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Last Embryo Volume 3 Chapter 6 Part 2

Translator: DarkHeartedAlchemist

「I see. Then, how should we deal with this?」

Homura stared at the Gift Game details that had been written on a parchment, Uesugi watching over him from behind. She, too, stared at him in an imposing stance with her arms folded. Even though he rejected Tokuteru’s request a while ago, it seemed that she still didn’t leave Homura all by himself. Homura opened up the legend wiki app that he used before and asked to confirm a few things.

「First comes the principle. We have to start solving this game by deducing what the monster in question is, right?」

「Indeed. After all, though the text does say it’s a monster, those who are called monsters are a dime a dozen in Little Garden. When it’s written by its general name rather than its actual one, we must first deduce the individual name of the monster.」

Deduce the individual name. Based on that principle, Homura glanced down at the Gift Game’s paper:

『 ─ 2^nd War for the Sun’s Authority First Exhibition Match ─』

・Overview of the Game Rules:

① Drive away the countless monsters that appear and defeat the monster related to the  Game. (Permission to capture granted.).

② The Exhibition Match is to be held once per day, twenty four times in total.

③ There is a time-limit for clearing the Game. If participants cannot clear it within 30 minutes, it will carry over to the next day.

④ For as long as the 2^nd War for the Sun’s Authority’s final selection continues, The Game can be held any number of times.

・Winning Conditions: Participate in the Game every day; the first team to defeat all 24 monsters shall be declared the Game’s victor.

・Reward: Participants are entitled to a reward for every monster they defeat. The victorious team will be allowed to transfer one of its members to the final selection.

・Conditions for Participation: Everyone is encouraged to take part in the event.

・Participants: Those with debts must participate in the aforementioned Gift Game as a team in order for their debt to be fully repaid.

Oath: We swear upon our glory and flag to Host the Gift Game in accordance with the aforementioned rules.

2^nd War for the Sun’s Authority Facilitation Committee, 『The Laplace Demons』

「Since it’s being held every day, I guess it’s a kind of daily special Game.」

「That’s how it seems. Don’t think about Tokuteru’s debt for now. You should just focus on clearing the Game. Especially if it gives you an advantage in the final selection.」

Indeed, that was what he had to pay the biggest attention to. If this Game was just to clear Tokuteru’s debt, both of them would’ve probably given up on the spot. But that specific reward for this Game couldn’t be disregarded.

「So the victor will have a single advantage in the finals, huh? While they haven’t provided the specifics, it still can’t be overlooked. It will be too late to regret it after some other Community snatches it from us.」

「Exactly. …Now then, I’ll lend you my assistance. Have a go at it, as you like.」

Receiving her encouraging words, Homura nodded back. He then opened the pamphlet that had been given to him along with the invitation.

「Since it’s a sham battle of a Sun Authority War, it’s should be a monster that is related to the Sun Authorities. But these bronze monster birds are not related to it, are they?」

「You mean the Stymphalian Birds? …No, you can’t say that they are completely unrelated. If I’m not mistaken, didn’t these birds appear in the 「Ten Labors」 that the Demigod Heracles performed?」

「Ten? Weren’t there twelve labors in total?」

「That’s the official name, yes. I don’t know the details myself, but was it not said that if ten trials were completed then that was enough?」

Without even thinking about it, Uesugi sent the oncoming Stymphalian Birds flying with a backhand blow, its wings crushed as it crashed into the audience seats. The way it crashed was less like an arrow and more like a cannonball, which made the audience flee in terror. Seeing that, Homura checked the surroundings as if he suddenly remembered something.

「That reminds me, there doesn’t seem to be any Players intruding on this Game. Does the reward not interest them? Or maybe they just don’t want to display their cards here?」

「Quite possible it’s the latter. There’s no Player who wants to flaunt his true power before the finals. …However, it’s still strange indeed. The advantage in the finals should be an attractive reward. There should’ve been some intruders…」

Catching Homura’s point, Uesugi looked towards the auditorium, and at that moment, they suddenly heard Suzuka’s voice from the wagon’s linked door.

「I…I thought we were goners…! Really, just what were those monsters! We really are inside the train, right!!?」

「T-That seems to be the case. Perhaps it’s because it entered the earth vein after the departure? Though it had become quite stagnant here compared to the average monster field…」

It seemed that Suzuka and Ayato had finally arrived at the pocket stage after going through the VIP wagon, completely out of breath. As the two stepped inside, the audience burst into loud cheers. Just as they entered the audience seats, thin bronze feathers started fluttering down from above. Homura approached them from the stage and yelled:

「Suzuka! Lady Ayato! Are you okay!?」

They simultaneously turned towards the shouting voice. Ayato still couldn’t fully understand what was going on, but seeing that Homura and the others were at the center of the stage, she bent forward from the seats and yelled back.

「That’s what I should be asking, Senpai! Why are you there!?」

「Anyway, I’m glad you are fine, Brother! We’ll be there in a…」

「No, tell me what you were saying just now! What’s going on in the other wagons!?」

「I can’t even fully describe it! There was a mountain place with an absurdly huge wild boar, and a perverted plant that persistently chased Aya-chan, there was also a forest with an unbelievably fast deer, and a riverside hut that smelled so bad it almost rot our noses! There has to be something wrong with this place if those are supposed to be VIP wagons!」

「T-That’s true. Kasukabe-san opened a path for us, but it would’ve probably been very difficult to arrive here by ourselves. That tentacle plant, in particular, was a bit too much on the psychological side….」

Suzuka snarled in anger while Ayato scratched her cheek with a strained smile. Understanding the situation, Homura and Uesugi clicked their tongues in unison.

「We’ve been had…! So it turns out that the entire Spirit Train becomes a Game stage during the Exhibition Matches, huh!?」

「So that’s what it meant by a 30 minute, once-a-day event. It seems we’ll be having an aggravating thirty minutes from now on as well.」

It turned out that it was not just this stage wagon that had changed into different areas, but the VIP and all other wagons as well. Homura was made to walk through various rooms before by Queen’s power. If she, who could manipulate the boundaries, was cooperating with this Game, then they could’ve indeed prepared for such an exaggerated gimmick. Just then, Kuro Usagi pointed towards the giant crystal hanging above the stage and announced.

「Now then, since all the Players have started to realize it, let’s look here for a moment! Lapko III in charge of the rear VIP wagon, show the video if you please♪!」

The crystal displayed a wagon that was just before the pocket stage wagon. The rear wagon displayed in the spectating crystal had turned into an even bigger monster world than the stage wagon itself. In fact, there were mountains inside the wagon.

To say it bluntly, a boundless wilderness spread out inside there. The wagon entrance looked extremely strange in the reflection, standing isolated in-between the wilderness and the mountains, causing clamor among the audience. Inside the wagon with mountains, there was a big wild boar with a giant plant on its back fighting against Kasukabe You. Chills ran down Kuro Usagi’s spine when she saw that plant, rather than the boar itself.

「E-Ehh…? That tentacle plant, could it be the 『Kuro★Usagi Eater MK II!』?」

「K-Kuro★Usagi Eater MK II, you say!?」

「What’s up with that tentacle plant that’s obviously there to attack Kuro Usagi!」

Ayato and Suzuka responded to Kuro Usagi’s report. Kuro Usagi’s rabbit ears twitched as she replied to them.

「YES! That was originally a plant that a certain idiot made to tease this Kuro Usagi… but now that it had been revised, it had gained a nature to attack not just Kuro Usagi, but any girl blessed with voluptuous chest !!!」