Part 2
In the next moment after signing on the [Geass Roll], the five of them were immediately surrounded by light that filled their vision before them.
The dimensional warp shifted and rushed the five of them out of the door, moving them towards the entrance of the Gift Game.
And as Izayoi and the others who stood before the doors looked around casually, they noticed that the surroundings around the white palace had been severed from Little Garden and had become a Palace that floated in the middle of nowhere. This was clearly a location within Little Garden that was yet not in Little Garden.
“A disqualification upon being sighted? In other words, we have to assassinate Laius?”
Izayoi gazed up at the white palace while seeming to speak his thoughts in a tone that was barely containing his excitement.
“If that’s the case, Laius would also enact the legend by going into a slumber right? But even so the battle will not be that easy.” Jin responded.
“YES. That Laius should be waiting at the deepest part of the Palace and prepared to meet us. But before that, we must successfully overcome the obstacle of the Palace. Unlike the legend of Perseus, we do not have the Gift of Hades. And since we do not have the Gift of invisibility, we will need to have an elaborate and cautious battle plan.” Kuro Usagi clarified the points to note while bringing her index finger up before her. The Gift game this time round had been partially modeled after the Greek mythology, the legend of Perseus.
If they couldn’t escape the attention of the [Host] members to reach the deepest part of the Palace, there wouldn’t be a need to battle Laius as they would immediately be disqualified from the Game.
Asuka wore a serious expression on her face as she confirmed and read out the rules of the [Geass Roll]:
“Those who are spotted will lose their qualification to challenge the leader of the Game. Similarly, if our team’s leader, Jin-chan were to be disqualified before reaching the deepest part of the palace, it will be an immediate loss for the Participating side. Since that’s the case, there should be around three different roles to be played.”
Yō who stood beside Asuka had also nodded her head in agreement. In a normal situation, such a Gift game would require at least a hundred men and to be divided into ten men squads to challenge with the chance of getting a few to reach the deepest part of the palace successfully.
But in such a game, they were to make do with just four members to challenge it. So assigning specific roles was a necessary step to take.
“Hm, first we would need one to fill the role of following Jin-chan to defeat the Game leader; another to search out the enemies and defeat the invisible enemies; and lastly another to forgo the chance right from the start and be responsible for being the bait to taunt the enemy into switching their attention to the eliminated player.”
“Kasukabe, your nose is sharp while your vision and hearing is also exceptional so I will be leaving the invisible enemies to you.”
“Kuro Usagi can only participate in the Game as a Judge, Kuro Usagi’s sorry but she will be leaving the task of defeating the Game leader to you, Izayoi-san.” Kuro Usagi said after Izayoi proposed his motion.
“Ara? Then I’m in-charge of being the bait and to taunt them?”
Asuka replied while showing her slight displeasure at the arrangement.
However, it was already confirmed that Asuka’s Gift was currently unable to defeat Laius. Moreover, it was more effective for Asuka’s Gift to be used on large numbers of enemies which was an undetermined quantity at the moment. Although she might understand that the arrangement was based on logic, her sensitivity to the underlying meaning might just be causing her to feel unsatisfied. Noticing that, Izayoi spoke up to tease Asuka who seemed to be having a small tantrum:
“So sorry about this, Ojou-sama, I would have liked to pass this task with you, but if we do not win, there won’t be any meaning to this battle. If someone had to deal with that bastard, I would still be the best candidate no matter how you look at it.”
“……Hmph, forget it, I will just let you have the limelight this time. But if you dare lose, better be prepared, for I will not be letting you off lightly!”
Izayoi gave a nonchalant shrug in reply. However, Kuro Usagi had a grim expression as she brought up her worry:
“Although it’s regrettable, but it is no guarantee that we can win. If we do not take the chance of catching Laius when he’s off his guard, it should become quite a harsh and bitter battle.”
Four pairs of eyes were now trained on Kuro Usagi upon hearing her warning.
“……Is that villain really that strong?” Asuka looked a little nervous as she inquired.
“No. Laius-san himself doesn’t have power that is worrying for us, the problem is the Gift that he possess. If Kuro Usagi’s guess is right, his Gift should be —“
“The previous Demon Lord-sama who has been contracted as his underling.”
“Yep, the previous Demon Lord……EH?”
Izayoi’s supplement to her words caused Kuro Usagi to be momentarily stumped for words.
However, Izayoi had a nonchalant expression as he continued:
“According to the myth surrounding Perseus, this world cannot have the head of Medusa for that’s something that has already been offered up to the God of War. However, those guys were still able to use a petrification Gift—[Perseus] that has been invited to become one of the constellations. So to put it simply, that thing hanging around his neck……should be the Demon Star, right?”
“……Demon Star?”
Asuka and the others who didn’t get what Izayoi was talking about, looked at each other while tilting their heads quizzically.
Only Kuro Usagi continued to be surprised and frozen on the spot.
Because she was the only one who noticed how extraordinary Izayoi’s conjecture had sounded.
“Izayoi-san……Could it be that you… have already seen through the secret of Little Garden’s constellations……?”
Kuro Usagi shook her head as she asked the question while continuing to gaze at him as though something unbelievable was standing before her.
“Yep. The previous day when I looked up at the stars, I already had a hunch about it and after meeting Laius, I could almost confirm it. It’s only when I found some extra time to observe the Demon Star that I reached the conclusion recently. After all with Shiroyasha lending me the equipment, doing some research into the background isn’t that much of a problem.”
Izayoi gave a triumphant laugh while Kuro Usagi also revealed a smile that held a hidden meaning as she surveyed Izayoi’s face.
“Could it be that Izayoi-san, you are actually and unexpectedly a brainy sort?”
“What are you talking about at this time? I’m a naturally brainy sort of person. I could even open Kuro Usagi’s room doors without turning the handle, couldn't I?”
“……No, no, to be exact, those doors didn’t have a door handle in the first place and it was only the panel that was left standing.”
Kuro Usagi calmly acted the part of the tsukomi. Izayoi had also noticed that and he decided to give an additional clarification:
“Ah, is that so? But even if there’s a door handle, I can still open the door without using the door handle, you know?”
“…………………… May Kuro Usagi ask for you to demonstrate as a reference?”
Kuro Usagi stared at Izayoi icily.
Seeming to respond to her question, Izayoi smiled as he walked up to the huge doors.
“Well that sort of thing—-Of course it’s done this way!”
Following the tremendous sound of a crash, he smashed the great doors of the white palace with his kick.
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