"Ren Kuroda is seriously going too far. With that kind of efficiency, those kids don't stand a chance of winning."
Even though Ren was alone—and the water source he'd chosen was much farther away than the one Lily and the others used—his physical abilities were on an entirely different level.
Speed. Strength. Endurance.
None of the children could even begin to compare.
As they watched the water level in Ren Kuroda's pool rise at a pace visible to the naked eye, Black Rabbit and the others observing the Gift Game couldn't help feeling irritated.
"This is just bullying," one of the girls muttered. "They're kids. What's wrong with easing up a little?"
Meanwhile, Izayoi Sakamaki remained silent, stroking his smooth, beard-less chin as if deep in thought.
"In my opinion," Izayoi finally said lazily, "Ren Kuroda isn't just holding back—he's practically flooding the ocean."
The others blinked.
"With the speed and strength he's showing right now, carrying four massive wooden barrels clearly isn't his limit. If he really wanted to, he could've filled that pool in no time.
"But instead, he's deliberately maintaining an advantage without finishing the game. That means he's testing something else."
Just as Izayoi said, even without using any "cheats," Ren could have won the Gift Game easily by simply hauling water the normal way.
But that had never been his goal.
At first, Ren Kuroda had no intention of joining any so-called "community." Once you tied yourself to an organization, your freedom of action became restricted.
Yet after arriving at No Name, seeing those still-childish kids doing heavy labor—seeing them stare at a single slice of cake with drool in their eyes—
Something in him shifted.
Calling No Name a community felt generous. It was closer to an orphanage on the brink of collapse.
The children were barely surviving.
Of course, that wasn't the only reason he reconsidered.
The other reason was that the moment he arrived at No Name, a world mission had been triggered within his system.
Mission Name: One Who Stands Above Demon LordsObjective: Defeat an invading Demon Lord in a Gift Game hosted by a Demon Lord, and achieve a contribution rate of at least 50%.Reward: 8,000 Yokai Reputation Points. One Oni Awakening.
The mission was clear.
To clear a Demon Lord's Gift Game.
And that solidified his decision to join No Name.
In the world of Little Garden, Demon Lords were walking natural disasters. They attacked powerful communities or barged into Gift Games as challengers.
But they didn't target individuals.
At least—not nobodies.
Even in the unlikely event a Demon Lord singled someone out, that person would have to be a prominent figure.
Ren Kuroda?
He was a complete rookie in Little Garden.
There was no way a Demon Lord would come knocking for him personally.
However, according to Black Rabbit and Jin, No Name had once been attacked by a powerful Demon Lord.
If the community regained its former members… if it rebuilt its strength…
Wouldn't that thorn in the Demon Lord's side eventually draw attention again?
Among all the Outer Gate communities, Ren judged No Name as the most likely to be targeted once more.
Especially after Izayoi encouraged their tiny leader to shout such an arrogant slogan.
You think Demon Lords don't have pride?
By the time half a day had passed in the Gift Game, Ren's pool was already nearly halfway full.
Lily and the children had only managed to fill about one-third of theirs.
As evening approached, both sides paused for dinner.
When Ren entered the dining area and chose a seat, the two girls—Asuka and Yō—quietly picked up their plates and shifted away from him.
"…Wow. I've officially reached public enemy status, huh?"
He chuckled dryly at his own joke.
He was immediately rewarded with synchronized glares—and two eloquent turns of their backs.
"You're being cruel," Asuka said sharply. "Did you even see how hard those kids worked today? Their hands are blistered and raw from hauling water. Some of them can barely hold their spoons without trembling from the pain."
Yō nodded, her usually calm eyes unusually intense.
"And you're not even giving them hope. Why set up this Gift Game if you're just going to crush them? That's no different from tormenting them."
They had tried more than once to persuade Lily to give up that day.
They'd even declared that a "demon" like Ren didn't need to join the community anyway. And losing this Gift Game wouldn't cost them anything.
But Lily—and every other child—refused.
They stubbornly insisted on continuing.
Just as Ren was about to respond to the two furious girls, Izayoi suddenly plopped down across from him and casually inserted himself into the conversation.
"I actually agree with him," Izayoi said. "You're the ones missing the point."
They stared at him.
"I watched Lily and the others closely today. I think I understand Ren Kuroda's intentions."
He leaned back.
"All the kids in No Name—including their leader, Jin—are deeply insecure.
"For a long time, Black Rabbit has been the one holding this community together. Because of that, the kids developed a mindset that they're burdens. Dead weight. They're afraid of being abandoned."
Black Rabbit, who had just approached from behind, froze.
"Because of that fear," Izayoi continued, "even when they want something… even when they're treated unfairly… they endure it silently. I think Ren noticed that."
Ren didn't interrupt.
"He saw their anxiety. So he set up this Gift Game and used his own membership as the wager. He's giving them something they can fight for.
"He wants them to understand that there are things only they can accomplish.
"If you paid attention today, you'd notice something: yes, they were exhausted—but they were fired up. Completely different from before."
Asuka and Yō fell silent.
Black Rabbit's eyes widened as realization dawned.
She rushed forward and bowed deeply to Ren.
"I didn't realize you had thought so far ahead for their sake… I even believed you were being cruel. I'm truly sorry."
If there was anyone who suffered most watching the children struggle, it was Black Rabbit.
No Name was her home.
Lily and the others were her family.
As a Moon Rabbit under the patronage of Indra, she was raised on ideals of sacrifice. Watching the children suffer without being able to help due to the game's rules had been agony.
But now that she looked closely—
The children were different.
With a clear goal in front of them, they burned with determination.
"…But even if your intentions were good," Yō said hesitantly, "if this continues, Lily and the others will still lose. If they lose, won't that just deepen their self-blame?"
Asuka nodded, troubled.
Izayoi grinned.
"That's the second layer of his plan.
"Restoring confidence isn't enough. He's also training them—specifically that fox-eared girl.
"Her command ability? Excellent. The kids listen to her.
"But her adaptability and strategic thinking? Lacking. If she only sticks to conventional methods, she'll never win a Gift Game."
He pointed toward the two pools.
"The rules clearly state: any method may be used to fill the pool.
"That means as long as you fill it, it doesn't matter how you do it. Nothing in the rules forbids dirty tactics.
"If it were me? I'd just scoop water straight out of Ren's pool and pour it into mine."
The room went silent.
It was shameless.
But undeniably effective.
"And with Lily sticking rigidly to the orthodox method," Izayoi continued, "even if Ren holds back, they still won't win."
Without Izayoi's explanation, none of them would have guessed Ren's intentions ran so deep.
He wasn't just rebuilding the children's confidence.
He was helping them adapt to the ruthless logic of Gift Games.
All eyes turned to Ren—filled with gratitude and admiration.
He simply nodded quietly.
What was he supposed to say?
Izayoi had already taken all the dramatic credit.
Still… Ren had to admit.
That guy wasn't just muscle.
His brain worked frighteningly fast. In half a day, he'd deciphered most of Ren's intentions.
Perhaps he had known from the beginning that Ren never intended to win this Gift Game.
Maybe that was why he'd been watching in silence all along.
As for the children…
They hadn't dazzled Ren with brilliance.
But overall?
They were solid.
They lacked talent—but they had perseverance.
They lacked strength—but they understood unity.
And sometimes—
That was far more valuable.