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Nanana’s Buried Treasure Volume 6 Chapter 3.2

「What? 」

Masked Girl M declared this handicap with a fearless smile and making a peace sign with her right hand.

This causes a stir among the participants.

It made me ask myself, what does that mean?

First off, handicap 1. If M starts with only 1 coin, then simply put one loss and she’ll be out. Furthermore, trying to get 10 coins when starting with one becomes much more difficult. Even if you keep going all in with each bet, you won’t reach 10 coins until after 4 wins in a row.

Still, since M seems to have information on all of the battle areas, she might still have a chance at victory. After all, M’s  Nanana collection cloak seems to be quite powerful. As long as she has that cloak that alien-like gorokuma can appear from, M must be confident that she won’t lose.

This is what I was thinking until M said handicap 2 was ‘I won’t use any Nanana collection.’

Isn’t that strange? In this 《game》, the Nanana collection you own is a unique advantage that sets you apart from the other players. Letting go of that advantage is nothing short of suicide. M’s purpose should be to win this 《game》. And to collect all the Nanana collection from us participants. So why did she say this?

I can’t understand M’s actions at all. I have no idea what she’s thinking.

The reactions of the other participants were mixed. Some people were confused like me, others were simply happy and were thinking they were lucky, and still others were convinced that it’s only natural, since she’s the organizer.

Anyways, with these handicaps that M declared, one thing clearly changed. That would be the atmosphere.

It seems that the enmity that M had among the participants since the incident on the tram has clearly subsided. The sudden addition of rules and the intimidating behavior of the gorokuma were the actions of a girl with the title of ‘organizer’ who was wearing a mask and doing whatever she wants like a tyrant. That was the image she had, but after acknowledging her obvious advantages and imposing handicaps on herself, we can see that she is trying to keep things even with herself and the other participants.

Perhaps it helps that the venue is a glittering theme park, but the distrust the participants had towards the 《game》 was fading away. They even felt positively towards M.

Well it’s not like I don’t understand it.

I unfortunately didn’t feel the same way. …No, it’s not because I’m just a rotten human being.

Something is definitely wrong. There must be something. What is M after?

As I was suspicious of M I also had the thought, ‘I don’t know, maybe I’m over thinking it. Am I actually a sad person who can’t accept people’s good intentions as Tensai said?’

It soon became clear that my suspicions were correct because of the next thing M says.

「In five minutes I, organizer M, would like to hold a ‘First Stage Guaranteed Victory Strategy Seminar’ in that building over there. 」

2

「….Huh? 」

When M said that, I couldn’t help but be confused. No, that’s right.

「Hey, what do you mean? 」

M calmly answers the question asked by a confused participant.

「I’m saying that after this I’m going to hold a seminar in that building over there where I’ll teach everyone all the information I know. 」

She said it again, I didn’t hear it wrong.

M is saying something crazy. She just said that she would definitely teach us how to win this first stage.

Once the participants’ surprise had subsided, M raised the coin in her hand three times.

「However you will have to pay me one coin as a participation fee. 」

After a moment of silence, the participants started making noise again. They were thinking, ‘Ah, I get it now.’ The doubts they had been feeling melted away.

「Yo, then there’s no point in the handicap? 」, yells one of the participants.

「That’s not true. The fact is I currently only own one coin. And I won’t be using my Nanana collection in this competition. 」

Yes, the handicap has been established at this current stage.

「But if I attend the seminar…」

The participants hesitate. I can understand their conflicted feelings.

「If you don’t want to pay me a coin then just don’t go to the seminar. 」

With that M shut the mouths of all the people who were making a fuss.

Well, if you don’t want give any coins to M because of the handicap, you don’t have to attend the winning strategy seminar that she’s about to give. The people making a fuss’s concerns should be gone then.

「I need 10 coins to advance to the second stage, but I only have 1 coin right now. I don’t think anyone will have a problem if I earn a coin or two from the seminar. 」

The participants looked at each other as the words they heard from M sounded like a deal with the devil. They are checking each other out to see who would go.

「It will start in 3 minutes so if you’d like to join please hurry. 」

M made this announcement to the participants and took several gorokuma with her to the building where the seminar was to take place.

The participants were left behind where they stood. They were confused by the sudden choices they were presented with.

There were various thoughts on what to do.

If you win the 《game》 you get a rare and useful Nanana collection. However if M wins the participants, or rather the Nanana collection that they brought with them, would be confiscated. In other words I want M to be defeated quickly and eliminate this possibility right away. That chance has suddenly come at the beginning of the first stage. She is handicapped and should have inevitable defeat. If you want to crush M, this is the best chance.

But wouldn’t it be meaningless if I prioritized eliminating M and got eliminated myself?

If you attend the seminar you will give coins to M but you will also get information that will give you an advantage in the first stage. On the other hand, if you don’t participate you won’t have to give coins to M, but you won’t be able to get the sure-win strategy.

Will it make a big difference if you get this information or not? After all, according to M the main advantages and disadvantages of the first stage are largely determined by the presence or absence of information.

Now, what to do? ….No, I shouldn’t worry about it that much. There were 30 people to start with so the others should read the atmosphere. We were presented with such a handicap on the first stage. In the second stage or even beyond there is a possibility that M will present another handicap.

So I’m sure I’ll be fine.

Because the 《game》 has just begun.

「…or that’s what everyone is thinking, I guess. 」

This is what I thought while looking at the faces of the participants around me.

Then there was a commotion. The commotion was because a participant immediately started walking toward the seminar venue.

And he wasn’t alone. Two people, three people… the number keeps increasing.

Once this starts there is no stopping it.

Other participants who were on the fence also started heading towards the venue.

「Ah, this is how it turns out after all. 」

I can’t help but sigh as the event unfolds as expected.

「Hmph, this is getting interesting. 」

Approaching me with a fearless smile was Ikkyu Tensai. She looked like she was having fun with her big grin. What’s so funny? Well actually this time I agree.

「Totally. 」

I couldn’t help but grin. Of course the great detective next to me is surprised and says 「Oh, Juugo has turned into a super villain! 」, but I ignore it.

So, what is so interesting is this tactic by M.

The use of information and the skillful manipulation of the human psychology are being played for fun by most of the participants. It’s funny to see everyone acting only with their own agendas in mind, and throwing away the option to prioritize defeating M.

How many of us are left? How many of them are annoyed at the other participants who are acting selfishly , and who feels antagonistic towards M for forcing them into that choice?

On top of that, I’ve become interested in who or what is behind M.

「What are you two going to do? 」

The next person to approach me was President Yuiga. The handsome glasses wearing manager asked us with his the usual refreshing smile on his face.

「Of course I’m going to join. 」

There’s no need to think about it. There is no point in refusing to join here. After all, most of the participants have fallen into M’s trap. At this point there is no reason to politely decline participation just because I’m aware of that. In fact, by not participating in the seminar, it would be fatal in creating a gap of information between you and the other participants.

「I’m not going to participate. 」

Well that was what I thought but Tensai countered it.

「Hey hey, is that ok? The lack of information will be fatal. 」

「I just heard the minimum necessary explanation. I can predict most things with that. 」

I’m mildly annoyed by Tensai who flaunts her intelligence.

「You’re getting information that you don’t have now, and that’s why it’s worthwhile to participate. 」

「If you don’t have it now, you can always get it later. So there’s no point in participating. 」

「Even if we try to get info later, the time limit for the first stage is only one hour. You’ll run out of time while you rushing around. 」

「Hmph, well I don’t know what to say. The first stage lasts for an hour. That’s all the time I need. 」

Tensai directly contradicts my opinion. To be honest she says things like this, saying her purpose is to confront me, but I wonder if she really wants to go that far to create a rivalry with me.

President Yuiga, who was looking at us glaring at each other, opened his mouth.

「I agreed with Yama-kun on this point. I would like to get as much information as possible to avoid being left behind by the other participants. 」

Hearing President Yuiga take my side, Tensai sighs in disgust.

「Don’t you guys understand? What is the point of participating in this seminar? 」

「? Do you mean the one coin fee to participate? You’ll only be starting with 4 coins then but it’s the same as the other participants so it isn’t much of a disadvantage. 」

When I said that Tensai responded by saying, 「Hmph, then do whatever you want. 」 And went off on her own in a grumpy mood.

「? What was that? 」

「We don’t have time for this Yama-kun. Let’s go too. 」

Then President Yuiga and I headed to the designated building along with the other participants to see M’s seminar.