Translator: imperfectluck Editor: Kurisu
Ishihashi agreed with his partner Hanai's guess.
Both of them had plenty of interaction with ninjas before in the past, either as enemies or allies. But no matter if ninjas were their enemies or allies, Ishihashi didn't like dealing with ninjas, because it was very difficult to see them clearly for whom they truly were.
After some mutual observation, the assassin duo and the teenager duo stopped looking at each other at almost the exact same time.
As if the Ishihana assassin duo's appearance was a signal, many more participants arrived all at once.
There was a large suit-wearing man with a friendly expression who arrived together with a short girl who wore a one-piece dress and had an icy expression.
There was a middle-aged man who wore a normal shirt and pants and held a black cat in his hands. He arrived together with a young woman who wore a jacket on top of a skirt. This young woman had a leashed gray dog.
There was a beautiful short-haired girl who wore a jacket and long pants and had a sharp expression. She came together with a middle-aged woman who wore a camisole and a miniskirt, along with round-rimmed eyeglasses.
When time finally came for the ship to leave for Momozu Island, an additional twenty-two participants had arrived in the originally empty dining hall of the ship. After adding in Seiji and Shika, there were now twenty-four people for twelve teams.
According to Seiji's careful observation, seven others had utilized disguise magic like himself and Shika, while fifteen individuals chose not to use any.
He was able to recognize all twenty-two individuals that boarded the ship. They all matched the information that Hana had provided to him.
All of these individuals were in the third category of tournament participants: those participating without a powerful faction to back them up. There wasn't a single participant from the first or second category… unless he tried to count himself somehow.
Every team took a table for themselves. They all ordered some food and drink. Some chatted with their partners while waiting, while some remained quiet.
Not a single person tried to greet anyone from another team, nor were there any taunts or any scenes like mortal enemies meeting here.
Peace was good, although this felt a little boring.
Seiji wondered if he should recommend that everyone play some card games together?
Just joking.
Just as Seiji was bored to the point of joking like that with himself, someone stood up at this moment.
The person who stood up was a man who wore a bright and colorful t-shirt and shorts. His hair was slightly curly and messy, and he had bushy eyebrows but small eyes. He appeared like a beach-going tourist.
"Just sitting around like this is rather boring. I want to play cards with somebody. Is anyone interested in playing with me?" He scratched his hair while speaking up in a loud and booming voice.
Everyone was rendered speechless.
Someone really did stand up and offer to play cards! Seiji's cheek twitched at the coincidence.
"What the hell are you doing, Saitou?" the youth next to the man who wanted to play cards spoke up in an angry tone.
This youth was wearing a jacket and long pants. He had silvery-black hair and a vicious expression in his eyes. He looked just like a hoodlum.
"I just want to find someone to play cards with."
"Don't go looking for trouble!"
"I'm not looking for trouble, I'm looking for a friend to play cards with." The curly-haired man named Saitou looked all around the dining hall. "Please~ Does anyone want to play cards with me?"
"Hey!"
"It's just playing cards. You don't have to play if you think it's troublesome. It's not like I'm forcing you."
The silvery-black haired youth seemed like he was about to explode in anger, but he managed to restrain himself. He harrumphed coldly and stopped talking.
It would seem that this man named Saitou really wanted to play cards. Seiji smiled.
"Shikchan, do you want to join in?"
"…If Brother wants to join, then I will join together with you," she stated calmly.
And so, Seiji raised his hand.
"The two of us will play cards with you."
Saitou smiled happily upon seeing that someone finally agreed to play cards with him.
"Thank you. Anyone else?"
The middle-aged man with the cat slowly raised his hand, followed by a curly-haired woman wearing a leather jacket and the suit-wearing man with the kind expression.
Saitou was delighted that five other people were willing to play cards with him.
The six of them soon sat down together at a table and asked a server to bring them some cards.
Seiji silently looked over Saitou and the others.
Seiji already knew the names and identities of the four other people playing cards with himself and Shika. Not a single person here was a normal person.
Saitou's full name was Yuuma Saitou. He was from a samurai family and possessed great strength unlike what his physical appearance would suggest. He was a bodyguard who had never failed to protect his clients before. In the mystical society, he was known by the nickname "Ironhand".
This middle-aged man was named Daikawa Rota. He was a Spirit Controller, who was currently disguising his physical appearance. His real appearance was actually a young and handsome man. On the surface, he appeared to be a private detective, but in secret, he could be hired to work in corporate espionage, as an assassin, or as a bodyguard. He was skilled in many different areas.
The leather jacket-wearing curly-haired woman was Mitsuko Kitajima, a ninja. Her current appearance was a disguise as well. Her real appearance was actually a straight-haired, flat-chested woman who had a clean and pure appearance. She often worked as a spy or assassin. It was said that she particularly loved to toy with and torture men. She had never failed to assassinate any male targets before.
As for the suit-wearing man who had a kind expression, his name was Yuuzou Yoshihara. He was yet another assassin, who had the nickname "Judge". Every time that he received an assassination request, he would always ask for the reason. He would then assess the assassination by his own standards and charge a certain fee. He had been in the business for many years and had more than 100 completed assassinations to his name.
If it wasn't for the fact that Seiji already knew the information on these individuals, he wouldn't have felt anything from playing cards with them at all. But he knew their backgrounds and was facing them… it was an indescribable feeling.
After the server brought some cards, Saitou asked what card game everyone wanted to play.
"Any card game is fine. The critical part is what we're going to bet," Daikawa Rota stated.
His tone was quite calm. But the moment he said "bet", something changed in the atmosphere.
"Betting will only harm our friendship. We can just play for fun," Saitou commented.
"Playing cards is no fun at all if there's no bet… I recommend that we bet information." Something flashed in Rota's eyes. "The winner is allowed to ask the loser three questions that the loser must answer. The loser must also guarantee that he or she tells at minimum fifty percent truthful answers."
Everyone fell silent for a moment.
"At minimum fifty percent truthful… so you mean that half true and half false answers are allowed?" Seiji asked a question first.
"Yep. 'Completely true' is impossible, so half true will be good enough."
Mitsuko Kitajima smiled seductively and asked, "Heehee. How are you going to guarantee that the loser tells anything true at all?"
"Everyone should tell at least fifty percent of the truth based on their own honor," Rota stated lightly. "I myself will absolutely adhere to this. I believe that none of you will be that stingy, either."
The rule of "fifty percent truth" sounded rather casual, but it was actually quite subtle.
Everyone present was a Bloodwine Ritual tournament participant. "Complete truth" would naturally be impossible to expect from anyone here. Only "half-truth" would be possible to expect. Truth and falsehood, believing or not believing… this would be a psychological battle.
"How interesting… this sounds like a fun little gamble. I accept." Mitsuko chuckled.
"Half true and half false, eh…? Well, I suppose it's fine with me." Saitou also accepted.
Yuuzou Yoshihara also grinned and accepted the gamble.
Only Seiji and Shika remained.
"Brother…"
"If you don't want to accept, then it's okay to back out." Seiji smiled. "This is only a game."
Shika thought it over for a moment before she stood up and indicated that she wouldn't participate.
Seiji remained by himself and accepted this "gamble".
If he lost, he would have to tell a half truth to the winner's question. Or, he could even shamelessly tell a complete lie… this wasn't really a gamble at all. This was just a game of separating truth from falsehood.
But even though this was only a game, this was still a matter of pride.
No matter how the five people present viewed this game, it was certain that none of them wanted to lose.
After the card game began, everyone's auras started spreading and clashing with each other.
Most of the other tournament participants were paying attention to their table. Those with sharpened magical hearing even heard the entire content of their gamble.
Some felt that this was interesting, some felt that this was nothing more than a joke, some wondered if they should participate, and some were completely disinterested…
Not long after, the card game's first round was over.
Seiji lost.