Part 2
—The time was noon and the location was the streets before Little Garden’s Outer Walls of Outer Gate Number 2105380.
In other words, it was at the doors, flanked with the carved stone tigers, which connected the city to the outside.
Traders who carried large backpacks and men with large frames who looked confident with their fighting abilities were walking along the street that led to the city’s centre.
And a girl, who wore an extremely provocative miniskirt, stocking suspenders and a pair of rabbit ears, cried out.
“Baka! You Bakas! You…… super stupid bakas!!!”
A resounding cry that tore through the heavens.
This girl, whose usagimimi[1] were perked up in anger, was none other than the perpetuator who summoned the trio from the other worlds— Sakamaki Izayoi, Kudou Asuka and Kasukabe Yō with the invitation letters.
And currently, this girl was giving the trio a lecture.
“It hasn’t been an hour since you guys set out from the City and Kuro Usagi was just thinking when would you guys be back……Ah~ mo Really now, how did things develop to this extent…….?!”
Kuro Usagi was hugging her head in what seemed to be a headache while before her were the trio from different worlds who were pretending not to know anything.
Let’s rewind the story back to an hour ago.
The setting was in the City of Little Garden, in front of the Fountain Plaza that was the neatly arranged stone paved Peribed Avenue. Izayoi and the others who were sitting in the open-air café, which had a banner of [Six Scars] flapping in the wind, had a question for Kuro Usagi’s words.
“All Gift Games……. Are to be suspended? All that are in this region?”
“YES! This is really an emergency!”
Kuro Usagi perked her usagimimi as she replied.
What is known as “Gift Games” are Divine magical Games that are played within the world of Little Garden for items, “Gifts”, fortune and more. Divided into the categories of the [Host] and [Players], both groups would bet their own rewards and prizes for the sake of fortune, land, power, fame, talented individuals…… and the crystallized form of miracles which are “Gifts” in the battle.
And the hosting of “Gift Game”s were to be completely suspended.
The lad who wore a straight collared student uniform while hanging a pair of headphones around his neck—Sakamaki Izayoi, asked Kuro Usagi in a displeased tone.
“What’s this about? To stop hosting “Gift Games” would be equivalent to halting all financial transactions right? Although there appears to be trade facilitated by the use of currencies, aren’t most trades decided by the hosting of Games?”
Izayoi slightly tilted his head as he said that. Whereas the girl, who wore a red formal dress, Kudou Asuka had followed up with the conversation with a slightly anxious expression.
“Could it be…. That a Demon Lord has appeared?”
Hearing Asuka’s comment, Kuro Usagi frantically shook her head in negative.
The other girl who sat on her other side, Kasukabe Yō, stoked the Calico cat that rested on her knees as she asked with a slight tilt of her head.
“There’s a sort of anxious atmosphere on the streets. Rather than the feeling of fear, it would seem like they are troubled over something?”
{“Yeah. It feels like everyone’s running to and fro in a hurry.”}
Calico cat gave a mewing sound.
The Fountain plaza before the Peribed Avenue was normally a place which few would pass through but there were many who looked like wandering merchants who were walking about on that day and residents were trying their best to stop these wandering merchants in their tracks so much so that it looked like they wanted to catch these people there and then. For this plaza which was usually quiet and only used by those who walked leisurely, this was a rare and curious sight indeed.
“YES! Although it isn’t a threat on the level of a Demon Lord, it is undoubtedly a situation that would make people feel troubled. Actually, it is regarding the news that the drought will be running over from the South Side of Little Garden to the East Side.”
Wha? The trio voiced their confusion.
Asuka and Yō furrowed their brows as they asked Kuro Usagi.
“……what’s that about? Is it even possible for a drought to grow a pair of hands and legs to run over here?”
“YES! To put it accurately, it is of the appearance of only an arm and leg.”
“What in the world is that strange thing?”
Asuka and Yō were only getting more confused.
But only Izayoi was surprised as he commented,
“A drought that has an arm and leg to run over….. the KanBatsu? Could it be that the [Batsu] has appeared?”[2]
“YES! As expected from Izayoi who’s so well read. To be more accurate, it is a strange bird found at the end of the genealogical tree. This strange bird has always been giving the South Side an intense heat from the Sun and it seems to have caused a fairly huge damage to the region.”
While her words drifted off with a mumble of “It really is a troubling matter”, Kuro Usagi continued with the explanations.
—The [Batsu] appears from the folklores of China and it is called the divine beast of droughts. Sharing the same bloodline as the emperor, [Batsu] is able to command the Sun and has the ability to turn away the winds and clouds.
During the battle with the Demon Lord [Chiyou], [Batsu] who had used its power was corrupted by the miasma and was unable to return to the Heavens.
And thus many years have pass and the descendent of [Batsu] who have waited for generations to be able to return the Heavens, has gradually morphed into the appearance of this strange bird and wandered the world of Little Garden ever since.
Listening to Kuro Usagi’s clarification, Izayoi was silent for a moment.
“…… [Perseus] of the Greek mythology and the [Moon Rabbit]s of the Buddhism faction, and now it is the [Batsu] of the Chinese folklore that has made its appearance. Ha, as expected of the world of Little Garden. It sure has everything.”
“Well, Izayoi-san, that will be a NO for you. Be it the [Moon Rabbit]s or the [Perseus], we were all invited over from the Outside World as recognition for our achievements. Just like the term of “Blessing (Gift)”, it represents the blessing that the gods have bestowed upon us! And in this situation, where the term of “descendent” is being brought up, it is equivalent to having an “achievement”!” said Kuro Usagi who had clenched her fists to make a forceful motion.
Similar in situation as the [KanBatsu], Kuro Usagi was a descendent of the [Moon Rabbit] whom Indra had summoned to Little Garden.
As a herald of Indra, one of the creators of Little Garden, the descendants of the [Moon Rabbit] were also known as the [Highborn of Little Garden].
“……Mah, although it isn’t only [Batsu] who had been summoned to Little Garden for a reason like that, his presence is also assured to bring about an intense wave of sunlight and hence it makes him a pitiable eudemon whom no Community is willing to welcome. After being contaminated with the miasma, it has not only lost its Divinity but a gradual decline in its divine powers. It is so far contaminated that what little sanity within had all been gone, leaving behind a husk that is filled with the inherited longing of multiple generations to return to its former homeland……” saying that, Kuro Usagi’s gaze began to drift into the distance. She was probably thinking about how there is such a lack of fairness as the strong desire over the generations have already given it the wings in the current generation despite the change in its appearance.
But a yard is a yard. They who were in the situation where the meals of the next day are not assured would also be unable to continue with this sympathizing of others.
Kuro Usagi’s expression changed as it lit up with cheer.
“We have slightly gone off-topic! Well, that goes to say the Communities within the Outer Gate 2105380 are already busily preparing for the drought! And this will be a big chance for us [No Name] to clinch a big deal!”
Kuro Usagi elatedly waved her arms.
Recognizing the underlying meaning from her words, Izayoi and the others gave a slight smile.
“I see, we have that large water source due to the possession of the [water tree]. Although we do not exactly know how much water storage the other Communities possess…… I’m guessing that most of them have not stored up enough with this sort of frantic expressions.”
“Yeah, to have the water source supplied for our own use only would be much too wasteful. Taking this opportunity to secure some long term contracts with the other Communities to ensure a steady flow of income would be a good idea indeed.”
“Mhm. After all, it is a little desolate to leave that huge treasure room empty.”
Seeing the looks of Asuka, Yō and Izayoi who was laughing loudly, Kuro Usagi gave a wry smile as she nodded her head.
“Actually, Kuro Usagi did not want to use of this method that seems to be plundering the unfortunate, and wanted to use a legitimate method to get the contracts…… but we of [No Name] are an organization without a ‘name’ and ‘flag’ which have been stolen by a Demon Lord and there is no way for us to make a proper advertisement. If we were to show that we possess a water source in the period of drought, there should be people appearing with the desire to make a contract with us! Next up, Kuro Usagi would like you three to scout out the situation of [Batsu] and gather a bit of information about it.”
Hearing that, the trio nodded their heads in acceptance of Kuro Usagi’s request.
“Mah. There’s no Games in the meantime after all. Taking it as a way to pass time is also quite a nice way.”
“When we talk about collecting the information about eudemons, it is surely the realm that Kasukabe will be glad to be a part of. You must work hard okay?”[3]
“Mhm. I will reconfirm the details. It is a huge strange bird that only has an arm and leg…… am I right?”
“YES? Although it might have a difference in proportions, it is still a strange bird that is with the unique characteristic of having “different limb proportions”. If you use that sort of characteristic to search, it should be easy to locate it. Besides, he should be emitting a high body temperature at all times and it might be a good idea to search for a region where there is a heat haze[4]. …… But, please be careful. If you feel that it is dangerous at any point in time, it is alright to return immediately.”
Kuro Usagi then sent the trio from the other world off on their journey with a worried expression and they had also left towards the outskirts of the City in that fashion.
The trio were on an undercover mission to scout the information about the divine beast [Batsu] who was hiding in the neighboring region.
And after an hour since they set out,
— returning to the present.
The trio from the other world were sitting in a seiza before the stone pillar of the Outer Gate which was adorned with the stone tiger carving.
There were many people around them. In fact, it was to the extent that an unnatural crowd had been drawn around them.
Even with the large number of spectators, Kuro Usagi was furious enough to ignore their stares. A Kuro Usagi, who had her ears and long glossy hair dyed to a fiery pink, was giving the trio a lecture.
“Did, Did you listen to what Kuro Usagi said earlier?! Kuro Usagi said that it is to prepare for the drought that is about to arrive and hoped that you guys will go gather some intelligence on [Batsu]!! And this so called intelligence is on its nest whereabouts, the proportions of its body and stuff! But why!! WHY……!? Who called you guys to go defeat [Batsu]!!?”
“ “ “We just did it in a moment of rage and are in the process of reflecting upon our actions.” ” ”
“Just shut up!!!”
*Pak! Pak! Pak!*
Towards the trio who were apologizing without a trace of sincerity, Kuro Usagi used her paper fan to launch a lighting speed attack on them.
Yes. This is the problem. Rather than saying that the crowd were looking at the four of them, it would be more proper to say that they were looking at the prey that was brought back with them.
Lying beside them was a huge strange looking bird, around the length of twenty meters, which was strapped up.
Its two limbs were of different sizes and it was most likely the fault of having transformed into the appearance of only a single arm and leg. The body of [Batsu] which stores a great amount of heat was still creating a heat haze while unconscious.
—The divine beast [Batsu] was one that was able to control the Sun. Although it had been contaminated by the miasma and had its divine powers diminished over the generations, it is still an opponent that normal humans are unable to defeat.
But when faced with these three, all of that would be disregarded. For they were a trio who were the most unique of the special.
And Kuro Usagi had forgotten a very important thing when she asked them for this favor.
The trio from the other world whom she had summoned—- were one of the strongest problem children teams which were countable with the fingers on one hand.
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