I■ 1

La T
gomanga.com • eBOOK
 URBAN
LBGBNPS

ARB A
MNP OF
WISH.

Net24/7
Cafe

Now then...
Let me just make sure I
have a grasp on the situation.

We are tl clan in this

j \vi vvc di t: ii it: uiyye:>i Lidi i n i u 115
^\\\\ MMORPG, numbering 1,200 players,

-I
us to a
the group challenging
o-rules, open-fielabat

Has four
members.

I would normally just assume;

that the challenger was an idiot,
and shrug off the request.

Except that that play<

is among the four.
 I suppose^we'll
see justarehavefto
if the legends true...

LETTHEGAiyfflHll
NO GAME NO LIFE
01
i i i l t i i
Art:
Mashiro Hiiragi & vuu Kamiya
original Story/Character Designs:
vuu Kamiya
 Pdn
Game
®
Pdn
LiFE
in

NAME® Stephanie
j0B®NEET\
Employment, Y

no
GflmE
AGE® 18 Dola ■; (Not inning
or Trai Education,
/ )
, RACE® Humanoid
#':wPnricess
JOB® Former\ . TRAITS® Virgin,

lifeno
Anti-social,
TRAITS®???
Game-addicted
N /a !Ll _ Z_ /
 SEVEN SEAS ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS

PdDlGamEMnilDllli F.e
story by YUU KAMIYA/ art by MASHIRO HIIRAGI&YUU KAMIYA VOLUME 1

NO GAME NO LIFE VOL. 1

TRANSLATION
© Mashiro Hiiragi & Yuu Kamiya 201 3, © Yuu Kamiya 201 3
Ryan Paterson
Adrienne Beck Edited by MEDIA FACTORY.
First published in Japan in 201 3 by KADOKAWA CORPORATION, Tokyo.
ADAPTATION English translation rights reserved by Seven Seas Entertainment, LLC.
Danielle King under the license from KADOKAWA CORPORATION, Tokyo.

COPYEDITOR No portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without
Lee Otter written permission from the copyright holders. This is a work of fiction. Names,

LETTERING characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author's imagination
or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locals, or persons,
Roland Amago living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
LAYOUT
Seven Seas books may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, or
Bambi Eloriaga-Amago promotional use. For information on bulk purchases, please contact Macmillan
LOGO DESIGN Corporate & Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945 (ext 5442)
Courtney Williams or write [email protected].

COVER DESIGN Seven Seas and the Seven Seas logo are trademarks of
Nicky Lim Seven Seas Entertainment, LLC. All rights reserved.

MANAGING EDITOR
ISBN: 978-1-626920-79-8
Adam Arnold Printed in Canada
PUBLISHER
First Printing: October 2014
Jason DeAngelis 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

FOLLOW US ONLINE: www.gomanga.com

 L.can't believe this.

We lost...to four players?

AMONG THE COUNTLESS URBAN

LEGENPS ENPLESSLY RE HAS HEP ON
THE
THE INTERNET,
TALE OF A PERHAPS
MYSTERY YOU'VE
GAMER HEARP
THAT
GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS...

A PLAYER
OF
WHO UNCERTAIN
IPENTITY...
POMI-
NATES
LEAVING THE wmour
BEHINP A SINGLE
GAMING
UN - 1WORLP LOSS TO
AR,P-
HEOF
NAME...
HIS
UNTOUCH¬
ABLE HIGH
SCORES.

HE HAS
COME
TO BE
KNOWN AS SINCE

CA.K.A. ACCOUNT
NAME IS
SOME BLANK "1 HIS
ALWAYS
GAMERS BLANK...
EVEN GO
SO FAR
AS TO
SAY HE'S
UNBEAT¬
ABLE.
 CHEATER
GOPPAMN
CHEATER...
NOTHING po you
MORE KNOW
THAN THE
THING
RUMORS.
SOME¬
ABOUT
 \ WERE UP
A Jj AGAINST
/ AN URBAN THE
7 LEG-END.
I WAS
SEATING W|UUN(j ONES
lr J s TO USE USINO
PARTY Ahy
WOULD MEANS
CHEAT
TOOLS
MAKE US NECES-
INTO A S^Ry;
LEGEND /
OF OUR /
OWN/ HACKS..
ANP
WERE

U5.
WE
LOST TO
A MERE AND FAR
AS YET...
AS
FOUR X COULD
TELL, THEY
PLAyERS.
CHEATING.
HOWEVER..WEREN'T
THEY ARE
EXPERT
STRATE¬

GISTS'

"HE" 15

PROBABLY
A SINGLE
MAN...
WHO 15
TERRIFYINOLY
INTELLIGENT.

ANU THIS
URBAN IS HOW
LEGENPS URBAN
IF HE
LBGBNPS
REALLY CONTINUE
ARB IS JUST
I WONDER TO
ONE MAN,
AWN V AHH~! SNOWBALL.
HE'S JUST
OF SOME HANDSOME
IF HE'S A
WISH. GAME
ADDICT. L
PRINCE-
TYPE.'
 BUTIN
THB BNP,
THB TRUB
ANSWBR
ALSO
TBNPS TO
BB THB
MOST
BORING
ONB.
 W-WE
aaanaoer
TO OET
THROUGH
THAT

ONE—
PURER PROTHER— 50RA CA6E: 185
VIRGIN, ANTISOCIAL, CAME APPICT.

515/

COUU?
YOU NOT
TO
CONTROL U5P
TH£
your
AMIN

ACCOUNT

YOU'RETO
&0\H&
OIVE ME
4ATTACK/
HEART

PUT...
HUNOR/

UITTLE 5ISTER— 5HIRO CAOE: 115

TRUANT, ANTISOCIAL, CAME APPICT.

Nil,

HUNOR/
TOO?
 PIP YOU &0
WAIT"/
AND BUY
MORB
THOSE OF
BOURGEOIS
RATIONS?/

e
thTO pip you
PRICE KNOW,
PERFOR- LITTLE SIS,
MANCE THAT THE
RATIO OF BRAIN WILL
PLAIN WHITE FUNCTION
BREAD IN SO LONG
TERMS OF AS IT HAS
BOTH
CALORIES GLUCOSE?
AND NUTRI- /
ENTS IS /
AMAZING. N -

NEED
NUTRITION

YOU'RE \ j
ALREADY >
WHAT AN
INTERESTING EIGHT
FLAWLESSLY
TURN OF PAST BEAUTIFUL,
PHRASE TO NIGHT
CALL EIGHT
MID- SHIRO, SO 1
IN THE SEE THE
MORNING, POINT IN
"EIGHT PAST TIME
WHAT I DON'T
MIDNIGHT,"
AB T NGn.>O-;
OUYI
WORR
SISTER. IS IT
NOW,
. WHAT DAY WAY?
! IS IT?

ANY¬
 ' NO, DEAR
I'M NOT
SISTER.
W HA?/
WHA?/
TELL ME HOW MANY
DON'T WE'VE
MATTERS DAYSBEEN
YOU'RE
OOINO
TO PLENTY/ ASKI NO¬
I'M ASKINO
THEREIT ARE AWAKE.
SLEEP IN-OAME
WE'RE . RIOHT
IN THE : NOW?/ > WHAT DAY
OF THE
MIDDLE
EVENTS
AND RANK MONTH
OF A
FIGHT!! .COMP ET1- i IT IS.
COMPET-
Nil IS A
AHHH..
\ TONS' NEET.
SLEEPY.
SO DAYS NO
MATTER.

YOU WANT
ME TO
CONTROL
FOUR
CHARACTERS,
ONE WITH
EACH LIMB?

«8» ,

FIDHT.

//O/Y SL com INuBBu

URBAN W, SOME,
LBGBNPS % AND OET
IO
C NM
TBO 'i you
ex/s- |
TBNCB. !
MISHERS
PRICKIN'
 PROBABLY
JUST
S PAM.
IGNORE
IT'S

MAYBE
FRIEND?
• ••
 fe'
From: un
known w/n
elo
Title: £

AW..
HOW
PIP HE
KNOW
THAT
f J

15 TWO
5IBUN05

e y°u^°innSwo
WE’VE
\’CHALLENGES,
RECEIVE V
Interview
REQUESTS,

ANPUBEL
v^, Vhreats,
ON MANY
OCCASIONS:...
 BLUFF,
mem

HOW
INTEREST¬
ING

1 TRy/NGmBm
\ISHB M
"a pstiLmam
^TQ7MZ&mm&
wrrHus?mm I

what?

THIS IS
JUST j
NORMAL,
EVERYDAY...
ONLINE j ?
CHESS? / v

HEY/
WAIT/
CHESS
IS
STAND A YOUR
CHANCE IP GOOV
E N'UP
WEI'RDO T PORTE/
T NIOHT.
AOAINS AN
ADVANCED
PROGRAM!

IN GAMES
LIKE THIS,
WHERE CHESS /S A
TWO-PLAYER,
ONE CAN
ZERO-SUM,
THEORETI¬ NO ROOM
CALLY THERE'S FINITE-MOVE,
NO-CHANCE,
FOR
CREATE A CHANCE...
100% PERFECT
CERTAIN INFORMATION
STRATEGY GAME.
FOR
VICTORY.
ZJm^lONZO
WCHESSBOARPM
CONFIGURATIONS.
 SHE
INREER,
BOASTS
TWENTY HOW IT
CONSECUTIVE MUST
WINS, WITH
BOTH TAKING BE FOR
TURNS AT SHIRO.
THAT'S
MAKING THE
FIRST MOVE,
AGAINST A
PROGRAM
THAT
REPEATER A

MASTER.
GRANR-
TO

GOING
YOU'RE
SHIRO
NEVER.. LOSE
AT THIS
RATE.

CALM
POWN.
YOU FELL / PROGRAM
WOULP PLAYING
PUT YOU'RE
HOOK,
FOR IT- THIS GUY ALWAYS
LINE, GO FOR AGAINST..
MAKES
ANP PLAYS BEST
SINKER. that POSSIBLE
ES E MOVE.
MISKTAKLIK
LOO
TO CATCH /
YOU OFF' /

GUARD, A-—''

' I'LL \

LET YOU ITS WARP

TO BELIEVE
KNOW
WHEN SOMEONE
up 'C THAI
OUT THERE'S
THERE
E'YS BLUFFING OUR
NOERWA
TH THAT COULP
ANYONE OR BACK
TRYING
TO A MORE
UTILE INTO YOU
A
CAN BEAT
YOU WHEN TRAP l CORNER
IT COMES VOU. | WORLP'S
PRISING LIKE THIS.
TO PURE THAN I
ABILITY AT
CHESS. GAVE IT
CREPIT
\ FOR. ,
SUR¬
 WHEN
SORA G£)

SHIRO
AW CW
comm,
WE MAKE
PLANK
0SS3/

SLHEO W
T'S
H I M THAT

NTOHEROEN'ES
IN THIS
WORLP...

INDEED,

BEHIND THIS
TUF THE IS
URBAN TRUTH...
LEGEND
KNOWN
AS r j.
 I’m even more certain it must be
hard for you to live like this.

Ss&nL

mSSlS!1

How do you two feel about the world you live in?

vom

!tfAeJk
BMm
mwM

Is it fun? Is it easy to live there?

SStssisia*'
 WE
livei in
CRAPPY
Mi

a came
&>. it-
WITH SEVEN
■ MILLION
WHENIEN/ER PLAYERS.
■wmjjNkH ^TURNS:0“^=*
■'RULES"!
LTAKIN
THEY FEEL
pANPjNOl LIKE IT... 1 1
Objective

PEOPLE PUT PENALIZEP

YOU'RE IF
WHAT ELSE PRESSURE ON YOU WIN TOO
COU LP YOU YOU IF YOU MUCH OR
CALL THIS SHUT UP, ANP LOSE TOO
8ESIPES A SHUN YOU IF MUCH.
CRAPPY CAME? YOU TALK.
§§§§

Imagine a world where anything and everything

could be settled by playing a simple game...

A world like a game board,

with clearly-defined objectives and rules.
 What would you do if I told you that
a world like that actually existed?

I SBB.
IF THFRF
RBALLY
IS A
LIKE
WORLD
THAT...

1/ ^ you
MI£HT

v^ry w^uu
HAV£
INTO 5££N
TH£ /,
WR ON0
0ORN /
WORU2
my /RI^I^T
*
W£
 THE
WHAT
HELL?/
HWPjg
WH-

ilf'l

INPEEP,
YOU
WO...
WERE
BORN
INTO THE
WRONO
WORLP

sa

I'll OWE
YOU A
REBIRTH.
 THIS IS
THE UTOPIA
YOU'VE
ALWAYS
PREAMEP
OP/

THE GAME
WORLP:
PISBOARP/

A WORLP
/\ WHERE
7 ANP EVERY¬
ANYTHING
/
THING 15
PETERMINEP
THAT5 0AME5/
^RIGHT, BY SIMPLE
EVERYTHING
PEPROM
OP LE'S
LIVES TO ,
|\ /

BORPERS/ \
NATIONAL I x S^~

WAIT/
WHY WAIT//
THE
PAUSE
7 ME? ARE WE EXPOS
BUNOEE TION/ I-
/— N HMM,
HOW JUMP- WHAT THE
SHOULD INO HELL IS
WITHOUT &0\H&
LETS it ?
, ct-c
1 PUT A ON?/
SAY IT .
JUS CORO?/
LIVE wgi

'
^
 THE
I OUESS

SIMPLEST
# « X SAIP EXPLANATION

) 1 THE
TION
IS...
EXPOSI¬ I'M
WE'RE CjN
TO
ABOUT WAIT/ WHAT
PLANT
you
THE / MIOHT
FACE-
£ROUNP N^4
CALL
GOV!

I LOOK
FORWARP
TO
MEETING
you
AOAIN.

TOTO
BEWON'
LONO.

r ]
/
 HAVE YOU
PLAYERS
WHO ARE HEARP
ASTORT
JUST TOO THAT GOES
GOOPAT SOMETHING
RECEIVE LIKE THIS?
GAMES...
A
MYSTERI¬
OUS
E-MAIL.

IN THE
THE LINK
E-MAIL
THEY'RE
PORTERS¬ SENPS
SO TRAN
TO THEM TO
ANP PLAY A
GOES
ANOTHER WINNING
UPON
WORLP. PIFFICULT
THIS
URBAN SAIP GAME...
GAME...
LEGENP.
 OH,
ANTS
HERE.
Pdn
Game
<8>
Pdn
LiFa
 Vjl

1 LONG, 1
LONG
AGO,

► THERE -
WAS A
GREAT
WAR.
4

/
\ Kia&BSm
parries, 5
ALONG
WITH TH SIR I
PISCIPLaS R
ANP THa I
V *
CReATUResri
EACH OF E
<9140? Wf/W
who cpawrap,
WOULP FOUGHT FOR
Be gop, savaRAL i
supRaMa
THa
r\
AGas...
J4

RULaR. 'hSm&sSX

p/p rna
GRUB- ,
. api BROU&HT LONG
ABOUT
TUF THF
MUTUAL ( s/c/,
UNTIL
WAR
THEREBY
FALL OF
ALL
PaATHS
OFsea,
THE soMa I
CONT/NUa
BRINGING RACES,
AN ENP , EARTH,
1
TO rna
CONFUCT. /X
ANP
STARS...

theWHO
parry
WATCHEP
ON THE
SIPELINES,
WITHOUT
THE
ONLY
PATING
IN THE
PARTICI¬
parry
WHO
STILL HAP
STRIFE— POWER

LEFT-
 TO THOSE

TO THOSE STRENGTH,
WHO PUSH
VIOLENCE,
WHO CLAIM
THEY HAVE
MILITARY
INTELLIGENCE MIOHT, AND
ENOUGH TO DESPERATE
ERECT A
TOWER OF THEIR
EFFORT TO
CORPSES...
LIMITS...
ANSWER
ME.

ANY
EEFENSE
THEY
OFFEREE
. FELL ON
EEAF EARS. ARE
VTHE WORLE. YOU ANY
mm was-* i DIFFERENT
FROM THE
^RU/NEE.F-.\
WITH NO
BEASTS
INTELLECT
AT ALL?

I FORBID
FORMS OF
MURDER
ALL
THAT
TAKE
MIGHT ROBBERY...
AND
THIS IN
PLACE

UNIVERSE.

HIS WORE
BECAME
FROM THAT PAY COVENANT.
HIS COVENANT
FORTH, FIGHTING WAS
VAN ISHFP FROM ABSOLUTE
THE FACE OF LAW.
TH FPU AN FT.
 BUT THE
" CONFLICT ONES WHO
WILL NOT CLAIMEP
PISAPPEAR INTELLIGENCE
SIMPLY
BECAUSE THE SPOKE THUS-.
FIGHTING HAS

ENPEP."

TO ALL THEN,
USE YOUR "EXCEED,"
REASONING, THE SIXTEEN
KNOWLEDGE, RACES WHO I
PECREE
ABILITY, AW CLAIM TO
ASSETS
TO THEIR HAVE
INTELLECTUAL
UTMOST... CAPACITY...

TO GlVt Tom* OF
PROOF OF KNOWLFPtfF.
YOUR -2?
INT£UL£CT.

THIS IS THE %
THEjONEWHO THE TEN , •
4>1 7WMS,
ANCIENT STORY COVENA NTS
THROUGH W
OF HOW THIS
% WAR
WORLP CAME PISAPPEAREP
TET, THE GOP FROM THE
TO/BEfKNOWNM W'SlNAMEP' \
ASTHEWORLPA
WORLP.
OF THElGAMEM
niBOARP.mm
 Mi
HOW
TWOt?lt?
PROM TH£
SHUT-INS
RSAU

JUST WORU?...
POPTHIS
INTO
FANTASY
WORLP?
WHAT
KINP OF
JOKF 15
THI5?

Mi
 ONI THE CONTINENT OP LUCIA,
STANPS THE LAST SURVIVING IMANITY NATION"
THE KIN&POM OF ELKIA.
 HEY,

COULV
YOU
HURRY
IT UP?

SHUT
UP/
6H-

I'M
THINKING/

chattel

lots

WE'RE
THE
of...
NOISE.
PROM
BOONIES,
WH
AL 'SE
L ATTH
RUCKUS you
' "f TJjgf
FOR? T SEE.

SAMBLINS
ir SA
NA ¬ 1
URNT
TOME
TO RECIPE
THE NEXT
KINS.
IT WAS
THE LATE
HUH?

KINS'S
LAST you
KNOW?
REQUEST.
PON'T
 !HElWANTEPJHIS!

g|SUCOESSORlf
■PETERMINEP

■((b7a
GreatestTHEskill
■ ilNSTEAP OF
IinJT^blins-
BpeterMinep
MITlBEIISkr
MBaaSop.

IMANITY
HAS LOST
GAMBLE
ANP
NOW AFTER
GH TO
ENOUIT GAMBLE
'S OVER LANP
-57MAKE YOU ALL WE
- GIVE UP ON HAVE
1 MAINTAINING ELKIA'S
LEFT. SHIP...
OWNER¬
4 APPEAR-
H ANCES. ,

WHICH
STZPHAm
LEAPS
TO THEUS
POIA...
TH£ REPHEAP.

UGAN
PAGR HTP-
BR
OF TH£
FORMER
K\KG.
 GOES
IP ALL
TO THE
ACCORPING
PLANS,
SO SO, SHE
INTENPS
GAMES TO WIN
EVEN THE ROYAL
LATE KING'S
TUF
PECIPE THRONE
NATIONAL STANPS
TOPAMILY
LOSE
BORPERS ' WITH A '
ANP WHO BATTLE EVERYTHING.
POR
BECOMES SELP.
AGAINST
KING...
THE GRANP-
PAUGHTER
OP THE MAN
THAT PUT
ITS NO IMANIT/
HER-
WONPER IN THIS
THAT TOUGH
CROWP.
THERE'S A SPOT... J

SOUNPS
PUN.

KNOW,

we you
BUT
MISTER
GOT A
ARE you
IN ANY
FULL
HOUSE
PLACE
' . J WORRYING
touoh
LUCK,
Jtr. TO BE
M J ELSE?
(M SOMEONE
ABOUT
KIP.
 A ROYAL T0U6H
STRAIGHT
FLUSH?/ LUCK FOR
you.

y -you
CUBATBU,
A HAND LIKE
THAT HAS A YOU?!
1 IN 650,000 PIPN'T
CHANCE OP
SHOWING UP!
THATHAPPEN
DOESN'T
EVER1/ DAY/
HUH?
THE

BASIS
WHAT'S
OP YOUR
CLAIM?

WELL,

TODAY'S
THE LUCKY
DAY FOR
YOU NUMBER
HAVE 650,000.
MY
CONDO¬
LENCES.

REMEMBER
THE SIXTH

COVENANT-
ANY WAOER
SWORN
UNDER THE
COVENANT
MUST BE
UPHELD.
 "YOU

can vo
WHATEVER
YOU WANT
THE/
THEIR
WAGER WITH
SAIP.US,"
LITERALLY
PUT THEIR
LIVES
ON THE
LINE...
ANP
THEY GOT A
ROYAL
STRAIGHT
PLUSH
WHEN THEY
WEREN'T
EVEN
CONCENTRAT¬
ING?/

ARE
THOSE
TWO?
 ? Nil...

(CHEATER.

IT'S ONLY
NATURAL
HE'D CALL
SHENANIGANS
ON A
HAND LIKE
THAT.

/ "IF
THE
INWORDS,
OTHER CHEATING IS
DETECTEDA EIOHTH
YOU'RE FINE DURING
COVENANT:
AS LONG AS GAM, IT WILL
RESULT IN
IMMEDIATE
THEFOR
CATCH YOU.
THEY DON'T LOSS

, CHEATER."

we YOU
KNOW,
DETERMINE SIS?
THE VALUE
OF MONEY
IN A
CREDIT-
BASED
CURRENCY.
 / WORTH
/ THIS
ONE IS
NIOHTS
TWO,
SW, WITH
MEALS ROOM
lPROVIPEP.

PLEASE.
FOR

/ YOU'VE YOU'RE
NOT THE
I GOT TO
;i/ CHECK KEEPER,
SEE IFTO
THIS IS ARE
THE REAL / YOU?
PEAL, YOU I INN¬
\ KNOW. I
LONO
HOW
I'LL SAVE
WILL
FOR LATER
HOW I you
STAY?
COULP TELL
YOU'RE SO
OBVIOUSLY
ALTHOUGH, SKIMMINO
so... OFF THE
TOP OF
HOW AFTER
LONO WILL SLEEPING
THE INN
YOU BE
STAYING? SEVERAL
FOR FESS FOR
YOURSELF...
PAYS...
I MIOHT
FOROET.

LET ME
TEACH
YOU A
TRICK TO
LY1NO.

— 1» / YOU

Hl^ -'
■pMII CAN'T BE
LOOKING
~ I ALL OVER
\ l THE
THEKEEP
SAME \ j\\ PLACE.

SION, A
TO AN MAINTAIN r
ALMOST
EXPRES¬ i
EXAC OER-
ATE THE IN
TONE
P
PEOREE. YOUR
 YOU'VE
COT TO
CHOOSE
WHO
YOU'ReTO
LYINO
VERY
CAREFULLY.

YOU SHOULD
BE HAPPY,

gj#®3®! I BOOKED
WELL, SHIRO-.'
FOUR-NIOHT
USONA AN
f SWINSANE
NO
WONDER. THAT
INSO
OIRL...
LOSINO.
A/E'
PLSH
POKER,
youR
BROTHER" U
BUT IT'SS WHATRE 5C0UNIT-
LIKE SHRE'
NEVE RSHIP DIAj^fs
WOHgy
HEARD DOINO? A
OF A you .y V"'-#
POKER
FACE...
 WHA? V
CHEATING
WELL IS BE
ALL IM THE SILLY.
EXECUTION, PON'T
NOT HOW

POWERING
OVER¬
IT IS.

TO A
LEAVE IT
FANTASY
WORLP...
EVEN
THEIR
CHEATING

LIEVABLE.
IS UNBE¬

IT JUST
WOW...
SEEM LIKE
WE SURE
POESN'T ARE IN A
THIS IS
REALLY WORLP,
FANTASY
HAPPENING.
I FEEL
OPPLY AT
HOME... WE?
MAYBE
I'VE
PLAYEP AREN'T
TOO MANY
GAMES.
\
 YE/AH.
I THOUGHT WE
WERE OONERS
WHEN THOSE
 ' ‘ UTOPIA
THIS
IS THE 1

YOU'VE
THE ALWAYS
GAME
PIS- DREAMEDZ
BOAR
WORLD: Of./ |
D. ,~x

I'LL BORROW
WE WERE
SUDDENLY A LINE FROM
TOSSED A CERTAIN
INTO THIS FLAT-CHESTED
STRANOE, SORCERESS:
"EVILDOERS THESE
NEW
WORLD... HAVE NO guys...
WORLD
BANDITS?
RIGHTS'*
THIS-

you
KNOW WHAT?
RELIEVE
I THINK YOU
I'LL
OF EVERYTHING
YOUYESHAVE /
THEY
I DO
I'LL BELIEVE
TAKE USE

THEIR
TO
FROM YOUR SHEER
KNOWLEDGE NUMBERS
IT ALL— •
TO YOUR
CLOTHES/ SWINDLE
PEOPLE.
ROB US
NOW
OF ALL
WE
WHO'S
BANDIT
. HAVE.
THEY'D /
 THE TEN

THE NANTS.

ABSOLUTE
LAW OF COVE¬
\?£& {$&>■
THE LANP
SET POWN
BY THE
OOP OF
^ \\e^ c\^e-

\o^ ^ : rC^W N
SoX^e ^

,\&e
NUMBER ^ ->A. rtCO^S
NINE
WRAPS IT
ALL UP BY
INCLUPINO
THE
PREVIOUS
CLAUSES.

nW

V\

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TOGETHER
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FUN/"
THAT LimE
BRAT THAT
DRAGGED
US HERE IN
GOV, THE FIRST
REALLY
PLACE...
T'S
IF THAGOT
HE'S
QUITE THE

ALITY.
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SLEEP
IN A ROW

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TO WALK
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OVER
GOOP STRANGE
PLACE
G IRL.
ING TO
THROW
IN THE NEW

REFUS¬
TOWEL.
SOL-

NOW,

THE
AS FOR
THIS
QUESTION
SEEMS TO
BE A STORY OF WHAT
WE'RE
ABOUT TO PO
WANPERING
AROUNP A
STRANGE NEXT...
WORLP.

THE
CONVENTIONAL
TROPES
WOULP HAVE
US PLACE
PRIORITY ON
PINPINO A
WAY HOME.
 TH OSE HEY,
STORIES SHIRO.
OF PEOPLE
FINPINO
THEMSELVES
f IN ALL
TRANSPORTER
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THERIFFERENT
THINO X HUfT
STANR UNRE
PON'T IS WHY //IMr
Y
THOSE CHARR-
- //
V ASTERS... //

V m

W m A
Li

WOULP
EVER WANT
TO RETURN
TO OUR
CRAPPY
WORLP.
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beyond A i? HUH?
BUT WORDS
that you H
COULD
WANT TO
you BE CLOSE / m h HELLO
LET GO
FOR A
TO AAC '
NAME IS
STEPHANIE
SEC? you
SPOKE DOLA.
TO ME
THIS
EARLIER

AFTERNOON.

THIS

AT'S
WHAll
ABOUT?

AW X v,
COME /'
INSIPE?
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 NOT TO
oet...?
M/ LITTLE WHAT'S
SISTER.
THIS
MEAN
SHE'S
ANVTHINO.
DOESN'T

SHIRO...
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ms/\Em
 KNEW
UMMM!.. IF YOU
THE. 1 SHE WAS
"IF EIGHTH
WHY
COVENANT. ■
CHEATINO-
YOU TELL
ME HOW
CHEATING SHE WAS
IS PETECTEP POINO
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WILL RESULT
E, IT
SO EVEN
IF YOU IN IMMEPI-
ATE LOSS
NOTICE YOUR
FOR THE
OPPONENTS
CHEATING,
CHEATER."
IF YOU CAN'T
prove it, you
CAN'T MAKE
HER LOSE
PUE TO IT...

I COUIV
HAVE
WON IF

EXPOSEP
TV
HER AS A
CHEATER/

THANKS
TO you,
I'VE LOST/

OUT OF
NOW I'M
PETITION
THE COM¬
FOR THE
THRONE/
 hey

Lime

you
I WE'RE
IN A SISTER.
HMPH.
PLACE
FIRE,
WHERE NOTICEP.
WE HAVE AP V FUEL
NO
PRIENPS. | SHOULPN'T
ESPECIALLY
WE
SHOULP
TRY ANP TO THE 1
IFASLEEP.
YOU'RE
BE MORE PRETENP- /
I INC- TO BE ,
FRIENPLY.

THOUOH

WHAT
YOU SAIP

HAVE
COULPN'T
BEEN
TRUER.

YOU WERE
UNABLE TO
UNMASK
TRICKERY
HER CHEAP
ANP THEN,
ANP NOW,
YOU OET
VISIBLY YOU TAKE
UPSET WHEN
IT OUT
A LITTLE OIRL ON US.
IS ABLE TO
SEE RIOHT
THROUOH
JUST
THERE'SNO
YOUR
POINT
IN THIS BEHAVIOR.
CONVER¬
SATION.

ALLSORA,
RIGHT,

YOU
CHOOSE
YOUR YEAR-OLP
EIGHTEEN-
WORPS VIRGIN...
X?A>.S/NGLE A WISELY...
'PHRASB'CAN^
MAKES WNCUR\7HE
SENSE,
THOUOH \)WRATHOP \
WmrmMfssk
WRlNCESS±%
 NATURAL

LONK
MA SOS
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f SAY

what
YOU WILL
RIOHT
THERE.. ABOUT
MB...
SUT X
THAT
IS TAB
REASON
let you
you INSULT My
LOST.
FATHFR/
WON'T
ORANP-

you
WERE SO
people WANT TO
LIKE you ARE OCCUPIED
WIN By WITH PLAyiNO
TOO Busy PLAV1NO
KEEPINO IT SAFE DEFENSIVELy
THEMSELVES OF THAT yOU
INSTEAD WERE BLIND
SECURE TO HER
TO PAY TAKINO
ATTENTION CHEATINO.
RISKS.
TO THEIR
OPPONENTS.
 YOU'RE
SIMPLE-MINPEP,
TEMPERED
YOU
KNOW UNABLE TO
SHORT-YOUR
CONTROL
YOU'RE
TOTALLY EMOTIONS
UNFIT... AW,
OF ON TOP
THAT,
TO DEFENSIVE.
BE A
OAMER.

OF ALL
X THE--//
CHOOSE
TO LISTEN
POLITELY
AW

you-
 VOW T
WORRY.
IT'S JUST

A SIMPLE
GAM. O F

SCISSORS.

ROCK-
PAPER-

OP
I'LL
COURSE, ' X BUT IPI
WHAT
IP I USE
SOMETHINO
BESIDES PAPER LOSE IP
PAPER AND A USE ISN'T
YOU USE I USE
THE SAME YOU'LL AND
BEATS ANYTHING
ITEM I USE, LOSE WHAT YOU BESIDES
THEN I IT'LL kUSE... /
WHAT TOO, PAPER.
ARE YOU \ LOSE. AND
BE A K
GOING
TO

WAOER? DRAW. — "V \

I'LL

ACCEPT
YOUR
DEMANDS.
ALL

I CAN
AND IP TELL YOU
SICK
HOW
YOU'RE ABOUT
OP ME THAT 01 RL
CALLINO CHEATED
"THE POOL WHEN
THE FOOL
KINO SHE BEAT

YOU...
KINO," YOU
CAN ME
TELL JUSTTO
00 DIE.
 YOU
HAVE TO
ACCEPT
ALL OF MY
VEMANVS.

so you RISKING
My LIFE
OVER A
SHOULD
TO
BE I'M 1
WILLI NO
'HAGER
GAM. OF

yOUR SILL/ OL'

chastit/, SCISSORS.
AMONO ROCK-
OTHER PAPER-
THINGS...

RAVE A
LITTLE
OF

FAVOR
TO ASK

PRAW?
, YOU. ,
THE TWO
OF US CAN
MANAOE FOR
I'M AT A LITTLE I
/ QUESTION.
GOOV \
A LOSS WHILE, BUT IN
FOUR DA/S, ABOUT
AS TO WE'LL BE ^
/ IHOW
OIVE you A
WHAT
OUT OF FOOD
f HINT AS TO
TO DO
AND A PLACE
AFTER TO ST AY. T. , CHEATED?
CHANOEHOW SHE /
THAT.

YOU'RE
ASKING
FORA
TO
PLACE

STAY?
 AT THIS
POINT,

LEARNING
PUT...
HOW
THAT CIRL NO WAY
CHEATED
ISN'T COINS
FOR
SOMEONE TO HELP. THERE'S
THOSE
YOU'VE
ALREADY
ACCEPT
DEFENSIVE
AS AS
YOU, LOST YOUR TERMS.
SHOT AT
NOTHING THE
THERE'S THRONE. YOU'D
FOR YOU
TO CAIN
BY TAKINC

UNNECES¬
SARY
RISKS.

ASOHfcNTE/

WE so
THERE/;
THERE

CO.

"ASCHBNTB.
A PBCLARAT/ON of intbntion whbn making a wagbr that absolutbly
MUST BB UPHBUP, PBR THB TBN COVBNANTS, BY SWBARING TO GOP."
 SOUSE
HE
NOT
MS
GIVING
ENOUGH
he's THING
CREPT. PAPER,
BUT
CAN'T
HUH?
SO HE
I’M JUST ANY¬
THINKS
TOGO
GOING
AN V USE
SCISSORS
OBVIOUS
THAT THEN?
IN IT'S
TRUTH, MAN
THIS AIMING
HE'S
HE JUST FORA
WANTS PRAW.
PO ESN'T
KNOW
HOW
SHE
CHEATEP.

THE
TRUTH
BUT I' V BE BYRULES,
THESE OF THE
FALLING MATTER,
STRAIGHT THAT'S
INTO HIS LOSE IF
TRAP BY WITH IT?
ALMOST I STARTT
CERTAINLY I WON'
GETTING PAPER.
ISN'T
A PRAW.

IF I USE
SCISSORS,

PROBABLY
"I KNEW
HOW
USE ROCK
DARE BE UKE,
ANP
INSULT
ME! HE'P

LET N'
THIS
WO T
IN
ENPA THE ONLY
MOVE I
PRAWH CAN USE
THAT CAN
CAUSE ME
TO LOSE
THINKS IS ROCK...
NEVER
USE,
?THAT!\
IV IT!"
ai
 HIS ONLY
OPTION IS
TO USE
LIKE HE ?
PAPER
HE HAS
NO OTHER ORIGINALLY
CHOICE!

mm*
PECLAREP.

HE
SIBLE
WANTS FOR
US TO
THE HIM
CHOOSE WIN...TO
IMPOS¬
HE'LL SAME
THINK IT'S
3/
THING... USING
LUCK/ IF
HE WINS, ANYTHING
ARB
BUT ELSE.
YOU HE'S
READY
EXPECTING
WHAT HE'S
ISA
DRAW!

Y-YBAR.
SURB
THI KG.
I SEE
CAN
ALREADY

WHAT

GONNA
YOU'RE
USE.
LET
SEEME
YOU IN
TEARS!

ROCK,
PAPER,
SCISSORS
 A %iX«

WM

IT SEEMS
LIKE YOU
THOUGHT
LONG ANQ
HARD
ABOUT
BUT IT
WASN'T
SNOJ£H.
 PUT YOU
SAW
LOOK THE
I

HAP ON
MY FACE

CALMEP
ANP
POWN...

AND
UNDERSTOOD
THAT X

WIN USINO
COULDN'T
ANyTHINO

BUT
PAPER.

THAT
MUCH
WAS ALL
WELL \ HB .
ANP
COOP. , \Tomuy ,
THROUGH
mbasM,
4t saw

m * ;
SO THAT
muoom
WN/H/Si
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WAS
ALLAN
ACT...

WOULD
HAVE
if you
WANTED
IT TO BEAT
DOUBLED
YOU R ME, THE
OF CORRECT
CHANCES
ONLY ANSWER
WINNINO. NOT WOULD
HAVE
WOULD BEEN
PAPER
HAVE PAPER.
DESTRO/ED
TOTALLY MY ONLY
PLAYBP CHANCE AT
VICTORy...
MB.

\ i
 HE

CONTROLLER
EVERYTHING...
FROM MAKING
ME CALM
VOWN TO THINK
ABOUT IT, TO
INSPIRING ME
TO ATTEMPT
A win.:.
EVERYTHING...
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v#

SAY
WHAT
THAT
FAVOR
ms?

BUT I
HUH?! \
CHECKEP
WITH
POUBLE-
you anp

I W WHETHER
ASKEP...
SILVER
i THAT
SAIP
^ MEANT YOU
NEEPEP A fx.-
PLACE TO
STAY?
 its
OVER,
ALL JUST

IT? SMILED.
OTHER YOU
IN
WORDS, THE ONE
ISN'T YOU'RE
SHOULD WHO
you
WERE NEVER OET
SO CAUOHT WENT AND
AFTER
DRAW A UPTOONPLAY
HOW DECIDED
THAT it
MEANT I
SO FAR, THE OAME
WHAT THAT YOU NEEDED
A STAY
PLACE
NEOLECT TO
YOU'VE
IMAGINED AND—
IS ALMOST THE CONDI¬
TIONS SET
100% DOWN.
RIOHT, BUT
THERE'S
SOMETHING
A BIT
OFF...

UHHH

tyaiii

WHETHER
(bore
RISK#
fTHEg
Ienper •;
RRAW-
mm

NOW,
AS FOR
"LITTLE
THAT

OF

FAVOR"
MINE...
LISTEN
GOOD-! . !
 TO HAVE: HER ;
W-WAIT,
HANG I BNTIRBU/..M
BE MINE'm
ON... TO HAVE ALL
THAT OTHER
WOULP'VE
POSSESSIONS
BECOME
MINE AS
HUH?/
WELL ...
WHY
PIPN'T /
THINK OF
THAT?/

WOULP

GET
THING.
EVERY¬

WANT
HER.

RIGHT
 I WAS
TRyiNS
to be
COOU

PLEASE
FOROIVE
MBEEBEB

1-IT'S NOT
MY FAULT
THOUOH/
X CAN'T LAy
YOUR AonFINOER
you/
I MEAN,
NII-CHAN'S
OETTINO
TO BE ONLy
THAT AGE, yOU'RE
ELEVEN/
you THE POLICE
KNOW. WOULD
HAUL ME
AWAW/
IT'S ONLY
NATURAL

-- ( S£CR£TL/
n?
|— WANT...
™T-

/
1
 THE THIRD
COVENANT:
"IN GAMES,
THE PARTIES
INVOLVE D WILL
PLACE WAGERS
THAT ALL
MEMBERS f IT
TO CAME
PASS
AGREE TO BE OF
ASmWAS
EQUAL VALUE." WRITTEN 3

\ 'THE FOURTH
J \ COVENANT: K
\ "ANY GAME \
CONDITIONS \
AND WAGERS ARE
PERMISSIBLE AS'
LONG AS THEY /
DO NOT VIOLATE /
I THE THIRD ’
(f1 ^COVENANT." \ r

THE SIXTH
COVENANT:
"ANY WAGER
SWORN BY
ff ASCHENTE
MUST BE
s'. UPHELD. "

6
ONE HOUR
LATER..
Pdn
Game
<8>
Pdn
LiFa
 NO ONE

REFUSE
CAN
THEY
ARE THE THE TEN
LUTE ENANTS.
LAW OF
OUR
ABSO¬
WORLP.
COV¬

EVEN
IF IT
/SOUR
LAW...
VE
BEUEN'
CA T
THATI SEEING
HIM TALKING
TO HIS
LITTLE
SISTER
INSTEAO
OF PAYING
ATTENTION
TOME...

IS
MAKING
MB
JEALOUS!
I JUST
ACCZVT
IT///
WON'T
 UMM.

STEPH-O-VISION

JUST A
THIS
HOW IS

HOW "LITTLE"
JAN you FAVOR?/
TRIVIALIZE
LIKE
PEEUNOS
THIS?/
A OIRL'S

PULL
YOURSELF UHH...
TOGETHER,
13-YEAR-OU?
VIRGIN,
SORA.

ENSP
ETT'
PRLE
NONE
OF THAT
HAPPENED
 AS IF
XT'S WHAT
I ASKEP PASSES AS
A "LITTLE
F R A
O
BITE OF
ANP PUT SOME PEPENPS
THE WHOLE ON THE
CAKE...
TWINO IN MY
INPIVIPUAL.
MOUTH AT
ONCE. SEE?
FAVOR"
IT'S JUST
ONE BITE.
IT'S LIKE
THAT.

WHAA?!
WHAT A
CRUEL y-YOU'RE
YOUR A TOTAL
THIRP
FAULT FOR TION/ CON
ACCUSA¬ ARTIST/
COV- INO
IT'STO
CHECK,
NEOLECT-
PEOPLE
IN
OAMES... ENANT.
WAOER
STUFF...
AOREEP , you
KNOW/

EQUAL. ^

FOURTH

ENANT.
GAMS COV¬ JUST
PETAILS... WHAT A
STUFF CO
TH N'S
AT
WAOEREP.. TIST
AR
WOULP
ALL PER¬
MISSIBLE. SAY!
 YOUR
vtmws
m
PEA/WNPS

^THE TEN r
COVENANTS
I HAVE NO
OBLIGATION PEMANP
TO CARRY HIS
THAT
ONLYI '' .
FORME RIGHT...
THE LOVE^\
>j OUT ANY A
OTHER £ TO LO LL
FAVE
UPHOLP~^\\ IN GOAL...
PEMANPS. PAPT.\\ N THS SN R
M. THAT’S
IT’
WI WA HI’T
FO

ME TO GIVE
HIM WHAT
HE WANTS.

H-HEH...
YOU
MESSEP
UP IN
THE ENP
GAME...
 IF WHAT
HE WANTS
IS FOR ME
TO JUST
GIVE HIM
THINGS...
HE'LL ASK
ALL I FOR STUFF
LIKE MONEY,
HAVE TO A PLACE TO
PO IS
STAY, ANP
SAY NO! FOOP.

WE'LL SEE
THEN

CRYING
TEARS OF
THEN WHO'S
TION...!
YOUR FRUSTRA¬
HOUSE
MUST BE
PRETTY
BIO...

COU LI? WE
STAY WITH
YOU FOR A
WHILE?

STAY
LIVING... WITH
UNPER
THE SAME ME?
ROOF? AS IN-
A MAN ANP LIVING
A WOMAN... WITH ME?
TOGETHER?!
 WOULD BE
SUCH
SO,
UH...
A BIO¬
PEAL...
ATHAT'S
NO?
 BU TNO-P-
GIR
EVE R IEN
LFR Nil... Nil PIP
MAKE BIG
MISTAKE...

MAPE

REQUEST.,
BUT NO
BINPING
POWER.
CLUELESS
STEPH NOW
FORCEP INTO
THROES
OF FIRST
CRUSH.

TWO PEOPLE
IN LOVE
WRECK EVEN
WHOLE
NATIONS.

UFU

NOTHING
MATTERS
ANY OTHER ANYMORE.
DEMANDS?
VO WHAT
ERINO YOU WILL
'EM ON/ WITH ME.

UH,
CAN WE
NOT BE WOULD
FEEL BAD,
CALLING MAKINO
ME
‘POOR Nil/ POOR Nil
PLEASE? WAIT UNTIL
SHIRO
EIGHTEEN.
 LOST
YOUR
V-CARP.

C0N6RAT5.

W HA?/

ALL 18+
MATURE
CONTENT IS
RESTRICTEP
UNTIL you
TURN
EIGHTEEN,
SHIRO.
moA

600V
chance.

WHAT
oives
WITH THE
CAMERA,
SIS?

Nil...
WANT...
FANTASy
WELL, DO ESN'T
FODDER?
HMM...
I'LL JUST

ACCEPT YOUR
CONSIDERATE
THOUGHTS.
 by
JUMP YOU
EVEN DARDS THIS
CALL
NAKED. . DECENT
DIRECTOR, STAN-
WE'RE FILMING
THIS LIVE/ TAKB
THIS IS ALL
HAPPENING
TOO
UVB!
HARP
WO...
PALIS
T
EC'T
our.
WE RRCAN
CO
OR
CENSOR
ANYTHIN#

OH...
PANTIES
THEN...?

^xfex

AHA!
THAT A PANTY
SHOULD
SHOT
THE AFTER
FLIPPING
EASILY
UNDER SKIRT,
UP HER
FALL
LABEL,
"DECENCY"
HUH?
DIRECTOR/

MY
UN PER...?
NO...!

. ■ xTTx • .
igl I DON'T
HOW TO
Wm purrr...
/V . ‘ X . 'B
\yj£pL'}\ f\

;;xx;xiixl
fyy
 i \

PONT.
GO. WHERE?
Nil...

LE4VE
PON'T
SHIRO.
v\ V-
W . N

^ J,

W/5 /5
SINGLE

GAMER
COMPRISE V
WHILE THEY OF TWO
MIGHT HAVE PEOPLE.
DIFFICULTIES
IN GAMES
WHEN DEPENDING
SEPARATED ON WHETHER
BY MORE THEY WERE
THAN A PLAYING
FEW
FEET... THEIR
STRONG
SUIT...
 THEY
CANNOT
MUNICATE
EVEN COM¬
FULLY...
SUCCESS¬

ONE IS
WILLFULLY

PLOYED.
UNEM¬
TUF
OTHER, A
THE ONLY SHUT-IN.
PLACE THESE
TWO SIBLINGS,
BEING SEVEN
YEARS APART
IN AGE,
COULD EXIST
TOGETHER...
WAS THEIR WHERE
HOME.

GOING
ON?
WHAT'S
GUY 5

WH-

THAT IS THE
TRUTH OF
THE URBAN
LEGEND
KNOWN AS

Sa»
 :*
ip**
STBPHANIB D OLA
STILL A PmUCBSS
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Pda
LiFa
 CITY OF BLKIA.
WEST DISTRICT HOUSE 3.

THE ESTATE OF
STEPHANIE POLA.

EXPLAIN.

EXPLAIN
WHAT?

ELEMENTARY
OIRL
CHARACTER...
NOT BATHING
APPROPRIATE. SCENE...

START A
YOU CAN'T
DECENT
WITHOUTPIECE
A
BARELY-
BATHINO
SCENE.

MORE TO
EXPLAIN?

WHAT'S
 WEVE
stbm
GOT
ASSISTING
US WITH
THIS.
SO TPS 1
1 STILlf
BARBLY
VBCBNT.

(J) GAME. 05 challenger

 \
/ OWI
'SH NGD AN
AN
" JUST
11-YEAR-OLD SORRY THE WHOLE
GIRL NAKED REASON YOU
IN THIS SCENE ASKED ME
IS SIMPLY ABOUTMY
THAT.
SISTER TO HEAT THE
ABL
PT- y
UNACCEE,
/i HATES
FOR THE WATER IN
TAKINO THE BATH...
BATHS. X WAS
FOR JUST
THE
BATH E N'HE
X CA TR ILLUSION* ILLUSION OP
MYSELF...
SO SHE
xrs RECENCY?

TT
ESN'OE
ALLY
REDO VERY
CLEAN THAT
OFTEN. TANT/
IM POR¬

IF THIS
IS GOING
"BARELY
TO BE

GOING TO
DECENT" I'M
TAKE FULL
ADVANTAGE
OF IT.

NII-CHAN
LIKES YOU SHIRO,
BETTER
CARE IF DON'T LET
WHEN YOU'RE
BEAUTIFUL. PRETTY YOUR BEAUTY
N'T DETERIORATE.
ORDONOT.
YOU'VE COT
TO TAKE
MURR
CARE OF
YOURSELF.
 1 MORE

DR D,E TANTLY
Y SEAR
WHES
YOU PU IMRA
LLy SO PO..
R-.
WITH YOUR
TOBACK
US?

THAT'S
DUMB A
QUESTION.
STAND TO BE
AWAY FROM
SHIR 0!
I CAN'T

F this SJ2! I HAVE

FOROIVE
BUT
WON'T STEAM ME FOR ANOTHER
SIMPLY SLOUCHES
BE ATE
X-R AN D INg5 NOW... SEE
WAY YOU
TO
NAKED,
VIDEO...
STEPH.
irn be
TOTALLY WAENT MO
PLAC TORE
ILLEOAL. TRUSIT DOIN
N'TTHE
STEAM THAN
IS DUE.

I'LL HAVE
SHIRO
CHECK IT
LATER...
IF SHE
DIVES THE
OKAY
I'LL TAKE
A LOOK
MYSELF.
 STEPH,
DO you THAT
HAVE A MOW \
WE'VE
LIBRARY H AD SOME
OR A
SOME STUDY AND
REST4
PLACE
HERE?
WHERE BATH...
I PEEL
I CAN
VO SOME
RESEARCH. i II FRESHED.

RE¬

WHAT
IT THATIS
BUT
‘WHAT/
YOU
LOOK
WANT TO
UP?
YOU
ASK?

WHY,

EVERYTHING
ABOUT THIS
WORLD, OF
COURSE.

"THIS

WORLD?"

NEVER
TOLD

REALLY?
HER.
 TO PUT IT
SIMPLY,
WS'RS NOT
FROM
YOUR
WORLP.

WHY we
THAT'S
ueev
INFORMATION
ABOUT THIS
PLACE.
 IMANESE
IS OF
THE
WE CAN CARRy
OUT A SPOKEN OFFICIAL
LANOUAOE
CONVERSATION
WITH ONE
ANOTHER, BUT IMANITY.
OUR WRITTEN
LANCUACE IS
AT'S
OOINO
WH COMPLETELV
ON DIFFERENT.
HERE?

UGH!
TALK
ABOUT
STRAIGHT

. A TOO-
ANSWER.

BLAME you
you FORT REALLy
I CAN'
CAME
BELIEVINO
NOT HERE FROM
ANOTHER
WORLD?
, US.

HUH?
WHy?
BELIEVE
you.
I'VE

HONESTLy,
I COULD HEARD
THAT THE
AH...
THAT TELL yOU
ELVES
SO?
FROM ELKIA CAN USE
THIS IS A By youR
WEREN'T MAOIC...
FANTASy
CLOTHES.
WORLD,
IT'S NOT
AND
REALLy SUMMON
ALL THAT CREATURES
TO
STRANOE.
FROM
OTHER
 IMjCE: TX IT SURE
II im: SUCKS TO
NOT BE
A//V.
ilium ABLE TO
OBTAIN ANY
INFORMATION
THROUGH
THINK
WE THESE
COULP
LEARN TEXTS...

NO,

I NEEP
SOMETHING
ELSE.

PLEA5E
SOME
ANSWER
QUESTIONS.

FIRST OFF,

X KEEP
HEARING
ABOUT
"i/iAANirry*
BUT
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RIOHT
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WE ELKIA'S ALL
USED TO IMANITY
HAVE HAS LEFT,
MORE RIGHT?
LAND IN
THE OLD
DAYS.
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HER UFE?

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EXACTLY
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ARE THE

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IMANITY

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CIRCUITS
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THE BEINOS AT
THE TOP OF THE
HIERARCHY ARE
BEST...
OOPS WHO ARE
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A CERTAIN KIND
OF MAOIC.

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TALKINO MAOIC
TF WE'RE
MANIPULATION,
THEIR RIOHT. A TYPICAL ELF
NATION OF THAT'S AT RANK
ELVEN CARD SEVEN WOULD
PROBABLY BE
HAS RISEN
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WORLD DUE
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AS WELL AS
READ PEOPLE'S
EMOTIONS.

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BUT PUT THEY
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THESE RACES ANOTHER WAY, EVEN
POSSESS FROM IF THEY CAN'T USE
SUPERHUMAN IMANIT/'S
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SURE

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MEM¬
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SURPRISEP
ABOUT.

you
LEARNEP.

LANGUAGE?

WITH OUR
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ME UP THE
AGAINST LEFT IS
THE GIRL MEMORIZING
ALL THAT'S
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EIGHTEEN CHARACTERS.
LANGUAGES
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WHAT I

ALL THEY KNOW TO

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OF
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SHIKO-SAW
CHECKING
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 NOT
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MORE
COM\N&.
 Five Years Ago

K, Jngdom of Elkia, Steph s Mansion.

As the two siblings pored through copious piles
of books in her library, Stephanie Dola stared on in

wonderment. “You guys came from another world,

right?”
“Yeah. What of it?” Sora responded, not taking his
eyes off of his book.

“Well, don’t you want to go back to your home

world?”
Steph asked this question out of concern,
imagining how she would feel about suddenly
finding herself in a strange world. To Sora and Shiro,

Steph’s world was entirely new — even the writing

1
 NO GAME NO LIFE

needed deciphering! This world offered no place for

them to call home, and common sense was scarce
and underrated. She was certain that, were she in
their position, she would be aching to return home.

However, to Steph’s surprise, both siblings

responded instantly:

“Never even crossed my mind.”

“Nope...”
“May I ask why not?” Steph tried to picture
herself in a completely foreign land. She thought
of how terrified and lonely she would feel. What
horrors had these two witnessed in their former
home that would make them so hesitant to return?

Steph was taken aback by the siblings’ complete

lack of lingering attachment to their former world,
and she asked timidly, unsure of whether it was
really safe to raise the question.
“Hmm...” Sora closed his book with a clap, his
gaze somewhere far away. “Our home world isn’t
nice like it is here.”
Shiro remained silent, as she often did.

Sora continued, “We went through some awful

times. It was so miserable that it still hurts to think

2
 FIVE YEARS AGO

about it. One event in particular will haunt me until

the day that I die.” He paused. “Anyway, I suppose

that’s why we’ve got no love for our home world.”
“...WhatNii said,” Shiro confirmed quietly.
It was a memory that the two siblings shared, and
a day they would never forget.

From the look on Sora’s face, Steph could tell

that this was a bitter and painful memory. “Well, if
doesn’t bother you, you can talk about it,” she urged
gently. “We’ve got time to kill, anyway.”
Sorrowfully, Sora cast his eyes downward. Bit by
bit, he began to talk about what happened that day.

<s>
Five Years Ago —
Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Akihabara, fondly referred to as the Mecca of
Geekiness.
In an arcade, just off the overpass over the
landmark Central Street, stood a brother and sister
who looked as different as night and day. One was
a middle-school-aged boy with black hair and a

3
 NO GAME NO LIFE

fiendish look in his black eyes. The other was a

young girl with white hair and red eyes, clearly still
in elementary school. For the last two hours, these
two had remained glued in place in front of the

arcade’s crane game cabinet.

To win the crane game, a player must use simple
controls to position a small crane directly above the
prize he seeks. Many believe that there is no further
depth to the game, but these two young siblings
knew better. They knew, in truth, that the crane
game is a fighting game.
It is a battle between the customer and the store,
and allowance money and store profits are the
resources each side brings to the fight. With its
steep difficulty and tangible rewards at stake, it is
the single most serious, hardcore game at the arcade.
If the customers go home empty-handed, they
may never return. But if the highly-coveted prizes
were easy to win, the arcade would lose money.
Therefore, the store clerk must use every measure at
his disposal — from simple adjustments to the angle
of the crane’s claw or the strength of the spring, all
the way to more advanced considerations, such as

4
 FIVE YEARS AGO

ensuring that it takes a higher number of tries (and

consequently more money) to move desirable prizes
into catching range — all the while keeping in mind
how much money the customer is willing to spend
beyond the original cost of the prize. The store

clerk uses all of the knowledge and know-how he’s

cultivated over the years to produce this challenge.
On the other hand, for the player, it is a challenge
of the highest degree to determine if he can see

through the store’s schemes, thwart the multitude of

traps, and coax out the prize in the fewest possible
number of turns.
All the same, many believe that the store clerk
will give them the prize after enough tries if they
only ask.
What a charming, heart-warming thought. Think
back again on this story, and see the folly of this
thinking. The arcade wants the customer to continue
playing, even after investing past the actual value of
the prize. Indeed, the true identity of the crane game
is a shameless farce — a seemingly innocent and
earnest game that turns a profit after absorbing the

price of the treasures inside. Behind the scenes, it’s

 NO GAME NO LIFE

nothing more than money-grubbing capitalists out

to create a zombie-like horde of repeat customers!
And yet...
“Nii...done,” spoke the young girl. Dozens of
plush toys lay scattered around her feet. Shiro stood
before a totally empty crane game cabinet.
At the tender age of six, Shiro commanded
a pinpoint accuracy that let her weave between
the threads and seams of the plush toys, hooking
multiple prizes every time. With three tries costing
500 yen per set, she had spent a scant 2000 yen and
twelve turns to extract every prize in the cabinet.
The arcade had lost a substantial amount. But the
issue at hand was something else entirely. . .

“Then would you mind helping me out, here?

This one’s pretty tough,” young Sora called, wiping
the sweat from his brow. Sora had already emptied
a second crane cabinet of its contents, and with his
own mountain of prizes piled near his feet, he had
started on a third machine. However, he had already
lost five coins to this cabinet, leaving him shaking
in his boots.

“Nii struggling. . .? Weird. . .”

6
 FIVE YEARS AGO

“Yeah, every time I think I’m getting close, I wind

up missing. This store clerk knows what he’s doing!”
Sora muttered, gritting his teeth.
The store clerk responsible for the machine and
its prizes observed them from the shadows, pleased
that his tactics were working against his adversary.
Sora was after a limited edition figure from a
popular anime. With its rarity, it was a prize that
would sell for double — no — ten times its original
price on the secondhand market. Truly, it was
intended as bait to attract customers. It wouldn’t
be at all surprising for a treasure like this to be
physically impossible to obtain.
Sora shifted his gaze. Just as the store clerk had
noticed Sora, so too had Sora noticed the store
clerk. The clerk flashed a triumphant glare at Sora,

his face showing no concern. The clerk’s eyes were

not those of a man who would resort to cheap tricks,
such as making the prize physically impossible to
win. They were the eyes of a gambler... the eyes of
a man full of confidence, experience, and pride. The

eyes of this clerk spoke without words: “Catch it if

you can.”

7
 NO GAME NO LIFE

“That’s just the way I wanted it,” Sora’s eyes

retorted sharply. “That means there’s a weak point
somewhere!”
Shiro crunched numbers like a madwoman,

taking the cabinet’s unique characteristics into

consideration. Sora ran vigorous strategies through

his head based on the prize’s position. At a glance,

it would seem that there was no opening to be
found. With ten or twenty turns, one could create an
opening, but then the investment would exceed the
cost of the prize.
In other words, this was a battle against the clerk.
“I don’t necessarily need to catch the prize. . . I just
need it to fall through the chute and into the hatch. . .

If only. . .” muttered Sora, biting his nails as he tried

to figure out just how to execute this plan. If only. . .

“Nii! Try... there?” Detecting something from

Sora’s murmurs, Shiro ran complex calculations in
her head and pointed her finger. In the area that she

pointed, a plan came into focus in Sora’s mind.

“Ah! Just leave it to me.” With these words, Sora
inserted a sixth coin into the machine. He had spent
3000 yen so far, which seemed like a small fortune

8
 FIVE YEARS AGO

to a child. With the insertion of the 500 yen coin,

the cabinet made a clink as it gobbled up the money.
Music began to play, and the machine came alive.
Sora controlled the vertical axis while Shiro was

in charge of horizontal, with each sibling’s finger

placed on top of his respective button. Without
any signal or either starting first, the two naturally
moved as one gamer, as IT J .
The store clerk’s confident expression remained
undisturbed, but there was no hesitation in the

siblings’ movements. Sora stopped the crane with

laser precision as it headed inward to a spot notably
further in than the prize he sought.
“Heh.” The store clerk unconsciously let out a
sarcastic snicker at Sora’s mishandling.
But still, Shiro continued on moving the crane
right until it very precisely clutched a box much
lighter than the prize they were after. It was clear
that it had been calculated to land directly in front of
the prize chute, almost as if it were a bridge.

“Wha. . .?!” A gasp of surprised horror escaped the

lips of the stunned clerk. Now it was the siblings’
turn to smirk.

9
 NO GAME NO LIFE

“ Hehehe . Sorry, guy. The owner’s gonna chew

you out.”
“IT J... cannot be defeated,” affirmed the two
young siblings in unison.

The clerk made a fiendish growl, which didn’t

seem to match his appearance at all.
The inside of the arcade buzzed with the chirps
and bleeps of the games. A fierce but silent battle
waged indirectly between the trio. Then came the
ringing sound that heralded the end of the conflict:

the sound of the cabinet eating Sora’s seventh coin.

Sora and Shiro smoothly worked their hands without

a moment’s hesitation. The crane grazed the box of

the figure they desired. And that was that. The box
fell over and slid down the bridge they had built. . .
“Sorry, guy.”
“You were a good foe. . .”
The prize headed straight for the chute. At the
sight of this spectacle, the siblings thrust their fists
to the sky, a gesture of victory for the customer
and a sign of loss for the arcade. Meanwhile, their
opponent against whom they had used all their might
had a smile on his face as he hung up the phone.

10
 FIVE YEARS AGO

“What the heck are you two doing here?! Why

aren’t you sweeties at school?!”
“Uh...”
“Eek...!”
It was a weekday morning. The two truant
minors, riddled with social phobias, had come this
early to avoid dealing with a crowd. Upon hearing
the question, the pair jumped and bolted, leaving
behind on the arcade floor the numerous prizes that

they couldn’t hope to carry.

In his sad state of flight, Sora turned back and

yelled, “You bastard! Where’s your pride?!”

But the clerk who had called for the truancy
officer simply responded with a silent, twisted smile
and a happy sigh, revealing to Sora that the man was
a true gambler. True gamblers do whatever it takes
to win.

“Sorry, kid. That’s life for you. Winning’s all that

matters.” The clerk had managed to avoid being
docked any pay and, heaving a deep sigh of relief,
he began to pick up the prizes spread all over the
ground.
u 95

11
 NO GAME NO LIFE

This is the story of a young Sora and Shiro — the

siblings who would later become an urban legend —
the two who would be summoned by God to Disboard,
a world where everything is determined by games.
The siblings who would one day rise to the stuff

of myths. Imanity’s strongest gamer, IT J — and the

one game they didn’t win.
“Nii... Shiro’s plushies...”
“God dammit! How long is that old hag going
to chase us?! Oh, don’t worry about the toys. I’m
gonna do whatever it takes to get them back. . .”
“Wait up, sweeties! Don’t run from me, hun!” As
the grating voice of the officer loomed ever closer,
Sora consoled his weeping sister and, clicking his

tongue with a magnificent tick, yelled, “DAMMIT!

GROWN-UPS ARE CROOKED! !!”
The one game they didn’t win. That was the day
they learned of the game called “life.”

The end of Sora’s story was met with utter stillness.

The two siblings broke the silence. Sora took a

12
 FIVE YEARS AGO

deep breath. . .Well, now you can see why we feel

that way.”
“Shiro hurt. Deeply hurt...” Shiro added.
Steph responded with a narrowed, steely gaze. “I
didn’t understand even half of your story, but what
I did get is that it’s an astonishingly stupid reason.”
As if he hadn’t heard her retort at all, Sora opened
his book anew and resumed reading, his chin resting
on his hands.

“Well, we did go back on a later date and took

every last one of the arcade’s prizes,” Sora muttered.
Shiro nodded in agreement.

“They removed that crane game cabinet after we

pillaged their prizes every day for a week. I wonder
if that arcade’s still around. . .”
“Revenge. . . gotten.” Upon saying this, a fiendish
smile erupted across the siblings’ faces.
Dejected, Steph gave voice to her feelings. “Don’t
you think you two are the ones who are vicious?”
Steph decided that for the time 1 being, she didn’t
3
want to get on their bad side.

No Game No Life - “ Five Years Ago ” [End]

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gomanga.com • eBOOK
Social-phobic Sora and shut-in Shiro
form a genius gamer sibling duo. The
two find the world to be a lousy game...
until someone claiming to be God
transports them to a world where
everything is decided by games!
Will these two failures at life become
the saviors of a strange, new world?

HDHt EC1 ■
=i=I£3^j.J niAsi