Good Luck, Have Fun!

Control Room

Control Room

Kaede

Wow, this is amazing… Is this all footage of the island?

Kodama

Yes, it is. In the past, prisoners would constantly escape, so we set up about 300 cameras around the island to prevent that. The screens here automatically switch to a camera when it detects something.

That means this room will offer a full view of the audition!

Dare I say, these are the equivalent to front row seats at an idol survival show!

And of course, we have also prepared penlights in all colors and digital uchiwas that you can create instantly for when you see your oshi!!

Kaede

I-I see…

(Kodama-san must be an idol fan. I think he’d get along well with Yachiyo-kun.)

Nayuki

So what is the audition process like?

Kodama

Allow me to explain. The inmates will use these to participate in a battle royale.

Paintball gun

Kaede

This is…a digital paintball gun, right? I think it uses a special ink when it fires…

Kodama

The wardens on this island often carry them around. When the ink gets on a prisoner’s clothes, it prevents them from escaping by paralyzing their body.

The ink that the inmates will be using in this game does the same. Landing a direct hit on your opponent will leave them paralyzed.

Nayuki

So they’ll all be shooting at each other?

Kodama

Precisely. All of the prisoners will be released onto the island, and the five who survive until the end…will become idols!!

This is the idol battle royaaaaale!!!

Nayuki

The inmates with the biggest advantage will have to possess both brains and brawn… So this is what Kafka had in mind.

Kaede

(But this means that there’s a big chance of someone really dangerous winning the game… No, I promised that I wouldn’t judge them. But…I’m still worried about it!)

Kodama

Let us begin!!! At last… At last, the day has come where I can create idols with my own two hands. Ahh! I’ll be their number one faaaaan!!

Nayuki

Ugh… My head hurts…

Pier
Warden A

Stop walking! Take your blindfold off.

1

Tao

(What’s going on? They blindfolded me as soon as I woke up to take me somewhere… But where?)

<⁠Attention all inmates. All personnel have been guided to their respective starting areas.⁠>

Tao

(Huh? Starting areas?)

Warden A

I’m heading back. Do as the announcer says.

<⁠The duffel bag in front of you contains camping equipment. There is one bag for each person.⁠>

<⁠You will also see five paintball guns. Please choose one to your liking.⁠>

Paintball gun

Tao

A sniper rifle and an assault rifle… There’s a submachine gun, a shotgun, and a handgun here too.

Are we gonna play paintball?! Woah, these guns look sick.

<⁠For today’s recreational activity, the whole island will be participating in a battle royale. All inmates will…⁠>

Tao

(The whole island?! Man, that sounds crazy fun!)

(Hold on. I don’t wanna screw up and get targeted by the wrong guys…)

(I gotta choose the shotgun… No, that’s not it. I’m gonna end up running in and engaging the enemy with this one.)

(Should I use the sniper rifle instead, so I can stay hidden?)

(Nah. The field’s huge, but all the buildings are pretty close together, so I won’t be able to get a good line of fire. Something mid-range would be the best…)

I’ll go with the assault rifle.

*whoosh*

Tao

(! The guns I didn’t choose disappeared. Man, tech in this era can do anything…)

<⁠All of the wardens have returned to the observation site. The head warden will now explain today’s recreational activity.⁠>

Kodama

<⁠Alright! Listen, and listen well! We’re gonna be doing something a little different today! One hit, and you’re out!⁠>

<⁠If you wanna survive, then beat your opponents to the draw! Your prison uniforms are equipped with a special feature! When you get shot, an electric current strong enough to take out a bear’s gonna run through your entire body!⁠>

Tao

(Damn… I’d rather not deal with that.)

Kodama

<⁠You’re not allowed inside any buildings or by the pier, but besides that, you can go anywhere on the island!! But keep in mind, the game area will decrease in size every 60 minutes!⁠>

<⁠Any prisoner who steps out of the game area will be disqualified! Use your brains and look at your maps, morons! Idiots have no chance at winning!!⁠>

Tao

There’s a map in the bag they gave out…

Map

Tao

Oh, so the areas are color-coded. It looks like we’re slowly gonna get pushed towards the center.

(I’m glad I didn’t choose the sniper rifle. If I went with it and didn’t get lucky, I’d definitely lose.)

(Should I camp at the center area from the beginning and shoot at anyone who comes in…? Or should I try to take advantage of the free-for-all when everyone gets pushed there towards the end?)

(From where I’m positioned right now, I gotta go with the latter. I’ll sneak around and wait for the other guys to take each other down.)

Kodama

<⁠There will be a prize for the last five players standing! It will a veeeery special prison task, so rejoice!⁠>

Tao

(A special prison task? I wonder what it is.)

(Now that I think about it… When Chihiro mentioned a war happening, was he talking about this?)

(Sure, maybe I’m in jail, but…I always get fired up for a good shooting game! I don’t really care about the prize, but I wanna win!)

Kodama

<⁠Do your best to survive, scum! Good luck, have fun!⁠>