Episode 3 of *Alice in Borderland* Season 3 kicks off with a growing rift within the ranks during the Zombie Hunt game. Ikeno emerges as the de facto leader among the humans, wielding coercion like a weapon as he forces players armed with Shotguns to exterminate the Zombies, instead of opting to save them with vaccine cards.
Alas, the Zombie Cards are proliferating at an alarming rate, spreading through the group like a raging wildfire. Nobu, a young boy entrusted with the task of eliminating one of the Zombies, soon falls victim to another player's infection and retreats into the shadows, seeking refuge. Aware of Ikeno's ruthless agenda to eliminate them, paranoia and distrust begin to permeate the entire game, spreading like a contagious disease.
Ikeno is convinced that victory is within reach by simply mowing down those he has confined using the Shotgun cards, believing this will secure an automatic win. However, Arisu harbors a different vision, advocating for the use of vaccines. He embarks on a mission to locate Nobu and engages him in a strategic game. Yet, Arisu harbors a secret of his own.
Meanwhile, a tense encounter unfolds between Rei and Ikeno. Rei, with a cunning smile, deftly manipulates Ikeno, highlighting that it would only take three rounds for the Zombie Cards to dominate the majority. She argues that Ikeno's current tactics have only exacerbated the situation. Rei proposes a deal: Ikeno should embrace his fate and transform into a Zombie, thereby emerging victorious. Ikeno, however, remains steadfast in his refusal and refrains from playing his Shotgun card, sparing Rei's life. Unfortunately, Masato, another player, is not as fortunate and meets a grim fate.
Arisu, catching up to the unfolding drama, decides to engage in a game with Rei. She firmly believes that the Zombies will ultimately prevail in this game. Their exponential growth potential far outweighs the humans' increasingly reckless and merciless tactics. The humans' plan to execute all Zombies rather than fostering teamwork is doomed to fail.
Arisu recognizes Rei's intelligence and understands that she will skillfully navigate both sides until a clear victor emerges. The illusion of trust, once a sturdy barricade, has now crumbled into mere shards. Witnessing the descent into chaos and betrayal, Rei resolves to bide her time, waiting for the opportune moment to intentionally transform into a Zombie, rather than placing her faith in a crumbling alliance.
Though she doesn't have to endure a lengthy wait, for as soon as Arisu lays down a card, he transforms her into a Zombie. It is then revealed that Arisu has been a zombie right from the very inception of the game, and he has done an impeccable job of concealing this fact.
The drug-addled individual from the onset of the Fortune game, Tetsu, subsequently engages in a game with Arisu, who promptly turns him into a zombie as well. As for Nobu, he seizes Mr. Kazuya and converts him into a zombie too, only to rescue him at the eleventh hour during the final round of the game.
When the Zombie Hunt game finally draws to a close, the tally is tallied up - a staggering 32 zombies against a mere 13 humans. The 13 humans meet their demise, while the survivors revel in their hard-fought victory. The group also collectively decides that Rei should accompany them on their journey.
Meanwhile, we catch a glimpse of Usagi, who, as we know, is also ensnared within these perilous games. Back at the hotel, Ryuji had intended to question Usagi about her father, and she agreed to accompany him in search of answers. Regrettably, Ryuji has fallen prey to Banda's machinations, who had approached him earlier and coaxed him into luring Usagi into the games.
Banda's stipulation for allowing Ryuji entry into the Borderlands was contingent upon him bringing Usagi into the games as well, by making her drink a poison that would induce a comatose state and, consequently, her inclusion in the games. By complying with this demand, Ryuji has unwittingly become Banda's puppet, and Banda is now orchestrating these games to suit his own whims.
After miraculously surviving a deadly laser game, with Ryuji, confined to his wheelchair, somehow managing to evade every beam, he confides in Usagi that he has long yearned to venture into the Borderland and witness its notorious games firsthand. This enigmatic realm, serving as a liminal space between their world and another, has captivated his imagination for years. Usagi, however, is preoccupied with thoughts of her father and harbors little enthusiasm for participating in these perilous games. Yet, she finds herself with few alternatives.
Descending into the subway, Usagi and Ryuji's group find themselves embroiled in another deadly contest: Runaway Train. The train, devoid of a driver, hurtles forward relentlessly. To emerge victorious, players must navigate from the starting car to the lead car and bring the train to a halt.
As they progress to the next car, the door seals shut behind them. Within 30 seconds, either oxygen or poison gas will flood the compartment. They must traverse eight distinct train cars, with poison gas lurking in four of them. Upon entering a new car, they have a mere 30 seconds to decide whether to don a mask. Each player is allotted five canisters, acting as antidotes to the poison gas. Sharing canisters among players is forbidden, and retreat to previous cars is impossible, compelling them to press onward.
Within each carriage, a canary in a cage serves as a harbinger, echoing the age-old adage of canaries in coal mines. If the bird perishes, it signals the presence of poison. Regrettably, they squander a canister in the first carriage, only to find the second rife with poison.
By the third carriage, trust begins to blossom among the passengers, and they conserve a canister. However, they are not the sole participants in this macabre game, as other trains thunder alongside on adjacent tracks.
Here, the situation grows increasingly perilous. The group is divided over whether to don masks in the fourth car. One passenger posits that the gas canisters are positioned atop each carriage, corresponding to the location of the pantographs. His theory appears steadfast and proves accurate, as those who eschew masks meet a gruesome, agonizing demise.
Yet, in the subsequent carriage, he discerns that this particular train model diverges from his initial assumption. Shockingly, their survival thus far has hinged on sheer luck. With three train cars remaining and only two oxygen canisters at their disposal, a crucial decision looms. Alas, they make the wrong choice and squander an oxygen canister, leaving their fate hanging precariously in the balance.
