The Queen of Spades (promise this is good)

Chapter 26-World domination

(I would like to give a huge shoutout to one of my most loyal readers, 'timeforvecnussy' for voting for literally all of my chapters and commenting on my stories. I love to see your jokes and receiving 50 notifications from you per day!)

You walked towards Yaba after putting your boots back on. "Why'd you save me back there?" You asked him. It was unnatural for someone like him to lend a helping hand to someone that easily.

"So you'd owe me and help me to get the note, of course. You're smarter and more cooperative than other players. Plus, you have the agility to not make a sound. Not to mention, you're the least heaviest among them. May I ask the same question to you?" He questioned you back.

"Wouldn't want to risk having you lure the bots to me. I only chose the best decision, especially after you nearly suffocated me and threw me to the bots."

The both of you stood in the completely white room next to each other in silence, waiting for other players to complete the game. You broke the awkward silence by throwing him a question that basically everybody would ask another person in the borderlands. "So, what was your occupation in the real world? A bartender? You seem to have fighting skills that are similar to that of bar fights with drunk men."

"Strangely enough, I was an institutional investor. Life sucked in the real world, having no equality out there. All that was needed to determine any life's value was some colored piece of paper with numbers on it. Life in the borderlands is way better than reality. I like it here," he shared more than expected, wiping off the blood at the side of his mouth.

You noticed Katashi and Takeru at another corner sticking together, seeming to have made friends with each other in a short span of time. They were both super buff and a little brainless, so they totally clicked together.

"Well, I was a freelancer, not really having any jobs due to my lack of money. But as you heard from Banda, I have robbed the Tokyo bank without a trace and was once in a gang full of misfits to earn some cash. Only family's my younger brother, who's...separated from me in here." You told him. 

He pulled out a packet of cigarettes, pulling a stick out. He asked if you had a lighter, which you took yours out. He puckered his lips on his cigarette and leaned towards your lighter, lighting his cigarette up. He proffered the packet to you, offering you a stick but you had to decline. "Much as I want to smoke, drink, take drugs and get wasted, I'm currently facing life and death games so I can't weaken myself."

"I'll take one, please. Banda interrupted, standing at your sides. "Holy shit! Banda, you scared the living shit out of me!" You gulped and placed your palm on your chest. Exhaling deeply. Banda placed a stick in his mouth, which you lit up too. "Say, there's only a minute left and there's only 15 people here. There were originally 30 safe zones, so why're there so little people?" You thought, before recalling that you destroyed a few notes on the way out.

Soon, you saw four more people walk into the same zone at the same time. They seemed to be pretty good friends who saved each other using the power of friendship. "We made it! Woohoo!" They cheered, hugging each other with exhilaration. What were they so happy for? They only passed the third out of six mini games, each one being more difficult than the last. 

The timer flashes ten seconds more before the timer ended. A woman rushed in before a bot could slash her. She was slightly cut on her back, but it was far better than suffering a painful death like others. At the very last second, you saw a middle-aged man burst open the door after having unlocked it. However, he was too late. The red laser shot up from above, letting him meet his death.

"Congratulations to the 20 players who have passed stage 3. Please proceed to stage 4," the voice announced. 

You walked into a room with more tiles, as expected from the information Shigure had given to you (refer to Cahpter 24–Physical limit). Preparing for the next stage, you tied your hair into a high ponytail using a black hairband.