The Degree
Preparation of Arthur

After Secret leaves the place, Arthur and Mona are quick to conduct a strategy meeting. They will certainly find a quiet place and sit leaning in the corner.

Arthur easily deduces from the last task prepared by Secret and shares it with Mona. The most important part is about D Point.

“The benefit so far has been vague, I did not expect that there would be a time where to actually use it.”

Arthur stared at his almost useless DP. The reason was simple, it was because he didn't want to rely too much on anything suspicious.

‘I never believed in something like D Point. It's a fact that I bought a gun and bullets from there originally.’

He also used it to buy food such as rations and other things. Arthur doesn't deny D Point's whereabouts, he's just wary of him.

“What was the big mistake when I spent it on so many things?” asked Mona with a sad face.

Arthur certainly shook his head, “No. Precisely it is the right choice that we display a wasteful figure in public.”

Since then Arthur always had unpleasant feelings, he then did various things such as investigation and waste. He initially only wanted people to see him play around despite the fact that Arthur was investigating the place around.

Several times he found Ray wandering around indistinctly like looking for Terumi and other things. In addition, not infrequently also Arthur met Guren who spoke with some people. He looked like a salesman offering a suspicious product.

“That, have you suspected that person since the beginning?” mona asked with a surprised face.

He could not immediately name her because of the Erina Degree that forbade it. It was impossible to say his name, even between the two of them.

Even so, the ban was stronger if they tried to talk about it with others.

“I just do action without a plan. I'm not even that smart guy. It's just ..”

Arthur's suspicion of Ray begins with seeing him conversing with a stranger. Initially Arthur will ignore him because it is natural to meet and get acquainted with strangers.

But at one time he finds the stranger talking to Indri, they seem to know each other. From this, Arthur became suspicious. He had also visited several of Erina's rooms which had long since locked up but never had a chance to meet in person.

Arthur pulled his hair, he felt very frustrated being the helpless person he was today.

“I should have known it from the beginning! Thanks to my stupidity this is all happening, damn it!”

The betrayal of a person who wants to be considered a close friend is painful. Though initially Arthur plans to build a trusted colleague with Ray and others.

He was already confident that he would be able to get through any situation together. But who would guess? The person he wanted to admit but did a vile stratagem that made his position fall like this.

“Arthur,” said Mona, wanting to grab Arthur's hand to calm him down but stopping before doing so.

He realized he was also a fool, if not because he was willing to listen to Erina. Then Mona would never shoot Terumi.

‘At that time I didn't know what to do because I could only see Terumi and Leo fighting to protect me. When Erina showed up, I foolishly thanked her and thanked her in the hope that she would help. But in reality, that gratitude and indebtedness turned against me when Erina ordered to shoot Terumi.’

What was even more heinous was the possibility that Erina was also hypnotized or something. That's what Arthur concluded and in fact Ray is the biggest mastermind of all this evil.

“U-for now we should think about what is in front of us,” said Mona. “Related we can accept slowly. The most important thing is not to dissolve in regrets and make other regrets.”

Too drowning in a sea of regret to not pay attention to things to do in plain sight will only bring another sea of regret. Making someone more trapped, drowning, drowning and then disappearing.

Arthur took a deep breath, the reason he did not want anything to happen to Mona was this, every sentence sometimes contained a meaning that made him always rise.

“Don't make any other regrets, huh. You saved me again, Mona. Thank you.”

Mona looked slightly flushed when she heard Arthur's thanksgiving. Even so, the man did not pursue it further and jumped into the main problem.

“Now we must understand that it is likely that everyone here is hostile towards us. The stage that bastard set up makes us look like bad actors. Not a few people will stay away from us.”

This is a big loss for both of them because they will have difficulty finding colleagues. Friends will decrease and enemies will multiply. You could say this time Arthur and Mona were cornered.

“Not to mention that we are both leaders of a group. I can't join you if I don't give up this position,” Mona said with a bitter face.

The transfer of the group chairman is possible with a predetermined DP payment. The number is not cheap when the meaning of DP itself turns into something very important.

Mona has more than enough DP to move the chairperson's position. Even if it drains a lot of DP, Mona still has a satisfying leftover.

On the other hand, Arthur is very rich. His DP was not in the range of tens of thousands, but hundreds of thousands. What an incredible number for one person to have.

“No, we don't have to give up your position for now of course. Being the group leader is not a bad thing entirely.”

Arthur began to think critically. He tried to judge the good and bad possibilities of this. Surely Mona will be able to do well with her assessment of it thanks to her analytical skills.

“The best way for us to be in control is to outsmart the rule itself,” Arthur smiled confidently. “We're going to go out, right? Then there are many things we can use as well.”

Mona understands the intent of outsmarting the rules but she does not understand how. He can analyze the rules but he doesn't know how to use them. But if you're talking about a place outside, Mona knows the answer.

“You're right! We can do a lot with that. Especially you are a rich man!” Mona exclaims like a child getting a new toy.

Arthur smiled wryly. The word about the rich man is a problematic thing but he will not pursue it any further.

“Yes. Cash, two chairmen, and also a key scramble. There is one big strategy we can use. We have the advantage of DP and your analytical skills. I'm sure that person will think the same.”

Arthur knows that Ray will also try to outsmart the rules. Even the most effective plan to use was most likely already discovered by Ray.

Therefore, it is about speed in building and tactile ability.

“Outside this place, there is a power that is even stronger than Degree in a sense.”

At this stage Arthur can not say because it takes a long process to do it. I don't know if Ray's gonna think the same thing or not.

As the two were intending to discuss other matters further, a man with fairly long black hair walked over. Arthur and Mona looked at him suspiciously, waiting for what he would say.

“Sorry, can we talk a little bit?” ask the man.

Arthur started to stand up indifferently, “If you want to join me then forget about it. I'm not sure I'm going to accept an unknown person anytime soon.”

Mona may be silent but her own attitude suggests that she will be by Arthur's side and follow him. Even so, the man did not seem to back off.

“Unfortunately I know that and for now I have no intention of nominating myself to join,” the man said with a faint smile.

‘For now, yes?’ thought Arthur. If that person said so, then perhaps in the future he would do so.

“So, what do you need?” ask Arthur, straight to the important point without further ado.

“The rules created by Secret require that everyone here participate in the final task including those who fared ill from the disaster not too long ago.”

The ones with bad luck must be the ones who got hurt. Whether it's mild or severe, but lucky to be alive. Even so his luck was accompanied by greater misfortune, they had to contribute to the final task.

“There are only a few hours of time Secret gave to join a group. Those who do not join when the time is up will be eliminated. Although there is a possibility of the injured person becoming the chairman, it will only take a little time until his whereabouts are hunted.”

The man explained that even if the injured people managed to avoid elimination for not joining a group, they would eventually die if the group leader lost the key.

From this, Arthur understood what this man was trying to tell him.

“You want me to take care of them by joining my group?”

“You are indeed smart. Our talks will be quick,”. “Although it looks troublesome but you should know that taking care of them is not a complete loss.”

No one wants to bring a useless man. It has become something certain. No one tried to get close to the injured. Many think carrying a wounded person will only hinder them.

But Arthur was different. He quickly understood the man's intentions.

“It is true that there are advantages to doing so. Yet I wonder why you exposed it to me?” asked Arthur in a sharp tone.

He still can't instill confidence in anyone. After being betrayed recently, Arthur has a hard time putting down his trust.

Especially this man who guided his mind to realize how important it was to do so. This person was clearly sharp and wide-sighted. It is precisely this kind of person that is hard to believe.

“Surely I can expose this and will do it if you are not willing.” Casually having a vague answer, Arthur is getting harder to believe.

“So, why did you choose me in the first place?”

“Easy only. Your degree is the main character. Logically, the main character is a figure who cannot ignore people in difficulty. Well, you could say you are similar to a hero or something. And, I know most likely you won't ignore them, right?” he showed a mysterious look.

His words and reasons are very reasonable and have also been very well thought out. Arthur becomes interested and suspicious. If there's such a man in this place, why hasn't he known it all this time?

‘What is possible .. no. It is useless to think about it now.’

“You seem to know me well, yes.”

“Entahlah. We may have been friends in a previous life. Well, I don't have anything else to say. So, see you.” The man waved his hand and walked away.

“I forgot to say this. You have to remember that your enemies are not only the people around you and Ray Morgan. Be careful, Retsuji Arthur. The final test is the real catastrophe, and the culmination of the chaos.”

“While you may not believe my every word, at least you have not suffered any loss of vigilance. That's it, goodbye.”

“What does it mean that you too will become my enemy?” arthur asked, half joking and fully alert.

“Ha ha ha, that is indeed an interesting thing but I will pass for now. Depending on how the situation in the future will unfold, maybe I should go to fight you. Maybe I'll go to your side, Arthur. Yet I have great hopes of staying neutral and being an observer.”

The man is trying to convey that ‘If I am not pressed then I will be neutral. If I'm desperate, maybe I'll fight you or be your friend’ something like that.

The person who is not interested in completing or winning the final task, intends to be an observer for his own convenience. Precisely this guy is the kind that might be more dangerous than Ray.

Arthur looked at him curiously, who the man was and what he was trying to do here. If winning a task is not the end of the goal, then what is he trying to get?

“She's a pretty weird person in my opinion.” Mona who had been silent since then finally spoke.

“Agree but on the other hand he is a terrible kind of person. It's good we don't make enmity with him.”

Arthur already has many enemies and if he has to make other dangerous people as enemies then he will go to the gallows shortly afterwards.

“About the words, are you seriously going to do it?” asked Mona with a little trouble.

The people who were injured were not few so they did not have the ability to deal with it just like that. Not only pay attention to the condition of each individual, the possibility of infiltration is very easy with many people.

“I can't leave them. Even if there's no profit I get, I can't do it. It's different from Open World.”

In the Open World Arthur gives up his conscience to leave the wounded behind. At that time he could not do much because the situation was very urgent.

In addition, the people left behind are those who are injured very badly such as losing a leg and various things that make it difficult to move. Even if they survived that day, they would eventually die another day.

Arthur had no choice but to leave him. Of course his heart was deeply wounded, his idealism was to complete the trials with as many survivors as possible.

But now the situation is different. There were injured people who had a greater likelihood of living than in the Open World at that time. Arthur had trouble ignoring them.

Besides this was the last stage of the trial, only one more step would they be free.

“Mona, if you feel—” Arthur wants to say something with a little hesitation but Mona interrupts with a smile.

“I understand. So, what will we do to overcome it?”

“Eh?” Arthur was a little surprised. “You don't have to help me do it. This is not an easy job, loh.”

Arthur will give Mona the option not to do this with him. If they help these people, then there is a lot of work on their hands. Frankly Arthur does not want to involve Mona just because of his selfishness.

“Not a problem, Arthur,” Mona said, hitting Arthur's shoulder slowly. “It is precisely your attitude like this I like it! You don't ignore people in need and you can save.”

Arthur was quite amazed, he was grateful that Mona was such a woman. “So you indirectly expressed like to me?” Arthur scoffed, though he already knew Mona's feelings for him a long time ago.

Mona blushes and tries to give a denial but Arthur just laughs softly and ignores her.

‘Even if everyone is my enemy, as long as I'm with him I'm sure it will be fine.’

Arthur had steadied his resolve once again to join the battle on the front lines. Although there were many enemies intent on decapitating him, the thing Arthur needed to do was to create a powerful shield to handle him.

...****...

They went to see the wounded. It is easy to find them because they seem inferior and distance themselves from other crowds. Even from a distance Arthur could hear their despair.

“Surely no one wants to recruit me. I lost my arm and broke my leg. It's finally.”

“Whoever, let me into the group. I would do anything!”

“Please me!”

“I don't want to die! Let me join the group!”

Some were still begging and had a strong determination to stay alive, some gave up; resigned even desperate for his life. Even so, there are also a few people who choose to be silent waiting for the development of the situation.

“This is worse than I thought,” muttered Arthur, he had expected a similar situation but did not expect it to be this severe.

“Yes. There are very many injured.”

There could be around a thousand people injured if roughly counted. The majority are people who experience fractures, burning skin, even loss of limbs.

There were also those who were still lying weakly, the wounds he had were not something that would quickly heal even with the help of the recovery from Serum D.

On the other hand people who only had minor injuries had been actively looking for a group. From the beginning, those who get minor injuries will not burden if they enter a certain group.

“The maximum limit of the group is two hundred people. Even if we accommodate to the maximum limit, more or less can only bring 40% of them,” Mona said with a face of difficulty.

“... yes. This is a big problem.”

Arthur didn't expect there to be a reason these people needed treatment. He hoped that there would be at least less than four hundred injured quite severely.

“What will we do, Arthur?” asked Mona worriedly. “We can't just bring four hundred. Most likely chaos will occur.”

They will definitely start racing for a chance to join Arthur and Mona. If that happens, chaos will be inevitable.

“I know that. Don't worry, if it goes smoothly everything will be safe.”

Arthur began to approach them and said quite loudly.

“Everyone please listen to me. There is a way in which everyone can get a group!”

Arthur's words attracted some of those who had strong hopes of staying alive. Those who give up and despair do not react.

“Me and my partner are the group leaders. We can take about 40% of you. The rest will have to fight. From this, I have a proposal for those remaining!”

Arthur starts to explain out loud about how valuable DP is at the last task. Those who initially paid less attention now became interested in listening to it.

“In short DP is an important cast that will help you to survive! But before that I want to make sure. Besides me and my partner, are any of you the chairman?”

Waiting for an answer and a confession but after a few minutes no one would admit it. Although there were only fifty groups, Arthur was at least certain that one or two of them were among the wounded.

“Please, whoever it is! We need extra people to accommodate more!” This time Mona pleads with Arthur.

Both of them were silent for quite a while, until in the end someone raised his hand.

“Ano .. I happen to be the chairman of the group of fifty.”

A girl with short hair who lost her left eye and broke her right hand approached Arthur.

Arthur smiled happily and asked the woman to show him the proof.

“You are really the group leader. Thank goodness, thank you for showing it! Will you help us save them all?” arthur asked with hope.

“Y-yes. I'm b-ready.”

“Accept still much. What about the others?”

Arthur searches for someone else, until he finds a boy approaching. He was quite surprised, Arthur only knew that even small children also participated in this trial.

Mona came up to the boy and gently patted his head, “What's the matter? Are you the leader of a group?”

The boy nodded slightly in doubt, “Ya. I'm chairman number forty.”

“So. By the way did you manage to survive alone all this time?” asked Mona, of course she was interested in that.

As Mona asked that, the boy began to cry loudly. Mona felt guilty, she then hugged him gently.

“A-I was previously with my father and older brother. N-however, m-they-!”

“So so. I understand, it must be heavy for you.” Mona hugged him affectionately.

The boy must have survived because he took refuge behind his father and older brother. But because of this incident, he had to lose both. What a poor boy.

‘But with this I can carry out my plan.’

There were eight hundred people who were ensured to be safe, then the remaining two hundred more was a gamble that he could make.