— — — — — —
Little Garden was divided into four great regions: North, South, East, and West.
Winding through them all was the Great Tritonis, whose vast waters split into eight colossal rivers before plunging over the sheer precipice known as the Edge of the World.
Beneath the riverbed of one of those mighty rivers lay Outer Gate 7752, the South Area's foremost pleasure district, where fortunes vanished as quickly as they were made.
Because of that, Outer Gate 7752 had earned another name: The Undersea Paradise.
---
"I expected something impressive, but... this is still incredible."
Stepping through the Boundary Gate into Elm City, the heart of Outer Gate 7752, Ryo couldn't help looking up.
There were no clouds overhead. Instead, a massive dark-gray wooden barrier formed the "sky," studded with countless giant glowing spheres that resembled luminous pearls, bathing the seabed in soft light.
Viewed from beneath the river, the entire city had been built around the roots of a colossal elm tree. It looked as though the enormous tree had been planted atop a giant white bubble.
The only unusual thing was the length of its roots. They extended for over ninety thousand kilometers.
"Elm City really is something." Muttering to himself, Ryo glanced at a single horse carrying fifteen men before leaving the Boundary Gate and entering the city proper.
The South Area was dominated by the Divines and mythical beasts. It was Little Garden's strongest region, and also its wildest.
Countless ambitious heroes gathered here, founding communities and carving their legends into history.
One of the most famous examples was Heracles, who had established his own community within the South Area.
Overall, Ryo had always had a favorable impression of the place.
"Seriously... why did you drag me along?" Kurousagi grumbled as she followed behind him. "There are still so many things waiting to be handled back at the community..."
"Yeah... I'm starting to regret it too." Ryo looked around.
There were an awful lot of women in bikinis. And they were all stunning.
Bringing Kurousagi here had definitely been a mistake.
"..."
Hearing his comment, Kurousagi's face darkened. She followed his gaze, spotted the bikini-clad women lining the streets, and immediately puffed out her cheeks. "Hmph... They're smaller than me anyway. What's so great about them?"
"You're right. Nothing special." Ryo nodded seriously... While continuing to stare.
He had underestimated Elm City's atmosphere.
He'd just seen a woman literally riding a man.
Not that kind of riding.
The man was on all fours with a saddle strapped to his back while the woman held a riding crop, treating him like an actual horse.
Judging by how no one around them even gave it a second glance, it was perfectly normal here.
"...Slaves."
The word slipped from Ryo's lips.
His opinion of Elm City dropped another notch.
It had gone from favorable... to unpleasant.
Then he remembered why he'd come here in the first place and couldn't help laughing at himself. "I'm really a hypocrite."
"Hypocrite?" Kurousagi asked, puzzled.
"It's nothing."
Ryo glanced back at her before speaking, "I brought you out because I wanted you to relax for a few days. Looking at you now, though... I'd say that plan was a complete failure."
He gave a helpless shrug. "Well, at least you can't avoid me anymore."
Kurousagi froze. "...Was I really that obvious?"
"You seriously have to ask?" Ryo rolled his eyes.
Lately she'd been having the younger kids from Arcadia pass along every message for her. If he hadn't practically dragged her out this time, he probably wouldn't have seen her at all.
How was that not obvious?
"I know what's been on your mind lately. But do I really have to keep repeating that everything I've been doing is just an act?"
Kurousagi's expression changed instantly. "Ryo Yagami! Those girls are members of our community too! If you ever toy with their feelings and abandon them, I will never forgive you!"
"Oh? You're flustered." Ryo couldn't help laughing. "You've been so bothered by all the women around me, yet now you're saying I'm not allowed to leave them. My dear bunny... you're way too adorable."
The moment she heard the word adorable, the tips of Kurousagi's rabbit ears turned pink.
Then before she could react, Ryo reached over and took her hand.
"Enough. Stop worrying about all that. Let's just enjoy ourselves here for a few days." As he spoke, he gazed meaningfully across the sprawling underwater city. "Let's see what this place is really made of."
...
..
Meanwhile, on the top floor of a seventy-seven-story skyscraper, a confidential meeting was underway—
"We've just received word from the Boundary Gate. The leader of Arcadia has arrived."
The middle-aged man lounging on the sofa had a mane-like hairstyle, and his expression was grim.
Beside him, a seven-headed serpent over three meters long slowly raised each of its heads. It spoke with a human voice. "Singh, you mean the one who's ruined the Third Alliance's operations over and over?"
"That's the one." The man called Singh sighed. "Arcadia is still fighting Greece, yet he personally comes all the way here. It's hard to believe that's just a coincidence."
"If Ryo Yagami has really come after Ouroboros..." He looked toward the giant serpent. "What do you think we should do, Nanashi?"
"What are you scared of?" the seven-headed naga, Nanashi, sneered as it coiled tighter. "The Alliance put us in charge of the black market because they expect results, not because they want cowards."
"And don't forget, Outer Gate 7777 isn't far from here. If he causes trouble, Lady Lakshmi won't let him get away with it. We may not be directly under her command, but if something happens, she won't just stand by."
Among Ouroboros's three chief representatives in the South Area, the most famous and the strongest was Lakshmi.
She was an old, established three-digit powerhouse of Little Garden.
Though hiding in the Lower Layers prevented her from acting freely, she was still far beyond someone like Ryo in their eyes.
Of course, if a fight really broke out, Lakshmi would probably be fine. They, on the other hand, would almost certainly be dead.
There was even a good chance Elm City itself would be destroyed.
And since Elm City was one of Ouroboros's most important sources of income in the South Area, Nanashi's tone softened almost imperceptibly. "Still... he did fight four-digit Zeus to a draw. And he's brought Indra's dependent with him. If we provoke him without thinking, we might interfere with the Alliance's greater plans."
"So?" Singh asked, giving him a strange look. Hearing such defeatist words from his usually scheming companion genuinely caught him off guard.
Nanashi continued without missing a beat, "How about we take a vacation? Paid leave. Champagne, dragon caviar, luxury resorts, the whole VIP treatment."
"If I remember correctly, we're entitled to one year of vacation every twenty years. I've been saving mine up. Want to come with me?"
"..."
Singh's face turned black.
Seeing his expression, Nanashi blinked, "...Don't tell me you already used yours?"
"No." Singh slowly shook his head.
His complexion darkened, and his voice trembled. "My subordinate just contacted me... They're already downstairs."
.
.
.