—
Dressed in a tailored suit, his lips curved into a polished, artificial smile, Gale Gardo quickly arranged himself into the picture of a gentleman before stepping into Black Rabbit's path.
Only when he drew closer did he notice something new.
Aside from Black Rabbit and the diminutive leader of No Name, there were two unfamiliar faces.
Two girls.
Though neither had Black Rabbit's striking figure, their faces were nearly flawless—refined, elegant, and unmistakably eye-catching.
"Well, well. If it isn't the famous No Name of the Outer Gates," Gale drawled with a theatrical chuckle. "What's this? Out shopping today?"
His gaze shifted lazily to Jin.
"And you—the tiny little leader. Aren't your people on the verge of starvation? I'm surprised you can afford to be browsing the market."
He adjusted his cuffs.
"But looking at you… you hardly seem fit to act as these lovely ladies' escort. Perhaps I, Gale Gardo, should take on the role instead?"
He spared no effort in belittling Jin, elevating himself in contrast.
When he learned that Yō and Asuka had only recently joined No Name, he enthusiastically began "educating" them—detailing No Name's current struggles and contrasting them with the power and prosperity of his own community, Fores Garo.
Under normal circumstances, girls their age might have struggled to resist a smooth-talking man with a polished demeanor. Gale had long perfected this approach. A few calculated compliments, a few disparaging remarks about their current affiliation, and most would waver.
But unfortunately for him—
These were not naïve girls.
Kuon Asuka, before arriving in Little Garden, had been the heiress of a powerful conglomerate. She had met countless men in suits and smiles sharper than knives. From the moment Gale approached, she had seen through the falseness plastered across his face.
As for Yō—
Thanks to her Gift, Genome Tree, she possessed heightened animal instincts. The moment Gale stepped within range, a quiet, primal signal inside her labeled him as unpleasant.
Dangerous.
But Gale, oblivious to the subtle disgust forming on their faces, continued his prattling.
He tore into No Name's reputation while warmly inviting the girls to join Fores Garo instead.
He had long coveted Black Rabbit—the so-called "Little Garden Noble." But her stubborn loyalty to No Name had thwarted every attempt he'd made.
These two, however, were newcomers.
Much easier targets.
Though not as voluptuous as Black Rabbit, he thought with a flicker of lewd calculation, they would surely have their own charms once pressed beneath him—
"Be quiet."
Asuka's eyes flashed.
"And sit down."
Her Gift—Authority of Command—activated.
Unlike Izayoi… unlike Ren Kuroda… Gale had no resistance to such power.
His body betrayed him instantly.
Before he could comprehend what was happening, his legs folded beneath him, and he dropped heavily to the ground.
Under the force of Asuka's command, words spilled from his mouth against his will.
Every intention.
Every scheme.
His plan to lure the girls into Fores Garo.
His past dealings.
His crimes.
Kidnapping children from other communities.
Threatening talented individuals into submission.
Killing those who resisted.
Selling abducted children outside Little Garden.
He confessed it all.
Yō's eyes went cold.
Asuka's expression hardened, fury radiating from her normally composed demeanor.
And then—
Gale realized what was happening.
Rage surged through him. With a violent snarl, he tore free from Asuka's Gift.
The gentleman act shattered completely.
Since his true nature had already been exposed, there was no point in pretending anymore.
He stood, eyes bloodshot.
"If you want to meddle in Fores Garo's affairs," he spat, "then let's settle it properly—with a Gift Game."
The terms were declared swiftly.
If No Name lost—
Kasugabe Yō, Kuon Asuka, and Black Rabbit would all join Fores Garo and obey him unconditionally.
If No Name won—
Gale would publicly confess his crimes, and No Name would claim all of Fores Garo's territory and assets.
In other words—
If Fores Garo lost, the community would be finished.
Their reputation destroyed. Their lands stripped away.
An empty shell.
On the surface, the conditions were balanced.
Leaving Yō and Asuka aside, even Black Rabbit alone—being a Moon Rabbit and a "Little Garden Noble"—was worth far more than a typical six- or seven-digit community.
But Gale wasn't stupid.
He knew he couldn't win against Black Rabbit in direct combat.
So he added a rule.
Black Rabbit would serve as the referee.
Meaning she could not participate.
As for Yō and Asuka—
In his eyes, they were mere newcomers. Even if they possessed strong Gifts, he believed he could handle them.
And Jin Russell?
Gale hadn't considered him a factor from the start.
—
The pleasant mood of shopping evaporated completely.
Black Rabbit and the others purchased the necessary seeds in silence and returned straight to No Name's base.
When Black Rabbit, visibly troubled, explained what had happened to Ren Kuroda and Izayoi—who were still examining the condition of the soil—their reactions were… underwhelming.
"So you're saying," Black Rabbit said anxiously, "you're not planning to participate in this Gift Game?"
Ren and Izayoi exchanged glances.
Black Rabbit's panic grew.
She hadn't stopped the Gift Game earlier because she had absolute faith in the two of them.
She had personally witnessed Ren standing against the sun itself.
In her mind, a mere six-digit community like Fores Garo posed no threat to him.
Yet now—
The two greatest troublemakers she relied on were acting utterly indifferent.
Izayoi answered first.
"They picked this fight themselves. I don't see any reason to step in."
Ren crossed his arms, frowning.
"As far as I'm concerned, holding a Gift Game with human traffickers is idiotic."
His eyes were cold.
"We should just eliminate them."
He continued bluntly.
"As participants, No Name would be subject to rules and a venue decided by Fores Garo. That's already a disadvantage. Why follow their script?"
His proposal was simple.
Wait for nightfall.
Storm Fores Garo's base.
Erase them.
"For scum like that," Ren said flatly, "there's no need for formalities."
It was direct.
Brutal.
Efficient.
And, in his opinion, entirely reasonable.
Unfortunately—
The other problem children rejected the idea in unison.
They even looked at him as if he were some barbarian warlord from a bygone age.
Ren sighed.
"…Fine."
He fell silent.
Truthfully, when Asuka and Yō had accepted the Gift Game, they hadn't intended to rely on Ren or Izayoi in the first place.