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Nanana’s Buried Treasure Volume 8 Chapter 4.3

It was the second stage. Ageha and the rest of the Ladies Team had performed the jamming formation to avoid the <<forced acquisition game>> with Tensai. During that, Juugo let it slip in the robbery room.

Hearing this, the corners of Tensai’s mouth, which had been blank, slowly turned up.

「I see. So that’s what Juugo said. I see, I see.」

Tensai seemed somewhat pleased.

「So, what do you like so much about Yama, little mouse?」

「! Huh?! I don’t like him! Juugo is just a rival!」

「I’m just kidding, don’t get so worked up.」

Tensai glares, ‘Nununuuuu’, while Agea teases, ‘Mufufuuu’.

「Grrr, I’ve strayed quite a bit off topic. Let’s get back on topic then. So, Ageha-dono, what is your response?」

Should she accept Juugo’s offer and retreat? Or should she refuse and pursue Juugo and the other men? What will Ageha’s answer be?

「Very well. I’ll use Yama.」

「Hmph, so you mean?」

「Yes. At this point I’m quitting this <<game>>「, Ageha Kachou declared. In her hearth though she was thinking: Now that she’s had a lengthy conversation with the little mouse, it’s doubtful she’ll be able to catch up with Yama and the others even if she chases after them now.

But what if even this was part of Yama’s plan?

「…I don’t mind using you, but I have to be careful not to get used.」

「Did you say something, Ageha-dono?」

「No, I was just talking to myself.」

And so the matter was settled.

「Then Ageha-dono, please protect me from the traps on the way back.」

Ageha sighs in amazement at Tensai’s confident and smug appearance.

「This mouse is really brazen」, says Ageha as she starts walking with Tensai.

She’s clumsy, but she’s more straightforward and works harder than anyone else. Ageha Kachou doesn’t dislike her former kohai.

「So, little mouse, do you think Yama’s plan will work?」

Tensai thought for a while about Ageha’s casual question, then answered, 「Yeah. As long as Juugo is the only one plotting something, then I guess.」

2

Tetsu-kun caught the thing I had thrown and glared at me.

「What are you planning, Juugo?」

What was the thing I threw to him? It was the <<sword of Nanana>> of course.

It was a double-edged sword in a sheath wrapped in tattered cloth. I took it out of the treasure chest and immediately drew it out, but there was not a single scratch, let alone any rust on the blade. Above all, just as Nanana had said when she was telling me the old story, the blade was rounded and not designed to cut things. There was also a strange tag-like object and a dirty string-like object attached to the hilt. Most importantly it was the Nanana collection, I wanted so badly to get my hands on.

I threw it to Tetsu-kun and laughed.

「Tetsu-kun, let’s form an alliance.」

「What?」

「Let’s join forces again.」

「What are you talking about!? I slashed you! I even tried to kill you!」

Tetsu-kun looked like he didn’t understand at all.

「It’s okay, it’s okay. I hit you too, and I even stole your key fragment. And you know, in my long life, I’ve been stabbed by a friend with a blade once or twice…」

「That’s impossible! Doing so would mean severing all ties with you as a friend!」

「Oh, so you really do think of me as a friend. That makes me happy to hear.」

「Don’t make fun of me!」

「No, no. I’m serious. You’ve been too shaken up since then. The murderous intent you had decided to unleash has completely disappeared.」

「Guh.」

It seems like I was pushing myself too hard after all. Well, in any case, it seems like my story will be heard. So I’ll keep going.

「The plan I came up with is very simple. First, you will take the <<sword of Nanana>> to M and win, Tetsu-kun. You will give the <<sword of Nanana>> to M and save Yun-chan.」

「Wait, Juugo. How do you know that?」

「Because there’s no other way I can imagine you breaking off your alliance with me like that, Tetsu-kun. Oh, and by the way, I have been calling the person who’s controlling Yun-chan ‘Nanika’.」

「…..I see.」

「So, next… after you save Yun-chan and ensure your own safety…」

「What do you do then?」

「Steal the <<sword of Nanana>> from Nanika.」

Watching Tetsu-kun’s eyes widen, I continued.

「When that happens, I’ll clobber Nanika. Or I’ll make her cry at least.」

As I chatter away like that, I somehow start to feel happy. I really want to punch that bastard.

Tetsu-kun had been watching me as I spoke so happily and asked me, 「Juugo, why would you do something like that? Didn’t you participate in the <<game>> to get your hands on this sword?」

「Ah, yeah. That’s right isn’t it?」

「You said then that you would get this sword no matter what, but that Yun wasn’t included in your calculations.」

That was back in the first stage. When I first asked Tetsu–kun to form an alliance.

「I told you, I won’t help Yun-chan. You’re the one who’ll help her. And now, even though I’ve handed the <<sword of Nanana>> to you, that doesn’t mean I’ve given up. Like I said before, after this, I’m going to steal it from Nanika.」

「Why go through all that trouble? Juugo’s goal should have been accomplished at this point.」

Well, that’s true, but…

「I’m not happy about it.」

「You’re not happy about it?」

「I’ll be happy if I win. And if I achieve my goal, all the better. But if I couldn’t save Yun-chan, I don’t think I’d be happy.」

「…「

「Like I said before, I’m not some hero of justice who can do anything and get everything I want. I’m just proposing this because I saw the possibility that if we could obtain the <<sword of Nanana>> we might be able to save Yun-chan.」

「…「

「I want to teach Nanika a lesson. But to do that, I need Tetsu-kun’s cooperation. That’s why I’m proposing that we join forces again.」

Hearing what I said, Tetsu-kun dropped his eyes to the <<sword of nanana>> in his hand.

「Didn’t you think that… I’d just run off with this sword?」

「Then there’d be no choice. I’d have to chase after you and take it back. But even if there was a risk, I wanted to believe in you, Tetsu-kun.」

「Why though?」

「Because you are my friend, Tetsu-kun.」

That’s really how I feel.

And so I say, 「If there’s a way to make everyone happy, why not do it?」

It’s what I truly wish for.

「…I don’t dislike that idea」, Tetsu-kun smiled gently and answered.

「Juugo. Would you be willing to form an alliance with me once again?」

That’s what I was asked, so I answered with a smile.

「Of course.」

And so, the alliance between Juugo Yama and Tetsunoshin Tsujimi was reformed.

「Sorry, Juugo.」

「This isn’t a time to apologize, right?」

「I guess so. Ah…」

At that moment, a light flashed as if a flash bang had gone off. Tetsu-kun fell forward, his knees bending as he collapsed. The <<sword of Nanana>> fell from his hand and rolled to the floor. Crouching on the floor in front of me, Tetsu-kun was clutching his side and breathing heavily. I couldn’t understand what had happened.

Then, while I was stunned, I realized the reason.

「I was planning to take down both of you with one hit, but I guess I still can’t aim properly.」

Hiiyo Ikusaba stood there, breathing heavily, at the entrance to the passage we’d just come through. Given his ragged appearance, it was easy to imagine that he’d been caught in the crossfire of the smoke bombs and firecrackers I’d thrown, or the traps I’d set off.

But his appearance wasn’t a problem. The problem was his left hand. Hiiyo Ikusaba’s left hand was enveloped in an unfamiliar light.

3

Hiiyo Ikusaba’s left hand was covered in something like a gauntlet of light. His thumb and pinky were spread apart, and his index and middle fingers were bent and pointed in the direction he was aiming. Starting at that point, a light stretched out, curving up and down. It reminded me of a bow. As I had imagined, when Ikusaba-san placed his right hand on the bow he was holding with his left hand, the light stretched up and down curved like a bowstring being pulled. An arrow was born from the light of his left hand.

Sensing danger I move immediately. The moment he releases his clenched right hand, a flash of light is shot. Something passes where he was just standing and pierces the wall behind him. The arrow of light emits a violent blast and eventually disappears. A clear mark remained in the wall where the arrow had just been.

I couldn’t help but look at Ikusaba-san.

「A Nanana collection!」

「The <<bow of light>>, its official name is the <<spiritual bow of evil extermination>>. It’s said to be a bow used to exorcise demons.」

Ikusaba-san smiles fearlessly as he draws his bow again and fires a second shot.

「Kah!」