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Part 3 

There was a very dramatic change. 

The floor underneath Kasukabe's foot was suddenly engulfed by nothing and started changing into a streamlined world that was spinning around. Kasukabe suddenly remembered what happened when she dueled with the griffin. 

(This is.......Shiroyasha's doing.....?) 

Then there was nothing to be anxious about. Kasukabe allowed her body to sink into the floor, awaiting for herself to be filtered. Accompanied by the scattering, eye-piercing light, then finally being thrown to the ends of the star. 

Puuu! This was the sound of the ground that was certainly within Kasukabe's expectation. On closer look, she was stepping on what looked like a certain part of a tree. 

No, This wasn't any ordinary tree— 

"This tree.....No, not only the ground, this place is surrounded by roots?" 

It was a huge tunnel that was surrounded by the roots of a tree in all four directions. By using her strong sense of smell to detect the scent of soil, Kasukabe deduced correctly that this was actually the roots of a tree. 

The other person, who heard Kasukabe talking to herself, started using a mocking attitude to laugh at her: 

"Aiyah Aiyah, thank you very much for telling us that. So we are inside roots right~?" 

"........" 

Not caring about that, Kasukabe turned her head aside to back-face Ayesha. Although she wasn't trying to provoke her, this action still greatly aggravated Ayesha. 

Ayesha and Jack got into a fighting attitude, but were abruptly stopped by Kasukabe. 

"The game hasn't started yet." 

"Wuh? What are...." 

"Winning conditions and losing conditions haven't been announced yet, so this game isn't official yet." 

Although Ayesha was unhappy, she still felt that what Kasukabe had said was indeed correct. 

Swinging her twin tails, Ayesha used a disapproving attitude to look around the tunnel formed by the roots, before murmuring: 

"But right~ Worthy of being called Star class-sama, such a difference with us lower-class demons, to have such a strange game disk." 

"That.....is probably not." 

"Ahhhh?" 

Kasukabe did not reply to her, merely shaking her head. This was the second time she was brought into Shiroyasha's disk. 

The experience from last time, coupled with the transfer and the invitation letters movement. 

The key thing was that she felt the low temperature, and came up with a hypothesis. 

(If we can leave this place, we can probably understand the details more clearly....Oh?) 

Suddenly, the empty space between those two burst open. 

From inside the crack, there was Kuro Usagi, who was holding a glowing parchment. 

Kuro Usagi lifted up the [Geass roll] created by the [Host Master] privilege, then proceeded to read out the contents of the paper: 

 

<<GIFT GAME NAME: “Underwood Maze”>> 

 

Clearing Condition(s): 

*One: Participant successfully leaves the maze and come into the field 

*Two: Participant successfully breaks the opponent's gift 

*Three: When the opponent can't fulfill the winning conditions(Forfeit). 

 

Defeat Condition(s): 

*One: Opponent fulfills one of the winning conditions. 

*Two: Participant is unable to fulfill one of the winning conditions. 

 "In view of the [Trial rights], a vow of not violating the rules is to be made under the flag. And finally, please have a glorious and proud battle. Kuro Usagi shall now announce the start of the game." 

After the vow made by Kuro Usagi ended, that was the whistle signalling the start of the match. 

Both of them kept a distance, pondering their first move. As there were quite a number of winning conditions, naturally they hoped to have clear guidelines. 

After a few seconds of awkward silence, the one who broke the ice was Ayesha with her contempt filled smile. 

"Staring at each other is useless, so I'll let you move first." 

".................?" 

"Never mind, after all that has happened, it would be troublesome if someone started grumbling." 

Shaking her twin tails and shrugging her shoulders, Ayesha revealed a leisurely smile. 

Pondering for a while, Kasukabe asked Ayesha with an expressionless face: 

"Are you........[Will-O'-Wisp]'s leader?" 

"Eh? I looked like the leader? It makes me happy♪, but regretful, cause Ayesha-sama me is not....." 

"Is that so? I got it." 

Probably because she was mistaken as a leader, Ayesha was elated, smiling cutely when replying to that question. Ignoring what she had just said, Kasukabe gave up on the conversation and started sprinting away. 

"Eh.....Whuh....Wait a moment...............?" 

Clearly it was Kasukabe who had started the conversation, yet ran away in the middle of it, stunning Ayesha momentarily. 

Regaining her composure, Ayesha who was shaking all over started shouting angrily: 

"Oi....Oi! So you are playing a fool! Since you want to do this, then I'll not hold back! Let's go, Jack! We shall go hunting in this root maze!" 

"YahoYAHOHOhoho~!" 

So angry that her twin tails were vertical, Ayesha started the mad chase. She shouted towards Kasukabe, who was in front of them, busy climbing the tunnel-like root gaps: 

"We have the topographical advantage, burn her to death! Jack!" 

"YAFUFUUuuuuuuu!" 

Along with Ayesha raising up her left hand, the lantern and Jack's pumpkin head started breathing out devil flames, burning the roots while attacking Kasukabe. 

Kasukabe reacted by using the minimum amount of wind to blow away the flames. 

(She dodged it? No, That wind....Is that her gift?) 

Looking at the flames that were changing their direction, Ayesha could not help but click her tongue. 

In contrast, Kasukabe was aware of Jack-O'-Lantern's secret. 


(That flame.....It's the same story as what Jin told before about the [Will-O'-Wisp].) 

Kasukabe began recalling the knowledge said before the match. 

 —About Will-O'-Wisp's and Jack-O'-Lantern's heritage. 

The former's heritage was that in a remote place, there was a sudden appearance of a bluish-white flame phenomenon, also known as will-o'-wisp. 

For the latter's heritage, the spirit of a deceased that could not ascend to heaven or descend to hell, also known as Jack-O'-Lantern. 

Both of these heritages left behind the same common story. 

In the heritage, Jack committed two great sins during his lifetime, when he died he could only hover between the realm of the living and the dead. A sympathetic devil gave him his fire, which was currently the hell fire that was in Jack's lantern. 

—[Having heritage] means [Have merit]. If it accords to this rule, then the leader of the community [Will-O'-Wisp] was most likely the [Devil of the realm of living and dead]. 

(Then.....If that girl wasn't the leader, then it only means that she is of a different demon or race.) 

If Ayesha was really the devil that governed the realm of the living and the dead, Kasukabe has no chance of winning. The first question she'd asked was just to confirm this fact. 

"AH~ Darn it! Keep on dodging here and there! Jack! Attack her from three sides at once!" 

"YAFUFUFUuuuuuuu!" 

Ayesha lifted up her left hand again, followed by Jack who raised up the lantern in his right hand to let out flames. Facing the fierce attack from three different sides, Kasukabe could only pass through the gap between the flames, since the gift given to her by the griffin was useless. 

"........How is that possible....!" 

Spitting those words out in shock was Ayesha, while this attack had allowed Kasukabe to grasp the truth behind the flames. 

Which was the truth behind the [Will-O'-Wisp] bonfire. 

Those flames were not produced by Jack but that girl who [Used her hand to release flammable and phosphorus-like substances]. 

That's right, the truth behind [Will-O'-Wisp]'s heritage was—[Bio-gas like flammable gas and substances that are released from the earth]. 

Because of this, will-o'-wisp would appear in lakefronts. 

Originally natural gas was supposed to be odorless and tasteless, but those with keen and sensitive noses, like Kasukabe, would immediately feel that something was out of place. The reason why she could use the gift of the griffin to change the trajectory of the flames, was because she blew away the pre-launched gas or phosphorus substance. 

Realizing that her hand trick had been seen through, Ayesha bit down on her teeth. 

"Darn it, not good, Jack....! If this goes on, she will escape successfully!" 

"Yaho.....!" 

Kasukabe had an overwhelming upper hand in regards to leg strength. 

Just like a leopard with their strong legs, the distance between them started to pull apart. And with Kasukabe being capable of detecting the airflow from outside using her senses, the maze was useless. 

Ayesha, watching as Kasukabe started getting further and further away, gave a sigh like she had given up. 

"....This is so frustrating! It can't be helped, but I'll leave the rest to you. Be serious now, Jack-san!" 

"I got it." 

EHH? Kasukabe turned back her head. But Jack disappeared from where he was standing, before reappearing suddenly right in front of Kasukabe's face. Face to face with the huge shadow caused by the pumpkin, Kasukabe was so shocked until she stopped her movement. 

"It's not possible..." 

"Sorry. but this is the truth, Ojou-san." 

Accompanied with the strong voice, Jack's white hand sent Kasukabe flying. 

Hitting the wall that was created by the roots, Kasukabe almost lost consciousness due to the impact. She was swarmed with nausea, making her cough. 

"Guuu........?" 

"Okay, please go, Ayesha. I'll block this girl." 

"I'm sorry, Jack-san. I really wanted to use my own strength to win...." 

"The reason being your pride and carelessness. Do some reflection, you should learn how to control the situation of the game like this Ojou-san." 

"Guuuu~.......I know." 

After replying, Ayesha sprinted away while ignoring Kasukabe. Kasukabe anxiously wanted to catch up. 

"Wait........Wait a moment....." 

"Of course not. Your game will end here." 

Finishing his words, a little bonfire poured out of Jack's lantern. 

These small flames engulfed the roots, forming a firewall around Kasukabe. 

Facing with the intensity of the heat and density that was unlike before, Kasukabe could only inhale deeply while looking at Jack. 

".......You are...." 

"That's right, your hypothesis should be correct. I'm not a Jack-O'-Lantern created by Ayesha Ignis Fatuus, but by the one person who you were alerted against—The devil that governs the realm of living and dead! Willa the Ignis Fatuus's masterpiece! That would be me, the world's oldest pumpkin monster and ghost.....Jack-O'-Lantern♪" 

"YAFUFUUuuuu♪" Jack was laughing, but the flames hidden in his eye were emitting a different radiance than before. He had a strong clear will and a soul with an oppressive feeling. His tone and actions were clearly fooling around, yet flaws still could not be found. 

"......You seem to have a misunderstanding that is clearly an insult. The origin of [Will-O'-Wisp], was indeed the devil's flame. It was in order to allow humans to have a better understanding that we purposely sent out the message of the [Chemical phenomena]." 

"Why......." 

"Why do this kind of thing? Thats because.....[We have to tell other people that there was a corpse here]. Which means to save those sad spirits that were remorseful after being abandoned." 

"YAHAHA!" Jack smiled while lifting up his thick fingers. 

After the burial, the body would release bio-gas related substances. In addition, a [Will-O'-Wisp] flame will be produced, with the abandoned body being found. 

"..........Then....." 

"You want to ask why phosphorus was used before? That is very simple. Because Ayesha died of a natural disaster, she became a self-bound spirit and hovered around until Willa gave her a shelter, now she is an outstanding earth wizard, starting to grow up. The reason why she could produce natural gas was because she was a goblin." 

".....Why...." 

"Why would we give shelter to an unknown spirit?—Have you heard before? The legend of [Will-O'-Wisp]. Our bluish-white flame guide, leading the dead souls to the bonfire after they could not return. We are gradually increasing our spirit power and community's power and fame by guiding the souls." 

The flames within the pumpkin's head were looking at Kasukabe. 

"If you don't understand, just remember it for now. The bluish-white guide flame that depicts our community, is leading the innocent souls to the bonfire; to solace the ideal, is definitely not the area that gods manage!" 

As if praising his own community's flag in that aspect, Jack opened his arms widely before announcing loudly with raging flames behind him as the background: 

"Come! Young lady who holds the phylogenetic tree! Let the immortal monster, Jack-O'-Lantern be your opponent!" 

Flames from hell that burned fiercely, the whole root-tunnel became a sea of fire. 

The pressure that the flaming eyes produced, was the strongest opponent Kasukabe faced since coming to the Little Garden. 

(.......What a pain.) 

They are known as the [Devil] race, recognized by the world as extraordinary individuals that possessed spirit power. 

Kasukabe Yō's whole body realized the truth before her very own eyes. 

Since Ayesha had already left, the only winning condition left was to destroy Jack, however— 

(.......Immortal? Since it's like this, it won't be destroyed right....) 

Smiling bitterly, Kasukabe looked away. Even if he wasn't immortal, the flaming eyes had already seen through the strength of [Genome Tree]. With her trump card revealed, Kasukabe had no chance of winning. She held the necklace hung on her neck—After a while, quietly announced the end of the game. 



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