A massive boom echoed above the natural canopy of the forest—a firing of a cannon, that signified the beginning of Battle Royale. The classmates had been scattered throughout the remote woodlands, where they would be made to fight each other to death. The regulations forced upon the school were clear: Only one student would be allowed to walk away with their lives, and only if they were the last one standing. Silence quickly fell upon the woods, if only for a moment; soon, the sounds of screaming and gunfire rang out through the trees—some student had been lucky enough to procure a firearm, and another had been unlucky enough to become their victim. In a small clearing, two students suddenly met; their gazes locked upon each other, their collective breaths hitched as they both knew that only one of them was going to live.

The first student—${"First student—"}

The other classmate—${"Second student—"}

The pair