Free Battle Royale by Koushun Takami

Shuya stood there, stunned.
    He recalled Sakamochi's reply to Kiriyama, who asked when the game began: "As soon as you leave here."
    It was unbelievable—who could have done this? Did someone return to kill Mayumi Tendo just as she left the school?
    Shuya stopped speculating and cautiously crouched down and checked the premises.
    For some reason…there was no sign of the attacker. No arrows had flown at him when he'd been standing in a daze. Why? Satisfied with killing only Mayumi Tendo, did the assailant leave the premises?

    Or…was this some engineered "provocation"? Did the soldiers at the end of the hall kill her to convince everyone that some of their classmates were already willing to play the game? But if that were the case…
    All of sudden Shuya realized Mayumi Tendo might still be alive. She might be unconscious from the shock of her wound. In any case, he should look at her.
    If he hadn't realized something odd and restrained himself from taking a step forward a split-second later, Shuya would have dropped out of the game early. In other words…
    A silver object whizzed right by Shuya's eyes. Yes—it came directly down, from above. Another antenna was planted in the ground.
    Shuya shuddered. If he hadn't been standing at the exit, waiting for Noriko, he would have been immediately shot down. The assailant was on top of the building.
    Shuya clenched his teeth, snatched up the arrow, and ran to his left. He moved impulsively but in an erratic way that eluded the assailant. He turned around and looked up. Under the dim moonlit sky, a large, dark shadow loomed above the gabled roof of the single-story school building.
    Could that be…not Shogo…
    He had no time to think. The shadow pointed its weapon at him.
    Just to surprise him Shuya threw the arrow at the shadow. But thanks to Shuya's gifts as a star shortstop, the arrow flew at incredible speed and traced a fine arc right at the shadow. The shadow groaned, held its face, hunched over, and then began to sway. Then it fell.
    Shuya stepped back and watched the shadow fall from a height of at least three meters and land with a thud on the ground. The object in the assailant's hand fell with a metallic crash.
    Light leaked through the building exit. The large shadow was lying face down, wearing a school uniform.
    It was Yoshio Akamatsu. He was motionless now, perhaps because he was unconscious. A hybrid between a bow and rifle—were they called bow guns?—was lying by his hand. The day pack that had fallen by Yoshio's feet was half open. Shuya saw a stack of silver arrows inside.
    Shuya felt a sudden chill. It was true. He was participating! Yoshio Akamatsu was in on this game.
    Yoshio had taken his weapon, returned here, and killed Mayumi Tendo!
    Someone was coming from behind.
    Shuya turned around. It was Noriko, who'd taken the situation in as she held her breath in surprise.
    Shuya's eyes went from Noriko's face to Mayumi Tendo—he ran over to Mayumi and touched her neck to check her pulse. She was dead. There was no doubt.
    His brain felt like a fuse fizzling out. Others might be in the same state of mind as Yoshio. And one of them might just suddenly return this time, perhaps with a gun.
    Shuya had no choice but to change his attitude toward the game now. So this was it. When Sakamochi said, "As soon as you leave here," this was what he'd meant.
    Shuya stood up and ran to Noriko. He took her by the hand.
    "We're running! Do your best, you have to run!"
    Shuya began running, half-dragging Noriko, whose leg was injured. Which way though?

    He couldn't afford to deliberate over his decisions. He headed towards the grove. First they'd hide in the grove, then they could, no—he dismissed the thought. Given Noriko's condition, they were defenseless against any attack. Staying near the area was too dangerous.
    Waiting in front of the building for the others was completely out of the question. He rushed Noriko, and they entered the grove. Tall trees mixed in