"Little Garden?" 4x
As expected, after Kuro Usagi welcomed everyone, they were attracted by her words.
Izayoi, who had become an average human, was slightly impatient and wanted Kuro Usagi to tell him a way to get his power back, but he also understood his situation. He didn't have his ability anymore, and at this moment, he was the weakest among everyone. He clenched his fist and looked at Haru, but Haru only ignored him since Izayoi didn't possess a threat toward him.
As for returning Izayoi's power, Haru didn't have that idea at all. Instead, he wanted to keep it forever since Izayoi's ability was so intriguing.
"Yes!" Kuro Usagi made a cute and happy pose, then said, "We are willing to give the five of you the chance to participate in the Gift Games. That's why we called you here."
"Gift Games?" Asagi remembered that they needed to complete 10 Gift Games in the world, so she was quite curious what Gift Game was.
"You might have realized already, but the five of you are not normal humans," Kuro Usagi said with a smile.
"Um... you know, that's kind of rude," Asagi said with a weird expression.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it that way!" Kuro Usagi quickly panicked.
"It's alright. You don't need to worry, so can you continue with your explanation?" Asagi asked as she chose a more comfortable position on Haru's lap.
"Can you not move your butts that much?" Haru asked helplessly.
Asagi only laughed, but she didn't say much.
"....." Kuro Usagi, Asuka, and Yuu looked at Haru and Asagi, and somehow, they felt a bit jealous of Asagi at this moment. The three of them might not be able to see Haru's face clearly, but one thing was for sure, they had a feeling that Haru was handsome.
"Ahem!" Kuro Usagi nodded and said, "Then let me continue with my explanation. The special powers that the five of you have are gifts given to you by various war gods, demons, spirits, and stars. In other words, blessings. Gift Games are competitive games that make use of those blessings, even betting with them. This Little Garden has various stages created for that purpose."
"Must you bet with your own power?" Asuka asked.
"Not necessarily. There are various chips in the game. Gifts, money, land, resources, prestige, and people. The higher the value of the chips you place, the greater the rewards you can win. However, in order to receive a reward, you must clear the conditions the host sets and win the game."
"Can I ask a question?" Yuu asked.
"Sure."
"What is a Host?"
"That would be the people who preside over the Gift Games and administer over them."
"Can anyone become one?"
"As long as you can prepare a prize. That's why you have war gods and shopping, district merchants. The games range from being treacherous, difficult, and life-threatening to a simple lottery." Raising her hands high, Kuro Usagi said with a cheerful tone, "There are all different types!" She then held both hands, showing a solemn expression. "However, I imagine there's much you won't be able to pick up just by hearing my explanation. So how about we play a simple game right now?" She then took out a deck of cards and started to shuffle them.
Izayoi looked at Kuro Usagi and knew that he could get his power back by asking Haru a Gift Game. However, there was a big problem...
'Can I prepare something that matches my power?' Izayoi knew about his power and knew how amazing it was, so he didn't know whether there was something that could match his power in this world. As for asking Haru to give his power back, if he was in Haru's place, he wouldn't do it too since he also understood how troublesome he was. If his power returned, then without a doubt, he would challenge Haru back, and if he was in Haru's place, then he would also do the same thing as Haru did.
'Dammit...!'
Izayoi had never thought that it would be so troublesome after he had lost his power.
"There are communities of sorts in this world. Communities, collectives, societies. Residents of this world must be part of the given community. Rather, you could say that it would be difficult for them to live if they weren't." After she shuffled the cards, Kuro Usagi snapped her fingers, and a huge table suddenly appeared before her, which made them feel a bit dumbfounded. She ignored everyone's reaction and said in an annoying tone, "I wouldn't mind letting you join the community that Kuro Usagi is part of, but having people around who couldn't win Gift Games would be a problem. Indeed, quite a serious problem. You'd be, in a way. You're nothing but trouble. You'd slow everyone down."
Asagi was speechless and couldn't help but look at Haru.
Haru only patted her butts, telling her not to think too much.
Asagi, who felt that her butts were patted, looked at Haru and thought that this guy had a butt fetish, right?
Haru, Asagi, and Yuu only looked at Kuro Usagi without saying anything, but Izayoi, whose personality was strong, squinted his eyes and asked, "Are you trying to test us?"
"Wait for a second. We haven't even said anything," Asuka complained.
"If you're not up to it, you can always refuse." Kuro Usagi showed a teasing expression, looking down on them deliberately, but secretly, she was worried that they might go back directly and refuse her. Then as expected...
"I'll refuse," Haru said.
"Eh?" Kuro Usagi was dumbfounded.
"I'll refuse too," Asagi said simply.
Haru and Asagi wanted to leave, but...
"No! Don't go!" Kuro Usagi quickly hugged Haru's leg. "Don't go! Please wait a moment! It's just a game! Just one game! Can you play with me?"
"...." Everyone.
"Haru, this girl is too pitiful. Can you just listen to her first?" Asagi asked.
"Don't waste my time," Haru said simply.
"Yes! Yes!" Kuro Usagi coughed and said, "Then let me explain the rules of the game." She then spread the cards on the table and said, "We'll use these cards. Please pick face cards from the fifty-two cards you see here, but you only get one chance, and each person can only pick one card."
"Can we use any method we want to do so?" Asuka asked.
"As long as it doesn't conflict with the rules. By the way, I, Kuro Usagi, have the ability of Judge Master. You can't break the rules when I'm around. The rabbit's ears and eyes are connected to the Little Garden's central network."
"What about the chips? Are we betting on Gifts? All of you have just come to the Little Garden, so we'll play without chips this time. If you insist, you can put your pride on the line?" Kuro Usagi provoked them again.
Izayou was still smug. Even so, he had lost his power.
"What if we win?" Yuu asked.
"Let's see..." Kuro Usagi thought for a moment and said, "In that case, then Kuro Usagi, a servant of God, will do anything you ask of me."
"Oh? Anything you say?" Izayoi stared at Kuro Usagi's breasts rudely.
Kuro Usagi frowned, thinking that this guy was too rude, right?
'Even though he has lost his power...'
If it was before, Kuro Usagi might forgive Izayoi's rudeness, but Izayoi had lost his power, and she didn't see the worth of Izayoi. Instead, she was more interested in Haru, who was so powerful. "Can you not see Kuro Usagi with such an unpleasant gaze? Also, I want to remind you that you might be able to ask me anything, but nothing sexual or something that crosses my bottom lines."
"....." Izayoi frowned when he saw Kuro Usagi's disgusting expression, but he also thought that he might be a bit too much. If he had power, then he might be able to do something, but he was just an average person now. Still, he didn't feel good being treated this way since no one had ever treated him like this in his original world.
Yuu and Asuka also showed the same reaction as Kuro Usagi and moved away from Izayoi.
Asagi didn't even put Izayoi on her eyes and kept staring at Haru.
"Why do you keep looking at me?" Haru asked with a sigh.
"Nothing, I feel that you're so handsome now," Asagi said with a smile.
"...." Haru.
"I was just kidding." Izayoi gave up his joke and asked, "So what do you all want to do?" He had lost his power, and if he couldn't join their group, then he would lose his protection, but even so, this feeling was so uncomfortable.
Haru looked at Izayoi and shook his head. If it was before then, Izayoi's act might be forgiven, but without power, Kuro Usagi wouldn't even put in an act.
The world was realistic, even in this world.
Without power, the world would be cruel toward you.
For Izayoi, who had power and had a low EQ, this change might be unacceptable for him.
However, this was the price for provoking him. Still, Haru was still merciful. If it was someone else, this guy would be killed directly.
Luckily, Izayoi's IQ was still high, so he could still be saved. If his IQ was low, then he would cry and think that everything was unfair, bitching out, asking Haru to give his power back.
"That goes without saying," Asuka said with a sigh.
"Yes, let's do it." Yuu nodded.
Kuro Usagi smiled when she heard their answer, but the most important was the answer of the young man in front of her. As for Asagi, she was sure that Asagi would agree if Haru agreed.
"Haru?" Asagi looked at Haru since the game was easy, and by accepting this Gift Game, they were in progress to complete their quest.
Hearing the answer of Yuu, Asuka, and Izayoi, Haru thought that even though they might be smart and excel on their own, they were still children since they couldn't control their emotions. He looked at Kuro Usagi and thought about the rules and the reward of the game. He felt that it would be stupid if he didn't accept this quest.
"Good. I'll play this game, Kuro Usagi," Haru said with a smile.
They might not be able to see his smile because Haru used a face mask and his eyes were covered with his bangs, but even so, they could tell that he was smiling.
Kuro Usagi then smiled and said, "Game established!"