THE GAME BEGINS

Ash had barely stepped deeper into the grand hall when he felt it—a presence, quiet but deliberate, like a shadow brushing against his skin. His instincts flared, honed over years of surviving the world's deadliest games. Without looking, he knew he was being watched. His gaze flicked to the side just in time to catch a glimpse of Yui Nakamura as she approached, moving like a whisper of silk, her expression a flawless mask of composure. Her wine glass was still in hand, the amber liquid catching the light like liquid fire.

"Shirogiri," she greeted, her voice smooth as glass, each word deliberate. "A bold choice, coming here."

Ash met her gaze, unwavering. He hadn't been invited to this gathering, but he was here nonetheless. "I go where I'm invited," he replied evenly.

Yui's lips curled just slightly, the barest trace of a smile. "Do you? Or do you force your way into places that don't welcome you?"

Her words hung in the air like a challenge, but Ash held his ground, not a flicker of reaction crossing his face. Before he could respond, her gaze flickered to the space around them, a glint of something unreadable in her eyes. Without missing a beat, she extended her hand, the invitation clear, though not in the usual form. 

"Dance with me," she commanded, her tone light yet firm, leaving no room for refusal.

Ash could feel the subtle tension rising in the room as eyes shifted to them. Kaede, standing nearby, shot him a glance, but Ash already knew the rules. His mission—this entire night—demanded finesse. And that meant playing along. He accepted her hand, feeling the cool press of her fingers, and allowed her to lead him toward the center of the room where couples moved in time to the orchestra's haunting melody. The dance was effortless, their movements synchronized, but beneath the elegance, a far deadlier rhythm played out.

"You don't belong here," Yui whispered, her lips barely moving as they danced, her words a soft breath against his ear. "But that's what makes you interesting."

Ash smirked, the dance steps never faltering. "And you don't trust anyone, yet you invited me to dance."

Yui's eyes glinted with something dangerous, but her expression remained unreadable. "Trust is irrelevant. Information, however, is priceless." She tightened her grip on his hand just slightly, enough for Ash to feel the subtle shift in the tension between them. "Someone wants you dead tonight."

Ash's mind clicked into high gear, but his expression never wavered. "That so?"

Yui twirled, the motion smooth, fluid, her gaze never leaving his. "There's a glass of champagne, three tables to your right," she continued, her voice low, nearly drowned by the music. "It was meant for you."

Ash's eyes flicked casually to the indicated table, his mind already processing the details—the untouched glass, the way it gleamed under the light, the deliberate placement. He thought fast, his instincts piecing the puzzle together in the span of a heartbeat. "And yet you warned me."

Yui's lips curled into a smirk, the faintest trace of amusement in her eyes. "Consider it a professional courtesy."

The dance came to an end, but the game was far from over. As the last note lingered in the air, Yui leaned in just enough to whisper, her words carrying the weight of a deeper threat, "Renji Arisaka is watching you. He's issued a challenge."

Ash exhaled slowly, a sense of inevitability settling in. One test led to another. And in this world, challenges were the currency of survival.

As the crowd clapped politely around them, Ash stepped away from Yui's grasp, his body moving with purpose. Kaede fell into step beside him, her voice laced with dry humor. "Poisoned drinks, secret meetings, and now a duel of wits? Fun night."

Ash smirked, though his mind remained focused. "It's only getting started."

They approached the private lounge where Daigo Sumeragi waited, flanked by two silent, imposing guards. The heavy doors swung open, revealing the room beyond—luxurious, yet somber in its stark, calculated design. But before Ash could cross the threshold, another voice rang out, smooth yet cutting through the tension in the air.

"Not so fast, Shirogiri. We have a game to play."

Renji Arisaka stood nearby, poised and confident, his presence as cold and calculating as the game laid out before him. A Go board sat between them, not arranged in the customary starting position, but mid-match—an indication that the game had already begun long before Ash had arrived. Each piece in place, a moment of strategy already unfolding.

Daigo's voice rumbled from the lounge, dark and heavy. "Let's see if you can handle more than one challenge tonight."

Ash's gaze flickered between Renji and Daigo, understanding the unspoken message. The real game had begun. Not just in the ballroom or the private lounge, but in every corner of the room, in the cold calculations of those who stood behind the curtains of power. Multiple fronts. Multiple battles. And Ash was playing every one of them.