Part 1
───And the long night ended.
A dry wind blew over the deserted town full of spires. As the daybreak got near, the wind got stronger due to the difference of temperature between the day and night. The bright light that spilled from the moon gradually died down.
As the time of dawn came, the mist that followed suit enveloped the town. The field of vision was obstructed with the darkness spread in front.
The three headed dragon uncoiled his three heads and prepared for battle while still being on all fours. Although there were no signs of the enemies in sight, he sensed that that the battle was about to start.
By all rights, if he were to act rashly, he could mow down the Hosts while blowing off this fog along with the town, but the game rules prohibited fighting outside of the designated location.
In other words, the first move should be done by the Hosts.
And if the Hosts were planning to attack, now is the perfect time.
There was no meaning in challenging the three headed dragon to a fight during the night time since he could clearly see in darkness.
They might be able to succeed in a surprise attack if they were to commence the attack at the time of dawn when the surrounding is shrouded in fog. But for that to happen, a spy that could locate the accurate location of Azi Dakaha is necessary.
Azi Dakaha’s field of vision was obstructed by the fog, but in turn, this also goes for the hosts.
Without a doubt, the responsibility of spying is shouldered by "Laplace's Demon". If it's those girls who have incredible espionage abilities, they could instantly discover Azi Dakaha's whereabouts.
But since the main body of the demon is currently sealed, for the sake of information gathering, releasing a large number of offsprings───Imps was necessary.
The moment the three heads and six eyes senses their presence, he will seize and crush them.
If he manages to do that, then their chances would be tied. At that moment, the player side would certainly be a step closer to winning.
The three headed dragon prepared his limbs like an animal and lied in wait for the opponent.
The fog became increasingly dense until it was even able to block the morning sunlight.
With this, even the vision of the three headed dragon who had the best eyesight was obstructed. And a human's recognizing abilities would hardly distinguish the enemy's figure from a building.
Taking a large breath, the humidity of the mist entangled in his throat. There would be no better circumstances for making a surprise attack than now.
The three heads were constantly looking at every direction, with the snake eyes carrying a heat detection organ───The infrared organ. If a heat source were to appear, the three headed dragon will immediately bite and rip it to pieces with his fangs.
Massive bombarding started from an unexpected direction.
『───!?』
From the sky far above, high-explosive projectiles were shot down at the three headed dragon. Rather than iron shells, it was from the mouth of fire dragons. From those highly explosive projectiles, the nearby spires were smashed to bits and blown off in four directions.
The three headed dragon looked at the sky, but wasn't able to clearly grasp the images of the enemies.
While closely avoiding the unending flame projectiles, the three headed dragon quizzically narrowed his eyes.
(It would be difficult to succeed in such surprise attacks from the sky without grasping the exact location of the target. Did they know my location beforehand?)
Amidst the torrent of flames, the three headed dragon tilted his head while thinking about how they managed to do it.
The accuracy of enemy's projectiles was extremely high. The Hosts were executing an attack with pinpoint accuracy in this fog. Even while he's running, the attacks were either hitting him or falling near, and that meant that there was someone who was continuously monitoring him even at this moment.
There were no signs of pursuers in sight.
───That already went beyond the limit of skills. It's obvious that Azi Dakaha’s pursuer was using some sort of Gift.
(The initiation of the Game was snatched away huh? Oh well. There are many other ways)
He ran through the bombardment and the scattered debris.
Jumping in the sky seemed like a bad idea. He might be take down some of them, but if he were to make an appearance, he would most likely be bathed in a concentrated fire from below.
Even though receiving a few hundred flame dragon's fireballs would not be a problem, making an appearance when not knowing what kind of trump card the opponent has up their sleeves would only be a fool’s errand.
(The ones dropping projectiles are just decoys. They would need good luck to be able to lure me out. The aim of the Hosts is to take the initiative to change the current state of affairs)
And their aim is going smoothly so far.
The fog gave the Hosts an advantage beyond expectations.
While the three headed dragon was firmly waiting for a chance to counterattack, he was unaware of the presence of a mysterious guardian, let alone being able to notice it.
───There's no doubt. There is an excellent Game Maker among the side of Hosts.
In that case, the game maker who is a key figure needs to be taken down first, then the pursuer.
The three headed dragon smiled wryly and widened his ruby eyes to observe the surroundings.
This pursuer is most likely using some kind of gift that clings to the three headed dragon. He's not showing any signs, nor is he making any sounds, and even passed through the Infrared detection. As vast as Little Garden can be, the holders of such strong Gifts could only be counted on one hand.
The three headed dragon saw through the Hermit's Gift with the gift he himself possessed.
(Most likely, the opponent's Gift is invisibility or from the system of permeation. But no matter what kind of Gift it is, it should not pass through the heat vision. The community, having a gift to cut off the sound and heat and also able to stand in my way is───)
The three headed dragon hastened his thinking.
Being the incarnation of humanity's evil, he is bestowed the entire knowledge of humanity. Because there doesn't exist a technology in this world that doesn't have even used a bit of evil.
All the “Techniques" which changed the shape at times in history of black magic, alchemy, science and others, are stored inside those three heads.
The three headed dragon made use of the vast knowledge that was said to be equal to a thousand magics to search for a solution.
Finishing the search, he suddenly stopped and addressed the hidden pursuer.
"───Mhm. But there is no need to search. There is only one gift which can perfectly fulfill the conditions to this degree. Isn't that right, Greek hero!"
"………!?"
A small shriek leaked from the right. It seemed that the gift couldn’t conceal the voice of the user. The three headed dragon who was previously observing three directions, opened it's giant jaw and smiled. But that laugh was not directed at the mistake of the pursuer. Rather, it was quite the opposite.
It was because the pursuer was monitoring the three headed dragon from merely five meters away.
Just how many would risk getting this close to the Demon Lord even if their body was invisible. What an extraordinary spirit.
Staring with all 6 six eyes from his three heads, the three headed dragon snorted in provocation.
"So what? Do you want to obtain my neck? If it's your sickle───The celestial spirit killing Harpe, Then it might just be able to do it. You came this close with that in mind, right?"
Azi Dakaha raised his middle neck and started talking.
The pursuer who had his identity completely exposed was not moving just like a frog in front of a snake's glare. No, he couldn't move.
The Gift of the pursuer simply made him invisible but it didn't make him permeable. If he moved in this mist, the atmosphere would change and it will indirectly expose his location.
Kasukabe Yo already saw through it once with that method, and doing that in current circumstances is even easier.
Running is impossible. No courage to fight. Not even able to move.
In that situation, he───The head of 「Perseus」, Laius furiously yelled.
「───They are too slow! These No Names and the others!!!"
Angry roar. From the shadow of debris, three figures jumped out as if shooting.
Having directed his attention to the heavy fog and the pursuer, the three headed dragon reacted just a bit late.
The three headed dragon roughly grasped the shape of the town, but from the bombardment, it's shape was changed and the shadow of crumbled bricks became a blind spot.
And it was not because the fire dragons were launching their aerial assault at random..
Everything was calculated to bring him to the location where the main force could fight.
"Three headed dragon, prepare yourself!"
Shouted Kasukabe Yo, Faceless and Jack.
Each of them pierced the three headed dragon with the sharp weapons that they held in hands. The three headed dragon's fresh blood spilled at the same time from various places on his right arm and left leg.
"An Ambush?───Clever!!!"
The wings of the dragon's shadow shook violently like a tempest.
This looked as if the raging dragon waved his tail. The shadow blade attacked swinging like a whip and sent the building flying with just a touch.
Their bodies would be smashed with just one hit.
Jack avoided the attack with his dagger and fast footwork, Faceless used a special move that astonished even Kouryuu.
But unlike the two, Kasukabe Yo didn't have a protruding weapon.
Just the touch of three headed dragon's blow would be fatal. Sensing the danger, She changed the 「Genome Tree」 to the mythical beast 「Marchosias」 and faced it. Even though she lost in terms of strength, the Gift of 「Marchosias」 granted the unique power that could respond even to teleportation surprise attacks.
Demon Lord Maxwell guessed that the Gift of 「Marchosias」 bestowed 「Clairvoyance」, but his guess was a little bit off. What this gift actually shows is ‘The most correct future for the situation in front of one's eyes’───In other words, it is an irregular Gift that provides answers to the riddles.
It's not 「Clairvoyance」, It's ‘Realization of a Desired Future’. This gift will provide the answer even if the user is unaware of the situation.
Within the tempest of the dragon's shadow that couldn't be followed with one’s eyesight, it showed a route for avoiding it.
Repelling the unavoidable attacks with leg armor, she escaped outside of the attack range and shouted towards everyone in that place.
"The shedding of blood was a success! Everyone take distance!"
Everyone including Laius spread out and withdrew from that place.
Without a moment's delay, the three headed dragon tried to deal the final blow.
But the three headed dragon's pursuit was stopped by the lightning that shined in the sky.
"Nu........!!?"
Ramified lightning pierced the three headed dragon. In the midst of intense lightning and light, only a voice of anguish leaked out. While burning in the bright light, the three headed dragon realized the spirit status of the lightning that attacked him.
"This divine lightning...........Could it be, Indra's..........?!!"
But, he doubted in his mind that he would appear at this time. He surely understands it well. Because no matter how high his Divine Spirit is, even if it was omnipotent, he still won't be able to bring down Azi Dakaha. And there is a reason for that.
Even though Indra knew it was a stupid idea, to still challenge the final trial is a foolish act. But if he was not such a fool, he would not be entrusted with the the heavenly army, deterrence force that consists of the 12 Devas.
(Soon enough, offshoots would be born from my blood. Were they confirming this fact?)
And then, he remembered the words Kasukabe Yo shouted at the moment of evacuation:
───"The shedding of blood was a success! Everyone take distance!"
The three headed dragon realized that he ended up falling behind by one move and clicked his tongue.
It's impossible to infinitely create divine level offshoots. Because they are bestowed a divine status that's taken from the body of three headed dragon possessing mass that's equal to a continent.
Even if all the clones were used up, it would not affect his battle ability, but instead it would expose a fatal weakness.
Normally, the three headed dragon would've immediately noticed this, but wavering whether to confirm the presence of Indra───The Divine Spirit, that was born from same pus of evil or not, delayed his next move.
(If their objective is to make me spit out the offshoots, then the next move is clear───)
"───Army, prepare for annihilation!!!"
Together with the sound of a bell, a cold voice reverberated in the sky. And in the next moment, the sky above the three headed dragon was covered with a rain of explosives comparable to a nuclear heat.
So it came after all, huh? - thinking that, the three headed dragon put himself on guard.
Creation of offshoots from surprise attacks immediately followed by an annihilation with high firepower.
That was the strategy the Hosts chose.
Hit and run tactics created by the game maker to preserve the main force.
"Attaaaaaack────!!!"
Thousands of fire dragons carrying pseudo divinity simultaneously released spirit flames. He tried to prevent the attacks by using the Dragon's shadow but the freshly born two-headed dragons didn't have the time to handle it.
Twin-headed dragons that created their bodies by eating the debris were annihilated in the blink of an eye.
After the scattered rain of explosives, only Azi Dakaha was left uninjured.
Confirming the situation on the ground with Lapko II from above, Kudou Asuka unintentionally twitched her lips.
".............Unbelievable. All that shooting and not a single wound"
"Then again, it's expected from such a monster. Against a Zoroastrian Demon Lord, that degree of flames don't stand a chance. Diminishing the offshoots alone is already sufficient."
"Success! Amazing results! Asuka is amazing!"
Earth fairy Mel happily shouted from the top of Asuka's head.
Asuka couldn't send her to the citadel alone so she took her along, but she was surprised when she decided to participate in the war.
Asuka worriedly stroked Merun and warned:
"Merun. Everything is hectic now, so restrain yourself"
"I got it! I will protect Asuka!"
She jumped and shook the pointy hat.
while riding on the fire dragon's back, Asuka gave the next instructions.
"The first part of the plan was a success. Threaten him with projectiles and please wait for the movements on the grounds.
"Understood!"
"Vampirified members of 「Salamandra」, if possible, further increase the offence. Let's begin to steadily shave off the enemy war power!"
The Fire dragons raised a war cry. Though not understanding their words, Asuka still understood the situation from Laplace's interpretation.
(But if possible...........I pray that their turn wouldn't come...........)
Not all the fire dragons were vampirified.
There were many that volunteered but only the old dragons, the fire dragons who already had children and their boss Mandra were the only ones vampirified.
But still, taboo is a taboo.
The spirits of 「Salamandra」 are high, but even if they gain victory in this battle, their trials won't end at that.
For that reason, Asuka prayed that at least this battle would go an even bit peacefully for them.
Part 2
───Town of London, surface.
Meanwhile, Kasukabe Yo and the others.
"Daaaaaaaagh!!! Shit, shit, shit, I thought I would die, Goddamnit!!! - I'm never doing something this dangerous ever again you bastards!!!"
Laius hit the helmet where the divinity of Hades dwelled and started ranting. Although he was talking strongly about it, his knees were shaking. But, it couldn't be helped.
It was not a metaphor, he was really close to dying.
Depending on the mood of the three headed dragon, his head could've flown from his shoulders and that wasn't funny. To have returned alive from that situation couldn't be described any way other than the fact that this fellow possessed great luck.
"Shit........!!! It's all Laplace's fault that this happened! That chibi's talks───
"I cant see" "Please get even closer" "Are you a chicken?"
"I can't understand how Greek Gods tolerate you. Perseus is a chicken."
"Yes yes, you can do it if you try right?" "I'll shout now" "Just 10cm x 10cm more"
"If you approach just one step closer, you'll be a hero! Go for it! Excellent son of Perseus!"
───If she didn't trick me with such cajolery, it wouldn't have become like this.....!!!"
He frustratingly clenched his teeth from the fact that he was completely manipulated.
Seeing his favorite pupil's form, Jack sorrowfully sighed.
"Ya-ho-ho......even though I thought Laius-kun finally showed some determination. Laius-kun who acted on emotions and was manipulated is at fault."
"Shut up you damn pumpkin!!! If you talk like that, why don’t you go and try it yourself!!!"
He threw the helmet of Hades while yelling.
───Speaking of this helmet.
Even though it was receiving such a rough treatment, it was among the highest level of assassination Gifts even within the entire Little Garden. That ability could not compare to the Gifts of the same system. Even if you do something like swing a sword, there is no fear of being detected by the target. If it was combined with the Gift that distorts the surrounding space, then it will indirectly expose the whereabouts, but if you disregard that, it's an amazing gift.
After taking all that into account, Faceless raised the index finger and proposed:
"I understand. If Luilui is like that, then there is no other choice. Let me use that helmet of Hades"
"As expected from the Queen's knight! You understood quickly! But stop calling me Luilui!!!
He really is a guy who is easily pleased and easily agitated at the same time.
Faceless gave a small nod while a bit of a troubled expression floated on her face.
"But in that case, Luilui's body might be in danger. We won't have time to protect you while fighting, would that be alright?"
"..........Ha?"
"That's right. Hit and run is an indispensable part of the strategy. Let me ask you just in case.......Laius-kun, can you dodge the three headed dragon's attack from a while ago and escape on your own?"
Laius’ face turned pale.
Even if it's just in name, he was still a high ranking existence that descended from Zeus.
Although his physical abilities are not low, he almost never practiced in things like sword skills. It's impossible for him to defend against an attack from before with a similar move that Faceless used.
"..........Then, what will you do? Will you continue to be a pursuer? Or will LuiLui be an assailant?"
".........I, am an assailant"
"Tch───If you keep continuing, I will scrape off your neck and excommunicate you, got it?"
Jack's knife suddenly touched Laius’ neck.
Jack's eyes were not laughing. Right now, Jack would really do what he said.
Kasukabe Yo silently approached Laius who was covered in cold sweat as if he was at the edge of a precipitous cliff.
"...........Jack. Faceless-san. It's not good to blame him that much. Though there are lots of complaints but he explained that he was tricked, but even.........Still, Luilui did his best."
After listening to Yo's quiet counsel, the two of them showed a sullen face.
That's certainly the case. The biggest key figure of this primary strategy is without a doubt, this person.
Grasping the location of that three headed dragon and maintaining a reasonable distance, Laius completed the primary objective. Not losing anyone while taking the initiative........Was the result of his efforts, he who mustered his courage despite his rebellious personality.
This was an unthinkable action for the Laius of several months ago, when he fought with the "No names"
"On that basis, I have one more request. Luilui is certainly the best with using the Hermit's Gift for tracking the three headed dragon. If someone else attempts it and as the result the helmet gets destroyed, then the whole tactic will end up in failure. If that happens, we will have to use an even more dangerous tactic.
Of course, sooner or later it will break.
But if there ever was a safer plan even by a bit, then they should certainly follow it.
And the person in question, Laius perfectly understood this.
Making a face as if he just chewed on a bug, he showed a complicated expression while releasing a very deep........ deep, deep sigh and picked up the helmet once again.
"..........Shit. Damnit. This is not worth it. The agreed reward from the beginning will not be enough, would it?"
"........Yahoho. Then, what will you do?"
"I decided. You guys seek my power. Then, I want the extra compensation in proportion to the service. If you can't promise this then..........."
"I understand. I will talk to the Queen about it."
Jack and Laius widened their eyes in amazement from the proposal of Faceless. The Queen that this Queen's knight spoke of is the sole Queen that exists in Little Garden.
She held the mask and nodded for the second time,
"「Queen Halloween」 is the strongest summoner. There is no such thing that she can’t summon. ───Luilui. If you desire a Gift in exchange for your merits in war, then I will talk to the Queen and do everything so that you will surely be given the Gift. It's possible that your power, or possibly even───「Perseus」 will rise to the 4 digits.
"R.........Really........!!?"
Of course - she agreed with a small nod. Laius’ expression did a dramatic change.
Staring at the helmet with teary eyes, his facial expression was going between hesitation and determination.
Several months ago───After the defeat of 「Perseus」 by the hands of the [No Names], it followed a path to ruin. At that time, Laius laughed at it saying that the collapse was unavoidable, but the ruin he actually experienced, went beyond his imaginations.
Those who left from the organization, those who scorned, those who were sad. Watching comrades like that brought unbearable pain.
Even Laius had a childhood where he was born and raised in Little Garden. All the kids of Little Garden are the same, they all have a similar wish.
───"Look up at their own flag, and become comrades worthy of it"
Spirits of the great tree, as well as fire dragons, mythical animals, humanity, everyone wants that.
Even Laius, who got distorted as he grew up, once held that wish in his heart to become a hero worthy of being called a constellation.
If it's a Gift from the Queen, then it might be possible to attain that wish.
".........You will really talk to the Queen about it, right?"
"Of course. I swear on the pride of a knight."
"It's reasonable but, you won't belittle my merits in the report right!?
"................."
"───*looks away*.
"Hey, don't avert your eyessssssss!!!"
"Faceless-san. It's not the time to play with Luilui, we have to go."
"That's right. Since we properly negotiated, please quickly go now, Luilui."
Don't call me Luilui! - shouted Luilui.
After confirming the intentions from Faceless a second time, he put on the helmet despite his anger and circumstances.
After confirming that he was already out of sight, the three of them smiled with different facial expressions.
".........Yahoho. One thing or the other, It's a relief that he is continuing to grow"
"Yes. When he came to hit on Willa, I wanted to cut him in three pieces, but...............At this point, I think that not doing so was the correct decision."
"There was such a thing"
It goes without saying but, [Will o Wisp] and 「Queen Halloween」 have friendly relationships. Since Jack, the leading actor of Halloween is there, it's only natural.
In that sense, It's only natural that Faceless and Willa were on friendly terms.
Certainly, the name that Willa called her was───
"Uhh......If I'm not mistaken, It was Feifei?"
"───........!?"
From the sudden way of calling, Faceless took a step back in surprise. It was not her usual behavior. Yo was staring at her while thinking that it was such a shame that she had a mask on right now.
Faceless with an unreadable expression put her hand on her mouth.
".........Since that nickname got attached to me, would it be alright if I call Yo-san, "Yo-Yo"?"
"Uh, sorry"
Immediate apology. After all, it's not nice to call a person with a nickname she hated.
Part 3
───Airborne Citadel - Precipice.
The members of the main force including Izayoi were standing on the edge of the Airborne Citadel and looked down on the battle progress from the sky. Although taking the initiative was a success, it was still far from a conclusion.
It was necessary for the main force to save their strength for the final battle. Although they had impatient thoughts, right now they could do nothing but watch. So long as they are on standby, there are no dangers of being attacked according to the game rules.
Looking at the town full of heat and explosion sounds, Izayoi clicked his tongue.
"............It's a slow battle. If things go on like this, the battle might actually continue till night."
“Even if it's like that, there are no other effective ways to battle. A drawn out fight is essential. Even Izayoi-kun should understand this right?"
"I know. ............But, Is this method really effective?"
Izayoi asked Leticia while turning his head.
She quietly nodded.
If the legend Canaria told is correct, then to take down Azi Dakaha, it's necessary to pierce three vitals. First one is the skull, second are the shoulders, and the third is....the heart."
Izayoi recalled the shape of the three headed dragon.
3 stake-like things were pierced through his skulls, on his shoulders were bolt-like things that were sewing the banner on him.
"I don't know about the sown thing on his shoulders, but the stakes in the skull is one seal that we placed on him 200 years ago. If we force him to release all his offsprings, then the place where his heart is should emerge.”
"But the battle won't end with just that"
Interjected, Baron la Croix while finishing Leticia's sentence.
“The offsprings are only one among the numerous Gifts of Azi Dakaha...........If we compare it to the armor, it's just one portion. Even if we destroy it, his superiority won't be shaken. There is one more weapon necessary to take down that demon lord"
".......That is?"
All eyes gathered at Baron la Croix. He held his bowler and grinned widely.
“It's the same as it has always been. All it took to defeat the Demon Lords, no matter the age was...................... a single, decisive blow from the most courageous person."
Without the bright swords that heroes used, defeating the Demon Lords is impossible.
Izayoi shook shrugged and shook his head as if amazed.
"If that's the case, the one who can defeat that lizard Demon Lord isn't me, right? I have no recollection of ever showing something like courage in my whole life"
"So it seems. If we consider your power, something like a courageous spirit would be your total opposite. If there is one thing that Izayoi-kun is inferior at to the 「Candidate of Origin」 from 「Ouroboros」, it's exactly that."
Izayoi bent his brows. It's not like there were no objections, but it's unreasonable to be judged with such abstract qualities.
"「Candidate of Origin」............you say? I didn't get the joke, but with that talk, I finally made sense of one thing"
"Hou? Does that mean that, Izayoi-kun already understands who are the [Candidates of Origin]?"
"Well, roughly. In short, It's that right? The representatives in order to inquire "which is the true origin" in the birth circle of Humans and Gods. That's the destiny of the people like that Hakuhatsuki[1] and me, right?"
Which came first: the chicken or the egg?
Sakamaki Izayoi concluded that they - the "Candidates of Origin" were candidates tasked to reveal the final conclusion to the paradox game that hasn’t been solved up to this point.
"Those guys, calling themselves 「Ouroboros」[2] demonstrated the current relationship between the gods and humans. This is just a hunch, but that Hakuhatsuki called “His Highness” is probably the origin candidate of the gods. That means that I'm the candidate of the humans right?"
".............Yes. It's roughly correct"
"Then, the reason that the candidates must defeat the Last Trials also lies there. Even if the starting point is determined, if won't be inconsistent even if the ending is not decided. It could be said that, we both are the prepared pawns to fight on the board known as Little Garden. ................Really, the games of gods and demons, didn't even consider the trouble they cause other people."
Izayoi sniffed at the selfishness of the story.
Holding a bowler while avoiding his gaze, Croix was covered in cold sweat.
As Canaria once said while she was still alive, Izayoi Sakamaki is infinitely close to his roots.
But if he finds out too much, then there is a problem that he will surely encounter. But if he asks a question regarding that problem, then Croix will be compelled to answer. Because, this was his final contract with Canaria. Izayoi asked with his usual nonchalant tone while Croix moved his gaze away looking uneasy.
"Thinking to this point..........There is just one thing that I don't understand. No matter how much I pondered, I still did not find the reason. But if it's you........You can answer it, can't you, 「Tuxedo Shinigami」?"
"............Let's hear it"
Croix resolved himself.
As if taking him into consideration, Izayoi asked the question with a tone akin to gossiping. Not making a use of that consideration lowers the status of a god.
Izayoi floated a devilish grin as if asking about the answer to a game-
"───Why, am I a candidate?"
He casually voiced a natural question.
".................."
It's only natural if you think about it.
Izayoi Sakamaki doesn't have a single thing, that would let him be invited to this Little Garden of Gods.
If it's Kasukabe Yo and Kudou Asuka, then there are countless reasons for it. If you follow their lineages, it could possibly lead to the organization inside Little Garden that dragged them in to recover the Gifts "Genome Tree" and "Authority" or many other reasons like that could surface. Because the roots of those two are from inside Little Garden.
But, Sakamaki Izayoi's lineage───
"When I was a kid, I searched my home out of curiosity. And there I found, an ordinary father, mother and a younger brother living in leisure. Well, the little brother was somewhat unsociable but had a charming side to him...........And the parents - a relatively ordinary family of a university professor and a housewife."
"That's modesty. The parents you had became excellent humans. I and Canaria grieved when we heard about their death in an accident."
Good parents that could have become even greater. Perhaps you could even say exemplary.
But..........that's it. Because they were just that.
But there is not a single legend that would bind him to the tremendous Gift that dwelled inside Izayoi Sakamaki.
"Last night, you told me this: "Why was Sakamaki Izayoi chosen by Canaria?" ..........But, the truth is different right? Canaria didn't choose me. The real objective was something else, but in the end, you had no choice but to choose Sakamaki Izayoi. .........that was really the case, right?"
There can be no other adequate explanation for it.
Then, this is the correct answer.
Izayoi was not aware of this, but───It was decided when Canaria was hospitalized from falling to an illness.
Croix and Lapko were also told that, there's truly no connection between Canaria and Sakamaki Izayoi.
It was told in a roundabout way, but in short.........it was something like this.
"───You say you were chosen by chance.... Is what you are trying to say?"
"Yeah. I can't think of anything else. Or possibly something like a will of the world, but to be chosen through something incomprehensible like that.................If it has to be given a name, it must be Fate."
Izayoi talked as if it was someone else's problem.
It was a calm answer that didn't curse the fate that probably controlled his whole life.
Holding the bowler and hiding his facial expression, Baron La Croix bowed somewhat apologetically.
".........Sorry. I can not say anything as an excuse, but it's exactly what you said. If there is something that chose you, it's something that even we, the divine spirits are not aware of. But, there’s one thing that I can guarantee. You───just a human known as Sakamaki Izayoi, no matter what form, will always have the potential to save the world. This is not about the existence of your Gift. Even without that tremendous power, your, your own soul took that kind of form, and Sakamaki Izayoi was summoned for that reason."
The boy bound to be born to fight against the destroyer of the world, 「Absolute Evil」.
Among the various timelines, only Izayoi Sakamaki will become the trigger for saving the world. It might be a boy with another name, or perhaps even a girl.
Not a hero chosen by the gods, but a hero chosen by the human history to rescue the future of humanity.
All that is connected to his Gift.
"..........Haa, I see. In short, my Gift reverses cause and effect? Not a Gift that was gained by saving the past but a blessing from a promise to save the future"
"That's right. Truthfully, you should have been born a bit later. Because the formed [No Names] interfered with the human history, your date of birth undergone a big change. We created new Gods and tried to support the candidate, but...........Somehow with that interference, we hit upon the possibility called Sakamaki Izayoi."
Hmm - came an indifferent reply. Since the very beginning, Izayoi was never really interested in his personal history. In the first place, the circumstances around him were trivial to him. No matter the circumstances, the time Sakamaki Izayoi and Canaria spent together was by no means fake.
Canaria loved Izayoi like a real son.
Izayoi admired Canaria like a real mother, or like a teacher.
In front of that truth, no matter what kind of other truths pile up, they won't become a hindrance. Even if this was a strategy, Izayoi will reveal the conspirators with a smile.
But if he talked about it..........This kind of bothersome situation might had been avoided.
"Well, let's set aside the background check for now. It's good that I came to Little Garden right?"
"............? What do you mean?"
"If we sum up this conversation, then I have the job of saving humanity."
Abstract expressions like 「Absolute Evil」 gave away hints .
If you sum it up, you will arrive at this conclusion.
"───"Humanity is approaching ruin that they themselves created". This is the common point, connected to the final trials. Destruction from the radicalization of technology similar to Kali Yuga and destruction from the rampage of a single existence have the same ending. In the 20th century, many NCBR[3] were created starting from nuclear weapons. The evil of humanity running wild had enough power to pull the trigger to the eschatology."
This eschatology is different from those that are accompanied by external causes like a natural disasters or a meteorite falls. In those cases, the destruction can be avoided with the help of divine spirits' powers. But if humanity is drifting towards the end where they destroy themselves, then it's necessary for them to appoint a leader and reach the next step in evolution.
Croix who loosened his necktie a bit on his tailcoat, had a slight distant look in his eyes.
"Evolution where the leader would win against evil. It's not as easy as it sounds. The sacrifices necessary to defeat the Demon Lord 「Dystopia」 were beyond imagination. Even to the extent of the extinction of humanity..."
Izayoi remembered something he saw in a dream and made a sour face.
"...........Rapid decrease of serfs from the widespread of Pest[4]. Decrease of productivity. 80 million casualties. Due to that, the social standing of serfs quickly rose, huh? .........What an ironic story. The plague that was capable of destroying humanity, in the end, changed its future."
"Right. Truthfully speaking, the release of serfs should've been stretched till around the beginning of the 20th century. In the end, all this obstructed the development of enlightenment and liberalism, while becoming a reason for the ideology of Dystopia to grow stronger."
The Black Death infection lasted no less than 100 years from the 14th century.
The outspread of Black Death that became the greatest trial of humanity was an essential event necessary to urge humanity to evolve and deny the future connected to Dystopia[5].
(But if that's the case, then spotted loli's wish...........Her true enemy is........)
His eyes contained a bit of sorrow.
It was hard to believe in the absolute legitimacy of a trial giving birth to 80 million resentments.
But if the reality of the widespread was erased from the period, then it will certainly be connected to the revival of the Demon Lord 「Dystopia」.
"............Well, there’s no helping it. Or rather, It's very likely that the same thing will happen with the defeat of Azi Dakaha right?"
"Well, I wonder about that. You won't know unless you defeat him. But I can say one thing for sure - if you directly save the world, it would be the same as defeating Azi Dakaha. You or your relatives will save the world. On the contrary, If Azi Dakaha is not defeated, that world of yours will meet the worst ending, but............It's no use thinking about it. Because that's already talking about the world you have no relations with anymore."
Said Baron La Croix with an implicating tone. What he wanted to say was easy to understand.
Izayoi as well did not question it further and let his consciousness focus on the battle ahead.
"I will understand if I defeat him? Simple is best. After all, the main problem is solved"
"That's wonderful. Since you can now concentrate on the battle, it seems that his talk was effective"
The battle on the ground is currently going smoothly. But there's no room for carelessness, It's impossible to keep attacking like this.
The battle is a living thing. The winner is not always the strongest.
If the battle continues without a problem like this───
"───No, It's not as simple as that right?"
"Ah? Is that so? I think Ojousama and the others are handling it well."
"The problem's not there. ..........It's that foolish guy. We weren't able to confine that worthless demon and it might become a problem."
Tch - while clicking his tongue, the shadow moved.
Immediately followed by the crack in the sky above the airborne citadel, the main force became alert and directed their attention towards the crack that appeared in the sky and reverberated a high-pitched sound.
Croix who was glaring while holding his bowler, immediately shouted towards all the members of the main force.
"All members, prepare for battle! That guy, Maxwell has arrived!!!"
The sky ruptured. Particles of feathers fluttered down. The figure of a person clad in blue, red and pure white ornaments appeared. It's obvious who it was.
Together with the appearance of Maxwell, arched bodies returned───
「───ＧＥＥＥＹＡＡＡＡＡＡＡａａａａａ!!!」
Baring their fangs and raising strange voices as if they had lost the ability to speak, they started falling inside the citadel.
The main force including Izayoi wanted to quickly assault the enemy, but at that time, someone screamed.
"L-Look!!! From the Sky..... 「Geass Rolls」 are falling from the sky───!!!"
Everyone held their breath. There are only 2 reasons for that.
Fist was the start of a new game. It made sense since a new Demon Lord appeared.
But the other one. It was the emblem of a seal that was applied at the end of the parchment which was well known to anyone in Little Garden.
The emblem of 「Draco Greif」. Anyone would shiver from the contents that were written there.
Gift Game〝GREEK MYTHS of GRIFFIN〟
Notification about the clearing of the above-mentioned game.
Winner: Azi Dakaha.
Winning condition: Usurpation of the treasure.
Representative of the hosts side, Sala Doltrake, please promptly hand over the Gift given as the award.
Part 4
At that moment.
All battle actions were halted.
"..........wha.."
Kasukabe Yo who was about to leap up was surprised from the feeling as if her legs were sewn to the ground. That feeling was quite different from the feeling of immobility when losing Spiritual Power.
Kasukabe Yo who was pressed down with an inopposable degree of strength, started looking around from the disorder and finally noticed the parchments that were falling from the sky.
"Documents of 「Draco Greif」...............I-it can't be"
That's stupid, It's too fast. Muttered Kudou Asuka and Almathea in the sky.
"Then, Sala's game was cleared........!?"
"Wh-what incredible clearing speed!! That was the game reconstructed by the poet Aesop! From the three games, it won't be an exaggeration to say that this one was the most difficult..........!!!"
According to Izayoi, Just the level of difficulty of the riddle is even higher compared to "Pied Piper of Hamelin" and Leticia's game. Could such a strong game be cleared in just 1 day?
Holding their breath, the two of them were lost for words, but it was no time to be awestruck.
Sala Doltrake who was riding the similar fire dragon turned her gaze towards Asuka as if resolving herself.
'"...........Asuka. And Alma-dono. l’lI transfer the right to command 「Draco Greif」. As a Host, I have to go down to the participant."
"....That's!"
"There's no need for that!"
A large white body pierced from the misty town. Even though he should be suffering from the super gravity from Kouryuu's game, he was still flying lightly as if he was not constricted even a by bit of those circumstances.
Azi Dakaha who waved the wings of dragon’s shadow and suddenly rose, appeared in front of the fire dragons in an instant. Looking at the golden cane in his hand, Sala tasted defeat. There's no doubt anymore.
This three headed dragon perfectly cleared the game [GREEK MYTHS of GRIFFIN] that she organized with his own power.
Looking at his ruby eyes, Sala held her breath, but showed a firm smile.
"...........As expected from the legendary Demon Lord. It seems that your knowledge is also extraordinary. It's unbelievable that not even a day has passed...........and not a single penalty was received. As the organizer, I recognize your skillfulness."
〝GREEK MYTHS of GRIFFIN〟was prepared so that the factors could lead the player to misunderstand the answers. If three penalties were received, it could be possible to seal him even if he was the three headed dragon.
If he hesitated to answer, the battle would have protracted. And if the wrong answer was given, then the seal could have been received.
But this three headed dragon without fear nor hesitation, stepped forth and traveled by foot. What admirable courage.
"Hm. There is no need to deprecate yourself. Your game turned out to be very cunning. The information written on the "Geass Roll" was not vague, but instead used to mislead the player from the answer, and that implied that there exists multiple answers for this game. Even I couldn't help but be cautious of this."
That's right. There are three answers to this game.
One of them interprets the treasure as a banner of the Demon Lord of gold 「Queen Halloween」.
The second and third ones interpret the treasure as the golden staff of "Kerykeion[6]".
Even without approaching the three final answers, the points needed to clear the game are included aside from penalties.
"But taking the stages of the other games in chronology is a bit overdoing it. As a result, your game made me narrow down the answers more than with the other games."
"..............!!"
The golden staff Kerykeion - is a symbol of a Greek God of trade known as the messenger God. If there is an appropriate place on this stage where it should be kept, then it would be the place where the independence of Greece was declared───At the location of the meeting of the year 1830 ."
Year 1830, London meeting───the meeting where Great Britain, France and Russia recognized the independence of Greece.
The messenger God known as Hermes does the work of a diplomat, flying between gods. If you think about his history, in nine out of ten cases, the guess would be linked to the London meeting.
"But the place this golden staff was installed in was not the meeting place.............but at the bank. At first I thought that I was reading too much into it, but if you think about the historical background of London, there's another truth that rises to the surface"
".............."
"Judging by the condition of the clock tower, it’s safe to say that it was constructed sometime between the year 1860 and year 1890 . Within that time frame, there was an event that was connected to the Bank of Great Britain and to the trade Gods..................Arriving at this point, even a kid would understand. The Victorian era of England───To put a stop to the Great Depression that started in 1870, that is the interpretation of this 「Kerykeion」"
───But... - the three headed dragon paused.
"This investigation is lacking, the composition of the game goes beyond broad interpretation. All the more if a well-known poet took part in reconstructing it. ..........Don't you think so, Pumpkin executioner?"
Far below on the ground, jack shuddered.
The three headed dragon smiled and showed his fangs while looking down at him.
"At that point, I changed my point of view. Is it that the poet Aesop, who wrote the world's three biggest fables had no choice but to organize a deformed game like this, because there are limits to the extent of the stage, which can be achieved with remaking it with Jack's true identity who is a leading actor of this stage?"
The hosts who listened to the speech of the three headed dragon, were assaulted with shock running through them. The Demon Lord whose ruby eyes were shining, pointed at Jack below and smiled brutally.
"That's right. This stage is from the year 1873, when the Great Depression began, and not from 1888 - the year when [Jack the Ripper] appeared. There is just one meaning behind this. ───Fufu. Before demanding the reward from the fire dragons, I will tell you what the solution is to your 「Pumpkin the Clown」"
Everyone instinctively knew that the situation was bad.
Jack’s game can be cleared just by having an answer and an argument. If he were to present his arguments while clearing Sala's game when all the games are halted, the three headed dragon will then be able to clear two games at the same time.
It's also unnecessary to use the [Authority of Judge Master] for interruption like Kuro Usagi.
This Demon Lord dominated the games with just his courage and wisdom.
(This..............This is the 「Last Embryo」........!!!)
Utterly overwhelming the opponent in everything - power, wisdom and courage.
He is the oldest Demon Lord, and the strongest God Killer.
The Demon Lord looked down at Jack with all his 3 heads and six eyes, and───
"Jack! You───You are not [Jack the Ripper]!!!"
───He threw the truth towards the monster given birth by Great Britain.
With a sound like a glass shattering, Jack’s blood smeared knife shattered. And at the same time, blood gushed out from all of his wounds.
The red clothes were dyed crimson by blood even more.
The already gravely injured Jack had his wounds open up ruthlessly as his immortality left him completely.
"Gu- Gah........!!!"
Blood was shed from his abdomen with a sound that was completely different from the usual sound of blood flow. Trying to stop the bleeding from his mouth, he held it with his right hand, but it was futile effort and the blood spilled over anyway. Kasukabe Yo screamed with a pale face.
"Jack!"
".........Yahoho. "Certainly, this.............!!"
He was feigning a smile with all his strength, but that was his limit. Jack crumbled from the knees and fell on his own pool of blood and soon enough, he stopped moving. The shoulders’ heaving movements from breathing was still apparent so he was not dead yet, but it was only a matter of time.
Looking uninterested at that scene, the three headed dragon returned his gaze towards Sala Doltrake.
"..........With the current circumstances, solving the remaining puzzle is also unnecessary. Let's get down to business, fire dragon girl"
Sala's face stiffened. No matter what kind of strong-hearted girl she was, It's inevitable that she'd pale if she sees Jack's gruesome state.
As if getting ashamed of her thoughts, Sala shook her head and gazed with an indomitable fighting spirit.
Even if her life was taken, her pride won't be stained.
Taking on that kind of strong gaze, the three headed dragon happily laughed from the bottom of his heart.
"Fufu. What a strong set of eyes! Such gallant figure that doesn't yield even before the Demon Lord, I take that in high regard!."
Persistent eyes, directed towards the Demon Lord just how it should be.
In a tension that had everyone's breath stolen, the three headed dragon sadistically smiled and demanded the reward.
"Hero of fire dragons! What I desire is.............To receive your entire Spiritual Power!!"
At that moment, Sala's dragon horns broke. It didn't break with a delicate voice like before.
Just like a thunder in the night, just like a volcanic eruption, Sala's dragon horns were broken from the base and disappeared only to reappear in Azi Dakaha's hand.
But it didn't end with just that.
Holding the dragon horns of the fire dragon and the griffin, the three headed dragon threw them towards the ground.
"This is the reward. My offsprings, take the dragon horns and gain power!!!"
The bricks that covered the pavements started to beat. That beating was so strong that it resounded throughout the whole town. The brick twin-headed dragons that took the dragon horns yelled like the incarnation of a raging storm and displayed their shape to Kasukabe Yo and the others.
"Dragon horns of the fire dragon and griffin...........!"
"Kasukabe-san, please take Jack and fall back!!"
Faceless took out the snake sword and leapt at the twin dragons alone. She is a powerful being that is even among the top of the main force. Even Izayoi, who had an overwhelming difference of physical strength compared to her, was astonished with her special moves.
While swinging the snake sword in every direction, she rushed to attack.
But the twin-headed dragons manipulated the atmosphere around them and flicked off the snake sword with walls of air that were compressed to the extent that even the plasma was visible.
"Ku...I can't reach.......!"
『ＧＥＥＹＡＡＡＡＡＡａａａａａ!!!』
With the release of the compressed power, it reverberated with an impact that even made waves to became visible in the atmosphere.
From the beginning, the twin-headed dragons possessed power on par with an average divine spirit. And in addition to that, they were given a Gift of divine class. That power far exceeded the power of an ordinary two-headed dragon.
Faceless danced in the air while being hit by the walls of compressed air that assaulted her from every direction.
She shielded herself with the rubble, but after analyzing her sustained wounds and the extent of their strength, she got covered in cold sweat.
(...........The worst compatibility)
She is the best when it comes to fencing, but if the enemy possesses a giant body and high firepower, then cheap tricks won't work. Even if the blade reaches them, it might not even leave a single scratch and that made her truly realize the danger they were in.
Faceless fixed her sword, thinking that all she could do was to buy some time.
On the other side, Sala who collapsed after losing her dragon horns and Asuka along with the others, were glaring at the three headed dragon before them.
But the ambition for triumph from a while ago was nowhere to be seen on the members of 「Salamandra」 and 「Draco Greif」.
Tactics were broken, the games were almost solved, one of the 「Floor Masters」 fell.
The facial expressions of the Hosts were filled with terror.
The three headed dragon loudly tuned the neck and sneered at them.
"Well. What's wrong? Are you finished already?"
"............!!!"
"Ran out of strategy? The fighting spirit withered? All hopes disappeared? What's wrong, oh great heroes?"
There were no voices who retorted the three headed dragon's provocation. Seeing the hosts fall into panic from their current situation, the three headed dragon widened his eyes...
"───I see. Then die."
Without hesitation, he bared his fangs of despair.
1 White-haired Demon. ↩
2 Universe Ring. ↩
3 NCBR - Weapons of Mass Destruction. ↩
4 Black death. ↩
5 Locked World ↩
6 Caduceus. ↩
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