No Game No Life

Prlogue

––– In my childhood, I had thought that the world was a very

simple existence.

Every compet.i.tion could be won by some means, and just

putting in effort would reap its own rewards. Everything was

possible.

This was the ignorant and stupid thinking of a child.

Looking at the world with such pure and innocent eyes… is

this wrong?

…… Of course it is wrong……

…………––––––––

In a narrow room illuminated by a dim light, a boy was holding

a chess piece. Only that boy was in the room.

But the boy was looking towards the depths of the darkness,

seriously thinking if there was some person there.

–––– What a game… From my final a.n.a.lysis, this is just some

prank that some kids pulled here.

The boy was alone in the room. While imagining the strongest

absolute move, he placed the piece on the chessboard.

His way of thinking was as fixed as that of an infant who had

just became sentient.

The outside of the room was filled with horror and anxiety…

Desperation was generated from the uncertainty of tomorrow,

which also made the nights even colder.

Only inside the room was it like a different world. Contrary to

the norm, the gloomy room had a strange temperature.

The boy was holding onto the piece while deep in thought.

––– Once anyone becomes an adult, he will naturally alienate

himself from games.

Why is that so? Did they become obsolete?

Or is it that the world is so simple that it’ll never have games?

Whatever the reason, once anyone becomes an adult, he will

naturally alienate himself from games.

But the boy never considered such a thing before.

He put the pieces back on the board again only after careful

consideration.

––– Alone by himself, he was a kid who was endlessly playing

games.

Even if the people around him were to stare at him with strange

eyes as he grew up, the boy continued to play.

This was because the boy did not understand the meaning

behind those strange eyes.

And also because [his opponent] would appear in the dark as

long as he closed his eyes.

[He] was almost the same age as the boy, and wore similar

clothes… a fearless smile floated on his face.

––– ‘[He] is very strong’ was what the boy thought.

[He] was always better than the boy in the next move, and then

the outcome would always be determined ––– as a definite

loss.

The boy had expected this as a matter of course. It looked as if

he had never won a single time from the start.

This ––– battling against [him] ––– made the boy

incomparably happy.

The people in his surroundings would see that the boy was

always by himself, but in the boy’s eyes, there were actually

two people, and nothing more.

In the dark depths, he was wordless and silent.

He was only craving to make his next move superior to his last.

––– A more correct move… More excellent tactics! More indepth

strategies!!

[He] was happily shouting while he faced the boy in the depths

of darkness. The boy cast a likewise fearless smile.

…… The boy felt there was nothing wrong, even if he was

alone in the eyes of other people.

The world was pure and simple. If you don’t win, you lose.

Otherwise, it’s a tie and nothing more.

Then, regardless of the outcome ––– even if it was always a

loss ––– the boy would be thinking of how to achieve his next

victory.

This was [the boy’s world].

But the [world] was mercilessly ravaging his [individual

world].

… Suddenly, the dark room was lit by a bright light. The boy

looked to the window.

It should have been a scarlet sight, but the dark night sky was

now sealed off by bright lights.

The boy shouted towards his parents, who had just rushed into

the room, and pulled him into their embrace. In his complete

and utter confusion, he saw [that].

It was like heaven and earth was being connected by that pillar

of light.

Looking to a blue face, while his parents were holding him and

shouting to ask what was going on, the boy reached out his

hand all of a sudden.

––– A winner has yet to be announced.

––– The boy hugged the board he used to battle in that

instant… and then…

When he looked up again, something which looked exactly like

a burning retina was about to collide head-on against him.

–––––––…………

––– I see, the world never indeed had a game so simple.

The boy woke up upon smelling an extremely terrible odor.

Then, the boy finally understood the truth.

The boy’s arm was scorched. Unable to climb out of his

mother’s hold, he looked around his surroundings…

His five senses were unreasonably violated within the scene of

[his own world]

…

His mouth was full of fresh blood. His nose detected the smell

of charred flesh. His ears heard a silent abyss. His skin was

feeling a searing heat.

Then, his eyes saw that the world had changed dramatically.

He could not even find traces of the existence of life.

Rubble extended to the endless horizons, and dust floated over

the upturned ground. The boy then looked up at the sky.

The crimson sky looked as if it were about to fall. Its

‘destroyed’ state made flights intertwine.

It looked to be a selfish war between G.o.ds who did not place

others in their eyes.

This could not be counted as just a ‘falling out’.

Not only was the little world within the boy’s house wiped out

without a trace, so was everyone else’s worlds.

… So this is what’s happening. Indeed, there is no simpler

game in the world.

Because there were no rules to follow… Because there was no

jurisdiction, there was nothing that sanctioned violators of

others’ rights.

But, up to this point––––

Suddenly, standing in front of the boy through a tear of smoke

was a figure that

had landed at the top of the rubble.

The figure did not care for the boy… inadvertently.

The figure had truly and only inadvertently noticed the other’s

gaze.

––– The boy stared at the destroyers who took away his

everything, and thought,

Yeah, humanity isn’t even considered as ‘players’ in [their]

eyes.

His own… Humanity’s world was just so easily destroyed into

nothing but dust.

Though it was through the explosions of flames and dust…

Though the figure could barely be recognized under such

circ.u.mstances… “…………––––––––”

After confirming that their eyes had met, the boy turned his

back on her, and took his first step.

Ignoring the feeling that his back was being watched, he

advanced far away––– far away to an eternally distant location,

in order to live on.

The boy was gripping his board with so much force that it

might have snapped. On that day, the boy became an [adult].

This world was chaotic, and there were no necessities in it. But,

it was full of opportunities.

There is no reason, and no plan, so it must be meaningless.

To create a room, that does not exist anywhere else, for a child

to play around in

–––

The long-lasting "war" tore the sky and earth asunder and

obliterated the stars.

Arisen from the battle was the [position of the Sole G.o.d] –––

the absolute right to dominate over the world. It was over six

thousand years ago…

In this world, the G.o.d who won without fighting ––– Tet, had

set [Ten Oaths].

Violence is forbidden, all conflicts are to be determined by

games ––– in Disboard, a board atop the world.

In a city on the Ruus.h.i.+a continent, a continent in such a world,

Elchea, capital of the Elchea "Provisional Federation",

Just a few months ago, the city was in desperation, with the

claws of ruin hounding at it.

This was the last city for Imanity, the sixteenth ranked of the

Exceed races. But the situation suddenly changed.

The "Eastern Union", the Werebeasts' country with countless

islands, "Oceando", the undersea country inhabited by the

Sirens and the Dhampirs, And "Avant Heim", the sky nation in

which the Flugels resided,

After the enthronement of new "Kings", Elchea suddenly

became the capital of a country which had merged three

countries and four races.

Now the Central Avenue of the capital was full of vivacity and

vibrant power.

Merchants and farmers regained their lost resources and

obtained a huge amount of new a.s.sets, and craftsmen now had

high demand for their work.

Everyone used their own feet or carriage to run across the land

like a race, and the sound of commerce just kept going on and

on.

––– In this world where all conflicts were resolved by games, It

was simple, no matter how you put it.

But with the extreme and rapid speed of the reformation, other

races and countries were being merged forcibly by games.

No matter how you worded it, it was hard to be remembered by

the people as anything other than a [policy of aggression].

To announce that they were to establish a government and

merge different cultures through a republic system ––– was not

something particularly easy.

Initially, it would cause the political situation to fall into utter

chaos, with unfathomable struggles between the different

countries and races.

Originally, these were sure to have all happened. If not for the

[Kings] –– Sora and s.h.i.+ro.

They had won in the international games –– with their

[country’s land as a bid], and on top of that, they had declared

that it would be [a total and completely bloodless invasion

where no one would be at a disadvantage].

On streets with numerous people pa.s.sing though, even

werebeasts could be easily spotted.

This was the fruit of the ridiculous, mad idea of establis.h.i.+ng an

inter-racial federation across the great wall of different Exceed

races.

Though it was very slow, their plan was progressing surely,

and this was its proof.

The world was undergoing a revolution ––– right here, with

Elchea as the center. To that exact presentiment, some

probably felt anxious about it.

But, at the same time -- people would have had excitement

flaring in their heart and s.h.i.+ning eyes.

[The revolution of the world] ––– they were witnessing it.

............Then, let’s bring the topic slightly back on track.

As mentioned before, the Sole G.o.d had constructed the [Ten

Oaths] which enforced that every conflict must be resolved by

games.

But as for the Sole G.o.d, Tet… what was he usually up to…

was it something interesting?

The private life of the G.o.d with close to absolute power and

knowledge about everything… this is a special time which all

will be told.

Now, he was probably lying in an alley in Elchea, being poked

by a young werebeast girl by twig.

"...Na, naa naa, have you died, des?"

--the Sole G.o.d had starved on the streets.

"……So, so it is like this…… Imanity ......in the case which

nothing is eaten, death is the result......"

"Werebeasts would also die like that, des. Are you stupid,

des?"

Being chastised directly by her with rolling eyes, Tet's face was

pressed onto the ground.

The black-haired werebeast girl with fennec-like ears was

Hatsuse Izuna.

Originally the amba.s.sador of the Eastern Union residing in

Elchea, she was currently a game-mate of Elchea's two kings --

no, one of their close servants.

While poked by Izuna, Tet thought about that.

Although it was the first time he tried to "become an Imanity",

it seemed like his plan had crashed and burned.

So, what was the Sole G.o.d planning to do here?

Actually it was just – to waste time, because the Sole G.o.d was

already "bored to the brink of death" by now.

Even with the t.i.tle of the Sole G.o.d, looking at the entire world

from far, far away, was very boring.

Not to mention he was the "Original G.o.d of Games". It was

obvious that he would've wanted to play games.

Thus, to prevent his existence from being realized, he disguised

himself as the race of his destination, and limited his own

power.

Moderately walking across the world and then returning to his

home once he experienced enough ––– was the daily life for

the Sole G.o.d, Tet.

He followed this regime, and this time he suddenly came up

with the idea to appear before Sora and s.h.i.+ro.

"I’m here, hehe♪"

---He wanted to do this, but it seemed like he'd have to [leave]

before reaching his destination.

Having become an Imanity, and after impulsively walking for a

few days without food or sleep, he then thought...

Imanity is weak beyond imagination.

Tet was immensely touched. The Sole G.o.d was very angry---

no, very hungry---,

"...................Take this and eat, des."

Saying this, Izuna handed a fish she had just bought to Tet.

Tet looked at Izuna with eyes as if he were before a G.o.ddess,

and asked, "...C, can I?"

"...Have it quickly, des. Or I’m going to change my mind, des."

Deliberately moving her eyes away from the fish, Izuna was

slavering while she spoke, but she held herself back.

"...As I was going to travel to a faraway place, I was asked to

buy something to eat, des."

Tet saw the giant leather bag on the back of the whispering

Izuna. "...that, is that for everyone?"

"...? It's Izuna's own portion, everyone goes to buy their own

portion, des."

So the werebeasts needed to match the amount of calories that

their physical abilities burned.

"Can only share you a little, des. Because only so many snacks

can be bought with 300 dollars, so I didn't buy much, des."

--As seen by Tet, there were already not a lot of goods that

worth 300 gold coins, but he didn't speak his thought.

It was already worthy of many thanks to receive a gift of food

from a G.o.ddess, but----

"But I don't have much that can be given to express my

thanks....ah, right—let’s play a couple games?"

To the proposal suggested by Tet, who was biting a raw fish,

Izuna's ears twitched with a ‘piu~’.

Let’s play some games? ––– When facing Tet who just said

this, her werebeasts' sixth sense was activated.

"...You are, very strong, des?"

"Nhuhu, although it's just a proclamation, I've only lost once

since my birth♪." "Winning and losing, winning and losing,

des."

––––––…………

"Why--Why can’t I win desu?!"

––One hour of non-stop card games ––Izuna had [9 losses 0

wins].

"Ahaha~♪ If you can't win against those two people, then the

chance that you’d beat me would be impossible☆ "

"–––Those two people. Sora and s.h.i.+ro, you know them, des?"

...good observation. Tet precipitously laughed in his heart.

Looking towards the 'young saint’ before him, unexpectedly––

– "...How about it? Let's chat while playing games."

"...You are going to distract Izuna's attention by talking, des.

Sora always does that, des."

"Ahaha, it doesn't matter. Even if I don’t do this ––– the one

who would win would still be me, of course ☆ "

"...Beat you, absolutely have to beat you, des."

That being said, she looked at him as if she was looking

through his cards. "You can say anything you want, des. Izuna

will definitely win, des."

Hearing Izuna proclaim that, Tet turned his sight to the far end,

and a smile appeared on his face.

"I think this is a story that is very difficult to follow…

Something that you had never heard before?"

"...... Can’t hear you, des."

Hasn't this already been told before? –––Tet attempted to hide

his wry smile while he spoke. "That's fine, too. As for the

reason why it hasn't been heard-- these are some tales which

have never been told from the beginning of time.

Indeed, Izuna’s appearance overlapped with a certain part of

his memory. The Sole G.o.d started his narration--- long, long

ago,

“……It was too boring, too boring…… it was something like

a great war back then…”