“Hello loyal Themis citizens! I welcome you to the first live broadcast of project Btooom! Now I’m sure all of you are caught up on their little escapades so far with them

“The first player is Kaguya Amakusa! She is better known as the leader of the moonlight cult! Despite being 11 years old she is the leader and helped in orchestrating most of the daily going on’s of a nationally popular cult that revolves around her. She is even said to be able to see the dead~ understandably a lot of people were upset by her claims and not happy with what they told her. So, she was nominated!”

The image of a little girl pops up on screen.

“By using her second in command and adoptive father that was also nominated, she has been able to survive some harrowing ordeals!” They cut to a few instances where she interacted with some of the other people on the island and was almost attacked before finally cutting to an image of her sitting happily around in a meal with a smile on her face with the other people of sanctuary.

“They were all told that they would ignore the game and just survive on the island! Everyone trusted one another… Sadly that’s just not how human nature comes to be.” A few short clips of Torio’s introduction and him telling his camera that he is there to fight and win to become important! Discussing his joining of the game willingly in order to achieve something with his life after his mother’s death. Then it cuts to him strangling an old lady, then the events unfold that lead to Kaguya and Amakusa being the only survivors.

“However, no matter how gruesome it all happened, her brief run in with the Hitomi group has insured her survival! If his group had not appeared it would have been almost certain death for her and her cult!”

“This just goes to show that in all games skill and strategy can also be overcome by luck! Since because she gave a reading to the leader of the Hitomi group she is now going to be one of the first players to leave the island!”

“Our next leaving contestant is Emilia Mikogami recently involved in a scandal proven true right before our very eyes! Make sure to watch closely for all of the juicy details. Her second day on the island she was already almost killed” The screen cuts to an overweight man leaning over Himiko getting his pants down but the camera angles in such a way as to not show any nudity.

“She was in quite the difficult bind as a man had found her and was about to take her everything in comes the young man responsible for a majority of the deaths on the island.” Two knives sprout from the man’s face as he slumps forward pinning down the girl. Hitomi walks out of the brush and helps out Himiko.

“This young girl really lucked out in having her old friend getting a new boyfriend since he came all this way just to save her, how sweet. She has had some near misses along the way.” Several short explosion skits play of her being knocked around. “But that doesn’t mean anything since shes going to be one of the first to leave!”

The video cuts to a beachside with six people on it. Looking around and waiting on the helicopter. Every once in a while, one of them sends out a radar pulse.

“What an interesting group six people gathering to see off two of their own knowing full well that a total of only four people will survive. Will they betray each other at the last moment? WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT!”

Shimadas POV

As we were leaving, I realized something. I can’t really defend 5 people easily. If someone threw a gas BIM at us, we would all scatter and I’d possibly lose either Kaguya or Himiko in the confusion. So, I decided to send them off. I’ve been delaying it for a bit because I thought we were only going to be a group of 4. Now that we have six though and I no longer need to worry about most of the group’s health, I may as well use that to my advantage.

Higuichi and Togo look a bit nervous about those two leaving first but Amakusa looks glad that I offered Kaguya one of the first tickets off. I think Togo just suspects I won’t let Higiuchi live if someone else gets the chips first. Which is a very valid concern since I wouldn’t.

We had them both hold 7 spare chips and Himiko called out for an evac for two people. They gave us a location that was a beach not far away. Everyone but me was nervous as we traveled there. I still haven’t given back all of the BIM for our group. Off handedly commenting that I tucked them away back when we were at the supply box. It’s not technically a lie so I was able to pass it by Higiuchi.

While waiting at the beach something odd happened though.

Hidden Personal quest completed: Be acknowledged as a Murderer by 1,000,000+ people.

Reward: Title: Murderer

New Personal quest: Become acknowledged by an assassination organization

Huh okay… did they… did they release the footage of what we have done here to the general public?

I should at least check to see what the title of murderer does.

Murderer

Description: You have killed for the sake of killing and many have branded you as a criminal and murderer.

Equip bonus: While fighting a member of your own race minor aim correction towards vitals.

Passive bonus: When killing a person of your same species: Learn the name, age and location of where they consider home once they draw their final breath.

I'm uh not going to equip that one at least not for now... On the bright side it comes with an effect that's on even if I don't have it equipped. The passive effect could be really useful too if I need to find a secret base or something. The bit about native species worries me a bit but then again, I suppose I wouldn’t really care if I killed a frog to learn its name, age and home pond. I chuckle a bit at my own joke causing the others to give me a weary glance.

“What’s funny Shimada?” Himiko has a slight smile on her face. She’s going home soon after all.

“Just a small joke in my head about frogs.”

“Oh? What about them?”

“Just if they have a name or home…” Can’t really tell her about killing them to maybe get the info on my uh victims. She looks at me oddly, like I’m being weird.

“It sounded better in my head.” I try it with Haru too, but he doesn’t care much for it either.

“Haaa I guess not.” She gives me an odd look. The others are all relaxing in the sand. Amakusa saying his final goodbyes to Kaguya as she cries into his arms. It hurts to know I’d be separating them…

“You can save him too you know” Haru watches out through the table next to the inner me.

“You could save him and let her smile again another day you know. I’m sure she would be thankful. You don’t even need to listen to their suggestion of letting those other two fight… You could just let him go too.” He looks me in the eye. I see them judging me for my actions. He just had to kill undead for a while. I have to destroy lives and families.

“Everyone has a family. I understand she’s had a rough time but all those other people I killed before? Some of them had kids some of them had families. It would be unfair to them for me to discriminate based on that now.” I shrug him off. He doesn’t understand it’s not like he could do any better. This is a large company and I barely have any stats. I pull up my status since it’s been a bit.

Name: Shimada Hitomi

Titles: Prodigy

Age: 17 243 days

Carried over skills: Rebirth, Mindscape.

Health status 100/100

Afflictions: Annoyed, slight dehydration.

Current skills

Throwing lvl 99 (Inborn skill) Martial Arts lvl 70 Stealth lvl 55 Search lvl 55 Treatment lvl 33 Disease Resistance lvl 99

Attributes: 0 points

Strength: 10

Speed: 13

Endurance: 12

Resilience: 12

Thought speed: 19

Perception: 10

Thought speed may be a little bit ahead of my other stats but it came in handy with making that throw before. I’m surprised that it still didn’t bring me into the level 100 but that seems to require specific actions to be taken. Likely being different depending on what kind of action unlocks it. I’ll have to experiment a bit later to see if I can’t come up with something.

My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of the chopper coming in.

There is a guy in a green fat man suit that waves to us from the helicopter. Ha! These guys don’t even want to show up themselves but want to put on appearances. The others look on at the guy questioningly too.

“HELLLOOOOO CONTESTANTS!” The voice calls out from our gem inside our minds. The man in the copter gives a little hop to get out and is followed out by two men armed with guns.

“Now, I trust you all to not cause a problem, but I had to bring along a little protection just in case. I’m sure you all understand. Now just to confirm there are only two of you leaving right now correct? They are Emilia Mikogami and one Kaguya no last name?” His body double looks around the small crowd of people. I usher them forward.

“Nice to meet you two I’m sure you will do lovely out there in the real world again. Neither of you really even had to dirty your hands after all. Left it all to the others. Lucky you! But as our viewers will know only four people will leave this island so that means that at least two of the people on this beach will die. I wonder who it will be.” His gaze slides across me and looks directly at Higiuchi. She flinches a bit her hand slowly going down to her BIM.

“Aw no need to get all defensive. Any final words for those that are leaving in case you aren’t one of the ones to leave?” Amakusa holds Kaguya and gives her a kiss on the forehead as she cries out trying to hold on to him as he hands her over to one of the guards along with the chips needed to leave.

Himiko comes up to me. “Thank you for saving me… I… I don’t know how to repay you. You’ve been through so much because of my stupid mistake… I was a complete stranger, you did all of this for her… Miho deserves someone like you looking out for her… I hope you two the best… I… I’ll let her know how you are when I get back. Assuming she even wants to talk to me still.” She awkwardly gives a hug before walking off also in tears, a slight smile tugging at her lips as she almost collapses into the back of the helicopter seat.

All this while Higiuchi has been fidgeting around with her hands staring at the helicopter. She whispers something to Togo, but he rapidly shakes his head and looks at me and the guards with fear. This is going to be a problem isn’t it. She’s not so subtly reaching for her BIM bag now. All she has in there are a couple of homing and gas BIM though, looking at the armed guard they are looking directly at her smiling… they know something I don’t.

Just in case I prepare to throw a knife at her while slowly walking out of the line of fire.

“Well with our precious cargo aboard we best be heading off! Best of luck out there and Hitomi may the odds be ever in your favor haha!” He throws off a hat into the sand as the green suit waddles up to the helicopter and takes a seat as well. When the guards start moving back to the copter that’s when Higiuchi makes her move.

“LET ME ON THERE TOO OR EVERYONE IS GOING TO DIE!” She holds up a gas BIM in her hand finger on the trigger as she moves closer to the helicopter. My knife is out fast but before I can do anything she is shot in the leg knocking her on the ground. I watch in slow motion as her finger presses the button. But just as I was about to release the knife to try to hit it as far from me as possible, I notice it didn’t light up when it was pressed.

The guards slowly turn their sights to me with my knife. I stow it away quickly as to not upset them. They give a nod before heading back into the copter. Togo runs up and checks in on Higiuchi while Amakusa stares at the helicopter with tears in his eyes as it slowly takes off.

Letting out an annoyed sigh I walk up to Higiuchi. “You seriously expected that to work?” I look down as she screams in pain from her leg being shot. Togo is wrapping up the wound and applying pressure.

He turns to me and yells. “HELP HER!” I look at him not very interested. Letting out a long sigh as I move into crouch next to him.

“Alright, I guess this would be the best way to help her.” I reach over to his shoulder gesturing for him to get out of my way for me to work on her. He relaxes for a moment seeming to relax. Right as I tug my arm forward summoning a knife before slitting his throat. He grasps at his neck trying to keep the wound shut as he bleeds over Higiuchi, she struggles under his body as he collapses onto her. Her screaming intensifies a strew of profanities at me starts to leave her mouth.

“I really had high hopes for you two. Higiuchi had to go and ruin it by being such a nosy Nancy then trying that shit with the copter. If it had ruined Himiko or Kaguya’s departure you would have been killed anyways.”

I move Togo’s bleeding body out of the way, his eyes already starting to flutter. Higiuchi starts to get desperate throwing whatever small rocks she can get her hands on, sand sprays in my face as she desperately tries to back away.

“I-I can give you, my services! Yo-you’ve seen me before right! You said it before that you’ve watched my videos! Just… Just let me live! I’ll do whatever it takes!” She continues desperately retreat. I feel kind of bad actually.

“No thank you, I’m fine without.” I casually follow her as she tries to gain some distance. She pulls at her BIM satchel almost like she had just remembered it was there. She dumps them out in her attempt to grab a homing BIM. I watch her as she does all this.

“THEN DIE!” She pulls up the BIM to her eye looking right at me but before it can even leave her hand, I throw my knife right through the small propeller on the top smashing into her skull. It doesn’t kill her though as the propeller broke from the force rather than being cut so instead it just knocked her flat a line of blood going down her forehead.

I open up my BIM case. I look at them for a bit I don’t think I’ve really used any since the start of this island besides that one Ice BIM. Hmm which to use which to use.

“JUST PUT HER OUT OF HER MISERY YOU DAFT IDIOT!” Haru of course interrupts again.

“Hey I am just looking at my options no need to yell.” I shrug him off but he attempts to punch me out of the seat. It doesn’t reach though. Likely a defense against a past life forcing its way into taking over. I’m honestly surprised he would resort to this though.

“What’s it to you anyways? She tried to betray us?”

“Yes, but she doesn’t need to suffer! She’s just a young girl rightfully scared for her life. I know you intended to kill her anyways.” He settles a glare at me.

“But if I hadn’t been willing to do this much then we would have died. So it doesn’t mean that much.”

“The stupid game could be won without even killing! You could just knock people out and take their chips with one of those knives you like so much you idiot!” I look at him for a moment… I hadn’t thought of that. I think I did briefly when I first arrived but then… everything was just so much easier to kill them.

“But then they would have a chance of attacking me again behind my back.”

“Then you kill them, but at least do it peacefully at least give them a chance! End that girls suffering already. Or you will receive no more help from me the second you get off this island you will be all on your own again.”

“Ha goes to show what you know. As soon as I’m off this island I’m going home to my normal life. My parents still love me. Miho is waiting for me. I’ll be happy, you showed me that I should make the most of my life here, didn’t you? Well, this is just what I need to do to achieve that.”

“No, it’s not… you’re just being uselessly cruel and one of these days it will catch up with you… Don’t become like Takashi.” Haru maintains my glare as my outer self moves over to the concussed Higiuchi and gently set her head on a rock before curb stomping her. It was the fastest way I could think of to kill her without feeling any pain.

“There, happy now!” I all but yell. I look around the beach. The long line of blood leading up to me and the bloody body of Togo in the sand. He has a BIM in his hand clutching it desperately like he was trying to will himself to throw it at me but couldn’t quite get the strength. Amakusa stares at me shaking his head. “I made a deal with the devil to get her out of here. My soul will burn for this but her life will continue on… You Shimada will burn for all of eternity for what you have done. I will assist you but I will not take any lives.” He matches my eyes. I feel the need to look away after a moment. I feel slightly guilty, I sort of liked them after all.

“Let’s just… let’s get their chips and get out of here. Looks like it’s just you and me then…” I start to take Higiuchi’s chip when i'm rocked to the side by an explosion.

BOOM!!!

Looking up Amakusa had uncurled the BIM in Togo’s hand and it had gone off… Likely either a timer or impact and it just fell wrong...

“FUCK! Well, there goes that chance at a good deed. Sorry Kaguya I guess I'm not allowed to do anything nice today. I kind of wanted to bring him back but looks like that’s not an option anymore either.” I just start gesturing wildly to the air to get my point across in case she listens to this later. I let out a deep sigh before collecting the BIM and chips from everyone. With three chips come three points that I place all of them into speed. I Feel the slightly sluggish world a bit easier to move through. I'll look at my quest completions in a bit.

As I take the chips nearly fall out of my mindscape chair as a black book falls into my mental lap. In it are their names written in red... their names, age, home and when I look at their home I get a sense of what they cared for... this is... this is a bit much... I’m not sure how I feel about this title passive now…

I shake my head a bit tossing the book aside to not have to touch it... I'll look at my other rewards later for now... I just need a distraction... I turn to get ready to do... “Now what the heck do I do?” I look around and I'm the only one alive still. I don't really have much of a plan since I don't really have anyone else to talk to. Even Haru went off back into the white space. Deciding it's as good of a plan as any I just start walking along the beach.