Part 6
Izayoi and Jin, who obtained the second Gift of Invisibility, finally arrived at the highest level of the Palace. The Palace depths didn’t have a ceiling over it but was constructed like a simple arena.
“Izayoi-san……Jin-bocchan……”
Kuro Usagi, who had waited for them at the top floor gave a sigh of relief after looking them over with her eyes.
Lifting their heads to gaze at the skies above the wide expanse of the arena, there stood a figure looking down upon the people beneath his feet.
“—Hmph, what a useless bunch, looks like I must do a thorough purging of trash after this business is done.”
The figure that floated in the skies did possess a pair of wings.
They were a pair of shining wings that sprouted from the knee-high boots.
“But I guess with this, they will have also learnt who it is that allowed the Community to survive up till now. For this would be a great chance to make them reflect on their ineptness.”
The wings on the boots gave a flap and that was all it took to cause Laius to move faster than the wind and to drop rapidly in a fluid landing motion before Izayoi and the others.[21]
“Anyways, welcome to the topmost level of my White Palace. I will be your opponent as the leader of the Game……Hm. I guess this is my first time saying that line too.”
This was because of the well-maintained discipline and standard of the knights. If it weren’t for the fact that this Game was hosted at the last minute without allowing them time to prepare fully, Izayoi and the others would never have succeeded in their plans to reach this stage.
Izayoi gave a shrug while smiling:
“Hm, after all it was quite a sudden match for them, just forgive them this once.”
“Hmph! To allow mere no names into my presence? That’s already considered a great sin.”
Laius flapped his wings once more as he retrieved a Gift Card that depicted the symbol of [Medusa’s Head] to draw out a Flaming bow.
Upon seeing that Gift, Kuro Usagi’s expression changed immediately.
“……Flaming Bow? Meaning to say that you do not intend to use Perseus’s equipment to do battle?”
“Of course. Since I can fly, why should I demean myself to fight on the same stage as you guys?”
Seemingly in contempt towards the others on the ground, Laius took to the air but he showed no willingness to fight. Flying up to the wall of the pit, he removed the short necklace around his neck to raise the small-carved decoration aloft.
“The main battle isn’t with me. I’m the Game leader. My fall would equate to the defeat of [Perseus]. This battle isn’t worth taking that sort of risk right?”
“Uu……..!”
Seeing how Laius was being cautious and not excessively arrogant, it made Kuro Usagi feel anxious and fidgety. If her thoughts were true, the Gift that Laius held was a Demonic Gift that rivaled the Greek Gods.
The Gift held aloft in Laius’s hand started to emit a light. The growing intensity of that light was so bright that it would have caused people to mistake it for a star and it was releasing the many layers of seals while flashing brilliantly.
Reflexively, Izayoi prepared himself by placing himself before Jin and taking up a stance to be ready for the battle at a moment’s notice.
The light grew in intensity and Laius shouted with a fierce look on his face:
“Be Awakened— DEMON LORD ALGOL!”
The light was dyed into a murky brown colour and it filled the vision of the trio.
The sharp cry of a female echoed in the White Palace and the palace seemed to resonate with it as it started to tremor.
“Ra …… Ra …… GEEEEEEYAAAAAAaaaaaaaa!”
It was a cry that couldn’t be understood by Humans anymore.
Although starting off with a sound similar to a note of music, it had rapidly progressed to a discordant noise that would have made one go mad with the sound.
The woman that appeared had her body tied with many belts and restraints that looked like the tools used to capture her. Tossing her head of grey matted hair that didn’t seem like it belonged to a lady, she continued to scream while ripping off the restrains on her hands. Leaning the upper half of the body backwards, she gave off a more intense scream, causing Kuro Usagi to cover her rabbit ears as she was unable to bear it any longer.
“Ra …… GYAAAAAaaaaaaa!”
“What……What’s up with that cry…….?”
“Kuro Usagi! Quick! Dodge it!”
Eh? Kuro Usagi froze in shock. Izayoi grabbed and carried both Kuro Usagi and Jin as he leap back from their original spot.
Not long after that, there came huge boulders that seemed like those found on rocky outcrops of mountains, falling from the skies.
Watching Izayoi and the others having to dodge the continuous rain of boulders, Laius mocked them loudly:
“Oh my~Humans who can’t fly sure have it tough. Even clouds that fall from the sky pose a problem to you guys.”
“You…You said that these are clouds……?”
Kuro Usagi was surprised as she looked to the outside of the arena to realize that it wasn’t only in this arena that the clouds were falling to the ground.
The power of that female called [Demon Lord Algol] had released beams of petrification upon the world prepared for this Gift Game.
This female who possessed the power to instantly fill the world in her light……Kuro Usagi trembled as she spoke her name:
“Star class spirit, Algol[22] ……! Similar to Shiroyasha-sama, a Demon of the Star class Spirits!”
And the whole reason for her being able to use the power of [Petrification] that’s supposed to belong to Medusa should stem from that arrangement in the stars.
Possessing the Demon named after a star, a ‘Star-classed Spirit’ which is the strongest race in Little Garden. That is the greatest trump card of [Perseus].
“I guess both your comrades and my underlings should be petrified by now, right? Hm, it does sound like a good punishment to those useless fools.”
Laius laughed arrogantly. While Kuro Usagi, Izayoi and Jin had not defended themselves from the ray, they were not petrified as well. All due to his whim of wanting to play a little longer.
In a Game that used the Community territory as the stage, there finally appeared the first challenger and to immediately let the Game end would be much of a pity.
Compared to the frivolous remarks that hung by his mouth, Laius’s fighting spirit should have already escalated by now. However, Izayoi was also feeling the same. Having suffered a humiliation in Shiroyasha’s Game, this would be the best stage to vent it.
“Ochibi-sama, back off. Looks like I won’t have any excess power to protect you.”
Izayoi turned back to remark to Jin and Jin seemed ashamed as he backed away.
“Sorry……I really……can’t do anything.”
“Not that you are lousy, but do you still remember that thing I told you?”
Jin nodded his head hurriedly. That was to refer to the conversation they had the other day about the direction of the Community’s activities to be focused on ‘Defeating Demon Lords’.
Izayoi gave Jin’s hair a good ruffle and continuing in a soft voice like the whisper of a secret: “Your plans were all blown right? You had actually wanted to do so by getting Leticia back to defeat Demon Lords right?”
“……yes.”
As long as Leticia, the former Demon Lord returned to the Community, such a direction would not be much of a problem. However, with the most important part of her Soul damaged, she would have lost many of her Gifts as well.
“How is it? Do you want to stop the plan?”
Izayoi’s tone and expression was very calm as he asked Jin that question.
Facing that gaze that wasn’t accusatory or condescending, Jin gave an unmistakable shake of his head.
“There’s still you on our side, Izayoi-san. If you really do possess the power to defeat Demon Lords—-Please show it to us in this arena.”
This time he would be sure to assess Sakamaki Izayoi’s true worth.
Facing Jin’s straightforward gaze and reply, Izayoi gave a loud laugh.
“OK, better keep your eyes peeled, ochibi-sama.”
And before moving forward, Izayoi gave Jin’s head one last rough ruffle.
“Well, are you ready now, Game leader?”
“Hm? Aren’t you going to team up to fight me? That boy behind you should be the leader right?”
“Oi Oi, are you trying to sell yourself higher than your worth? How can I let our bocchan lift a finger just for the likes of you.”
Izayoi’s frivolous smile made Jin feel a wave of cold malice exude from Izayoi. It would seem that Izayoi was planning to make this commotion an attempt at advertising.
But Laius seemed to be offended at the humiliating words as he shook in an angry roar:
“Hmph! What Big Words From Mere No Names, Watch As I’LL Make You Regret Those Words!”
” Ra …… GYAAAAAaaaaaaa! “
The shining wings danced a duet with the scar covered grey wings as Laius took a higher position behind Algol to fire an arrow from his flaming bow.
"Hah!" Izayoi timed the attack as he focused into his roar to reflect the flame arrow that drew a snakey trajectory when it was travelling towards him.
Just like that, the flame arrow flew off somewhere, never to be seen again. What a nonsensical lung capacity.
“Tch! Is that to say that you do possess enough power to defeat the Kraken?!”
Realizing that firing arrows would just be a waste of strength, he stashed it back into the Gift Card and called out the recently added Gift that he had stashed into it, the [Celestial Spirit Slayer]—Harpe.
Laius who flew freely in the skies and Algol were rushing towards Izayoi in a pincer attack.
“Hold him down! ALGOL!”
“RaAAaaa! LaAAAA!”
Algol gave a sharp piercing cry while swinging down her arms.
Izayoi blocked her swing and grabbed her by her hands, locking their fingers together.
Although it was unbelievable, but it would seem that he wanted to have a direct confrontation with the Celestial spirit.
“Ha! This is good, really good, very good indeed! I can feel the elation bubbling in me……!”
“RaAAaaaGYAAAAAAaaaaaa!”
Izayoi and Algol were locked in a battle of strength however the arm battle that was pushing back and forth between the two had only maintained for just a short moment.
Algol, being unable to hold on to the end, had instead been suppressed and Izayoi had twisted her arm to pin her to the ground right at the spot she stood moments before.
“GYAAAAAAaaaaaa!”
“Haha! What’s wrong? Former Demon Lord-sama?! Didn’t that sound like a scream from your mouth?!”
Wearing a fierce smile on his face, Izayoi pressed Algol to the ground and stomped on her abdomen. And with just a few stomps, it was already sufficient to cause cracks to spread outwards like a spiderweb. For it carried strength enough to crush the White Palace to bits.
During that time, Laius had been flying behind Izayoi waiting for an opportunity to land an attack.
“Don’t be so arrogant!”
“I will return those same words back to you!”
Laius held the Harpe in a single-handed grip while swooping forward in a fast movement and Izayoi had chosen to launch a kick to counter by rotating his lower body to add to the centrifugal force. Though Laius may have barely blocked the attack with the sword’s handle, the force was still too strong to be negated and he was sent flying back some distance away.
That blow was so great that even with his timely block from a direct impact, it was still able to make him feel nauseous and off balanced. Previously, the knights had all been sent flying into the skies at the Third Cosmic Velocity by Izayoi and now Laius had been sent flying back at a speed much faster than that. Izayoi leapt forward and caught up to Laius within a moment.
“What’s wrong, even though you have those wings, it seems that it’s quite an inconvenience isn’t it?”
“You……You bastard……!”
Laius swung his Harpe.
However, Izayoi easily stopped it in mid-swing and threw Laius to the ground this time. Following that impact, Laius was directly pounded into the arena to crash into Algol who had already lost consciousness by then.
“Uugh!”,”Gya!” came the sounds of two screams.
Facing such a force that was far too absurd to be understood, Laius lifted his upper body while giving a disheveled cry:
“Are….Are you really HUMAN?! WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR GIFT?!”
Well, that was a reasonable question that would come to mind after all. For one to be able to put down a [Celestial Spirit][23] with just brute strength alone, move faster than the Hermes Boots that granted flight with just a sprint, such a Human should not exist. In response to his question, Izayoi drew his Gift Card to show it.
“The Gift is called [Unknown]—Hm, sorry, I guess you wouldn’t be able to understand with just that right?”
Izayoi gave a shrug of his shoulders while smiling calmly. Seeing Izayoi’s figure in the distance seeming to have taken the situation lightly, Jin gave a panicky shout: “Quick…..Quickly give him the last blow at this opportunity! Don’t let her activate the Gift of Petrification!”
The Celestial spirit Algol’s strength did not lie within her physical prowess.
It was the cursed light that was great enough to petrify the world, her true power— that made her dangerous.
However, Perseus was still in the mind of defeating Izayoi with his own power and decided to move another step up in the direct confrontation.
“Algol! I allow you to demonify this whole Palace! Kill that guy!”
“RaAAaaa! LaAAAA!”
The song of discordant notes echoed in the world and the walls of the white-washed Palace were instantly dyed black while the walls started to pulsate like a living being. And from the dark shadows that spread rapidly throughout the Palace, pillars that took on the shape of serpents erupted from its depths to attack Izayoi.
While dodging the attacks, Izayoi muttered to himself:
“Oh, come to think about it, Medusa also had this trick up her sleeve.”
Medusa also had a legend of producing various types of Demonic Beasts.
Moreover a [Celestial Spirit] is originally of the beings that were on the Gifters’ side of the miracles. Currently, the white Palace had already transformed into a Demonic Palace and Laius may not have noticed his surroundings for he seemed to shout like a madman: “I will never let you guys get out alive! This Palace is a creature born out of Algol’s power! You guys will never find a place to stand on! For in this Gift Game Stage, there’s nowhere left to hide!”
Laius’s roar and the discordant notes of the Demon Lord’s song merged to give new forms to the Demonified Palace walls, to spawn serpents and scorpions from the walls and pillars that launched their waves of attack on Izayoi and drowned him under their numbers.
Izayoi who was in the midst of the thousands of snakes that engulfed him, muttered his thoughts out loud:
“—……Hm, meaning that I would just need to destroy this entire Palace, is that it?”
“EH?”
Izayoi had responded flatly and that caused Jin and Kuro Usagi to have a very bad premonition about what was to come.
Lifting his fist up high, Izayoi simply let it fall onto the ground of the Palace that had been dyed black by the demonification.
Thousands and thousands of serpents and scorpions were pounded to dust and had dispersed into a cloud of smoke around Izayoi that disappeared as quickly as it was created. Following that, the entire Palace began to shake violently and the arena crumbled, bringing the rubble together with the fourth floor to crash into the third storey.
“Woah….WaWoah!”
“Jin-bocchan!”
Kuro Usagi grabbed the hand of Jin who almost got himself caught up in the collateral destruction. Those who possessed wings to fly had taken off to the skies but even then, the terrible sight before him still caused him to hold his breath in shock.
The arena was different from the other parts of the Palace and it had always been reinforced by a defensive and stable protective barrier. Unless it were to be hit by a strength that was able to cleave through mountains and rivers, there shouldn’t be any way to cause this top story to fall to the next.
“……How can…What the heck is this? Does that guy possess a fist that can shatter mountains and cleave through rivers?”
Laius who stood in the skies gave off a shout that seemed to be angry and yet terrified at the same time.
Standing on a little protrusion that was the remaining footing to be found of the arena, Izayoi looked up with displeasure evidently splashed across his face as he accosted Laius:
“Oi, Game Leader, could it be that this is the last trick up your sleeve?”
“……Uu……!”
The Demonic Palace was still alive but it would seem that it wouldn’t make much of a difference to continue using the same trick twice.
Laius’s face distorted due to his shame. For him, this was his first time hosting an actual Game on his Community ground. But never did he expect that the battle would progress to this stage. Laius’s expression continued to be distorted due to his remorse for a while longer, but he suddenly recovered his serious expression before putting on a fierce grin.
“I guess it’s enough. Let it all end, Algol.”
The Gift of Petrification was released.
Accompanying the discordant notes that started to fill the air once more, the Celestial Spirit Algol emitted a brownish ray.
And that was the main reason for Algol’s ascension to the Demon Lord’s throne. To use the brownish light to cover everything in the Heavens and the Earth and to change it with the Celestial spirit’s power of the Grey Star.
Izayoi who was bathed in the brown light went straight from the front to hold those eyes with his hands—
“——……Pui![24] As a Game leader, you are still trying to use such a despicable move!”
Next, he crushed the brown rays with his foot.
……this isn’t a metaphor and there’s no other way to describe that act of his. The brown rays that were emitted by Algol from her eyes had shattered like a glasswork upon the impact of Izayoi’s foot and showered into the air before disappearing.
“How……How is that possible!”
Laius gave a loud shout but in fact, that was the kind of action to be expected.
Even Jin and Kuro Usagi who had been watching the battle from downstairs couldn’t help but cry in surprise as well.
“Negating the Gift of a [Celestial Spirit]—No, destroying it?”
“Impossible! Possessing such an insane physical power and to actually have the power to destroy Gifts too?”
This was what Shiroyasha had meant by concluding his existence being one that is ‘impossible’. These two Gifts were supposed to be mutual opposites. Just like the explanations previously, in this world of Little Garden that gathered many different Gods, Gifts that could negate other Gifts weren’t rare to say the least. However, these were only limited to items that came in the shape of weapons or those that could be materialized.
Just one look from his Gift card would have told anyone that Izayoi did not possess any other [Gift]s.
The problem lay in the fact that there was now a situation where a [Gift that shattered Heaven and Earth] had existed alongside a [Power to shatter other Gifts] simultaneously.
However, this sort of Soul wasn’t supposed to exist in the first place.
“Well then Game leader, let’s carry on. The power of a [Celestial Spirit] shouldn’t be only up to that extent right?”
Izayoi gave a frivolous taunt. However Laius’s will to fight had almost withered to nothingness.
Putting aside the [Highborn of Little Garden] for now, even the [Demon Lord of the White Night][25] wasn’t able to find out the origin, effects of the Gift, name of the Gift and all the other conditions that were needed to identify it, hence resulting in the overall term of [Unknown].
Possessing a miracle within him that could also destroy miracles. A Gift that contradicted itself.[26]
Facing such an impossible existence before him, Laius had already lost himself in a daze. And Kuro Usagi decided to cut in with a sigh at that point:
“It’s regrettable, but Kuro Usagi thinks there shouldn’t be any new tricks up his sleeve.”
“What?”
“When Algol had appeared in that restrained and locked state, Kuro Usagi should already have guessed……Wanting to dominate over a Celestial spirit, Laius-sama’s ability is still too low and not fully developed yet.”
“Huff!”
Laius’s eyes had reignited its flames of anger. Although his gaze was fierce enough to kill……he did not deny her words for Kuro Usagi was right about that.
However, who could have predicted this sort of tragic situation? Having many Gifts at their disposal and also the Demon Star Celestial spirit that could even petrify the world itself to do Laius’s bidding, to actually lose to the [No Name]…… this is something that no one could have predicted.
“—Hmph! In the end, it’s all dependent on your father’s and forefathers before him and the former Demon Lord-sama? Once your advantage has been proven ineffective, you are left with no other strategies to counter?”
Izayoi disdainfully expressed his disappointment. Just as Kuro Usagi was about to announce the outcome of the Game, Izayoi gave an extremely evil grin as he pushed Laius to the last straw.
“Oh, right. If you lose the Game like this…… you should know what will happen to your Community’s Flag right?”
“Eh? What?”
Laius exclaimed as he could not understand what Izayoi was getting at and it was also understandable for him to be that way.
He had always thought that Izayoi and the others were aiming for [Perseus]' Flag as a piece to negotiate for Leticia’s freedom.
“Well that sort of thing can be done after getting the Flag as well right? As long as we have the Flag on the line for the bet, we can immediately request for another Game—Right, this time let’s collect your Name.”
Laius’s face had instantly lost its color.
And that was when he noticed the tragic situation around him for the first time. The crumbling Palace and the Petrified comrades before him.
However, Izayoi continued to keep that merciless evil grin on his face as he continued:
“After obtaining those two items, I will completely and continuously trample over your Name and Flag to cause [Perseus] to forever be unable to revive its activities within Little Garden. No matter how much you guys can cry, beg, shout or be angry about it, I will still accomplish it beautifully. Completely till the request of allowing the Community to be spared becomes a dream that will also be shattered in turn……that’s right… completely destroyed…I heard that even if it were to be so, those who continue to struggle and grab onto that dream are those that are called Communities right? But since that is so, it makes trampling over a Community much more meaningful right?”
“No…Stop it……”
If he were to lose in this Game, the Flag would be taken away. And in that case, [Perseus] wouldn’t be able to reject the request for another duel. To reduel in such a torn up condition would be even more impossible.
Laius……had only realized at this point.
That his Community was facing a crisis of being on the verge of collapse.
“Is that so? You are unwilling? Then there should only be one option left to you right?”
Izayoi’s evil expression suddenly disappeared, to be replaced by one that was smiling happily.
He curled the fingers on his outstretched hand in a provocation extended to Laius.
“Bring it on, Laius. Bet your life—and let me enjoy my time!”
The fierce hedonist stretched his arms as he gave the last nudge to the continuation of the Game. He had not played enough and was thirsting for more. Laius also faced the crisis that loomed over the Community that he led while steeling his resolution to give a shout:
“I will not lose…… cannot lose…… How can I lose?! Beat him down! ALGOL!”
The pair of shimmering wings and grey wings started to beat together. For the Community, the duo who held the determination to win sped forward.
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