It was over for me........

"Ruby?! You shot Dia?!!"

I couldn't do it....I couldn't bear the sin I committed...even though I was just forced to...it is still....

"....I had no choice!!"

Better that I got killed then......then let myself kill my own sister....

"Dia, what's wrong?!"

"Huh?!!!"

DIA'S POV

I found myself sitting on a bench. Wait.... why am I....?

Ruby: Sister!!!? Are you okay?!!

In front of me is Ruby.....and Hanayo....and Kanan....wait....what...?

Yoshiko: Hey, what's wrong!? You lookin at a demon or something?

My eyes kept moving back and forth to see everything....then I saw her.

Eri: Hey.....you alright?!!

Dia: Wait, what!!!? Eri-sama!!!?

Then Eri appeared in front of me!!! No way!! I looked around me. Everyone is still alive!!!!?

Dia: Wait.....what......I.....you guys had me killed.....WAIT!!? I'M....I'M ALIVE?!!!

This is so confusing. Is this a dream?!! All of us are back in the Briefing Room - that red and black room where we all first met. I checked my body for wounds -there was none. I touched my forehead - the spot where Ruby shot me at. There wasn't blood anywhere there.

Tsubasa: I am back, guys!!!

While I am pondering what weirdness is happening all this time, the monitor opened up and A-Rise started talking.....no...Yuuki and Erena were talking to Tsubasa.

Yuuki: Kira-chan!! What did you do!!?

Tsubasa: Well......

Erena: You are responsible for this, aren't you? You disappeared so that you could reset the entire game?

Tsubasa: Chill guys. What is wrong with that? Murder game will be more entertaining if we revealed to them already all the mechanics....

Yuuki: Geez.....you just ruined the fun...

Erena: Explain yourself later. You should have asked permission before you did what you already did -

Maki: Hey!! A-Rise, what the hell is going on?!! Start explaining!!

Tsubasa: Haha....sure, girls!! Let's see...the fact that Dia is acting strangely in front of you means that she is the final evidence needed to get you guys to take our game seriously!!

Yuuki: It is also the one evidence that'll convince you all to play the game with little hesitations!!

Tsubasa: Here's the idea: Each time a round ends, every player will resurrect regardless of her role or status, dead or alive. In other words, once you guys get killed, you die during a certain round THEN you are resurrected back to life for the next round.

Chika: Oh I see!! So, none of us will die a permanent death?!!

Tsubasa: Yep!! You guys won't have to worry about saying bye-bye to each other forever! Just play and you'll be fine!! Just keep in mind that if you try to escape this building or not do anything for one game round - we'll have you all killed in an instant!!

Yoshiko: OHHHHH!!!? So......it's.......it's a game of Return by Death!!!? OMG, I should have prepared myself for this!!!?

Dia: Don't make ReZero references.....please, I just went through it!!

Yoshiko: ....and they have a Death Note to control us as well....

Hanamaru: Yoshiko-chan, please shut your mouth.

Eri: Hold it!!! I died back in the first round yet I did not get any reset. During the time that I died, I felt like time froze all over me.

Erena: Basically, only a Murderer can experience the reset first hand. In other words, the game will reset only when the Murderer either dies or wins a round. And the Murderer is the only one who can witness the reset - Innocents and Detectives who die will only experience time stopping around them.

Eri: I see, that confirms my suspicions.....

Tsubasa: I will give you all a break so you can talk about this new mechanic!! See ya later!!

A-Rise left and the monitor temporarily closed. However, they still listened to what we are talking about - we did not know that. Regardless, all eighteen of us quickly began discussing these recent events.

Immediately I went to Eri-sama and hugged her. I wanted to be really sure that she is alive and well.

Dia: E-Eri-sama!!!! (Crying)

Eri: Sorry for making decisions without telling anyone....

Dia: It is not your fault!! You are free to blame me!!

Ruby: Sister....sorry if I did not know what you went through -

Dia: (Crying) Come here and hug me too, Ruby!! I can assure you that you are not at fault for whatever happened to me!!

Hanayo: Soooo....all of us are stuck in an endless loop of murders and returns?

Kotori: I am afraid so, but yeah, that is what is going on.

Nico: Darn, everything is becoming supernatural....

Eri: THAT IS THE REASON WHY I WANTED TO DIE, GUYS.

Everyone: Wait...what?!!

Eri: This is what I meant when I volunteered to let Dia kill me. I wanted to figure out how supernatural this game is.

Dia: Wait!!!? Your plan?

Maki: Whoa...you set yourself up to figure out how this game works?!! Is that what you mean?!!

Eri: You see...you guys have been saying that what is going on is supernatural, right? When I analyzed how the guards exploded to death and how idols end up getting killed, I thought that something supernatural might get us out of this.

Dia: WHOA!! Now I get it!! You analyzed the rules too!!

Eri: Exactly. I thought that if death was part of the game, then that meant that something supernatural should bring us back alive to play it again. I mean, I did not actually expect that we could revive after dying. I am still surprised, I thought something like reincarnation would be the possible result.

Rin: Hold up, nyah!! Ummm...how did you even come to that conclusion, nyah?!!

Eri: I simply assumed that A-Rise wanted entertainment. I mean, if I were in their position, would I just allow people to kill each other and let the game end so soon? I would have wanted to keep the game longer by keeping the players alive. Besides, this is a game afterall.

Everyone: WHOOOOOAAA!!!

Dia: Eri-sama.....Eri-sama is so smart!!!

Umi: So impressive!!!

Yoshiko: Incredible!! Eri Ayase now reminds me of L, Sherlock Holmes, and other great problem solvers out there!!!

Tsubasa: Hahaha!!! Wow!! Eri actually figured things out!! I am amazed you managed to make those kinds of theories. Most of them are correct though!!! Good job!!

Chika: Hey!!? You heard us?!!

Yuuki: Yep!! We have been eavesdropping you all! We cannot see you but we can hear you!!!

Yoshiko: Shit......if only I can curse them.....

Eri: Thanks....I guess....

Erena: This just means that we need to prepare for Operation -

Tsubasa: Sssshhh, Erena. We do not need to commence that op. Just let them analyze as much as they want too!

Yuuki: Gosh, I would have loved to see Eri become A-Rise's fourth member!!!

Eri: What did you just say?!!

Yuuki: Just joking!!! Anyway......the next round will begin in five minutes!! See ya at the Arena!!

A-Rise left for good. Now, all of us had to prepare for the next round....

Dia: Sigh....I think I am okay now.

Rin: Me too....I am glad none of us will actually die....

Yoshiko: Hey.......should we trust their words?

Riko: Whether A-Rise told the truth or not, we have no choice but to listen to them. This is way better than them not telling us about the rules at all!!

Yoshiko: I find that mysterious.....why would they let us know about this early on? They would have let us stay unaware of all these Returns. They might have been more entertained to see us kill each other without knowing we could revive.....

Honoka: Alright, I get it!! Next round, I want to be the murderer!!!

Everyone: EEEEHHHH??!!!!

Umi: Honoka!!!?

Honoka: I just want to know the limitations of this game!! That is all!! I am not saying I want to kill or anything!!!

----- Meanwhile, at A-Rise's room....a secret conversation....-----

Yuuki: Tsubasa, I will be serious. You are not supposed to do that.

Tsubasa: You guys actually think it is better to see them kill each other and cry endlessly without knowing this rule about returning from death?

Erena: You should have told us though.

Tsubasa: I want them to enjoy the game. Please understand that.

Erena and Yuuki: .........

Tsubasa: Remember what we went through, guys. Let us learn from what we experienced to make sure Muse and Aqours will play thus game as comfortable as possible.

Yuuki: But.........sigh.....geez, whatever you say....

------------

Eventually, everyone went to the Apartment Arena and begin the game. Now that their hesitations and fears have diminished, Muse and Aqours get ready to participate in the first true round of Murder Game.

Who will be the murderer this time?

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A/N: Guys, you might notice that I shortened and summarized this chapter and that it is a bit disorganized. It is because I am in a hurry to publish this - my wifi ran out so I had to take the chance when an open wifi is available. Anyway.....I hope to see ya again in the next chapter.