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Nanana’s Buried Treasure Volume 6 Chapter 6.5

It was on there that I met Sashimi… or Nanana. Nanana-san heard my complaints and said, 「Why don’t you give this a try?」 She told me about the Nanana collection and 《ruins》

I almost died during the first 《ruins》 I tried. I could tell this was no joke.

But it was really fun. I was worried because I didn’t know what to do, but it was so much fun that it didn’t matter to me. I felt alive. It was the first time I realized how much fun it can be to accomplish something.

So I became obsessed with searching for 《ruins》 and clearing any I could find. Before I knew it I was being called a 《the strategist》.

That’s when I met Asumi.

Asumi is a girl whose purpose in life is to be nosy, and since I often skipped class I was always on her radar.

After a series of unfortunate events, Asumi was transferred to the Seventh High School and was labeled a despised person.

Having watched the whole process, I gradually became more interested in Asumi than I was in the 《ruins》.

And then one day I had an epiphany.

I thought, ah yeah, I’d rather do something for this girl other than challenge 《ruins》.

That’s why I’m doing this for Asumi.

I don’t care what people call me, or if I’m not appreciated.

I don’t know what I want to be or do in the future.

But right now, for Asumi and for my friends, I want to win.

Isshin, who had stopped staring at Taisei, looked down at the board.

「It’s like you read my heart. Well that’s how it is, that’s what I am, Taisei Amagi.」

At that point Isshin stopped completely.

Even to Taisei’s untrained eye he could understand, Saiou has the upper hand. The timer held by the referee gorokuma continued to count down the seconds.

「We might be a little alike」, said Isshin, looking up from the board.「I’m jealous.」

「? What do you mean?」

「You are a person who can fight for the people you care about. You are strong. I’m sure you can protect her. Even if she is in trouble you can reach out to her. Unlike me.」

Taisei was puzzled by such a sudden statement, but soon realized that the game was close to ending.

Isshin’s time is getting closer to being up with every moment. However, Isshin shows no signs of moving his pieces.

Taisei watches silently, convinced of his victory.

The time left is three seconds, two seconds, one second…

Pachin

「Huh?」

Taisei, who was sure of his victory, couldn’t help but let a little gasp escape when he saw the piece moved right before the 30 seconds were up.

Isshin, who had just barely made the move in the 30 second limit, gave a refreshing smile.

「So please give up this time.」

Saiou, who cannot understand Isshin’s words and sits on Taisei’s lap, immediately makes her move. It’s as if she is following a path to certain victory that she can see.

And once again Isshin isn’t making a move.

However right before the count reaches 30 seconds, he moves a piece again.

Taisei finds this strange behavior suspicious. More than anything he’s curious about what you said earlier.

He then realized what was going on and shouted, 「MIsao! How much time is left!?」

Misao, who was watching from outside the battle area, was startled by Taisei’s sudden yelling. He hurriedly looked around and announced the time on the clock he saw.

「T..Taisei! There’s only 4 minutes left until two o’clock!」

「Saiou, how long will it take for you to win?」

「If we continue like this, the game will be over in a few more moves, but…this development isn’t good.」

「H..hey now, you got to be kidding.」

A look of despair appears on Taisei’s face.

「What’s wrong Taisei-kun? The game is still going on.」

Seeing Isshin’s smiling face, Taisei slammed the table as hard as he could.

「Don’t be stupid! You’ve already given up! Just admit defeat!」

「That’s a strange thing to say. I haven’t lost yet.」

「It’s already been determined! 」

「Is that so? I’m not sure about that. I wonder if I can still win. That’s why I have no intention of surrendering and admitting defeat. At least until then, the game isn’t over.」

Taisei looks at Saiou, who is ready to move her pieces as soon as Isshin waits to the end of the 30 second timer.

「Can’t you shorten the end of the game?」

「I would like to do so, but this man is a good player. This man is playing the best move to remain in a deadlock.」

「That’s true. I can read your thoughts after all.」

Isshin with his red eyes smiled.

「You….」

「I completely miscalculated. I kept looking at Taisei-kun in oder to beat him, and it backfired. I didn’t expect the person I would play shogi against wouldn’t be you. But the effect finally wore off a while ago. I’ve just started reading that young lady’s mind.」

「YOU BASTARD!」

Isshin, who is taking his time, looks at Taisei and smiles a refreshing smile.

「So, I’m sorry but please allow me to be selfish this one time and die with me here.」

3

「Don’t be stupid! I have to go to the second stage for Asumi and my friends!」

「That’s a shame. Well, just think of it as bad luck that you’ve gone up against a bad opponent and give up.」

Hearing the exchange between the shouting Taisei and the always cool President Yuiga, I understood the situation.

President Yuiga, whose defeat is certain, is trying to buy time by pointlessly prolonging the battle and trying to take down Taisei who is a real threat to win the whole 《game》.

While I was confused by the situation, President Yuiga looked at me.

「Yama-kun, we don’t have any more time. Go. I’m done here.」

That’s when I realized President was doing this.

「What? You’re doing something so uncharacteristic.」

「As a sempai, I want to show my kohai that I’m cool. It seems like this is all I can do.」

「Weren’t you supposed to win?」

President Yuiga heard my words and seemed to think about it. Then he smiled somewhat weakly.

「Looks like I’ve failed again.」

President Yuiga laughed but no more words come out.

President Yuiga says to me, 「I couldn’t do it, but I’m sure that you and Tensai-kun will be able to win this game. As the head of the adventure club that would make me proud.」

「…you are calculating aren’t you?」

「That sounds more like me right?」

「Yeah, so I’ll take you up on your offer.」

As I turned around, I said one more thing to President Yuiga.

「I’ll leave this to you, President Yuiga.」

Saying something corny as if out of movie makes President Yuiga laugh.

「Yeah, leave it to me. I’ll keep him glued here until time is up.」

It is my way of expressing my gratitude.

I bowed towards Misao-san and the others and started running towards the castle.

As a result of running as hard as I could, I arrived at the castle just before the time limit.

When I showed the ten coins to the gorokuma that was standing in front of the castle gate wearing a red hat, he let me through with a strange cry of ‘kisha’.

As I passed through the gate I looked at a clock.

1:59

「That was close.」

Right after that there was another strange ‘kisha’ cry from behind me. When I turned around, there was Ikusaba-san gasping for air.

「Hmm, so you made it on time huh?」

Then Ikusaba noticed me and raised a hand and smiled.

「Hello Yama-kun. Looks like you’ve cleared the first stage.」

「…thanks.」

「I just barely made it in. So do you know what happened to the others?」

「Tensai has survived. President Yuiga… is fighting against Taisei, and I’m sure the they will be eliminated when time runs out.」

「Really?」

When Ikusaba-san heard this he let out a ‘Ku, ku, ku’, then started laughing hysterically.

「I see. So Taisei has fallen. This is good, it’s a best case scenario.」

Apparently he’s very happy about Taisei Amagi’s defeat in the first stage.

It was at that moment that the bell rang out. The castle gate slowly began to close behind us with the same sound as the bell that rang to start the first stage.

This gate separates those who have won and those who have lost.

********************************

「The first stage has now ended. All the participants who have lost in the first stage and remain in the park, please gather in front of the castle gate in the center of the park will now follow gorokuma’s instructions. I repeat…」