Fate DxD

Fate DxD Vol.8 Chapter 40

"A temporary alliance?"

"Yes! We're being held here by the power of one player and if we don't react, we'll end up like him." She points to the guy in the elevator.

"Seeing the ivy that trapped him, I imagine those plants and the ones on the stairs came from the same person?" I analyze the situation.

"Yes, both are the effects of the same sigil. By blocking the stairs, one of the participants forces the other players to take the elevators where he's laid death traps."

"As a result, we no longer have any way of getting off. You want us to team up just because we're both stuck? I think you trust me quite easily."

"I'm an informant, I've already gathered and studied data about you."

"Seriously?"

"Your name is Senji Emiya and that's also your nickname in the game, you haven't changed it since you signed up, which indicates that you're a novice who started out solo. Even though you stubbornly refuse to kill your opponents, that hasn't stopped you from defeating Banda-boy, Shuka and Inukai! Three victories in a row against players of a level far superior to yours is a remarkable achievement! You don't have a clan, but you've allied yourself with Shuka, the invincible queen. I don't know what power you use. All I know is that you have a professional level in martial arts!"

"You're well informed..." I say, surprised. "But you're going to have to update your info. I've been beaten to a pulp by the guy lying there."

"During this event, fights are not counted in the ranking. At the end of the game, the points of dead players are divided among the survivors." She explains.

"Hmpf, basically, clashes don't bring anything... So we might as well just run away, is that the idea?"

"Right, after all, that's how I've stayed alive so far!"

"I see, you have a point."

"...What kind of answer is that?"

"Hm? I'm just a little surprised to run into someone like you, the players I've met so far were all about fighting. Okay, I'll work with you, I don't want to die like that." I turn my gaze to the guy lying down.

"Glad to hear it! One last thing, you don't seem the type to run away, considering your physical and technical abilities but think that in nature, running away is a far more common means of survival than fighting! This is also the case in Darwin's Game. When a fight runs out of time, the ability to escape danger counts towards artistic points. If the player who has been challenged manages to escape for an hour without sustaining significant damage, he is usually declared the winner."

"Now you're teaching me something..."

"Take Banda-boy for example, he possessed a powerful sigil, called "Stealth", a psychokinesis category power, optical manipulation type, surely an alter at base. Apparently, he had to cover himself from head to toe for it to work. Despite this constraint, there was no more effective way of evading an adversary or setting up an ambush. But he was too impatient, so you got the better of him!"

"Got the better of him ... Hmm, it didn't really happen like that, let's just say I surprised him, but that about sums it up. Earlier, however, it wasn't the same: he let me live because I wasn't armed. The truth is, I'm not that strong, so don't overestimate me."

"You seem to have a slight lack of self-confidence. I'll make a note of it. You're not that strong, yet it was enough, but what if that was the most important thing?"