This episode hits a quieter, more introspective note after the chaos of Episode 3 - and it needed to. Arisu's shattered here, hollowed out by guilt over Karube and Chota. The show gives him space to feel that loss, and it's one of the few times it slows down enough to let something land. That works. The game itself - a Four of Clubs trial called "Distance" - starts out simple- just run. But of course, nothing's ever that straightforward in the Borderlands. There's a panther. A flood. A half-dead man with a hidden agenda. The twist is solid - the "goal" isn't where you think it is - and it plays into the Clubs theme- collaboration over brute force. The solution depends on trust, timing, and someone willing to think instead of panic. The real strength of this episode, though, is the growing bond between Arisu and Usagi. Their connection feels earned since they're both alone - haunted by failure, but still trying to move forward. Usagi's backstory gets a bit more texture too (her dad, his fall from grace), and it gives her empathy some grounding. She's not just a blank stoic archetype - there's pain under there. Still, some elements fall flat. Yamane and Shibuki might as well be labeled "disposable." Their deaths feel like mechanical necessities rather than actual loss. And Shibuki in particular gets sidelined in a frustrating, stereotypical way - which sucks, because she had potential. There's also a tonal shift that's a bit jarring - from emotional reckoning to flood-panic-zoo escape thriller - and it doesn't always gel. But overall? It's a solid mid-season episode. Sharp. Tense in the right places. Wounded where it needs to be. And it pushes Arisu forward, which is key. He's no longer just surviving - he's starting to think, to lead. That matters. Rating- 8.5/10. Smart, tense, and bruised - even if a few of the side characters get left behind.
