I, Izayoi Sakamaki, Joined the Chat Group at the Start

Even Jack, who was helping hold back the pursuers, raised his head in unison to look at the figure shrouded in Golden Light in the sky.

"Tch, whatever. The real battle is only just beginning."

The spotted little girl floating in the air did not get angry because Black Rabbit had stopped the Gift Game. Instead, she revealed a smile of absolute confidence.

That smile made Sandora, who was confronting her, somewhat uneasy.

At that moment, the black aura binding White Night Yaksha still remained. She looked toward Black Rabbit on the horizon and sighed. "Looks like we can only rely on you all for victory this time."

"Black Rabbit really should've let that spotted little girl wreck things for a little longer."

Izayoi Sakamaki, who had been watching from the side, also stood up and spoke with some displeasure.

"You're really petty, Izayoi."

"Petty? I suppose so."

Izayoi Sakamaki did not deny White Night Yaksha's teasing.

Though it was only human nature for people to scatter when disaster struck.

But when that human nature involved him, it was evil. It was betrayal.

No one wanted their once-friendly allies to abandon them in their time of need. What was more, that self-righteous Mandara had even dared to mock him.

Unless he taught them a lesson, Izayoi Sakamaki would never be able to swallow this anger.

Inside Salamandra's conference room.

"Now then, deliberations regarding the Gift Game, The Pied Piper of Hamelin, will begin!"

Black Rabbit, seated in the Referee's chair, rose to her feet and made the solemn announcement.

The organizers and participants sat on opposite sides of the long table.

"Then, may I ask whether Lady Pest, the organizer of this game, believes there were any flaws in the competition...?"

"There were no flaws whatsoever."

The spotted... Pest, who had been resting with her eyes closed, opened them. Her dark crimson pupils showed no emotion as she spoke.

"Huh?" Black Rabbit was slightly stunned, not expecting her to be so confident. She said seriously, "Are you sure you want me to accept that answer? Black Rabbit's ears are connected to Hakoniwa's core. If you lie, Black Rabbit will expose it immediately."

"Before this, our game was suspended because of baseless speculation. You understand what I mean, don't you?"

Pest glanced at Black Rabbit. "You understand what I mean, don't you?"

Wasn't that just filing a complaint? Did she have to make it sound so lofty?

Izayoi Sakamaki curled his lip. He knew that if it turned out to be a mistaken ruling, Hakoniwa would compensate the organizer and provide them with more favorable conditions based on the original circumstances.

"I understand." Black Rabbit naturally knew about this. After receiving Pest's answer, she began using the Moon Rabbit's authority to connect to Hakoniwa's core.

Very soon, Black Rabbit's expression darkened. "Hakoniwa's answer is that there were no flaws in this game, and Lord White Night Yaksha's seal was imposed through legitimate means."

"Of course." Pest did not sound surprised in the slightest. "The question is, when will the game be held?"

"Will it resume a few days later?"

Sandora nervously clasped her hands before her chest, already considering how to turn the unfavorable rules to their advantage.

"Referee, what is the longest possible delay before the game resumes?"

"The longest?" Black Rabbit was somewhat surprised that she would ask that question. Without hesitation, she answered, "Given the circumstances, it can probably be delayed by about a month."

The Left Hand of Salvation—Izayoi Sakamaki's Twisted Sense of Humor

After receiving the answer she wanted, Pest smiled. "Then, one month from now."

"Wait."

Jin suddenly spoke up, stopping Pest as she was about to leave. His expression was somewhat tense.

"What is it?"

"The two beside you are Ratin and Wesir, correct? And your name is Pest."

This was an opportunity to prove his worth. He absolutely could not make a mistake.

Jin forced himself to calm down and spoke based on the information available. "Those three names all point to the Black Death virus."

The most terrifying plague in human history, which had erupted during the cold period beginning in the fourteenth century.

It had directly caused the deaths of seventy-five million people worldwide.

After her true nature was pointed out, Pest was not surprised. If she had revealed her name and they still could not guess it, she would have been truly disappointed.

"That's right, but it's already too late. Before this, I had already infected some of the participants with the pathogen. In other words, your lives are now in my hands."

"Referee, they are suspected of deliberately concealing the rules of the game..."

Upon hearing this, Sandora, the Northern Ruler, was the first to lose her composure. She glared at Pest in anger.

"It's useless. The pathogen was released before the game was suspended, so they had no obligation to explain it."

Izayoi Sakamaki, who had been watching the whole spectacle, directly interrupted Sandora. "If you do that, you'll only give them even more favorable conditions."

"Oh, right." Seeing Sandora's unwilling expression, Pest revealed a gleeful smile. "How about this? If everyone here, along with White Night Yaksha, joins my Community, I'll spare the other Communities."

"Ah?" Sandora cried out in terror, as though someone had gripped her weakness. Faced with the lives and deaths of tens of millions, the eleven-year-old girl looked utterly helpless.

Yet everyone fell silent, not knowing how to answer that question.

Should they submit and guarantee everyone's lives, or fight to the death and abandon those infected by the Black Death?

"Hahaha..."

A burst of laughter broke the silent stillness. Izayoi Sakamaki looked at Pest, who was certain of victory. "So you called this game to recruit talent. I think highly of you, spotted little girl."

"But... the Black Death's shortest fatality period is two days. If we wait a month, won't we all be dead by then?"

"Oh? Someone who didn't participate before?"

Looking at this unfamiliar face, Pest considered for a moment. "Then how about this? We'll change one month to twen—"

"Kill everyone who has been infected!"

Killing intent surged from Mandara, who was seated beside Sandora. He directly interrupted Pest. "Even Sandora and I will be executed immediately if we become infected. No accidents will be allowed!"

"Brother."

"Hahaha, well said. I originally thought you were a good older brother trying to help your sister become a proper Ruler."

Hearing those arrogant words, Izayoi Sakamaki laughed again. "I see. For Salamandra's glory, you would sacrifice everything?"

The moment he finished speaking, a syringe appeared in Izayoi Sakamaki's hand and was plunged directly into Mandara's neck.

"Damn it!"

"Izayoi, what are you doing?"

"Wait!"

As the crimson blood in the syringe was injected into Mandara's body, Izayoi Sakamaki watched him with interest. "How does the Black Death virus, safeguarded by modern science, feel, Mr. Mandara?"

"...What are you trying to do?"

Mandara could feel the dragon blood within him constantly exterminating the virus, yet the virus seemed to be rapidly evolving. It soon broke through the encirclement of his dragon blood and began counterattacking.

Seeing that Izayoi Sakamaki showed no remorse, Mandara immediately drew his sword and swung it at him in fury.

Clang—

Izayoi Sakamaki naturally blocked the attack. Tilting his head, he grinned at Mandara. "Hey, Mr. Mandara of the glorious Salamandra Community, you can carry out the execution now. Otherwise, the virus might spread to us."

"You...!"

Mandara glared at this reckless bastard, enraged beyond measure. If he had been able to defeat him, he would have chopped this man to pieces long ago.

"Hmph, you don't need to tell me. I'll wait for you in hell."

After giving Izayoi Sakamaki a hateful glare, Mandara pointed the tip of his sword at his own abdomen. His hands trembled, and he could not bring himself to strike.

Whether from fear or unwillingness to let certain things go, no one knew.

"Wait, Referee. I request an additional rule."

At last, Sandora, having reached some limit, suddenly rose to her feet. Shadows covered her cheeks, concealing her expression.

"Huh? It can be done, but..."

"I request a ban on suicide and killing one's companions."

"Sandora?"

"What a farce."

Pest's expression turned strange as she watched the scene. "I agree. The game can take place two weeks from now."

"Also, you handsome blond man, it seems you have some conflict with Salamandra. Would you like to join my Community?"

"No need. We'll be in the same Community later."

Izayoi Sakamaki gave a mysterious smile, then left the conference room with both hands behind his head.

He left behind the grim-faced group, who continued discussing something.

Whatever happened afterward had nothing to do with him.

Returning to his room, Izayoi Sakamaki saw the slightly raised blanket and was somewhat speechless.

"Leticia, why are you here again?"

He lifted the blanket, revealing Leticia in silky black pajamas. Unlike what Izayoi Sakamaki had expected, Leticia had her eyes tightly shut and was sleeping soundly.

"..."

"Forget it. Rest well. You forced yourself to fight for an entire day, after all."

After covering her with the blanket again, Izayoi Sakamaki left the room. After thinking for a moment, he walked over and knocked directly on Kasukabe Yō's door.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Lord Izayoi."

"Ahem, I'm coming. The 'Lord' thing..."

A clear cough came from inside. When the door opened, Kasukabe Yō, her face flushed red, looked at Izayoi Sakamaki with a somewhat dazed expression.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine."

Kasukabe Yō shook her head, but her legs suddenly lost their strength, and she fell directly into Izayoi Sakamaki's arms.

"And you call that fine?" Izayoi Sakamaki shook his head helplessly. After the Black Death had evolved in Hakoniwa, it was lethal to humans and weaker creatures.

Even Kasukabe Yō, who possessed the Life Chronicle, could not escape it.

"Sorry... I couldn't attend the meeting earlier."

"Don't worry about that."

Seeing Kasukabe Yō in that state, silver-white light suddenly emerged from Izayoi Sakamaki's left hand. Like a lamp in the night, it illuminated Kasukabe Yō's sickly body.

Hakoniwa's Greatest Masterpiece of a Gift

Hand of Salvation. That was the Soul Weapon of Izayoi Sakamaki's left hand. As long as it involved healing, salvation, injuries, or similar matters, it could easily resolve them.

Of course, it required a massive amount of energy, but with the Third Perpetual Motion Engine, energy was what Izayoi Sakamaki lacked least.

Under the treatment of the silver-white light, the Black Death bacteria within Kasukabe Yō's body were directly destroyed, preventing any possibility of reinfection.

"What happened to me?"

Feeling that her body had become much lighter, Kasukabe Yō finally realized that she was still in Izayoi Sakamaki's arms. The blush that had yet to fade returned to her face.

"The Black Death. The Demon King attacking us this time is a demon formed from the Black Death of the Middle Ages, but I've already cured it."

"Mm." After lingering in Izayoi Sakamaki's embrace for a moment, Kasukabe Yō stood up and said with admiration, "Izayoi is really amazing. You're powerful, and you can heal people too. But me... I can't even defeat a single demon."

"Don't worry. You'll become very strong in the future. At the very least, I believe you'll definitely catch up to me."