by Unknown
■ ■ ■ ■ ■
“I-I really don’t get it, desu! I-Izuna is angry, desu!?”
……Though, if you really insist, it’s not like I can’t share it.
Seeing Izuna’s eyes wavering like that, Sora and Shiro raised their thumbs with a smile——
“……It’s, fine…… Izuna-tan, is…… our savior…… and besides……”
“To eat something like this——as a human, let’s think about it when we’re on the brink of starvation, alright?”
They refreshingly refused the creature that was something out of a bio〇zard.[13]
——A few minutes ago.
While lifting up the cart, Sora questioned Izuna sitting formally in front of her prey.
“……Hey Izuna. Why did you kill only a single one?”
——Just like Sora and the others, starvation was also a danger for the Warbeasts(Izuna).
You would want to secure even a bit more food, wouldn’t you, Sora asked so.
“It’s forbidden to hunt for more than you need…… it’s a bad thing, desu.”
Saying so, Izuna——It must be an etiquette of the Eastern Union.
She politely joined her fists and bowed, deeply thanking the life she took.
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 that’s almost like【*BEEP*】, desu!?”
——A single bite.
They really would’ve thought like that if it weren’t for all the booing and spitting ruining everything.
“H-Hey…… as expected, no matter how you look at it, it’s not edible, right……”
“I-If you hunt it, then you must eat it all no matter what, desu! …… *sob*……”
Yeah, while Izuna’s face distorted with large tears, let’s at least do this much as thanks for saving our lives.
They sorted out their feelings and took out some spices from the luggage bag——
“Let’s 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 raised for a long time.
If a Werebeast’s sense of smell determined it was edible, then it must be——Sora and Shiro were feeling sorry about it, but……
Thus, Steph handled grilling the skewered meat around a bonfire.
“……Anyway, Izuna, why are you still in this kind of place?”
Their current position was on the [38th square], almost 380km[14] from the starting position.
Around Izuna’s chest were nine dice——though her age decreased by one-tenth.
With that overwhelming physical ability…… to them——it’s unthinkable her speed was inferior to a horse’s.
Izuna, who was supposed to be much further ahead, just growled at the question with her eyes half-opened.
“……Izuna is angry, desu…… [Answer the choice Sora playfully took when picking a bride during his first playthrough of Dragon F5.] ……It’s obvious, Sora was the one who wrote this task, desu!!”
Ahh…… understanding, Sora and Shiro laughed.
The【Task】that Sora wrote——In other words, it was placed “on the 38th square(here)”.
Naturally, it meant she hadn’t been able to answer and, in the end, was [forced to wait seventy-two hours].
And after seventy-two hours have passed, one die will be stolen by the Question Master(Sora)——
Maybe her anger came back after remembering it since Izuna stood up and suddenly growled intimidatingly.
“I don’t get it at all, desu! Give me the rules and follow them, desu!!”
12: However, all【Tasks】that include any of the following will be considered invalid:
12b: Instructions impossible to accomplish by anyone besides the Question Master or impossible for any of the Players.
That’s right, the rules certainly defined it like that——but.
“O~iii, oi…… you failed, it’s a real failure, you know? Oh dear kemonomimi. Shiro~?”
Giving a nod, Shiro took out her cellphone——answering while typing in a way Izuna wouldn’t understand.
——[Ludman].
“Super correct!! Shiro also knows——that’s why this【Task】is 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 like [Perform a spatial shift with your own power].
Or maybe [Answer your year of death(future)] and so on, it was a rule forbidding impossible instructions.
But, on the other side——It meant it’ll be valid so long as it’s possible for at least one more person.
“Ah, putting it simply!? The other【Tasks】I wrote——like [Answer the name of the three MODs where you kill the f*cking b*tches who ordered to kill Paarthurnax[15]] or [Answer the title of the first exciting and heart-pounding landmine(eroge) Sora purchased in commemoration of his 18th anniversary]!? Without knowledge of the other world——no, even if you had the knowledge, it’d still be super improbable you could answer are all OK!! Under~stand!?”
Sora answered, dancing with a face similar to as if he had smacked Siddartha[16] once with the palm of his hand.
“……Nii, you’re so dirty…… super, cool……”
“——You’re the worst…… it’s just obvious for Izuna to be angry……”
Looks of admiration and gazes as if seeing something filthy poured onto him——But.
“It’s following the rules——it finished grilling, Izuna. I hope it’s a little better, but.”
Seeing Izuna’s pouting face, Sora laughed and extended out the skewer——in an instant.
“……It’s 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 found it so mysterious inside her mind.
Following the rules or not, it was certainly a cruel pattern for the【Tasks】.
After seventy-two hours have passed, what Sora will steal from Izuna will be a dice——her [Life].
Sora “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 didn’t kill each other——
“……Sora, Shiro. Izuna——haven’t 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? Don’t expect an admirable repayment like letting you win, okay♪”
“……Izuna-tan, too bad, but the ones…… who will win, the prize…… will be us……”
“It’s incredible how you guys can say it like you’re better than her when she’s the one who saved us from dropping out not only 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 i
nside her mouth and gave a full smile.
“*chomp chomp* ……I’ll pass you guys soon, desu! Prepare yourselves, desu.”
Saying that with her stuffed cheeks, she hugged her tail and curled up.
Since Izuna implied she would sleep as she waited for seventy-two hours to pass, Sora and Shiro stood up again.
“Then, shall we hurry up? Does the cart look fine?”
“Eh, yes, somehow——wait, are we going to leave Izuna-san here and go on!? It’s dangerous!?”
“Yeah…… It’s really dangerous, isn’t it——for us.”
After Sora murmured that, Steph’s face changed in one turn.
If they strained their ears——they could faintly hear it.
The presence of those guys(the monsters) who scattered with the arrival of the strong(Izuna), waiting for her to sleep.
And their target, of course, wasn’t the sleeping tiger(Izuna). It made no sense for them to go after the predator.
The ones they must want to hunt, naturally, are the ones borrowing the tiger’s authority——
“……Let’s indulge in Izuna’s kindness——let’s get out of here while she’s still awake.”
——Yes, while a sleeper’s breathing isn’t raised, Izuna overpowers the surroundings, who gave a small smile.
Seeing her smile——Sora’s voice could be heard trembling slightly.
The three of them jumped onto the cart without hesitation——and departed.
■ ■ ■ ■ ■
——The 59th square…… It’s been seventy-eight hours since the start of the game.
The horse-drawn cart holding the three people was running along the edge of a grand cliff endlessly.
According to Shiro’s map, the terrain(square) reflected the earth’s surface beyond the edges of Elkia’s northeastern border.
Everything——seemed to be this world(Disboard)’s greatest canyon known as [Star’s Rift(Oblivion)].
The azure fissure extending into the sea and the two continents in the great war’s final stages——was said to be an after-effect of the [Decisive Battle].
Traces of the power to mow down a star——Listening to the thunder roaring at the bottom of the ravine even now, Sora thought.
——It’s been 21 squares since we parted from Izuna, the Forest of Spirit’s outskirts seem far behind us already.
According to Steph’s information, besides the Forest of Spirits, the monsters don’t seem to inhabit anywhere else.
In other words, it seems we’ve escaped the danger zone a long time ago. It’s probably safe now.
Seems to, appears to be, probably seems to——!!
“Don’t believe it won’t believe it!! Where are the pursuers! …… No~ne——Trying to put me off guard!? Aaah!?”
“……Shiro, won’t be, deceived…… Where? Where, are they…… hiding……!”
——Continuing to be vigilant, but with teary eyes like a new gamer playing a horror game.
Fearing immobile corpses endlessly, it was a template that didn’t change itself at all.
The two kept fighting against an enemy that can’t even be seen with a cellphone camera’s zoom above the cart——
“……I know how you feel, but it’s already a day and a half, you know? Even if you aren’t alert for monsters……”
That’s right, it’s been thirty-six hours since they last noticed a monster.
They ran day and night since they’d be attacked on both sides when resting or when the horse and the cart-horse(Steph) reached their limit.
When that happened, both Sora and Shiro took turns staying awake and patrolling, but the monsters didn’t appear.
Nevertheless, seeing the two still jumping at shadows, Steph just about had enough and was about to complain——
“——Shiro, what do you think? I feel it won’t be that bad to think it’s already safe but, how about you?”
“……Shiro, will…… believe, in Nii’s, judgement……”
——Hmm. Then, the conclusion.
“——————We survived, Shiro”
Murmuring that, Sora and Shiro, the two embraced each other and fell into the cart.
With a huge amount of large tears dropping, they nodded as if confirming their lives.
……Ahhh, the sky is so blue.
Even that hateful sun only felt lovable right now as the two people narrowed their eyes.
“I allow it, everything——All living things, may you be blessed……”
“……Hallelujah…… Sleepy……”
“Wai, eeh, hey!? I’ll be troubled if you just follow the flow and go into a deep sleep, alright!?”
Steph was bewildered by the extreme mood swing and proceeded to shout while steering the cart.
“After three squares we’ll reach the 62nd square(destination), you know!? A different danger——a【Task】is drawing near!”
——Danger? 【Task?】——Hmm, Sora tilted his neck.
I see, so we’ve proceeded going after the outcome of the dice——until the [62nd] square.
If we stop at that square, a【Task】that someone wrote will be activated, but——
“……Compared to being chased by monsters, no matter what【Task】it may be, it’ll be an easy game, right……”
Sora declared so with a serious face after pondering about it, with Shiro nodding in agreement.
Indirectly killing each other by stealing their [Life(dice)]——it was this game’s greatest danger…… the【Tasks.】
But for Imanity(them), compared to starvation, overwork, and predation, it was probably a third or fourth danger……
“…………Even if it makes sense for me, it still doesn’t change it’s a danger, right!? Because——”
Immediately after, their vision blackened out as if to interrupt Steph’s voice.
Maybe the cart crossed the edge of the 59th square because it was swallowed by a weird space filled with black mist.
——It was the first reason for Sora to call this game a shitty game——the [Square Movement(loading)].
It must be for the sake of forbidding illegal movement and withdrawing from the game through magic.
If they touched the “invisible wall” in games existing at the land(square)’s edge, they would be moved to the next land(square).
Not being able to turn back, all they could do was obey the outcome’s value and continue onward.
As if that wasn’t enough, they made this damn long reading(load) happen during the square movement.
It was a power that killed off Jibril’s spatial shift, unilaterally coordinating the transfer.
Surely a highly sophisticated, ridiculous power(absurdity) must be at work for that, but——
“……Nii…… I finally, remembered…… this……”
“Ah~ what a coincidence, my little sister——This this loading’s slowness and sound. There’s no doubt”
Much less magic and spirits are outside the understanding for commoners(them) who can’t perceive space.
However, the scratching noise couldn’t be heard as anything but “the sound of a disk spinning”.
If they silently starred at the undefined distorted view, an illusion of [NOW LOADING] with “juggling monkeys” could be seen at the edge of their view——Sora and Shiro murmured quietly, remembering even the killing urge.
——[This is Neo Geo]. [17]
“……C-Can I continue…… the talk?”
To the two people were clicking their tongues and tapping unconsciously, Steph timidly——
“I-If the【Task】——if [Die] is written on it, we’ll die……won’t we?”
Her body trembled as she asked perhaps just noticing that danger in the rules.
“Oh? ……How unlike Steph…… aren’t you wide awake?”
07: The Dice Holder who’s stopped on the square will be forced to follow any instructions the【Task】holds
——Any kind of instruction is permitte
d.
Yes, even instructions designating to throw away their lives or similar can’t be denied——but.
“This game has ma~ny mysteries, right? One of them is this【Task】rule.”
Although irritated, seemingly giving up, Sora explained dispassionately.
“I said it, right. We didn’t agree to kill each other. Even if you don’t worry, a death task——no one will write it”
“J-Just why is that so, because——”
12: However, all【Tasks】that include any of the following will be considered invalid:
12a: Words limiting the【Task】to a specific target
“Targets can’t be specified. Writing an unconditional instant death【Task】, what happens if you step on it?”
“——————Ah.”
Smiling wrly at Steph, perhaps she felt embarrassed for being told with a smiling face, who lowered her face.
——That wasn’t all, Sora continued in his mind.
Indeed, this game is [Sugoroku]——[one person can ascend] no matter what happens.
Not to mention, if no one ascends, then the only one who would be saved is the [Leading Player].
Thinking it with common sense——It’s a good a thing there’s only a few opponents to compete with.
Killing all the other players would be the promising and certain option.
——Big miss, Sora laughed.
Since killing means——we can’t steal their dice.
Much less when it’s impossible to ascend without stealing dice——
“For example, if a【Task】indicates an instant death, [the task is accomplished] when they die, right. The Question Master loses one die, moreover, they can’t collect the dead guy’s remaining dice——a poor move going in the opposite direction from victory.”
In the rules, this【Task】rule forces any kind of unreasonable possibilities upon others.
But in fact, “in order to win” ——the things one could write were restricted.
“Directions only you can do are invalid——If written【Tasks】are somehow doable, then the possibility(chances) to steal a die will also be a danger(risk) to have one stolen instead——If it’s ‘instructions stealing but not be stolen’, then——”
