Game Without Exit

I'm back.

My eyes snapped open. Everything around me… had changed.

On Monday, I rested and got into the right mood; I didn't go to school. Everything else faded into the background.

Am I… in space?

Darkness stretched endlessly in every direction, pierced only by the soft shimmer of distant stars. The surface beneath me was smooth black—like polished glass. It reflected my body perfectly, as if I were standing on the surface of a still lake.

Others were here too.

People — dressed in the same kind of comfortable clothing I wore. Some looked around with wide eyes, panic creeping across their faces. Others stood still, calm, as if they'd already accepted whatever was coming.

Doors to choose from? Will we need to open the doors in the correct order to get to the exit?

A thin mist began to spread at the far edge of the platform, where fewer people stood. It swirled, thickened… and then, something stepped out of it.

A figure. But not Usagi. It was a woman.

She was wearing a white dragon mask — the jaw sealed shut, with slightly protruding teeth that gave it a subtle, eerie grin. Her height was almost the same as mine, maybe a bit shorter. She wore a black crop top, revealing her midriff, and faded jeans. Her hair was long and wavy, red in color.

"I welcome you all for surviving the first game," she said, her voice calm but filled with weight.

"The next stage is called: Doors of Choice."

Doors of Choice? So… it's a maze? We'll have to open doors to reach the end?

I stepped closer, unsure if it was allowed, but driven by something stronger than fear — curiosity.

"Can I ask a question?" I said carefully.

She turned her gaze toward me, and I froze.

A soft scent of roses drifted through the air.

Through the eye holes of her mask, I saw emerald-green eyes, shining like glass — slitted pupils like a cat's, sharp and inhuman. The mask covered her entire face, making it impossible to see her expression.

And yet… she nodded, giving me permission to speak.

She raised her right hand and gently placed it on my neck — not aggressively, not to threaten. Her fingers barely touched my skin.

"What's your name?" she asked in a calm, even voice.

"Toru," I replied without hesitation. The word left my mouth faster than I'd expected.

All around us, the others were watching. Silent. Unblinking. Locked on us like statues.

But their stares didn't matter. I didn't care what they thought.

All I wanted… was to understand this place.

"Alright, Toru," she said. "My name is Alisa. I'll amplify your voice so that every participant hears what we say. You have five minutes. After that, I continue. Do you agree?"

"Yes."

My answer came out sharp and certain.

Her hand on my neck radiated a soft warmth — something gentle, unfamiliar. It wasn't just heat — it was like her touch was reaching inside me, wrapping itself around my vocal cords. It felt… strange. But not unpleasant.

"Now… you may speak," she said, letting go. "Let's sit down."

From her body, a soft mist unfurled, spilling onto the ground and curling into defined shapes. Within seconds, it solidified — two chairs and a small table between us.

Without hesitation, I sat down.

She sat down too, continuing to watch me.

"What questions do you have?" she asked, tone unchanged.

"Our role as administrators," she continued, "is to observe and assist you."

I leaned slightly forward.

"My first question," I said. "How many of you are there?"

"Twenty-four."

Her answer came fast, without pause — like she'd been expecting the question.

My voice echoed faintly across the starry void, resonating with the same crispness as hers. Whatever she'd done — it worked.

Everyone could hear me now.

"Second question," I said. "Who are the chosen ones? The 'worthy'? The people selected to participate?"

Her answer came smooth, like she'd given it a hundred times before.

"They are people who are dissatisfied with the world," she said. "Those who believe they deserve more. Those who think they've been overlooked, misunderstood, or devalued."

I feel something tightening in my chest.

So that's why there are so many of us.

Because people… People tend to believe they're special — more deserving than the rest. Even when, in reality, they're no different at all.

"Third question," I said slowly, watching her expression. "What's the ultimate goal of all this?"

Alisa didn't answer.

Silence fell between us.

Her smile remained — still carved into the mask — but something in her body language shifted. She wasn't looking away, and yet… it felt like she was retreating.

Did I ask something I shouldn't have? Should I ask another question?

"A god…"

Her voice was quiet — almost a whisper, but it echoed like thunder in the silence.

"Whoever survives all 100 games… becomes a god."

The words hit harder than I expected.

Not a prize. Not freedom. Godhood.

So, if you make it to the end… you become a god.

It felt like something had shifted between me and Alisa.

The air was different now — warmer, colder — I couldn't tell.

Around us, people began whispering. Even those who had stood silently before… were murmuring now.

Alisa reached out and gently touched my neck again.

"No more questions," she said calmly. "Stand up."

The warmth that had wrapped itself around my vocal cords began to fade.

As soon as she withdrew her hand, I stood and walked back into the crowd.

Behind me, the chairs and table melted into fog and vanished.

The space between us collapsed — just another patch of blackness.

But as I moved, I could feel it: their views. Dozens of them, watching me, tracking my every step.

If there are twenty-four administrators… then maybe the participants are split among them evenly.

There are too many people for one administrator, they wouldn't fit here. Which means... there might be duplicate spaces. Mirror rooms.

Perhaps Alice exists in each of them and acts there, if necessary.Maybe the players are shuffled every time — a new combination with each phase.

That must be why… I don't see Fleur, Finn, or Ayumi anymore.

As I analyzed everything I learned, a thick fog began to spread around me.

Mist? Was this… Alisa's doing?

I opened my mouth to speak, but no sound came out. Inside the fog — my voice didn't exist.

When the haze finally lifted, the starry void returned.

But something had changed.

In front of me stood three doors, arranged in a single row — left to right:

Red. Gray. Blue.

No one else was around. I was completely alone.

The space I stood in was a little larger than the white room from before.

Then, I heard her voice.

You must choose one door. By touching its handle, you will enter the space where your trial begins. Each door represents a different kind of challenge.

Alisa's voice — directly in my mind.

Red — physical strength.

Gray — luck.

Blue — intelligence.

Eventually, you will have to face them all.

You have 60 seconds to choose. If no choice is made, you will be assigned one randomly.

Her voice faded.

Above the doors, a timer appeared: 00:00:59. Countdown.

So we'll have to go through all of them eventually… Then maybe the order matters? Will the difficulty increase with each door choice?

I have to think…

Blue. Intelligence. No — not now. I'm confident I can handle it later.

Red. Physical trials. I'm average, but if in the future it's even a little like the fight with the cat, there's a chance I'll survive.

Gray. Luck. Dangerous, but better to tackle it first.

I stepped toward the gray door. The timer above read 00:00:09.

Without hesitation, my hand gripped the handle — the cold metal biting into my skin.

The moment I touched it, the gray began to spread. From my palm, it then crawled up my arm, washing over my body like ink in water.

The moment my entire body was engulfed in color, I vanished. The door seemed to suck me in.