No Game No Life-Volume 8 Prologue

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If you had to die for the sake of the world, what would you really do?

There was once a girl who was urged to make such a choice. To save the dying world, the girl had to die. Suffering, in conflict and with tears flowing, she chose, and announced to G.o.d. “I want to save the world; the place where these important people live, and the person I love”. With this tragic resolution in her chest, lips trembling and unsteady steps she walked in front of G.o.d. She chose her own death, however.

“I will die instead of her”

A man held her back and walked in front of G.o.d. He was one of the important people she chose to save even in exchange for her own life. She loved him, and he loved her. To her beloved G.o.d asked:

“Are you not scared of dying?”

But he answered with a smile, as long as he could die for his beloved…

“There is something I fear more than death”

And thus, basking in the acclamations of thunder, the man died. And that world was saved. Shedding a single tear, the girl that was left behind said:

“Let’s live his share too in the world he saved”

Using such a worn-out line the story ended as if it were a good one. However, two siblings looked at this ending with an unamused gaze. While looking at the credits rolling in the game’s screen they thought.

‘Something I fear more than death’ huh, I see. But why did no one say:

“Aren’t you forcing that thing that is scarier than death upon your beloved?” to the man who said that and died instead of the girl?

I see he is one of those “self-sacrificing” types. It is a template of someone who sounds good no matter what and receives cheap tears using beautiful words.

A black-eyed black-haired boy with a distorted smile that shows his distorted personality and a red-eyed white-haired girl, making a frown that showed her bad mood, thought together: Just with the death of one protagonist it looks like the world can be saved. Hundreds of millions of sacrifices can be exchanged for just one, and the cute girl didn’t die either. It is actually wonderful. An overwhelming cost-benefit ratio. A very good enterprise! Well then, how would the girl that was left behind think about that?

The man concluded by himself that it is something scarier than death, that means that he pushed the terror of living by sacrificing her beloved to the girl. … didn’t that man run away by dying? What kind of feelings would the girl that bet her own life to save that man have? The siblings that thought that looked at each other and got the same impression. That coward. I see “self-sacrifice” is only a manner of speech.

It is just egoism, putting it in another way no one will complain. That is because the one that she should complain to… no, the one that she must complain to isn’t around anymore. The siblings though that “Which one should die?” was not the choice they were supposed to make.

“Die together”

Or

“Live together”

These were the only two options they were supposed to have. It was just egoism after all. If you are going to devote yourself to something, you should do it thoroughly and persist till the end. And if by choosing to “Live together” the world is destroyed, then… It is fine to let such a world be destroyed.

You think that this is irresponsible, right? However, let’s refute that. To do that let’s ask ourselves, who or what is responsible? With their love and courage, they were able to prolong the life of the world that was originally going to be destroyed… all right. However, you shouldn’t take for granted the kindness of strangers, they are just human after all.

To begin with if we are talking about responsibility, isn’t it the responsibility of the one that made that world?!

Then, how about thinking about it like this: Originally, the world was supposed to be destroyed, therefore, wasn’t it actually according to plan if it ended?! All along the world was mysteriously going to end one day, is it really inconvenient if it ends now?! Therefore, isn’t it okay if they laugh together and continue running towards the ends of the earth until their last moment? Those that would complain and say that is egoism… I’m sorry but I reject them. That is because both those that want to complain, and those that are complaining will disappear together with the world!

“But even with that…” The black-haired boy had this thought while laying down his younger sister that had fallen asleep. If I had to die for the sake of the world, what would I really do? Myself, or my younger sister, which one of us would die? I have to say that is out of the question. Die together? That is preferable, but I would like to decline. Then, live together?

That is the most desirable option, right? However, even if it is that is just temporarily running away while saying “The world is just going to be destroyed anyways for an unknown reason, stupid!”

Surely… she wouldn’t laugh, right? He thought while stroking his little sister’s hair. Saving the two of them together with the whole world is what they are supposed to do. Then, without a single sacrifice obtain everything… The method for that would be… The young boy gazed at his sister’s hair, and made a bitter smile filled with self-depreciating feelings. There may be no such thing in this world, he thought.

It has been 38 days since the game started. The spiral land floating in the sky… that is the board for the game of sugoroku constructed by the Old Deus. Since the beginning it was an existence caused by aberrant principles, however right now. On top of square number 296… A phenomenon that made those principles transcend even more was happening.

“Ufu, ufufu～ So～ra～?”

The voices of 3 people resounded inside a cave dimly lit by candles.

“Of course, this is also according to plan～right? ～Please say it is♪”

“Hm, if that is what you want I’ll say it… As if I’d be so stupid that I’d put together such a plan!!”

“Nii… This is… not the turn system… and instructions are not being given…”

With two dice, she became 3.6 years old. The redhaired little girl, Steph’s dry laugh.

With one dice each, they became 1.8 and 1.1 years old. The babylike Sora and s.h.i.+ro’s screams.

And the shocks and resounding sounds that seemed to announce the collapse of the world, continued.

“Plus, it is an RTS! Are you out of your mind? Are you an idioooot?!!”

Screaming, he closed his eyes and thought: What kind of joke is this?

“… Calm down. First, we have to understand the situation, or nothing will begin…!”

With thoughts that seemed like they would freeze if he lost focus, Sora squeezes out some words. Jibril’s “challenge”, he reflected on that, it was, “With more than two persons, immediately agree to swear by the pledges to a game presented by someone other than the targets of this challenge, and win it”. We were made to swear by the pledges to that, and to begin this. A game modeled after the Great War from the past.

First, we need to grasp the situation we are in, the rules that were laid down. Sora looks at his surroundings. They were surrounded by naked bedrock, it was a dark and narrow s.p.a.ce. A single “map” was spread out on a desk that was placed right in the center. But it was an old-looking, beaten up “map” with faded colors. It was printed on white paper…. Correction, it was painted over in black. The essential topographical information was barely depicted. Instead of that, on top of the black-painted, parchment-like map there was a UI that looked like it came straight out of a computer game. Moment by moment it displayed information about the game.

“1st of July 184 B.T. 03:45”

Probably that is the notation for the age before the pledges came into effect, Before Testament. “Units” were shown with a triangular shape, “Cities” with a 凸 shape, etc.… Using that information, he understood that the small cave where they were located probably was the “Capital” shown in the center of the map. Apart from the area around the capital and the “Scouts” that were doing reconnaissance, it seemed that there was no other method to display the terrain on the map. Also, on the side of the desk there was a lot of paper and a pen. Somewhere a little further away, there was a beaten-up wooden box, a “mailbox”. It looks like you can make the “units” move by writing “Commands” in these papers and mailing them.

Looking worried about the incessant attacks coming from outside, Steph stood up and said:

“I-I’ll go look outside for a bit OK!?”

“W-Wait! Let’s try to send a unit that has weapons, let’s send out scouts with added weapons.” Sora said, and posted a “command”.

Each second we perceive is equivalent to eight hours of the time displayed on the “Map”. If this cave is the “Capital”, the player s.p.a.ce, then, the outside… it is suspicious that it might be possible to go inside the game, however, if you went out who knows what you could come across. He tried touching the unit displayed on the “Map” with his finger, and the unit’s information was displayed.

Age, gender, etc. Information similar to combat ability is not present, that is extremely unkind. In any case, using the displayed “ID” to identify the unit, he posted the order. As soon as he did, the axe holding unit took off, if 1 second is eight hours, then it took off at 28800 times the normal speed. It pa.s.sed through the exit at a speed you can’t even see and stood on the field.

“…Nii, if you give the scouts weapons… their mobility, will fall… is it not a waste…?”

“HAHAHA my sister, that is your brother’s wisdom!” In response to what his sister pointed out, Sora simply shook his head and said “Good grief”

“It’s possible we might encounter the other races, right? If you don’t increase their survival time, usually you can’t attain informa…”

But immediately after that. The weather changes, a wind that can be felt even inside the cave blows with a wheezing sound, and in that moment, the unit that exited the cave a few seconds ago was annihilated from the map as if it was melting snow. “…. What was that?” he touches the map on top of the desk and confirms the display. “Spirit corpse wind” Is written.

“It’s a good thing you didn’t go out, huh”

Sora said to the frozen and pale Steph. Wait a second.

“Heeeey!? What is up with this filled that has lava squares and that blue instant death!?”

The screaming Sora comes to a conclusion. No, something like a conclusion: Jibril, who talked to us with dead eyes as if she didn’t know us announced it from the beginning. He just didn’t want to recognize that truth, but now he had to accept it. That seriously, this is not a joke.

Gritting his teeth, he touched one of the “Units” on top of the “Map” and pinched out. As soon as he did the unit’s field of view was projected into something like a screen that appeared midair inside the cave. The unit’s field of view, namely the scene outside the cave. Towards that disastrous spectacle, while everyone gasped Sora put on a forced smile and said with a trembling voice:

“… Haha, this is the “Great War”? oi oi, stop saying things that are mostly lies.”

That is absolutely not something like a “war”. No matter what kind of post-apocalyptic fiction it may be, it’s paradise compared to this. If Sora and the others had to choose a word from their vocabulary to describe that, only one would be appropriate, it was “h.e.l.l”.

… ‘I see’, he thought. This is a game that reproduced the “Great war” from the past. It seems this is a so-called strategy simulation game. As soon as we accepted Jibril’s “Challenge” a whole world was born on top of square number 296. Did this s.p.a.ce expand infinitely? Or did it shrink? I don’t know the exact theory behind this, but it looks like the whole planet was reproduced inside a 10X10 kilometer square.

That scene was… a red sky covered in ash and ravaged by the fires of war that were wrapped around the whole planet. Even now, form the ruined sky that looked as if it was going to fall, the blue “Spirit corpses” were endlessly raining.

The wind that killed that human unit with a single hit is a mixture of “Spirit corpses”, dust and ash. It changes into “Black ash” that is like snow that doesn’t melt, and covers the ground as far as he can see.

Furthermore, violent and devastating attacks and lights were still hitting this wilderness that was already like a cemetery. That was what was making those big sounds and shaking the cave incessantly since before. In other words that light was the war between the 16 races, the exceed, before the pledges forbid violence. Each time the lights and sounds flash the sea and the land change like a kaleidoscope…

This infinite natural disaster is the “Great War”? What a joke. “Just how did Imanity survive this inferno…!!”

He tries screaming that, but he understands… Jibril has no reason to lie. Therefore, this is the “Great War” the era that humanity survived in the past. Additionally, according to Jibril’s predictions history says that “Humanity could only end”.

“There is no way, right?! A combat unit evaporated just by breathing the air!? Then…”

As if to match Sora’s screams, the sky flashed once again. The landscape on the map that barely projected anything changed. Was the “scout” affected? The image that was being projected stopped and blacked out. “This is not a strategy game right!? I can’t strategize and I can’t fight s.h.i.+t, can I?!” He tries screaming that, but he understands…. That that is only natural.

I do not know exactly how strong the 16 races (those unreasonable b.a.s.t.a.r.ds) are when they are not bound by the pledges. However, Jibril was able to split the ocean with 5% of her power and whistood a direct hit from a hydrogen bomb without any injuries. Even if a few hundred million humans swarm her there is no way Imanity could inflict even a grazing wound, that is a self-evident truth.

“…Nii e-even so… if we gather a death stack…(TL note: a death stack is an RTS strategy in which you put a ridiculous amount of units in a single s.p.a.ce, they can basically kill anything) with a one-time attack… we might be able to pull th….”

“Against the guys that can teleport!? Against the guys capable of attacks on the scale of altering the earth’s crust?!”

As another attack flew by, Sora pointed at the “Map”

“The landscape changed again! We can pull through with a one-time attack? A stray bullet will annihilate us together with the capital!!” Sora thinks. According to Jibril this is “Shuvi”.

I see, all right. Then let’s try to think about this “Shuvi”. Our own civilization is bound by the “Ancient”, while the other races are modern and have hyper-efficient units that can laugh scornfully at us. They can use nuclear attacks to destroy facilities, and change the landscape with no penalties. It might be possible to fire them continuously. Difficulty level MAX, a tribe of goblins, but our tribe has no arms or legs. It is impossible to build bonus granting things like wonders. Actually, we can’t even build common facilities.

Anyways, all civilizations started “already at war”. If we establish a city badly, and it borders on another race’s territory, a death stack will rush us. Fighting is suicide, on top of that, the victory condition is: “The fall of the enemy capital” only. If our capital ever gets pinpointed it is almost certainly an instant loss, the opponent is a Flugel (Official cheats) after all. On top of all that, they have to play a “blind run”. …How is that? With just that, it is already a difficulty level that has never been, nor will ever be seen. Apart from some m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.tic gamers, it is a product that would surely cause angry complains towards the makers.

But even those are not a big problem. The absolute worst rule, the finis.h.i.+ng blow is below:

“If you lose you commit suicide”

Yes, even if you overcome this amazingly impossible game, and brilliantly acquire victory, you prize will be “Jibril’s death” … and that’s it. That we will receive some dice as a bonus… what about that? Thus, Sora finished carefully a.n.a.lyzing the circ.u.mstances of this game’s aberrant difficulty, and asked himself: “Can we win?” He answered himself: “There is no way we can win”

“It is just a game to see which one of us dies! There is no way to win!!”

Sora explained what would happen after they won the game. Towards the screaming Sora, who had an angry face like never before Steph timidly said: “ I-In that case! I-Isn’t it fine if we renounce our rights?!” That’s right, she proposed the rule that shouldn’t be mentioned. “E-Even if I lose all my dice I will not die, right!? You also said that as long as someone reaches the goal it would be fine right!! In that case if we let Jibril reach the goal…”

That’s right, the possibility of renouncing your rights, that rule. Transferring all your dice to someone as well as revealing the method to win against the Old Deus from Sora’s side. Only in that case no lives would be taken. Sora answered Steph’s proposition with a simple “Ah, that’s right” in his mind. Even if they lose all their dice, their Ma.s.s Existence Time, they would just lose their body and become spirits. Therefore, he couldn’t deny that asking Jibril to win would be okay. Plus, it’s true that if it’s Jibril she would probably be able to reach the goal. However.

“She is going to make Blank accept defeat by threatening us by using her own life as a s.h.i.+eld?...”

“…You’re joking… are you asleep?... or is it… a bad joke…”

Plus, even with that, one person will die, even in the best-case scenario. Sora took a seat, put his hands together and looked down. In that kind of atmosphere, s.h.i.+ro, and even Steph couldn’t say anything. But, as if to wait for Sora’s answer, they stood breathing silently…, and after a few seconds, no maybe it was a few minutes? After what might have even felt like a few hours he finished his long thinking, and raised his head.

Because of the malice that clung to him and to his distorted and fierce smile, Steph had to swallow a scream.

“It is a simple thing… Jibril is saying: ‘If you want to win you have to kill me’”

Sora announced, or thought, whatever the case it looked like it was not a joke. It seems that Jibril is demanding we do this for real, without any lies or bluffs. Also,

“She’s underestimating us… she’s basically saying, ‘if you don’t think you can win go ahead and renounce your rights’”

She politely went out of her way to prepare such an insurance just for us.

“Isn’t she first cla.s.s… s.h.i.+ro, let’s do it” Sora said.

With murky black eyes he slowly stood up, while s.h.i.+ro looked for his true intentions.

“Let’s go meet her lowly expectations”

“……….. Yes, I understand…..”

Did she understand the intention hidden in there? She gave a solemn, and resolute nod.

“How did humanity survive the Great War? Was it?”

Muttering, Sora and s.h.i.+ro sat on the gathered chairs, faced the map, and grasped the pen.

“As she wishes, let’s show her plenty…”

“Are you really doing it? That is to say, are you really going to win?!” Steph said.

She was the only one concerned about Jibr…. No. Originally, she asked if there was any chance to win. To that, Sora and s.h.i.+ro answer with dark smiles.

“It will be an easy win. I can win this kind of Null game even with my eyes closed.”

“…suuuper easy…”

I don’t know what intentions Jibril had when she made this game. However, whatever they were, at least we know she thinks she has to win against us. She’s saying that if that cannot be granted, then she will kill herself. Like the hand he was supposed to take. Originally there was just one. That’s right, Sora laughs darkly…

At the same time, on square number 308. A very young beast was standing stock still in front of an image that was being projected into empty s.p.a.ce. With two dice remaining, and a bit shorter than usual was a girl with fennec ears.

“Wh-y… why the h.e.l.l is everyone doing this desu!” Hatsuse Izuna howled at what the screen was showing.

Seated on an ink line that was floating through s.p.a.ce, cold and inorganic, but giving off an overwhelming presence, was the Old Deus. She didn’t know whether she wanted to ask her something or to blame her. From the beginning this was a game of sudoroku against an Old Deus, wasn’t it? She thinks, as silence returns. And yet,

“Why did it become a situation where we have to let someone die desu?!”

But the Old Deus didn’t answer to her blaming. No, there was no need to answer. What she was projecting was the answer. What the Old Deus was projecting was the natural conclusion. The game where the loser becomes a sacrifice between Sora’s team and Jibril. Kurami and Fiel, who took advantage of the chaos to try and steal the Eastern Federation. And the one who used even them so he could use the Warbeast’s sacrifices as foothold to force other sacrifices, Plum.

Whether inside or outside the game, they were in situations where nothing would end until someone became a sacrifice. The one who put that together wasn’t the Old Deus that Izuna was blaming. It is a situation they themselves created. She comes to this conclusion in silence.

“A strange question. Thou. An accomplice. A co-conspirator. Why dost thou ask?”

She looked like she didn’t blame her. What’s more, she showed no disappointment, nor despair nor desire.

“The concerned Old Deus hath the obligation to fulfill all of the winner’s demands.” G.o.d speaks dispa.s.sionately, as if she doesn’t know the meaning of losing hope.

“Planning to usurp an Old Deus’ rights is a foolish desire. It is inevitable that thou cometh to this conclusion.”

“…………..”

We planned to steal everything from G.o.d. We were the ones who started everything. Feeling like it is implied to be their own fault, Izuna takes a breath… In that case, even if we reach this sudoroku’s goal, what will this Old Deus do? Izuna thought.

The Old Deus looks at Izuna as if she didn’t have absolutely any interest in her since the beginning, with eyes so lifeless that you can’t even feel coldness in them. No matter who, if they desire profit, this is what happens. In order to obtain something, you have to steal from someone else, that is a simple truth. Towards her eyes that seemed to announce that, Izuna just lowers her head without saying anything…

At the same time, outside the game.

Eastern Federation’s capital. Somewhere in Kannagiri Island.

Peeking from the window of a certain hotel, there was someone looking up at the spiral land that obstructed the moonlight, at the game of sudoroku created by the Old Deus.

Whether inside or outside the game, people are upset and struggling with confusion, impatience, and fear according to some stratagem. In a different place.

“Nnn I don’t really understand, but the Elf fleet came～. It’s very boring, though ～”

She announced with an exhausted tone and a voice filled with nervousness. That shadow pulled a single piece of paper from a pile of doc.u.ments, and nodded. It looks like the circ.u.mstances really came together, she thinks confidently. It has been 38 days since the game against the Old Deus began. It became a situation where everyone betrayed, deceived, stole and killed each other. It became like that simply because everyone desires profit.

In order to acquire something, there is no other choice but to steal it from someone else, that is a simple truth. If you think about it normally that’s what happens, it is as obvious as saying that if you trip you will fall.

It is okay to not think normally. She announces that, the intentions of those who entrusted her with that paper.

The current situation was just as it was written there, not a single word or sentence differed. Peacefully, and feeling a little cold, the shadow left the inn carrying a heavy backpack.

“Hey! Inside the back pack again? Who do you think I am? Heey!!”

While the contents of the very heavy backpack filled with water a.s.sert themselves, she reflects upon the question that those that entrusted her with that paper asked themselves.

‘If you had to die for the sake of the world, what would you really do?’

“If I could save the world with that, there is no choice but to die”

They answered themselves, however, they gave a bitter smile.

“In that case, if the world is not saved I would die in vain” And they continued.

“It is only a slight difference if the number of sacrifices is one, two, one thousand, or one hundred million.”

If, in order to avoid a large number of sacrifices you allow a small number of sacrifices, then one day, for sure the number of sacrifices will overcome the number of saved people. Whether it is with self-sacrifice or the lowest possible sacrifices, you are not saving the world. You are just prolonging its life. And the world continues on, without changing. Looking for the next sacrifice one after the other. Without changing anything until the day the world is finally destroyed.

If you prattle on about something high and mighty like saving the world, show me that you can do it by refusing to make even a single sacrifice. They said it, that this world is just a game. If you recognize even a single sacrifice, it will continue without end. Such a foolish “metagame” is neither inevitable nor absolute in this world. That’s why, we will put an end to it right here.

Therefore, the shadow that was entrusted with proof of that, outside of everyone’s memories, was burdened with a heavy, heavy move

“Hey! Can’t you carry me more politely!? Someone other than Darling is treating me in such a crude manner, does that mean you have the courage to make an enemy out of the seas?! Hey, are you listening to me? Hey!?”

… Also physically heavy that trump card was raising complaints from across the backpack. Continuing to Sankaitandaifu, unsteadily, step by step, she started to climb the endlessly long, steep road.