No Game No Life Volume 7

It Seems the Gamer Siblings Will Overturn the Standards

Theoretical Start
Lets try to imagine.
Right now, you are playing an online match of a certain First Person Shooting (FPS) game.
You are standing on a place where you can overlook pretty far over the carefully built-up stage.
Its atop a small hill where you can have a panoramic view of an elegant scenery, such as the group of small fries
firing at each other with guns.
You cant help but say, People are looking like trash, with asniper riflein your hands.
I want to reassure those who dont know how to handle a firearm nor the way to use it.
rifle

Just like how its written, its agunmade for the sake ofsniping. If you take sniping from the dictionary,
itll be expressed as targeting and shooting from a long distance. If its about a gun made to fire randomly while
rifle

chargingin, then itll be expressed as anassault gun. As such, no matter how you think about it, its a gun
made to target and shoot from a long distance.
Thats right, its a gun so you can unilaterally shoot those small fries you see below you
Come on! Since youve already finished confirming that, slowly lower your body and prepare the rifle!
Now! Lets try to lightly shoot away, like, about twenty or thirty of those heads reflected in the scope!
If you do that, then, certainly soon, the thunderous applause will reach you!!
N o o b

Saying things likeBite the dust and drop dead!orRead the mood, you beginner!, and a lot of the
likes
A surreal amount of widely varied, rage-filled verbal insults will reach you, that is.
What happened? When you sniped with the sniper rifle, you got scolded that was all.
So, you dont get it, do you? Are you thinking that its unreasonable?
Coincidentally, a young boy, who was pure and innocent at the time, thought of the exact same thing:
What the hellhe returned while tapping dismayed on the keyboard.

But, unfortunately, there was nothing unreasonable about this story.

There was someone who opposed thestandard, and he was simply criticized like it was something natural
that was all.

In all games, there was astandard.

That was something that exists above the specifications and rules; it was thebest movethat was logically
m

optimized. In games, it was the equivalence to an absolute and inviolable common knowledge and besides.
What would happen if you openly oppose it and thoughtlessly challenge it? The answer was this.

The young boy who had once received the abusive language who was now a young man.
Today, once again, while running around inside the game, holding a rifle he thought.
I see. Certainly, confining yourself and waiting while only sniping is an effective tactic. But, if everyone thinks that;
if they, too, confine themselves and only keep to sniping then the game wont be established.
Just like how passing the ball endlessly to your allies in soccer isnt a violation of the rules.
Just like how moving a piece randomly and endlessly in chess isnt a violation of the rules.
But, since its a player versus player battle, youll be frowned upon if you do that such an implicit understanding
exists.
h a v e

f u n

If everyone wants to gain something, theyll refrain from doing it as much as they can suchstandards
exists. If you openly oppose it, its only natural for you to get hit, so, itll also be natural if you get insulted,
right!?
Courtesy, etiquette, those are important for a person. Shooting a dead body? Thats no good, absolutely.
Or something like that. Its a do it that way or be like this.
sophism

It was something that would make sense for you if you were raised decently that kind ofstandard. But, for
h i k i k o m o r i

g a m e r

the young man who grew up useless, he was a textbook example of a no good human that will make you feel
ashamed of him no matter where you take him to.
Then, why is it that sniper rifles are implemented? he thought.
Sticking out his tongue in a mocking gesture, once again, he picked up the sniper rifle and scattered around
claymores and sentry guns. Smiling amid the defamation, he ran around vigorously and, after changing positions,
he resumed his confining.
b r a t s

I dont want to know about the intermediate player thatstandardsare who thinks the game wont be established
with something of this level.
In the first place, thatstandardwas. It was a move that the weak had knitted to win against the strong
its astrategyand!
s

Then, the expert player's knife, who had followed him after breaking through the traps the young man had laid
down and even evaded his sniping
Eh~ what was it? Right, then! The standardis! Until the very end, its only something thats destined to be
broken!
Just like this he thought, while gazing at the opponent who took one kill from him. Then, the young man laughed
with blank eyes.
Not half bad, huh, damn youre so coolhe sent out such a message.

In all games, there was astandard.

That was something that exists above the specifications and rules; it was thebest movethat was logically
optimized.

In a world where everything was decided by games, its the equivalent to an absolute and inviolable
t

common knowledge and besides.

What will happen if you openly oppose and thoughtlessly challenge it? The answer was this.

Over sixty years ago on the frontier of a hill, which would eventually be called theEastern Uniona small,
golden fox girl looked up to the sky with limp eyes and thought.
In the sky painted with shades of night on its end, something reflected as if wanting to interrupt the writing of the
red moon. It was a giant chess piece that could be seen from anywhere on this planet, extending as if to pierce the
sky, while dropping its form to the earth.
Over six thousand years ago, the god on its summit was said to have listed the Ten Oaths and exalted that
the world has changed.
But, the girl thought, with her clouded golden eyes:
You big liar.
The Great War had met its end, the wars disappeared, and the rights were guaranteed. There was no need to suffer
and fear violence anymore.
It was a lie.
It was a lie, everything, all of it was a big lie!
the Warbeasts

If wars disappeared, then why is it that w

I

g a m e

e are continuing this civil war!? If rights were guaranteed, then why

a m

is it that we are having everything being stolen from us!? If the need to fear violence and suffering disappeared
then why
Why is it that I am bearing wounds, fearing violence, and suffering in pain?
Tears fell from the girl clad in bloodstained, tattered clothes, as if she begged for an answer.
The shape of the tail and the ears, the presence or absence of angles, the color of the fur: their differences formed
the herds, who then mocked each other.
If another race was to exploit the Warbeasts, then the other part of the race would sayServes you rightand be
pleased by it.
g

Its already been over six thousand years since the Warbeasts continued theCivil War, while holding onto such
t h e o r i e s

standards.
This is wrong. Lets stop this cat fight between fellow Warbeasts and help each other out, she had said.
t

But, if the young and, therefore, wise girl were to disagree with the common knowledge using such
sensibilities:
A

p i e c e

Weakings shouldnt run their mouths off. She would be crushed with measly malice, just like that.
And then, above the nameless hill, the girl who had collapsed while covered in blood, with even her right to kill or
die stolen from her, she glared at the giant chess piece with her faint consciousness and she finally understood.

 The Ten Oathssays: Dont steal without permission, dont violate, dont kill.
But, that wasnt something to protect the weak, much less something that allowed the weakness.
Deceive, measure, threaten no matter what methods you have to use
After making them consent, beat, steal, violate and kill that was what it was all about. You live if you are
strong and die if you are weak. If you win, you get everything. If you lose, you lose everything.
Being correct or not didnt matter. The loser wasnt allowed even the right to complain.
player

p i e c e

If you dont like it, then become the strong, not the weakling, they say.
If you conspire unscrupulously with everything you have, you will be able to do whatever you want with the rights
R

of others become the Sole Representative.

R u l e s

Thats right. What that Sole God or whatever had listed on the continent, what theTen Oathschanged,
was that:
With your hand, instead of taking someone elses hands its better to punch them. Thats what its becoming.
With your power, instead of becoming a shield for the weak its better to dominate them. Thats what its
becoming.
t h e o r y

t h e

o p t i m a l

I see. Its astandard if youre seeking your own interest, then its better to rule over the others as much
as you can. Thats what its becoming. By bringing up such a rule, thats so lacking in communication, did the
world change?
Nothing had changed What happened was simply that the procedure required to kill and steal merely
increased by one.
reality

The girl finally understood that despair, but she laughed.

Thatstandardwas a move that the weak had knitted to win against the strong its astrategy. And
so, those things are, until the very end nothing but things destined to be broken!
t h e o r y

Even the inevitable thing calledstandardisnt an exception, she thought while holding up the nausea caused by
that unscrupulous thing.
t h e o r y

Then, the girl said while silencing her body which screamed at the pain, that standard Ill definitely break
it, and stood up.

Ill overturn this vicious common sense Ill definitely knit thestandard breaker.
Thatstandard breaker, too, will be something destined to be broken but thats fine. No matter how many
times, no matter how many infinite times I have to do it, somewhere at the end of that brokenstandard, which
would continue getting broken it should exist.
With your hand, instead of punching someone with it itll be better if you take his hands, such astandard.
With your power, instead of dominating the weak with it itll be better if you become their shield, such a
standard.

p i e c e

It doesnt matter what he is, he isnt a mere weakling that exists just to be dominated by someone else. It will be
P

better for everyone if they are their own Sole Representatives, such astandard. Ill probably find it No,
Ill definitely find it
And so, on that day, at that moment. After glaring at the one who enacted and forced upon her that inevitability, the
standardthat belittled her, the girl made her decision.
If openly opposing it and, in turn, being defeated is thestandard, then lets cunningly oppose it. Lets deceive,
measure, and threaten more insidiously, even more despicably, thoroughly unscrupulously, and without end!
No matter what methods I have to use; Ill definitely manage to do it. Something that even that One Sole God
who arrogantly exaggerated that he had changed the world, couldnt do.
Well definitely, by ourselves, and with these hands change the world.
Thats right the nameless golden fox girl thought while holding in her chest the absurdity of such a ridiculous
dream, something only children were allowed to see, above the hill that was once nameless in the past, below the
nameless shrine.
Just like the one at the top of that piece wishes, Ill use everything that is allowed by the rules.
Laughing at that, she made the move that would overturn everystandard.

She executed an unprecedented and unrivaledGreat Cheat.

And then, astormwas born one that overturned and eradicated the Civil War that had continued
approximately for six thousand and two hundred years.
It was an unquestionable and irrefutable storm that wound up everything: anger and hatred, ill feelings and ties. It
stole it all and then left. The storm had stolen even the room for conflict that was uprooted in the ones who kept
stealing from others without ever getting tired of it, and then left.
And, in its place, a singlecountrywas born.
A country that embodied one end of that dream of that absurd ideal that the girl once had in the past. The name,
that in a mere half a century had reached and became known through many of the big countries of the world, was
Eastern Union.
The young golden fox was no longer there.
She became known asMiko, an existence that was feared by all Warbeasts. And so, thecheatthat she had
devised in her younger days was, right now
Well now~ then, how about we start this game already, o bothersome god?
At the place where the once nameless gold fox had collapsed, on that nameless hill, at the nameless shrine. Now
on the land that was called by the name of Eastern Union, in the capital, Kannagari, at the
M

Temple of the Priestess, before the eyes of everyone who gathered in that place, thecheatcalled god
swirled its pure and enormous power

nonsense

Your words, certainly I have heard them. As such, you may prove yourselves but
That which moved Mikos lips and spun words out wasnt Miko, said so, and then, it overcame the temple,
the capital, Kannagari, no even the ocean.
Let alone the Eastern Union, it seemed to engulf even Elkia, this storm of powers source. It was the cheat that
Miko harbored in her body in her younger days Divine Essence.
power

The one who held that will spoke through Mikos body, which now became a puppet.
I cannot understand the folly wishes of wanting to hasten your deaths, mortals who await an unavoidable
death
Miko, whose body harbored the Old Deus, looked, with her hazy consciousness, at the ones who stood lined up.
g a m e

She looked at the seven figures that challenged agodthat spoke of hastening deaths to face them in a match.

Roll call! First, Sora, 18 years old, virgin! Lets coolly answer that Im hastening my life! The young black haired
m

Imanity Sora yelled, while distorting one end of his mouth and seemed completely aloof. He kept laughing at the
swirling divine pressure, while holding up his hand as if the wind was only annoying.
g

I can play with an Old Deus, you know? I surely would be a failure of a gamer if I were to let this chance escape.
Second, Shiro, 11 years old Next, we dont have too much free time to keep waiting
His little sister, Shiro had continued with her eyes half opened. Perhaps she had given up on trying already. Her
long, white hair was left flustered by the wind.
Eh, eeeeeeh!? T-Third, Stephanie Dola. I dont want to die; I decisively refuse it so
Fourth, Sora-sama and Shiro-samas unworthy slave, Jibril. More importantly, Im so heartbroken that I was about
t

to accidentally let aHeavenly Strikefall for being ignored as the only one whos not amortal, so I
order you to correct yourself, got it

The precious source of common sense the Imanity girl, Steph, was screaming in grief with teary eyes. The
Flgel girl, Jibril, interrupted with a dangerous smile, and was giving orders to a god.
Fifth~ Plum, who is also renowned to be a part of the air, will act accordingly by reading the mood and leaving it
to the flow
The one who raised her own name to follow was a Dhampir girl correction, a boy called Plum. In the face
which showed signs of a beautiful girl suffering from misfortune, a dry smile of resignation can be seen as he
answered.
? S-Sixth, desu? Izuna heeeh
The Warbeast girl, Hatsuse Izuna, tried to follow the flow and continue it while feeling puzzled. But, then, she knelt
down together with Hatsuse Ino, the elder Warbeast man who had pressed down on her head.
Please be at ease, Miko-sama.
He lowered his head and said so, but, it wasnt directed at the Old Deus; it was towards the sealed Miko.
Theyre a bunch hardly worthy of trust but, thats exactly why, please leave it to us.
Ah, we will d-definitely beat up win against that arrogant god, desu.
While Izuna tried to imitate her grandfathers gestures to smooth things over, her fighting spirit still leaked out as
she spoke.

 Those are the seven people.

Each one of them seemed to be completely unrelated to the sense of tension and lacked any element of reliability.
Each one of the group carried a huge baggage on their backs; their age, race, and even gender were all completely
unrelated. They were a lovely bunch of fools who came out to do something so reckless as to challenge god.
rules

So that they could overturn the absolute justice known asstandard which consists of the order established by
the One Sole God.
p r a y e r

Doing it not as a mere piece, but, as someone of equal standing.

Miko smiled bitterly inside her consciousness while remembering even the loveliness at that view. But, at the same
time, she thought that for the current her, it was something incomprehensible.
Then you may pledge. And with those words, acknowledge your own deaths in this worthless play
Announce the pledge that will result in your own ruins the Old Deus had plainly pressed them to do so, but
Ah, before that, can I ask one thing?
Sora suddenly raised his voice, as if he had just remembered; it was so relaxed that it seemed to be out of place.
While interrupting his comrades who had raised their hands to announce the start of the game he asked.
Your name, I still havent gotten to hear it, you see?
Why do you want to know of it, lowermost existence?
Eh? For an opponent that Ill be beating the crap out of and making them lose, remembering their name at least is
the minimal amount of courtesy, right?
The shock made the atmosphere groan.
Everyone at that place even the Flgel Jibril flinched at the gods displeasure. If theTen Oathsdidnt
exist, everything in that place would have been annihilated just by that overwhelming pressure.
Miko broke into a laughter at such a fact. It had been over half a century since her body harbored theDivine
Essence. Was there ever a time that she displayed this much displeasure?
Even more so, Eh, hold did I say something that would especially offend her?
When it was due to the frivolous talk by an insignificant Imanity that, just like breathing, didnt even realize he was
doing it.
Nii, its alright, you didnt say anythingspecial
I-Isnt that so!? Because, I didnt really have any intention like that at
Seeing the appalled Sora, Shiro declared with a smile while raising her thumb.
Nii because just by breathing you make people furious.
A-As expected of Master! To think you would try to make god die of anger, what patience!!
With this, it proved there are people out there who would approach a god just to punch him how splendid.
Really, how about we stop with the game and use the violence of words to kill a god? If its Sora-sama, then he
may be able to pull it off.
Sora, really dangerous, desu
You shitty monkey you bastard, do you have an illness where you will die if you get serious even if just for a
moment?

Miko secretly let out a smile in her hazy consciousness, seeing their figures making a fuss so full of harmony. At
the same time, insider her thoughts that seemed about to be cut off she saw.
Along in one of the gazes of the god who wasnt even waiting for the words of the pledge anymore and started
creating the game board the Temple of Priestess, and, expanding from there, the Kannagaris skyscraper, then
the cities of the various islands of the Eastern Union overseeing the homeland that took her entire life to lay
down she thought.
In the past, the nameless golden fox girl saw a dream.
A dream she saw while repeatedly breaking down thestandard in the country she built while seeking what
existed beyond it.
child

But, that girl from the past dont exist anymore. Miko, the girl who became an adult on a certain day, she
ended up noticing.
Thestandard breaker clearly had an end.
The game she kept researching until she knew everything about it had become the same as those quiz games that
p i e c e s

reached the point of the first one to move wins. No matter how much the weaklings struggle, they definitely wont
be able to jump out of the board.
P

The one who challenges, and the one who prays.

p l a y e r s

p r a y e r s

No matter where you go in this world, its the same board where the strong have fun using the weak as the piece.
Thatstandardalone couldnt be overturned. And it was none other than thecheatthe girl executed in her
younger days that had proved it.
That had filled Miko with resignation and disappointment, but
Lowering her view, her consciousness returned to the inner garden of the temple. Over there was a view that even
the girl of the past couldnt have dreamed of.
Imanity, Flgel, Dhampir, Warbeast
g

In the ancient times, they were the ones that killed each other through force. Now, with another method, they steal
and despise each other. The representatives of those races whose power and lifespan, and even their existences
differed, have now met under one roof, laughing together
Even more so when all of them, though their intentions are different, have the same objective
Theyre harmoniously laughing under the foolish action called challenge an Old Deus, something thats far from
being sane
Seriously, its really fine, isnt it?
Was it due to being too angry, or was it because she was concentrating on her work? At a certain time, the control
of the god had loosened in her body, and obeying Mikos consciousness, she asked that question.
My error, the mistake I committed at that time will you correct it?
Miko slowly extended her hand mid-air. After fluttering her white arm, a shiningPawnrested in the palm of her
hand. That was unmistakably aRace Piece the Warbeasts piece.
Correct the mistake of that day to settle the bill that have been accumulating since that day. If I dont do that,
then, Im not qualified to laugh together with them. But, if I can do it, then at that time for sure

If you desire so then the Eastern Union the Warbeasts, will walk along with you guys, said Miko, who
continued to be troubled and distressed but.
Hmm to be honest, I dont really understand what was the mistake that Miko-san made and is getting all
serious about now, but
The man, who was suspected of having an illness that he would die if he got serious, said imposingly.
If youre talking about correcting something, then, how about we start correcting the mistake of making us get
serious!?
As the one challenging an Old Deus, who was no different from the universe itself he shouted while rejected
the seriousness. All the while not knowing Mikos worries and distress or was it exactly because he knew it?
t

The siblings declared, with eyes exactly like those of a child itself that had brightened up with expectation.
a

We are really lucky! We are blessed with a chance to play a game against an Old Deus with these members!!
And if were going to play a game, then of course, we will win as such
W

Obviously! And quite naturally and inevitably! Elkia Federation will get both the Eastern Union, the Old Deus and
various other things along with it!! Theres nothing else besides that easy to understand, right?
You really think of things that make adults pissed off, huh. She thought with a childish face, indulged in deep
emotions. What was now certainly being reflected in Mikos eyes was something that had long since stopped being
reflected in it.
T

Lets put those troublesome things aside. This world is a game, you know?
He spoke with an intense will the two pairs of eyes only harbored a joyful color in it.
annoying

This is a match to stupidly compete on just how serious we can get about such worthless things, right?
Thats why for us to lose is something impossible.
Its a play to decide whos the most stupid one theres no reason for us to lose in a stupidity match against
god at all.
game

player

piece

It was aplaythat was just that simple. Both the strong and the weak, they simply challenge and get
challenged back Its just a hindsight.
P

Be it the one who challenges or the one who prays its all about just how do you want to be it.
If the game youve researched until there was nothing left for you to know about it ends up just like how those quiz
games reach the point of where the first one to move wins then, what will start this time will just be a game that
decides who will take the first move.
weapon

With a single straightforward logic, he dismissed Mikos imprudent despair. Looking at the ones who exalted that
the end was in truth endless and, together they propagated their passion, Miko said:
I dont want to admit it, but Im also getting old, you know
t h o s e

t w o

Feeling amused, Miko suddenly thought, Surely it must be reflected in Sora and Shiro's eyes the simple world,
even though it didnt look like it in my younger days. That was something only allowed to be seen by children, so,
what if I hadnt really seen it? If the world is, in truth, just like how these two are saying, something that was just
that simple, then

everyone is

What if its just that we are simply making it look complicated?

Alright then, Im counting on you.
With the words that fell together with her bitter smile, each one of the fools who were about to challenge god
showed a smile of their own. Just as they desired and expected. It was something so simple, and so easy. Something
to decide who was the most stupid one; it was an easily understandable
Saa Let the game begin !!
Sora shouted joyfully at the same time that Miko threw up the Warbeasts piece. High, far above his head
towards the piece that was launched upwards to reach the Old Deus, swirling far higher into the heavens.
Everyone also raised their arms, as if trying to pierce through the narrow inner garden

 Aschente!!

The shouting of the pledge echoed, starting the game that would absolutely adhere to theTen Oaths. Using the
L

declaration that they would obey the rules established by the Sole God, who had exaggerated that the world had
changed, as a signal, the wriggling divine power that had accumulated in that place breached out.
Miko thought inside her consciousness that was at the mercy of the turbulent power that surged like a tsunami.
The world hadnt changed at all.
The girl who once thought like that during her younger days, yearned for a dream. Then, with these hands, Ill
definitely change it. Lets once again immerse in it in the dream which I unconsciously woke up from when
becoming an adult, Miko thought.
In this game. In the Old Deus. In her. In the moment that we can prove that we won. Now, for once, the world
should change at that time alone yes, Ill recognize it. That his words when he listed the oaths, in the far
away past, on that day when the Great War ended, werent a lie.
That the world can be changed that in the changed world, certainly THAT has changed!!
Thats why.
(I still wont apologize yet self-proclaimed Sole God-san)
Were you just a liar, or was it just that I was a fool? The moment that answer comes out Ill apologize, just
a little bit. For calling you a terrible liar too many times Thats right, Ill do itpatiently, she thought while
slightly extending out her tongue.
Leaving behind such expectation and sarcasm, Mikos consciousness got washed away to beyond the light.

That phenomenon was witnessed by everyone around the world.
Recreation through thepowerborn on an island that floated in the Far Easts ocean. It occurred in a
blink of the eye, and although inexplicably, it was witnessed even at the backside of the planet. It was as if the
planet that was being distorted couldnt help but let its screams be known throughout the heavens and earth.
The darkness of the night was broken, and the light of day was torn off. That irreverent, absurd, and
s h a p e

unreasonable power shook even the planet itself. The power became waves, the waves turned into substance,
concept was defined and then revealed. Imitating the beginning of the universe, through the divine feat that
replicated the creation of heaven and earth a land was born in the sky.
The land that was born in midair spun successively and, eventually, it became a spiral made by a single ray. The
vortex swirled and a tower reaching up to the moon was built then it became a celestial corridor.
Even if they werent able to understand what was happening, their instincts trembling was enough.
Those who, unfortunately, were able to understand it too were forced by their rationality to fold their knees
and tremble.

Just who was it? The existence executing such amiraclethat defied reason?
Their blood, soul, even their existence itself seemed to be chopped down, while not fading even when that
memory

overlapped eternally their f ea r answered.

Towards the one that, in the past, had defined all the universe, created the heavens and broke down the earth
memory

their dread spoke.

That was why everyone who had witnessed that phenomenon, did something that day. Without having anything
else they couldve done, or shouldve done, besides that
In other words, Oh. Please, god Besides praying like that, there was nothing else

There was a single person at the summit of the giant chess piece at the ends of the world. A true and genuine
god the Sole God, that supervised everything of this world was
*Achoo* *Ah-choo* *sniff* Im really being called a lot today, huh, even though its not my doing~
He was rubbing his red nose while holding a trash can that was filled with tissues. The only unnecessary things that
were produced even by a body of a god are snot and complaints.
Being called liar, liar continuously Is there anything crueler than those harmful rumors?
Im about to cry, alright?
Tet was seeing the new land that was born in the heavens, while flapping his legs discontentedly. It was a continent
in the heavens that expanded on a scale big enough to completely cover up all the land from the Eastern Union to
Elkia.
It was the vast game board that one of the Old Deus had assembled temporarily, but
Haha This may be a little unexpected. So, you like those pretty and flashy things, huh?
Even for an Old Deus, youre using your power too flashily, you know, towards such murmur that Tet had spilled
out no.
Sunny Aster

Question. The work from this time, is it your work Holder of theStar Grail?
Toward his calling, a voice that echoed from the void answered. It was extremely difficult to do something like
T

speaking out to the Sole God, even with the power of an Old Deus, yet
Im not anyones ally I wonder how many times I have to say it so that you understand *achoo*!
M

Reply properly when youre being talked to by the Sole God, alright
Tet was trying to be irreverent, but, with a completely aloof smile, he tossed away one more tissue into the trash
can.
False. The one who summoned us from the other world was you. Your participation, disclose that intent.
g a m e

If this world was a contest of Race Pieces for the Old Deus, who were fighting each other to earn the right to
challenge the Sole God, then, just what did the participation of the Sole God himself mean the voiced asked
so, but, Tet promptly laughed at it.

 There was no such weight behind it. If he really had to say something, then there was only expectation, he
thought
How about this intention then: Its because I want to see you guys barking faces, since you are ruining the
game with that misunderstanding
Despite the childishness he had answered with, that was Tets unfeigned true feeling it was only expectation,
but, the voice of the Old Deus resounding from the void continued indifferently.
Sunny Aster

If there was to have such a convergence, theStar Grailshould know.

If you want to see my face, then look at the future Cant you just say it in an easier way like that?
Smiling bitterly at that, Tet fluttered the palm of his and in the air.
Im bragging, but, unlike you guys I have good taste.
Floating in his hand was the proof of the Sole God.
s p o l i e r s

To the point that I decided to make it my principle to not look at the future right
Sunny Aster

Star Grail
That was a device with the concept of absolute supremacy It was a vessel where the omnipotent power had
settled. It could even be said that the power existing in this universe was nothing but a mere fragment that had
spilled out and fell from the vessel.
T

For the person that freely controls it, originally, time and even the metaphysical cause and effect they were
already meaningless. Both creation and destruction, past and future, even observation and definition, its all as he
pleases.
To see the future where the Old Deus will make a barking face creating such a future would also be too
easy, but
Is it fun to cheat like that? Looking at the future, was there anything good there?
Sunny Aster

Even if it wasnt as much as Tet, who possessed theStar Grail, if youre an Old Deus, then you should be
able to see the future up to a certain point, right, he laughed with sarcasm.
I dont look at anything besides the past.
With a single murmur, he made the trash can disappear and brought up a single book and feather pen. That book,
which God had bundled and wrote, that was still majorly occupied by blank pages
Thats why Im excited, wanting to write this games result This continuation, you see.
It was the future expected by the God who had rejected omniscience. It was a story that still didnt exist which
recorded a myth that not even God knew.
.
Tet let out a bitter smile at the silence that was essentially to measure his real intention. There was no way she
would accept Tets words as true.
ThatDivine Essencedefinitely wouldnt allow it to be accepted as true.
Did you call me out for such nonsense?
Hm~ alright. The mockery and instigation were, to the bitter end, just a bo~nus The main issue is, you see
Right, together with a bitter smile, Tet pointed at the blank page.

Sunny Aster

Your name is unknown even to theStar Grailyou see, so teach me? Because I cant write it here otherwise
He said so, but, maybe it was because he had rejected omniscience. Because Tet was laughing, without even
noticing that he was pretty much saying that the main issue was also an instigation.
*kshh*
The communication was severed, leaving behind the annoying sound of space cracking.
Uwah To pull out the entire circuit altogether As a gamer, I wonder about that?
While letting out a sigh, Tet let the feather pen fall to the book in his hands.
On one side, there are people who think that the world is so simple, even children can understand it.
On one side, there are people who think that the world is complex and strange, that its meaningless since it will
never be understood.
On one side, there are people who think that the world hasnt changed and will never change.
On one side, there are people who think that the world keeps changing and that its trying to change even now.
Both in the past and in the present, too. That was also true for people, machines, beasts gods Was it
truly only one of them, or could it be that
Tet covered his face, as if to answer all and every question. He thought alone about the fact that makes everyone
skeptical as if complaining, that it wasnt a lie.
On that really, really distant day, the world really changed, you see.
I

Sunny Aster

When the God of Play held theStar Grail, certainly with those hands, it changed, you know. Turning the
heavens and earth into a game board, the laws into rules certainly it was changed.
But, even if the heavens and earth change, there are things that wont change, things that shouldnt be changed,
you know.
p l a y e r s

g a m e

I cannot change even the ones who live in this world, its something that I must not change.
t h o s e

t w o

Sunny Aster

Just like how the will of the Old Myth gave birth to me, to theStar Grail, and allowed the world to change, the
p l a y e r s

ones who live in this world must wish for it to change, you see.
You guys will change it, right!? You will overturn everything until you come here, right!?
t h e s e

t w o

e v e r y t h i n g

The will of the New Myth, this time, will change even the players. And surely itll be pushy, maybe even a
nuisance, while asking no questions. Dragging around everything, with a method just like that of the worst kind of
ill-mannered child
No matter who it is he surely will be cornered to the point where he has no choice but to change.
Only at that time.
g

Finally, this world above the board will start in its true meaning.
Sure an interesting game, ever since the creation of the universe has finally started.
Tet lowered his legs and crossed it, while waiting from the depths of his heart for the moment that itll get recorded
in the past form, just like that.

 You too, Im looking forward to call you by your name the next time we meet, alright?
The only one in this world.
Tet, who knew the one who was distorting the world in front of his eyes theDivine Essencethat Miko
harbored, said.
t

For it was none other than you, who created the machine with a heart yet, for you to be making such a face,
thats
After swallowing his next words, he forcibly tried smiling.
In the enormous game board that was constructed that shook the heavens and the earth, deeply inside it, as if not to
let a single hand and foot movement from the ones that will reach the Newest Myth escape, he only gazed at it
g a m e

And, no matter which match you are observing, you should cheer for them, right? Cheering for your favorite player
is good, but, its also hard to throw away a surprising upset. Who should I cheer for
Though the Sole God pondered like that, he soon raised his face. And then, as if he was materializing the real
nature of the world he created with his hands
Everyone~ do your best Im cheering for mostly everyone, alright~ Ahaha
He threw out an air that looked so relaxed, it was appropriate as an end.

Wake up

Awaken.
Sora opened his eyes at the words that pierced through his slumber. Raising up his body as if he was detaching it
from the ground, he let his eyes waver dreamily, due to not being fully awake
Haha, now this was a splendid situation discernment even for myself, Sora laughed while praising himself.
After taking a quivering look around, with just that single glance he uncovered two problems.
Sora thought with his head completely calm, categorizing it in the order of severity to priority.

TheFirst Problemwas a matter of concern.

A change in the Committee of 300 Official Bishoujo Rankings inside Soras brain in other words, it was
about the matter that there was an incredibly cute girl in the gaze he had let wander before.
A young girl was floating in space, sitting atop of an ink pot the size of her height while supporting her cheeks.
Dressed in an elegant, oriental garment though, with a different style than the Eastern Unions, holding a paint
brush in her hands. With countless scrolls spread on her back like wings or a veil, she was looking down with her
silver colored eyes no.
somewhere

With fake, enigmatic eyes that dont seem to hold interest towards anything, it vacantly followed something that
this place

wasnt h e r e . Just like a puppet but, Sora, almost had his eyes stolen forcefully by that god-like beauty.
For Sora, who had already gotten tired of seeing only beautiful girls, this was a serious matter of concern.

 Youre completely right if you say what the hell are you saying, even though youre just a virgin! but!!
Dis bo ard

Each and every single one of the girls Ive met ever seen I came to this world they dont know moderation.
A princess that would lead idols to an inevitable public execution if they were to stand near her, an angel that
would make top models sink into an inferiority complex, a young girl with animal ears, whos awakening to her loli
attribute, thats an assist for a one-way arrest route for criminals be it this one or that one, theyre all like
that.
Im still updating my history of being without a girlfriend, though!
Thats why for the current Sora, whos just used to women, a mere bishoujo wont be enough to distress him.
He dropped the assignment while thinking I also had a time when I thought like that~
But, the girl in front of him was trying to join the rankings right after the immobile Committee Member
S

Number One. Noticing that it concerned the next problem, Sora decided to think about that one for now. That
being said, theSecond Problemwasnt that much of a problem. After all, it was something that would be solved
if you just ask it out.
Erm? Where is this, who is this girl and what am I doing here?
a n s w e r s

In other words, it was about the matter that there were no such memories.

Sora reflected on the priority of the problems while clenching his teeth. Its the contrary, right! Normally,
you would think about this one first!! What was that about incredible situation discernment, you fool!! That way
If I dont know the name of Provisional Number Two-san, I wont be able to add her into the rankings, right,
idiot!!
Mm Nii? Where is this?
S

After looking up to the sunset, Sora heard Number One-san murmuring with sleepy eyes.
Dropping a small Hm he looked around their surroundings again. Just like them, those who were down on
the floor were waking up successively.
Jibril, Steph, Plum, Izuna, Ino
But, after seeing them all look around the area with troubled faces, Sora confirmed it once more. Somehow, it
seemed theSecond Problemwont be solved even if he asked someone. It seems that no one has those
memories, he thought, but
Hm~ Well, I dont know, but, theres no problem, right. Since it wont change the fact that its a
problem we cant do anything about, Sora quietly answered.
Taking Shiros hand and helping her up, he looked overProvisional Number Two-sanbefore him.
Even if he didnt know who she was, it was obvious what she was. That fear of suffering an unnatural death,
just like having a heavy caliber gun pointed at you, like from the time he first met Jibril, there wasnt even that in
the girl floating before him.
People must become like this when faced with things like tornadoes and tsunamis, huh, Sora thought.
There wasnt any despair nor the fear of death. There was only daze and simply resignation. It didnt even
nature

allow the thought of resisting. The sensation coming from an existence that embodies ones breath of the world
clearly answered.

 This was agod.

E

It was the manifestation of All Things in Creation, the peak of the Sixteen Races, Rank Number One Old
Deus.
But, if thats it, then its a simple story, right, Sora spoke exaggeratedly.
Where is this? Its inside the game!! What are you doing? You are playing the game!! Thats all!
As for where this place is, its a place we knew thats right, its in the past tense.
It was supposed to be within the Eastern Union, at the Temple of the Priestess Inner Garden but now, there
were seven doors casually built there. If they look up above their heads, there was an enormous land floating as if to
cover the sky.
I see, theres no such memories about starting that kind of game. But, there are memories up to leaving Elkia
to challenge the Old Deus. So, did the game with the Old Deus start and there was amemory deprivationin the
rules?
Anyway, theres no problem.
N-Not even once have I looked down upon Master, but, isnt it about time to remember dread
Its incredible how you can remain nonchalant in front of an Old Deus Where does that confidence
come from?
An iridescent voice flew towards Sora, who frolicked like a child in a typhoon, but he was smiling bitterly.
A transcendental existence beyond the understanding of a mere human, surpassing both despair and fear!!
Uwah, what a fearsome thing!!
But, going by the mere human that was Sora he couldnt feel anything. What would a native from
Earth do when facing natural calamities like tornadoes and tsunamis? Take out a cell phone to take a photo and
spread it on the net, like a duty.
As such, Sora approached Provisional Number Two-san, while aiming for a low-angle shot of the one estimated to
be a god
The Old Deus, who was just moving the brush with eyes that didnt reflect anything without letting a single word
out until now, spoke as if was simply confirming; indifferently, emotionlessly, lifelessly.
Play Start Condition One: The challengers memories of the past twenty-four hours Collection,
confirmed.
T

At the words that affirmed his guess, only Sora and Shiro gathered and laughed fearlessly. That god, just by
floating in space, made even Jibril become pale.
This non-standard existence This Old Deus, we challenged it to a game, they thought. And theStarting
Chipswas, in other words, twenty-four hours worth of memories it was this kind of situation.
Soras chest was filled with expectation, excited by a worthy opponent, but

 Two: Depending fee the commonly calledMikos life Collection, confirmed. It will be
considered as established by the Play Start conditions.
All thinking stopped after those words.
Wha!? M-Miko-sama!?
That was concealed by the too overwhelming presence. Right below the Old Deus floating in space, they noticed a
puppet lying on the built white, wooden steps. Ino let out a scream and ran, kicking from the ground as if to break it
and Izuna followed after him. The two of them lifted up the powerless and immobile Miko, continuously calling her
but
With the Warbeasts five senses, they shouldve already known even before running. If there was a breath in
Mikos body, if there was a pulsation they shouldve noticed it long since.
Thats why, it was just like the Old Deus said Herlifehad been collected.
It was unmistakably Mikosremains.

Just what happened? While Ino and Izunas backs were trembling, Sora desperately soothed his thoughts
that were almost becoming a mess.
Calm down. The memories are still fine, but, Mikos life was also astarting chip? Theres no way such a
condition would ever be accepted Did Miko herself wish for it? Or was it that
g

Well then theSugoroku1you have desired From this moment on, itll be considered to have started
r

and theregulationswill now be disclosed.

With an expression that didnt seem to hold the slightest interest in them no, towards anything in the world
the Old Deus spoke indifferently, essentially lifelessly, with eyes that released a cold shine No.

TLC Note: Sugoroku is a traditional Japanese board game played with dices, like USAs variant, Backgammon, if people
even know what that game is.
1

01: Each of the seven players ownMass of Existence Timewill be granted as tenDices, split into percentages.
02: The Dice Holder can only move across the same amount of squares as the outcome of throwing all the dices they
possess.
03: The resulting value from throwing the dice is random, and, after throwing it, onedice from the used ones will be
lost.
04: In the case oftraveling together, after declaring so, the travelers will only move in accordance to the outcome of
o n e

p e r s o n

the representative.
05. In the case that the number of players moving together surpasses two people, anOverall Number of Travel
Companions X Attendantss worth of dices will be removed from the number of dices used.
06: From the moment the game begins, the Players hold the right to create 50Taskseach.
07: TheTaskwill be directed at the Dice Holder that has stopped on the related square, who will then be forced to
follow whatever instruction it holds.
08: The Dice Holder will not be able to proceed until either theTaskhas been accomplished or seventy-two hours
have elapsed.
09: Through the accomplishment of theTask, the Dice Holder will be able to steal one dice from the Question
Master. If it isnt accomplished, then one dice will be stolen from the Dice Holder instead.
10: EachTaskwill be described on a bulletin board set non-sequentially on the squares of the board.
11. TheTaskmay, based on its contents, change the environment of the square in question.
12: However, all theTasksthat includes any of the following will be considered to be invalid:
12a: Words which limits theTaskto a specific target.
12b: Impossible to accomplish by anyone but the Question Master, or, with instructions impossible for any of
the Players.
12c: Words directed at the Dice Holder designating an advance or retreat of squares, independently of the
outcome from the dices.
12d: Words written in any other language besides the Imanitys.
13: The Dice Holder that reaches the last square will be theWinnerand, as such, the game will end.
14. The Old Deus in question has the obligation to fulfill all the requests of theWinner, within the range of its
rights.
15. If all Players lose their entirety of dices or if they becomeUnable to Continuethrough DEATH, the game
will end.
16: In the case that the Old Deus in question becomesUnable to Continue, they will be granted the right to
COLLECT EVERYTHING of all participants, with the exception of the Leading Player.

00a: The game board is an imitation of reality, but, the events that occur are all real, including death.
00b: Theres one person among the Dice Holders whose memories werent collected, aTraitor.

Thats right, theregulationsor whatever they were was effortlessly simply poured without question
directly into Sora and everyones brains.
Just what is going on!
Seriously, just what the hell is up with this!!
Hey, dont be lazy and explain it with your mouth even god has one, is it really that troublesome?
Sora was talking lightly, but, his face was dyed with an anxiety that couldnt be hidden. It wasnt just Sora, as the
rules were poured into their brains, everyone who instantly understood reacted the same way. They looked at each
others puzzled, apprehensive, and anxious faces and chests.
Thats right, chest At the ten white cubes that had appeared on their chests at some point.
b

I see, just like the Old Deus said, this looks likeSugoroku.
g a m e

b o a r d

On that land of sprial that expands above our heads, we throw these white dices and move on the squares. As we
throw the dices, theyll decrease by one, and the one that reaches the goal is victorious
But, that means
Why did it
Become a game where the players kill each other!!
Originally, words were the hand of creation.
Was it because she knew what Sora thought inside his heart, or was it because she didnt know Or maybe, it
was because she didnt care. The Old Deus answered Soras light talk with an unchangeable cold gaze. With eyes
as if looking down upon a small pebble that rolled near its feet, disinterestedly and lifelessly, but
If its a gods words, then know that its far too much for mere lower beings like yourselves.
Those eyes certainly captured Sora and Shiros figures. As if seeing through the two of them Or maybe
something or someone that exists deep inside.
?
Those eyes he saw for a moment For Sora, they looked familiar. Those familiar eyes were far to unbecoming
for someone of such a transcendental race an Old Deus, and yet
You should learn the weight of your own words If you have the wisdom for that, that is.
g

It disappeared in an instant. The Old Deus simply pointed the brush in its hands to the sky.

I will wait at the end. Crawl on the ground while meaninglessly spending your predetermined life then, you
may climb up.
h

After that proclamation, the Old Deus' figure disappeared along with Mikos corpse. As if it was some kind of
dream; as if it didnt exist from the very beginning so easily. What was left were the seven people including
Sora, the seven doors, and
Silence.

Confusion, suspicion, impatience, maybe even rage had stagnated the place and was accumulating. While gazes that
measured each other were being exchanged, Sora bit his nails and once again questioned himself.
Just what is going on......!!
Nii.
Shiros voice was calling from behind but, he couldnt even afford to answer. Sora was pouring down a lot of
sweat as he scrutinized the rules many, many times again and again
Certainly, there were a lot of places that made him feel like something was wrong, but, it was weird from the very
start, damn it!
Nii hey hey, Nii
In this game, if you dont steal someone elses dices then its theoretically impossible to reach the goal. If one
person will write fifty squares, then the amount of squares will bethree hundred and fiftyplus therising
squares. But, if the number of dices decreases as theyre thrown then even if you keep getting six the limit
will bethree hundred and twenty-four. Even more so when this is a Prisoners Dilemma Theres no
possible result besides stealing each others dices.
dice

Thats right, if you dont steal someone elses lifedivided into ten parts, you cannot reach the goal.
Then, for starters!!
Nii, if you keep ignoring Shiro if you dont answer then
This was supposed to bea game with an Old Deus as the opponent, right and yet! How did it turn into
one where the Old Deus is a game master and something like making players kill each other, such
development is
Shiro will lower down the panties and flip up the skirt.
che SHUT UP YES NIICHAN IS RIGHT HERE HE ANSWER WHAT!?
He responded to the urgent situation that prevailed over any and all crisis
s h u t t i n g

d o w n

In other words, to protect his little sisters chastity, Sora turned around while forcefully ending all his thought
processes and causing even a shock wave
Hah?

And then, after seeing Steph, who had her panties lowered by Shiro, in that miraculous moment of that interlude
where the skirt obeyed gravity, he pressed the X button inside his brain without hesitation.
And then

Sora engraved

The current scene

deeply into his heart.

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!? W-W-Wha-What are you doing so suddenly!

Putting Steph aside, who let a scream resound an instant slower, who hurriedly pressed down her skirt and pulled
Little Sister

U t o p i a

up her underwear, the Great Person who let him see the Xanadu spoke expressionlessly.
Didnt say Shiros
Ahh, thats right~ Niichan was completely fooled, you know, ahahaha this~ fel~low
Gazes that were just like needles poured down from all directions at Sora, who was in so much high spirits that he
even forgot about the situation
He repeatedly pressed down theremembercommand inside his brain.
But, the Sage Time Sora was playing back that Xanadu in a loop and didnt show any signs of noticing it.
Steph so you finally stopped hiding your exhibitionism habit, huh? No, I dont mind it at all, you see?
Haaaah!? S-She sneaked behind me and undressed me all on her own, you know!?
Its fine if you dont hide your heart, OK? By theTen Oaths, she cant undress you if you dont allow / accept
it even if its unconsciously and such that was something you desired and
With a voice like a Buddha disturbing the bloom of a lotus flower, Sora, who eventually made a sign with his
hands suddenly, stopped.
Wait.
Wait, wait, wait, wait!! Or rather.
Why is Steph here?
Saying why is she here after doing something like that to me is already bullying, isnt it!?
She asserted with teary eyes, but, Sora simply ignored her and turned around, looking back to the gazes directed at
him in order.
Shiro, Jibril, Izuna, Ino and, Plum and
.
Nii, did you calm down?
Erm Shiro. Could it be that, Niichan took too long to notice?
Sora let out a smile while snorting at himself, but, Shiro returned the smile with a face that didnt have a single
trace of nervousness to be seen. Exposing the game seeing Sora, who got depressed for lagging behind in
S o r a ' s

his own field of expertise, Shiro said:

Shiro, too dont understand the situation but
There wasnt anything she needed to worry about if it was within her brothers field of expertise.
If its the usual Nii, then itll be fine so
With that, Shiro held his hands and with that sensation Sora reflected seriously.
He was aware that he was an idiot. Rather, he even felt proud of it. Not only that, if it was about the degree of
idiocy, then he even prided himself that no one could match him.

Even if it was a situation like that, just why did I ever let the blood rush to my head
Just why did I think about it so seriously?
Right Smiling bitterly at the situation he finally managed to get down, Sora turned straight to Steph.
Erm I feel like I dont even need to ask, but, did you
did not understand the rules! Im sorry about that, alright!
Still exposing her cautiousness even now, Steph yelled while pressing down on her skirt. Smiling at the real fact
and her misplaced confidence that now even felt reliable, Sora continued.
To put it simply, this is Sugoroku. You throw the dices and keep proceeding towards that thing above our heads
while aiming for the goal.
Hmm, hmm.
And so, about those dices. Those will decrease one by one as you keep throwing them.
Yes, yes.
After saying that, Sora picked up one of the plain white cubes that showed up on his chest one dice.
After you throw this dice, you surely will get a random outcome, huh
This, you see? Its age In other words, its yourLife, alright.
Yes?
Steph froze, but, Sora continued speaking like usual.
If they reach zero, youre dead. Eternal sleep, ascension into heaven, last moments like that. Do you follow
me up to here?
Eh, yes? Its not fine at all, right!? Eh, well die!?
The rules saidMass of Existence Time so the correct term should be disappearance. In other words, it
J

was supposed to be a game where you bet your lifespan, but, the one without a lifespan, whos not amortal
would be a problem. Anyway, we can guess what will happen if her existence time if her age becomeszero.
And so, its absolutely impossible to reach the goal with only ten dices. Thats why, theres no other choice
besides increasing the number of dices.
If you include the rising squares, it will bethree hundred and fifty-onesquares until the goal. You can only get
up tothree hundred and twenty-fourwith the biggest outcome possible it still wont reach the goal.
For that Use theTasksand steal the others dices now do you understand?
If you summarize it, this game.
dices

This game was designed so that we steal thelifefrom each other and theres no other way to ascend if not
by indirectly killing each other.
As Sora summarized the rules, everyones eyes became sharp while they measured each other. It was a game
against an Old Deus and yet.
k i l l i n g

There was no other way to win besides defeating the other players but.
Dont joke with me Theres no way I will accept something like that!!
Isnt that so? No one wants to die~ I dont want to die, either~ Thats why Were going to do it this way.

Steph yelled after finally understanding the situation, but, Sora continued while laughing even so.
Everyone, leave the tasksemptyand one person will gather nine dices from each person.
Theres no rule forbidding the transference of dices. Then
With that, itll be the incredible birth of theHolder of Sixty-Four Dices!! The biggest value with just one play
will bethree hundred and eighty-four so, if youre not careful, its possible to reach the goal in a single
move! No one will reach zero and no one will die~ You may fall for me now if you want to, OK?
N-Now, for the first time, Im in the mood where I actually think it would be fine to fall
Steph said, being incredibly simplistic, though, she really seemed to be moved, but
B-But, Master wont that be impossible if theTraitorisnt identified?
Master

Thats right, surely there was no way Sora havent noticed it.
What Jibril had timidly submitted was exactly that the true identity of this paranoia.
00b: Theres one person among the Dice Holders that havent had their memories collected, a
Traitor.
It was a game that purposefully started while havingErasure of memories from before the gameas a condition.
That meant nothing else but that there was something that just theTraitorknew. And since no one confessed
to it the traitors intent was clear.
Deceive everyone and plot something so that only he, himself, wins literally, aTraitor.
Who will we gather the dices at? No, what mattered here was something far more important than that.
The situation where everyone definitely wouldnt acknowledge that Mikos life was aStarting Chipwas already
impossible.
If you went by the memories of theTraitorthat set everyone up, then even the victory conditions would
change
Sora also made the blunder of thinking about such an enormous, irrelevant point, but
Ahh~ about that. Theres no problem at all.
Sora dismissed it with a smile in an instant, and not only Jibril, but, Ino, Izuna and Plum too No, even Shiro,
too, raised her eyebrows in doubt and only Sora, alone, smiled bitterly.
I see, so there is a traitor.
Is it that kind of overused scenario where even though you can win if you cooperate, you cant cooperate with each
other?
The one where everyone becomes paranoid while investigating each other thinking, who is the traitor? and
destroying their bonds where everyone goes to self-destruction?
t h e o r y

You must have expected that kind of guaranteedstandardthat have the super serious development of a sure liar
game?
Then Im rea~lly sorry about it, he thought.
Sora had regained his usual expression and laughed, ridiculing it that development was precisely what was
t h e o r y

impossible. That guarantee was the first thing to be excluded from the very point that these members were

participating. Even more so when it was Sora, who was like that since he was born and only knew to live that way,
so he laughed at it with his nose.
t h e o r y

Hell if I know about that guarantee who is the traitor, you ask?
Anyone is fine since it doesnt matter either way.

Really, since its a bother Lets just say that Im theTraitor

Right. Sora miscellaneously truncated everything and said that with a really good smile.
.
There was a silence deeper than the ocean. Interpreting the stunned, confused, and suspicious silence as
dissatisfaction, Sora continued.
Erm, are you thinking that I will not betray since Im playing a game with these members!? T-Then as
evidence
Ill think about it starting now, so wait a little.
The self-proclaimed traitor imposingly declared so while whining and using sophistry
Anyway, theTraitoris the one who plots something in order to leave everyone out of it so that only he can
win, right?
After taking a single breath, he looked at the faces of everyone lined up around him, while point at them in order.
w h i t e

Then, first, Izuna isnot guilty. Theres no way she could win against me and Shiro when its about deception
and exclusion.
*twitch* Izunas ears twitched and her eyes became round.
w h i t e

Gramps is alsonot guilty. Theres no way he has the guts to even use Miko-sans life just to leave us out of
it.
*pachi* Crackles ran through Inos glasses and his face became dyed in red with blood vessels popping up.
w h i t e

Plum is alsonot guilty. Theres no way someone who lost so perfectly and completely to us would ever take
on such a risk.
*suu* Plums eyes slowly became sharp and his lip twisted a little.
w h i t e

Jibril is alsonot guiltysince it would be all over if Shiro and I were to say confess. Even more so when
theres no way she would ever think of something so scary as leaving her great master that is Sora-sama out of it,
ri~ght?
Yes! Jibrils eyes opened up, but, she followed it with an insecure smile.
Continuing, you are an exception, excluded, not even worth a single thought! Done proving it!!
Wait a second!? Wasnt I, alone, too much miscellaneously!?
And then lastly, Shiro and I are two people as one So, was all the above satisfying enough, I wonder?
ah
Noticing the intention of her brother, Shiro revealed a small smile.

Thats right this is agame.

The possession or lack of memories didnt matter at all; there were countless things you could affirm
For example, Sora is 18 years old and a virgin. There was no way you from all people ever held hands properly, or
something like that.
t

Everything is decided by games inthe World Atop a Game Board.

In this world that Tet flashily produced and even prattled that it was the utopia that Sora and Shiro saw in their
dreams, this development suits it way better than that one from a sure liar game.
Thats right, this was the same as
i g n o r i n g

s t a n d a r d s

The whats so wrong about being a confined sniper?

And thats how it is! The contradiction that this is a game against an Old Deus and yet the Players have to kill each
other has been solved! Thats why its been proved this is a collaboration game a game which you can win if
you trust each other! So relax and throw in your blankTasksand give the dices to me Ah, no, let me say
it in a more courteous way.
Then, he stopped and started gesturing like a pretentious stage actor Ah, Ah...... And now, with a really good
voice and with a smile that even God would find lovely.
dices

Cooperate with me so that I can win by giving me all of yourlives, you servants. As a proof of trust
After Sora said that, one by one they filled out theirTasks.
Then they walked away to the room beyond the door that isolated them from each other. After exiting it, Sora
laughed completely aloof and nonchalantly.
This game was really simple and it didnt matter who was the traitor.
Were playing with those members, after all Since.
They can sincerely believe that Ill betray everyone, right?

C l o s e d

C i r c l e

Chapter 1 Rejuvenation and Aging

Seven hours must have passed since the start of the game with the Old Deus. Sora was currently running
through an alley covered by the darkness of the night.
There were no stars in the night sky separated by the squares of concrete. Droplets of a small rain and rough
footsteps were hitting the hard asphalt. A single handgun was ready in his hands and the only approaching shadow
was reflected in his eyes it was theEnemy.

Ch!!
He clicked his tongue once. Overlaying his sights on the enemy, he pulled the trigger with machine-like thinking.
The hammer stroked the detonator, the explosives shell casing reacted, detonation The shock caused his hand
to shake.
The supersonic gas born from the conversion to the solid phase pushed out everything from inside the gun and
made it accelerate the lead that blew from the muzzle split the air. The flash of light uncovered the shadow.
With a process of less than milliseconds, the lead and the light turned into a deadly weapon that pierced through the
dark night.
It shot the following shadow with a frightening speed hitting the body of the small Warbeast uncovered by the
flash of light.
Exactly, it was at thebody He wont aim at thehead.
The firepower of a handgun from such a weird game couldnt be trusted. No, even with the handgun that Sora knew
from the old world, the bullet would slip on the bone with the smallest deviation of the angle. That was even more
true when it was the cranium, the toughest bone in the human body.
Even more so when theenemywasnt a human they were Warbeasts and monsters greater than that.
The aim was at the triangle made by the jaw and both chests. Itll steal the combat capacity no matter where it hits
and he can hope to damage the vital organs if it hits at the center Now, what the bullet that was coldly and
rationally fired, pursuing the kill will do, he wondered.
It teared into the small Warbeast, who then slipped on the road with the same speed as she followed and
turned into a corpse.
He killed it. Thats right, he killed it.
This game is really simple, Sora laughed darkly.
If you dont know the traitor is, then it doesnt matter who it is. With the exception of his little sister, the only
one who definitely wont betray him he can simply kill everyone else. Remove everyone thats suspected to
t h e o r y

be a traitor this incredibly simple answer was this games scenario.

Thats right, its a simple game, Sora covered himself and smiled bitterly.
I n f e r n o

M o d e

Simple but, also a game that easily surpasses the very hard, with a super degree of difficulty. And that was
because theenemywas a bunch of monsters that you couldnt compete with normally. Even so, I still cant lose
he had survived until now with that stubbornness.
Sora turned his gaze around and sorted out the situation while being cautious.

 It was a view that looked like Tokyo, but, was somehow different, just like the one he saw in the game with
the Eastern Union. The height of the buildings, the complex back alleys, the objects installed at each place of that
map
Making full use of those advantageous spots, he managed to finish off those three: a large-sized Warbeast, a
Dhampir, and a small-sized Warbeast. All of them were done in through trickery and shooting: feigning to be an
ally and then shoot at their back, luring them out with lies and then sniping them.
While being continuously calleddirtyby Shiro, he survived until now by not choosing his methods but.
That nasty monster who calls itself an angel.
Just that one alone he didnt feel like itll work out somehow at all. After sorting the situation out, he let out a
sigh in the back alley, covered his respiration and strained his ears. Countless footsteps in the distance were slowly
getting closer, gradually closing in.
If I could at least regroup with my little sister No, I guess that even that wouldnt be desirable in this
situation, huh.
It was a hopeless speech but, this kind of speech at such a time was obviously a flag. While thinking that halfexpected and half-amazed, Soras ears captured the footsteps firmly stepping in the back alley.
Reacting even faster than his thoughts, ahead of the aim was the figure of a red-hair girl Contrary to
Soras will, the aim wavered.
The girl was suspicious. Rather than suspicious, its more like it was far harder to search for something about her
that wasnt suspicious. But, Sora put aside those thoughts and eventually spoke some words.
You, just how did you get inside this area No, lets leave the talk for later. My sister is together with you,
huh. Did you find a countermeasure
Sure we found it.
There was no sound, only the shock conveyed.
He understood it in one beat. It seemed the bullet that came flying from behind the red-haired girl pierced his
abdomen.
We shouldve just done this from the very start Isnt that right, Traitor-san?
Wrong that was a bluff!
Contrary to his will, his body didnt move, and his blurry vision captured the shooter of the devilish bullet that
pierced through him
He gasped. The slightly red light from the fire that burned the gun barrel reflected the one approaching through the
guns smoke.
The white-haired girl that, for the sake of searching for a way to survive this hopeless game, had accompanied
the red-haired girl it was his little sister.
f r o z e d

Putting Sora aside, whose thoughts stopped with his mouth opened, dumbfounded.
If the one doing something like going around killing everyone isnt the traitor, then who you say it will be!?
Hearing the infuriated scream, Wrong he replied. Or he tried to, but, a load of blood overflowed from his
mouth and spilled out instead.
That was because if I didnt do so At that time, you wouldnt have, protected my little sister
Just like a revelation, Sora came to understand it in an instant. It was within the predictions that the red-haired
girl would betray. But, one that definitely wouldnt betray him, his little sister, had betrayedthen the answer
was
So it was you, huh the real traitor thefakewas you from the very start!!

Thats right he said towards the something that was looking back to her dying brother with mocking eyes.
With my little sisters appearance, with her face dont turn those trashy eyes to meeeeeeeeeeeee!!
The red-haired girl swallowed her breath at his wailing scream but, it was too late. The flash of light mercilessly
illuminated the back alley once again two times, three times. The figure of the red-haired girl collapsing on
the ground reflected in his already half-blackened vision.
Its a lie, right I only, believed
in you, but, her lips stopped midway, and the light wouldnt return to her dull eyes ever again.
The white-haired girl the traitor that had the appearance of his little sister slowly approached him. Hearing the
approaching death the sound of the shoes hitting the hard and cold asphalt, Sora finally concluded.
Ah. This is a shitty game.
A development where you dont know what will happen is very good. But, super development, youre no good.
f a k e

t h i s

g u y

When and where was the flag indicating that the traitor was the little sister? For starters, whats up with that I
only believed in you speech? Say that earlier. A hint thats only collected right before the event cant be called a
hint!
I wonderWhere did I go wrong For what reason, I worked so hard
Continuing even after having defined it as a shitty game, Sora sharply agreed with that no-good line.
Really, just for what reason did you work so hard for.
He endured this Inferno Mode and came so far just for the sake of his little sister. But, if that single thing was
fake, then, his efforts and hardships, just for what reason he had piled up tricks, tactics, and strategies!?
Bye, bye Nii
Just a single shot. The impact told him so, but, the end was slow the white-haired girls last voice echoed
lifelessly, isolated by the darkness.
Nii how does it feel to die, while still being a virgin?

Well, wait a second.

No, No, seriously wait a second!
Hey, Shiro, thats a lie, right! Youre randomly saying whatever you feel like just because Nii-chan doesnt
understand the language of the Warbeasts, right!! Dont say such reckless things! Just how will you take
responsibility if I accidentally end up crying, huh!?
And then, the black-haired young man lost consciousness.
Sora yelled with teary eyes while gazing at that screen, holding the controller.

Well, surely it doesnt even need to be said, but, what was reflected on the screen wasnt Sora and Shiro, and
obviously not Steph, either. And of course, it didnt have the slightest relation to theSugoroku the Old
Deus game.

 It was right at the beginning, soon after Sora loudly made thattraitordeclaration. Sora requested
everyones dices, but, after they all finished writing theTasksand left through the door, This fight, well buy
it they said it as if it was obvious. No, extremely natural.
After each one of them spoke out their words and feelings, they all threw their dices on their own and proceeded as
they pleased. Likewise, and naturally, Sora and Shiro threw their dices and proceeded aiming for their outcome of
sixty-two
But, after passing through one square, the moment they stepped on the second square, they looked up to the heaven
and then gazed at the nearest house.
Ah, this is an impossible game.

After nodding to each other, they decided to refreshingly forget about everything, confining themselves inside that
p l a y e d

g a m e s

house and ran from reality.

l i f e

Thus, suffering their first defeat, the story of

Kuuhaku

is now over.

l i f e

Please wait expectantly for Sora and Shiros next work.

THE END

 Those two went past the shell of the period of life, and rushed straight to the afterword.
In one hand, you could see eight dices the siblings age had reduced by two-tenths and their limbs had shrunk.
But, the game of the Old Deus had long since turned into a memory of a previous world, that was already far
beyond the horizon of oblivion. They found an Eastern UnionsDomestic Game Machinein the house they had
confined themselves to.

Was there a game? Yes.

Was there a reason to not play it? No.

Contemplating for zero seconds, the two of them wordlessly started the game machine and started to run from
reality refreshed.
Sora (provisionally 14.4 years old) who didnt understand the language of the Warbeasts, set the subtitles as ON.
Shiro (provisionally 8.8 years old) was playing with the Tablet PC using Soras crossed legs as a pillow and read
the subtitles out loud.
Seeing his little sisters unexpected acting skills, while improvising, translating all the characters lines with rich
representations, he thought, why doesnt she always speak so lucidly like that? two hours has passed since he
pulled out such a profound question
But, after finally throwing away the controller, Sora grabbed the package and growled.
Even though I had expected that the Eastern Union would also have Zombie Games what a shitty game.
Going by Shiro, the title wasLiving or Dead 3 ~ The Price of Silence or so it seemed. It also seemed that
the sequel was a spin-off calledLove or Loved that game they played against Izuna. This is what happens
for expecting something from and trying to play something that came from their screwed up senses.
The setting goes like this The Elves large-scale experiment of magic to resurrect the dead had well it
l i v i n g

was the usual super failure thing. The magic that got out of control gave birth to the walking dead~ and then spread
throughout the entire world~
Living Dead

The traitors that were feigning to be alive had hidden among its friends and~
A game with a high level of stupidity. That was fine. A stupid game? Its a favorite! But.
Just what kind of decision would lead into making a Macho Warbeast Zombie with Wings alright in the head!?
Not a single attack had worked and he growled after being reminded of that nasty monster who called itself an
angel. Thats right It was a nasty monster. He was half-naked, after all. No, that was almost fully naked. He
only had a loincloth.
It was that kind of extremely difficult and abnormally weird shitty game with a shitty development at all times, but,
he still endured it even so. All for the sake of the only solace in his mind! TheLittle Sister Character! A whitehaired loli girl with cute animal ears!
And the result was that after Sora remembered suddenly the protagonists speech.
Where did you go wrong? Its the brain of the staff that made this game thats wrong
Throwing away the package, Sora barked while lying on the tatami. While enduring it all for the sake of the little
sister character, there was the super development where that little sister was thefake.
As if that wasnt enough, he was killed while she even looked at him as if she was looking at trash

Huh?
Hm~ well, that part was fine. Yeah. On second thought, that was a reward.
Nii, just how much do you plan on being aggravated?
After being looked by his real little sister as if she was looking at trash, he let out a single cough.
T-Thats! W-Well, as expected the problem surely must be this scenario, right
He looked at the screen while still sprawled on the ground.
Inside the game, the protagonist had used his privilege no matter how many death flags he raised, theyll all
turn into survival flags. Without displaying any regrets, he woke up somewhere just like how it was written. But,
Sora had already lost interest in the development after that, so he rolled around and looked at the ceiling.
While spacing around and emptying his head, he once again remembered that speech.
I wonder where did I go wronghuh

Suspicion kills everyone I wonder why did you think that only you wouldnt be betrayed
t h e o r y

Its obvious that everyone will think the same thing, since thats astandard.
If you betray, then youll be betrayed. Its just inevitable
Thats right Just like how those guys easily betrayed right after they wrote theirTasks. Sora clicked his
tongue, but, at the same time he thought about this situation.
Hey, Shiro, I wonder where did I go wrong
If youre seriously asking that, then, shall I. Answer. You!?
But, the answer he got was a furious war, and
Even though you betrayed me and then made impossible to return that betrayal! You threw everything at me even
after forcefully dragging me together, so just why. Are. You. Holing. Yourself. Up, huh!?
A red-haired girl rushed inside the room after breaking down the sliding door together with a cart. Just like Sora
and Shiro, there were eight dices at her chest she had shrunk to 14.4 years old.
Stephanie Dola was the one who yelled, her breathing was coarse.
See! I acquired the cart you wanted, didnt I!?
Eh~ what?
What was that about again?
You said that you wouldnt move unless I brought a cart, didnt you!
Steph growled while scratching her head after seeing Sora and Shiros blank response.
Now, its fine if I pull it like its a chariot, right, literally like a horse pulling a cart, right!!
Thats right, Steph was urging Sora and Shiro while turning the cart around inside the room, without taking a no for
an answer. As if she was using a shovel, she scooped the both of them up while they were surprised and made them
ride the cart, following, literally, the principle of the chariot.
In a way the the BGM Donna, Donna would fit really well, Steph mercilessly dragged the two recluses out of the
room


In the second square Steph left the cart she was pulling sprawled on the ground. It was being used as a
bed by Shiro, who was using the tablet PC with hollow eyes. Steph cried out to Sora who, until about two hours
ago, declared the gaze before him as animpossible game.

So? Isnt it about time for me to get a satisfying explanation!?

About what? Eh, could it be about the reason I declared to be the traitor? That was
m

Yes, yes, it was to fool the idiot, right~? I already know that!
Sora was answering in an evasive manner in an effort to reject the view in front of him, but, Stephs screaming
continued.
lie

Not even I would fail to see through that stinking act, so, its really unsettling that you thought otherwise!!
Thats right, there wasnt even a single speck of truth in Sorastraitor declaration. A super lie with a
purity rate of 100%, free of any intent to ever add anything to it. It was an act worse than a third-rate one; even
Steph noticed without needing the five sense of the Warbeasts to discover the lie.
But That was exactly why.
Steph didnt know what she was supposed to do.

I dont know what Soras real intentions are but

I believe he wont let anyone die or kill each other.

She extended out her nine dices to Sora together with such a lame speech.
While trembling with a pale face she transferred her existences time; her life.
Your life fading away surely must cause an incredible fear but, she wondered; if this game was all about the
dice

lifedecreasing as you proceed, then, which one was better: that or stealing from those close to you and
indirectly killing them? Putting the fear on the scales, she swallowed her patheticalness, but, even so, she still
decided to do it
And when I finally decided to hand over the dices, it backfires on me! Everyone keenly made that eloquent traitor
declaration!!

Ill buy that fight, desu! Izuna said in a cute way.

Its an honor for me to be able to challenge the Masters. Jibril said so reverently.
Ill make you regret throwing salt at my wounds, got it? Plum said mysteriously.
And Ino saidDiereally, without beating around the bush, straight

dices

And what you said while you guys were proceeding by throwing your ownliveswithout hesitation when
all I could do was watch!!
While that was happening, Steph had already handed over nine dices nine-tenths of her life. In other words,
Steph had returned to a single dices worth of age1.8 years old. Sora had gained nine dices worth of time
and was now34.2 years old. Together with Shiro, he looked down at Steph with a smile a smile so nice that
it even looked creepy.
dices

I see, the effect of the increase/decrease of age only affect the body and the possession of more than ten
makes you grow older.
Then, Nii now that you confirmed that theres no problem
Right. Well then well be having youtravel togetherwith us, alright.
If you dont want to, then its fine, too
But then, youll have to wait here alone and sad, with only one dice
Because, we want to wait until, everyone diesthenright?
Ah, one last thing. If no one reaches the top, then everyone else besides the leading player will die so lets
get along

And also my feelings when you two threatened me and used me in your experiment! Answer all of that
within ten characters!!
Steph barked and hearing that Hmm, Sora scratched his jaw. Within ten characters, now thats a quite a
challenge But.
I think its Not doing it
Oooh, Shiro! Thats exactly ten characters!! As expected of the Crosswords Master!!
You. Are. Super. Correct~ Ill snap at you guys if you dont cut it out already!!
Steph rioted by rocking and rattling the cart when Shiro immediately answered.
Ahhhh wait, wait I say! That was obviously because all that was absurd, right!?
Right, right, now that I think about it, it was obvious, wasnt it!
Steph shouted deprecatingly in a single breath.
Even if Sora gathers the dices, you cant be separated from Shiro, isnt that right!? Only a fool would fall for such
a bait, right!! And Im the only one who did that, right!!
Exactly. From the start, Sora and Shiro were a rule that was left untouched intentionally In other
words.

04: In the case oftraveling together, after declaring so, the travelers will only move in accordance to the
o n e

p e r s o n

outcome of the representative.

05. In the case that the number of players moving together surpasses two people, anOverall Number of
Travel Companions X Attendantss worth of dices will be removed from the number of dices used.

If thetraveling togetherrule isnt used, they cannot proceed.

Even more so when theres a reaction to possessing more than ten dices by growing older. If everyones dices, the
64 dices, were to gather at Sora, he would be515.2 years old he would die normally due to old age. Thats
why they followed the rule and also added thenine diceshe got by deceiving Steph to Shirosnine dices.
After declaring that they would travel together, they threw twenty-eight dices it decreased by six, two for each
person.
Cheer up, already We properly returned your dices, right?
It was redistributed in a way so that each person would possess eight dices But.
Ill keep making a fuss until I receive an explanation about the reason you made everyone betray each other!!
What it indicated, consistently, was that Soras objective was todraw Steph over to his side.
And
To haveher assistance in betraying the others. It was the same situation that Sora had said before and had
wanted to avoid the situation where they would kill each other.
Steph was still shouting Why did you induce me? while Sora
Hyaah!? W-What is it?
Sora held her cheeks with her hands and forcefully made her face him, then he gazed into her eyes. Forgetting
about the anger, Stephs face became red without her noticing Sora then declared with a look full of sincerity.
Please believe and leave it to me. With the power of friendship, love, and courage everyone will definitely
win.
.
Youre waiting for a retort, right? Can I ask you to reflect on your own past?
l

What answer would one give to thatbelieve in mewhen it came from the culprit who intentionally betrayed,
making everyone to betray? Steph had answered that question, that dilemma, while looking down to him with an
icy gaze.
Wha Why, why wont you believe me!? What are you doubting about this purely-pure me who is just that
pure!?
While Im at it, I also want you to reflect about your present, alright!? More specifically about this present where
youre using me as a cart horse!!
Soras expression was so filled with acting, Steph continued pursuing. He had held Stephs head and spoke with
sincerity I see, that really was good sounding. But, in actuality, the real present was that he had forcibly
turned her around and was making her pull the cart.
Her expression questioned whether there was any element besidesdistrustin this.
Right. Thats it. Thats the answer.

But, Sora spread his arms out and exalted.

Did everyone agree on a game where you can win if you trust and cooperate with each other? Even though Im
here!? In a game where Miko-sans life was the price, would everyone readily agree and believe in stuff like love
and friendship? If the winner can only be the one that reaches the goal, then, would they definitely move so that

we

end up winning even though Im here!? Hmm!?

He emphasized it twice.
Using his own lack of trust as basis Are you trying to say that everyone will believe in me? After being
affirmed that it was impossible to not betray, Steph turned to the heavens and cried out.
What should I do about this theres nothing but persuasion
This game possessed rules that looked complicated and many places that seem weird But, in truth, it was quite
simple. TheTen Oathsnumber five The challenged party has the right to decide the contents of the game.
Since they dont have memories from before the game, they dont know if the challenged one was the Old Deus or
not. But, whichever it may be, everyones consent was a major prerequisite to being the game.
Did these members agree on a cooperative game where they would lose their memories with the compensation
being Mikos life?
Theres no way such a prerequisite would be accepted, right?
If the prerequisite cant be accepted, then its a simple story right?
Rolling around in the cart once again, Sora put Shiro on his chest and laughed. If its based on the premise theres
an improbable prerequisite among the rules, then
It means that there are falsehoods within the rules.
Something that was in the first explanation but wasnt in the second one
The second one you say?
This is a game that started byPledging to the Oaths. It started after the confirmation of the rules, but, the
memories were erased So, there is a difference between the rules that were explained and the ones inside the
memories that only thetraitorpossess.
Thats right, Sora answered without care. Purposefully starting the game aftererasing memories from before the
gameand then disclosing the rules only after that. And on top of that, clearly stating that the one who havent had
his memories erased was atraitor it was hard not to doubt it.

But, well, frankly speaking something like that doesnt really matter.
It didnt matter who the traitor was No, to be precise, it was a game that started with those members, that
everyone agreed upon there were backpacks on their backs. The lack of or possession of memories didnt
matter, since just that told them everything they needed to know. Sora laughed fearlessly.
Something like everyone cooperating with each other was impossible, much more stupid than the prerequisites.
So things going this way was far more possible, right?
All of us started this game assuming we would all betray each other and,

If those guys were to agree to something, it would be with this, right?

Everyone single one of us prepared a scenario where we ourselves would be the ones to win you see
Sora laughed pretentiously in a loud voice as if proclaiming that he was clean.
Therefore! Cleanly, correctly and beautifully, overflowing with sincerity! This humble me named Sora, a
virgin and 18 years, but, due to having eight dices is now provisionally 14.4 years old Took the liberty to make
an oath, as the representative of the Players!
He spoke with a smile while standing up and moving around his hands in a huge act
Oath: We, in accordance with the rules, hereby swear to betray fair and square like that.
No trust could win against their confidence that they will definitely betray them. Thats why it was an oath
to make them remember that.
Steph stopped and turned around without turning the cart and yelled.
I wont accept, something like that In the end, thats just killingI wont consent!!
Right? Thats why it also confirms the falsehood within the rules.
But, while still speaking like that, once again, he sat in the cart and answered with a creepy, bitter smile. Rules
which not a single one of them would agree to will all befalse in other words.
We agreed on betraying each other. We even took the initiative.
But.
We didnt agree to kill each other that was all.

Once again, the sound of the wheels of the cart rolling echoed. Sora laughed on the inside at Stephs silence,
S t e p h

who couldnt refute but wasnt satisfied, either. It was natural for someone with common sense to be not satisfied
with that if Soras principle was broken down, after all.
Swearing by the name of her grandfather, if it was looked at with uncovered and clean eyes itll be like this.
All the mysteries were solved, the culprits are us!

I see, certainly its a game that would be impossible to trust and cooperate with these members. But, for Steph, it
was too much to simply say thatbetraying each other is the right answer, so
Theres no choice but to betray each other Its impertinently putting on the airs of aPrisoners
Dilemma.
Sora commented ironically, Steph turned around while pulling the cart.
Prisoners Dilemma, you say?
If everyone cooperates and someone manages to win, then maybe everyones lives will be saved.
But, if you betray, then you can win yourself.
The moment everyone thinks that, the chances of everyone losing increases
Its a famous example in our previous world, but To put it simply

 A detective brings a certain possible deal to Prisoner A and Prisoner B.

1 If both of them remain quiet, then, both of them will receive aprison sentence of 2 years.
2 If only one of them confess, the one who confessed will bereleasedwhile the other one who remained
quiet will receive aprison sentence of 10 years.
3 But, if both of them confess, both will receive aprison sentence of 5 years.

If the prisoners believe in each other and remain quiet, theyll get away with the better result aprison
sentence of 2 years. But, as long as the prisoners are pursuing their own benefit, it will definitely become a
prison sentence of 5 years. If one of them betrays the other and confesses, the one who confessed will be
releasedand the one who remained quiet will receive aprison sentence of 10 years.
Then in fact, the option of keeping quiet doesnt exist. Theres no other choice besides confessing, betting on
the possibility that the other one will remain quiet if you do that, at worst youll evade theprison sentence of
10 years, and, if youre lucky, youll bereleased.
This is the reason its called a dilemma.

On top of it, in this game, the Old Deus had politely told them there was atraitor. Using that example, it
would be the same as sayinghowever, one has already confessed. If there was someone who had already
meaningless

betrayed before the game even started, then it was impossible to believe in each other.

So thats why you said to betray? Isnt that exactly what thedetectivewants!
I see, so its meaningless to believe in each other and theres no other choice besides betraying each other. But
then, wasnt doing that exactly what thedetective what the Old Deus wanted? She asked.
That pointing straight out at the heart of the question attitude really wasnt like her at all. But, she wasnt
even aware she was doing that so Sora laughed and corrected her.
No, thats exactly what we want. In truth, this example doesnt establish itself as a dilemma, you see.
Yes?
Thats because if you betray and believe in each other, then, instead of a better result, you can get the best
result
Saying that, both Sora and Shiro gave a small, twisted smile and continued
In other words, in this game No, in this game too.
Kuuhaku

The policy of Sora and Shiro, Imanitys strongest gamer,

s existence itself revealed everything. Both in
the past and the future, no matter who the opponent was, it was an unwavering fact of the present Namely.
No matter what game it is; even before starting
Weve already won thats all.

They pulled everything to their hands and all attempts were within it. The eyes of those two who arrogantly said
that, fearlessly and irreverently, saw Stephs trembling shoulders, and
Well, thats only if were able to see the end of the game, right hahaha, haa
Shiro cant stand it, anymoreI want to go home
.
The next moment, they could see her shoulders dropping. In Sora and Shiros sharp and irreverent eyes in
their eyes that had moved unconsciously, was the hard truth they had avoided looking directly upon In other
words, it had captured theGame Boardspread upon the heavens. In an instant, they left behind a voice tired of a
cloudy life and sank into the cargo.
Ah, Uhm. If youre going to act cool, then, could you please do it until the very end?
Strength suddenly left Steph and she panted with her eyes half open, but, Sora declared inside his heart.
Defeat

Death through the loss of all dices is impossible.

Losing due to stealing and betrayal, too is even more impossible.
But
The stealing and betrayal doesnt matter you know theres a different cause of loss for us.
With a raping eye, he threw away everything that happened until now saying that it didnt matter. But, without
giving Steph any time to process, Sora continued with a pensive expression.
defeat

But really, this isnt even funny. That really is the most probable ending
Gazing at the interminably giantGame Board, he spoke. It was
Starvation.

It was urgent.
They felt inside a cruel and merciless silence but.
E~Eeehh? Ahm What do you mean?
Ha, haha I vaguely doubted it, but, you really havent noticed?
Ignorance is bliss those are profound words right
Smiling, Sora and Shiro said with eyes of a dead fish to Steph, who was tilting her neck
Ah, attention all passengers~! Could you please look to your left~?
Though, the one who were boarding something were Sora and Shiro. Steph turned her gaze to beyond Soras left
hand, who was extending it like a bus guide. What lied beyond it was the land and the Eastern Unions
countless islands that were visible on the ocean.
It was on the left. Not below or above. There was a land to their left.
Continuing, could you please look to your right~? Now, I wonder what do you see?
s q u a r e

What she saw was what the Old Deus had created, the absurdly huge Sugorokugame board. The continent
that floated on air without any support drew a spiral, pierced through the clouds, and still stretched high into the
heavens.

 It was something thats seen a lot on television games where the stage was set in a fantasy world. A load of
rock that goes against gravity and floats on air a field where you walk forward above it. Be it F9s last
dungeon2, or anything it may be.
Well then, while walking above that rock, lets try to slowly turn it sideways by 90. If it obeys common sense, we
would fall. But, since this lacks common sense, lets assume we wont fall. That stupid load of rock goes around
picking a fight with the laws of gravity, pretending to be asquare, even after each one of them stretches itself
to the size of a city, extending throughout space, overlapping a few hundreds of them in a spiral
Well, I think you have an image of the boldness of it to pretend that its aSugoroku Board, right? The
impression that leaves your mouth even though you try to hide that it wasntbeautifuleven by mistake

Its an absurdly huge game board

Thats right, its absurd. Its also huge.
Yes~ its an absurdly huge game board! Well then, whats our current position now that weve walked for five
hours!?
The second square, right.
Thats right, the second square In other words, they were on thesecond rock.
Thats~~~~~ ri~~~ght~~~! Basing on the above Now, lets fully answer the question that you asked when
you broke through the houses door a while ago!! In other words!! Why did we confine ourselves there?
After sucking in an incredibly long breath.
Its too uselessly huge and slowwwwwww! If we crossed a single square after walking for five hours Just
how many days, how many months will it take until we set foot on the dices outcome, the62ndsquare~~~!
aree, reeee
In the space that was called uselessly broad, Soras useless complaint uselessly piled up echoes and uselessly
disappeared vainly.
Its the Old Deus game, so, its obvious that itll be ridiculous
I see, Sora scorned at Stephs cursing as she pulled the cart.
Haahn!! She must be a really shitty game maker to mistake a map thats just uselessly big and cool as something
development costs

interesting. Did she think that if the money was replaced withpowerit would complete a
t

spectacularly shitty game!?

Thats exactly whats normally thought of when you purposefully create a capital in the middle of the sky in a
fantasy world. I see, its impossible to even imagine just how much power was necessary to make something like
that possible But. Why! Must that continent! Purposefully! Float in the middle of the sky! To sell a good fight
with gravity was definitely awaste of powerwhen theres no need to. Sora affirmed before the deed could
literally be called awork of God.
Wouldnt a virtual space be enough?
Moreover, even with all these fields, there isnt even a straight road railway and as if that wasnt enough, the
road is long this is the worst landmine pretending to be an open world......
TL Note: Hes making a reference to a few games, but, the only one I found out was the reference to Final Fantasy IX, since
its abbreviated and lacking some letters.
2

 In the end, he couldnt load freely.

About two hours ago before Sora and Shiro declared it to be animpossible gameand confined themselves.
While aiming for the outcome of the dice the 62ndsquare, they walked away for five hours. After finally
crossing the first square, he stood at the division of the land, at the end of the square. While they moved onto the
next square, after some time that couldve been used in a cup noodles timer, as they moved to thesecond
square, Shiro murmured with faint breathing.
The number of footsteps, until here were 20,834 steps

Mathematics, too, were out of Soras area of expertise, but, any words beyond that point were unnecessary.
Shiros current height was 131cm her step length was about 0.48m3. You move the few kilometers between
each square through teleportation. So, even if you exclude therising squareas crossing isnt necessary, this
game board that pierces the heavens in a spiral has350squares, in other words

Its3,500km4until the goal walking with your own feet. Without any fast travel.
Seeing Stephs expression that looked like it still hadnt hit her, Sora turned with a difficult smile to her.
Then, will she get it if I say it this way? That its almost the same distance as crossing America or, in Japans case,
making a full lap around Honshu No For an inhabitant of this world, I should make this kind of
comparison, huh.
Its almost the same distance as Elkias western border to the Temple of the Priestess do you get it if I
say it this way?
After Sora said that, this time, for sure, the lights disappeared from Stephs eyes. Theres no way for Steph to not
know about it when she was in charge of the politics, diplomacy, and trade. It was a distance that, on average, even
Elkias sailing ship which boasted about its maximum speed would take half a month to cross.
And while you do that, obviously, itll be on rough terrain, outdoors, directly under the sun, and, if it wasnt
enough, if your dices decrease, youll have to do so with a childs leg. With such conditions, you would ask why
did you confine yourself? If I had to say, it was a question as foolish as asking why do moles dive into the
ground
In this game, if you have only one dice left, you cannot proceed any further. In other words, unless anyone
ascends or if everyone ends up possessing only one dice without reaching zero it will not end.
J

Its an ultra-long-term war game that continues endlessly Besides that absurd living being who doesnt need
any food or sleep, the more its prolonged, the greater the probability of everyone losing. Thats right, he let out a
dry smile that was almost giving a rustling sound. Why did Sora forget about it all, threw everything away, and
confined himself? He now announced the reason.

TLC Note: For those that use USA measurements: 131cm. = ~4.2979 ft. and 0.48m = ~1.5748 ft.
TLC Note: USA readers: 3,500km. = ~2,174.799 mi.
(This is why USA should hurry up and convert to metric system all those decimals.)
4

For starters, theres no way we can walk such a distance, right!? Im a human in flesh and
blood, you see!? For a person, a living being that gets hungry and tired, its a distance that
would normally and inevitably kill him!!!
In the distant past, starting from the southern end of Africa, humanity had crossed the majestic Eurasia. It was
said that they went along the Indonesia in a wooden boat, crossed the Pacific Ocean, eventually reaching the
A m e r i c a s

New Continent in the end. But, the strength of such a primordial humanity had long since been lost by its
descendants. Even more so when it led to the hikikomori gamer the poster child of civilization. Theres not
even a residue of that left.
Forget about one square They almost died just by walking 10 kilometers5 this is the modern human. Its
the reality. It didnt matter if they had already confirmed their victories even before the game started, it only applied
if they managed to see it to the end, right?
They self-destructed due to the time elapsed and their really low physical abilities elements unrelated to the
defeat

game itself. Thats why, for Sora and Shiro, it was the most unreasonable, and therefore, realistic, ending they
could expect.
Once again facing despair, Sora looked over to Steph, who just now also fell into that same despair. He smiled
bitterly, and suddenly, the speech of the protagonist of that game floated once again in the back of his brain.
I wonder where did I go wrong
He had answered Stephs question about why he had confined himself, but it was different.
Theyre challenging a god.
Theyre in the middle of mutual betrayal.
Theyre dead if they lose all their dices.
Theyre dead even if they get defeated.
Even if you line up such scary sounding sentences
Theyll die if they get hungry.
Before this single too realistic line and therefore, easily understandable sense of danger, Sora questioned that,
which allowed him to put everything else aside with just a it doesnt matter.
Just where did I go wrong to agree with such a rule?

Still on the second square.
After nine hours had elapsed since the start of the game that place was quiet. Inside the long and continuing
silence, all that echoed were the rustling of trees and the chirping of birds. The sound of the cart wheels rolling
couldnt be heard anymore.
Before the irrefutable reality, even Steph had stopped pulling the cart and crouched down. Sora, who was forced to
once again face reality, had laid down in the cart and watched the dusk without making the slightest movement.

TLC Note: 10km = ~6.21371 mi. USA readers.

Contrary to the peaceful scenery, if a painting was made of that view and put a title on it it would beThe
End. But, a small voice that rejected decorating a museum with it rose from Soras chest.
It was lengthily immersed until now. The small hope that was using the tablet PC the entire time, with the
resolution to exhaust the battery.
Nii I finished, calculating
Saying that, she showed the dazzling tablet PCs screen to her brother with a smile that shined several times
more.
Showing to her brother a hope that released more light than the stars.
Woaaaaahhhh damn yeah!! Both the Old Deus and Tet should just eat shit!!! Ah, whose line was this
again? God is always in my heart or more specifically, on my chest!!
Hyaaaaah w-w-whats going on! W-What happened!?
Sora had raised a strange voice from above the cart while carrying up his little sister, correction, a goddess. The cart
tilted and the handle that had bounced strongly hit Steph in the face. But, he was sure that the harm would be
treated as negligence by theTen Oaths and as such!
Sora splendidly ignored her protests and, while giving Shiro a piggyback ride, he smiled and turned the tablet PC to
Steph, too. He shouldve still apologized even if it was negligence, but, since those two were the antonyms of
common sense, Steph made a resigned face and
A world map? What are those red, oblique lines?
The map of this game board Its the drawing of the part of the land that the Old Deus copied!
Thefirst squarethat they crossed and thesecond squarewhere they currently were
On the map, there was a light of alignment between those two and the squares that could be seen from the continent
that formed the spiral. Shiro had indexed the distance ratio and the spacing of the 350 squares and, just in case, the
overall length of the 3,500 kilometers. It was a map that indexed this game board, which was copied from the land,
from its starting point to the end.
This Is it really something that great?
Seeing such a pitiful and ordinary person who couldnt understand the feat of the goddess, Sora screamed appalled.
Y-You, look carefully There are no mountains, straits, or deserts!! Moreover, this is a farming region, you
know!?
Thats right, if you go by the map Shiro indexed, this game board was the former Eastern Unions territory on
the continent north-northeast from the center of the Lusia6 continent. Grazing the Sanctuary, it transversely
crossed the territory of Elven Garde and reached Elkia. There wasnt any terrain there that, with their equipment,
was physically impossible for a person to cross by foot! Even more so when thissecond squarewas the
territory of the former Eastern Union currently Elkias farming region on the southeast border.
chance to win

Then, we still have a survival route!!

Sora, who had overcome despair, was ready start walking, jumped down from the cart while carrying Shiro.
I see, it still wont change that its a journey of 3,500km.

TLC Note: TL, where did you get Andalusia from? The katakana for the continent name was
translated to Lucia/Lusia, no?
6

which shouldve

Although unfortunate, we dont have any residue of the old humanitys strength, but
In that case, lets just go like a modern person would. With the method of making something else walk for us!!
Its about me, right, its about me, isnt it!?
Listen to me, cart horse! Its about catching alegand making it pull the cart!
As expected, its really about me, isnt it! You said cart horse just now, didnt you, so, you have already caught
one!!
Putting Steph aside as she was making a fuss, Sora picked up something that was stacked in the cart, in other
words
b

Alright, Shiro Lets go capture a horse or maybe a cow.

Got it Understood
He let a dangerous smile float on his face as he held a hoe and a rope.
Y-Youre going to steal!? Thats N-No, good or bad thing aside, with theTen Oathsits
But, the restricting voice of the extreme common sense was answered by the embodiment of the lack of common
sense with a smile.
Hey, how about you look back to our actions until now?
Property invasion, unauthorized use of equipment. The presumption is
Even youstolethat cart and, on top of that, you committedproperty destructionby flashily destroying that
door, right?
Gahh! H-Huh?
Steph finally seemed to have noticed and Sora smiled bitterly.
c o n t i n e n t

If the Old Deus created this game board from nothing, then its not supposed to have a house. But,
gouging it out of the ground wouldnt end with just a commotion about rights infringement, it would go against
theOaths. Even if its an Old Deus, theTen Oathsare absolute. Then, this place
Its a stage the Old Deus copied from the ground everything that exists here is a replica of whats on the
ground and, as such, its no ones possession Thats why theTen Oathsdidnt apply.
p e o p l e

Thats why there werent any other Exceeds, targets of theOaths, in this place besides the game
participants.
Reversely, theres living beings that are exempt from theOathsin this place like birds and trees, and,
since its a farming region, cows and horses.
With the exception of the participants youre free to burn or cook everything thats inside this game!

There~fore! Lets first go catch alegto tie to this cart and make it pull it.
Although, doing that wasnt as simple as saying, but, he swallowed those words.
Ah, so you really didnt plan to make me pull it all the way
Are you thinking that Im the kind of person who would make someone pull a cart for 3,500km?

Until a while ago, I thought it without a doubt. Now, Ive slightly changed my opinion of you.
Hey, really If I did that, you would become exhausted, right
If he were to commit such a mistake

Then who would be the next one to pull the cart!? You should try to think about it with
some common sense!!
Isnt that right~ I knew it, lets just say goodbye to that change of opinion
Going by Tet, it was a world where everything was decided by games a utopia. It was extremely unwilling
that the two hikikomoris accepted the physical labor.
But, if it was to win the game, then, it couldnt be helped. Thinking flexibly, if it was made into a
demonstration in the previous world, they wouldnt even confine themselves.
Suddenly, after looking to his left and seeing the surface of the sea outside of the game Sora sighed.
By the way, I wonder when Kurami and Fii will be joining this game.
What? Its a game that started byPledging to the Oaths, right? They cant join in the middle of
Ill be troubled if they dont. Besides, intruding in the middle of a game is a form of art, right?
Steph asked dubiously, but, Sora answered meaningfully while only smiling
Alright, I wonder which one is the farm animal that will thereby become Imanitys sacrifice~?
Nii Shiro, likes horses but, I like cows, even more
Making the rope creak, Sora and Shiro looked around for a target that wasnt included within theTen Oaths, in
other words
They were searching for a pitiful livestock who was stripped of itsright to livein order to become prey for the
E

Sixteen Races
Shiro, Shiro~ wont you wipe your drool?
t

Stephs eyes, looking at the predators, changed into the way one looks at demons, but she was ignored. They
would overwork them, and, if they became hungry, they would eat them!! That was the reason they restricted
it to cows or horses.
For this game, the first and absolute condition was to live it was time to show them the humans dirty way to
live!

A large flower bloomed in the open sea. The giant flower spread its petals on the surface of the sea as if to cover it
and conquer the waves it was aship.
There wasnt a mast or a paddle, not even the sound of a propeller, much less a flag that indicated its affiliation.
But, that extraneous and scenic view of the trajectory of a flower bed shedding and proceeding, eloquently spoke of
its affiliation.
Elven Garde.

It was a flower woven with the magic of the Elves, that drifted by riding on the fragrance instead of water.
It was a floating flower, that kept drifting by blooming flowers on land and on sea, then drifting on those flowers
V r

P u l l u m

theFlower Vessel7.
It wasnt just one single ship that elegantly and soundlessly conquered the harsh ocean. A countless number of
V r

P u l l u m s

flower vessels from the west had turned toward the eastern sea and were now crossing the ocean. They orderly
formed ranks with their speed aligned and their trajectory drew multicolored flowers on the surface of the sea. They
flower gar den

V r

P u l l u m

formed a giant fleet that extended for dozens of kilometers, from the first one to the last one. A single flower vessel
was leading the fleet it was a large, red rose.
A black-clad human figure was on the bow of that vessel. The sea breeze was messing with her black hair and veil.
The girl was glaring sharply at her destination
*hik-choo*
She was repeatedly letting out a cute sneeze.
*Hihik-choo*! I-Its cold its cold here, Fii!?
Kurami? Stop trying to look cool and come inside~ Youll catch a cold, you know?
She said towards the black-haired Imanity girl that was trembling and running her nose Kurami Zel. The
golden-haired Elf girl, Fil Nirvalein, hugged her closer and spread her shawl. While coming down from the bow,
the black-haired girl asked.
Uu a-and then, Fii? Just how much longer it looks like itll take?
Hm~ with this progress it seems itll take more than half a month~
Ugh even though its a distance that usually wouldnt take even an entire day to reach
a n t i q u e

Its a flower vessel, you know? It took time to both gather them and make them move~
I know that.
If they were to use the skylines instead of the seaways the Elves principal way of transport then, any place
on the planet would be like their neighborhood. For those Elves, something like a ship that moved atop of water
was nothing more than an obsolete antique from a faraway past. But now, these slow antiques were extremely
necessary Kurami clicked her tongue.
It must have been a few months since she had started acting separated from Sora and the others. Meanwhile,
she lengthily piled up the collapse of Elven Garde the culmination was this.
The greatest marine trade port within the Elven territory, whose influential merchants and the related companies
established a force in the province of Tilnog, reaching even to the Govenor. She tricked them into a game then,
gripping their weaknesses, changed the leaders and silently attacked them.
In order to transfer the Senate and make the province move, she even took consent vote of the majority of the guilds
and of the House and Senate.
Everything was for this moment.
t i m i n g

For this occasion when those two were challenging the Old Deus.

TL Note: Vr is a Norse goddess thats associated with oaths and pledges. So, the ships meaning would be Offspring of Vr
/ The Goddess of Oaths.
TLC Note: Since its from Norse, Pullum means pull in Icelandic/Scandinavian/Latin, where Norse stemmed from, wouldnt
it make more sense if it was something like The Pull of Vr or something related?
7

For the sake of the siblings who moved far beyond the assumption, she, too, have to accomplish something quite
impossible. That also applied to the numberless dangerous bridges she had to run through But
If we dont make it in time, itll all go down the drain if that happens, then everything will!
Itll be too late for anything I understand that, Kurami
Fil hugged Kurami, who was biting her nails from impatience, as she replied as if to soothe her.
Thats right. This game wont end without us no, Kurami glared at the giant land floating on the horizon,
the Old Deus game board and bit her lips. The destination she was leading the huge fleet to was below it the
Eastern Union. She wont allow it to end without her, who was in the center of the game in the middle of the
spiral.
Fii, can you see what those two are doing right now?
Yes I can~ Obviously, I can see it
At Kuramis words, the irises of Fils eyes and the gem on her forehead glowed faintly. Her tone of voice and smile
spoke of her extremely natural, yet, arrogant confidence.
h

For her, who uses the Six Layers Formula, theres no event within the horizon which she couldnt see
through.
But.
I saw them, you see~ but, I dont really understand what they were doing.
Huh? What does that mean?
Hmm, theyre stabbing a horse with a rod ah, they found a stray dog now theyre running while
crying.

Really, those guys, just what the hell are they doing?
Not even Fil could see through the answer for that question, which she had accidentally let out.

This place

The 34th square it has been forty-two hours since the start of the game.The squarethat the horse
drawn carriage with Sora and Shiro, loaded with Steph, was running through a moist plateau. According to Shiros
map, the duplicated surface that was from an even further eastern surface from Elkias reclaimed territorial eastern
edge.
The Forest of Spirits a land that virtually graze on the territory of the Elementals, known as the
S a n c t u a r y

Inviolable Area.
Well, Sora had no way of knowing about the murmur far way on the horizon, but, while the chariot swayed
violently, Sora started thinking suddenly, just what the hell am I doing?
Im playing a game against an Old Deus? Im surviving? No.
If he had to say it, then he would bephilosophizing. The theme was right, it was about rights

TheTen Oaths.

It guaranteed the rights, while forbidding all kinds of killing and pillaging in other words, theViolation of
Rights. But living by itself meant infringing upon someone elses rights.
No one can live alone. They cause trouble for each other and protect each other. They violate each others
small rights, but, by carrying the others rights and getting his own rights carried way, they can finally live. And
with that therell be a time where theyll definitely reach a certain line which they must definitely protect. The
claims

clash between thatcontradiction those two incompatible rights couldnt be avoided.

c o n f l i c t s

w a r

Thats why the Oaths avoided it That contradiction should be solved through intelligence, not force.
But, still as long as one is living, that fundamental contradiction cannot be solved. The contradiction where
kill

one cannot live if they dont eat if one doesnt violate the maximum rights, one cannot maintain the
l

minimum rights.
E

Thats why the Oaths solved it The guarantee of rights only apply to intelligent lifeforms.
E

Which is why the right to eat anything besides the Sixteen Races was guaranteed it solved even that
fundamental contradiction. Aaah, just how wonderful theTen Oathsare !!
But, I want to wait on praising a little.
Arent therightsthat are being guaranteed something that was worked out mutually? Isnt therightto
not be harmed, at the same time, adutyto not harm? Then, wasnt therightto harm, at the same time, a

dutyto be harmed?
Ahh how profound, Sora indulged, deeply moved.
E

Freedom and rights carries along with it, responsibilities and duties in the previous world, those words still
continue to be discussed even now. But, in this world if one puts it in a simpler and easily understandable way, it
can be expressed with a single sentence, in other words!
You can eat if you want, but, dont complain if you get eaten, alright!?

Uwooooahhhhhh! Hey, cant you raise the chariots speed!?

Its a carriage made in a hurry, you know!? If the speed is raised even more, itll flip and fall downnnn!
N-Nii! Fire, need more fire!
Behind the sprinting carriage was a swarm of monsters in pursuit while baring their fangs and claws. Maybe it was
the last time Sora held that philosophy in his heart. He was swinging and throwing torches, struggling hard while
clinging to his life.
They chased a horse, got pursued by a dog, and after painfully managing to repel it, they captured the horse.
While making full use of Stephs riding skill, Shiros design skill, and Soras precarious Sunday Carpentry skills,
by the time they somehow managed to make a substitute that could maybe call a carriage, eighteen hours has
passed.
At the end of the struggle that was worth a volume of a book, they left the reigns to Steph and sprawled in the
carriage. With the sound of the carriages wheels turning lightly acting as a lullaby, they fell into a mud-like sleep
both of them saw a dream.

They had broken through a hurdle that they considered to be an impossible game and a pleasant journey
started
Just like the saying, Dreams are fragile things Really, it was so fragile that it had already collapsed a few
hours ago. The cause was what they saw when they heard Stephs scream and looked behind it was due to
that

hell. Like the swarm of death that crossed the12th squarein pursuit and now

Hey!! Could it be that if you take a single step outside the city in this world, its a world of serious swords and
magic!? Ill complain about that Tet bastard to JAR for such deceptive advertising saying A utopia where
everything is decided by games you know!? 8
Sora shouted after painfully experiencing theFantasy Worldfor his first time. But, it was a field where
ones heart seemed about to break just by proceeding through that square. Even so, they thought that there was still
hope if it wasnt on a terrain that was impossible to cross by foot but.
They didnt hear anything about Monster Encounter: ON !!
The distance between them and the monsters were closing in and the hurriedly made carriage was making noises, as
if about to fall apart. If that happened, the only fate left for them would be a dead-end route asfood
Normally, theres no such monsters like thissss! Just where is this place!?
S a n c t u a r y

Were currently in the Inviolable Area near, the Forest of the Spirits
Ah! Good news, Sora! The reason theyre appearing is because were on the outskirts of the Forest of the Spirits!
If we leave this place, then well be fin like Ive been saying, please dont try to jump down from the carriage,
alright!!
Nii Nii, stay alive
Sora, due to having too much fear, was about to unconsciously let go of his life and breathing roughly.
Calm down.
How did the people from another world survive when they got thrown into a super fantasy world?
The trend was to use the ultimate cheat which was to fight with a chosen power or something like that
isnt that right? But
Sora took a single glance at the monsters pursuing them and smiled bitterly. Here we have a hikikomori sheltered
girl and a clearly obvious NEET gamer. They didnt have any experience with getting such primitive killing intent
directed at them, much less being chased as food. In modern-day Japan, just what kind of lifestyle would one need
in order to grow enough guts to face these monsters head on?
A cheat-like sword technique? Cheat magic? Or was it superpowers? Wrong, right. Its wrong, isnt it, it
wasnt like that, right, definitely none!
Humans we arent a race that fights like that, right!?
Facing the oncoming death, Sora put more strength into the hand that was holding his little sisters.
Shiro. If I return to Elkia Ill make them develop the technology ofsniper rifles

TL Note: JAR seems to refer to Javas compression file. It compresses all the Java files to make it easier to send them, with
the advantage of being able to work with it even in its compressed state i.e. makes the file smaller for whatever purposes. In
short, he simply wants Tet to get compressed by it. Poor Tet.
TLC Note: I think JAR here is referencing to the Japan Association for Refugees I think it makes more sense that way
8

With distant eyes, he raised such a flag.

It was a makeshift that would unilaterally from a long distance that, without letting them fight back and
without fail kill them.
Thats how the animal called human fought, Sora was convinced of that, but
Rejected
She instantly rejected her older brothers proposal.
Hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane

Nii, how about we burn this place? Lets drop highly efficient explosives on it C 6 N 1 2 H 6 O 1 2 9,
every day?
Sora felt a shiver at the suggestion she made with her eyes shining unnaturally.
Dont say something as nave as firearms.
Shall we burn down this forest every day from now on?
Lets just bomb this area with an aircraft, plow it and turn it into an empty land?
Shes really a genius, huh As expected of the little sister Im proud of. Right, thats exactly how humans
An impact.
His thoughts that were escaping out of control were brought back to reality. The reality where the claw drawn by
one of the monsters teared through the wooden carriage like butter.
Hmm, it seems like it really wont end up simply as a joke, he thought.
My bad, Shiro seems like I messed up somehow. It really seems to be Game Over.
Murmuring that, Sora started analyzing the result, the reason of their defeat with no light in his eyes.
Where did I go wrong?
For challenging God? Did he take the handicap known as survival too lightly? Or was it that he dared to be born
even though he was just a mere virgin?
While Sora was fading into dusk with a dry smile, Shiro quietly spoke.
Nii how does it feel to die, while still a virgin?
Ah~ Its a regret so huge that makes me feel like dying, to say the least haha
Aaah humans are weak.
They lose and lose again, and keep losing, then, they bite the dust in disappointment, just to look back at the cause
of their loss, full of regret. Even so, they still think next time, next time without fail and keep walking forward
until the day where they finally win comes.
Like that, Sora collected his reflections and issues In the next world, lets first aim to graduate from being a
virgin. I have no clue how Ill do that, but well, lets entrust that to the me in the next world.
Nii
Sitting across from Sora, Shiro whispered thinly. With a distance that even her breathing could be felt, she lowered
her face to hide her red-dyed cheeks.
Then before dying since itll happen, anyway
TL/C Note: Its a kind of explosive. The official formula is C6H6N12O12, but, it appears in order of elemental composition in
the novel. Its also called HNIW and CL-20 way easier to remember than that absurd name/formula.
9

Shiro exposed her white skin underneath her clothes while her moist eyes were burning.
Well. Sora, virgin, age of death: 18 years old.
What should be done normally in this situation his immediate reply: do nothing.
Its Shiro. His little sister. 11 years old though, shes down by two dices, so its provisionally 8.8 years old.
Would there be an uproar on how shes full of elements out of that role, or maybe they would drop into a preach on
this and that about a maidens skin?
But, facing real death before him, Sora asserted without evening noticing that he was confused and confirmed.
It was in a weekend movie theater.
Those shitty people satisfied with their real (offline) lives deliberately having sex when they came under an extreme
life or death situation. The mood breaking behaviors of the viewers and the production, Sora was doubting for quite
a while.
It would be fine if they just died like that, or so he thought but, he was the one who was wrong.
I see Those guys all of them
Were all virgins!
If Im going to entrust it to the next world, then, certainly, I would think about it before dying, right!? Sympathizing
with Hollywood more than ever, Sora extended his hands towards the warm skin before him.
Hey, you thereee! What are you doing in the rear at such a time
It happened in an instant.
Twice the sound of an explosion resounded, making the carriage and the luggage jump, and the group danced
in midair. What just happened without even being granted time to consider the question, he hugged Shiro on
reflex. Falling to the ground and rolling around with the momentum, he raised his head while in pain, and then
The real monster was here.
On the leaf mound in the ground, there was a giant crater forming a perfect circle. In its center there was a single
monster exhausted, breathing heavily. It was a young, small, and cute beast with the appearance of a person who
was on their hands and feet with their head tilted
I wont share, Izunas meal, desu! S-Sora is the one at fault, desu!!
It was a young girl wearing a kimono with fennec-like ears, who was carrying a rucksack on her back, while
swinging around her big tail. It was Hatsuse Izuna who faced their way while glaring with her eyes halfopened and in a bad mood.

Hey, let me hear about the reason you said that such monsters shouldnt be here?
He confirmed the safety of Shiro, who was in his arms with her eyes spinning, then checked his own body. That he
was almost unharmed was almost a miracle, considering he fell off a carriage that was running out of control.
Seeing Stephs state, who didnt look like she suffered any heavy injuries, either Sora asked a question that he
could already guess.
Its because, nearly all of the large animals became extinct during theGreat WarThe rest is just like
youre guessing
As for what happened, the current situation explained it all.

The single step Izuna took the ground shook.

Following, a single punch no, a single stroke made the ground roll up and turn into a crater.
What she probably attacked was that thing she called ameal although, it no longer retained its original
form. The swarm of monsters ran away without even a single one left behind just like how small spiders
I

scatter. That was only natural, so long as the peak of the food chain the predatorwas there.
Excluding Imanity, it was because of the other races well, predations and defenses, and well, various outbursts
of anger yes, well
I see, said Sora, looking up at the sky.

Rightsare something that worked out mutually, and, at the same time, it was a duty. But, as for whether those
rights and duties were guaranteed or not, without the Oaths
Nii, this world isnt gentle with anyone, besides the Exceed, right
As the ones who also escaped from becoming prey, Sora and Shiro thought Humans are calculating living
beings. To think that they would even feel pity for the ones who were threatening their lives just a little while ago.
Would that be the ego of the survivors, they wondered

I-I really dont get it, desu! I-Izuna is angry, desu!
Though, if you really insist, its not like I cant share it.
Seeing Izunas eyes wavering like that, Sora and Shiro raised their thumbs with a smile
Its, fine Izuna-tan, is our savior and besides
For a person to be eating something like this is please let us think about it, at least until were on the verge of
starvation, alright?
They refreshingly refused the creature that was something out of a biohazard.10

A few minutes ago.

While lifting up the carriage, Sora questioned Izuna, who was sitting formally in front of her prey.
Hey Izuna. Why did you only kill a single one?
I

Just like Sora and the others, starvation was also a danger for the Warbeasts. You would want to secure even a
bit more food, wouldnt you, Sora asked so.
Its forbidden to hunt for more than you need its a bad thing, desu.
It must be the etiquette of the Eastern Union After saying so, Izuna politely joined her fists and bowed, deeply
thanking the life she had taken. Seeing that appearance, both Shiro and Sora, and even Steph they honestly felt
ashamed. Those who lived surrounded by civilization tend to forget that meals were the ingestion of another life.
Was that girl just really attentive to her food education or was she a saint
*Spit*!? Y-You, you taste so damn bad to an unbelievable degree, desu!? Just what did you eat to grow into this
*BEEP*s*BEEP*of a taste thats almost like*BEEP*, desu!?

10

TL Note: Referencing to Biohazard, if readers couldnt get it.

 A single bite.
They really wouldve thought like that if it werent for the booing and spitting ruining everything.
H-Hey as expected, no matter how you look at it, its not edible, right
I-If you hunt it, then, you must eat it all no matter what, desu! *sob*
Right, while Izunas face distorted into a huge amount of tears, they thought, lets at least do this much as a thanks
for saving our lives. They sorted out their feelings and took out some spices from the luggage bag
Lets cook this wait, for starters, just what would this be!? W-Where should I start considering Rather, is
it really fine to eat this!? Hiiiih, S-Sora! Some weird, blue liquid has!
They made Steph do it and heard screams being raised for a long time.
If the Warbeasts sense of smell determined that it was edible, then it must be edible Sora and Shiro were
feeling sorry about it, but
Thus, Steph handled the skewered meat that was grilling around a bonfire.

Anyway, Izuna, why are you still in this kind of place?

Their current position was on the38th square, almost 380km11 from the starting position. There were nine dices
around Izunas chest so, even though her age had decreased by one tenth, with that overwhelming physical
ability It was unthinkable that her travel speed would be inferior to Sora and the others, who moved through a
horse.
Izuna, who was supposed to have gone much further ahead, just growled at that question with her eyes half-opened.
Izuna is angry, desuAnswer what was the choice that Sora playfully took when picking a bride during
his first play through of Dragon F5. Its obvious, Sora was the one who wrote this task, desu!!
Ahh understanding, Sora and Shiro laughed. In other words theTaskSora wrote was placed
a t

t h i s

p l a c e

on the 38th square. Naturally, it meant that she hasnt been able to answer and, in the end, wasforced to wait
there for seventy-two hours. And then, after seventy-two hours elapsed, one dice will be stolen by the
S

Question Master
But, maybe her anger came back after remembering it since Izuna stood up and suddenly growled intimidatingly.
I dont get it at all, desu! Give me the rules and follow them, desu!!

12: However, all theTasksthat includes any of the following will be considered to be invalid:
12b: Impossible to accomplish by anyone but the Question Master, or, with instructions impossible for
any of the Players.
Thats right, the rules certainly defined it like that But.
O~iii, oi you failed; its a real failure, you know? Oh dear Kemonomimi Shiro~?
Giving a nod, Shiro took out her cellphone and answered while typing in a way that Izuna wouldnt
understand.
Ludman.
Super correct!! Shiro also knows thats why, thisTaskis valid, you see
Any task that cannot be accomplished by anyone or only by the Question Master are invalid. For example, if
Jibril were to write something likePerform a spatial shift with your own power. , or maybeAnswer your
f

year of deathand the likes; it was a rule that forbid impossible instructions.
But, on the other side It meant that it will be valid so long as its possible for at least one more person.
Ah, putting it simply!? The otherTasksthat I wrote likeAnswer the name of the three MODs where you
kill the f*cking b*tches that ordered the killing of Paarthurnax12andAnswer the title of the first exciting and
e r o g e

heart-pounding landmine that Sora purchased in commemoration of his 18th anniversary, you see!? Those
instructions, too which, without the knowledge of the other world, no, even if you had that knowledge, it
would still be super improbable that you could answer are all OK!! Understand!?

11
12

TLC Note: USA readers: 380km = ~236.1210530502 mi.

TL Note: Paarthurnax is a reference to the RPG, Elder Scrolls.

Sora answered, dancing with a face that was like as if he had just smacked Siddartha13 once with the palm of his
hand.
Nii, youre so dirty super, cool
Youre the worst its just obvious for Izuna to be angry
Looks of admiration and gazes like seeing something filthy poured onto him But.
Its following the rules it finished grilling, Izuna. I hope its a little better, though.
Seeing Izunas pouting face, Sora laughed and extended out the skewer in an instant.
Its a little better now, desu. It changed from damn bad to simply bad, desu.
After she stuffed the skewered meat into her mouth, her mood became better and her tail started swinging.

Steph furrowed her eyebrows dubiously while Sora noticed it observantly and laughed.
Sora understood like the palm of his hand why she was find it so mysterious inside her mind.
Following the rules or not, it certainly was a cruel pattern for theTasks. After seventy-two hours elapses, what
Sora will steal from Izuna will be her dices herLife.
Sora had killed one tenth of her life, yet even so, no matter how you look at it Izuna helped him. Why could
Izuna stay in such a good mood without watching him get killed? Why, did it become just like Sora suggested, even
though they betrayed, they didnt kill each other
Sora, Shiro. Izuna havent lost, desu?
Izuna declared in a question form as if she was asking to confirm something. But, Sora and Shiro extended
out all the remaining skewers and answered.
We returned the favor of saving us, you know? Dont go expecting any commendable repayment like letting you
win, got it
Izuna-tan, too bad, but the oneswho will win, the prizewill be us
Its incredible how you guys can say it like youre better than her when shes the one who saved us from dropping
out not only just from the game, but, from life
Steph went past amazement and groaned, impressed, but.
Yeah! Bring it on, desu!!
Maybe Izuna saw the answer she wanted in their faces. Instantly, she stuffed all the skewers inside her mouth
and gave a full smile.
*chomp chomp* Ill pass you guys soon, desu! Prepare yourselves, desu.
Saying that with her stuffed cheeks, she hugged her tail and curled up. Since Izuna was saying that she would sleep
while waiting for the seventy-two hours to pass, Sora and Shiro stood up once again.
Then, shall we hurry up? Does the carriage look fine?
Eh, yes, somehow wait, are we going to leave Izuna-san here and go on!? Its dangerous!?
Yeah Its really dangerous, isnt it for us.
After Sora murmured that, Stephs face changed in one turn. If they strained their ears, they could faintly hear it.
the monsters

I z u n a

The presence of those guys that scattered with the arrival of the strong, waiting for her to sleep. And their target, of
13

TL Note: Siddartha Gautama is the real name of Buddha.

Izuna

course, wasnt the sleeping tiger. It made no sense for them to go after the predator. The ones they must want to
hunt, naturally, are the ones borrowing the tigers authority
Lets indulge in Izunas kindness lets get out of here while shes still awake.
Exactly, while she hasnt raised any sleepers breathing, the surroundings would still be overpowered by
Izuna, who expressed a small smile. Hearing out Soras voice, which was trembling slightly and seeing her
smile, the three of them jumped onto the carriage without hesitation and departed.

The 59th square It had been seventy-eight hours since the start of the game. The carriage the three of
square

them were riding in was running through a long cliff full of grass. Going by Shiros map, it was a terrain that
reflected the land beyond the edge of Elkias northeastern border.
O b l i v i o n

Somehow, it seemed to be this worlds greatest canyon called theStars Rift. That azure fissure extending
to divide the two continents and the sea was said to be the traces of theGreat Warin its final stages. The
residues of power that had mowed down the star
While listening to the thunderclaps that roared at the bottom of the valley even now, Sora thought.
It had been two squares since they separated from Izuna and the outskirts of the Forest of Spirits already
seemed to be far behind them. According to Stephs information, besides the Forest of the Spirits, the monsters
didnt inhabit anywhere else. In other words, it seemed that weve long since escaped from the danger zone. Its
probably safe now.
Seems to, probably, probably seems to!!
I dont believe it and I wont believe it, alright!! How about pursuers! None~ Or are you trying to make
me get careless!? Huuh!?
Shiro, wont be, deceived Where? Where, is ithiding!
Continuing with the vigilance, they acted like a greenhorn player playing a horror game with teary eyes. It
was a template that didnt change at all even after lengthily fearing the immobile corpses. Even with using the
zoom of the cellphones camera from above the carriage, the two continued fighting with an enemy that couldnt be
seen anymore.
I understand how you feel, but, its already been one and a half day, you know? Theres no need to be wary
of monsters anymore
Thats right, it had been thirty-six hours since they last noticed a monster. They ran without sleeping or resting
since they would be attacked from both sides during their rest, or whenever both the carriage and Steph reached
their limit. When that happened, both Sora and Shiro took turns staying awake and patrolling, but, the monsters
didnt appear.
Steph was feeling amazed at seeing how the two were still jumping at shadows nevertheless, just about had enough
and was about to complain
Shiro, what do you think? I feel that it wont be that bad to think its already safe, but, how about you?
Shiro, willbelieve, in Niis, judgement
Then. If so, the conclusion.
We survived, Shiro

Murmuring that, both Sora and Shiro hugged each other and fell into the carriage. While a huge amount of tears
dropped, they nodded as if to confirm their lives.
Ahhh, the sky is so blue.
Even that hateful sun, only right now felt lovable, the two of them narrowed their eyes.
I allow it, everything All living beings, may you be blessed
Hallelujah Sleepy
Wai, eeh, hey!? Ill be troubled if you just follow the flow and fall into a deep sleep, alright!?
Feeling troubled by the extremely large mood swing, Steph pointed out and yelled while steering the carriage.
destination

With three more squares well reach the 62nd square, you know!? A different danger aTaskis drawing
near!
Danger? ATask? Hmm, Sora tilted his neck. I see, so weve proceeded going after the outcome of
the dice until the 62ndsquare. So if we stop at that square, aTaskthat someone wrote will be
activated, but
If you compare it to being chased by monsters, no matter whatTaskit may be, itll be an easy game,
right
Sora declared so with a serious face after pondering about it, with Shiro nodding in agreement at that. Indirectly
dice

killing each other by stealing theirLife it was this games greatest danger theTasks.But for
t h e m

Imanity, compared to starvation, overwork and becoming prey, it was probably a third or fourth subsequent
danger
Even if it makes sense for me, it still doesnt change that its a danger, right!? Because
Immediately after, their vision blackened out as if to interrupt Stephs voice. Maybe the carriage had crossed the
edge of the 59th square because it was swallowed by a weird space filled with black mist.
l

It was the first reason for Sora to call this game a shitty game theSquare Movement.
It must be for the sake of forbidding illegal movement and withdrawing from the game through magic. If they
square

touched the so-called invisible wall in games that existed at the edge of the land, they would be moved to the
square

land. Without being able to turn back, all they could do was obey the value of the outcome and continue forward.
loading

And as if that wasnt enough, they made this damn long reading happen during the square movement. It was a
power that also killed off Jibrils spatial shift and unilaterally coordinated the move.
a b s u r d i t y

Surely, a highly sophisticated, ridiculous power must be at work for that, but
NiiI finally, remembered this
Ah~ what a coincidence, my little sister This sound and this loadings slowness. Theres no doubt about it.
t

It was something outside the understanding of magic and spirits, even more so for commoners, who couldnt sense
something like space. But, the scratching noise couldnt be heard as anything but the sound of a disk spinning. If
they wordlessly stared at their irregularly distorted view, they could almost have an illusion of seeing the sign
NOW LOADINGalong with monkeys juggling on the border of their vision Sora and Shiro murmured
inside their hearts, remembering even the killing intent at it.

This is Neo Geo.14

C-Can I continue the talk?

While the two of them tapped unconsciously while clicking their tongues, Steph fearfully
I-If theTaskhasDiewritten on it, then well die, wont we?
Maybe she had noticed that risk from the rules since she asked with her body trembling.
Oh how typical of Steph, to not be clear-headed.

07: TheTaskwill be directed at the Dice Holder that has stopped on the related square, who will then be
forced to follow whatever instruction it holds.
They can force any kind of instructions. Thats right, even instructions that would make them throw away
their lives cant be refused But.
This game has ma~ny mysterious things, right? One of them is thisTaskrule.
Sora explained indifferently, seeming to have given up while still feeling irritated.
I told you, didnt I. We didnt consent to killing each other. Even if you dont worry about it, no one will write a
death task.
J-Just why is that so, because

12: However, all theTasksthat includes any of the following will be considered to be invalid:
12a: Words which limits theTaskto a specific target.

You cannot specify a target. What would you do if you were to write an unconditional instant death on aTask
and ended up stepping on it yourself?
Ah.
He smiled bitterly at Steph, who perhaps felt embarrassed for being told that with a smile and lowered her face.
But, that wasnt all, Sora continued inside his mind. I see, this game isSugorokuonly one can
ascendno matter what happens. Let alone the fact if no one ascends, then, the only one who will be saved is the

Leading Player. If you think about it with common sense, its a good thing that theres only a few opponents to
compete with. Killing all the other players would be the normal and most certain option.
Thats a big miss, Sora laughed. Because, if you kill them, you cannot steal their dices. Let alone when it was
impossible to ascend without stealing their dices

TL Note: A cartridge-based, arcade system board and home video game console released in 1990. Some of the platforms
popular series included Fatal Fury, King of Fighters and Metal Slug.
14

Suppose that theTaskinstructs someone to die instantly. If he died, then thetask would be accomplished
right? The Question Master would lose one dice, and, on top of that, he would be unable to collect the remaining
dices of the person who died Its a bad move that goes in the opposite direction from victory.
In the rules, thisTaskrule was a rule that made it possible for one to force anything unreasonable upon others.
But, in truth, if one were to write things in order to win, then the things one could write were restricted.
Instructions which only yourself can accomplish are invalid If you can only writeTaskswhich somehow
can be accomplished, then the chances to steal a dice will also be a risk to have one stolen instead so if its an
instruction that will steal but wont let it be stolen, then
l

TheSquare Movementthat make even cup noodles get wrinkled ended.

Tasksthat are like that will be the limit.

Sora let out a small laugh after pointing out beyond the view that opened before them. At the starting coordinate of
the 60th square on the unchanging precipitous cliffs grass, there was a bulletin board.
Giving a single glance at the sentence written there, Steph quietly murmured.
Whats up with that?

Hey, weve moved through dozens of squares until now and you havent noticed it even once?

10: EachTaskwill be described on a bulletin board set non-sequentially on the squares of the board.

They were always around until now, werent they!? Those bulletin boards with theTaskswritten on them!!
Was there even a single moment of free time to worry about that tattered bulletin board until now!?
Hm, well, frankly speaking, there wasnt.
It wasnt just Sora, even Shiro readily accepted Stephs rebuttal. Even the two in question could only read a few
books, with all the escaping and sleeping. In any case, this was what was written on the bulletin board that Sora
pointed to.

After counting all the stands of hair on your entire body, including the tail, answer the correct number
stands, desu.

Izuna, even in writing, you have this way of talking, huh, Sora said pleasingly.
Its aTaskanyone can do but, the ones that can do it within seventy-two hours are really limited.
In the first place, the only ones who have a tail are Ino, Izuna, and Plum. With the
b u n c h

o f

a b s u r d i t i e s

five senses of the Warbeasts, maybe, they would be able to instantly count up the number of hair strands on their
own bodies. But, for the ones without a tail, let alone those five senses Or, more specifically for Sora and the
others, they really had no other choice besides counting all the stands of hair from even that horse tied to the
carriage, including its tail, one by one. To forcefully do that for seventy-two hours it would grow instead, so
theres no way they could do that.

Thats quite a harshTaskyou wrote, huh, Izuna-tan.

In any case, no matter what theTaskmay be, stopping the target for seventy-two hours and then steal one
dicewill be the limit.
Would they be just like Sora and Shiros, which will stop them for seventy-two hours due to containing questions
that can only be answered by a minimal amount of people, or maybe they would be just like this one, where theyll
give instructions that only a restricted number of people would be able to accomplish within seventy-two hours?
As long as ones trying to win, its a fact that they cannot write anything besides those two patterns.
The, tasksuntil now, toowere mostly, like that
Shiro listed some of the tasks she had memorized.
Complete a hundred laps on this square, from one edge to the other, on your own feet, desu.
This, too, was IzunasTask It meant go walk 2,000km within seventy-two hours. Though, it was too
severe even for a Warbeast to begin with, there was no need for Izuna to accomplish her own tasks. For Jibril
it would be easy; for Ino it would be an insanity with the risk of death, and everyone else besides them would slow
down by seventy-two hours.

If there are two or more people present besides the target of the task, then immediately pledge to the Oaths,
and, according to it, be victorious in a game.
This must be Jibril Normally, it would beinvalidwithout any coercive power at all. Thats because as
long as there isnt a third person, the prerequisites wouldnt be met and, as such, it would become a task that
cannot be accomplished by anyone. But, if the prerequisites were to be met, then it would surely become a
Taskof the highest difficulty But, in any case.

Well then, one more mysterious thing. Tasksthat no one but the Question Master, himself, can accomplish are
forbidden Why is that?
Hah? Well, isnt it because the game wouldnt be established otherwise
I see, a common answer, Sora laughed. In those quiz programs, if the participants were to only design questions
which only they, themselves, could answer, just what do you think would happen? Surely, that shitty program would
be immediately cut off and the one in charge would get fired.
But, Sora turned with a nice smile to Steph, who spoke of such a common sense and responded with irrationality.
And? Why is there a need to establish the game?
Wha~at?
r u l e

In this game, if the Old Deus is thehostand his plan is tohave us kill each other, then this binding would
get in the way, right? It would be fine if he just made us throw unreasonable demands or impossible tasks at each
other and have us die instantly, wouldnt it?
Then, what was the reason for not doing so?
At that moment.
On Sora and Shiros chests, as if growing from the void, the dices increased by one. From Izuna, who had stepped
into Soras task, one dice moved to Sora after the seventy-two hours elapsed. Likewise, someone, who had stepped
into Shiros task, must have lost one dice after the time limit.

Obeying the number of dices that increased to nine, their limbs extended slightly. While Sora (provisionally 16.2
years old) and Shiro (provisionally 9.9 years old) gloated together he declared.
I can even affirm it. Taskswhich only you, yourself, can complete are invalid The one who said that was
me
Whaaaaat~?
Sora said with a smile that didnt hold a single trace of guilt which is why it looked exactly like a devils.
Although, its restricted to Sora and Shiro alone, thisTaskrule was too much of an advantage. Just like Izuna
those two

said only
those two

who are moving together can make tasks that are impossible for anyone else but

.
survival

W-Well. When you consider this journey, its still a tepid handicap, but, lets put that aside.
Well then~, lets ima~~~~gine commoners!!
Sora stood up exaggeratedly on top of the carriage.
Our memories from before the start of the game are erased! Lets imagine after confirming the rules, we seem to
be crying, Youre fucking kidding me, thats like writing Jibril uses spatial shift kind of impossible game,
right !?
After Sora shouted that loudly, everyone gathered and thought about it.
I wonder why, Sora thought about that.
Following that, Tasks which only you, yourself, can complete are forbidden, banned an~~nd prohibited Can
you imagine it!?
That shouldve been the erased memories. But they could easily imagine it as if they had just seen it.
While Steph was peeling off the white of her eyes, Shiro nodded deeply, as if saying that was how her brother was.
And that way, I changed it into a rule whose advantage was limited to me and Shiro alone but.
In a fearlessly good mood Sora continued.
Shall we remember about one more thing? This game started after everyone consented. And there
It had a prerequisite which was improbable that everyone would consent. Therefore, without a doubt, there were
fake rules mixed in, and, among them
No matter how you think about it, there are rules which were created by me Dont you find it really
interesting?
If this game wasnt about making them kill each other with the Old Deus as the host then.
Who do you think started this game, under what intentions, on whose circumstances and who holds the
leadership?
Saying that, Sora played with the dice in his hands and laughed, but.
Steph quietly murmured, unsatisfied.
But, if youll die once the dices reaches zero, then isnt it the same thing?
z e r o

If you keep stealing dices from each other, youll eventually force that death upon someone. Then, isnt it the
same as killing each other in the end by ordering them to die Stepths eyes appealed so.

Certainly, youll die if you lose. Rather, youll also die if you starve, you can also end up getting eaten by the
reliable monsters, and, on the contrary, if you carelessly eat things, you may die due to poisoning; so, without
exception, itll be an instantGo to Heaven, right?
Niifor, usitll probablybe hell, instead
Steph frowned seeing Sora reply completely aloof
But, even so, it still wont become a killing spree.
Turning, Sora announced with a tight face, Steph faltered with a Why? while staring at him.
I see. So, since theres a coercive force working on the rules that surpasses our own wills, then it would be the same
as if we had consented into bettingour everythingand putting it on the plate. We may easily die, even if you put
aside the tasks and the dices as something irrelevant But, even so.
After all, Shiro and I will win anyway

Fufuyes, thats right!

Well naturally and solely win, in our own scenario theres no such plot.
After having such invigorating arrogance thrown at her, all anxiety disappeared from Stephs face. The natural
charlatan that was Sora, and Shiro, who unconditionally trusted him But, there was just one thing. Exactly
because of that one thing, Steph believed in them and could feel pride in it. That was the reason as to why Steph
had entrusted her dices to Sora before the game started.
Kuuhaku

15does not know the word defeat.

And, since theyre going to win, it has to be aperfect victory They wont accept anything less than that.
They wont accept something like having someones death or sacrifice as the prerequisite for some kind of defeat
that comes with the victory.
Were almost to the 61st square, just one left until our destination. Lets be careful while we look for the
bulletin board.
Like that, Sora turned his face away from the ticklish gaze and pointed out ahead of the horse that kept
running. He kept acting as if he didnt notice Steph and Shiros tepid and mocking gazes.
If you insist then Ill show you how Ill even instantly find out whoseTaskit is.
The same time he made a posed look, the carriage was, once again, enveloped in the now customary black mist.
They moved from the 60th square t the 61st and waited until their vision cleared, paying no attention to that
annoying noise. As expected, there was a bulletin board The old bulletin board which had theTask
engraved on it was there, alone, standing up. Thats right, it was a bulletin board with a single sentence written on
it

Pluck out your peis while smiling and die refreshed

15

TLC Note: In this case, its better to leave it in its romaji form because its being used as a name.


*swagger**rolls*
On the grass of the precipitous cliff, under the refreshingly clear sky, only the sound of horse hooves and wheels
echoed.
Sora~ it seems that Im a little tired~ I just saw a word that denies everything we just talked about
Behind Stephs back, who asked with a completely clear smile, as if singing while rejecting reality, were Sora and
Shiro whose time had stopped while they were still in a posed look and looking with tepid eyes.
Well, well, well.
Wellwellwell, c-c-calm d-d-down. Calm down, Sora, virgin, whos nearly 18 years old, provisionally, 16.2 years
old! Eh, for now theres something that must be done first, right? Thats right just like the bulletin board
declared

Geezerrr!! Since this is your doing, you must be hearing this, right! What the hell do you
think youre writing, did you finally go senile or what! Rather, you dog, even if you dont
open your mouth, isnt there something else for you to do besides dirty jokes!?
After instantly finding out the culprit just like he said, Sora gave a roar that echoed even to the heavens.
The reply came from behind the giant game board that formed a spiral. The criminal-like figure who was in a
close and linear distance let his answer echo on the game board.

[Oooh, what good news! To think that Sora-dono would stop at myTaskand what!?]
Sora and the others couldnt see his figure, but, maybe the eyes of the Warbeast were seeing them.
[How could this be to think that Shiro-dono and Stephanie-dono would be together Surely, it must be
painful for you two to see his appearance plucking out something with a smile and dying refreshed but, even
S o r a - d o n o

so!! This is also for the sake of pest control and can even be said that its for the sake of world peace!! Please, I beg
collateral dammage

that you understand that this is an inevitable sacrifice]

I didnt stop at it~ Im just passing by! You bastard, what did you plan on doing if you were to step on your own
square, huh!?
[I was prepared for it? But, for you to be just passing by *tsk* damn this stubborn cockroach]
*swagger**roll*
The carriage proceeded, even now, while being ridden by Steph laughing emptily, while Sora and Shiros time still
stopped. Sora, the only one who could still think, was holding back a headache and groaned as if squeezing it out.
Geezer. You understand that you would lose if I died to this, right?
He had just said that those instant-deathTasksare the worst possible moves, which are the furthest from
victory. But, the answer that returned was simple and clear.
Sora-dono

[I wonder? If theTraitorwho set us all up and killed Miko-sama were to bite the dust, its clear that this game
r

would work out somehow Ill fulfill my duty as a vassal and crush the enemy of the world why would I
be losing anything?]

Sora. Sora~ Of course, this is also within your predictionsisnt it? Right?
Sora replied to the imploring sounding voice, but, in his mind its clearly unexpected. To order death
meaninglessly, the legitimacy of betrayal, etcetera But, everything was something only possible if everyone
thought about it properly. Either he was a real fool or Mikos death was that much of a shock for him No,
maybe it was both.
But, what he really wanted to snap at was the fact his brains fuse got blown away without any remains. Because
b

even Steph was able to see through Sorastraitor declaration, yet, even though he even possessed the five
senses that can see through lies
He still accepted Soras words of all things as the truth!
I-I see, thats quite the admirable resolution you got there, Im no match for it.
But Theres no problem.

Regaining his composure, Sora secretly wiped off his sweat and spoke calculatingly as a form of retaliation.
I

To think that you would go as far as to risk your granddaughters death for that it must be the pinnacle of
loyalty.
[ What?]
Said with a dubious voice, he had come up with the task where only males would die with that faint amount of
reasoning left. Targets cannot be specified but, while he wants to kill Sora, he wont let Izuna die.
t a s k

Thus, he wrote a death which utilizes something only males possess or so he planned to.
Really, its too broad.16
If the female group and by that, I mean Izuna, were to step into thisTask, they would extract something
suitable for an animal while smiling and would die invigorated In a certain way, its an instruction much
harsher than me taking my own thing out, Im amazed
The wording of the tasks cannot be limited to a target. Just like how Izunas task had to haveincluding the
tail.
If its something you dont possess itll simply refer to something else.

In the middle of the long silence that made one think theyre hearing it say theres an idiot here, a scream
teared through the sound of the horse that kept running without caring about anyone
[S-Sora-dono, what should I do!? Izuna carries no sin, so I beg you, please have mercy on Izuna! Please lend me
the wisdom of the unscrupulous fiend that goes walking around meaninglessly every day! Please devise a strategy
to save Izuna!!]
The pathetic petition trembling in tears had pointlessly resounded and echoed through the air corridor.
Alright then. Spit out what other stupidTasksyou wrote, without exception.
[Yes~~~~ I~~~~ and also ~~~~ blahblahblah]
And.
After he finished listening to Inos confession thoroughly, Sora heavily nodded.
Hmm, I see, I get it now. Dont worry, I found a countermeasure to prevent Izuna from dying.
[Oh, ohhh!! So there was a meaning for the mistake that was Sora-donos birth! Ohh, Im really grateful!!]
Shiro seemed to have understood it just like him and, after taking out a pouch from the bag and wearing it on her
head, both of them nodded and

But, I wont teach it to you, bastard!! Go shit yourself and sleep!!

Geezergo count up, your sinsaside, from being born
R i d e r

The two of them raised their middle fingers and said the answer It was just like Gedo and Fukumen.17
TLC Note: TL, is an onomatopoetic word to represent a sound of something thats oversized, or in large
quantities, i.e. water gushing down the drain. If the characters were flipped, then, itd mean stupid/dumb, etc. Those fast
readings get the best of us, so be careful! (I almost fell for it myself)
17
Referring to Japans famous pro wrestlers. Gedo = Keiji Takayama, Fukumen = unknown
16


A vile and foul language, whose meaning was unclear, was turned into a BGM while the carriage was still moving.
Wai, hey, you two!? Y-You wont teach him the countermeasure!? If someone were to step on it
That geezertried to make Niis, niiget extracted not even, ten thousands of deaths, will be
enough
Stephs mouth closed at Shiros slur, that had about four tenths of real killing intent but, Sora laughed after
having drawn out all theTasksfrom one player, and, in Imanity, carved such words on the carriage.
It was a lie to make him reveal his tasks. No one will die with those tasks.

InosTaskswere all subjective, objective, and directive.

All phrases were incredibly lacking indications about target and period There wasnt any coercive power to it.
Its the same thing as the contracts that dont specify things like who will, by whom, what, when, and how. Youre
good to wait for seventy-two hours, and, if you are a male, you can accomplish it if you die, but, youll simply be
plucking out Inos dices. The guy who did something so stupid is a high official for the Eastern Union? He
should be dismissed.
[T-Then, lets make a deal! Ill introduce you to a few cute girls!!]
Sora scoffed at the proposal and breathed deeply, seeing him like that, Shiro and Stephs face looked as if they had
seen a ghost and panted as their voices trembled.
Nii, ni-ni-nii, wha,wha, whats, wrong
Sora, a-are you alright!? Did you hit your head when you fell from the carriage!?
But, Sora suddenly shook his head elegantly and answered while calmly smiling.
Both of you calm down Men are beings that grow up every day, you know?
I see, until some time ago, that certainly would be a bait that I wouldve bitten into with less than zero frames. But
now, the Eastern Union has merged! Now, there are as many kemonomimis to have my way with as there are lights
in the heavens!
Sora, 18 years old, was still on a journey But! Hes no longer a man that gets fished through cheap baits!
S o r a - d o n o

[Theres a fan club thats infatuated with Elkias King who call themselves I want to be embraced by Sora-sama
Association thats puzzling the Eastern Union with some incomprehensible testimonies about]
Hey, friend, dont act so cold!! Were comrades who pledged eternal friendship just now, arent we!!!
Though, if the bait is expensive, then, its another story.
Biting into the bait within zero frames, Sora exalted while thrusting his palm passionately and winding the air. All
the while, he received Steph and Shiros amzed no, relieved, gazes upon himself.
If its my unworthy silly wisdom, then, I will share it as much as you want, and, as such, come on, hurry up and
please let me hear in details about it, oh my soul mate!!
But, Soras voice continued without caring about it while he shouted overly pretending to be some kind of actor
*silence*
His answer was only a calm silence no.

There was only the sound of the disk spinning and the darkness, which had already become something usual after
repeating it for 61 times in a row. The carriage that kept running had crossed the 61st square and, before they
noticed it, they had reached the edge of the square.
~~~~~~ Now, its Event Load!? Its aiming too much for the KOTY18 right!!!
L

Sora was breathing coarsely through his nose while growling at theSquare Movementthat had ignored the
mood and Steph questioned him.
More importantly. You havent forgotten that the next square will be the one with theTask, have you?
You, dont make me repeat! I just said that something like that hardly matters, didnt I!?
But, I also just happened to see your prediction getting wrong and having a task written die, didnt I!?
Sora stopped laughing and ridiculed it as something trivial.
Just having one person in charge of being a fool was already good enough, but, they even found out that his entire
Fool

Taskwas completely harmless. No matter what kidn of task it may be, itll just slow them down by seventytwo hours In other words, theres too much time for him to inquire with more details about the interesting
organization known as the I want to be embraced by Sora-sama Association!
And like that, the carriage that had Sora, who was in high spirits, and the other two riding, finally reached the
square of the outcome of their dices.
destination

The load correction, the movement to the62nd squarefinished and, in their view was

Erm, yeah.
Aha, ahaha~ hey, Gramps? About the details about the girls that want to be embraced by me
NiiNii! Look at reality!
Reality. What about it, Sora laughed with a troubled face.
Occasionally, Shiro, who was his prided little sister and a genius girl, would say weird things that were too far from
the understanding of commoners. It was her brothers duty to strive to understand it, but He would often be
troubled by it well then.
He was riding the carriage. Or so he was supposed to. And yet.
He had been thrown out, abruptly, without any context, and, on his own, far up into the sky. He was literally in the
middle of a bungee jump without any rope, and, was currently falling towards a boiling magma. Could this realistic
situation, thats lacking the letterrereally be calledreality?
Hahahaha, no wayyyyyyyyyyy
His thoughts ran idle, but, theTaskthat was read mercilessly hit Soras earlobes.

TL Note: Kusoge of the Year. The K was left in Japanese, while the OTY are in English. Kusoge refers to kuso geemu
which means shitty game.
TLC Note: All four letters were in English in the RAWs. And the ruby text by it was the katakana spelling for Kusoge of the
Year
18

The target of the task should be immediately teleported to midair, then, fall into the magma
underneath and burn.

Ah, I see Sora, Sora~? As expected, Im not an idiot~

The voice continued, right by his side.
It seems like you can just make it so that they will die if they cant accomplish it just like this
Hearing Stephs words, who was laughing while taking a walk in the middle of the air alongside him with eyes that
didnt reflect any light, Sora smiled.
Hahaha, you really are an idiot, huh. That way theres no change to the fact that it will become impossible to
collect all dices but one, right. By the way Shiro, listen to your brothers great deduction wont we die with
this!?
Welcome back, Nii but, soon itll be, bye bye
Its said that when people are right before their deaths, theyll see a revolving lantern. They would search
through each and every memories and knowledge, looking for a way to escape the predicament. It was said to be a
phenomenon which caused an aberrant activity making the brain overcome their limits. That, it even stopped
time. An enormous amount of memories crossed Soras accelerated brain.
The kemonomimi girls that hugged Sora saying with a shrill voice that they want to be embraced by him.
The geezer making a muscular pose while making the muscles of his chest move and twitch.
His own smiling face telling the kemonomimi girls fighting over him you girls, please get along.
The geezer enthusiastically showing his muscles while prostrating with his fresh uniform with an afterglow.
The geezer making the kemonomimi girls culr near his loins while be puffed a cigarette *fuu*. The
vermillion-colored cloth waving. The loincloth that swayed with the win red geezer
(Are you stupiddddddddddd as if Ill allow myself to die with such a revolving lantern, you shitty geezerrrrrrr!)
Just what the hell did this head of mine planned to save me from, using those forged memories that I now want to
erase!! He was completely confused at the turbulent waves of flashbacks, but.
Nii
A single drop just like a drop of water.
It was a faint voice and the hand that held his wasnt trembling The eyes that looked at him, too, didnt think
they would die.
The older brother wont allow that to happen. Her eyes were certain of that and with the words that followed.
Calm, down?
While time was still stopped, his rippling thoughts became calm.
He roared once at his instincts that raised a scream at the heat of magma burning his skin.
Disappear, youre in the way, Sora ordered.
He got an answer from the warmth of the hands and the light of eyes that looked at him. In order to instantly
uncover themeaningof this magma this unnaturally slow death
You are

Fear is a hindrance!!
Sora clenched his teeth hard enough to break them and, sure enough, he reached the answer in an instant.

 Originally, he wouldve found the one who wrote thisTaskthrough process of elimination. And, from
there, he would list and test the methods for breaking through and uncover the moves he could make But,
there werent even a few seconds left until the magma and, if someone could do that in that small amount of time, it
would be Shiro, not Sora. As such, Sora undid the string in his own way In other words, he shouted towards
the boiling and bubbling magma which was approaching towards the malice that floated and could be seen
there
Thats quite a nerve you got there, huh, you bastard!! Ill remember it, alright!?
It was the young boy who once induced them without telling a single lie, used them, and, in the end, planned to turn
them into food. The Dhampir who simply harbored pure harmful intent, deeply etched into this pale faces
smile.
Having decided on his own that it was Plums thin smile, he postponed the proving of his intuition and
Give me your panties.
Huh?
The panties, Im talking about your panties!! Panties, shorts, scanties!! Your panties Its a panty made of
linen with 0.8mm of thickness of a natural light pink dye with a red frill ribbon attached to it, right, isnt that so!?
While baring his canines, he asked no, he simply confirmed it.
The view was etched deeply into his heart since he had done a continuous loop as torememberit
confirmed everything. That instant, where Shiro had lowered down Stephs panties. The way it stretched, the shape
of the wrinkles, the sewing and even the string used to sew it without a doubt, he remembered it all!!
You keep up with the sexual harassment even on your death bead its wonderful how you keep being yourself
until the very end
Nii even though, youre a DT19 why, do you have, such knowledge, for identification
Amid the sensation of boiling magma burning their skin, with resignation and consternation flying about he
answered inside his heart, its because Im a DT.
Enough Just shut up and give me those easily burnable panties already!!
Sora roared with a face befitting of a crisis, but, before Steph could even reach, much faster than her
Hyaaaaaaah!?
Shiro had noticed Soras intention and inserted her hands inside Stephs skirt, plucking out her panties. The
remaining force made Steph spin around but, he couldnt afford to mind it.
Shiro took out some food from the pouch and wrapped Stephs panties around it And then, she threw it down
at the magma right before their eyes with all her strength.
It seemed so slow that it was abnormal and it was clearly visible inside their view.
After the reason finally caught up to the intuition, Sora lined up the basis for having decided that by himself.
Why did it have to be Stephs panties?
Thats because it would be bad if it wasnt something that burned faster than they were falling. This
Taskmade the target of the task get teleported to midair, and, inevitably, fall but.

19

TL Note: DT = doutei, which means virgin.

But, that sentence didnt restrict what had to fall into the magma and burn !
At the same time the panties touched the magma no, before it even touched it. The fibers made of thin linen
got engulfed by the heat raised from the magmas surface, which easily surpasses a thousand degrees Celsius.
*pow* and in the instant that a small fire lighted on the panties (packing a meat)

The task has been accomplished.

The magma disappeared along with the echoing of that voice, and, in its place, the watery surface of a lake
appeared, where the three of them fell. While he was sinking in the water, Sora laughed ferociously at the last basis
Plums intention.
The degree of freedom for thisTaskrule, contrary to the words, was incredibly low. Designations that
only one can complete are invalid, so what will happen if one were to write it in a way that one would only steal
while not having any stolen? As long as ones trying to win, they cannot write anything besides those that would
stop others for seventy-two hours.
But what if youre not trying to win.
They would giveTaskswhich, when noticed, anyone can instantly accomplish so, theres only two
possible intents behind it.
So, did he fool around like always and ended up messing up, or would it be
(I wont wait for seventy-two hours, so please just hurry up and steal my dice or something like that?)
Right while making face like it was sayingOr else youll die~while adding a heart mark to it. That Plum
surely mustve written those tasks while making that annoyingly thin smile on his pale face, Sora smiled bitterly.
Just him. Just for Plum alone, having the dices stolen from him was more convenient
Puhaa! Haahaaare are we saved!?
Hitting the water, Steph asked while peeking from above the waters surface. But, Sora grinned at the voice he
could only hear faintly and answered inside his mind.

NO.

ababababbababababegobobobobabagah!!
The bubbles surging violently on the waters surface were saying things beyond translation.
D-Dont bother with me! Please, at least save my little sister, Shiro!!
Shirountil the very end, wantsto die, togetherwith Nii
Those two were the strongest when its about games and the weakest when its about anything else. Their lives
were thinner than Japanese paper, just as if they were the embodiment offragility. But, they were steadily
sinking towards the bottom of the lake, just as if they were, literally, heavier than a hammer

Shiro, I promise I wont run away from reality anymore. Thats why
*nods* yeahNii, Shiro, toowont, ever, run away again
The two had sunk, but, barely got salvaged thanks to Stephs desperate salvage operation. While hugging each
other and filling their drenched faces with tears, they firmly pledged to stand up against reality together.
Lets learn to swim.
Now, Sora! What kind of repetitive talk youll distort saying that I got it wrong!?
While being completely drenched, her breathing disturbed by weariness and exhaustion, Steph suddenly stood up
and shouted. She had pulled up not only Sora and Shiro who were drowning, but, even the luggage that had sunk to
the bottom of the lake
Her amazing lung capacity and inexhaustible stamina that still let her shout raised even a sense of respect for her.
But, if respect recovered stamina, then, they wouldnt be having such a hard time.
No, its fine like this its just like I expected
Are you really saying that you expected yourself to spit out water from your mouth like a fountain while trembling
together with your litter sister, raising a crying voice!? Was it also within your expectations to turn into an artificial
fishing reef decorating the bottom of the lake!? You really think about nature, right~!?
Maybe she really snapped this time since her criticism is many times sharper than usual. But. Sora grinned
and, while lying on his back and spitting out more water, he laughed.
Why would you create a fishing reef in a freshwater lake if its about protecting nature then you should create
it in the ocean
Its-not-about-thaaaaaat!! How is there anything expected about this disastrous situation!!
Steph firmly pointed that out so Sora thought about her so-called disastrous situation.
He was lying on his back, Shiro was lying on top of him and Steph was screaming. The rucksack had sunk in
the lake as they had before but, that, too, got pulled up by Steph. Most of the contents should be safe. It was a
r u c k s a c k

waxed water-proof bag since he assumed from the very start that this kind of thing would happen. Their
smartphones, tablets, and the like, too, were all water-proofed products that could be used inside the bath. And,
since they had accomplished theTask the dices floating around the chests of the three of them had
increased one by one.
Thats all of the current situation that got called disastrous. I wonder, whats wrong about it
They are killing each other, arent they just which mouth was saying that its within expectations!
Steph said so with a regretful voice, as if blaming him, although Sora noticed it a little late.
Sora had said that they wouldnt end up killing each other and yet. She had called disastrous this
situation where both Ino and Plum had nearly killed them.
. Hmm, even if you ask me which mouth, unfortunately, I only have one mouth, so
Sora murmured so and stood up and turned to Steph, who was glaring at him accusingly. He said it as carefree as
always but.
Regardless if I spit out water or fish from this mouth, Ill still say it as many times as its necessary that its
all within my expectations.
!
He declared with a gaze that didnt waver in the slightest. Steph faltered involuntarily, but, Sora continued,
completely aloof, while squeezing his wet shirt.

This game started after everyone consented with improbable prerequisites.

Thats right, improbable premises.
That they would believe each other, that they wouldnt betray each other, that they would kill each other, that
Mikos death would be the price.
There were many conditions that theres no way they would accept and theres one more thing at that.
A game with an Old Deus me and Shiro would participate unconditionally. Jibril would participate
either due to obeying us or by curiosity, I guess. If it involves Miko-san, then, Ino and Izuna would also participate.
Steph, well~ I guess maybe you would participate by going with the flow.
Sora once again wore the shirt he had wringed and, while showing a thin smile he spoke.
And? Why would Plum be participating in this game?
Those words made Steph choke.
It was a game with improbable prerequisites but, started with the consent towards the ones that were,
probably. But, then, what about Plum, who from the very start didnt have any reason, motivation, or obligation to
participate?
P

In this game, a Dhampirs survival is more endangered than Imanitys. Every place in this field are open plains,
after all. Its a long-term battle where the sun is fatal. Forget about bloodsucking, theres no way to even replenish
the bodily fluids.
Since it was almost impossible to ascend, there wasnt even any significance for Plum to participate.
What did he aim for and under what conditions did he consent to participating? Its simple, right Shiro?
Every one of them, at the very least, wringed out and dried their clothes Sora had pointed to the dices that had
increased by one due to accomplishing theTaskthat anyone could do prepared by Plum. Seeming to have
finally caught on to her older brothers thoughts, Shiro answered happily.
Plums aim, is to win without ascending
Saying that, the two of them played around with the dices they stole No, that Plum made them steal. Imanitys
Kuuhaku

strongest gamer,

, showed a thin smile, fearlessly, irreverently and declared.

If you forgot, then, well say it as many times as its necessary.

Kuuhaku

do not know of defeat.

Just like this declaration, everything was within expectations. Everything lined up correctly towards victory, just
like the inevitable
Thats right. Fufu, thats how it is, right! Then
There was no longer anxiety spilling from Stephs face. Her face broke into a relieved smile as if she had
remembered something she was about to forget. She took a deep breath and then pointed at Sora and Shiro
No, to behind them, in other words, beyond them.
Would you please let me hear about the scenario that Elkias prided two Wise Kings expected? About what
will happen from now on and along with it, what I should do about my underwear so that I dont need to end up
with my heart breaking
Steph pointed out with an empty smile, her eyes still dead.

The scenery got temporarily overwritten due to the task and on top of that, everyone got teleported high in the sky.
Maybe it ran away, since both the horse and the carriage they were riding in just before had disappeared without a
trace. They have no other choice besides to walk on foot, through the pathless fields that still extended far into the
horizon. While they were making a posed look the single teardrop running down on the yet silent and
immobile Sora and Shiros cheek silently spoke it all.
Its a like a lie.
Its the first move and yet, something like this happened.
The62nd square this place, where they were standing on after going through hardships and dying
experiences. The place they were aiming for was after289 squaresmore, after throwing the dices many more
times and piling up many more hardships.
This place was about one sixth of the total he cursed at the him would had agreed to the rules. Couldnt he
do something more about it!? At least about the means for moving, you know!?
~~~~~~ A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step!! Come on, gather the dices at me one more time
and letstravel together!!
Sora roared as to inspire his heart which seemed it would easily break down if he were to lose focus. And just like
the first time theytraveled together. Leavingone dicewith Steph and Shiro, all the remaining dices
were gathered at Sora.

04: In the case oftraveling together, after declaring so, the travelers will only move in accordance to the
o n e

p e r s o n

outcome of the representative.

05. In the case that the number of players moving together surpasses two people, anOverall Number of
Travel Companions X Attendantss worth of dices will be removed from the number of dices used.

Whentraveling togetheras three people, six dices will be lost per move, but it cant be helped. The
number of dices thrown will be greater that way, the outcome would also be bigger, and the number of squares with
aTaskone will have to stop at will decrease.
Steph grabbed eight of the dices that were floating around her chest and handed them over to Soras extended
hand Or so she was about to, but, she halted. Noticing something, she lowered her face and asked.
It might be a little too late for this, but why are you bringing me along?
What?
M-My bad to be honest, I looked down on you are you saying that, on your first look of the game, you
wanted toplay it traveling alone while being the weakest character and without raising any levels!? Damn
you! You must be a pro masochist, right!?
Nii, thats, just because its a series tagged with uploader missing20
I-I dont understand what youre saying!? I-Its not that
TL Note: Complicated joke. It refers to a tag given to a series which the upload of the next episode is late for example, it
shouldve been uploaded after a week, yet, theres no sign of it after an entire month. The missing part is a black joke, which is
irrelevant to whether the uploader really went missing or not. So, it means that since the episode is late, Sora still havent
seen what happened to make Steph reach that kind of development.
20

In the first move, Steph was borderline intimidated and was forced totravel together, but, her face distorted in
doubt and said.

Thistravel togetherrule it would be far more effective if you left me behind, wouldnt it
So why did you force me into traveling together with you?
Maybe she finally noticed it, since she spilled that fearfully while feeling something was wrong. Sora and Shiro
turned and looked at each other.
It really was too late for that, they exchanged smiles, amazed.
At first, they intimidated Steph, stole and used thenine dices but. If they brought Steph along and
traveled together, each one would lose two dices per move a total ofsixdices would be consumed.
Furthermore, if they failed on accomplishing aTask, it would decrease by one for each person at worst,
they could even end up consuming it all in a single move. Even if the value of the outcome increases along with the
number of dices, if the consumption also increases then the result would be negative. Let alone that
If it was only Sora and Shiro then you could get away with just havingtwodices consumed,
couldnt you?
Exactly Going by the rules, the consumption would increase if the number of people moving together
surpasses two. Surpassing two people its exceeding. Its not two or more so two people arent
included in that. If its Sora and Shirowith just the both of them, they could get away with having only one
dice consumed for each of them, totaling only two. But, if they add one more person to that from that moment
on, the consumption would triple.
Basically, me and Shiro have no other choice besidestraveling together, but, with this rule, theres little
meaning for anyone else besides us to use it. In addition, just me and Shiro is fine, but, it would be disadvantageous
for us if we were to add one more companion. Our chances to win would be come thinner, so we should leave you
behind and go on is that what youre trying to say?
Y-Yes
Steph said troubled, but, the voice that answered was
From the one who was in possession of27 dices, having received nine from Shiro and eight from Steph.
Then, too bad, but, yourewrongisnt it regrettable?
It was a low and sharp voice laughing fearlessly in the late 40s.

Thistraveling togetherrule, too The one who attached it was undoubtedly me. Then
Thistraveling togetherrule was completely meaningless for everyone besides Sora and Shiro. Theres a
traitorweaved in, even if two people moved together, there werent any advantages to it. If they moved
together with three or more people, it would simply be disadvantageous it was a rule meaningless for anyone
to use. But Since that rule was essential for Sora and Shiro, Sora mustve attached it.
t w o

a t

m o s t

If you say that its something convenient like like there wont be any penalty if its just Sora and Shiro, then
basically, it means that there are those kinds of circumstances, right God?
Rather, I see it as you cant win if you dont travel together pleasedeclareit.

He anticipated it at the end of this giant game board, far beyond the horizon. The words Sora spoke while
laughing, as if mocking and inciting the Old Deus that awaited there. He would bring down a god with only a
a g e d

human body he said so with his future voice and face as if he had already shown it many times.
Both Shiro and Stephs faces involuntarily turned red. While still being prompted by Sora, they took his hands
and declared.
Theyretraveling together
dices

As the words echoed, Sora grabbed theLifefrom his chest and threw them in the empty space. From the
moment all of them rolled on the ground and revealed their numbers they could only proceed until that value.
The lives of those three At the price of two tenths of their lives.
The place they would reach after proceeding while consuming their life, their existence time, their age just
where would it be?
dices

Sora and Shiro laughed. Steph trembled. Then, they looked at the destination that their lives revealed

Thirty minutes have passed ever since they kept staring at it.
I also asked the same thing during the first move, but what are you doing?
I think I also answered the same thing during the first move, but!! Its a ritual!!
Random number analysis
The nervousness and the like had already became a distant memory. Steph (1.8 years old) asked while sitting
in a triangle while Sora and Shiro answered instantly in other words.
It was a situation where a nearly 50-year-old NEET virgin hikikomori gamer was doing a handstand with his upper
half naked while taking along two little girls. If the police passed by, then in one shot, with just the circumstantial
evidence and the boiling smell of an offense, he would be arrested and certainly charged for it. It was a bizarre
situation that would surely charge him of guilt.
Nii, next keep moving the torch, to the left and right, while making squats then throw it.
No, erm can I ask you to explain it in more detail?
His figure had looked like that of a reliable and stern father for a moment, but, when one looked attentively
S

like this, it was just an older brother with a sorry order drifting around.
The invalidation of tasks that can only be done by yourself and this travel together rule. I told you that I was the
one who made both of them, but

02: The Dice Holder can only move across the same amount of squares as the outcome of throwing all the
dices they possess.
03: The resulting value from throwing the dice is random, and, after throwing it, onedice from the used
ones will be lost.
These dice rules were probably also designed by me.
Nii, next return, one step and throw itwhile making, a bridge.

He made a bridge, looking pained, just like Shiro instructed and once again threw one dice.
All of them were showingsix.
t e c h n i q u e

Anyone can do a hand movement of this level to manipulate the outcome, right!
Like hell they can.
Shiro seemed to have heard the voice in Stephs heart, but, actually it really was something anyone could do. Like
those with paranormal five senses, Izuna and Ino, and those with magic, like Jibril and Plum. It was unclear as to
who was the first one to say that it was forbidden, but the older brother continued.
But, if the manipulation of the outcome was forbidden, and you were to leave something as ambiguous as
Random-sanup to that Old Deus, the outcome would be manipulated in a way that no one would be able to
ascend. It would be a cheat impossible to prove and wed surely lose. As if I would overlook it.
Nii, next make a dent, on the, groundand throw
Just like she instructed, Sora stuffed his face to the ground and threw another dice.
On top of that, even if you sayrandom, theres someone who can concretely specify thatRandom-san.
He said while turning his gaze to Shiro.
Here, without fail.
He said while staring at the surface of the rolled dices, where the floating numbers were shown and then rapidly
disappeared. Shiro replied with a smug face while raising her fingers and making a V.
If the manipulation of the outcome was forbidden so that even the Old Deus wouldnt be able to do it, then. Then,
we have no choice but to specify the random function through a specific pseudo random number sequence. If
the erasure of memories is the initial condition, then its a fact that theyve made a random that no one can operate
on.
However! If Shiro could specify it, then certainly it was specified under some certain conditions!!
If you, calculate the reference value you can adjust the random value and specify it, to give
the number you want
And so, this is the basis for saying that it was something we prepared, the older brother laughed wickedly.
Proceed by throwing all the dices you possess but, theres no rule saying to throw it all at the same time, is
there?
Then by altering the conditions and throwing it one at a time, you can calculate the reference value.
I already knew it, but as charlatans, you both are so reliable that its even tiring.
Then, Nii Next, undress, your bottoms, too take a step back
Shiro, I think its about time for me to question it, but, is there really a possibility that the lack of possession
of clothes are part of the reference value?
Sora let that out with his eyes half closed, Shiro answered in her head Theres no way thats true.
TherandomShiro specified had the same deviation characteristics of RoSaga3s21 random number routine.
Thereference addressalso had anumber of stepsandelapsed timethat Shiro could completely
memorize. But
There is because of Shiros taste

21

TL Note: Romancing Saga 3, the sixth title in the SaGa role-playing video game series developed and published by Square
(now Square Enix), and released exclusively for the Super Famicom system in Japan.

Just what kind of taste is that what do you think would happen if the random number adjustment required me
to be completely naked!
? It would be fine, if you just stayed, fully naked?
If a middle-aged man was to be full open while bringing around two little girls, the police would go crazy, right!?
It might already be too late for that, Shiro thought quietly.
Maybe she had already given up, but, Steph, after plucking out some grass, was blowing a grass whistle while
gazing at the blue sky; the only thing echoing was its languorous sound.