Chapter 10: Blood on the Sand
The night air draped over the Beach like a damp shroud, heavy with humidity and the sharp, glowing scent of ash that stung Kirito's nose. His boots sank into the soft sand, each step kicking up faint clouds that shimmered in the neon glow of distant signs, their pulses clashing with the ocean's relentless crash. His phone hummed faintly in his palm, its screen hidden, the Visa Clock's red glow casting ticking shadows across his wrist, each tick a cold jab at his fraying nerves. The knife in his other hand felt like a curse, its cold steel a grim weight that anchored him to the blood he'd already spilled.
"Third time's the charm, they say. I hate this charm. I hate this knife," he thought, his inner voice jagged with guilt, haunted by the faces of Chota and Karube.
[SYSTEM: HOST STATUS.]
[STRENGTH: 10. AGILITY: 10. STAMINA: 10. SYSTEM POINTS (SP): 90.]
Arisu trailed close, his hands smeared with charcoal, his sketchbook a frantic map of the cult's patrol routes, his eyes darting in the dim light. Usagi moved like a shadow, her scar catching the neon's faint pulse, her gaze sharp for threats. Kuina's cigarette smoke curled upward, her lean frame relaxed but alert, her grin a defiant spark in the oppressive night. They were hunting the spy network that had sabotaged the 6♦ game, their steps cautious, their breaths shallow in the heavy air.
[SYSTEM: QUERY: INITIATE 'LIE DETECTOR' (COST: 50 SP)?]
"Find the threat before it hits Usagi. No more risks," Kirito thought, his protective instinct drowning the fear twisting his gut.
[SYSTEM: LIE DETECTOR ACTIVE: ONE HOSTILE PLAYER SIGNATURE DETECTED. HIGH INTENT TO INJURE ALLY. TOTAL SP: 40.]
A figure stepped from the shadow of a derelict beach hut, his silhouette sharp against the neon haze. Ryuji, wiry and smirking, tossed a pair of dice into the air, their glint unnatural as they caught the light before vanishing into his pocket. His eyes flicked toward the group, watchful but not yet a threat. Before Kirito could focus on him, another figure surged forward, a knife flashing, aimed at Usagi's back.
[SYSTEM: COMPLICATION ALERT: SPY TARGETS ALLY. HOSTILE ENGAGEMENT IMMINENT.]
Kirito's body froze, the knife's glint a trigger that locked his limbs, memories of blood and loss flooding his mind. His hand shook, the blade in his grip trembling, a physical echo of his terror.
[SYSTEM: DEBUFF TRIGGER: FEAR. HOST FREEZING. INITIATE 'STAMINA BURST' (COST: 50 SP)?]
"No time! Move!"
[SYSTEM: STAMINA BURST ACTIVE: TEMPORARY +50 STAMINA. OVERRIDING FREEZE. TOTAL SP: -10 (DEBT).]
A sharp jolt coursed through him, like a sarcastic nudge from some unseen force, pushing him past his panic. He lunged, slamming into the spy with clumsy, desperate force, knocking him to the sand. His knife arced wildly, finding flesh in a frantic strike. Blood splashed across the sand, hot and slick, its iron scent choking the air as the spy slumped, lifeless. Usagi stumbled back, unharmed, her eyes wide with shock but steady with gratitude.
Kirito staggered, the knife slipping from his grip, his hands shaking as guilt surged, a metallic wave that burned his throat. They fled to a shattered hotel room, its cracked walls a dim sanctuary, the neon outside fading to a weary glow. Kirito slumped against the wall, the knife now clean but its phantom weight heavy, the iron scent lingering in his nose. His breath hitched, his voice hollow as he spoke.
"I froze again. I only moved because… something pushed me. And I killed him. Again."
Kuina checked the door, her usual grin gone, her eyes sweeping the room with quiet intensity. Arisu sat nearby, his pencil scratching a nervous rhythm, his sketchbook a shield against the tension. Usagi stepped closer, her voice blunt but steady, cutting through his spiral.
"You saved me. Again. You chose to move, to keep me alive. That's not a crime."
Kirito stared at his hands, the phantom blood still warm. "But the cost…"
[SYSTEM: MORAL REMINDER: SURVIVAL JUSTIFIES MEANS, BUT SACRIFICE OF ALLIES DOES NOT. YOUR ACTION PROTECTED ALLIES. GUILT IS NATURAL. (+0 SP).]
Usagi's steady gaze anchored him, her scar catching the dim light, a silent testament to their shared survival. A flicker of resolve sparked in Kirito's chest, hardening as he straightened. "Okay. New strategy. I protect you all, but no more killing. Every trick, every move, every cheat—but no blood unless it's the last resort."
Arisu's lips curved into a hesitant smile, his voice soft. "Good. We need your brain, not your blade, Kirito."
The neon hum outside softened, a faint promise as their footsteps echoed toward the balcony, the dawn light glinting off shattered glass.
The hotel balcony overlooked the Beach's shore, the dawn's pale glow warming their faces, a stark contrast to the neon's cold pulse. Kirito's phone hummed faintly, its screen hidden, the Visa Clock's ticks a quiet reminder of their debt.
[SYSTEM: QUERY: INITIATE 'PUZZLE' (COST: 0 SP)?]
"Next easy card. Something low-stakes to clear this debt," Kirito thought, his jaw tight.
[SYSTEM: PUZZLE INITIATED: SCANS FOR LOWEST-STAKES GAME. 7♥ DETECTED. PROCESSING…]
[SYSTEM: SCANS COMPLETE. RECOMMENDING 7♥. TYPE: HEARTS (SOCIAL/TRUST). RISK: HIGH. BUT J♦ (COMBAT) IS WORSE.]
Below, on the shore, Ryuji's dice glinted faintly, his silhouette lingering, a quiet threat watching from the crowd.
[SYSTEM: GAME WIN SP CONFIRMED: 6♦ WIN = 60 SP. TOTAL SP: 50.]
Kirito's voice was firm, his quip a thin mask over the tension. "Cheat sheet says 7 of Hearts. Trust game. Risky, but better than a fight we can't win."
Arisu's eyes darkened, his voice low. "It's a heart. It'll test us. Someone will try to tear us apart."
"Then we outsmart fate," Kirito said, his grin tight but defiant. "We've done it before."
Their resolve hardened, a quiet fire in the dawn's light, as their footsteps crunched on the sand, moving toward the 7♥ arena, Ryuji's distant dice a faint, ominous glint.
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