "If you can put your brick back, then what's stopping us from just pulling the exact same brick?"

"The round limit." Zakū answered. "This game has to end after five rounds or else we all die. Doing that will just delay the inevitable and increase the odds of us all dying. And speaking of funny ideas, what would happen if the tower fell when no one was on the platform?"

"It'd b-be hard to make that h-happen." Rafferty answered. "W-We'd have to get the tower into a position w-where it w-won't fall immediately, but will fall momentarily. That, or w-we try to throw stuff at it from the hall. B-But wh-what's preventing that from being considered a Game Over as w-well?"

"Well, we're only on round one." The man said, smiling. "Let's just... See how this game develops, and not do anything too rash just yet." Rafferty got back into the hall, as the speakers buzzed.

"Round one: Player Three's turn."

The young woman got onto the platform with a small jump, reaching for a piece in the second to last row, pulling its center brick out. A thud ensued, but much more muffled compared to the first; the building and tower didn't quiver with its shockwave. Aulia sighed, her body relaxing, as she put it back into place and got off the platform.

"Round one: Player Four's turn."

Sighing, I rubbed my hands together, grabbing another one of the bricks on the lowest level; this time, it was one of the left ones. I pulled it out, about to instinctively put it back in, but some writing caught my eye. I squinted, bringing the brick up to my face.

"What is it?" Aulia asked.

"There's writing on here!" I said, clearing my throat to read it aloud.

From this point forward, bricks may no longer be put back into the tower after they had already been pulled out

If any brick had already been put back, the player who pulled this brick must pull out each of them

I huffed, putting the brick I had already pulled onto the table. "Great." I said. "Of course this game can't be made to be that easy."

"My brick sh-should be e-easy." Rafferty insinuated. "It's the bottom middle."

Sighing, I crouched, poking the end of Rafferty's brick, and pulling it from the other side.

"And mine was the center one above that." Aulia said.

I noted her words, with fingers shaking like leaves, pushing