Chapter 25- Shiroyasha

After they requested a Gift Game with Shiroyasha.

There was the only star in the distant twilight sky, slowly spinning in the horizontal plane. The sole star was the sun.

It was an incredible power; she decided to create a star and a world.

Haru knew it, there was no doubt: Shiroyasha, this loli, is incredible. She is a God far superior to most gods in the DxD universe.

'This feeling of being transported to another place is very similar to the sensation when that asshole God revived me in the DxD universe. Shiroyasha, she's dangerous,' *Haru thought.*

"I'll ask again. I am the Demon Lord of the White Night, the Celestial Spirit of the Sun and the White Night, Shiroyasha. Do you want a competition? Or the equivalent of a duel?"

The quartet swallowed the paleness that didn't resemble a girl's smile.

"The sun, spinning in a horizontal plane, is… clearly a White Night," Izayoi said.

Haru noticed he was tense.

"That's right. This is a coast of the White Night and a snowy field. The sun that always casts twilight over this land is one of my playgrounds."

Shiroyasha spread her arms, and the sea of clouds on the horizon parted in the blink of an eye, revealing the twilight sun.

'This is serious. She's a monster. She's still not at the top of the Little Garden. I wonder what kind of monster inhabits the top of this world,' *Haru thought, looking at the sun.*

The Celestial Spirit of the White Night. The White Night that Izayoi hinted at was something that could be seen in Scandinavian countries located at a certain latitude, like Finland and Norway, where the sun might not set.

And so, the Demon of the Night could be partially defined as the divine spirit of water and earth, as well as a fierce god with the physique of an evil god.

In the Little Garden, where many war gods reside, the strongest gods are known as Celestial Spirits and Sacred Spirits.

She could safely be called a representative of the Little Garden, the Mighty Demon Lord.

"This snowy land is the playground?!" Asuka asked.

"That's right. Your answers: if this is a competition, I'll play with you for entertainment… However, if you want a duel, that's a completely different story. As the Demon Lord, I'll fight with all my strength and pride."

Asuka, Yo, and even the confident Izayoi hesitated and didn't respond immediately.

Haru didn't want to fight this loli-looking monster.

After a brief silence… Izayoi smiled, slowly raised his hand, and…

"I give up. You win. I admit my defeat, Shiroyasha."

"I give up too. I'm not strong enough for a duel against you, Shiroyasha," Haru said this time.

"Hm? Does that mean you choose not a duel but a competition?"

'What's she talking about?' *Haru thought, listening.*

"Yes. Since you can prepare such a playground, you have incredible skills… Well, this time I won't say anything and will let you test me, Great Demon Lord," Izayoi spat out these words, smiling warmly.

Shiroyasha laughed uncontrollably. Perhaps this was the greatest concession that the proud Izayoi could make, but the phrase "let you test me" was a charming display of stubbornness, so Shiroyasha laughed loudly, holding her stomach.

Laughing for a while, Shiroyasha calmed down and asked the others, "Ku-ku-ku… and you?"

"Yes, it's fine if you test me."

"I think so too."

The girls responded with a sour voice. Shiroyasha made a satisfied sound.

Kuro Usagi, intensely watching the events, placed her hand on her chest and sighed in relief.

"Bliin! Please choose your opponent carefully! The newcomers who fought with the Chief and the Chief who took the bait—it's terrible, even for a joke! And Shiroyasha-sama, you were a Demon Lord thousands of years ago!!!" Usagi said.

"What? So I'm an ex-Demon Lord?"

"Well, I guess that's true?"

Shiroyasha smiled mischievously. The shoulders of the quartet and Kuro Usagi slumped.

At that moment, they heard a sharp cry coming from a mountain range in the distance. The first to hear this cry, which probably came from a wild animal or bird, was Kasukabe Yo.

"Griffon," Haru said, recognizing the sound.

Everyone looked at him, especially Shiroyasha, who was surprised he knew it just by the sound.

'I don't like griffons,' *Haru thought internally.*

Shiroyasha nodded toward the mountain range, located on the other side of the lake. Along with that, a massive beast, about five meters long, spread its wings and glided through the sky, approaching the quartet like a gust of wind.

Seeing the beast with eagle wings and the lower body of a lion, Kasukabe Yo raised her voice, filled with shock and delight: "Griffon… impossible… real?!… Haru… was right…?!"

"Fufun, that's right. He is the king of birds and the king of animals. The embodiment of Strength, Wisdom, and Courage is a beast that reflects the essence of Gift Games."

(Author: Gift Games or Games of Gifts; it doesn't matter, it's the same thing.)

Shiroyasha called it. The griffon landed in front of her and bowed its head respectfully.

"Now, let's get to the test. I'll test your strength, wisdom, and courage with this griffon. I started this, so you'll pass the test if you can ride it around the lake."

Shiroyasha took out a card with the goddesses face-to-face. After that, a scroll, available only to the Organizer, appeared from the air. Shiroyasha let her white finger move and wrote on the scroll.

[Game Name: Reins of the Griffon]

[Participants]

[Sakamaki Izayoi]

[Kurokami Haru]

[Kudou Asuka]

[Kasukabe Yo]

[Victory Conditions]

[Fly on a griffon one circle around the lake]

[Method(s) of Victory Confirmation]

[Recognition by the griffon of Strength, Wisdom, and Courage]

[Defeat Conditions]

[Refusal to participate or inability to meet the victory conditions]

[Oath: Respecting the above, in the name of the Organizer's pride, emblem, and name, let the Gift Game begin]

[Thousand Eyes Seal]

"I'll do it."

Before everyone could read and express their opinions, Yo raised her hand so straight that even her fingers were aligned. She looked at the griffon with envy. It was an extraordinarily intense look for her, who was usually calm.

'WHAT THE HELL KIND OF LOOK IS SHE GIVING THAT DAMN GRIFFON,' *Haru shouted mentally.* 'There's a sexual taste for everything,' *Haru thought in the end.*

"Everything's in order, no problem."

"Fu, you seem quite confident, but it's pretty tough, you know? If you fail, it won't end with just serious injuries."

"Everything's in order, no problem," Yo said again.

Yo's eyes looked at the griffon. Those eyes shone like a child's who found a treasure they'd been searching for a long time. Izayoi and Asuka, beside her, smiled wryly and seemed surprised.

Haru could only think of one thing seeing those eyes. 'There really is a sexual taste for everything.'

"Alright, I'll let you do it. Don't lose," Izayoi said.

"Be careful, Kasukabe-san," Asuka said.

"Teach that damn bird a lesson," Haru said. The griffon looked at him with a hostile glare, but Haru's eyes said, "Look at me like that again, and I'll cook you," making the griffon tremble in fear.

"Yes, I'll try," Yo said.

She nodded and ran toward the griffon. But the griffon spread its large wings and moved.

It seemed Shiroyasha wouldn't be harmed by the battle when it started.

Kasukabe Yo followed the griffon, which spread its wings and let its eyes shine as if trying to intimidate her.

Haru, seeing the competition begin, decided to check his status after so long.

[Haru Kurokami]

[Race: Human?]

[Title: ?]

[Equipment: Dark Repulser]

[HP: 40,000]

[MP: 100,000]

[VIT: 400]

[INT: 1,000]

[STR: 330]

[AGI: 500]

[DEX: 300]

[LUK: 200]

'I see, so the level was removed with that update. Not just the level, but PMG, which was magical potency, was switched back to Intelligence, and the MP multiplier was placed in Intelligence, making it 1,000.'

[Points: 700]

[Tokens: 535,000]

'I have 700 points to distribute in my stats, but I think it won't be enough for the monsters in this world.'

'Good thing I can exchange 10,000 tokens for 10 points, so 100,000 tokens would be 100 points. But I need a specific magic to fight. My only option would be a Slayer.'

[Fire Dragon Slayer: 2,000,000: 1,000 PDS: Fire Magic]

[Ice Dragon Slayer: 2,000,000: 900 PDS: Ice Magic]

[Water Dragon Slayer: 2,000,000: 500 PDS]

'I see, not only did the price change, but instead of boosting stats, I gain points to distribute as I want.'

'But I'm not interested in Dragon Slayer.'

[Fire God Slayer: 1,000,000: 1,000 PDS: Fire Magic]

[Lightning God Slayer: 1,000,000: 500 PDS]

'I'm still undecided, wondering which one to buy when I have the tokens.'

'The lightning one would be a great combination with Observation Haki.'

'The fire one is very special because it doesn't burn but destroys like the Power of Destruction.'

'It's really hard to choose between the two, but I think in the end, it doesn't matter. I'll have both. The question is which one I should buy first.'

'It's really tough to decide, but I think I'd better boost my stats for now.'

'I can't keep attacking using magic with my hands like a Slayer. My MP drains too fast. A bit more MP will be good.'

'Well, this will do. Now maybe a bit more strength.'

'Alright, now I'll split the rest among the others with a bit of AGI, VIT, and DEX so that if I evolve the Dark Repulser, I can use it without issues.'

[Haru Kurokami]

[Race: Human?]

[Title: ?]

[Equipment: Dark Repulser]

[HP: 45,000]

[MP: 150,000]

[VIT: 450]

[INT: 1,500]

[STR: 400]

[AGI: 550]

[DEX: 330]

[LUK: 200]

[Points: 0]

[Tokens: 535,000]

'I'll definitely be more dependent on magic.'

After Haru finished boosting his stats, for a second, Shiroyasha's eyes widened slightly, sensing a change in Haru. She looked at him.

'What's going on? He's different from before, stronger, and seems to have more energy too. What kind of Gift does he have, or maybe he was holding back?' *Shiroyasha thought, noticing the change in Haru.*

Shiroyasha snapped out of her thoughts, seeing Kasukabe Yo walking in the air.

"As I thought, your Gift allows you to acquire the abilities of other living beings," Izayoi said.

Yo's response was somber: "…It's not like that. This is proof that we became friends. But when did you guess?"

"It's just a hunch. When we met Kuro Usagi, you said, 'I know if they're upwind.' That's not something a person can do. So, your Gift isn't communicating with animals but using the Gifts of other types. That's what I thought, but it seems that's not all. Is there anything on earth that can withstand that speed?" Izayoi said.

'You sure about that?' *Haru thought about the overpowered blond beside him.*

The cat ran to Yo and started talking to her, just as she spoke to it.

"Oh, you did well. You won… however, I'd like to ask about your Gift. Did you inherit it?"

"No. It's all thanks to the wooden carving I got from my father."

"Wooden carving?"

While Shiroyasha looked at the wooden pendant, Asuka and Izayoi also peeked secretly.

Haru didn't want to know about any of this. It was already night, and he wanted a good bed to sleep in.

"Complex pattern. Does it have any meaning?"

"There's a meaning, but I don't know it. They talked about it for a long time, but I forgot."

"That's…"

"The material is a sacred camphor tree? …It seems there's no longer Divinity, but… this geometric pattern converges toward the center… and this empty space in the center… did your father have a biologist relative?"

'Divinity, in a tree,' *Haru thought.*

"Yes. That was my mother."

"If there was a biologist, then this is truly a genome tree, Shiroyasha?"

"Very likely… so this number is similar to that… and the convergence of this circle… no, this… this is incredible!!! This is truly incredible, young lady!!! If this is really handmade, your father is a super-genius no less than the gods! Just think, a genome tree created by human hands that can even grant you a Gift! This masterpiece, without exaggeration, could be called a genuine Index of Life."

'I can only think of Yggdrasil, but I know there are other divine trees in different mythologies,' *Haru thought.*

"When you said genome tree, you meant something that shows the origin of living beings and their evolution? Then I think the genome tree my mother made is more like a tree."

"That's exactly it. That form is what your father wanted to depict. This carving is a special circle, a circle of soul transmigration. Revival and death, the genealogy of human life that repeats the circle of rebirth. The center of the circle of continuous evolution, so to speak, is constantly seeking the center of the world. The void in the center may personify the center of the world, which is in constant motion, or it could be the incompleteness of life, or even because the work isn't finished… Yes, yes, yes, unbelievable. This is unbelievable. My imagination hasn't been this excited in a long time! This is truly skillful work! So skillful that I'd buy it if you let me!"

"No," Yo refused immediately.

Shiroyasha instantly fell to the ground like a child who lost her toy when Yo took the pendant.

"So, what power does this Gift provide?"

"I don't know. I can only say it allows her to communicate with other species and receive unique Gifts from those she becomes friends with. Everything else can only be discovered by one of the appraisers in the shop. Moreover, those appraisers must be from the higher levels."

"Uh? Shiroyasha-sama can't appraise it? Today we wanted to request an evaluation," Kuro Usagi said.

"Oh, of all things, it's Gift evaluation. I'm an expert at that, and you could even say it's connected to me."

Shiroyasha seemed to want to fulfill the request they gave as a prize for the game for free. She fixed her white hair with a confused look and looked at the quartet, hiding her hands in the sleeves of her kimono.

"Let's see… it seems that… yes, I know you're polite, but that's not relevant. How much does each of you know about your Gift?"

"Corporate secret," Izayoi said.

"Same as the one on the right," Asuka said.

"Same as them," Kasukabe Yo said.

All eyes turned to Haru, waiting for a response.

"Everything, but I don't intend to say anything," Haru said.

"Woo? I understand it's scary to say that to a former opponent, but the conversation can't continue like this. There's no need for an evaluation. I don't have a habit of appraising people."

Shiroyasha, who scratched her face restlessly, had a brilliant idea and smiled.

"So be it. Anyway, as the Master and Celestial Spirit, I must grant you a Gift. It's probably too much, but perfect for celebrating before your community's revival."

Shiroyasha clapped her hands. Four shining cards appeared before the quartet.

Their names were written on these cards, as well as the names of the Gifts included in them.

"Gift Cards!"

"A gift for Obon?" [Obon is a Japanese holiday, details on Wikipedia.]

"A gift until the end of the year?"

"New Year's gift?"

"N-wrong! But why are you so in sync?! Gift Card, a super valuable card that can store the embodiment of the Gift! It can even store Yo-san's Genome Tree and allow it to be used at any time!"

Haru looked at the card and the screen in front of him.

[Choose a skill to store in the card]

[Warning: The system is not allowed]

'Water Magic will do.'

[Water Manipulation stored]

White Card: Kurokami Haru - Gift Name: Water Manipulation, etc…

[The etc… at the end means there's more than just water manipulation.]

'I see, it'll be useful. If I use something that isn't water, they won't suspect anything.'

"So you're saying this can be called a wonderful thing?"

"Then why are you reacting so hesitantly? Ahh, right, this is a super wonderful item!"

Hearing Kuro Usagi's curses, the quartet looked at their cards in surprise.

"In the normal case, there would still be a Community emblem, but you're No Name. The image is quite sloppy, but if you have a complaint, send it to Kuro Usagi," Shiroyasha said.

"Mdaa… maybe it can hold this water tree?"

He turned the card toward the water tree. After that, the water tree became particles of light and disappeared into the card.

Glancing at the card, Izayoi saw an image of a tree overflowing with water, and now in the Gift field, under Code Unknown, there was the inscription: Water Tree.

"Oh? That's interesting. Maybe I can release water like this?"

"You can. Want to try?"

"You can't! I'm against wasting water! Please use the water for the Community's benefit!" Kuro Usagi said.

He clicked his tongue in disappointment. Kuro Usagi's expression showed she still couldn't relax while diligently watching Izayoi. Shiroyasha laughed loudly, looking at this scene.

"The official name of this gift card is Laplace Fragment, meaning a fragment of omniscience. The Gift name written on it is the true name of the Gift intertwined with your soul. Even without an appraisal, you can understand the essence of most of your Gifts by looking at them."

"Oh? Then I'm probably a rare case?" Izayoi said.

'It's me, the hacker,' *Haru said internally.*

"Mm?" Shiroyasha looked at Izayoi's card. The words *Code Unknown* were written there. Unlike Izayoi, who laughed, Shiroyasha's expression changed dramatically.

"…No, that's impossible."

Shiroyasha's complexion changed instantly, and she took the Gift Card. There was something unusual in her mood. Shiroyasha, staring at the card, murmured in disbelief: "Code Unknown?… That's impossible, there shouldn't be errors in the omniscient Laplace Fragment."

"Anyway, that means it can't be appraised. I like it better this way."

He took the Gift Card from Shiroyasha, but she looked at Izayoi with a confused expression, as if she didn't understand it. There shouldn't be something called "Code Unknown."

'If I remember, this kid… they said he defeated the Snake God. Besides natural gods and celestial spirits, those with "Divinity" were powerful creatures. This snake god, whose power can cause a storm, was defeated by a human. That's almost impossible. Having incredible power isn't a problem… but what does the Laplace Fragment's malfunction mean…?'

The Gift wouldn't function correctly. The only probability came to Shiroyasha's mind.

'The Gift was canceled?… No, that's not possible.'

[Scene Change]

"Thank you for today. I'll be happy to play again."

"Dear, that won't do, Kasukabe-san. Next time, it'll be an equal competition."

"Yes. After all, accepting others' spit is ugly. Next time, we'll fight with full strength on the main stage."

"Yes, great. I'll wait… by the way."

Shiroyasha looked at them seriously.

"It's a bit late, but I want to ask you something. Do you really understand the current situation of your community?"

"Oh, the name and emblem? We heard about it."

"Then you also heard how you must summon the Demon Lord to bring them back?"

"We heard."

"…And you joined Kuro Usagi's Community knowing this?"

"That's right. Defeating a Demon Lord sounds cool," Izayoi said.

"It's not something decided by Frieza… seriously, it must be youth. This could probably be called recklessness or courage. Well, you'll understand what a Demon Lord is when you return to your Community. If you still want to fight a Demon Lord after that, I won't stop you, but… girls, you'll surely die."

She stated this as a prediction. The girls searched for words to protest, but Shiroyasha's advice, as someone with the right to Organize and as one of the Demon Lords, created a terrifying impression, and they still couldn't find a way to respond.

"Before a Demon Lord, your strength will be tested in a Gift Game. Speaking generally about the lower levels, you two won't survive a Demon Lord's Game. It's always sad to see insects swept away by a storm they toy with carelessly."

Shiroyasha didn't include Haru in what she said, and everyone noticed it. Kuro Usagi found it strange that she didn't include Haru in the warning, especially after seeing that his card showed his Gift was water manipulation, but the "etc…" bothered her greatly. The two girls knew Haru wasn't weak; after all, they saw him disappear in front of them after ordering tea.

"…Thank you for the warning. We'll keep it in mind. Next time, we'll challenge you to a serious game, so be ready."

"Of course, as you wish. My base is at Gate Number 3345. Come whenever you want… but I'll make you bet Kuro Usagi on the line."

"No!"

Kuro Usagi objected immediately. Shiroyasha pouted.

"Don't be so cold. If you join my community, I guarantee you'll have fun for the rest of your life, you know? I'll also prepare a personal room, plus three meals a day and a collar."

"Three meals a day with a collar… so they treat animals!"

Kuro Usagi was furious. Shiroyasha laughed.

"Don't worry, Kuro Usagi. Three meals a day isn't a problem, and I've already got the collar covered," Haru said, pulling a dog collar from behind his back.

"WHERE DID YOU GET THAT COLLAR?!" Kuro Usagi shouted in anger.

Everyone was laughing loudly, but they wondered, "Where did he get that collar?"

[Scene Change]

Thirty minutes after the end of Shiroyasha's game, they passed through the fountain square and arrived at the gates of the No Name residential zone. You could see something like the remnants of a raised emblem.

"This is our community. However, we still need to walk a certain distance from the entrance to reach our base, so please excuse me. There are still traces of the battle…" Kuro Usagi said, depressed.

"Traces of the battle? With that wonderfully named Demon Lord?" Izayoi asked with a mocking tone in his voice.

"Yes."

"Very good. Maybe I'll see the scars left by the most terrible disaster in the Little Garden."

Asuka seemed upset about the recent incident. For a very proud girl, it was hard to swallow a condescending look and a comparison to an insect.

Kuro Usagi hesitantly opened the gate. A dry wind blew toward them. They covered their faces from the sand. At the edge of the ruins, they saw a building.

"Is that it?!"

Asuka and Yo gasped when they saw the scars left on the urban landscape, while Izayoi and Haru narrowed their eyes.

Izayoi went to the debris and picked up a piece of wood. Squeezing it slightly, the wood made a dry sound and crumbled.

'I saw this scene in the anime, but in person, it looks like millennia have passed with nothing here. No, in my past life, I found things thousands of years old in better condition,' *Haru thought, looking at the place.*

"Kuro Usagi. A Gift Game with the Demon Lord… how many centuries ago was it?" Izayoi asked, seeing the situation that looked like millennia had passed.

"Less than three years ago."

"Oh, interesting. Really interesting. This urban landscape became like this in three years?"

Yes, the No Name community looked… destroyed for centuries.

The white street, which should have been preserved, was buried in sand. Wooden houses had rotted and collapsed. The bars and iron wire used to hold things were corroded and deformed. The trees cut down by the roadside had withered and looked like stone monuments. The quartet gasped, passing through the city, whose condition denied the idea that people lived here, and it was noisy.

"I'll say this. No matter what method of destruction was used, this destruction is impossible. Beyond natural decay over time, it's impossible to come up with a reason why the wood reached this state," Izayoi said, unable to believe this place was like this after less than three years.

Asuka and Yo also looked at the ruined house with confused expressions.

"The tea game is still on the porch table. It looks like the people who lived here disappeared instantly."

"…There's absolutely no sense of the presence of living beings. Just think, even animals didn't enter abandoned human dwellings."

"Animals? I can't sense a single living insect in this place," Haru said, using Observation Haki.

'I think not even the great war of the three factions left a disaster like this.'

That was true; they knew Haru was right. There wasn't a single insect in the place.

Kuro Usagi averted her eyes from the ruined house and walked down the buried street.

"…The Demon Lord's game was a supernatural battle. They left this land as a sign of the Demon Lord's power and as a warning. They playfully challenged people with power and crushed them so they could never resist again. The few remaining comrades had their hearts broken… and they left the Community and the Little Garden."

That was the reason for preparing large playgrounds, like the recent one, where large-scale Gift Games are held.

If a powerful Community and a Demon Lord fight, terrible scars remain. Demon Lords enjoy this. Kuro Usagi kept walking as if hiding her feelings. Asuka and Yo followed her with complex expressions.

But only Izayoi's and Haru's eyes were shining. He smiled fearlessly and murmured, "The Demon Lord? Good, good, very good. It seems even more interesting than I expected! …"

Haru didn't even notice his eyes turning red, thinking about how powerful the Demon Lord was. He didn't realize he was getting excited?