The commotion at the venue subsided for the time being. Blade rushed around to calm things down, and I think we were able to suppress the riot as early as possible, but it was still hard to say it was completely settled.
Some audience members took aggressive actions, but others did not. Their mental states were still not normal, but just because they were excited didn't mean everyone was baring their fighting instincts. At first, the entire venue was in an uproar as people were caught up in the riot caused by a portion of the fans, but things settled down once Blade handled those types.
Faced with Blade, who showed off god-like combat power, the audience members seemed to realize they had no chance of winning, even if their rationality had been stripped away, and lost their will to fight. Many left the venue.
We couldn't just knock out everyone who wasn't coming at us with hostile intent without reason. It was impossible to control all the spectators and ensure their safety, and we had no such obligation. While Velvet was dismissive, saying that whatever happened was the spectators' own responsibility, Blade argued that we should rescue those in trouble within our sight as much as possible.
In the venue, which had become a mountain of corpses (though they weren't dead) including those shot by tranquilizer guns and those knocked down by Blade, small buggies for internal transport driven by the management staff bustled back and forth, carrying the fallen spectators to their lodging rooms. Right next to them, the remaining spectators were starting a banquet.
From among those people who lacked any sense of unity, a single man approached the stage. It was Noah, who had been thrown by Velvet and mobbed by fans.
"Oh, you were alive?"
"I'm alive!"
His hair was a mess, his clothes were in tatters, and lipstick kiss marks were left everywhere. There were even teeth marks. Still, considering he had been attacked by that many people, the damage was minimal, so he must have managed to deflect them well.
"I want you to rest easy. Of course, I have no intention of being hostile toward everyone. I lost my cool and went on a rampage earlier, but I'm okay now. I was able to realize... true love!"
"Shall I throw him in one more time?"
Noah looked at Six with incredibly sparkling eyes. He walked toward us. Reflexively, I hid behind Blade. Somehow, this was becoming my fixed position.
"What!? You don't have to be afraid. Thanks to you, I was able to wake up... The feelings for my mama still remain in my heart, but I won't let them drag me down anymore. I've decided to devote myself to you as much as those feelings. Six... you are my new mama!"
Being an actor who has appeared in numerous hit films, Noah's words and figure looked as if they were a scene cut from a play. I thought it was impressive that he could still exude a star's aura even in that state of dress, but I didn't think I could ever understand that last sentence.
I moved aside to avoid Noah as he approached.
"Eh... Mama avoided me...? I'm going to die..."
A dazed Noah was drooping. He had changed so much from his original character that I suspected he might be under the influence of drugs like the audience.
"You're free to die if you wish, but for now, please explain the details of the ability you used earlier. Within the range of what you're aware of is fine."
"...Six avoided me... Is it possible Mama hates me... No, that can't be... Uaaaah, what should I do to make my love known..."
When Velvet realized her words weren't reaching Noah's ears, she instructed me to ask him the same thing. I didn't want to talk to him, but it couldn't be helped.
According to Noah, who began to speak eloquently like a fish in water, his ability was roughly what I had predicted. Everyone within the range of the ability rapidly develops a disease, and the effect appears indiscriminately. It seems he cannot narrow down the target to activate it. The closer one is to Six, the starting point of the effect range, the more severe the disease becomes.
While the ability is active, he can make targets suffer with the disease he has generated, but if the target leaves the effect range or the ability is deactivated, they regain their health. And there is a restriction that this ability cannot be used unless Noah and Six are in physical contact. Even if he made it unconsciously, he set a terrible restriction.
"It has various weaknesses, but depending on how it's used, it could be a powerful trump card. I think it's worth keeping as one of our cards. Though, after strictly monitoring him so he doesn't make a blunder like earlier."
Noah was issued a restraining order not to approach Six without permission. For me, that was more relaxing. At first, Noah protested vehemently, but when I signaled my agreement with Velvet's plan, he turned into a soul-less zombie who only leaked groans.
"Now then, since the treatment of the pervert is settled, let's get back to the main topic. The course of the game is still in chaos. If, as Blade says, the audience is suffering mental abnormalities due to the drugs, the enemy's intentions are even more unreadable."
The question was who would benefit from causing such a commotion. Communication with the outside is currently cut off, but eventually, this will be known to the world as a major incident. What is the goal of the mastermind behind the incident?
"What we know so far is that the enemy is trying to force this game to progress. The maddening of the audience through drugs can be seen as part of that."
'Did they try to remove distrust or resistance toward the game by making them lose their reason? Velvet said it might be a mechanism prepared as one of the detonators to accelerate the game. My irritation grew at such deeds that didn't even consider people as human.'
"So, let's try to approach them from our side to see how the enemy reacts."
The enemy is likely observing the players' movements using some means. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to keep track of players who are out. Many surveillance cameras can be seen in this stadium in plain sight, and such cameras can also be installed hidden.
Therefore, if we appeal for something, there is a possibility that the claim will reach the enemy. The problem is what to appeal for—the content. Even if we complained about the game, we would be ignored.
"If the enemy's purpose is the progression of the game, let's try to follow that intention. However, instead of fighting each other to settle the match, it will be by means of withdrawal."
In the game's rule explanation, it was only stated that a player's disqualification requirement was 'being shot by a tranquilizer gun.' Perhaps they would be disqualified if they became unable to fight even without a tranquilizer gun, but what happens if the players themselves offer to withdraw?
At the very least, those of us here are not aiming to win the game. We just want to bring this situation to an end. If the four of us retire all at once, the game will formally have progressed significantly.
I didn't know if the enemy would readily accept that. It felt as if the game's management side was trying to make us fight. But regardless of what the enemy thought, the game wouldn't be established in the first place if the players themselves had no intention of fighting. Therefore, even if it wasn't accepted, declaring retirement had meaning, and it might lead to some kind of reaction from the enemy.
"I wasn't interested in winning from the start, so I don't mind. Of course, if Six wants to win, I'll cooperate with all my might."
"If you're a top iTuber, no one's going to jump at such a measly prize. It wouldn't hurt us at all to retire. The problem is how the enemy will take that abandonment of the will to fight."
"However, if retirement is permitted, we might not need to all withdraw at once here."
Withdrawing means losing the right to participate in the game. For now, I didn't think that would cause any inconvenience, but problems might arise later.
For example, under the rules, the children who are players are supposed to be given the right to participate in the final match against Pomerni once they fight each other and become the last one. In other words, the surviving player will be given information on where Pomerni is.
Whether that information is true, or whether they'll actually tell us in the first place, is unknown, but it is stipulated in the rules. Rather than taking actions completely outside of the enemy's intentions, we might gain more information by following the flow to some extent.
"Then, let the three of us—myself, Blade, and the Pervert Prince—declare the loss of our player status, whether by retiring or being defeated in battle."
For some reason, it was decided that I alone would not retire. I had thought it would be better to leave the qualification to Velvet or Blade.
"This is just a formal cover story, so anyone is fine."
"What are you saying? Six is our mama, so it's only natural to give her special treatment. It's enough that only we are disqualified."
'Velvet probably just wanted to push the role onto me because it was a hassle. Well, I had no reason to refuse, so I followed obediently.'
"It's true that anyone would do, but there's a reason I chose you. You're likely the one among us who wants to save Pomerni the most."
Blade must have sensed my feelings of concern for Pomerni from the verbal battle between me and Velvet right after the start of the meetup. He seemed to be thinking of letting me grab the ticket to the final match by leaving the player qualification with me.
"Of course, I won't let you carry the burden alone. If we all join forces, we can overcome any difficulty."
Blade held out his fist. Six modestly bumped her own fist against it. The two fists were completely different in size, but there was no difference in the magnitude of the feelings that passed through them. Or so I felt.
"I've heard the whole story!! BROTHERSSSSS!!"
As if to shake that determination, a loud, shouting voice rang out. Along with a noisy background track, Pomerni's figure was projected onto the giant screen.
"HOLLYYYY SHIIIIIT!! It's sad that even though I thought up a game everyone could enjoy, you're not satisfied! The seat of the iTuber King? My entire fortune? You don't want those? I see! Apparently, to get my dear children to be serious, the luxury prizes are still not enough!"
The background where Pomerni was standing moved, and a large-scale set hidden by curtains was being prepared.
"By the way, did all the children take advantage of the 'Special Invitation Ticket' system for this meetup?"
The Special Invitation Ticket is an offline meetup participation ticket that can be obtained through official children's privileges. If you submit an application to the management in advance, they will provide a few tickets for free.
"Using this invitation ticket, you can easily invite your close friends and family to this ship."
Why the need to talk about that now? The drumroll that stirred up anxiety stopped, and the curtains covering the set were removed.
What was there was a transparent cage made of a plastic-like material. Several people were inside. All of them had expressions twisted with fear. There were even children crying and hitting the walls. Even those voices didn't reach the outside; they were trapped.
"And so, these are the invited guests! Truly, for the children, there is no better treasure! I shall add this to the championship prize!"
Pomerni snapped his fingers, and a digital counter installed next to the set began to tick away the time.
"The time limit is two hours from now! Until then, you players must win through the game and reach this place, the venue of the final match! If you don't make it in time, the special mustard bomb installed at the top of the cage will go BOOOOOOOOM!! Oh my god, everyone will be stained 'bright red'!"
'Is this what a human does? Does he want us to fight that much?'
"There is little time left! Show me your love and courageous actions!"