Liar, Liar (ライアー・ライアー)

Races that start with a "Ready, set, go."

Exam scores.

Follower counts.

Restaurants chasing their stars.

Society is predicated on hierarchies.

If every person on this planet were to be given

a single all-encompassing rank,

I wonder where I would place.

I probably wouldn't be at the bottom,

but I definitely wouldn't be at the top.

Out of a hundred million,

I'm betting I'd stand around ninety-millionth place.

Next up.

Transfer student turned Academy Representative.

Hiroto Shinohara will now address you.

But if I've learned anything?

It's not to take rankings at face value.

What you see before you

isn't always what it appears to be.

You see, the world is full of lies.

How's it going?

My name's Hiroto Shinohara, your new Seven Star.

For the next two years, one person and one person alone

will reign over you as your lord and master, and that's me.

You could be an empress or an extra.

Doesn't matter.

You plebs aren't getting my Stars.

If you aren't cool with that, then come at me any time.

I'll take your game requests whenever you'd like.

That is, as long you don't mind being absolutely crushed

and humiliated in front of the entire student body.

Try as you pathetic losers might.

It's all in vain.

Because Academy Island's top rank position...

Belongs to me.

Ah, but of course, that was all a lie.

How am I supposed to live up to a speech like that?

Hello, newcomers.

Welcome to Academy Island!

Student life in this scholastic paradise

is supported by the very latest in technological advancement.

Provided by Japan's leading company,

the Saionji Corporation.

Your rank in this institution will be determined

by the number of Stars you have to your name.

"But how do I gain stars?" I hear you ask?

Well, the quickest and most convenient method

is to earn them by competing in games

with your fellow students.

So, play games, win stars,

and aim for the singular Seven Star title,

the highest rank a student can achieve!

Your new life as a student, and your path to a better,

brighter future, starts today!

I never even wanted

to become a Seven Star in the first place!

So why...

Is this happening to me?

Okay.

If that's me, then...

I'm lost.

Um...

Yes?

What is it?

Oh, wow. This girl is like super cute!

No, wait, scratch that. She's more pretty than cute.

Those ruby eyes! She looks familiar, though.

Have I seen her somewhere before?

An idol?

A model?

So, um.

Did you have a question or not?

I don't really have a lot of time to hang around.

Oh, my bad.

That is to say, sorry. I do have a question.

You see. I only just arrived on the Island yesterday,

and well, I think I might be lost.

Do you know how to get to Eimei Academy from here?

Eimei Academy is in District Four, right?

This is District Three.

Eimei Academy, right here. Not too good with maps, huh?

-I'm sorry. -No need to apologize.

And you don't need to be so formal, either.

You're a second-year, aren't you?

That means we're the same age as each other.

I guess you're right about that. Wait, what?

How'd you know what year I'm in?

Using your Device, you can easily access

basic information about the people around you,

like their name, and academic details.

Of course, that only applies

if the person is lower in rank than you.

Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't already know that!

Aren't device overviews a part

of the standard student induction process?

Ah, well, I'm kind of in the habit

of skipping tutorials.

Seriously?

Are you in the habit of asking strangers

to catch you up on things instead?

All right, let me see your Device for a second.

The Device is an essential tool for life on the Island.

Not only is it the one place you'll find a workable map,

but its built-in social media app "Stoc"

is pretty vital if you want to keep up-to-date with things.

You can send and receive messages through it, too.

Also, this app is how you send game requests.

If you wanna take someone's Stars,

then just load it up and play, 'kay?

Uh, thank you.

That said, technology is only as good as the user.

The Device isn't gonna be much help

if you can't make sense of the map.

District four is nearby.

I can take you as far as the entrance

to the major plaza there, so stay close.

Oh, sure thing.

Man, she has a cute smile.

So if you only got in yesterday,

does that mean you're a transfer student?

Yeah.

Would have been a pretty lousy first day

if I missed the orientation ceremony.

Oh, that's right!

Our orientation's this afternoon, too!

I gotta go! This is District Four.

-Think you can manage from here? -Ah, yeah. Thank you!

Right! See ya!

Are you okay?

Tell me, and be honest,

is this what you were planning the whole time?

Huh?

What do you mean, planning?

This was obviously just a coincidence.

"Obviously"?

I wonder about that.

I mean, you don't look very surprised to me,

and this whole thing has been off from the start.

A student who can't use the standard-issue Device?

Wandering haplessly around District Three,

asking directions to Four?

This plaza was the closest route between the two.

You weaponized your ignorance,

knowing I'd have to lead you this way myself.

No, that's not what--

Quiet! I don't want to hear your excuses.

I bet you wanted this.

Embarrass me, douse me like a fool

then take advantage in the aftermath!

But it's not gonna happen!

That does it! You want a game so bad?

I'll give you one!

You're a student of Academy Island.

So face me head-on, you coward!

If that's what it takes.

All I ask I is that when the game's over,

you hear me out, alright?

Oh? Come up with some clever excuse, did you?

Fine, then.

I'll listen to what you have to say, but that's all.

I guess it's a start.

Hurry up and make the request, already!

Are you still playing the newbie?

You know as well as I do that the game request

has to come from the lower-ranked player.

Oh. Sending request now.

Alright. I've received it.

So, the details of the game are...

Jeez. The requester has to set parameters

for the game that the players can follow.

If the higher-ranked person picked the game,

they could just stack the odds in their favor and win.

So, to be fair, the requester gets to decide.

But not you, huh?

I'm just one big joke to you, aren't I?

I don't follow.

The game request you sent is totally blank!

You haven't set any conditions at all!

Oh, I get it.

You're so confident you can beat me at anything

that you're giving me free rein to decide?

No, that's not it at all!

I was just pushing random buttons!

I didn't know what they meant!

You know?

It's been a long time since anyone's made me feel

an ice-cold fury like this.

If that's what you want to think about me, then fine.

So? Are you gonna choose a game, or what?

You're mocking me! Okay.

Stay right there while I get this game set up!

A "turn-based staring contest" on hard mode?

Ready? Like the name suggests, this game

is a harder version of a staring contest.

In a normal staring contest, you laugh, you lose.

But in this one, any reaction's a loss.

Those sensors?

They're watching your every move.

Show the slightest twitch of emotion, and it's game over.

And the turn-based part?