Part 3
Kuro Usagi, Jack and Laius sat at the spectator stands where the voices of the crowd were rising to a crescendo. And the trio awaited the start of the Games.
“Uu……This…This is bad! Who would have thought that Asuka-san, Yō-san and Willa-san to be pitted together in the same preliminary round?!”
“Yahoho……likewise. That girl who does as she pleases, I’ve already told her many times to come straight to the workshops.[80] But there shouldn’t be any problem for Asuka-chan!”
“Bu…But, Yō-san’s physical abilities are exactly the counter to Asuka-san. Once she falls out of the field……this game might even have a victor emerging in an instant.”
“Impossible.”
Jack sharply interjected and Kuro Usagi could only shut her mouth at that.
Jack had clearly seen the growth of Yō’s power in [Underwood] for himself and yet his voice contained such confidence and assurance.
“Yahoho……Kasukabe-chan is indeed a strong enemy but it is still possible for Asuka-chan to beat her. After all, Asuka-san has yet to comprehend her true abilities…. Though saying that, I’ve only understood from listening to Garol-dono’s explanations. But after listening to it would make one understand that her power isn’t about controlling the gifts bestowed to her but belongs to the faction that bestows it —similar to the bestowing of [Mock Divinity].”
“YES.” Kuro Usagi nodded her head in assent, she had also had a feeling of that.
In Little Garden, the thing called [Divinity] referred to the Gift that could cause a race or object to have its spiritual powers increased to the maximum. Among these there exist something called [Mock Divinity] that specialized in pushing Gifts to its maximum potential causing them to release power that was of a similar level to those of the Divine-classed Gifts.
But, as it only raises the output, there would be a possibility that it would destroy the Gift, after it has been pushed to its fullest, due to its inability to withstand the proportion of the spiritual enhancement.[81]
“It’s a terrifying ability and also very difficult to be handled. Especially that the method of bestowing happens to be that of ‘Conferring Divinity(language)’. Language being the medium by which spiritual power is dissipated instantaneously and it has the characteristic of deteriorating before reaching the intended target, not to forget that we have to factor in the spiritual power of the target that might be able to resist the influence. Hence Kuro Usagi-dono, mistaking her power as [Control] is quite understandable.”
“YES…… but thinking about it, no one should normaly think of it as the conferring of mock divinity from the start.”
Kuro Usagi’s ears quivered indignantly in protest.
Jack suppressed a wry smile as he extended his index finger.
“That’s why we have prepared the most suitable equipment for Kudou Asuka……the Gift that can bring out that absurd potential in her—For now I can even safely assert that Asuka-chan is on par with the power level of Faceless.”
Jack said with confidence.
Seeing how he was so sure about that, Kuro Usagi could only hope for that to be true.
And swallowed hard as she took in the sight of the circular battle grounds.
“On par with—Faceless-sama?”
“Yahoho! Haven’t I said that? Asuka-chan might just win—”
“Impossible. The champion can only be Willa.”
The cold voice from the side had broken into their conversation.
Laius who sat beside Jack had mercilessly trampled on their hopes.
“Willa’s the strongest of the North Side. Just a mere no name can’t hold a flame to her. But if the person in question possesses the ‘Fortress’ that I’ve created, perhaps she might last up to five minutes or so.”
Laius’s words interjected into the duo’s casual conversation.
Jack gave a sigh, seeming to have lost some of his momentum in his upbeat voice:
“Haiz…… Looks like you really wish for Asuka-chan to lose eh? But that’s a weapon that can only be used to its utmost potential in the hands of Asuka-chan. Laius-kun, you know that more than anyone else right?”
“Hmph, so what? I don’t really care about that sort of thing. I only want that girl to be humiliated. And the materials for ‘Fortress’ is the Adamantium Ore and that fleece. Separating them into the refined metal and fleece to be marketed would still be quite lucrative won’t it?”
Laius gave a thin and annoying smile.
Kuro Usagi furrowed her brows at that, but the thing that she was concerned about for another matter.
(The ‘Fortress’ must be the new Gift right? But what could those items, the Adamantium Ore and fleece be about?)
“I say, Laius-kun, that fleece was borrowed from the [No Name]s and you cannot just sell it off just on a whim of yours. Moreover even if you want to sell them, there’s not much use for them—”
“Haha, you sure are a toothless bumpkin for not knowing about this. That piece of mountain goat pelt is actually one of the most exquisite items that can be used to aid agricultural Communities. It’s so important that they will even salivate at the sight of it.”[82]
“Agri, Agriculture? Fleece of a mountain goat?”
Wasn’t that Gift called a [Fortress]? Unable to figure out the connections between them, Kuro Usagi tilted her head in confusion.
Indeed, they had taken some of the suitable Gifts from the treasury of the [No Name] to be used for the creation of Gifts, but Kuro Usagi had not heard of their practical uses.
But since it was a Gift that was wanted for agriculture, it must be something beneficial to the rebuilding of the farms.
Lily and the other children would be very happy to hear this. It could be that Jack might have planned for that to have prepared such a Gift.
“……Ah! It’s starting!”
Kuro Usagi pointed at the centre of the battlefield.
As the sound of the gong to flag off the start of the Game reverberated through the air, the gazes of the spectators were all focused towards the circular playing field.
And shouts of anticipation coursed through the spectator stands.
After the three strikes of the gong to signal the start of the event, the girl who took on the role of Judge—Ayesha Ignis Fatuus, appeared at the centre of the playing field with her blue twin tails swaying behind her.
“Ay….Ayesha-san? Why is she the judge?”
“Yahoho! We of [Will-O'-Wisp] have been in this Game as a regular! So, Sandra-sama has nominated Ayesha for the job in recognition of our long participation!”
Jack bobbled his pumpkin head as he gave a proud laugh.
His Community was already erected in the revered section of the [Tablet of the Sea of Stars].
And the reason for Willa being named the strongest Player of the North was precisely due to her countless records of championing the Game, becoming the invincible legend.
Choosing the judge from the Community of [Will-O'-Wisp] that had performed well in the Birth of the Fire Dragon Festival was also something that shouldn’t be much of a surprise.
(It’s finally starting. Yō-san……Asuka-san……)
Kuro Usagi intertwined her fingers seemingly in a prayer.
Standing upon the stage of the battle field, Ayesha began to read out the names of the three contestants who were waiting at their respective corners.
“—Round one will start now!
From [No Name], Kudou Asuka!
From [No Name], Kasukabe Yō!
And the idol of everyone! The most popular candidate for obtaining the overall victory!
The Super lady who is unbeatable!
From [Will-O'-Wisp], Willa the Ignis Fatuus—!”
“Woooooooooooooooooooooooh!” Hearing the introduction made for Willa, the entire stands erupted into wild and feverish cheers.
Although she wasn’t as approachable as Kuro Usagi, but Willa still had quite a sizable popularity. But the person in question had tilted her head in puzzlement over such an uproar in the stands.
Seeing the frenzy of the crowd, Ayesha had nodded her head in satisfaction as she raised her right hand to make the announcement.
“I hereby declare—- the official start of [Duel of Creators]!!!”
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