Chapter 31

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## Chapter Chronology

### Next

Chapter 32

This is chapter 31 in the Heaven's Design Team manga series.

## Plot

It's another day, and Shimoda is on his way to check on the latest deadline for a project headed by Mizushima. The request is for "a tree-like animal', but Mizushima has yet to submit anything. Shimoda walks into the Animal Department when his foot gets caught on something. Tsuchiya greets him and informs him that the floor is a little uneven. The office has been transformed to mimic a forest containing five different animal species hidden among the foliage.

Aside from the Horned-Owl, Shimoda can't seem to find the others and compliments Mizushima. But, Mizushima proclaims that he hasn't come up with any ideas yet. Tsuchiya explains that Mizushima has been having  "creator block" and offered to help him by bringing out previous designs to help inspire him. As Shimoda wonders what previous designs meant, Mizushima points out one of Meido's designs by Shimoda's feet, the Long-nosed Horned Frog. Shimoda is amazed by how well it looks like a leaf. Tsuchiya then reveals another hidden animal he borrowed from the Insect Department, the Walking Stick. The next animal is the pupa for the Constable Butterfly, which resembles a leaf. Shimoda is impressed by the Insect Department's designs.

Tsuchiya then turns to Mizushima and asks if he got enough inspiration yet. Feeling more depressed, Mizushima replies that he feels more pressure than before, expressing his desire to be as skillful and confident as Tsuchiya one day.  As Tsuchiya tries to calm him down, Shimoda wonders if he could help somehow. Looking at the Constable Pupa, he asks Tsuchiya why all the animals he saw resembled dead leaves rather than healthy green ones. Tsuchiya offers to demonstrate using Kimura's starfish design as a base and transforming it into a tree sapling. He then brings in a deer, who immediately chomps down on the leaves and then drags the sapling away. Mizushima explains that camouflage is to help the animals avoid getting eaten by predators.

Noticing how glum Mizushima is feeling, Shimoda suggests that maybe he is overthinking what to do. Instead of a "tree-like animal," he suggests that Mizushima try making an animal that disguises itself as a tree. Taking the advice into consideration, Mizushima does a little sketch and comes up with a new reptile, the Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko, which gets immediate divine approval from God. However, Mizushima isn't satisfied with the design, stating that it was too easy. He then becomes overwhelmed and stressed by all the pressure.

At that moment, Tsuchiya suggests that they stop to clear their heads and reveal the fifth and final animal hidden in the room. Suddenly, the platform under their feet begins to rise at an angle. To Shimoda and Mizushima's horror, that platform has a huge mouth full of serrated teeth on its underbelly. Tsuchiya explains that the platform, aka Floora, was based on the design for an insect called the Microdon. Sadly, it was never approved by God.

As Floora settles down, everyone gets their bearings back together and regroups. Feeling calm, Mizushima gets an idea for his final design. His animal will live in symbiosis with plant life in the ocean and will grow similarly to an actual tree. Mizushima introduces his design, the Branch Coral. Suddenly, Shimoda receives a message from God giving divine approval for Mizushima's design. Everyone congratulates Mizushima who explains that his inspiration came from Tsuchiya transforming the starfish into a tree. At first, he thought it was a joke, but it was a hint. Although he thanks Mizushima for his praise, Tsuchiya quietly admits that he used the starfish because it could balance like a tripod. But, everything still worked out in the end.

### New Animals

* Leaf-tailed Gecko
* Branch Coral